Omega Force 6: Secret of the Phoenix Read Online Free

Archon, at least in their minds, and you would do nothing but undermine Captain Reddix during the operation. You’re a loose cannon to boot. You would not have followed orders, you would have preempted Mazer’s orders whenever you felt like it, and generally been a complete pain in the ass while they tried to sort their way through their first real mission.”
    “Most of those character flaws could be attributed to you as well,” Crusher said accusingly.
    “Which is why we’re such good friends,” Jason said blandly. In spite of himself, a choked-off, snorting laugh escaped Crusher’s lips. The tension broken, Crusher leaned back and stared out the canopy again.
    “You’re sure the ship can handle this?”
    “Twingo assures me it won’t be an issue,” Jason said. “But I’ll admit it is a bit unnerving.”
    “I’ll say. Whose idea was it—” Crusher was cut off by the com panel chirping.
    “ This is Strike One. Mission objective is secure. We’re rallying to a defensible position. Clear for pickup. ”
    “Omega One copies,” Jason said. “We’re on our way.” He began bringing all the ship’s systems out of standby before hitting the intercom. “Twingo, we’re ready to get out of here. I want you up on the bridge helping me get the ship out of this muck.”
    “ On my way ,” the engineer’s voice came back. “ Is Crusher still up there?”
    “Just get up here! You too, Kage,” Jason said before jabbing the intercom off, shaking his head. The pair came jogging onto the bridge a moment later and went straight to their stations.
    “Let’s go ahead and decouple the anchor lines,” Twingo said. “We’ll need to be on the surface to begin engine start anyway. I’ll go ahead and get the reactor up to full power; it shouldn’t take long.” Jason reached over and pushed the red flashing icon on his multi-function display. Immediately after there were a series of pops and snaps throughout the ship and the bridge pitched up as the Phoenix rocked back and forth.
    The gunship had been submerged one hundred feet below the surface of an enormous fresh water lake near the capital of Olem, the city where thirty-seven Galvetic Marines and one battlesynth were currently fighting. Since the ship was filled with air and wouldn’t submerge completely on its own, Twingo had devised a system of cable anchors that were fired into the lake bed and allowed them to winch the ship below the surface and keep it there. He assured them that the hull could handle the pressure and the few days of being in water wouldn’t have any adverse effect on any of their systems.
    Jason chose to believe his engineer, but there was still something unnatural about landing his ship in water and then remaining onboard while it was dragged under like a submarine. The tension of being underneath the water hadn’t helped the mood on the ship as Crusher sulked and made a general nuisance of himself.
    The ship began to accelerate towards the surface, her nose rising faster than the tail, and Jason grabbed the “oh shit” handles on either side of his seat in preparation. When the nose breached the calm waters of the lake, everyone onboard was tossed up out of their seats a few inches at the sudden deceleration. A few seconds later and the big gunship sat partially visible in the lake, bobbing like some enormous sea monster. The water line came partially up the canopy and they were still oriented slightly nose up, which meant the engines were still completely underwater.
    “Okay, Captain,” Twingo said. “We’re prepped for a quick start on the engines. Go ahead and get us out of the water on repulsors and I’ll begin the sequence as soon as we’re clear.”
    “Can’t you start the engines while they’re submerged?” Crusher asked.
    “I’d prefer not to,” Twingo answered. “In theory it shouldn’t be an issue, but why invite trouble?”
    “Firing ventral repulsors,” Jason said, flicking the power up with a