"Fuck," Elise cursed. "I'm on it. Bayside and Champ, turn and burn. Don't wait for us."
The bridge was controlled chaos as orders were snapped out, then relayed down the line. The ship jolted and quivered under his feet as torpedoes were launched, and the guns came online.
"Alert the ambassador and tell the Haldeel to bug out," the commander ordered.
"Roger that," someone shouted, already moving to obey.
Kira stared at the screen. "We're not going to be able to hold them."
There was grim acceptance in the commander's face. "I know, but we'll do the best we can anyway."
Kira nodded.
Again, the scene tried to wrench sideways. Graydon held firm, his mind threatening to buckle as his nose began to bleed.
Kira's mind was powerful, and her desire not to revisit this next memory even more so.
Graydon couldn't let her run.
Her desperation beat at him, shredding his insides. He didn't relent. This was their best opportunity. He had to act now. Every time she looped, she'd grow weaker. Eventually, there would be no pulling her out. This had to happen now.
Their wills tangled as they fought for control.
The balance wavered before tipping back toward Kira. Jin appeared beside Graydon.
"Sorry, dearest. Time for a little tough love. You need to wake up, and this is the fastest way," Jin said with a sad smile.
The bridge disappeared, the black void of space taking its place, glittering stars caught in its depths. Below him, a moon reflected the light of a strange sun.
"Curs, rally on me. I have a plan," Kira shouted.
"There’s no time. We're not going to make it,” Elise said.
“Yes, you can,” Kira shouted. “Trust me. It’ll work.”
“I’m sorry, Phoenix. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” Elise said in a broken voice. “I’ve left you something. Find it. Protect it. Trust no one.”
Time skipped.
Kira's scream of denial came as the moon splintered, pieces of it shooting into space from the force of the explosion.
"Pull her out now, before she relives this," Jin ordered.
With the last dregs of his will, Graydon shattered the world around them, the sound of Kira's agony echoing in his ears.
Graydon jolted into his body, the waters of memory and dream holding their shape. They wobbled before crashing down.
Kira fell. Graydon surged forward, catching her body and lowering them both to the ground until he was kneeling in the water.
She screamed; one long, drawn-out agonized sound after another. It was painful to listen to and even more difficult to watch as he clutched her to him, making soothing sounds.
She sobbed, the sounds broken as they reached inside Graydon and twisted. He hated what he'd made her relive, even as he knew it had been utterly necessary.
Gradually, he became aware of her speaking into his chest as he rocked her back and forth.
"They're gone. They'reThey'regonethey'regonethey'regone."
Harlow met Graydon's eyes. His expression almost lost as he took in his niece. The Overlord wasn't used to helplessness. It didn't sit well.
