Every second I delay, though, lowers my odds even further. My greatest strength as Captain has always been quick thinking, quick acting, and the seamless flow of thought into decision. Decisiveness wins battles, and this will be the biggest decision of my life. Right or wrong, I must make it fast.
If you put me in this situation a week ago, I’d already be maneuvering toward the moon, landing on the concealed side of its surface, and then aiming our weapons to hit the Toads completely by surprise.
In the meantime, I’d have alerted the miners to flee their camps. The Toads will think I’ve left the mining camps unprotected…
…when, in fact, those anti-air batteries are going to come in handy after all.
That’s because I know what a Toad would do in a situation like this. With a score of twenty-six mid-sized Orbs to protect, they’d abandon whatever protection service they’d promised to provide. Long term profit is always less important to them than an immediate, valuable prize.
Likewise, when that Mothership finally comes into range and can’t detect The Instigator in orbit around Tarrion, they’ll assume we fled – taking our treasure with us. Having missed out on the main prize, the Toads would take consolation in razing the seemingly undefended mining camps.
Only, they won’t be undefended.
“If we hide on the moon’s surface,” I explain, “the Toads will attack the mining camps. We have enough triads on the surface, manning anti-air batteries we’ve already set up, to hit them hard. Then, as they’re in disarray, we’ll use The Instigator to cut them off from behind. They’ll be pinned between us - and we’ll blast them while they shift power from their forward shields to their rear ones.”
It will be a slim window, though. Even cool, lucid Iunia shifts his weight, standing uncomfortably as his aura fills with worry.
“That’s supposing they bring the mothership in close enough to the planet, Aelon. You know Toads. They may hang back and send in wave after wave of assault ships.”
I do know Toads. I know they’ll be greedy. Betting on a Toad’s greediness is always a safe gamble.
Iunia’s discomfort is contagious, though.
“Is any bet safe enough, now?” I challenge him. He shrugs. He knows I don’t have the same certainty I used to – but I’m still the Captain, and hesitation gets you killed in a battle. It gets your whole crew killed.
“Don’t risk it!”
Tasha is pleading with me now. I can feel her slipping away from me. She didn’t come back to be with us. She came back to warn us, and nothing else. I realize that as much as I try to cling to her, she’ll always find a way to escape me. And yet, knowing this, she’s still piloting towards me. She knows I’m going to try to keep her. I held her captive in my ship before, not allowing her to leave. So, why is she coming back?
Tasha’s stolen ship is a dot through the tempered glass of the bridge by now. Her Reaver seems so small compared to the emptiness of space.
“Tasha, turn around,” I order. “You can’t be here! This system is about to become a warzone.”
Tasha cuts the feed, approaching my ship.
She knows I’ll battle the Toad, but she’s piloting towards my loading bay anyway. She knows this could be my final fight, and yet she’s entering my ship.
12
Tasha
Theme is quivering at the controls of the Orb-Beam. During our approach, I restored power to vital systems, including the shields and weapons.
“Theme. Hands off.” He might take offense, but I can’t have him pulling the triggers by accident.
“Tasha, what are you doing?” His face is ashen. “You’re taking us right back into The Instigator!”
“Yes, I am – and you need to trust me.”
I can’t convince Aelon from afar, so we need to return to the ship that originally imprisoned us. I need to look Captain Aelon in the eyes and tell him my own plan. With me onboard, he might be less likely to plunge into a battle he can’t possibly win. This could be the last thing I ever do. If I’m onboard when the Toads arrive, I’m going down with my triad.
The loading bay doors yawn open. We just escaped from The Instigator, and now I’m bringing us right back. My own ship is missing – Chris and his crew got away, apparently. I hope they picked a direction to flee other than towards the Toads.
Deja vu.
Once again, this all appears to be a big circle. I’m back to where I began – only, this time, the loading bay is filled with Reavers. When we’d arrived, there were only a handful.
The vessel we’d stolen is just one of many, and now Aelon had gathered his fleet together, ready for battle. Triads are already on board to pilot the Reavers, waiting for their Captain’s order to blast off and strike.
Captain Aelon stands in the middle of the loading bay, flanked by his battle-brothers. Aurelians pass by him, rushing to man their ships as they prepare for combat. My Bonded triad awaits me, so I land softly before them – demonstrating my skill at the helm. At we touch down, I press the button to open the side hatch.
“Sawoot,” I order, “time for you to leave. You don’t need to be here. Take Theme and get the hell out of here. Aelon will let you go – it’s not you he wants, it’s me.”
Sawoot’s scared, but she shakes her head. “I’m not going anywhere without you, Tasha.”
“Alright – that’s your choice. Hang tight, then.”
I hop out of the Reaver, landing on the deck right in front of my triad of Aurelians. I’m in nothing more than that thin slip of a dress Aelon gave me, but for the first time, there’s no sexual tension between us.
“Aelon – I’m begging you: Don’t try to fight them. I know you can
