A beep in her earpiece notified her of an incoming transmission, a second beep designated a fleet-wide transmission.
“Incoming broadcast,” she said and pressed a button, so they heard the voice over speakers in the bridge. Everyone stopped moving and silence filled the small space.
“This is the Zataras,” the voice of that starship’s Captain Tomas Fa’Rell filled the bridge. “Long-range sensors have identified multiple Xakul battleships. Estimated arrival in three minutes.” There was a momentary pause, during which CJ could hear the rushing of blood in her ears. Tomas Fa’Rell’s voice came over the speakers again. “Under no circumstances are they to reach the planet’s surface. We know why they have come. They are here to destroy Earth. The Xakul want to strip the planet of its plentiful resources, leaving only devastation. You know we must prevent Earth’s destruction. This is not a new fight, but this time, we have the enhanced cloak to shield us.” Another pause followed, and then a loud battle cry filled the bridge. “For Taurus!”
CJ jumped in her seat as Zac and Domik both bellowed the cry in reply, “For Taurus!”
She shot a look at Krystal and Laila, who both grinned and, as one, the three women punched a fist into the air and yelled, “For Earth!”
CJ’s eyes slid past the grinning face of Krystal, her brown curls bouncing as she turned to face T’arq, and instead focused on the sight before her.
Earth.
They were currently somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. If CJ’s guess was right, this side of the planet was almost entirely blue water with clouds dotting the surface. The sight was awe-inspiring and the momentous nature of what they were about to attempt struck CJ like a brick.
Her arm dropped to her side, and she slumped in her seat, twisting to watch the slow rotation of the only planet she’d ever known as home. There suddenly wasn’t enough air on the shuttle, and she struggled to breathe, her ribs tightening like a vice. She gasped, eyes filling with tears.
“Clodagh. I’ve got you.” A deep rumble penetrated through the fog of her thoughts. A large, but surprisingly gentle, hand reached to turn her face. “It’s going to be fine.”
Dark eyes met hazel, and Domik’s lips tilted in the tiniest move upwards. Barely a smile, but enough to bring one to her face. The tension released from her neck, and she rolled her shoulders.
“Nobody calls me that,” she said quietly, before looking away.
He tilted his head toward her as if to say, “I just did.”
A beep in her earpiece had CJ’s head whipping around to face the viewscreen in front of her. “This is the Zataras.” Tomas’ voice flowed over the speaker, the steady pace of his words flowing into the bridge. “The Xakul fleet has passed Jupiter. Expect enemy contact any moment.” There was a pause. “The people of Earth are counting on us. Today we show what it means to stand united in the face of unrelenting evil.”
A thick silence had descended on the bridge. CJ’s heartbeat pounded in her ears, her breath sounding unnaturally loud.
“Today we join forces and—as our human allies would say—we blast these mother fuckers away!”
CJ couldn’t help but laugh at the image of the very proper starship captain shouting such profanity. But her good humor dissolved at his next words.
“I won’t lie. These odds are not good. There will be casualties. But we have prevailed in far worse circumstances. And we will again today. Good luck.”
“The Purist attack couldn’t be a coincidence.” CJ’s ears pricked at Laila’s muttered words to Zac, their heads bent together.
“You know how I feel about coincidences,” he said in reply, lips pressed into a grim line.
CJ watched as Laila nodded slowly. “But what would they get out of it? It makes no sense.”
CJ quietly agreed with her. The Taurean Purists were known for their fanatical belief in the sanctity of the Taurean race and were violently opposed to any ‘blending’ of Taureans with other races. They had not been quiet about their disapproval of the alliance between humans and Taureans, causing considerable political upheaval on Taurus, if the reports from the palace were to be believed. Karik Za’Rell, the Supreme Commander of Taurus, essentially the entire planet’s leader, had even received death threats.
Domik’s brother, Oren, had spent the last few weeks hunting down a small, but dangerous, splinter group. The only reason CJ even knew about that was because of a conversation she had overheard between Oren and Amelia. The doctor and the intelligence operative were not as discreet as they thought they were.
“Who knows what the Purists want? They’re not known for their clarity of thought,” Zac said, handing Laila a tablet. “Now, what do you think about this as a battle tactic?”
CJ turned away as the two began a detailed debate about the pros and cons of various formations.
From the corner of her eye she caught the view screen image flickering, automatically zooming in to showing an image from the Zataras’ long-range sensors.
CJ’s heart pounded as if it would burst from her chest. She rubbed her suddenly clammy palms on the legs of her flight suit as she leaned forward, transfixed.
The Xakul ships appeared, one by one, approaching ominously and with no attempt at deception. It was as if they knew the odds were in their favor.
Her brows drew together as she watched the dark shapes move closer.
“Cloak up!” Zac’s voice rang loudly, jerking CJ back to the present.
