“We’re better equipped to challenge the battle born,” Kage said thoughtfully, “but they still have us seriously outnumbered.” As they did most nights, Arton and Kage sat in Kage’s cabin sharing a drink before heading off to bed. Some wondered if Kage and Arton were lovers, because they spent so much time together, but there had never been anything sexual between them.

“It doesn’t matter.” Arton shrugged. “We have no reason to start a war with the battle born.”

Confusion furrowed Kage’s brow and he set down his drink. “Then why make the offer to the Evonti?”

“It was mostly to upset Royce Marsden, but I did want to leave the door cracked just in case.”

“Meaning?” Kage raised one of his hands to the back of his neck as he rolled his shoulders. “Just spit it out. I’m not in the mood for your word games tonight.”

“I think I’ve figured out a way to get what we want without throwing ourselves on the mercy of either the battle born or the Evonti.”

Kage lowered his arm and scooted to the edge of his chair. Clearly, Arton had his full attention now. “What are you talking about? What have you figured out?”

“I’ll explain when I’ve worked out all the details. I don’t want to give you false hope if I can’t accomplish everything I intend.”

Kage leaned back into his chair and shook his head. “You can’t help it, can you? Straight answers are literally beyond you.” When Arton offered nothing further, Kage reached for his glass. “Fine. Keep to yourself.”

Arton was about to give Kage a basic idea of where he was heading when he sensed a message transmitting on the private frequency he’d given Rex Dravon. “Dravon’s checking in. Do you want me to take it in here?”

“Might as well. His secret mission is no longer secret.”

With telepathic abilities far beyond most harbingers, Arton connected the com and channeled the signal into the holo-projector. Rex Dravon’s image appeared in the middle of the living room. He looked at Kage, clearly concerned by the overlord’s presence.

“I briefed Overlord Razel on your mission. You can speak freely.”

“Okay.” In typical Rex Dravon fashion, he just rolled with it. “We, or actually the scientists, have disqualified one of the planets. There is vegetation, but no animal life.”

“All right,” Arton replied, still feeling responsible for the mission. “What about the other two?”

“Preliminary scans indicate either will support life. They both have breathable air and plenty of fresh water. One of the teams seems to favor one planet over the other, but they haven’t explained why. Said they don’t have enough data to make a recommendation. All I know is they’re spending all their time focused on Scarlett rather than Rhett.”

The names made Kage laugh, but Arton didn’t see the humor. “Very good. If you learn anything important, check in immediately. If not, I’ll expect your next report in three days.”

Rex nodded to each of them in turn then ended the transmission.

“Scarlett and Rhett?” Arton asked Kage. “Why is that funny?”

“Apparently we’ve spent too much time in Earth-space. Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler were ill-fated lovers from a well-known novel called Gone with the Wind.”

The information made Arton’s brow arch. “And why do you know of these ill-fated lovers?”

“I spent several years on Earth in my youth.” Kage’s expression grew shuttered as it always did when he spoke about his past. “It was a long time ago.”

Which was his way of saying “change the subject”.

“Unless you have anything else we need to discuss, I’ll let you get some sleep.” Arton quickly drained his glass then set it aside. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Kage just raised his chin, clearly lost in the past, again.

* * * * *

Kelsey woke up alone. However, Jakkin’s scent surrounded her, so she smiled and rolled onto her stomach, taking a moment to bask in her happiness. Last night would have been perfect if her emotions had been more controlled. Jakkin scared her like no one else. She wasn’t afraid he’d harm her, or abuse her in any way. His devotion had been obvious from the start. She was uncomfortable with how much she wanted him, and terrified by the thought of losing him. But they were her demons to overcome. Jakkin was pretty damn close to perfect. At least, for her.

Feeling guilty for being so lazy, she crawled out of bed and looked around. His quarters were much nicer than the other cabins on the ship, but the space was still limited. There simply wasn’t much to do. She went through the compartments, hoping to find some garments she could borrow. Instead, she found several of her safari dresses hanging in the closet. When had Jakkin arranged this? No wonder he made commander while still so young. He was seriously efficient.

She showered and dressed, even French braided her hair. But she still ran out of distractions before Jakkin returned. So she meandered to the nutri-gen kiosk and ordered a mug of linset tea. The kiosk only accepted Rodyte commands and she only knew three, so her choices were extremely limited.

Her attention focused on the cabin’s main exit as she sipped her tea. Motion didn’t trigger the door and none of her voice commands worked. Was she still his prisoner? The possibility bothered her until Jakkin returned a few minutes later.

“Am I allowed to leave this cabin?” She set down her mostly empty mug, not even attempting to hide her annoyance.

His expression was anxious to begin with, but his gaze narrowed and his lips pressed. But rather than letting her have it, he took a deep breath before he said, “You are no longer a prisoner, but I can’t have you wandering around the ship unescorted.”

She was afraid of this. “That rule only applies to unbound females. Your scent is all over me. No one will doubt that I’m your female.”

“Where do you want to go?”

It was a valid question and it took the wind out of her sails to some extent. “How would I know? All I’ve seen of the ship is the small section allowed to volunteers, and this cabin.”

“I can’t give you a tour right now. I have to move the ship.”

“Why? What’s going on?” His mood did seem unusually dark. “What’s wrong?”

“General Lux has been talking about a show of force ever since we first clashed with Solar Warden. He just gave orders to make it happen.”

Cold rushed through her entire body, leaving her tense, yet hyper-alert. “What sort of force?”

He shook his head. “Force is the wrong word. He wants to flex our muscles for the humans, let them see exactly what they’ll be up against if they pick a fight with the battle born.”

He was still being evasive, which only made her more uncomfortable. “And what does that entail?”

“We’re going to station six of our ships over strategic cities in the U.S.” He looked at her as he said, “I’ve been dispatched to Boulder, Colorado.”

“Shadow Leader’s hometown.”

He nodded. “Isn’t that your hometown as well?”

She shook her head, then sighed. “It was listed in my fictitious bio to create a connection between me and Alyssa. I’ve lived in all sorts of places, but I spent my childhood in a suburb of Chicago.”

His only reply was a nod. He glanced around the living room then looked back at her. “Did you have breakfast?”

“I’m not much of a breakfast eater. I had some tea.”

He didn’t seem pleased by her answer, but he didn’t argue. “How about if you come to the command center with me? The maneuver is routine, so you shouldn’t be too much of a distraction. Once our position has been established, I’ll take you on a tour of the ship.”

She brightened, thrilled at the prospect of seeing Jakkin in action. “That would be great.”

“Then let’s go.” He led her out into the corridor. Most of the officer cabins were on the same deck as the command center, so they didn’t have far to go. All the hallways on Rodyte ships, at least the few she had seen, had rounded passageways, making them feel more like tunnels than hallways. The designers had a fondness for black and red. The color combination was everywhere, yet the walls were matte gray, with subtle multi-colored veins that made her think of marble.

They reached the end of a short corridor and Jakkin scanned open the double-doored entrance. As they stepped into the command center, heads began to turn. Jakkin smiled and took her hand. “Gentlemen, I’d like you to meet Kelsey, my mate.”

Greetings, some verbal, others gestural, came at her from every direction. She tried to respond to each, but it was almost impossible. There were more than a dozen officers in the command center. How many men did Jakkin command? She’d never seen the Fearless from outside. She really had no clear understanding of the ship’s size.

The bridge, or command center, was organized in a horseshoe shape with a large center station. Jakkin moved to the center and motioned her toward a seat on his left. They faced a massive display that could give an Imax theater a run for its money. At the moment, it presented a stunning view of the moon against the utter blackness of space. It still surprised Kelsey that stars weren’t visible from many vantage points in space. But when they were visible, their number and clarity was staggering.

“Navigation, confirm the coordinates of our destination.” Jakkin’s voice was steady and sure. He seemed very at home in the commander’s seat.

“Coordinates confirmed.” The navigator was seated to their far left. She almost had to turn around to see him.

“Main thrusters full.”

“Yes, Commander,” one of the officers on their right responded and the ship glided into motion.

Kelsey watched the display change, fascinated by the speed and agility of the Fearless. Jakkin issued other orders, but many of the terms were unfamiliar, so she just enjoyed seeing her mate in his natural environment. She could barely feel the movement of the ship, yet the images changed with dizzying speed. The moon drifted off the screen, then there was only blackness for a moment. Earth came into view and gradually expanded, filling the entire display.

North America was easily identified among the familiar land masses and it was clearly their destination. Soon the primary color on the display shifted from blue to green, then patches of brown and gold. For a moment clouds obstructed their view entirely, then neat geometric patterns dissected the screen as they flew past endless miles of farmland. They must be approaching from the east.

The Rocky Mountains became a backdrop, confirming her conclusion. The snow-capped summits grew larger and more detailed until she could identify Longs Peak, and then the distinct Flatirons red rock formations that bordered the city. She’d only been to Boulder a couple of times, but she found herself feeling oddly protective.

“You’re not supposed to do anything, right? Just show off the ship?”

Jakkin looked at her and smiled. “Boulder is safe from me. This is strictly a demonstration.”

She smiled back at him then returned her attention to the screen. The city was centered in the display now. It appeared small from the air, but she knew it was a vibrant, liberal-minded college community.

“Communications, establish a link with the Triumphant, General Lux if he’s available.”

“Yes, sir. Stand by.”

“This is Lux, go ahead,” a deep male voice responded as a new image filled the screen. A Rodyte male sat behind a transparent desk. His posture was ramrod straight, and his hair had been shaved, leaving only a dark fuzz across his scalp. Sedrik Lux didn’t need his impressive title to stand out. He emanated authority from every pore.

“The Fearless is in position,” Jakkin reported.

“That makes five out of six,” Sedrik told him. “Excellent. Hold position until further notice.”

“Yes, sir.”

The link disconnected and the original view returned. Were they just supposed to sit here and intimidate Solar Warden? No wonder Jakkin was in a bad mood. This assignment couldn’t please him, or any of the other commanders. What about orientation? Would they still be conducted on the Fearless? She was dying to ask her mate all the questions, but now was not the time.

“Commander.” The officer was seated on their right, but he wasn’t the pilot. “We have two ships approaching from the south. They’re attempting to conceal their position, but I’ve got a lock on them.”

“Rodyte?”

“No, sir. They’re moving too fast to be standard human military, but they’re not ours.”

At least that ruled out the Outcasts. The vast majority of the mercenaries’ ships had been bought, or stolen, from the Rodyte military.

“Solar Warden?” Jakkin asked the obvious question.

“I believe so.”

“Damn it. They must not realize we can see them.” He shook his head yet remained shockingly calm. “Or Royce Marsden has completely lost his mind. How long before they’re within firing range?”

“Eight, maybe nine minutes.”

“Understood.” Jakkin turned to one of the officers on his left. “Loax, escort my mate to our cabin, then return immediately.”

Kelsey tensed, but she knew better than to argue in front of his men.

He reached over and squeezed her hand. “You’re too distracting, love. I can’t worry about you if we’re flying into battle.”

“I understand. Hopefully, they’ll retreat when they realize you can see them.”

He turned back to the display with only a quick nod.

She followed Loax from the command center as Jakkin’s voice rang out, “Battle stations!”

* * * * *

Jakkin took a deep breath as Kelsey left the command center. He was still worried about her safety, as he was concerned about every person on board, but he didn’t need the visual reminder that his mate was in danger.

“Report,” he prompted, focusing on the crisis at hand.

“They’re holding steady, sir,” Tanmar, senior tactical officer, responded. “Still on a direct approach.”

“Come about,” Jakkin directed. “Make sure they understand we can see them.”

The ship smoothly turned, facing the approaching menace.

“Still coming, sir,” Tanmar informed.

“Unbelievable.” This had to be Marsden. Everyone was concerned that he’d be emboldened by Shadow Leader’s capture. If Shadow Leader was the brains behind Solar Warden, Royce Marsden was the muscle. Marsden was always spoiling for a fight, regardless of the foolishness of his actions. “Fire a warning shot as soon as they’re within range.”

“Yes, sir.”

The ships were flickering blips on the main viewscreen, there one moment and gone the next. “Coms, try hailing them.”

“I’ve tried all known frequencies, sir. There has been no response.”

“Transmit this message, audio only,” Jakkin directed.

“Go ahead, sir.”

“This is Commander Arvik of the spaceship Fearless. Identify yourselves and change course or we will fire on you.”

“This is acting Admiral Marsden. You are trespassing in U.S. airspace. Leave immediately or I will consider this an act of war.”

Acting admiral? It was worse than they’d feared. If Marsden was commanding Solar Warden, this was likely the first of many irrational actions. The man was unpredictable and extremely aggressive. “It’s an empty threat, Marsden,” Jakkin snapped. Then to Tanmar, “Engage covert shield generator.” Jakkin looked at the main viewscreen again. “You can’t target us, yet I can still see you. Terminate link.” He looked at his navigator. “Shift position to starboard with a twenty percent decrease in altitude.”

“Yes, sir.”

Hopefully, they would—

A missile arced across the sky, connecting with the supposedly undetectable side of the Fearless.

“Are our covert shields functional?” Jakkin came up out of his seat as the entire ship shuddered.

“Yes, sir.”

“Damage report.” He no longer bothered calling out positions. His orders identified who needed to respond.

“Minimal.”

Another missile rocketed toward them, followed by a burst of laser fire. “Evasive maneuvers! Heading due west. We can easily outrun them.”

The pilot responded immediately and the projectiles barely missed their starboard flank. “How are they targeting us?”

“Unknown, sir. It’s as if they can detect us, but none of their weapons will lock.”

Thank the gods for small favors.

Mountains sped by far below them as the Fearless flew toward the west. Jakkin slipped his hands into his control matrix and split the main view screen. One side showed the changing scenery as mountains gave way to arid canyons. The other side displayed sensor readouts of the Solar Warden ships. As Tanmar said, the ships flickered in and out of view, but somehow they were keeping pace with the Fearless. How was that possible? He couldn’t jump to subspace in Earth’s atmosphere, so their only alternative was to stop and fight.

Utah’s distinct landscape gave way to arid desert. They must be over Nevada. Jakkin tensed as he realized they were rapidly approaching California. “Alter course. Head south.” Sedrik had declared California a no-fly zone. The state had to be avoided at all costs.

“The ships are separating, sir,” Tanmar pointed out. “They’re trying to trap us in their crossfire.”

“Fire at will,” Jakkin ordered, but he was confused by Solar Warden’s maneuver. It was irrational. All he had to do was abruptly dive or lift and they would destroy each other.

It was a trap. Every instinct within him warned against the expected course of action.

The Solar Warden ships opened fire at exactly the same time, battering the Fearless from both sides. Laser blasts, plasma rockets, and conventional projectiles covered the Fearless in a merciless hail of destructive power. Each barrage rocked the ship and rapidly weakened their shields.

“Dive or lift, sir? We can’t just sit here.” The navigator sounded panicky, and Jakkin shared his growing fear. If the Solar Warden ships disabled his shields, they’d easily tear the ship apart.

Still, he couldn’t do it, wouldn’t do what they expected him to do. “Charge them.”

“Sir?”

“Collision course to starboard. Do it now!” The ship pitched sharply to the right as another blast of missiles and lasers exploded from the enemy ships. “Now dive! Skim their belly. Get us the hells out of here!”

The ship dove, swooping beneath the smaller ship with the barest margin to spare. Jakkin’s relieved sigh came a moment too soon. A raised section on the aft of the Fearless collided with the other ship. The Fearless spun wildly to port and everything around them blurred. Alarms sounded and lights flashed as they struggled against tremendous centrifugal force.

It only took a moment for Jakkin’s crew to right the Fearless, but the Solar Warden ship wasn’t so lucky. Completely visible now, the ship spun like a top, propelled across the sky, clearly out of control.

He frantically searched his memory, his training, for any way to help them. Then Chandar’s warning echoed through his mind. The ship was moving southwest, at distance-devouring speed.

“Shoot her down over the desert.” It was a horrible option, but the alternative was worse.

The Fearless fired their primary canons, but the concussive energy blasts wouldn’t lock on to the wildly spinning ship.

“Again!”

The second attempt was just as useless as the first.

“Ideas?” He ran both hands through his hair, never feeling so helpless in his life. “We can’t let that ship pass into California.”

But it was too late. The rest transpired in a blur of surreal destruction. Moments later, the ship struck the ground so hard it ricocheted, then struck again, skidding across Los Angeles, demolishing everything in its path. The ground shook, creating impact waves that rocked the Fearless. The smaller ship finally came to rest in the heart of downtown. Fires erupted, broken pipes created urban geysers, and buildings toppled all around the impact site.

Jakkin watched it all in helpless horror, shaking, fists tightly clenched at his sides. “Contact General Lux, emergency interrupt if necessary.”

“We saw it, Jakkin.” Sedrik’s lack of formality indicated that he was just as horrified. “The other five ships are headed your way, and the Intrepid is dispatching medical teams. They should reach you in thirty minutes or less.”

Thirty minutes was much too long in a disaster such as this. “Copy, General Lux. I’ll coordinate with the other commanders.”

“Jakkin, this wasn’t your fault,” Sedrik insisted. “There was a third ship, much larger than the other two. If you’d fallen for their trap, you’d all be dead.”

Jakkin didn’t care why his sensors didn’t register the third ship or how the Triumphant had detected it. None of that mattered while people were fighting for their lives. He filled every shuttle on board with medics and crew members trained in search and rescue, then sent them to the surface to offer what help they could. It was just a stopgap measure until the teams from the Intrepid arrived, but he had to do something. Despite Sedrik’s assurance, Jakkin couldn’t shake the feeling that this was his fault.