I took a deep breath, glancing towards the door of the ship, before gently tapping my shoulder twice. My shield exploded outward. It was wider and taller than me and the light blue glow to it made everything look a little unnatural.

“It’s a smart shield,” Tuc said loudly, over the noise of shots from outside. “You just need to press the tip of the gun to it and it’ll seal around it so you can shoot through.”

I nodded, looking quickly down at my weapons.

I took another deep breath, trying to force down my adrenaline which jumped with every bullet that hit the ship.

“Okay, let’s go,” I said, stepping forwards into the doorway. “Elliot, we’re coming out now, we’ll let you know when we’re in position.”

The blue shield protected my eyes as I slowly marched down the ramp, my pulse rifle held at the ready. Even with the distance between us, I heard a shout go through the advancing Guardians as they turned their focus away from Elliot and towards me.

I stepped down onto the hard, compact dirt, planting my feet in a wide stance for balance and began firing. Bullet hit my shield constantly, threatening to knock me back. I tried not to wince with every shot, focusing on my training and forcing myself to breathe slowly.

“We’re in position, El. Speed it up,” Tuc called over the deafening noise of constant gunfire.

Elliot didn’t turn like I had but he started walking backwards quicker, still picking off Guardians as he went.

The armour piercing rounds were surprisingly effective. Someone must have worked on them after our failed attempt on the headquarters because I could see the impact these ones were having. With each slow, measured squeeze of the trigger, Guardians drop to the floor or stumble. My shots are good, I’m taking down a lot of Guardians, Elliot is slowly moving closer to us.

Until.

My eyes fell on the Guardians’ between us, specifically the one lying motionless in a pool of their own blood which was slowly dripping into the cracks in the sun-scorched earth. The Guardian I killed.

A spray of bullets hits my shield and I was distracted. I stumbled. It had been drilled into us time and time again not to get distracted in a fight. All that matters is the goal. My mission should have been to kill as many Guardians as possible but…

I know I failed. I started taking non-lethal shots. I was aiming for arms, legs and stomachs. Still potentially life-threatening but less likely to kill. Or so I tell myself. I know it was dumb. Please, I don’t need other people to say it too. I know that aiming for the chest is always the better option because it’s a bigger target but I couldn’t do it.

I didn’t and don’t want more people to die because of me.

“Aries, when Elliot gets here, he goes in first, then you, then me. Alright? Trolis and Drac will be able to cover us with the ship’s weapons,” Tuc said slightly breathlessly.

I bit my lip, not wanting Tuc to be out alone, no matter how briefly, but Elliot replied first.

“Hells, no,” he growled. “Aries first, then you and I’ll take the last spot.”

A rippling wall of lasers exploded from the ship behind me, briefly deafening me and making me want to cover my ears but I forced myself to keep firing.

The Guardians were basically ripped in half. The entire front row fell, their wounds instantly cauterising so not even a droplet of blood touched the dirt. My modified nose picked up on the burning smell of human flesh and blood that turned my stomach but I clenched my jaw, making myself keep firing on the still advancing line of Guardians.

They were more cautious and more fired at the ship rather than at us, but they still came.

“Damn it, Elliot, don’t try and be the hero! I have more ammo and guns, you get in the ship first!” Tuc snapped.

I felt sweat dripping down my face as I threw an empty clip onto the floor and grabbed the next one from my belt, snapping it into place and continuing to fire, waiting for Elliot to reply.

“I’ll be fine. Start backing up, I’m close enough,” Elliot ordered.

I started slowly moving towards the ramp, trying to keep shooting at the Guardians and struggling to aim for the non-lethal areas but I know I killed a lot of them.

“El, go first—“ Tuc started as my heels hit the ramp but he was cut off.

“I am your commanding officer, get in the ship,” Elliot snarled with finality.

I saw Tuc hesitate as I edged backwards up the ramp but finally, he conceded.

“Should I keep shooting once I get to the top?” I asked, knowing that it would be a difficult shot to make with Tuc and potentially Elliot on the ramp.

“No, get strapped into the cockpit next to Peggy. Make sure she’s okay,” Elliot ordered.

“Understood,” I replied as I finally reached the top.

I raced into the depths of the ship, towards the gun storage. I yanked the ammo clips out of my guns and tossed them into the storage bins before turning and running towards the cockpit.

I passed Trolis and Drac as I ran, both firing endlessly at the Guardians before slamming my hand against the cockpit’s scanner. It recognised me immediately but the door felt like it took too long to open. I ducked through the door before it had even fully opened, my gaze finding Peggy straight away.

Her wide, fearful eyes were fixed on me, her hands clutching at her belt as if she were ready to rip it open and run. The jumpsuit she was wearing looked too big and ill-fitting and she didn’t move as I stepped slowly into the cockpit.

“Aries?” she whispered in a weak, hoarse voice.

“It’s me.”

“Is it really?” Her eyes shone with tears.

She was all that mattered to me at that moment. Everything else fell away.

“I promise.”

She didn’t ask for any proof, she just accepted it. Her head fell and silent sobs wracked her body.

“Can I come sit?” I asked softly but she didn’t hear over the noise of her own cries and the rain of bullets on the ship.

I realised that they must have taken out her auditory mods too and anger flashed through me.

“Can I come sit?” I repeated louder.

She jumped at my voice but nodded.

I dropped into the seat next to hers and started to strap myself in as Tuc raced through the door muttering.

“Engines, engines, engines,” he said as he threw himself into the seat. “Elliot, you better hurry the hell up or I swear to any of the Gods, I will kill you myself.”

I bit back a laugh but Peggy jumped, her gloved hand snapping out to clutch mine.

“I’m coming, I’m coming. Get ready to shut the doors,” Elliot’s voice came back over the comms.

I grabbed the nearest screen with the hand that wasn’t holding Peggy’s and quickly flicked on to see the outside of the ship. Elliot was almost at the top of the ramp and the majority of Guardians had turned and started running back to their ship, obviously aware that we were about to escape.

“Ready?” Elliot asked, not bothering to wait for a reply as he picked off the last few Guardians. “Three… Two… One! Get the doors!”

Tuc slammed his hand down on the controls, shutting the door immediately and firing up the engine. His hands raced across the controls, opening the cockpit doors before standing and pulling open a storage locker.

“Move faster, old man,” he shouted down the ship at Elliot who I could hear sprinting towards us, a hint of victory in his voice.

Elliot burst into the cockpit, thrusting his weapons into Tuc’s arms who stashed them in the lockers.

“Old man,” he panted, unlatching weapons and stumbling as the ship shook from the assault. “Fuck you.”

They dropped into their seats and started typing on the controls.

Beside me, Peggy whimpered quietly under her breath.

“It’s fine, they’re great pilots,” I said, ducking my head towards her.

She said nothing, staring at them silently.

“Alright, crew, helmets on. This should go well but if it doesn’t, let’s at least take out as many of these bastards as we can,” Elliot said over the comms.

I winced, knowing that Elliot’s announcement would not have helped Peggy’s anxiety, and untangled my hand from Peggy’s to reach between us and activate her helmet.

“We’ll be fine, I promise,” I said before the helmet sprung up around her.

I activated mine too before grabbing her hand again. My eyes bounced between the Guardian ship on the screen, that continued to fire at us, and the pilots before me.

They were good pilots, I knew they’d do their best to make sure we got home.