"We're going to have to get around the Terran forces to get back to the capital."
"Anyone have a ship?"
Kian looked at Freya, and she looked back."Well..."
"You crashed it?"Bahran asked.
He scratched the back of his head."It happens when you're being shot at."
Kian looked around the hanger."What about in here?Anything we can use?"
"Not likely," Bahran said.
Kian raised his eyebrow."That's not a 'no.'"
Freya shook her head."All of it was so that we could give back some Rhimodian prisoners of war.That's what started this whole thing.
Bahran and Kian had left to get some equipment off the transport that he and Freya had arrived on since it wasn't flyable and left the two of them alone in the bunker.
Caoimhe nodded."There is more to it than that, of course, but the motivation to start was, yes, from learning that the Terran Empire had prisoners of war that were Rhimodian.And they needed to be freed and returned to their people."
"We will figure it out," Freya said."The Terran military infiltrated the system when we came in, using cloaking technology and blew up our ship.I think that's pretty bad."
"Well," Caoimhe said.
Freya blinked."What do you mean?Were you a part of this, Caoimhe?"
A sound gave Caoimhe pause, and she glanced toward the noise.Her hand reached for one of the blasters that Bahran had left them to protect themselves while they went and got the fuel pods off the other ship.
Unfortunately, while there were functional ships in the hanger, none of them had fuel, and the fuel in the fighters was not compatible with the older ships.
Freya rubbed her temples."Just tell me this.Was it your plan or your father's to bring all the ships into the system when we arrived?"
"The Emperor's.Of course."
Freya nodded."Did he--"
"There were threats, yes.If I didn't comply with his plans, he would make sure none of us lived.Except me.He would make sure I had to live with the guilt that I caused all of your deaths."
"Sounds about right," Freya said."So what about that big project I told you about?Do you know what it is?"
"I am not positive, but I think he's built something.Using the warp portals."
"What is he going to do with one of those?They open a traffic route into the faster than light speed tunnels.They're just entry and exit points."
"Yes, but they are very powerful when you look at their mechanics.They have a lot of energy there.If that was reconstructed--"
"The Terran Empire would have the most formidable weapon in the galaxy."
Both girls jumped, and Caoimhe reached for the nearest blaster.
That was not either Kian or Bahran.
"Where did they come from?"Freya whispered.
"I'm not sure," Caoimhe said.
"We're coming...You girls better say your peace with one another.Because the Terran Empire doesn't take too kindly to traitors."
