Star Alliance (8 page)

Hicks stood next to Kaylan. “I’m with you. I hope you know that,” Hicks said.

Kaylan gave him a single nod. “Thank you. It means a lot to me. Come on, there’s little time.”
 

C
HAPTER
E
IGHT

K
LADOMAOR
STOOD
ON
the bridge. Earlier, he’d ordered passive stealth protocols to be engaged, which would prevent both their ship and the Human ship from being detected by the lightweight scanning protocols used by the Xiiginns. Anything more aggressive from the Xiiginns would indicate that they knew they were still here in the Nershal star system. Remote scouts had been deployed that would report any Cherubian jump waves detected. The Cherubian drive was what allowed them to focus dark energy and fold space time to traverse the great expanse.
 

 
The increased Nershal space traffic didn’t concern him as much as the two Xiiginn warships that had arrived a few hours before. The warships had headed straight toward the Nershal home world.

Kladomaor glanced toward the door to the bridge. He knew Kaylan had arrived a short while ago, and he had expected her to come for a status update.

“Battle Commander, I have an update,” Devark said.

Kladomaor turned toward the battle strategist and nodded. “Go ahead.”

“I have marked the list of known Nershal outposts and research facilities on Selebus,” Devark said. An image of Selebus appeared on the main holodisplay, highlighted with the positions of the facilities. “I’ve positioned our scout pods in orbit around the moon, scanning for large power sources that would be indicative of rogue Xiiginn facilities.”

“Excellent,” Kladomaor said. “I want Udonzari and the Nershal rebels kept informed of anything we find.”

“Understood, Battle Commander,” Devark said. “But wouldn’t it be premature at this point?”

“No, it’s a show of good faith. I want the Nershals to know we mean to help them, and if the Xiiginns do have Etanu and Zack held prisoner down there, it would be at one of those facilities,” Kladomaor said.

Ma’jasalax entered the bridge, and Kladomaor noticed that Kaylan wasn’t with her.

“The Humans have returned to their ship,” Ma’jasalax said in response to his unasked question. The Mardoxian priestess noted the holodisplay but didn’t say anything else.

“Were you successful in locating Zack this time?” Kladomaor asked.

“No, the Xiiginns are taking steps to cover their tracks. It’s preventing either of us from locating the Human,” Ma’jasalax said.

“That would mean they know you’re alive,” Kladomaor said.

“The Xiiginns are being cautious. They must realize your presence here signifies a change in tactics,” Ma’jasalax said.

“We’ve had reports that some Nershal provinces are in open rebellion,” Kladomaor said.

“Your efforts brought about their break from the Xiiginns faster,” Ma’jasalax said.

“They have a long way to go,” Kladomaor said.

Alarms blared on the bridge.

“Battle stations,” Kladomaor said.

“We’ve detected three Cherubian drive waves,” Devark said.

Kladomaor’s brows furrowed, and he went to his command couch. He glanced at the report on his console and looked at Ma’jasalax. “The Xiiginns are coming here in force.”

“To be expected,” Ma’jasalax said.

“We’re out of time. We need to convince the Humans that we must leave this system. Stealth systems cannot be engaged indefinitely. Start jump prep for the away coordinates,” Kladomaor said.

“What do you intend to do?” Ma’jasalax said.

“I intend to get us out of here,” Kladomaor said.

“Are you planning to inform the Humans?” Ma’jasalax asked.

Kladomaor clamped his mouth shut and then gave a frustrated nod. “Open a comms channel to the Athena.”

“Comms channel open, Battle Commander,” Devark said.

“This is the Athena, go ahead,” Kaylan said.

“We’ve detected the gravity waves of a recent wormhole entering this system. The Xiiginns are coming in force. We cannot evade their detection for long. We must leave,” Kladomaor said.

There were a few moments of silence while Kladomaor waited for Kaylan’s reply.

“We’re not leaving,” Kaylan said.

Kladomaor’s fist slammed down on the console. “You’ll be captured, and we’ll all be killed.”

“I’m sorry, Kladomaor, but I’m not leaving one of my crew in the hands of the Xiiginns,” Kaylan said.

Kladomaor muted the comms channel and growled. “Be ready to expand our artificial gravity field to keep the Athena tethered to us,” he said, and then opened the comms channel again. “Kaylan, please listen to reason. Zack is gone. He sacrificed himself so you would live. If you won’t listen to reason, then you leave me no choice.”

“Battle Commander, the Athena’s engines are coming online.”

“Engage the gravity tether,” Kladomaor said.

He left the comms channel open and waited for them to realize they weren’t going anywhere. The Athena’s engines fired, but the ship remained firmly in place, held by the gravity tether.

“They’ve closed the comms channel,” Devark said.

“Understood,” Kladomaor said, and glanced at Ma’jasalax.

“Your actions may be our undoing,” Ma’jasalax said.

Kladomaor didn’t reply. He turned his attention to the countdown for leaving this system. They had no choice. He couldn’t take on three Xiiginn warships and protect the Humans. They had to leave. It was their only option.

C
HAPTER
N
INE

W
ARNING
ALARMS
BLARED
throughout the Athena. Kaylan took in the readings from her console. The engines were engaged, but they weren’t going anywhere. A shimmy began to run through the walls and floor.

“Warning, hull stress up by eighty percent,” the AI said.

Kaylan frowned. “Cut power to the engines,” she said.

“Engines are off,” Hicks replied.

Kaylan glanced at Ezerah. “Do you know how they’re holding us here?”

The Nershal shook her head. “I’m not sure. The Boxans were never ones to share their technology.”

Kaylan opened a comms channel to Engineering. “Efren, is Gaarokk with you?”

“Yes, Commander, he’s right here,” Efren said.

“Gaarokk, we need your help. We have a way to find Zack, but it requires us going to the Nershal home world. Ma’jasalax believes the Xiiginns are masking Zack’s presence somehow, and that’s why we’ve been unable to find him,” Kaylan said.

“What’s happening up there?” Gaarokk asked.

“We’re trying to leave, but Kladomaor won’t let us. He’s controlling the ship somehow. Can you help us leave?” Kaylan asked.

“Kladomaor would never do such a thing without good reason. I’m going to open a comms channel to—”

“Don’t,” Kaylan said. “Kladomaor is trying to make us leave because three Xiiginn warships have entered the system. He says he can’t protect us and hide from them.”

“Gaarokk,” Ezerah said, “everything the Human has told you is true. Ma’jasalax knew something like this was going to happen, and she believed you would help us when we needed it most.”

Kaylan allowed the silence to drag on but kept a careful watch on the countdown timer on the main holoscreen.

“What’s on the Nershal home world that you think will help you locate Zack?” Gaarokk asked.

“A Mardoxian chamber,” Kaylan said.

Gaarokk sucked in a breath. “The only one in this system was destroyed during the Nershal uprising. We never built any on their home world,” Gaarokk said.

“There was one other that was kept secret and is located in the province of my family’s abode,” Ezerah said.

“To the best of my knowledge that area was quarantined,” Gaarokk said.

This is taking too long,
Kaylan thought. The countdown timer was running out.

“Gaarokk, please, this is the only chance we have of finding Zack,” Kaylan pleaded.

“You must choose, Boxan,” Ezerah said. “The Cherubian drive is charging, and we’re moments away from being pulled into the wormhole that follows. Can you break the tether that holds the ship in place?”

The silence that followed drained away any hope Kaylan clung to. Her hands balled into fists.

“Gaarokk,” Hicks said, “we just need more time. Kladomaor said he can’t protect us and face the Xiiginn warships. If we leave and head for the Nershal home world, then Kladomaor will be free to distract the Xiiginns for a while.”

Gaarokk cleared his throat. “That . . . could work.”

“Where are you going?” They heard Efren ask over comms. Gaarokk was in Engineering.

“Kaylan,” Hicks said, “open a channel to Kladomaor. Let’s tell him what we intend.”

Kaylan nodded and opened a comms channel to the Boxan ship. “Kladomaor, we’ve found another option,” she said. There was a sharp power spike showing on the main holodisplay. The lighting on the bridge dimmed. Kaylan felt the artificial gravity on the Athena increase, pressing her into her seat. Those who were standing on the bridge were driven to their knees. Kaylan grunted with the effort just to stay awake. Then the pressure was gone.

“We’re free. Go!” Gaarokk’s shout came through comms.

Kaylan engaged the Athena’s engines, and they sped away from the Boxan ship.
 

“Warning,” the AI said. “Fusion reactor power levels will be detected if we maintain this speed.”

Kaylan’s eyes were fixed on the console that showed their current position in the Nershal star system.

“Kaylan,” Hicks said quietly. “Stealth is our best defense now.”

Kaylan glanced at Hicks. He smiled, and his clear blue eyes conveyed his earnest intentions. She nodded and reduced the engines to ten percent. “Athena,” Kaylan said, “will this speed keep us from being detected?”

“Affirmative, Commander.”

Kaylan blew out a breath and rechecked their coordinates. She climbed out of the pilot’s seat and turned to face the others on the bridge.

“We’re with you, Commander,” Hicks said.

“Thank you,” Kaylan said.

The door to the bridge opened, and Gaarokk’s hunched form came through. Kaylan walked over to the Boxan.

“Thank you for helping us. I know it couldn’t have been easy,” Kaylan said.

Gaarokk’s large golden eyes held a shocked expression, as if the Boxan couldn’t quite believe what he’d done.

“How did you free us?” Hicks asked.

Gaarokk blinked a few times as he came to grips with the moment. “Kladomaor used a gravity tether that kept this ship attached. The basis for the tether relies on maintaining a strong magnetic field. I increased the artificial gravity as much as I dared here and momentarily reversed the field. The disruption was enough to get us free. Kladomaor is smart. He will not be fooled a second time.”

“Let’s hope there won’t be a need to do this again,” Kaylan said.

Gaarokk glanced at Ezerah. “I just checked our records, and there is no reference of a Mardoxian chamber ever being built on Nerva.”

“I’ve never seen it,” Ezerah said, “but Ma’jasalax assures us it’s there. She said it was built in secret to test for the Mardoxian potential in my species.”

“You were a child when we were forced from this system, so I wouldn’t expect you to have seen it, but how are we supposed to find it?” Gaarokk asked.

“We have the coordinates,” Kaylan said. “And Ezerah should be able to get us through any security that’s still in place. Given the state of unrest between the Xiiginns and the Nershals, I’m hoping we can sneak down there and use the chamber without anyone being the wiser. The trip there will take longer than it normally would, but we can use the time to prepare.”

Gaarokk frowned. “How long have you been planning this?”

“When we last went aboard your ship,” Kaylan said, “Ma’jasalax warned us that Kladomaor would try to force us to leave with them to keep all of us safe. I know he’s doing what he thinks is right, and so am I.”

“What’s done is done. I’ll see what I can do to help prepare against quarantine,” Gaarokk said.

Kaylan felt the tension drain away from her shoulders.
 

Hicks came to her side. “How do you feel?”