She snorts a laugh. “A stupid game humans play to decide who gets something. It’s not a mission-critical detail. I think it’s a joke more for us humans.”
“Oh.”
Reidar continues. “I will circle on patrol while you clear. When I get the signal from Toriszi, who is the commander on this mission, I will meet you for pickup in the hangars.”
He powers up the ship as the last slots in the sides of the vessel fill. “This drop ship is equipped with gravity nets. Should you become lost to space during battle, please use your rocket boots to aim for the big blue balls swinging in the void, and you’ll be pulled inside.”
Reidar flips a switch in the side of the ship. “Rocket boot check.”
I tap my heels together for just a second and get a green light in my vision. Aera closes her helmet and does the same, then holds her thumb into the aisle way. Up and down the rows, people stick out their thumbs. Only one slot lights up with a red light. A soldier in StarJumper’s armor hikes up to the front to join Reidar and the copilot. There’s no time to fix his boots now.
We’re on a tight deadline to get to the Cruiser in the window of time Chasm and Savage have decided is appropriate. Reidar hovers us out of the hangar and gets us in line for Toriszi’s portal. It ignites and swirls with ink. Ahead of us, the ships disappear like they’re cloaked with Aegis’ technology, and I’m certain they’ve had upgrades while the rest of us were out helping Aera’s colony.
Of the crew on this ship, five are Titans like me. Castor is three drop slots ahead of Aera. His armor gleams with the blue swirls of his body. Vandal, who’s in front of him, glances back at me, his green eyes blazing in the darkening ship. He wears his typical smirk like he’s elated to be heading into battle again.
Across the aisle from us are three Relics: Banshee, RamBash, and Cobra, along with a mix of Toriszi’s Rebels. There are Titans on every ship, but I have lost Eon’s ping.
I call my twin as we near the portal.
Evo>>Eon: Are you with us, Brother?
Eon>>Evo: On Kelta’s ship. First in. We have stealth units: Menace, Morbid, Nighthawk, Savage, Wraith, and Amarok. Raven is on the second ship with a Rebel pilot. See you on the inside.
I double-click back as the ink of Toriszi’s portal surrounds our ship. We exit into space with fifteen other vessels. Coms cut out as Titans go silent. Ahead of us, in the distance, is the approaching Solcrue battle cruiser.
“Time to find out if our upgraded cloaks work,” Reidar says quietly to his co-pilot.
“All I care about is the shields holding.”
I agree. But I remain quietly in my slot like the other soldiers and Titans. Tension rises as we all prepare ourselves for infiltration. Reidar cuts engines and drifts out among the asteroid belt, hiding us behind a larger rock with only minor thruster adjustments.
Aera shifts between her feet in front of me.
I tap her shoulder and hold up a hand when she twists around.Problem?
She pats her side where a zembi sword would normally be strapped, and I think she wishes she had one. But there aren’t many left, so the Rogue Saber team has the few that remain.
I mouth to herSabers on Ship Two, and point through the window at the vessel.
Aera gives me a thumbs up.
We stand in silence for nearly an hour, waiting.
Then, finally, Reidar calls back to us. “Stealths are on the move. Solcrue vessel in range. Manual breach in five.”
We wait in silence, the ship’s main lights off, and engines powered down.
“They’re inside. Ship two, launching now.” Reidar’s voice is calm and quiet. “Three launching.”
Aera does a couple of squats, shakes out her legs, twists in her chamber, and checks her weapons again.
There is one thing I do not miss about being a human. It is the rush of adrenaline before battle. Now, my ultromotor only surges during intense situations like when she crawled over me on the bed and kissed me.
Savage>>Local: They’re trying to raise shields. Launch everyone now!
Reidar brings the ship systems online. “Tube up!”
I get in my slot. Aera brings her feet together, arms to her sides, and looks up.
