Sky is particularly good at hitting her targets. Quinn too. I’m a good shot, but not as fast as they are. Sky’s experience with robotics definitely helps her. Quinn is an expert marksman who was told she was too heavy to serve in Terran forces. So she’s more than happy to be here.
We target our allies, the enemies with damaged vessels, and the bodies that get evacuated into space. They glow like clusters of green lightning bugs as we leave them behind to hunt for more to save.
Our fleet of Orillium ships splits into two. Eluni’s at the helm, flying us through the battle and frantically communicating with the other Rogue Amphirans.
“He’s what?” she screeches and switches screens. The updates load on the screens beside us.
A video of a fiery demon charging across space fills the window. Someone’s recording him. They zoom in, and I’mcertain it’s Jorusk amid the rain of missiles that light up the space around him.
“Oh, stars.” My hands release the stasis controls.
“Fucking idiot!” Eluni’s pissed. “That’s suicide!”
Whoever she talks with agrees.
Then a Neb ship explodes and takes three more with it. Seconds later, another ship blows, taking an additional five.
War cries fill the com feed.
My guy is saving more lives than he may ever know. And it wrenches my heart to watch. Every second could be his last.
Our pieced-together alliance of Amphiran, Drathious, Terran ships and more light up and surge out to confront the empire head-on.
Another empire ship explodes. Then another.
“Your guy is insane,” Quinn says. “It’s like he has a death wish.” Her deep brown eyes widen. “I don’t mean…”
I get up because I can’t watch it anymore. Crawling my way through the ship as it sways, I make my way to Eluni’s copilot seat. She’s already headed back toward Mindor like she’s just as worried about him as I am.
An Amphiran rockets across the sky that’s quickly filling with smoky clouds instead of the silhouettes of Nebulous ships. “Jorusk!”
“Aura?” Eluni banks us out into space and talks to herself. “He’s chasing him. They’ve all lost their minds.” Eluni flips on a switch beside her. “Brynna, I need you on defense guns. Sit.”
I drop into the seat.
“They’ve got him!” Aura reports. An electric green pulse crackles around a smaller Neb ship that moves in the direction of Mindor. He sends out another angry pulse ahead of us, electrocuting and darkening a second ship. “Mother… They took Jorusk!”
“Who?” I ask.
“A Denarsoan ship. Encased him in ice!” Aura shouts back over the drone of thrusters from his Hellion suit.
Anger rises like a hot tide as we near his position. “Move, Aura!”
I grab the guns and target the next ship that’s trying to block our advance toward the Denarsoan vessel that has my mate. The moment Aura’s out of the line of fire, I target the ship and squeeze the triggers. Rapid gunfire streams out of Eluni’s ship.
“Get inside!” Eluni shouts as the Neb ship fractures ahead of us. She dips down beneath the spray of junk. A clunk on the hull suggests Aura’s on board with us. Another Neb ship moves into our path. I target it and blow it to oblivion.
“Fuck, girl,” Sky mutters, gently punching me in the shoulder. “Save some ammo for us.”
I’m shaking with rage and can’t seem to control it. Fire crawls through the veins of my hands, earning me a worried look from Eluni.
She powers up the thrusters and chases the departing Denarsoan ship. Everyone who as much as looks like they’re going to get in our way, I swing the gun and fire until it becomes parts and a cloud of gasses.
I never wanted to kill anyone. But sometimes, out here, I have to. And now something in me has cracked. I used to only want to cultivate life. But I’ve seen plenty of worlds burned by Nebs, the inhabitants and crops cut down and senselessly torched. I’ve revisited worlds I’d helped seed just to have to reseed them.
Nebs are just a different kind of pest. And this one needs to be eradicated.
Aura steps inside, hustles to my side, and taps my shoulder, but I’m not ready to give up my gun.
