"Acknowledged." I fell back toward the secondary airlock, my team covering the retreat. Behind us, the derelict groaned, structural collapse imminent, hastened by weapons fire and degradation.
We made it to the second shuttle within thirty seconds before the derelict's central spine buckled. Felt the shockwave hit as we cleared the debris field, watched through the viewport as the pod cluster finally gave up its desperate survival and collapsed into component pieces.
Fifteen pods. Three survivors. One barely-successful rescue operation.
Elena's voice crackled through my comm, private channel, raw with emotion. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For keeping your promise. For bringing them home."
I looked through the viewport toward the lead shuttle where Elena and the survivors were already approaching Mothership. "That's what we do. We don't leave people behind."
"Even reckless electrical engineers?"
"Especially them."
A pause. Then, so quiet I almost missed it: "I'm glad you're okay."
The admission cost her something. I could hear it in the careful control, the vulnerability she hated showing.
"Me too," I said.
Because apparently Elena Vasquez had made me care whether I survived. Had made me want a future that included more than just duty and protection and the endless cycle of missions.
Had made me want something impossible and terrifying and absolutely worth fighting for.
Even if she didn't know it yet.
Chapter
Five
Elena
The raiders hit before I could process what Will's last words meant.
Tell her to live. That's an order.
I didn't have time to fall apart. Didn't have the luxury of grief or guilt or the crushing weight of knowing Will had sacrificed himself so two people could survive while I'd been aboard Mothership eating three meals a day and sleeping in climate-controlled quarters.
Vaxon's hand clamped on my arm, dragging me backward as weapons fire scorched the bulkhead where I'd been standing. The sound ricocheted through the narrow corridor, high-pitched whine of energy weapons followed by the sizzle of superheated metal.
"Move!" His voice cut through my paralysis. "Now, Elena!"
Training I didn't know I had kicked in. I ran.
The derelict shuddered around us, ancient metal groaning under the assault. Through my helmet display, I saw the raider ships, three of them, small and agile, weapons systems lighting up like predators circling wounded prey. They'd been waiting. Probably monitoring the debris field for salvage opportunities. We'd led them straight to Will and Lisa.
Rage burned through the shock. These scavengers wanted to pick over the remains of my dead crewmates, steal the last remnants of Liberty, and profit from our disaster. Over my dead body.
"Elena, status report." Vaxon's voice stayed level despite the chaos, but I heard the edge underneath. Fear, carefully controlled. "Can you get the shuttle operational?"
I pulled up the shuttle's systems on my wrist display while we ran, my free hand gripping the datapad with Will's final log. The damage assessment scrolled past, not good. Not good at all.
"Main engines took a direct hit. Shields are at eighteen percent and dropping. We've got partial maneuvering thrusters, but we're sitting ducks until I can reroute power and bypass the damaged systems."
"How long?"
