She raised herself up on her tiptoes andkissed his lips lightly. “Good luck, Captain Stone.”
His jaw tensed, and she knew he had wantedmore than that, but she had promised herself she’d stay strong—stayfocused—and if he really held her close now, she was afraid she’dfall apart.
So she told him with a wistful smile, “I needto be a mech pilot right now, Rem. Nothing else. You’re mycommander. And you’re also my hero. Isn’t that enough?”
“Yeah.” His eyes began to blaze withunderstanding. “That’s plenty. So? Are you ready to do this?”
“Yes, sir.” She saluted him like a trueMalaran mech pilot, then walked over to the air platform next toher giant, anxious to be lifted up to the hatch door before shelost her nerve and ran back into his arms.
* * * *
Rem stared after Zia, wondering how she wasmanaging to handle all of this. She hadn’t trained for it. Neverwanted it. But damn if she wasn’t good at it.
And like an idiot, you almost sabotagedall that by trying to kiss her.
“Zia will do well,” Annyak said from behindhim. “Carrak believes she can perform her role—engage and distractone giant. If that is true, we may actually have a chance for adraw.”
Rem turned to face the Malaran pilot, pleasedby the upbeat remark. But Annyak’s eyes seemed glassy, which wasn’ta good sign. And she wasn’t wearing her oxygenator, which seemedlike a serious oversight since there were Malaran technicians atvarious places throughout the cargo hold making last-minuteadjustments to the mechs and other equipment.
“Zia and I don’t need masks because theonboard air is filtered. But you can still catch something, so putyours back on till you’re in your mech, okay?”
“The doctors tell me I have become infected,”Annyak said. “It was bound to happen. And at least I do not need towear that monstrosity anymore.”
“Damn.” He eyed her intently. “How bad do youfeel?”
“I feel wonderful thanks to the drugs,” shesaid with a smile. “They will wear off in a few hours, but by then,it will not matter. I am still the strongest available Malaranpilot, so we should just proceed with our plan.”
“Right.” He gave her a confident smile. “Iknow I can count on you. Just distract their skirmisher like wesaid. I’ll do the rest.”
“Distract them from the Quito skirmisher?”Annyak arched a skeptical eyebrow. “That will take some fancydancing, as Zia would say. I will do my best, but I predict theywill be completely focused on you, because your mech istheir priority target. Be ready for that, Captain Stone.”
Rem cocked his head to the side. “What do youmean? I figured they’d be focused on the Quito giant, not theskirmisher.”
Annyak choked back a deep, rumbling cough.Then she explained. “They care about what is inside thegiant, because Zia is the ultimate prize. But it is the redskirmisher that humiliated Alluva in the eyes of the galaxy. Itfelled their giant—the only time in history that has ever happened.Destroying it will be their first priority.” She coughed again,then promised, “Do not worry. I will find a way to grab theirskirmisher’s attention for a few precious seconds, even if itrequires me to jump down his throat.”
When Rem just stared at her, she gave him asympathetic smile. “Pay no attention to my drug-induced rambling.Our strategy is sound. We have Quito and her giant. And as for youand the Quito skirmisher? General Carrak believes with all herheart that you were destined to do great things in it. All ofMalara believes that.”
“Yeah, I always thought so too.”
Annyak smiled. “Then we are agreed. Goodluck, Captain Stone. It is an honor to serve with you.”
She saluted, then turned away and walkedtoward the brand-new green skirmisher that had been assigned to herfor this battle. Rem looked at that skirmisher, then looked at thered one with the silver breastplate—the one he had dreamed ofpiloting to victory since he was a child.
The one every little boy on Earth, Malara,or Alluva wanted to pilot. The Quito skirmisher.
“Hey, Annyak! Wait a minute,” he called out.When she turned to look at him, he explained with a rueful smile,“It looks like we need a slight change in our plan.”
* * * *
With her feet solidly planted in the guides,her hands in the gloves, and her body strapped into the harness,Zia reached up for the helmet and pulled it over the top of herskull, allowing the mesh to shrink into place, embracing her likean old friend. For all that she was frightened, she still lovedthis moment, which she now viewed as a visit with the bold, lovinggrandfather she had never been allowed to meet.
Rem’s words about her father always rang inher ears at this moment: If he had lived, he never would havesent you off to school. He would have wanted you around . ..
She knew it was true. Her father would neverhave sent her to boarding school. And Daniel Quito wouldn’t havedone so either. He would have barred the door! Whisked her off toMalara. Taken her for rides in his skirmisher and his giant.Somehow she had always suspected that, but whenever she put thehelmet on, she knew it for a fact.
Rem’s voice came over the intercom, bringingher back to reality. “Okay, everyone. They’re about to open thedoor. Check your harnesses. You’ll go last, Zia. Put on a goodshow, okay?”
“Yes, sir. Be careful, everyone.” Zia heldher breath as the cargo bay’s huge metal door began to loweroutward, becoming a ramp for the mechs. She was tempted to keeptalking to Rem, but suspected it would disorient him and Annyak.Yes, they were a team, and it was important to share strategicobservations, but at its core, mech piloting was a solitarybusiness. Rem and Annyak were probably deep in their warriorrituals by this point, and didn’t need the distraction of anon-warrior’s nervous blather.
So she remained quiet, trying not to think.Not to panic.
The brightness of the almost-noon sunreflecting off the sand was momentarily blinding, but Zia’scolossus adjusted for it, protecting her eyes by filtering the viewon the observation screen, enabling her to clearly see the Alluvantransport in the distance. There was still no sign of theirmechs.
They’re waiting for
