Kira glanced at her friend. "Odin?"
Odin shook her head, still bent over the tablet. "The plan is a go. The waveboards should be able to slip through still. That's not the problem."
"What is?"
Odin looked up at Kira. "We're too far off from where we were supposed to drop. This high up the engines from the waveboards will paint a target on you."
"We don't use the engines. We glide down as was the original plan."
Kira didn't see the problem.
Odin showed her the tablet. "This is where you'll land."
The place Odin was pointing to was far from Jin and Elena's current position. Much too far to cover before Jace and Bechler's ships were destroyed. Once that happened, the Tsavitee would turn their attention to the surface and any potential incursions. They'd be hunted down and captured.
"Fuck!" Raider cursed.
"Whatever you're going to do, you have to decide now," Himoto yelled.
"The Curs will do it," Tank declared. "We can guide you onto the proper trajectory and then bug out while the system's defenses target us. You'll make it down safe."
Odin nodded. "That might work. I can do the calculations. It should get you in the vicinity."
Kira hesitated, looking at Raider. "I don't like this."
It smacked of sacrifice. Something she'd promised she'd never allow happen for her again.
"There's no choice," Raider answered.
The shuttle's engine exploded. They spun.
"Bail. Bail. Bail," Himoto screamed, managing to stabilize the craft. "This shuttle is going down."
Tank grabbed Kira's hand, squeezing. "Trust us, Phoenix. We're Curs too."
Reluctantly, she nodded. "Joule, you're with them. They'll need someone to cover their asses."
With him, they at least had a fighting chance.
"We don't need a kid," Nova argued.
Tank strode to the hatch, popping it. The hatch blew out, the sudden rush of air threatening to rip them out of the shuttle before they were ready.
"Pick a buddy," Raider yelled. "That person is responsible for putting you on the right trajectory."
Odin rose, a conflicted expression on her face. "Kira—"
A wing ripped off the side of the shuttle.
Tank grabbed Amila and Solal, bailing out. Nova latched onto Graydon, tipping them both out the hatch.
The shuttle started to spin, ejecting Joule and Devon. Somehow, Maverick managed to leap for Finn and Talon, tackling them out of the shuttle.
Soon, Kira and the two pilots were the only ones left.
"You too, Himoto," Kira yelled.
"Go," Himoto ordered her co-pilot.
