Page 88

“It’s the Pilot,” Typhon said with deep satisfaction.

Jace’s head was throbbing less. Khoth hadn’t let him out of his arms. His powerful Thaf’ell warrior cradled him tenderly and Jace could feel Khoth willing his own strength into Jace.

“The Skadden is down!” a Thaf’ell called out, their voice neutral, but Jace knew that there was grief there.

“The Nightal is incapacitated!” another added with a slight tremor that was brutally quashed.

“Those are some of our best ships,” Amana said. “The pride of the fleet.”

“They are fighting bravely,” Khoth answered her.

Jace knew that Khoth would have been aware of how many ships were being lost, too, but he had said nothing. Worse, Khoth would likely know--and be friends--with people on those ships. But he didn’t wish to worry Jace. Distract Jace.

And what about Khoth’s old crew? Were they on those ships? Which ones? Jace touched the crew rosters and found them. Most were on Staed’s ship. Though they had followed Khoth on a mad mission to save his sister, they were still the best. Khoth knew this. Khoth knew his friends were dying above them, but he held Jace in arms that didn’t tremble even the least bit.

“If the shields were not holding, there would be hundreds of dropships on Haseon’s surface already,” Typhon stated.

“We’d be overrun,” Amana whispered.

“Not going to happen,” Jace said.

“Pilot, do what you can! Please!” Amana cried.

“He will,” Khoth answered simply.

Jace ran down the lines of power and code and teased machines to run that hadn’t been touched in too long. They purred with happiness, or so it seemed to Jace, as he touched them. There was an almost sentient feel to all of the machines on Haseon. They were not cold metal, unfeeling and unthinking, but in need of warmth and touch like people. When he turned something on, it was more like waking someone from sleep. Their eyelids fluttered open and they saw him. Their eyes brightened with joy. Not alone! Not alone any longer!

Jace, they’ve been alone… oh, Jace, they’re a little like me, Gehenna said softly, sadly.

Not quite you, Gehenna. They aren’t as sophisticated, but there are AIs here. Everywhere, Jace realized.

And when they touched his mind, they understood what he needed them to do. They acted faster than he could, knowing these systems in a way he did not yet. The shield above the planet was all blue now and powering up.

“High Commander Staed’s ship in under heavy attack!” one of the Thaf’ell cried.

“He has lost rear shields!” another added in.

“The Osiris has cleared the area of Thylacine-class fighters, but more are coming. No…” The last was said in a soft breath.

Jace focused on the cameras again. One of the Hives was powering up a weapon. It was a high-powered laser that was the color of Earth’s sun. Gold and beautiful and deadly.

Gehenna, the gun! Does it have enough power to fire yet? Jace asked.

Almost! But the iris needs to open! Starting that! Oh, boy, the stadium is going to collapse, she warned him.

I don’t think the Thaf’ell will mind, Jace said.

The Osiris sent another blast of the big gun at the Hive that was powering up, but dozens of Thylacine-class fighters positioned themselves between it and the powering-up Hive. The fighters were vaporized, but the blast was drained of much of its strength so that it only scarred the Hive, leaving a long line of darkness along the outside.

Damnit! Gehenna, gun! Gun now, please!

“We just lost the Shasheen!” a Thaf’ell shouted.

“That’s more than half the fleet!” Amana cried.

“More ships are coming, but it will take several sub-cycles for them to arrive, Justiciar Moturin,” one of the Thaf’ell.

“The Shasheen is coming down!” Another shouted and Jace saw what he meant.