Orbital by bill zhao copyright 2017 Bill Zhao Table of Contents act one (earth)

ships. Plasma cartridges dented the hull of the Icarus, with many other
shots decorating the walls. The USOC forces started to move in.
Admiral Cheng shot frantically with a panicked look. His own forces
were dwindling nonstop. USOC forces thrusted through where they
came in while another team breached through to the right of them.
They surrounded Derek and co. from both sides.
Derek finally got his rifle working and fired off a dozen shots into the
invading attackers from the right. This EVA suit of his had no
enhanced shielding and so a well-aimed bullet could end it for him,
right then and there. He kept firing off at the soldiers. Those that were
outside the window were the least of his worries. Suddenly, an image
flashed into his mind, flashes of the battle he first saw on the Icarus.
The same invading force, but under a different time and a different
command. He remembered the chaos and the firefight that ensued, and
the peace he found in the escape pod.
“
Cheng!” he shouted. “We need to get to the escape pods! We cannot hold
them off here!” The Admiral nodded swi ly and gestured for his men to
follow.
“
You lead! Let’s go!” commanded the Admiral. Surely USOC would have no
regard for Derek’s life now that the container was out and about. The
NorthCo soldiers dwindled down to just over a dozen men. And they were
s ll ge ng constantly shot down. Derek boosted over to the elevator sha
and filled the doors with plasma bolts. The steel started to melt away, and
Derek slipped through, hovering down. “We could have blown the doors!”
said the Admiral, but Derek knew their me was limited. The Admiral and

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his company of surviving soldiers followed him down the sha . Derek
didn’t remember much, but the soldier housing deck with all the barracks
would have had the most unused pods, seeing as how all the soldiers were
busy dying to the USOC forces. History seems to repeat itself. Derek and
the Admiral boosted out the sha , into the new deck. It looked indifferent
to the one above, retaining that same depressing colour pale e.