A girl can dream.

“Helen,” Sprite said, face still to the sky, guns still at the ready, knife wound in the side still not worsening. “Remember, stay close to Scotty, but more importantly, avoid this thing’s legs. In close quarters, they’ll do the most damage toward you, because he’ll be giving all he’s got to me. Start firing when I start and don’t stop until this thing is scrap.”

“You got it,” Helen said, still looking skyward.

The orbiter was plummeting toward them. It readied another fireball. It would fire its reverse jets just before. Sprite had waited long enough.