He nods.
“We are on a closed com signal. I do not want interference from everyone. It is a lot for a human to process,” he says as he walks into the airlock at the back. The light of a green sealscreen pops to life, glazing the dash.
“Be careful,” I call back to him.
“That is not built into a Titan’s purpose. But I will be practical and precise.”
“You know, I just want you to not take stupid risks, right?”
“Can’t fulfill my promise to you if I am decommissioned,” he says as the airlock closes.
Chapter 25: Aera
I guide us closer to the shiny RageBurner. The closer we get to the final warship, the more Skysprinters flood the stars. It’s a challenge to keep myself on course and dodge the oncoming assault from a Solcrue fighter while returning fire. My hands move fast over the controls, my eyes darting back and forth between screens, the void, the ships, and our position relative to the Rogue ship.
“Titans are hardwired to keep promises or not make them,” Evo says to me.
So am I.And I’m not going to leave him, no matter what it takes. This is where I belong, so even if I’m terrified to be alone on this ship in the middle of a bigger battle than I’ve ever seen, I pull in alongside the RageBurner and steady my aching heart with a deep breath. “You better be.”
“Love you, Aera. Thank you for staying with me when I felt like I was falling apart.”
Evo jumps.
My job now is to ensure they make it to the biggest warship in the pack.
I carve a path away from them, pinpoint the Solcrue Skysprinters, target them on my screen, and fire. I don’t wait to see if they blow. There are far too many. The more I can damage, the better the Rogues’ chances are.
With three squads taking my hits, and only three slipping past me, I circle back and behind the Rogue’s path. They take out the remaining three, along with many more, leaving me open to confront a cruiser coming in with a different attack angle.
Its shields hold despite three of my short-range missiles. I pull up a cluster package, bank toward them on a collision course, and kick the bomblets out at the battle cruiser’s nose before jerking the controls and launching away from them.
I check the rear view screen and see the fire light up the nose of the cruiser. Its shield falls, and it dives below the RageBurner, which tags their engines and knocks them out with five precise hits.
A missile tags me in the belly. Shield warnings flash as I’m pushed upward by the blast.
Shields 87%, holding.
“Motherfucker!” I swing around, find the one who hit me, and realize I’m not going to be fast enough with a normal banking maneuver. I close my eyes for a second to remember how Evo’s orbit maneuver felt.
Rear Belly thrust.I initiate the hoverthrusters and feel the ship careen upward.Topside nose thrust makes the orbit shorter with just a burst.
I sink below the ship, facing it. My loop is clumsier than Evo’s, but I manage to replicate the maneuver. Then, I max the rear engines and charge after the one who shot at me. I mash the short-range missile fire button. A string of five lances across the sky and gives the SkySprinter a fiery send-off.
RageBurner makes it to the warship. Specks fall from it as it passes. Aidathrin fires up at the Rogue ship, causing it to break away and return fire as it serves and dips below the ship that compares in size toAegisbut is far darker and more sinister as it hulks through space.
I take out two more Skysprinters before a new voice enters my head.
“Aera, Esthi. I’m on Scythe. Targeting Cruisers. Can you maintain SkySprinter duty and see if you can take outAidathrin’s shields? Your ship is having better luck. Must have an upgrade.”
“You could say that.” I swing away from a cruiser and punch my way through the Skysprinters that seem to come out of every orifice in the warship. “Targeting shield generators.”
“Rebel fleet, RageBurner. Targeting frigates and larger.Payloaddeployed.”
I raze through a small fleet of SkySprinters. I don’t take them all, but I cut a path that sends them scattering, giving me room to see Aidathrin and pick out a pair of glowing green marks on the rear, starboard side.
I switch munitions onscreen, target, and fire. The first missile hits its mark. When I fly over the ship to target the next, a Skysprinter smashes into my second missile, vanishing in a spray of parts.
“Fuck! You guys are insane!”
