Unity Wars: Chapter 2: Rude awakening

The siren call was loud and persistent. Mark sat up with a jerk, his eyes quickly adjusted to the red light that suddenly filled the room. He started moving instinctively. Without looking he reached for his gun and boots. All the while his mind was struggling to remember the dream he had, just moments ago. He wasn't really sure he wasn't still dreaming. He had been on a ship. Had been it's captain. Or was it first mate?

With the boots hurriedly put on, still unstrapped. He stumbled over to the other side of the room.
Lisa had knocked her chair over and was scurrying to pick her clothes up from the floor.
"How, what's going on?!"
She demanded.
"Don't know yet..."
Was all Mark could offer back. Their eyes met for a moment. She was wild eyed and worried.
"But I will find out!"
He said, more determined. Whatever it was though, it couldn't be good. He flung the carbine over his shoulder by it's strap, for long enough to kneel down and fasten his boots. Then headed straight for the door, before remembering his com. He hurried back to his bunk, head bobbing left and right as he looked for it. Before finally finding it on the floor by the bed. He picked it up, routinely checked the batteries and spoke to it.
"Activate two-four-five. PT-Beta-six-niner-one reporting in. Ward is safe. Acting commander, please advice on current situation, over!"
He tensed up and held his breath, waiting for a response.

"Acknowledged PT-Beta-six-niner-one. Hold your position. We seem to have incoming enemy crafts approaching base at high speed. As soon as everyone's checked in you will be given order to re-group in hangar-deck 2. Until the go word, get your gear, then just sit tight, over."
Mark let out a deep breath.
"Affirmative, over and out."

Lisa and Mark looked at each other and said as one.
"Raiding party..."
Mark stood up straight.
"Probably. But what are they doing this far behind the Hadrian line... What the burning shit is the 13th doing!? They have two bloody Hammers patrolling the closest sector! Anyhow, get what you need, we have to move any minute now..."
Lisa was already doing just that.
"The Hammer of Thor class is an old model. They haven't been upgraded for many styecys. A ship like the Tipan class carrier has considerably improved Lidar range. Not to mention the improvements in fighter response time over ..."
Mark followed his own advice and gathered his gear as well. He glanced over to Lisa. He had seen her like this before. She had a habit of rabbling technical data when she was nervous. It was probably her way of putting her mind off what could happen if...

But he wouldn't allow anything to happen. Not bloody today. He checked his Carbine charge. It was full. He conjured up a mental image of his own energy capacity. Took a deep breath and convinced himself it was full as well. He turned around.
"Ready?"
Lisa didn't look up.
"Just a sec..."

Mark moved over to the door. Straightened up his backpack and tightened it's straps a bit. As a kid he would never had imagined his entire life could fit inside a bag that small.
When word finally came over the com, they headed out into the corridor. Mark habitually checked the corridor both ways before letting Lisa out the door, then lead the way. They met other praetorian -ward pairs along the way. But only greeted them with a Small nod.

Once they got to the hanger bay, the mood was tense. Everybody was waiting for something to happen. A low buzz was heard.
"They're charging up the batteries... Something's coming."
A stocky, raven haired praetorian next to them said. While glancing up into the ceiling. As if he could see the blasts from the heavy cannons outside. Even if they where already firing wildly into space, they would not be able to hear it. His ward, a tall brunette took a step closer to him. Probably without even realizing it.
"Does the base even have any fighters left?"
Mark asked the man, fighting the urge to look at the ceiling himself.
"Not sure, I think all of them where re-stationed further up to the front some stdacys ago. But there should be a carrier within response range."
"Let's hope so. If they can bring them down before they land, it'll sure make our life easier."
The other praetorian didn't respond. Instead holding his breath and continued to look upwards. Almost as if he expected the roof to come crashing down on them any minute.
As the minutes passed by, Mark started to think it just might.