Page 26 of Salvaged By the Alien Pirate

I shake my head, forcing the thoughts away. Now isn't the time for self-recrimination. Now is the time for action, for focus, for keeping everyone on this ship alive long enough to escape the trap closing around us.

The bridge is a hive of controlled chaos when I arrive. Cirdox stands at the center, wings mantled with authority despite the obvious strain of the bond-sickness. His tribal markings pulse with fever, but his voice is steady as he issues commands. Zara moves between stations, coordinating the crew's efforts with efficient precision.

Cirdox spots me immediately, crimson eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that makes my pulse quicken. "Specialist," he acknowledges, voice formal but eyes conveying something deeper. "Report."

"Defensive systems are fortified," I say, matching his professional tone despite the urge to check on his condition. "I've implemented multi-layered encryption protocols and neural-responsive firewalls. If the Eclipse tries to hack our systems during departure, we'll be ready."

He nods, satisfaction briefly overshadowing the pain evident in his features. "Excellent work. Take the tactical station—I want your eyes on their movements when we break orbit."

The assignment surprises me—tactical is a senior position, one that requires both technical skill and the crew's trust. Judging by the lack of protest from the bridge officers, it seems I've earned at least a measure of the latter.

I slide into the seat, interfacing with the ship's sensors through my neural implants. Immediately, data floods my enhanced vision—the three Eclipse cruisers approaching in tight formation, the scattered Brotherhood vessels preparing for departure, the massive bulk of the Obsidian Haven slowly rotating against the backdrop of space.

"Eclipse vessels maintaining course," I report, analyzing their approach vector. "Current speed suggests intercept in fifty-three minutes if we maintain standard departure protocols."

"Then we won't be standard," Cirdox says, his wings shifting with suppressed pain as he moves to the command chair. "Zara, status of our missing crew?"

"Last shuttle is docking now, Captain. All hands will be aboard in five minutes."

"Good." He settles into the chair, his posture rigid with the effort of appearing stronger than he feels. "Neon, plot us a course through the asteroid field—maximum sensor interference, minimum navigational hazards."

I nod, fingers already dancing across the interface as my implants calculate optimal trajectories. The asteroid field surrounding the Haven is dense, treacherous—a perfect place to lose pursuers, but also a dangerous gamble for a ship the Void Reaver's size.

"Course plotted," I announce, sending the data to the navigation station. "It's tight, but if we time our entry to coincide with the magnetic storm forming in sector seven, their sensors will be effectively blind for at least twenty minutes."

A ghost of a smile touches his lips. "Excellent thinking, neural specialist." He turns to the helm. "Ensign Grig, prepare for emergency departure. All hands, secure for high-G maneuvers."

The crew responds with practiced efficiency, strapping into stations and locking down loose equipment. I feel the subtle vibration through the deck plates as the quantum drive spoolsup, preparing for the sudden acceleration that will tear us away from the Haven's gravitational influence.

"Eclipse vessels adjusting course," I warn, noting the subtle shift in their approach. "They've detected our power-up sequence. Intercept time revised to forty-one minutes."

"Let them chase us," Cirdox says, a predatory edge entering his voice despite the fever evident in his glowing markings. "Helm, on my mark... execute departure protocol."

The ship lurches as thrusters fire at maximum capacity, pressing us back into our seats with the force of our acceleration. The Obsidian Haven falls away behind us, its obsidian surface reflecting the cold light of distant stars.

Through my neural connection to the ship's systems, I feel the moment the Eclipse cruisers register our departure. Their engines flare as they adjust course to pursue, their weapons systems powering up in anticipation of bringing us within range.

"They're pursuing," I confirm, watching the data stream through my enhanced vision. "Calculating time to weapons range—"

My analysis is cut short as a familiar presence brushes against my neural defenses—subtle, probing, searching for weaknesses in the digital fortress I've built around the ship's systems. The touch is unmistakable, carrying the signature of someone who knows my coding patterns intimately.

Kira.

She's found us faster than I anticipated, her consciousness extending through the Eclipse ships' systems to test our defenses. I feel her presence slide along the outer layers of encryption, searching for a way in, for any vulnerability she can exploit.

"We've got company," I announce, voice tight as I redirect my consciousness to reinforce our digital shields. "Someone's attempting to breach our security protocols."

Cirdox's gaze sharpens. "Eclipse hackers?"

"Not just any hacker." I meet his eyes, letting him see the gravity of the situation. "It's Kira. She's on one of those ships, and she's trying to get into our systems."

A ripple of unease passes through the bridge crew. Zara's tail bristles, her ears flattening against her skull. "Kira? The one who—"

"Yes." I cut her off before she can finish. Now isn't the time for explanations. "Captain, I need to focus on keeping her out of our systems. She knows my patterns, my weaknesses. This is going to get... complicated."

Cirdox studies me for a moment, his crimson eyes seeing more than I'm comfortable with. "Do what you need to do," he says finally. "We'll handle the physical pursuit."

I nod, grateful for his trust, and turn my attention fully to the digital battlefield where Kira and I are about to face off. Through my neural interface, I dive deeper into the ship's systems, extending my consciousness to meet her probing attacks head-on.

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