Page 58 of Possessed By the Dragon Alien
Sevas frowned. “Who thefekis that?”
Lilas went very still at her station. “That better not be who it sounds like.”
Through the comm, they heard Razion’s sharp intake of breath. “Krask.”
The name meant nothing to Nena, but she felt the emotional punch it carried for the gold-scaled Zaruxian. Pain, betrayal, regret.
“Your old first officer?” Madrian’s voice was carefully neutral.
“The one who betrayed me because he didn’t approve of Lilas,” Razion said tightly.
The transmission continued, clearer now. “I know you can hear me, Captain. I know what you think of me. And you’re right.” A pause filled with static. “I joined the Axis after I left you. Thought they’d give me purpose, respect. Instead, they made me into something I barely recognize.
“The Axis knows what you’re planning,” Krask’s voice continued. “The dragon-fire attack. The mine field is specifically designed to stop you. But I’ve been watching their patterns. There’s a gap in grid section seven-alpha. It’ll only stay open for two-point-sixpiksafter I trigger the charges.”
“What is he talking about?” Sevas demanded.
Through the comm, they heard Razion’s voice, rough with emotion. “Krask, what are you doing?”
“What I should have done cycles ago. Choosing the right side.” Static crackled. “Tell Lilas… Tell her I’m sorry. And Razion? You were a better captain than I deserved.”
On the display, Nena watched a single Axis fighter break formation and streak toward the mine field. The small ship moved with desperate purpose, accelerating far beyond safe limits.
“He’s going to ram the mines,” Cerani breathed.
The explosion lit up space like a newborn star. Chain reactions rippled through the mine network as automated systems struggled to compensate. Right there, a clear corridor opened to the planet’s atmosphere.
“Now!” Nena commanded. “Shuttles away!”
Through the comm, she heard the rush of activity as Madrian and his brothers raced for their ships, which were attached to air locks off the command deck. Her attention stayed fixed on the screen. The narrow window of opportunity that Krask’s sacrifice had created was already beginning to close.
“Turi, bring us about. Sevas, concentrate all fire on those warships. We need to keep them busy.”
Her friends responded instantly. The ship turned with surprising grace. Weapons blazed to life. Around them, the rebel fleet threw everything they had at the Axis forces, creating chaos and distraction.
“Shuttles away,” Fivra reported. “All three are heading for that gap.”
“They’ll make it,” Lilas added, watching her screen. “With point sixpiksto spare.Fek, I’m good at math.”
“You have a computer,” Sevas said as she fired a bombardment of plasma cannon blasts toward an Axis warship. “But you always were good at math. That’s why we always asked you to calculate seed rations for the farm plots.”
“Huh.” Lilas shrugged. “I thought that was because you all thought I didn’t care if I got yelled at.”
“You didn’t care if you got yelled at,” Fivra said.
Nena allowed herself one moment to relax in her friends’ banter and breathe out in relief. She knew they did this to alleviate stress, which was, well, impossibly high. But one challenge had been met and overcome. There were plenty more ahead of them. She pushed it aside and focused on the battle.
“Kraskdidbetray Razion, you know,” Lilas said suddenly, as she worked her station and adjusted the ship deflector shields to cover a damaged section. “He’d arranged to have me sold off, he wanted me off the ship so badly. After Razion kicked him off the crew, Krask revealed our location to the Axis. But Razion’s going to be torn up over this.” She frowned and bit her bottom lip. “Idoforgive him. That was a noble way to go out.”
“It was. And he gave our mates an opening. A chance. Now comes the hard part,” Nena said to her friends. “We need to keep this fleet together until they get back.”
“What if they don’t come back?” Lilas asked, and for the first time that Nena could recall, genuine worry creased her brow.
“They will,” Nena corrected firmly. “They will come back to us. Ifeelit.”
Because failure wasn’t an option. Not when freedom itself hung in the balance.
TWENTY-SIX
