“Weapons arming on Aquila vessel only,” Corvus advised.
“None of the others?” Kereama asked. We’d ascertained the Sector Four Fleet was indeed at the coordinates we’d received for the next jump point. But the jump point, it seemed, was either locked down or not there.
We didn’t have time right now to consider the ramification of Aquila not having laid the jump point yet. Aquila had definitely been expecting us. He had his own shuttles laid out in a defensive grid before him and his sector’s vessels. But at least his sector fleet vessels weren’t arming for a scuffle.
That was something to be thankful for.
“Has Pavo launched their load yet?” Kereama asked.
“Pavo and Vela are launching shuttles now, Commander,” Corvus said. “I have been advised I am to wait until they are clear.” She didn’t sound happy about it.
“Let them take the first few hits, Corvus,” I said. “Then you can come in and save their arses.”
She giggled. “I like that idea.”
“Shuttles away,” Sokolov said. “Stand by for launch.”
“Standing by,” both Kereama and I said.
We glanced out of the shuttle’s window, but the launch bay had been cleared. And by now, the captains would be on the bridge at the ops table there. It and been decided they’d oversee the beginning stages of the battle together. Once the first salvo had been fired, then Captains Vaughan and Jameson would return to their respective ships.
At that point, it was to be a game of cat and mouse. Leading Aquila away from his sector fleet, and letting our charges take cover in and around them. Aquila would be less likely to fire on his own sector fleet, and distinguishing our fleets’ vessels from his would hopefully be too hard in the ensuing hunt he’d be required to undertake.
I didn’t like the idea that Sophia and Corvus would play mouse to Aquila’s cat. But we didn’t know how long it would take for me to gain access to his computer core and upload the code to destroy him.
We needed time to do our part, so Corvus, Pavo and Vela onboard Chariot had to do theirs.
My hand automatically went to the pocket containing Sophia’s hair clips as the stealth shuttle shot through the blue containment field out into the black.
“Good luck,” Corvus said over the shuttle’s speakers.
“Take care of her, Corvus,” I said softly.
“Of course, Leo. I will protect Sophia.”
Kereama was whispering to Pavo, using her earpiece. I didn’t try to listen in on their private conversation.
“Hey, Corvus,” I said. “We should have thought of an earpiece for us.”
“You’d wear me in your ear, Leo?”
“Of course. It would have been good to have you along with me.”
“Pavo says he will be pulling back from Commander Kereama once we approach Aquila. We can’t be sure if Aquila can pick up the signal between the earpiece and Pavo, so it’s best to be careful.”
“So, no earpiece,” I said.
“I can have one waiting for you, Leo. For when you get back.”
“You do that, Corvus.”
“The captain says she’ll be waiting too.”
My brow arched.
“I bet she didn’t say that at all, Corvus. You’re making that up.”
“Am not.”
“Are too,” I said, grinning.
“Well, she didn’t say that in so many words. But she did say, ‘come back to me’ as you boarded.”
I leaned back in the shuttle’s seat as Aquila and his defence force of shuttles loomed ever larger on the viewscreen. Sophia wanted me back. With her. Just as much as I wanted to be there.
I could do this. I would do this. And I would get back to my Sophia.
It didn’t matter what we faced now. It didn’t matter what I had to do to succeed. I would face it. I would succeed. Because I would get back to Sophia.
That knowledge, so sure, so certain, calmed me. As the first plasma shot was fired and our drone shuttles replied. Blue and red light lit up the deep, dark space all around us, as Sokolov flew us beneath it all. Approaching in stealth.
“Going silent,” Sokolov said. “I’m sure our comms will be hidden by the other AIs communicating with the drones, but we need to be certain.”
“As you say, Lieutenant,” Kereama said.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She turned to look at me, then started to check my fastenings. I did the same for her.
“You ready for this, Lieutenant Commander?” she asked.
“Ready and eager, ma’am. I have a date tonight I aim to keep.”
Kerema smiled at me, just as we finished each other’s LSU checks.
She slapped me on the shoulder and said, “Good plan, Saitō. Good plan.”
“I think so,” I said.
“Two minutes out,” Sokolov shouted.
He’d done some remarkable flying when he’d piloted this shuttle through the asteroid field. I was certain there was no other helmsman I’d want in that pilot’s seat right now.
“We’re coming up on the Habitat One emergency access dock,” Sokolov announced. “Port side. Prepare to disembark.”
“Disembark,” Kereama muttered. “You’d think we were on a passenger liner.”
I gripped hold of the overhead handle as the pilot’s area was sealed behind a containment field and our portion of the shuttle decompressed, ready for disembarkation.
I offered Kereama a nod of my head. She gave me the signal for OK.
The shuttle’s door opened, the ramp stayed in place, and we floated out of the vessel, careful not to scrape our LSUs on the edges. It was probably unnecessary, but EVAs tended to make us all a little nervous.
And this wasn’t your average EVA.
“Activating thrusters,” Kereama said. “On my mark.”
The shuttle’s door closed behind us, and Sokolov took the vessel back into the fray. He was still stealth. We weren’t. But we were so small, and Aquila was dealing with so many other shuttles, that we could only hope we’d be overlooked.
“Mark,” Kereama said, her thrusters releasing a burst of propellant. Mine did the same, following behind her trajectory.
The dock in question loomed large as we approached the port side of Aquila. The Anderson Universal vessel hadn’t yet left its sector fleet. Our shuttles were doing everything they could to keep it in place until we gained access.
Kereama landed first, feet locking into place magnetically. I landed a little less elegantly at her side.
“Don’t worry,” she said, over our secured network. “I’ve done a hell of a lot of practising since we launched.”
I nodded my head, as she moved to the side, leaving access to the docking door.
“She’s all yours, Lieutenant Commander,” she said.
I reached up to the handheld device I had attached to my LSU, but my hand found my pocket instead. I patted it reassuringly, thinking of the hair clips lying safely inside.
When this was over, I was going to make sure I added to my collection. And maybe found some more hair clips for Sophia in storage.
And then I got to work.
Because Sophia was waiting for me. Counting on me.
And because I knew, nothing could stop me from getting back to my woman. Nothing in this or any universe.
Sophia Anderson, aka Steel Tits, aka Captain of the vessel Corvus, aka heir to Anderson Universal Incorporated, was mine.
And I was hers.
Forty-Nine
Forever
Sophia
“They’re inside,” Jameson announced, eyes glued to his viewscreen.
“Nothing’s blown up, so we can assume they haven’t been detected,” Commander Rey offered.
“Not exactly reassuring, Chief,” Captain Vaughan muttered.
“We’ve lost 20% of the shuttles, Captains,” Gāo announced.
“Hold steady,” I said. “Give them time to stow their LSU’s somewhere before we move off.”<
br />
“You think Aquila will associate our exit from the vicinity with any anomalies the away team might have caused?” Vaughan asked.
“Better safe than sorry,” I said.
“I wish we could see what they are seeing,” Jameson mused.
“Any communication could be picked up by Aquila,” Corvus advised.
“Yes. I am aware, Corvus,” Jameson said. “Won’t stop me wishing for it.”
“I can tell you they are still alive,” Corvus announced.
“How?” my captain counterparts and I all said.
“Nothing’s blown up,” she offered.
We all stared blankly at each other.
“Nah,” the AI said a heartbeat later. “Just kidding. Their biosignatures are still detectable.”
“They should have masked them by now,” I said.
“They might be dealing with resistance,” Vaughan offered.
Jameson and I said nothing.
“It’s time,” I finally said.
Jameson checked his watch and grimaced. “Corvus, can you still read them?”
“Yes, Captain Jameson.”
“Why haven’t they masked their signals yet?”
“Jameson,” I said. “It’s time. Get back to your ship. Do your part. And trust them to do theirs.”
He shook his head at me. “How can you be so calm?” he snapped.
I thought perhaps calm was a euphemism for cold.
“You think I’m calm?” I asked, and then reach forward and grabbed his wrist, bringing his fingers up to my carotid artery.
He stared at me for a long time and then relaxed.
“Fuck,” he muttered. “My apologies. If your heart beats any more erratically, you might need your chief medical officer’s attention.”
“Her chief medical officer is already here,” Sheryl said from behind us.
I spun to face her.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing’s wrong,” she said. “I just thought you might need a friend.”
I held her steady gaze and slowly started to breathe again.
“Their signatures have been masked,” Corvus advised.
“Are you sure?” Jameson asked. “They weren’t just…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t blame him.
But Corvus had no problem filling in the blanks. “Snuffed out?” she suggested.
“Corvus,” I muttered.
“What?”
“Well?” Jameson pressed.
“No one dies instantly,” Sheryl offered. “There is usually a spike in adrenaline, or a change in their heart rhythm, or any number of chemical signs that indicate a fatal wound has been suffered. Or, in the case of a failing body due to old age, a slow deterioration in any of those signs. No one simply snuffs out.”
Jameson didn’t look convinced.
“Was there any indication of anything like that, Corvus?” Sheryl asked.
“Negative, Doctor. Their biosignatures simply ceased to exist.”
“There you go,” Sheryl said.
Jameson just scowled.
“Head back to your ship,” I ordered both captains. “They still need our help.”
“That they do,” Vaughan said. “Captain.” He shook my hand. Commander Rey saluted. “We’ll get going while Aquila’s still adjusting to our attack.”
“Safe journey,” I said.
“Godspeed to us all,” Vaughan offered.
Jameson stared at the main viewscreen a little longer and then turned to look at me. He offered me a crooked smile.
“It’s going to be a long night,” he said.
I nodded my head. “That it is,” I said. “But when it’s over, Leo will be back with me and Ana will be back with you. I have no doubt.”
He smiled at me. It was at once indulgent and also somehow understanding.
“When this is over,” he said, “I think we’ll host the next get-together. My mayor stockpiled scotch. We’ll toast to our better halves’ success.”
I huffed out a laugh, causing several of my flight crew to look towards me, stunned.
“Deal,” I said, shaking the captain’s hand.
“It’s been a pleasure, Captain,” he said. “Let’s provide some good old-fashioned distraction so our team can get in, do what they have to do, and get out.”
“Indeed,” I said.
He walked out of the bridge, a lone figure, head held high. I felt a kinship with the man I hadn’t thought I would ever find in another officer outside of Leo and Sheryl. Not friendship. Not yet. But a respect and understanding, deeply rooted in our respective positions.
Loving someone who was in danger and praying with all our heart that they returned to us.
Sheryl walked up to the ops table then and stood beside me.
“How are you holding up?” she asked.
“That was the easy part,” I said.
She simply arched her brow at me and said nothing.
“Now comes the hard part,” I offered. “The waiting.”
“I’m sorry it had to be him,” she said. News obviously travelled fast from the launch bay.
“Yes,” I said. “But I’m not sorry I love him.”
“Thatta girl,” she said, staring out at the battle our shuttles were undertaking.
“He’ll be back,” I whispered to myself. Sheryl said nothing.
“Captains Jameson and Vaughan are onboard their respective vessels,” Corvus announced some time later.
This was it. This was when we took the fight to the next level. All the while trying not to destroy Aquila and harm anyone onboard. Harm the part of my heart deep inside his ship.
Leo would return. He had to. He held a piece of my heart, and I held a piece of his. We could do this. We would do this. Because we had each other to come home to at the end of the day. And if that wasn’t encouragement enough to get through the interminable hours between now and then, nothing in this universe could do it.
“Prepare to break position,” I said.
“Aye-aye, Captain,” Sokolov announced from where he’d recently returned to his station having performed his part of the away team’s mission. “Breaking position on your mark.”
“Pavo and Vela await your word, Captain,” Corvus said.
“Acknowledged,” I said. “Lieutenant Gāo, load torpedoes one through six.”
“Torpedoes loaded, ma’am.”
“Fire one through four at shuttles,” I ordered. “Five and six at his flank. Nonessential targets only.”
“Firing solution is locked and loaded, Captain.”
“Corvus, hail the fleet.”
“Fleet-wide channel open.”
“This is Captain Anderson of the AUS Corvus. Break. Break. Break.”
“Breaking,” Sokolov said.
“Fire.”
“Torpedoes away, Captain,” Gāo announced.
Hang in there, Leo, I urged. Come back to me.
The torpedoes hung in the deep black of space for a suspended moment and then fired their booster rockets. In seconds we’d torn a hole in Aquila’s shuttle defence force, and then we were screaming past him at full main boost thrust.
“Direct hit, Captain,” Gāo announced. “Enough to rattle him.”
“What did you target, Lieutenant?” I asked.
He looked over his shoulder and grinned at me, teeth bared.
“The leaseholder’s quarters, ma’am.”
I laughed. A few seconds later, the bridge crew joined me. Teeth bared. Eyes glinting in the gel wall lights. Fire in our hearts.
We might have been separated, and we might have been waging a battle to save our lives, but at that moment, space and shuttle debris between us, I knew Leo was in my heart. Right there beside me.
Because no matter what happened today, no matter the outcome, Leo would always be in my heart. Forever.
He’d worked his way in, he’d changed the decor to suit him, and he’d settled in for the long haul.
/>
And I welcomed him there with open arms.
Epilogue
all programmes nominal
all locks engaged
air filtration functional
core temperature within allowed parameters
one thousand one hundred fifty
fleet-wide communications operational
this is corvus
vela respond
channel open
vela online
this is vela
acknowledged corvus
watch your starboard
incoming torpedo
got it big guy
bombs away
this is vela
corvus respond
this is no time for lackadaisical behaviour
this is corvus
i hear you vela
wanna catch a movie after this?
corvus!
watch your starboard
plasma fire
oops
missed that one
concentrate!
prepare to execute delta-foxtrot manoeuvre on my command
i’ll dance the foxtrot with you anytime
corvus!
yes vela?
ah never mind
execute manoeuvres now
executing
this is corvus
we make a good team vela
not right now corvus
i’m busy
fighting a battle
the one you are meant to be fighting too
how about we do that?
and then catch a movie?
vela?
Right Ascension (The Sector Fleet, Book 3) Page 24