Page 43 of First

To his disbelief, she appeared as a holographic image of a woman who appeared part-human and part-Vettian with long red hair and green eyes, but also bronzed skin, pointed ears, and inverted eyebrows.

Despite her appearance, she remained ever vigilant, responding instantly.“Multiple energy signatures detected. Vettian vessels. Approaching fast.”

Hope collided with suspicion. “Are any of them from my unit?”

“Negative. Vettian enforcers.”

Skarrp. It had to be related to the unknown message he’d sent. Afinal act of retaliation.

Jo’Nay immediately sent out a signal to the surviving members of his unit, alifeline of sorts, an offer of a future they’d been denied. Now the Vettian enforcers were closing in, their vengeance swift and merciless. He was only one against close to half a dozen warships. Not goododds.

Jo’Nay spared his mate a swift glance. If he’d been alone, he’d have fought them. He’d have sacrificed himself in the hopes his death would draw attention to the plight of all IWs. But he wasn’t. He had a mate and child to consider.

A guttural curse ripped from Jo’Nay’s throat. They’d been careful, meticulous in covering their tracks. He’d believed they had more time, time to unravel the secrets of the apples, time to formulate a plan to dismantle the Vettian government’s control over the Intergalactic Warriors, time to offer his brothers a choice: life or the “Final Flight.” Now, that precious time was slipping away, replaced by the looming threat of capture and punishment.

He had defied Vettian law, transgressed the sacred code of the warriors. He’d reversed his programming. He’d taken a mate. He’d fathered a child. He was prepared to face the consequences, to fight for his newfound freedom with Winn. Would he even be given that opportunity?

“Rory,” he ordered, his voice sharpening, the warrior’s instinct taking over, “prepare for evasive maneuvers. Weapons systems online. Shields at maximum.”

The ship hummed to life, its engines roaring, apowerful vibration that resonated through the decks. Lights dimmed as Rory diverted power to the weapons systems. Acold and harsh red light spread across the bridge.

His mate stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She met his gaze, her initial grogginess dissolving into an apprehension that he’d do anything to eliminate.

“Jo’Nay?” she whispered, her voice husky with sleep. “What’s happening?”

He couldn’t explain. There wasn’t time. He had to take her safety.

“Go to the reinforced chamber,” he commanded, urgency lacing his words. “Now.”

“Again? Is it more Marauders?”

He shook his head. “Vettian enforcers.”

She sat up, her hand instinctively moving to her stomach, aprotective gesture that filled him with a pang of both tenderness and concern. “But… what about you?”

“I will be fine,” he lied, offering her a reassuring smile that felt foreign on his lips. “I have to stay at the controls. It is but a precaution. Rory will take care of you.”

She searched his face, her lavender-blue eyes, usually so full of warmth and light, now clouded with fear and uncertainty. He knew she saw through his façade, knew she didn’t believe his words. Fortunately, she didn’t argue. She trusted him. That trust, unwavering and absolute, fueled his determination to survive, to shield her from the coming storm.

He watched as she disappeared into the reinforced chamber, her movements slow and deliberate. The small, armored compartment wasn’t much, but it was the best protection he could offer. He programmed Rory to initiate emergency protocols, to detach the safe chamber and launch it into space, camouflaged as debris, should the ship be boarded. Winn would be safe, adrift in the vastness of space, but alive. He’d find her. No matterwhat.

Turning back to the controls, he braced himself for the fight.

The viewscreen flickered, displaying tactical data that Rory rapidly compiled. Five Vettian warships, their silhouettes stark and predatory against the vast canvas of space, were rapidly closing in, their weapons targeting hisship.

“Transmitting hails,”Rory announced.“They are demanding your surrender.”

Jo’Nay ignored the demands and adjusted the ship’s course, maneuvering through the incoming fire, pushing the engines beyond their recommended limits. He was a master pilot, centuries of experience etched into his very being. But the Vettian ships were relentless, their pursuit a testament to their determination to bring him to justice.

“Shields failing,”Rory’s voice reported, the calmness replaced by a note of urgency.“Hull breach imminent.”

Jo’Nay gritted his teeth, his hands moving with a practiced ease across the control panels. He needed to buy them time. Time to get Winn to safety. Time to send out a beacon of hope to his brothers.

He engaged the emergency transponder, adesperate plea, afaint signal that could easily be lost in the vastness of space. He knew it was a gamble, awhisper against the roar of the cosmos, but it was all hehad.

“Rory,” he commanded, his voice strained, each word a battle against the mounting pressure, “transmit this message. ‘To any surviving members of Alpha Legion. This is First Jo’Nay. Iam under attack. Need immediate assistance.’”

“Message transmitted,”Rory confirmed.

---