Page 159 of The First Spark
“I don’t have a choice, do I? They blocked the stargate.”
“It’s your call, Kal, but my men are ready to go down with this ship,” Ryker said, as he gazed at them. There was no jealousy on her ex’s face, just grim understanding.
Tears glittered in Kalie’s haunted eyes. She kept staring at the spot where the image of her friend had been.
“Kalie.” Zane rubbed her arm. “You need to decide. Are we surrendering, or?—?”
“It’s seven fleets against four,” Ryker snapped. “Hardly a reason to surrender!”
“Sir, we lost another cruiser!”
Nadar swiped his hand across his scaly forehead. “Divert full power to the shields, and send our warplanes to take out their flagship’s cannons. We’ll fight for as long as we can.”
“Yes, sir, right away!”
Their lasers dwindled as a faint blue forcefield flickered to life around the bridge. The red beams shooting towards the viewport dissolved as they struck the shield, but the pressure on Zane’s chest didn’t lighten. Any way he looked at it, it was a death sentence for him.
But there was one option where Kalie and Mira made it out alive, and that was worth it.
He tried to pull back, but Kalie’s hand closed around his. Letting out a shaky breath, he twined their fingers together. Just another moment. Then he’d go.
“I have a cybermod,” Mira said. “We could send someone else down as Hannover.”
“It won’t work. They’ll scan her chip.”
Mira looked down at her ring. “I don’t have a chip.”
“Everyone in the Federation has a chip! It’s the law!”
“Not me,” Mira mumbled, averting her eyes.
Zane shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Kalie does have a chip, and they’ll scan for it.”
“Damn.” Nadar slumped into his chair. “I don’t know what else we can do.”
“I do.” Zane tugged his hand from Kalie’s and rose. His legs wobbled beneath him, but there was no other choice. “Send a message to Lexington. Tell her?—”
Kalie lurched to her feet, and Zane’s mouth snapped shut.
Glistening tears rolled down her pale cheeks, but she squared her shoulders. Zane couldn’t help but stand straighter, breathe easier, because that—that was a leader.Shewas a leader. For a desperate moment, he let himself hope that she saw what he didn’t. Some way out, some miraculous rescue.
“I’ll be right back. Bathroom.”
Zane deflated like he’d been punched.
Absolutely not.
Her gemod double’s broken body flashed through his mind, and her swollen face swam before Kalie’s. “No.” He barely got the word past his clenched teeth. “You’re not turning yourself in.”
“I didn’t say I’m doing that, did I?” Kalie’s voice was high and shaky, but she stood tall, thrusting her chin out. “I just need a minute.”
Zane caught her wrist. She tried to jerk away, but his fingers tightened.
A knot swelled in his throat as he met her blazing eyes. “Stay here. I’ll chal?—”
“No,” she breathed, “you willnot.”
“Better me than you.”
