Fred saw the sky and earth flashing in rapid succession before his faceplate. Decades of training took over. This was just like a parasail drop…except this time there was no chute. He forced his arms and legs open; the spread-eagle position controlled his tumble and slowed his velocity.
	Time seemed to simultaneously crawl and race—something Kelly had once dubbed “Spartan Time.” Enhanced senses and augmented physiology meant that in periods of stress Spartans thought and reacted faster than a normal human. Fred’s mind raced as he absorbed the tactical situation.