“I’m taking out as many as I can, but you don’t have a lot of firepower on this thing,” Kila growled.
“I’ll make it a point to outfit it better if we make it out alive.Which we won’t, thanks to you.”The Adraf’s voice was a curious mix of sobbing and fury.
“Give me a drone, Piras.”Hope clawed toward the bin, which was out of her reach.“It’s our only chance to pass on Mereta’s account of the events on Jedver and the All’s plans for conquest.”
He’d opted to crouch next to her seat rather than belt in.The need to be ready to act, whatever came, made it impossible for him to sit.He grabbed the crazily tilting bin, noting Mereta had shed his helmet and taken a seat nearby.The secretary-general cradled the Dark’s containment on his lap, his attention focused on the occupant Piras couldn’t see.He appeared to be whispering to it.
Piras dismissed the bizarre view.He found a space-worthy drone and passed it to Hope.She had her handheld out, prepared to input Mereta’s testimony, recorded for just such a desperate occasion.
In seconds, she handed it to Piras.“Done.The drone’s programmed to head for the empire.It’ll get there in a few weeks.Send it.”
Piras nodded.He raced to a venting tube he’d noticed, a popular feature on smugglers’ ships.They were mandatory for Adraf vessels of any sort.He put the drone in, powered it for flight, and sent it on its journey to Kalquor.
“They got the transport,” the pilot groaned.“Blew it to pieces.They’re coming our way.We’re caught between the two attack wings.”
The Adraf captain unloaded a string of curses.Many were directed at Piras and his group.
Piras returned to Hope and grasped her hands.Lokmi turned his back on the cockpit and joined them, his hands covering theirs.They gazed at each other for a second, then bent their foreheads together.It would have been good to have Kila there in the final moments, but in true Nobek fashion, he’d go down fighting those who’d kill them.
“Marauders and destroyers coming out of phase!”
“It took them long enough!”the Adraf shouted in the wake of Kila’s bellow.“When I told those fuckers I wouldn’t fetch you without backup, I expected better help than this.”
Piras found that extremely interesting.
Lokmi hesitated.“I can’t stand not seeing what’s going on,” he finally said and raced to the cockpit door again.
“What the hell are they doing?”the pilot asked.
“Fluctuating pha—uh, cloaking.”Lokmi laughed.The fluctuating phase was another of his brilliant engineering designs, which the Adrafs definitely didn’t need to know about.“It makes it hard for the GC ships to get a lock on them.Look at them wipe thesegurlucksout!”
A new voice abruptly spoke.“This is Captain Zemos of DS-12523 to Adraf shuttle.Prepare to dock in our bay once we’re in position.”
“Affirmative, Captain Zemos.Standing by.”The pilot sounded weak from relief.
“Do you have the shipment you promised?”
“We do.”
“Excellent.It means I don’t have to leave you out here.”
“Assholes.Every last of you misbegotten Kalquorian bastards,” the Adraf captain muttered.“I’m never doing business with your species as long as I live.”
“Or until his accounts run dry,” Piras whispered to Hope.She covered her mouth to stifle a hysterical giggle.
The immediate threat done, Kila wasn’t so amused.His snarl filled the shuttle.“Hey, Adraf.Your attempted swindle in the spaceport, then running and intending to leave us behind?When we’re pretty much all that stands between you and your people’s extinction?And my clanmates’ lives hung in the balance?I suggest you shut your mouth.One more word, and I’ll break your neck and use your fur as toilet paper.Got me?”
Apparently, the Adraf captain did.He didn’t utter another peep.Piras wondered what expression Kila wore to win such silence.Judging by Lokmi’s wide-eyed attention, he decided he was better off not seeing it himself.
Zemos’ voice spoke again.“Welcome aboard, Secretary-General and Admiral Piras’ group.We’re happy to inform you we’re on our way to the empire with a full escort.You’ll be conducted to my ready room as soon as you disembark.The Adrafs will be sent to quarters we hope they’ll find satisfactory.”
The Adraf captain dared not to so much as grumble.
* * * *
Kalquor
Cassidy sat in the rocking chair her clanmates had surprised her with after she and the baby had come home.Handmade by a Joshadan craftsman, its wood gleamed reddish in the sunlight from the window vid she sat next to in Jackie’s nursery.
