Page 27 of First

“No arguments,” he snapped, his tone leaving no room for debate. “Rory, initiate lockdown protocol for Winn and the child.”

“Affirmative,”Rory intoned, her voice calm amidst the chaos.

Jo’Nay cast one last glance at Winn as she reluctantly retreated to the reinforced chamber. Her fear struck him like a blade, carving deeper than any wound inflicted in battle. For a moment, he faltered, caught between his need to reassure her and the brutal reality of their situation.

“I will come for you,” he vowed, his voice softer now, though it carried an unyielding promise. Her gaze lingered on his for a heartbeat longer, trust battling against terror in her expression. Then she disappeared into the chamber, and the door hissedshut.

He couldn’t afford distractions, not now. His duty was clear: to protect his mate and their unborn child at all costs.

The Marauders were relentless, their attacks precise and coordinated. Jo’Nay had encountered their ilk before—mercenaries and Marauders working under the Syndicate’s shadowy directive. But this assault bore the mark of something more deliberate, more personal. They knew who he was, that he’d survived his Final Flight, and had come prepared to takehim.

The bridge’s holographic interface flickered to life, displaying the boarding parties’ breach points. Multiple entry vectors—three teams, heavily armed. Jo’Nay calculated his odds in an instant. Slim. But survival wasn’t his primary objective; securing Winn and the child was. He clenched his jaw, suppressing the rising tide of dread. For Winn, for their future, he would face whatevercame.

He retrieved his weapon, the energizing hum of the blade singing a familiar tune of violence. Jo’Nay’s long hair swept behind him as he moved with lethal grace toward the maincorridor. The Vettian warrior training ingrained in him took over, every step measured, every sense heightened. Memories of countless battles flickered in his mind, ghosts of past victories and the price he had paid for them. None of it mattered now—only the present, only this fight.

The first Marauder appeared, ahulking figure clad in black tactical armor. Jo’Nay moved like a shadow, his blade slicing through the Marauder’s defenses before the enemy could raise his weapon. The man fell with a gurgled cry, his comms unit sparking as it hit the floor.

“One down,” Jo’Nay muttered, his voice devoid of satisfaction. The fight had only begun.

The next wave came swiftly, their boots pounding against the ship’s metallic floors. “Remember. We’re to take him alive,” said the lead Marauder.

Interesting. Jo’Nay surged forward, his blade a blur as it deflected plasma bolts. If they wanted him alive, that gave him an advantage. He closed the distance between them in seconds, his movements a deadly dance of precision and power. The Marauders fell, their armor clattering as they hit the ground.

Each strike was precise, each movement imbued with a calculated purpose. Yet beneath his warrior’s focus, an insistent voice whispered of the stakes—Winn’s safety, the child they had created together. The thought of losing them burned like fire in his veins, driving him onward with a ferocity that bordered on desperation.

“Rory, report,” Jo’Nay commanded, his breathing steady despite the chaos.

“Three boarding teams confirmed. Two teams advancing toward the engine room. Another team en route to you and the secured chamber.”

A growl rumbled deep in Jo’Nay’s chest. His grip tightened on the blade’s hilt. He would do whatever necessary to protectWinn.

He raced down the adjacent corridor, his movements fluid despite the ship’s shuddering impacts. The Marauders’ tactics were ruthless, but their greed made them predictable. They wanted Winn. And they wanted him, apparently alive. And they would stop at nothing to achieve their objectives.

The next group of Marauders was waiting for him, their weapons trained on the intersection ahead. Jo’Nay didn’t hesitate. He hurled a plasma grenade into their midst, the explosion sending a shockwave that echoed through the ship. He charged into the disarray, his blade slicing through the survivors with ruthless efficiency.

“You are persistent,” he muttered to the last Marauder, the man’s face pale with terror as Jo’Nay’s blade silencedhim.

His comm device crackled to life. “Jo’Nay,” Winn’s voice broke through, filled with urgency. “They’re at the chamber door!”

His heart clenched. They’d gone around him to reach Winn. “Stay inside. Do not engage.”

“I’m not leaving,” she replied fiercely. “But I’m not hiding either.”

He cursed under his breath. There was no time to argue. He sprinted back toward the chamber, his focus narrowing to the immediate threat.

They turned as he approached, their weapons firing in unison. Jo’Nay deflected the incoming plasma with precise sweeps of his blade, his body a blur of motion. He dispatched the first Marauder with a spinning strike, the blade severing armor and flesh. The second fell moments later, his weapon clattering uselessly to the floor.

The remaining Marauders retreated, regrouping further down the corridor. Jo’Nay seized the opportunity and raced to the chamber containing his mate. His fingers flew over the control panel to strengthen the chamber’s defenses.

Winn’s voice whispered through the comms, soft but steady. “Jo’Nay, you don’t have to fight them all. We need you alive.”

Her words pierced through his battle haze. She was right. Fighting to the death served no purpose. He couldn’t protect her or their child if he was gone. He took a steadying breath, his mind racing through alternative strategies.

“Rory, calculate an escape route,” he ordered.

“Negative,”Rory replied.“Hostile forces have compromised all external access points.”

Jo’Nay’s jaw tightened. No escape. Only survival.

---