Boarding actions are inevitable in orbital battles, when the ship is wasted, oxygen vented, and planetside is not safe, there is only one place to go. So slide in the ceramic plates into your asbestos flight suits, the Marines hand out plastic rifles, and pray you make the leap.
Escape pods are designed to also be used for boarding, but the ergonomics have been compromised, you sit 10 deep, seats facing forward towards the breaching ring, hoping those armor plates haven't expired, as the engines blast you out of your dead hulk towards an enemy ship you hope is slightly less crippled.
They stick a Marine or an officer at the front to encourage you, they say with this many pods, shuttles, and mech assistance, we have a very good chance. It's easy for them to say, they have combat armor, their gun is rated for more than just emergency use. Check the safety.
The shock of the clamp was so sudden it made you want to vomit as the officer with the terahertz scanner shouted, "WE GOT GOOD AIR, STARTING CRACK, 5 SECONDS"
The cyberwarfare suite slowly slid open the doors and the officer threw a flashbang through. After it went off the radio barked, "OPEN HELMETS", no need for internal oxygen anymore, time to steal theirs.
The rest of you crawled over the collapsible seats like a comedy routine as the officer stood in the empty, undefended hallway. Their missile tub had run out of ammunition and the conscript crew evacuated. The Marines found an on-board gym to work off their adrenaline.


