Jaiya’s nerves were fried, fearfully anticipating how the Daextru would react to her showing up with a wing and a transport filled with human women.
“What’s the plan if they deny us entry?” Jaiya asked her wing over the comms. “Is there a plan B?”
“I don’t know; you’re the Captain,” Edam replied.
“You never come up with ideas. Who do you think you’re foolin’?” Nix teased.
“To be honest, we didn’t think we’d get this far with the rescue,” Zaera shared. “We were prepared to lose the fight. If we died, we wanted to die with honor.”
A chorus of agreement filled the comms, bringing tears to Jaiya’s eyes.
She quickly wiped them away, knowing this wasn’t the right time for sentimentality.
“Okay, if we do this, you must follow my lead. The Daextru will probably turn us away, especially after the recent attack on the prince’s life.” Jaiya scanned her control panel and readings. “If all else fails, we can try to find a planet to settle on until this blows over. There are a few beyond the CTA’s reach that were declared habitable, but too small to support a colonial population.”
“Does anyone have a map of these planets?” Zaera asked.
“It should be somewhere in our system’s archive. These ships were created before we went to war, when the CTA was still exploring new locations to settle and found Terra.”
“I can try hacking into my ship’s system while we’re on autopilot,” Aera suggested. “How much time do we have until arrival?”
Jaiya glanced at her route plan and double-checked its accuracy. “We should arrive in a few hours, I estimate at five in the morning, their time.”
“Then whoever isn’t currently working, take a nap if you can,” Zaera ordered. “We may not have any time to rest once we land.”
* * *
Jaiya opened all of her communication channels as soon as they warped into the Azophi star system. The Daextru starbase loomed before them like an eerie jade fortress, daring anyone to mount an attack.
Taking a deep breath, she hailed the base, knowing it was crucial that she be the first one to attempt communication.
A familiar obsidian-scaled male greeted her, his sapphire eyes glaring through the screen.
“I see you came with reinforcements.”
“Starbase Commander Ajexk, I need to speak with Prince Idris or Royal Assistant Erlyn. It is urgent,” she demanded in his native tongue.
“You aren’t welcomed here,” he hissed. “My turrets are loaded and aimed at your party. Come any closer, and you and your wing will be blown apart.”
“For Stars’ sake, Commander! We won’t advance, but Imustspeak to your prince.” She pulled down her shirt’s collar, exposing the line of golden scales nestled between her breasts. “I risked my life for him. I care for him. Why else would I return?”
The Daextru behind the commander stopped what they were doing and stared at her with a mixture of shock and awe covering their faces. News about how she had been healed must not have spread. No matter, she would flash the entire starbase if it gained her an audience with the prince.
“Get Prince Idris,” she snarled. “Let him decide whether or not he wants to listen to what I have to say. But know this: if you turn me away, the bloody consequences are on your hands, not mine.”
Ajexk gestured to his communications staff. “Page the prince. Tell him Jaiya Lian has returned.”
The screen went black.
Jaiya punched her steering wheel as she growled in frustration.
Why must things be so difficult?
She took a few calming breaths and sent a prayer to the Stars that the prince would respond.
“Halt your positions! Don’t move until I say so. We are idling until I hear word from the prince or his assistant.”
“Since when do you know Dzexet?” Zaera asked, the shock in her voice traveling over the comms.
