The shuttles were small, designed to carry thirty-six troopers and two “leaders” in no particular comfort. Each “suit segment” was rigid, with clamps to hold the suits in place against the worst possible maneuvering and designed to swivel and fire the troopers out into a hostile environment. This did not make for the most comfortable of seating.

“Nah,” Blatt replied. “James Taylor next. Betcha five creds.”

“Sucker bet,” McEvoy replied. “I hear the Old Man’s daughter was in the Gap.”

“Ah fuck me,” Blatt said, shaking his head. “That sucks.”

“She’s tough,” McEvoy said, leaning forward to spit into his helmet. “So’s his dad from what I hear. They might make it.”

“That is questionable,” Sunday said, looking up from his hologram. “According to seismographic and EM readings, there have been multiple nuclear detonations in the area of the Gap. And we’re about to make the area extremely unpleasant ourselves.”

“I didn’t think we’d opened up nukes yet, sir,” Blatt commented. He started to put his gauntlets back on as a timer in his suit tinged. “Twenty minutes.”

“We have recently,” Tommy answered, putting on his helmet. “But these appear to be secondary explosions.”

“Oh, that’s okay then,” Blatt said. “As long as they’re not targeted on us or anything…”

“Yeah,” McEvoy agreed. “The last time I worried about nukes was the first time I got hit by ’em.”

“Any suggestions?” the lieutenant asked.

“Lay flat,” Blatt said with a laugh.

“Yeah, getting tossed through the air is the worst part.”

“I’d think having your arms and legs ripped off would be the worst part,” Tommy commented.