Chapter 24

TWENTY-FOUR

Ellion stood in the command center, surrounded by Hecrons poring over the different consoles and stations. He felt a sense of unease. His home—the fortress—had been his sanctuary for centuries, so it was jarring to have it invaded by so many beings who, until recently, had been adversaries. But he knew that their help was crucial if he wanted to break free from the Axis and protect Turi.

Yuric lounged in the weapons seat, watching the chaos with a calm, almost amused expression. “You seem tense, Overseer,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips.

Ellion turned to Yuric, his wings twitching with irritation. “Do I?” he replied, his voice tight. “All this is…disconcerting.”

Yuric chuckled, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic scene. “Ah, this is the record for the most Hecrons in your starship,” he said, his voice filled with humor. “It will be a challenge to break it, but I’m sure we can manage.”

Ellion sighed. His expression softened slightly at the masar’s light tone. “You can,” he said dryly. “The fortress can hold hundreds, and with some adjustments, it can accommodate Hecrons as well.”

Yuric grinned and leaned back in his seat, his gaze thoughtful. “Are you doing all of this…” He nodded toward the Hecrons bustling around the command center. “For her?”

Ellion’s gaze met Yuric’s. “Yes,” he replied simply. “Turi is worth more than just freedom from the Axis. She is everything.”

Yuric nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “I know that feeling,” he said, his voice softening. “Although Fortu took some convincing.”

Ellion raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And here I thought she threw herself at you, considering your magnetic charm.”

Yuric laughed. “Don’t forget my good looks,” he replied with a cheeky grin. “But I knew instantly, the moment she tumbled into my arms. I knew I’d never want another.” Yuric’s smirk faded. His gaze settled on Ellion’s face. “Are you ready? Can you operate the fortress’s systems?”

“It won’t be flying anywhere today, but if we can get the targeting set up, you can operate the weapons.” Ellion gestured to where Yuric sat. “We can use those to take down the communications array.”

Yuric scanned the room, looking over his warriors. “Have you lot gotten the targeting system up and running?” he hollered.

“Yes, Yuric,” a female Hecron wearing a metal breastplate replied testily. “We can hear you just fine, masar .”

“Good. Then fire them up and send them to weapons control.” He looked to Ellion with a glint in his eyes. “Let’s take down that array.”

The command center quieted for a moment as the hum of long-dormant systems powered fully on for the first time in centuries. Ellion sat at the main chair and touched the screen before him. One by one, the consoles lit up in a vibrant array of colors and symbols. Ellion’s skin shivered at the feeling—the ship was waking up, coming alive.

Yuric settled into the tactical chair and shortly all of the systems came alive under his touch. He nodded to his warriors. A few of the Hecrons took to different seats—navigation, propulsion, life support—even though none of those would be used.

Ellion took in a deep breath as the seat beneath him warmed up. The systems responded to his commands like it had been made for him. Everyone in the room felt the shift of the massive ship waking up vibrating through their bones.

“Brace yourselves,” Yuric warned his warriors. “This may feel…strange.”

Lights dimmed, consoles lit with colors, and it seemed like all the panels were humming in a mad symphony. The vibration from the fortress woken from its centuries-long sleep eased to a light, rhythmic hum. Ellion had never experienced this amount of raw power at his fingertips.

Then, just like that, the console in front of Ellion flashed to life. A three-dimensional holographic map filled the air, depicting the valley and the layout of the Axis’ communications array. Ellion focused on the target. “There,” he said to Yuric. “Take it down.”

Yuric, jaw hard and eyes steely, adjusted the weapons array and placed his fingers above the firing button. “With pleasure.”