Unfortunately, the Osiri didn’t respond to her provocation, more preoccupied with his study of the drone than the conversation.
"There you are," the Osiri declared.
He did something.
Pressure squeezed Kira's skull. The connection she shared with Jin roaring back to life. An onslaught of sensation poured down their bond. White hot and searingly intense as it blistered the nerve endings in her mind.
Kira fell to the ground, Jin's screams mixing with her own.
"Intriguing, isn't it?" The Osiri crouched in front of Kira, his fascinated expression the only thing she could see as her vision began to tunnel. "The things that can be done to you."
Twenty Nine
Jace - CSS Reliance
The ship shuddered. The sensation slightly different than a missile impact.
"We've been boarded," Jace observed, looking up.
He knew that particular sound. The thunk of Tsavitee ships bashing into the hull. Metal screeching as they penetrated the ship. Next, they’d create a vacuum seal to prevent the ship from depressurizing. Right before their landing party dropped inside.
It was the tactic they used to capture a crew alive.
Sometimes, though, it was less about capture and more about having fun with their prey.
"Captain, activate the quick reactionary team to that location and notify the rest of the crew. Prepare to defend the ship by any means necessary," Jace instructed.
As a rear admiral, Jace was technically not in charge of the Reliance. That role fell to its captain. Though as the ranking officer Jace could relieve the captain of his duties under certain circumstances.
Not that he ever would. Captain Bechler was one of his finest.
"Aye, aye, Admiral."
Jace undid his harness, rising from his chair to stride toward the weapons locker.
"Maintain fire on those ships. Do not let up," Bechler ordered his people.
"Yes, sir."
Bechler met Jace at the locker a second later. "I have to say we've landed ourselves in quite the situation."
Jace helped himself to one of the cold weapons, strapping the sword to his waist before grabbing an X-ON pulse rifle and distributing it to the petty officer Bechler had pulled from the crew and tasked with defending the bridge.
"I did say I wanted their attention," Jace said calmly.
Bechler grimaced. "I would have been okay with a little less of it."
Jace plucked a few grenades from the locker, handing a couple to Bechler and the petty officer before keeping one for himself.
When humanity reached the stars, the use of hot weapons fell by the wayside. When one mistake could result in the loss of an entire crew, they turned back to the cold weapons of their distant past. Things like swords and knives.
Grenades and rifles were no longer the first choice. Except when the situation was dire and death a preferable alternative to capture.
If they had to use them, the bridge was the best place. The bulkheads around it were the strongest in the ship. It could withstand heavy weapons fire and a few blasts—Jace hoped.
Otherwise, their distraction attempt was going to be pitifully short-lived.
"Status on the planet infiltration team," Jace called.
