“Hey,” Nova said putting her hand on James’ shoulder, “everyone is loaded up. We are just waiting for you.”

“My parents are in Atlanta.”

Nova licked her lips and moved so she was facing the same direction as him. “How far away is it?”

“A few hours drive.”

“I don’t want to tell you what to do,” Nova said with a shake of her head. “I can’t imagine what you must be thinking.”

“Are they doing anything to help the people there?” James asked.

“We’ve been focusing our efforts on rescuing the people we can. I’m sorry.”

“I understand. It’s standard protocol for our military, too. Rescue the ones you can first.”

James patted her thigh. “It’s all right. You couldn’t have known.”

Nova looked at the ground. She didn’t know what to say to him, what to tell him to do, but she could give him the facts. “There isn’t much time until the final attack commences. Even if you did make it into the city, there is no guarantee you’d have time to look for your family. It’s unlikely you would make it back to The Retribution before then and there is no guarantee the plan will or will not work. However, your parents are out there. There are reports of people that have gone to ground and sought shelter. They are making a stand as best they can against the Imanji, attacking before they get close enough to use their coercion. It’s possible your parents are with them, or even somewhere else in the city.”

James pointed to the distance before them. “If I go out there I’m leaving Emma alone. New York’s a big city and there is no guarantee Amy is safe. Even if she is… I don’t know that she has it in her to be a mother. I love my sister, but she’s never had her priorities in the right place.”

“I’ll help you take care of Emma, or I’ll go out to Atlanta with you to give you the best chance possible at finding them. The choice is yours.” The words came out easily without her even having to think about them. Both choices were noble. Either way she’d be helping people which is why she’d joined the military to begin with. If James went out there he would need all the help he could get against the Imanji, and maybe, just maybe they could save a few lives too.

“I have to go with Emma.” James nodded. He took her hand and placed it to his lips. “She needs me, especially if the plan falls through. Like you said before, we have to save the ones we can.”

Nova squeezed his hand, glad that he’d made that choice. Sure she would’ve followed him onto the battlefront but that little girl needed him. The citizens of Delphi were kind people. Some even adopted orphaned children, but if she had the chance to be with family that would always be the best.

“Come on. We need to board before the shuttle leaves us behind.” She gave James’ hand a tug and pulled him toward the shuttle.

He trudged behind her but kept glancing over his shoulder.

“Come on,” Emma yelled from the door of the shuttle. She waved them on and Nova picked up the pace and thankfully so did James.

Nova boarded first. She grasped Emma’s hand with her free one and then led both of them to the seats in the back. “Have a seat and buckle up.” She motioned to the two seats next to each other.

“What about you?” Emma asked. She sat down and pulled the harness around her. She fiddled with the straps a moment and Nova bent down to help her.

“Here, like this,” she said adjusting the harness so it fit snugly over the girl. “I’ll be all right standing. Besides should we come under attack I have to defend it.”

“Are you a gunner?” James asked.

“Our shuttles don’t have weapons on them. I am the weapon. The bay doors open and I jump out and turn into my phoenix.” She laughed at the look on both of their faces.

“That’s why you had no problem jumping out of the truck,” James said after a minute.

Nova’s grin widened. That had been a lot scarier. The truck was much closer to the ground. A second too long to shift and she would have gone splat on the concrete instead.

James adjusted his harness and then took her wrist into his hand. “Promise me you’ll be careful if you have to go out there.”

“I will be. I have to stand by the shuttle doors. I’ll see you on The Retribution.” She patted his hand and let it go when the shuttle rumbled beneath her feet. They were taking off. She made her way to the center of the shuttle and grabbed ahold of the overhead bar. The last time she’d been aboard a shuttle it had been attacked and destroyed. She hoped this time went a lot more smoothly.

* * *

James clasped the handles on his harness tightly as the shuttle bumped and hissed before finally coming to a halt. A voice spoke over the intercom in English but with a severe accent.

“Welcome aboard The Retribution. Please disembark and follow the line to our processing center. We will get you processed as quickly as possible and to our main hangar bay where you will find plenty of food, medicine, and beds.” The voice cut out and then repeated the same message.

“Looks like we are here,” James said. He unfastened his belt first and then helped Emma with hers. He stood up and pulled his niece close. “Keep hold of my hand and don’t let go, okay?”

Emma nodded, her wide eyes searching the crowded shuttle. Some of the people he recognized from town, others were complete strangers probably refuges picked up from somewhere else.

They filed off the shuttle. James searched for Nova but people crowded around them, some from their shuttle and some from several other shuttles that appeared to have just docked.

“James, Emma,” Nova called. Someone grabbed his shoulder from behind. He spun around and smiled when he met Nova’s face. She grasped a hold of him and led both him and Emma to the side of the crowd. “I can’t talk long. Our shuttles and operators have taken a serious hit. I have to go back out and help with the search for more survivors. Get processed and wait for me in there. I’ll come find you as soon as I can.”

James swallowed hard. He didn’t like it. It was one thing when he was going out to battle but to see her off was something else entirely. He now had an idea of how his mother must have felt every time he left home. It sucked.

“Be careful.” Before she could say anything he pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips collided and she gasped at the contact. He swooped his tongue in to taste her for a brief second before finally pulling away. “Come back to us.”

She smoothed a hand down his cheek. “I plan to.” She planted one more chaste kiss to his lips and then spun away disappearing into the crowd.

“Will she be all right?” Emma asked.

“I hope so.” He tried to pick her out from the crowd but she’d completely disappeared. One of the shuttle’s doors were already closing and he wondered if she’d already boarded and was on her way back out again. How long would he have to wait before he knew she was okay? At least there was the task of getting himself and Emma processed, showered, and eating to keep him busy.

* * *

Nova hurried through the bustling halls to the cargo bay where all the refugees were being held. She’d heard the number of people here had put them to near capacity and a few more shuttles were making last minute approaches.

The attack was about to commence. Her belly did somersaults as she made her way down the halls. Would the humans’ plan work? Would they be homeless and on their way to Delphi as refugees?

In less than an hour they’d find out. She sucked in a breath and let it out. If she was this nervous she could only imagine how James and Emma felt. She rounded the corner and stopped just short of the doors. The sliding doors were open and people had crowded out into the hall. Some sat down with blankets and trays of food. Others just mulled around looking lost.

Inside she could see more people than she could count. How was she ever going to find James and Emma? She chewed on her lower lip.

“Nova? Everything okay?”

Nova spun around at the familiar voice.

She smiled at one of her commanding officers, Orion Livstik. He was Maddox’s younger brother and one of the most brilliant science officers Delphi had. “Hi, yeah. I was hoping to find a few friends I made while on the ground.”

Orion offered her a grim smile. “I was hoping to connect with a young woman I’ve been speaking to before we prepare for our final battle. She’s been very helpful with teaching me about human culture and I had hoped to offer her some kind words of encouragement and to give her news on her friend. I was unable to locate her though. It’s kind of crazy in there. If we get underway to Delphi we’ll settle everyone in somewhere, but until then I’m not sure how much luck you’ll have finding anyone.”

She replayed his words in her mind. “If? Do you think this plan will work? Can we really save their planet?” she asked hopeful.

“I’ve looked over the specs. I’m hopeful, but there are no guarantees.”

“Let’s hope it works.”

Orion bowed his head. “Yes. If you’ll excuse me there are some last minute preparations I must attend to. You’ll want to get to a secure location in the next few minutes. There is going to be some turbulence. We will be entering the planet’s atmosphere.”

“I’ll be sure to do that.” She smoothed a hand over her hair as Orion walked away. Her gaze went back to the crowded room. James and Emma were in there somewhere. She had to find them, she’d promised to let them know she was well. Plus it’d be nice to have someone to be with while the fate of the world was determined.

She trudged forward until she was standing in the opening of the room. People littered the tables, floors, and cots. Some of them milled around in the crowd, others sat huddled together like they were seeking comfort. How in the world was she going to find them? It would take her much too long to walk around.

Nova chewed on her lower lip, once again glancing around for them. They could be anywhere. One of her comrades had even said he thought there were more people in another compartment. They might not even be in here.

The lights on the ship flickered and turned to red. It was time for them to make their final attack. She took a step back. Just when she was about to turn on her heel, Emma and James emerged from behind a few people who were standing by the tables.

“James, Emma!” She waved to them wildly.

Emma saw her first. The girl tugged on her uncle’s hand and then sprinted to Nova. Emma threw herself at Nova hard enough to make her stumble backwards.

“I’m so glad you made it back okay.” Emma squeezed her tightly.

Nova ran her hand over the girl’s hair. “Me too.”

“Nova.” James wrapped his arms around her embracing her too. “It’s good to see you.”

The ship lurched jerking them apart and causing them all to trip over their feet. She grasped each of their arms. “Come with me to my quarters. We can sit in there until the attack is over.”

“How long until we know something?” James asked.

“The plan will either work or it won’t. My guess is we won’t have to wait too long.” The ship jerked again. People began to panic even as a voice came over the loud speaker explaining to them what was happening. It kept repeating but each time it appeared to be changing to another language. “Come.”

She led the pair into the hallway again. They weren’t going to make it to her room. It was several levels down and with the constant shaking of the ship she wasn’t going to risk taking the transporters right now.

“Here. Let’s have a seat.” She put her back to the wall and sat down. The other two followed her lead putting Emma between her and James.

“What’s happening?” Emma asked. She looked to Nova with large worried eyes.

“We are entering Earth’s atmosphere. It’s a part of the plan. There is nothing to worry about. It will be a little rough for a few minutes while we hold our position. It’s probably best to stay here to avoid falling.” Nova offered them a smile hoping it would ease their discomfort.

James put his hand around Emma and pulled her close. He held his hand out to Nova and she curled her fingers around his. He gave it a squeeze and she leaned into him too, resting her head against his.

The minutes, or it could have been merely seconds, ticked by at an agonizing rate. Nova wished there was something, anything she could do to help out, but her expertise wasn’t on the bridge, and all the shuttles were docked and grounded until further notice.

She closed her eyes and found comfort with James and Emma. In just a few days the two had wormed their way into her heart. She couldn’t imagine being here in this moment with anyone else.

Captain Cree’s voice belted out over the loudspeaker. Nova held her breath listening to his words.

“What is he saying?” Emma asked.

James shushed her for which Nova was grateful. She listened to her captain’s words and giggled. “We defeated them. Your planet is safe. There are still some rogue small ships over your planet but the main threat has been neutralized.”

“You mean we can go home?” Emma asked her voice so loud it made both Nova and James flinch.

“We can go home but it may take some time. We’ll want the Imanji threat to be dealt with before we return,” James said.

Nova nodded her head in agreement. “Yes.”

“Where will we stay until then?” Emma asked.

“I’m sure I could convince the captain to let you stay with me in my quarters.” Nova didn’t know if Captain Cree would agree to it but it was worth asking about. The people couldn’t stay in the mess hall and cargo hold. They’d have to be allowed into some areas on the ship until order could be restored.

“I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather stay,” James said. He pressed a kiss to Nova’s temple.