She was about to make a joke over theintercom, then she realized that the green Malaran skirmisher wasmoving toward the ramp, and she smiled in anticipation, rememberingfrom the last battle that Annyak was a showoff. She had taunted theAlluvans with her prowler, and would do the same now with this evenmore impressive, brand-new skirmisher.
To Zia’s delight, the skirmisher didn’t usethe ramp at all. It jumped from the transport to the sand,then strode around the clearing, waving its arms in an exuberantdisplay of confidence and style.
“Hey, Annyak! Nice dance,” Zia said,laughing.
“Actually,” Annyak’s voice informed her,“that is not I. It is Captain Stone.”
“Pardon?”
Rem quickly explained the reason behind theswitch, and while Zia understood, she still couldn’t quite believeit. Rem had dreamed of this moment—had talked about it so oftenduring practice he had sounded marginally obsessed. Now he wassacrificing it—his only opportunity to live that dream—for atactical advantage in a battle they could never win. Wouldn’t ithave been better to have his own blaze of glory courtesy of theQuito skirmisher?
“You’re up, Annyak,” Rem announced.
“Right away, sir.” Annyak strolled down theramp in the red skirmisher as though she had all the time in theworld, proceeding all the way to a leafy blue-green tree on theedge of the clearing, where she stood in the shade as thoughcompletely uninvolved in the drama.
Zia smiled wistfully. It was a brilliant wayto taunt the Alluvans. Even if they hadn’t intended to target thered skirmisher first, they would do so now. The insult was just tooflagrant—and comical—to be ignored.
“Quito? How are you doing?” Rem asked.“Nervous?”
“I’m too busy laughing,” Zia assured him.“Don’t worry, Captain, I’m ready for them. I didn’t know it tillright now, but I am.”
It was true. She had been performing herwhole life on one stage or another. Playing a role, having fun,mind grubbing the opposition. It might not have been the mostprudent strategy, but it had always worked for her, especiallyagainst an uninspired opponent. She just had to find a way to makeit work for her—and for Malara—now.
“Okay, Grandpa, let’s dazzle them,” sheinstructed the giant, and it literally read her mind. Striding downthe ramp, she marched to the middle of the clearing, raised botharms, and fired her cannons into the sky in a playful salute toGeneral Carrak, whom she knew was glued to a window on thetransport.
Rem’s laughter was audible. “Nice, Quito.They definitely know you’re not just for show. But try to conserveammo from now on, okay? You’ll need it to engage their colossus,assuming they ever unload their mechs. I wonder what they’rewaiting for.”
“They are too frightened to come out,” Annyakjoked.
Zia would have laughed, but she could hearthe muffled sounds of Annyak coughing, and there was nothing funnyabout that.
Oh, my God, she’s infected.
Zia had heard some gruesome stories of howquickly the infection could spread through a Malaran’s body. Thatwould have been bad enough, but Annyak was already weak due tointernal injuries that hadn’t fully healed, not to mention stitchesacross her entire torso that the doctors were sure could rip openin a direct collision.
We must be crazy, Zia realizedunhappily. It’s really just Rem versus three healthy,well-trained, pissed-off pilots! And two of them are pilotinggiants. We’re doomed.
“Heads up, they’re coming out,” Rem warnedhis team.
Zia and her giant turned their attention tothe Alluvan transport. The door had just opened, and the firstcolossus marched down the ramp. He was all business—a gleaming,gunmetal-gray giant without any other color or adornment. Theexpression on his face was so menacing it made his whole body seemhuger and more ferocious. Zia half expected him to stride rightover to her and rip her apart, but he moved to the right side ofthe Alluvan clearing and stood perfectly still, patiently awaitingthe signal that would allow him to obliterate his foes.
Then the second giant emerged and Zia groanedin disbelief. It was painted entirely in gold, looking more like anidol than a warrior. Just as the first Alluvan giant had done, itstrode with confidence until it reached a corresponding position onthe left side of the clearing. Then he too waited for thebloodbath to begin.
Finally, a black skirmisher marched down theramp. When he reached the bottom, he executed a jump that landedhim precisely in the middle of the clearing, where he stood flankedby the two towering giants. Then he raised his right arm till itwas horizontal with the ground, moved forward a bit, and turneduntil he was pointing directly at the red Quito skirmisher.
The message was clear: they wanted to destroythat skirmisher first.
And now Annyak was the target.
“They’re falling right into our trap,” Remtold his team. “Thirty seconds till the signal. Zee? You okay?”
“I’m good,” she murmured. “Distract, engage,run away. Right?”
“Yeah, and don’t worry. It looks like Annyakwas right. They’re saving you for last.”
* * * *
Distract, engage, run away. Distract,engage, run away.
When the signal sounded, Zia was ready. Thegold Alluvan colossus was directly across from her, and even thoughshe was too far away to hit him, she fired a shot directly at historso, just to be sure he knew she was coming for him. It was theleast she could do for Annyak, who was rushing forward, right intothe path of two Alluvan mechs: the black skirmisher and theiron-gray colossus.
Splitting her viewing screen, Zia advanced onthe gold giant, but kept an eye on Rem in the green skirmisher. Hewas pretending to back Annyak up, but she knew he was ready to makehis move as soon as the chance presented itself.
Then the gold giant changed course and beganmoving away from Zia and toward Annyak—three mechs on one. It was afrightening sight, and Zia wondered what Rem was thinking as hewitnessed it. He had always bragged about the versatility andsuperiority of skirmishers, but in the face of two giants,the smaller mechs looked almost laughable.
Except there was nothing funny about it. IfZia didn’t do something immediately, Annyak and Rem would both bekilled before they could strike a single blow.
She needed to stop watching and startengaging, so she focused on
