The whole peninsular rocked with the concussion as Neil's improvised fusion bomb converted a hundred hectares of rocky coastline to blackening volcanic glass. Dust and debris rained over the beleagured defenders like hail. Sayeeda's helmet had integral sonic dampers which deployed instantly to save her hearing, most of the soldiers and the nobles and retainers weren't so lucky and clutched their ears in stunned amazement. Junebug clicked her helmet over to milimetric radar to cut through the grit.

"Neil! Light up the landing bay lights bright as they will take," she shouted, unnecessarily as her commlink transmitted the message and modulated it to a comfortable volume for recipients. She grabbed the staggered noble and shoved him towards the Highlander. A moment later brilliant white strips of light, visible through the storm of grit, appeared around the entry way. Sayeeda started bodily grabbing soldiers and attendants and shoving them towards the lights. Most managed to stumble under their own power.

"Junebug," Taya's voice came breathlessly in her ear, "I have you patched into the locals communications net..."

"All units withdraw to the lights, fall back while you can troopers!" the shocked troops needed little encouragement but Junebug grabbed those two stunned or too scared to move.

"Seargent, you and your men collect the wounded!" she called to a squad of troops that came jogging out of the storm in fairly good order. The dust was settling rapidly as the rain continued to pelt down. She vaulted up onto a rock and looked out over the expanse of blackened destruction. Shockingly she saw movement at the edges of it. Beyond the range of any thrown rock, but curious she dialed up the magnification on her helmet. Creatures, many blackened and burned by radiation were hurling boulders into the still molten glass. They were making a causeway.

"You have got to be kidding me..." she mouthed in open mouthed awe at such an endeavor. Whatever these things were it was clearly best to leave the planet to them.

"Captain!" a voice shouted behind her. Sayeeda turned to see Aiden Amalric standing behind her. He held a plasma rifle in his hand and an odd metalic cyilinder in the other. SHe was surprised he wasn't cowering aboard the Highlander, he certainly looked pale enough to be going into shock.

"All my men are off the beach, come we must go!" Sayeeda's respect for the noble rose a few notches and, ignoring his outstretched hand vaulted down from the rock to land beside him. Together they ran for the Highlander, booted feet ringing metallic on the gangplank, the ship already beginning to rise into the air on vectored thrust. By the time the hatch had closed the Freighter was skimming the wavetops, out to sea and beyond the range of any further projectiles. 

Taya was busily handing out cans of cola and medical supplies to the two dozen survivors. One of the men with millitary training appeared to be setting up an aid station. Dripping wet from the storm and full of adrenaline jitters, Junebug clambered up the latter and into the cockpit. Aiden followed uninvited though Sayeeda made no move to block his way. She stuck her head through the door to look down at her pilot.

"And here I thought MY plan was crazy," she commented with rueful amusement. She turned her head to look at Aiden.

"Also you totally owe us a new fusion bottle."

[@POOHEAD189]