XCOM: The B-Team, Chapter 10 – Operation Brutal Scepter

THE B TEAM by CHRISTOPHER RUZ Chapter 10: Operation Brutal Scepter   Table of Contents The last thing Lewis saw before the Skyranger lifted off was Commander Pournelle standing at attention, snapping a hard salute. Then the back tray closed with a solid thunk of steel, the engines whined petulantly, and they were off. Half a klick into the air already and rising fast, headed for Berlin. The Skyranger shuddered as it banked through ocean turbulence. Lewis staggered across the pitching craft until he found his seat, strapping himself into the kevlar webbing before he flew off his feet. Major Adam ‘Santa’ Rudd grinned across the cabin at him. “How do those leaves feel, Major?” Lewis brushed the little gold oak leaves welded to the collar of his titanium-plate body armour. It still didn’t feel real – Pournelle had surprised him with the promotion only an hour before the mission. A quick handshake, a pat on the back, and then a whispered plea – “Don’t fuck it up this time.” He met Rudd’s gaze. “Good. I think. How’d it feel for you?” Rudd shrugged. No mean feat, seeing as how he was weighed down with about half a ton of ablative armour and plasma powered weaponry. “After Lone Mountain, I didn’t feel anything. Just glad to be alive.” “Boy, do I know how that goes.” Lewis set his own rifle across his lap and fiddled with the power core. Stolen alien tech, retrofitted to contour properly to human hands. Would’ve […]