McCallister signals two section members to remain at the overlook, then leads Jayson into an abandoned service tunnel branching through the ridge. Dust trembles under distant engines.
The tunnel opens onto a cramped emergency bay. A Hund courier craft lies disabled against the rock, its hull scorched and landing struts folded beneath it.
Sergeant "Gunney" McCallister
There is our complication. Pilot is alive, and that transmitter is no cargo beacon. It carries the convoy's command cipher.
The injured Hund pilot braces beside the craft with one arm pressed to his side. In his other hand, he keeps a compact transmitter trained toward the tunnel entrance.
the Hund pilot
Stop there, Dane. The convoy is already beyond your reach, and this tunnel will not become your interrogation room.
Sergeant "Gunney" McCallister
You are in no shape to bargain, but you are still breathing. Set the transmitter down, and we can keep this orderly.
Outside, engines fade beyond the rock, shrinking the examination window to moments. The cipher unit pulses once, sending an encrypted status burst into the dust-choked network.
Seize the convoy command cipher