Page 19 of Commander’s Mate

Chapter Five

Zared

I reached the bridge as the second impact rolled across Dreadnought One’s shields.

The deck tilted beneath my boots. A junior navigation officer cursed, caught herself, and corrected course before Degatu had to tell her. Good. Fear was permissible. Incompetence was not.

The forward display showed four Ursagan fighters harrying our aft shields. Two more signatures lifted from the planet. A heavier vessel moved from low orbit, still powering weapons.

“Report,” I said.

Degatu did not look away from the display. “Auction security screamed loudly enough for someone with teeth to hear. Fighters are trying to slow us until that patrol carrier reaches firing range.”

“Can they breach shields?”

“Not unless we sit here politely for an hour.”

“I am not feeling polite.”

“Neither am I.” He glanced at the weapons officer. “Take the nearest two.”

Dreadnought One answered before the officer finished confirming. Two clean pulses. Two fighters became expanding fire.

I took the empty station beside tactical and scanned the secondary readouts. We had rescued more than one hundred captives from the auction house, including Kyanna Guryon. More than planned. Fewer than I wanted. Medical was overwhelmed but functioning. Cargo bay overflow had been opened. No hull breach. Three minor injuries among our warriors. Unknown injuries among captives.

And Harper was somewhere below with the other rescued women, being moved through intake toward the secured conference rooms.

I did not have time for the way that thought tightened around my ribs.

“Two more fighters locked,” weapons said.

“Disable if possible,” Degatu ordered.

I looked at him.

He looked back. “I would like someone alive enough to tell Ursaga that Farseek is no longer a quiet name.”

“Fair.”

The next blast clipped one fighter’s engine assembly. It spun away trailing plasma. The other veered too close to its crippled partner and lost half a wing to defensive fire.

The heavier ship kept coming.

“Carrier weapons hot,” navigation reported. “They are demanding surrender of stolen property.”

The bridge went colder.

Degatu’s voice remained almost gentle. “Did they use those words?”

“Yes, Admiral.”

“Record and save.”

“Saved.”

“Then send this response: Dreadnought One recognizes no sentient being as property. Pursuit will be treated as hostile action in support of slavery.”

A pause.