16 Kikila

The other Alustri I saw last night has pounded on my door and blurted out what's happened. In his chest is a hole from a large taser dart. It runs with magenta blood.

I know from the moment he starts talking exactly who's taken him. "Stop. It's Draeke's crew. Come with me. I have a ship that can find them."

Zipping up my fresh race suit, I charge out into the hallway and motion him after me. We weave between other participants in the hallways.

The hangar seems miles away as we run to the private dock site where I had parked my private transport upon my initial arrival.

The other Alustri, Zoshun , takes the copilot's seat and assesses my systems. "What in the hell kind of ship is this?"

I call to the Abr flight control office. "Amali leaving Lunar hangar Four-Delta. Please track location. Heading for Mars orbit, chasing Rowkin of Alustri."

I realize this problem might be out of my hands, and Earth's command needs to know about it. We might need help. "Please relay to Terran Security."

"Understood."

I fly us out of the enviroshield and head for Mars, Draeke's usual hangout when he's doing work that's less than reputable by Terran standards. I call Roan and tell him where I'm headed.

"Son of a— Draeke? Guess I sort of sensed something was up with him." Roan's swears fade, and I know he's just as pissed as I am.

Zoshun accesses my dash coms and sends Roan an image he took from down the hall.

"Yes, that's our prototype ghostcloak," Roan remarks.

"I was working on that for our troops a few years ago, until Draeke took over the project," I tell them. "Corin was suddenly kicked off the team. He was the coder we made the most use of for shield programming."

Air rushes through Zoshun's teeth. He calls his ship. "Scrapper, I think we need your help. We've got a shielded ship that's using a project I think you're familiar with."

My heart rate picks up. "You know Corin?"

Zoshun taps his ear, then types furiously on my dash screens. And before us, an image of the ship is scratched to life in the sky by the scanners.

A familiar voice comes over the coms. "I'm coming after you. Hello, Kiki."

"Corin, how did you end up with them?"

"Story for another time. I'm just another one of the engineers Draeke used. Just don't lose him. Rowkin is a special kind of monster. Copy?"

"Copy." That selfish twat. Anger for what Draeke has done, taking our technology and using it for himself has my hands quivering. "Fuck it."

I ignite my loradrive, and we launch faster after Draeke's ship. He may have taken everything we worked on, but he has no idea what it's like to be this livid.

For several long minutes, I focus on guiding us after the target, redlining the engine. Stars turn to streaks that blur with our speeds.

"Kikila?" Zoshun asks as we charge up behind Draeke. "Are you planning on rear-ending him?"

"No." I'm well versed in shield coding, but also all manner of security systems thanks to my father. I get us close, then remotely access the rear ramp. A sealscreen opens, protecting the interior of his ship. "Rowkin tells me you're all soldiers. You ready to confront a team of pricks?" I ask him.

Zoshun braces a gun strapped to his chest. "You're going to crash inside. You're going too fast."

I feel it and slow us as we bolt inside Draeke's shields. I can penetrate them because they are the same as my own along with the engines. I know exactly how much time we have until his attempt to outrun us will actually drop us out the back again.

Commanding the ramp shut, I ignite the reverse thrusters. Zoshun and I are slung forward into our harnesses. I initiate the emergency clamps. They slam down into the deck like talons, and we rake to a stop inside the belly of Draeke's Phoenix.

I drop the ramp and draw a gun from behind my seat. "Rowkin will be in the cage by the cockpit."

"Amali!" a familiar guard's voice calls out. "Put your weapons down. Draeke's willing to talk."

"Fuck that," I mutter, seeing crates of Novark and Denarso goods lining the sides of Draeke's vessel, along with a shipment of shields that were supposed to go to Klaphos, now sitting empty.

Canisters of smoke fill the missile tubes, visible through the translucent walls of his cargo bay. My arranged husband is as much a thief and coward as he is working with the enemy. You're all damned traitors. "He's stealing from the federation."

"I see that." Zoshun peeks out of the opposite side of the ramp and puffs out a breath. "Meet you up there?"

There's doubt in his voice. But I am not letting anyone get in my way of my mate. "A-firm."

Zoshun smirks at this and charges out. I descend the ramp on my side, firing at every Terran who dares raise a gun to me. Together, Zoshun and I clear the hangar of combatants, then form up again in the hallway. We sneak through the corridors with silent hand signals.

It takes me a few tries to figure out what he's saying because his are different from ours, but we figure it out and arrive at the cells under watch by a Denarso in all black armor. I only know what he is by the particular gold gleam of his eyes.

My heart pounds as I ready myself to take the shot.

Zoshun is beside me. He studies me, then silently mimics a deep breath and letting it out. I do as he instructs. My nerves calm and I lean around the corner, taking the shot. I give the Denarso two for good measure, a third for my mother.

I quickly unlock Rowkin's cell and motion him out while Zoshun watches our backs. He fires off a shot and Draeke grunts, then tumbles down the steps from the cockpit.

Rowkin clutches me in shock. "You came for me."

I smile. "You came for me. That's when I knew you were the one."

He takes a humble knee. Behind us, Zoshun climbs into the pilot's seat.

Rowkin clutches me to his chest. Even on his knees, he's a bit higher than eye-level.

"I can't stand the idea of life without you," I admit.

"Hey," Zoshun calls down. "Listen to this."

Over the com feed comes the communications mess of a battle not far away. A Nebulous ship is asking for assistance of the Phoenix. A Novark fleet sends out rapid calls to anyone in the area for help. They're in danger of complete annihilation.

Rowkin and I head up to the cockpit.

"That's this ship, right?" Zoshun asks.

"Unfortunately." I slip into the pilot's seat and assess the systems and Draeke's logs. "We've got a thermal regulator out in engine bay six, thanks to my crash landing."

Zoshun gets up. "I'll secure the prisoner then take care of that."

"What do you want to do?" Rowkin asks me as he takes Zoshun's seat.

I pull up the closest scanner images of the battle. The empire ravages the fleet of smaller Novark ships. The Novark vessels dive and dart in a pattern that keeps them from being targeted by many shots, their speed and changing positions too fast for the larger empire guns. But they won't be able to keep it up forever. And their main transports can't outrun the berserker.

"I say we help."

Zoshun shuts the door to Draeke's cell, the one Rowkin was just in.

"Help?" Zoshun calls back.

I nod. "The Novarks."

Rowkin squints at me. "Are you sure?"

"Look at them," I say. "They're dying out there the same as us. So they're assholes with prickly skin, but we can deal with that. We can heal that. We cannot heal death, only stop it."

Rowkin and Zoshun exchange a glance and a nod. "This is Terran tech. We will follow your lead," Rowkin replies.

I ignite the four engines I can and get us racing toward the battle.