It was only once we were back in the emergency tubes that I let out a relieved breath of air. Not that there was a hell of a lot to be relieved about. The communications array was down, which meant we couldn’t contact Corvus. The mayor was likely dead, which meant the leaseholder could officially be classed as lethally insane now. And I had no idea how the watches were doing down in the habitats.

But despite all of that, I was relieved we were off the main deck because that meant Adi was that much farther away from her father.

She’d handled herself well; I’d give her that. But now she was a silent wraith in front of me as she followed behind the others. Her hands and feet on the ladder rungs didn’t even make any sound. It was a little eerie.

I thought perhaps she’d be happy the mayor had been dealt with. And then I cursed myself for thinking such a thing. Despite the mayor accepting her as a prize for his loyalty to the leaseholder, Adi would not have wanted him dead.

In a way, I hated that she was developing a thick skin due to all she’d experienced. But the only way to get through this was to do so. I didn’t allow myself time to consider the loss of life. I couldn’t. Mourning would come afterwards.

But seeing Adi fist her hands and lift her quivering chin in defiance because it was the only way she could keep going without breaking down…well, it damn near broke my heart, it did.

But it conversely made me proud of her.

We’d get through this. We had to. I couldn’t think otherwise.

Deck F finally appeared, and Johnson swung into the level’s tunnel with practised ease. Armstrong followed behind, then turned around to help Adi. Of all of us, she was the most accomplished in the tunnels, but it pleased me the men wanted to ensure she was safe anyhow.

I followed behind and then when everyone was ready, we set out for the central hub hatch. The sound of fighting met our ears long before we got there.

And the sound of Aquila over the habitat comms.

“All civilians resisting arrest will be terminated.”

Not exactly reassuring.

“At least Mandy’s making him panic,” Armstrong muttered.

“I’d hoped he’d be busy with Corvus,” I offered.

“We’re underway,” Johnson said, “at full auxiliary speed.” He’d know, being chief helmsman. They tended to be zen with their ships. “He’s either fleeing or regrouping elsewhere.”

“Yeah,” I said. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Adi moved forward, between the two men, and stared out into the habitat.

“I see mercs down,” she said. Her hand was resting on her filleting knife. She looked completely badass. I smothered the smirk that wanted out.

It was easy enough to do when you could hear people screaming.

“All civilians resisting arrest will be terminated.”

“It’s a recording,” Armstrong said. “He’s preoccupied.”

“That’s our best shot, then,” I said. “Now or never.”

I looked at Adi, considered asking her again to stay in the tunnels. She met my look with one of determination and fear. It wasn’t bad that she was scared. Fear made you cautious. Fear could keep you alive.

“Stick close,” I said, and nodded for Johnson and Armstrong to head out.

I lifted the wrist comm up and watched as the hatch disappeared. And then we were all out in the open and in the thick of it.

I could see Mandy off to the side executing a series of moves that definitely put her in the dangerous category. I was glad she was on our side. Civilians were throwing themselves into the melee with a surprising amount of verve. There were, unfortunately, a few who were already down. Unconscious or worse.

I had no way of knowing how the other habitats were faring, but that didn’t matter now. We were here. And the mercs were rallying.

I shot to wound at first. But they were shooting to kill. One civilian, carrying a fucking soup ladle of all things, got shot between the eyes right in front of me. I didn’t think about it; I just fired at the merc who had done it. Hitting him in his faceplate to blind him and then following up a second shot at the joint between helmet and armoured suit.

I didn’t know if it was a kill shot, but part of me hoped it was. And that alone was scary.

I turned to check on Adi, making sure she’d stuck close. She had, thankfully, but she’d also had to use her fillet knife to defend herself. I cursed the bloodlust that had momentarily consumed me and took out the merc who’d been trying to take her down.

This time I shot to wound only. I took out his left knee, where the armoured suit had a mechanised hub. Sparks flew, and he lost his footing. Adi jumped on him in the next second, screwdriver in hand, and undid his interface panel. In seconds she’d powered down the armour, just like she’d taught us.

We made a good team.

Then it was up and into the fight again.

The civilians were waning. I could see the effort required even to get close to the mercs was taking its toll. Several had banded together, but they were losing their formation; their training. What little if it they’d had.

“Back to back!” I shouted above the sounds of battle.

“All civilians resisting arrest will be terminated.”

How many had I missed? Were they still only recorded messages?

The civvies followed my command. Mandy realising at that moment that reinforcements had arrived. No doubt she’d been wondering what had delayed us. She followed my command up with further ones of her own. And together we managed to get the remaining civilians into some form of order.

The mercs were probably yelling at each other too. But they had a secured network to communicate on. I did a quick mental tally of those armoured suits on the ground and those still fighting and realised we were in a whole heap of worry.

Flesh and blood against military grade alloys and polymer. It was a losing battle.

My heart faltered for a minute. My mind grew sluggish. My body stumbled. Adi reached for me; delicate hand gripping my arm tightly.

We couldn’t win this, but we weren’t giving up now. We’d thinned their number. We’d made a difference, even if just a small one.

And then a merc shot Mandy in the shoulder.

Adi screamed. Mandy made no sound as she fell down. But her return shot did hit the merc right between his helmet and armour. So precise. So deadly.

The merc fell. He must have been one of their group commanders because for a moment the other armoured mercs faltered.

“Now!” I yelled. Whatever ‘now’ entailed, we had to do it right then. We had to take advantage of their confusion.

Because they were confused. They’d lost their superior officer.

The civilians and Zenith watch surged as one, Adi rushing over to Mandy to offer cover. But the spook wasn’t down and out yet, bloody and battered sure, but not out for the count. She let Adi help her to the side of the hub, behind one of the stalls for shelter, and then she offered sniper cover with Adi at her side.

I hated having Adi away from me, but I knew Mandy would protect her. I might not have liked that the CIA agent had not warned us of the leaseholder plot, but she did feeling something for Adi, I was sure of it.

Steak knives met armoured joints. Meat mallets met faceplates. Plasma fire met plasma fire. We lost a couple of civvies in the final confrontation, but in the end, we outnumbered them, and we had righteous fury on our side.

The last armoured merc’s suit deactivated, and we all stood still, staring mutely at each other.

I did a quick tally. Ten mercs. Ten out of a possible fifty strong force. If only the other habitats had done as well.

Mandy stepped out from behind the stall, Adi in tow. Both looked a little worse for wear. We all did.

I counted the civilians who had died. Eight. If only the other habitats had done better.

I sighed.

And then Aquila said, “All civilians resisting arrest will be terminated.”

And the air filtration system stopped.