I was momentarily dumbstruck as she took off.
“Enemy fire detected. Impact in one click.” The ship’s computer knocked sense into me and set me in motion.
Heading to my quarters, I grabbed my vest and the weapons hidden within. I didn’t bother with anything else. We didn’t have time, and I needed nothing more. When I arrived on the bridge, the little captain had strapped into the co-pilot’s chair, and her fingers were flying over the controls. I didn’t bother to ask what she thought she was doing. I’d seen her following my piloting movements earlier, like a sao-sao bird watching their nest.
“Status?” I asked, taking my seat and scanning the computer’s report.
The screen flipped to the outside view, the sight unwelcoming. “Five Versaken ships.” Jane motioned toward the blinking button in the middle of the console. “I’ve sent a message to the moonbase to warn them. But we can’t give-up. We have to complete the mission.”
“I have no intention of giving up.” Ducking under the console, I palmed the device required to get us to our destination.
“Thirty beats to impact.” The ship’s countdown grew dire.
The captain set her hand over my wrist as I brought the device atop the console. “We can’t use that yet. We’re not at the coordinates.”
I plugged the device into the ship’s navigational drive and powered it on. “There’s no choice. We don’t have the fire power to match five Versaken vessels, nor can we use stealth shielding as their sensors have already spotted us.” My fist clutched the device, struggling not to crush it in my hand. Traveling without stealth mode was a novice mistake. I’d let me desire for the Terran distract me from my duty—as I’d feared. “And we cannot go back.”
“My sister was clear about it.” Jane bit her lip, indecision warring on her face. “She reconfigured the wormhole generator from the enemy’s tech. And she was adamant we use it only at the designated spot.” Snaking her hand away, she nodded once. “But you’re right. If we don’t use it now, we won’t have the chance.”
“Ten beats to impact.”
“Then, we’re agreed.” I reclaimed her hand, holding it in mine. If it were to be my last moments, I’d enjoy what pleasures I was allowed. And if we survived, I’d do better to behave like a proper commander.I must.Setting the device to propel the wormhole directly in front of us, I hoped to prevent the Versaken ships from following.
She sucked in a breath and squeezed my hand. “Do it.”
“Three…two…”
The wormhole generator interfaced with the ship and a thick spiral opened in space. Taking up the screen, its menacing swirls sucked us in.
“I hate velocity rides!” Jane yelled over the g-forces slamming us into our seatbacks.
I didn’t know what a velocity ride was, but I agreed. The jaunt through the wormhole was not a journey I wished to repeat anytime soon. Between the spinning of the ship and the immense pressure, it was worse than battling a stechreton—the hard-plated beasts that roamed the swamplands of my home world. The creature attacked with teeth as big as a warrior’s head, six prehensile limbs tipped with claws, and a heavily spiked tail. And yet I’d take that fight over this barbaric ride.
“Is…” Another twist of the ship rolled us upside down. “…it…” Our joined hands locked tight against the console. “…over?”
Her words were strained. I wanted to reassure her, but in truth, I had no idea when the nightmare ride would end.
Then, the ship jolted forward, flipping one last time before it came to a halt. “Transfer complete,” the computer intoned. “Arrival: Meta Sector, location 321, 48, 87. Twelve parsecs from destination.”
I waited a beat for my body to adjust, then cut my gaze to the captain. Her hands rested on either side of her temples, rubbing lightly. “Oof,” she tilted her chin up, pushing the back of her head into the seatback. The circular style in which she had done her hair hit the headrest. “That was awful.”
Unstrapping from the pilot’s chair, I rose slowly. My stomach didn’t relish the movement, but I ignored it. “Computer, scan area and run full diagnostics.” Decoupling the wormhole generator from the ship, I placed it in the storage compartment under the console. Then, I turned to the little captain. “You all right?”
Her eyes were glassy and her breathing rapid. But she shot me a weak smile. “I’ll live. You?”
She’s concerned about me.A jolt of surprise ran through me, and I wasn’t sure I was successful from keeping the emotion off my face. “Fine.”
“What?” She snorted, removing her straps and stretching her limbs. “Big bad warriors don’t get motion sickness, or is it just a faux pas for me to ask?”
“No, that’s not—” For a second time we were interrupted by alarms.
The console lit up, and the computer said, “Incoming vessel detected bearing 330 mark 15.”
“Drav it.” I settled back into the pilot’s chair, shifting the screen to those coordinates and directing the ship to conduct a scan of the unidentified craft. “Life signs? Weapons?”
“Thirty-two Mangox aboard.” A spaceship came into view, a massive battle cruiser at least ten times our size. “Weapons active.”
“Open a channel.” Our space fighter was outfitted with hyperdrive and laser rays. We could choose to flee or fight, but with a ship that size, it’d be a hard choice either way. Not as dire as the Versaken situation, but not good. The Mangox were a bastard species who preyed on those weaker than themselves. They were the highest, ruling gang of scum in the Meta Sector, controlling all unsavory trade in the area from species trafficking to banned weapons procurement. I swallowed my disgust for their villainy before responding. “Mangox ship, I am Commander Torian of the Rhonar warriors.”
