Jump Point: Kestrel Class Saga Book 2

by Toby Neighbors

  “Has to be,” Kim said. “Who else would show up out here?”

  “They’re hailing us,” Nance said.

  “Put it on the speakers,” Ben said.

  There was a moment of silence, then a familiar voice came booming out of the ship’s speakers.

  Modulus Echo, this is Confederate ship Eagle Eye. It’s damn good to see you.

  “We read you, Eagle Eye,” Ben said. “Is that you, Holt?”

  The one and only. And I must say, I underestimated you lot. Yes, indeed. Things are looking up, and for that, you have my respect.

  Ben looked at Kim, who was standing beside her pilot’s seat. She shrugged her shoulders, clearly not understanding what Holt was up to. Ben felt a stab of suspicion, but he tried to set that aside and think clearly.

  “Well, thank you,” Ben said over the ship’s com. “To what may we attribute the change of heart?”

  You’re kidding, right? You just took out an Imperium space station and a full battle cruiser. It was the most glorious thing I’ve ever seen. You lived it, so this probably doesn’t compare, but I’m sending you the video being sent out by Silas’s team to all Confederates in our network. It’ll be on every screen in the galaxy before long.

  “I’ve got it,” Nance said.

  “Put it on the main display,” Ben said.

  The video was ten minutes long. It was filmed from high orbit over the northern pole of Bannyan Seven. There was even audio of the Confederate crew on the ship making the video. The first eight minutes revealed the hope of the Confederate force and showed the fighters taking out the Corvairs that had been pursuing the Echo. That heady optimism changed suddenly with the appearance of the Imperium battle cruiser. The crew cursed the Fleet and thought the efforts of the Modulus Echo bordered on the cowardly. It was clear they had no idea what was happening. When the battle cruiser shifted its position and fired in a seemingly haphazard fashion, they cheered but still couldn’t understand what was going on. And then the Zexum reserve exploded.

  Ben looked away. He hated the Royal Imperium and everything they stood for, yet he felt a sickening sense of guilt knowing that thousands of people had died because of his plan.

  I can’t stop watching it. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. A bloody battle cruiser. This changes things. It really does.

  Ben knew Holt was right. The Imperium would never stop hunting them. The video had sealed their fate.

  “You have a job for us,” Ben said.

  Sure do, but you can take a minute and bask in the glory of your victory. I didn’t know what I was seeing at first, but when that space station blew, it all made sense. Who knew you four were military geniuses? I sure didn’t.

  “A lot of people died,” Ben said.

  A lot of Imperium stooges. And four brave Confederate pilots. You probably didn’t know this, but Silas was one of them.

  Ben felt his eyes sting with tears. He didn’t trust the Confederates. They had an agenda to carry out and didn’t much care who got hurt in the process, but Silas had been a good man. He was kind and generous. Ben knew he would mourn Silas for a long time. The fact that he would have died anyway seemed like a sad excuse at that moment.

  “I didn’t know that,” Ben said.

  He knew what he was getting into and he believed in the cause. The Royal Imperium must fall, and we will not stop until they do. I’m sending over your next mission. It’s a simple job. There’s a contact on Tortuga Station. It’s off the grid, so you shouldn’t run into trouble. Your contact there is a man named Forrest Remington Jones. He’ll tell you where to take him. Good luck and stay alert. The Imperium will be out for blood now, there’s no doubt about it. I’ll be in touch.

  “Roger that,” Ben said.

  “I have the coordinates,” Nance said. “The jump point is set.”

  “Ship’s ready,” Kim said. “Just say the word.”

  “Good,” Ben said. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Author Note

  Thanks so much for reading Jump Point. I hope you will take the time to leave an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads. The Kestrel Saga continues with Gravity Flux coming August 13th. Want to keep up with all my books? Follow me on social media:

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