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His focus went back to the Omull. It reached down and picked up the slick, glowing bomb. It stroked it as if it were a baby that it had given birth too. Jace now felt a remnant of the murderball nausea bubble up again, but for very different reasons. The Omull turned to attach the bomb to the door. His focus was drawn to the soldiers who had their weapons up, ready to attack.

They have to get away from there! When it goes off they’ll be killed! Jace realized.

He tried to use his mouth, but it really wasn’t happening. He forced consciousness on himself, but he wouldn’t be in time. He remembered that he had control of everyone’s comms.

He sent a blaring message to all of them, GET AWAY FROM THE CONTROL ROOM DOOR! NOW! NOW! NOW! EVERYONE DOWN!

The soldiers only hesitated a moment before Amana cried, “Get over here! We need to seek shelter behind the consoles!”

Then she and Thadden were wrenching Jace from the seat and lowering him to the ground as low and protected as they could get them. The other soldiers raced to join them. Jace didn’t know what was happening. His consciousness was returning fast and furious to his body so he’d lost track of everything else.

Where was Gehenna?

Had the Omull attached the bomb?

Where were Khoth and the others?

Were people about to die?

And then his focus snapped into the cameras outside the control room. The Omull had just finished fashioning the bomb to the door, but Gehenna was there! Her lightsaber was out! She was coming in fast. But the Omull moved just as fast. It struck her on the side and sent her spinning. The Khul blood had weakened yet more of her motorized parts and her outer shell crunched and fell open. She was unable to move!

No! Gehenna!

But then there was a draagves blast. The Omull’s head exploded in a rain of blood and larva. The Omull slowly collapsed to the ground and Jace saw Khoth. He stood there with his draagves still smoking as he aimed it at the Khul. He had gotten there in time. He had killed the Khul and--

Pilot! The Osiris cried.

OSIRIS! Omg! You’re back and--Jace’s thoughts skidded to a halt as there was a massive explosion.

The bomb had gone off. Jace’s body was thrown backwards and he wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the Control Room was on the ground. The air was thick with dust. Jace kept thinking about the Omull’s body and larva being thrown by that blast as well. The one camera that was still working showed a smoking crater outside the shattered wall of the Control Room. He scanned for Khoth. His Commander was safe and unharmed. Khoth had backflipped well out of the way and was already trying to make his way to Jace.

Osiris, tell him I’m okay! But to stay back! The area is contaminated, Jace ordered.

You are not “okay”. That term has no true medical meaning and--

Osiris, please! Jack cried.

I have already done so. He is standing back, the Osiris answered tartly.

Thank you. Gehenna, why don’t you tell Osiris how silly it’s being? Jace asked.

But Gehenna did not answer. Jace focused in on the hallway and realized that the murderball was not there. Not in any recognizable shape anyways. There were just scattered bits and pieces and nothing more.

Aftermath

Khoth watched Jace sleep. Sunlight dappled the young man’s brow. His chest rose and fell softly and evenly under the light green coverlet. Jace’s lips parted and he made a contented sound. He might have even been smiling.

He is safe. He is safe. Everyone is safe.

That last statement was not altogether true. Now that they knew the Khul could enter Alliance space at any time… Well, they could be attacked anywhere and lose. No longer did Khoth believe that the might of the Alliance kept the Khul at bay. They stayed away for their own reasons, and none of those was out of fear or respect.

I am monitoring all Gates. No Khul are within a dozen Gates of Haseon and there is no movement of any Khul vessels in any part of Alliance space, the Osiris sent to his comm, though he hadn’t asked the question, out loud at least.

Why are they not following up on their near victory? Khoth asked.

I do not have sufficient data to answer that question, the Osiris admitted.

They must know that Jace and the database they were searching for are still here and that--other than you and a few refueling vessels--the fleet’s presence is practically non-existent, Khoth pointed out. Why do they not press their advantage?