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ship.”
    “Ramirez,
let me go, Colonel, this is too important--”
    The
Ambassadors complaint was cut off by several guttural screams and several loud
sounds that were, for lack of a better term, alien to Kyle.
    “We’re
moving Colonel. We have intruders in our area. Kitch push forward.”
    Kyle
unholstered his sidearm and looked at K-man.
    “We have
hostiles incoming; none leave that corridor alive, Kiskaliski.”
    “Understood
Colonel.”
    K-man
brought his rifle to ready position while Greene went prone on the other side
of the doorway.
    “Jennings,
keep an eye on that hatch door. As soon as Richards gives the green light, we
are heading back onto the Fletcher. Donovan, are you on the line?”
    “Yeah
Colonel, we are hot down here. As soon as Cowboy gives me the go code, we will
make the jump.”
    “Colonel,
we have three guests with us. Just letting you know. Twenty seconds out.”
    “Roger
Kitch. Cowboy, we need room for three more, will that be a problem?”
    “No
Colonel, we can accommodate.”
    “Good.
Ramirez, how is it?”
    “Hot
Colonel. I’m tailgating the party, but there is a lot of damage back here. It’s
a mess. How far out Kitch?”
    “Two
rooms, you should hear us by now.”
    K-man had
his hand by his ear when Kyle looked over.
    “We hear
you. Marines!  Ready!”
    At that
moment, Kitch came around the corner of the corridor in a dead run. Sweat was
pouring off of her face, but she looked in control. Stuart was being dragged
along by Anderson. Boone was basically pushing a Hedali and Ambassador Thomas
before him. Two more Hedali were running in front of Carter who was keeping
pace while managing to keep filming behind him.
    A low
thumping enveloped the area four times in quick succession as Carter paused at
the back end of the corridor. Kyle moved away from the entrance of the small
room to allow Kitch and the others to take cover when he felt a blast of air.
    “We’re
open Colonel!” Jennings shouted.
    “Everybody
onto the Shuttle! Move!” Kyle ordered.
    As the
humans and their Hedali refugees moved past him, he heard the staccato of an
automatic rifle. Kyle whipped back to see Ramirez tearing down the corridor. As
his second foot hit the floor of the corridor, a shorter figure leaned around
the corner pointing a black object at Ramirez. There were two thumps and two
blue waves in rapid succession; the pulses they had felt earlier were the
weapons of these aliens. Kyle’s heart leaped into his throat as he watched the
waves hit Alex in the middle of his back.
    “I’m
hit!” Ramirez yelled as he threw himself into the small room.
    Several
of the unknown assailants starting charging down the corridor. One pointed at
Martin standing in the doorway.
    “Clear!”
Kyle shouted as he dove to the floor.
    K-man
emptied his magazine in less than 2 seconds. The brass was starting to ring on
the floor when Kyle came to a stop. 
    He looked
up to see Greene and Ramirez going through the hatch to the Fletcher. Carter
was quickly backing towards the hatch, filming the entire time.
    Beside
Kyle was a Hedali who had fallen as he entered the room. He grabbed him and
pushed him towards the hatch while swinging around to make sure the room was
clear.
    “K-man,
let’s go.”
    K-Man
stood and started towards the hatchway when Kyle saw another alien stick his
head into the corridor and look down towards them.
    As if by
a sixth sense, K-Man pulled his .45, turned and fired all in one swift motion.
The alien’s head exploded in a brownish splash.
    Kyle
heard what he took to be a gasp from the Hedali he was holding up as Kiskaliski
ran by them and through the hatch.
    Moving
forward, Kyle pulled his new companion through the hatch, down the tunnel and
into the Fletcher. He heard the hatch behind him seal shut, and heard Richards
give the all clear.
    “Go
Donovan!” said Cowboy, and Kyle saw the Hedali ship swim quickly away from the
hatch window.
     
     
     

 
    Chapter 5
     
    Kyle would
have slumped