Jag winked at her before climbing up onto Gert and Dani hustled over to Paris.
Dani settled in the cockpit and placed the communications device over her ear. She was immediately met with chatter as other ships began to take off. Dani took a deep breath as she watched the larger ships launch into the air first. Her father’s was the first to launch, the massive ship rising high into the air. More pilots flooded the clearing, making their way to the waiting fighters. Most were occupied by a lone pilot, though there were a few instances where two climbed inside.
“Evelynn’s Revenge fighters, please depart,” said a voice through the comm.
Dani watched as David was the first to take off, then she powered up her own engines before glancing over at Jag. She worried about him, but knew he’d handle the small craft just fine. In fact, she figured he’d probably love it, which brought a smile to her face.
She took off in Paris and aimed for the intense blue sky. A pre-assigned flight path displayed on her screen and she followed it closely through the dense atmosphere before finally breaking through the clouds and into the stars above.
Her father’s ship loomed ahead, and David was already approaching it. She followed suit, a docking number popping up on her screen next. The repurposed rebel ship maintained the same docking structure and numbers, which was nice considering so many of the rebels had defected from the GC.
Dani quickly found her assigned dock and navigated her ship into position until it locked into place on the hull. A green light indicated it was safe for her to exit, and she popped open the top of her ship and crawled out into Evelynn’s Revenge.
Once inside, she greeted David, who stood waiting for the rest of the squadron. Half a dozen additional pilots joined them before Jag finally appeared through his dock. There were twelve of them in all, with another six on each of the other three warships all orbiting the moon. Four battleships, Osirion, and thirty fighters. Dani was uneasy about their numbers, knowing the size of the GC, but knowing that more rebels hid away within GC ranks brought her some comfort.
“Hey,” Jag whispered into her ear from behind while David instructed the pilots. “It’ll be okay. We’ve got this. And you know Talon, he won’t be able to stay away.”
Dani turned and smiled at him. “How do you always know what’s going through my head?”
“Well, you’re not exactly hard to read. Even so, I wouldn’t say always.”
David cleared his throat, pulling Dani’s attention away from Jag. “Are you two ready?”
They both nodded in unison.
“Let’s get this show on the road!” Jag exclaimed.
“That’s the spirit I like to see,” Bob said as he approached them. “Looks like everyone’s on board. We’re heading out and the others will follow. Remember when we get there that you don’t want to draw a lot of attention to yourself. Don’t alert the enemy to your presence before you have a chance to do some damage. Sneak in beneath their shields, then fire. Not a moment earlier.”
Nods from the pilots seemed to satisfy Bob. “Alright, we’ve got a few hours before we get there, so get some rest and put some food in your belly.”
The pilots, including David, scattered into the rest of the ship, leaving Jag and Dani alone.
“I brought something for you,” Jag said with a grin.
“Oh?”
“Come on, let’s find someplace quiet.” Jag looked around before slipping his hand in Dani’s to lead her down the hall.
The handholding itself was a surprise to her, one that she quite liked. Her hand fit snugly in his larger palm, with their fingers intertwined. He led her into the ship’s gym, which was unoccupied, and sat down in a corner, patting the ground next to him.
As she sat, he slipped something out of his uniform and unfolded it, laying it out on the ground. Dani couldn’t help but laugh. “You brought chess?”
“Travel chess!” he beamed. “Look how tiny these pieces are.”
Jag passed her a little bag full of miniature chess pieces, each one the size of half her pinky finger. Together they set up the board and Jag offered her the first move. While she pondered her strategy for the game, she couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Jag’s excited face. It wasn’t a grand romantic gesture, but it was better since it was so very much like Jag.
The first several moves of the game were made in silence until Dani noticed his hesitation on his turn. She looked up at him once more to find him staring at her.
“You doing okay?” he asked.
Dani took a deep breath, delaying her answer.
“I’m asking my friend Dani, not Captain Dani.”
She chuckled at the comment and shook her head with a slight shrug. “In that case, I honestly don’t know.”
Jag reached over to pat her knee. “I get it. One minute we think we’re the good guys, and then we realize we actually work for the bad guys and who we thought were the bad guys are the good guys. The next thing they’ll say is that Talon is a saint or something.” He scoffed.
“Man, then things would really be upside down.” Dani laughed.
“Plus there’s all that stuff with your dad and Roni and Howard knowing. And can’t forget that Z is Patrick’s daughter. I mean, they look nothing alike.”
“Lots of surprises, that’s for sure,” Dani said softly, her gaze falling back to the board as the room fell silent once more.
“I didn’t say goodbye to the rest of the crew,” Jag muttered.
“Good,” Dani stated. “It’s bad luck to say goodbye before a mission.”
“Right, it’s just weird being separated like this. I feel like I should have said something.”
Dani shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t say anything either. They understand.”
Jag frowned at the board once more. “You want to go get a bite?”
“It’s because I’m winning, isn’t it?” She laughed.
“What? No, I… there are a million moves… uh, yeah, you’re kicking my ass.” He tipped his king and smiled sheepishly.
Dani laughed and helped him clean up the game, then he helped her to her feet. “I’ll have to be sure I mention to the rest of the crew that I beat you.”
“It wasn’t a fair game anyway. I was distracted,” he argued.
“Distracted?”
He stepped close to her, closing the gap between them, and took her hands in his, looking into her eyes. “Yeah. I’ve been so lucky to spend so many years serving with you. I couldn’t have asked for a better captain, or friend. And now… now that we’re not in the GC anymore…”
“Hey, you two,” Bob said from the doorway after clearing his throat.
His sudden appearance caused Jag to drop Dani’s hands and quickly take a few steps back.
Dani pursed her lips, unsure if she was tiring of the interruptions or if she was thankful for them. “Yes?”
“I’ve had a meal prepared. I’d like for you both to join me in my quarters,” Bob answered before disappearing back into the hall.
Dani sighed and started for the door. “I guess we had better—”
Before she could finish, Jag caught her hand and pulled, spinning her back toward him. One of his hands landed on her hip and the other cupped her neck just below her ear. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, and Dani welcomed the kiss.
The kiss ended far too quickly as far as Dani was concerned, and she stood there a moment, somewhat stunned. It took her a minute to realize that Jag was looking at her, half terrified. She gave him a reassuring smile and slipped her hand in his, which seemed to be enough to re-inflate his ego. He grinned, and together they left the gym and made their way for Bob’s private quarters.
Dani kept glancing at Jag as they sat across from each other at the small table set up in Bob’s quarters. David was already seated at the table when they arrived, and Bob sat opposite David after letting them in, eliminating their option to sit next to each other. A man came in, pushing a cart, and served each of t
hem an aromatic plate of food. Dani’s eyes caught Jag’s as the chef rattled off the menu and his words got lost in the background.
Bob cleared his throat.
Dani took a deep breath and looked at him apologetically, noting that the chef had left at some point. “Right, it looks great. Thank you.”
Bob’s eyes rolled over to Jag. “What do you think of the menu?”
Jag’s jaw dropped open and he looked at his plate. “Er, duck… right?”
A roar of a laugh tumbled from Bob’s mouth as he shook his head. “You kids… I swear, Roni was the same way when she and David first started dating. I wish they’d figure out what they’re doing though. This on again, off again nonsense is tiring for everyone.”
David wilted slightly under Bob’s gaze.
He laughed once more. “Relax, I just have to look out for my girls… I missed so much.” The last statement was spoken with barely a whisper before he cleared his throat once again and sat up a little straighter in his seat and started digging into his food.
The rest of them followed Bob’s cue. The duck was the best Dani had ever tasted, and the rest of the food was incredible, too. They passed the time with idle conversation. Bob asked a lot of questions about previous missions under the GC, while David took an interest in their wormhole experiences.
“And you have no idea where the black goo comes from?” David asked.
“No, we never could figure it out. Patrick might know. They were analyzing the organism on the Houston,” Dani answered.
“It seems to be drawn to the wormholes though, for whatever reason,” Jag added.
“Interesting…” David trailed off as he gnashed another bite of his meal.
Bob set down his fork when he was finished and placed his palms on the table, looking at the others. “We’re really counting on you three. Failing this mission will set us back several years. In fact, it may take us out of the game all together. We need to get the Houston.”
“We’ll get her, sir,” Jag answered with confidence.
Bob grinned and pointed a finger at Jag but looked at Dani. “I like this guy.”
Dani blushed while Jag grinned.
“You know the GC isn’t going to take this lightly. Not with Penn in charge now. He didn’t even flinch when it came to giving the order to destroy PS683.” A frown graced David’s face. “They’re going to come after us.”
Bob nodded slowly. “Maybe. That’s going to depend on a lot of things. They’re still fighting the war against the Vaerians, so that is going to require most of their resources. But, yes, I expect they will try to pursue. That’s why we’re making a series of stops before we get back to base.”
A knock at the door interrupted Dani’s thoughts. Bob tapped on his port-con and the door slid open to reveal a young man. “Sir, we’re about to drop out of hyperspace.”
“Thanks, Henry.” Bob stood and looked at his dinner guests once more. Dani could almost see the transformation from friendly father to stern commander. “It’s about time. Join me on the bridge.”
The three stood with Bob and filed out of his quarters, down the hall, and into the bridge. Dani started to regret eating such a large meal just before battle as her stomach turned in anticipation. Evelynn’s Revenge dropped out of hyperspace, and the stars settled into a beautiful tapestry around them.
“Cloak,” Bob ordered, taking his seat.
“We are picking up a transmission, displaying on half-screen.”
“You’re going to have to cloak faster than that if you don’t want the GC to spot you when you drop out of hyperspace.” Talon appeared on the screen, examining a note he held in his hand.
“Talon Reinhart, I’ve heard so much about you. Glad you could join us.” Bob nodded a greeting.
“Well, as my brother said in his transmission, I kind of owe him one.”
“I’d say it’s still more than one,” Jag said, stepping on screen next to the captain’s chair.
“My dear brother, it’s good to see you up and around. Leg doing better? Great. Where’s Dani?” Talon teetered from side to side in his seat as though it would offer him a better view.
Dani stepped out next to Jag. He took her hand as she did. “I’m here, Talon, thanks for coming.”
Talon raised both eyebrows at the handholding. “Seems my plan worked.”
“Your plan?” Jag wrinkled his forehead.
“I mean, someone had to make a move.” Talon waved his hand at them as he spoke.
“I’ll have you know,” started Jag. “That I—”
“Enough,” Bob interrupted. “Talon, as we draw near to the Houston, we’ll need you to help pull fire and take out whatever you can. I also hear you have some sort of disruption weapon.”
“Aye,” Talon said, leaning forward in his seat.
“Let’s only use that as a last resort. I’m going to have a lot of ships out there and I don’t want them dead in the water.”
“Not a problem.”
“Great, I’m sending you our battle plan,” Bob said as he signaled one of his crew. “Timing is precise. I don’t need you going all…pirate on me.”
Talon raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak.
“And, before you ask, yes. You’ll be fairly compensated for your contribution.”
A smile spread across Talon’s face. “Sounds good to me.”
The communications screen blipped away and Bob spun in his chair to face Dani, Jag, and David. “It’s time.”
Chapter 8
Dani’s mouth was dry as she stared at the holographic display. The Houston was in the center. Around her were two Class A warships and four more battleships. But more concerning was the plethora of mines scattered in the space between the GC ships and the Houston. Each mine was about half the size of a fighter, with a dozen points in each direction. They looked like Christmas ornaments hung around the massive research ship. “We need to warn the others.”
“We’re broadcasting a message that they should receive as soon as they drop out of hyperspace,” Bob advised.
“Won’t the GC pick that up?” Jag asked.
David shook his head. “We use a frequency they don’t bother with.”
“Osirion won’t be able to get through those mines.” Dani had made a feeble attempt to count them, but gave up after she reached about fifty, and she hadn’t even covered a fraction of what was there.
“Yup, we’ll need to take them out.” Bob sighed.
“I don’t see how we can do that without attracting their attention. Especially when we’re supposed to be taking out their weapons instead.” David paced around the display.
Jag circled the display opposite David and craned his neck from side to side before standing on his toes, then crouching. “I’ll do it.”
“What? No,” Dani protested. “It’s too risky.”
Jag turned to her and raised his eyebrows. “Says the woman who will be flying mere inches away from the hull of massive GC warships.”
“That’s different,” she argued.
“Because you’re a better pilot than I am?” Jag asked.
“I wasn’t going to say that,” she replied.
“I’ll say it. Dani’s the best damned pilot I’ve ever seen,” David piped in.
Bob stood silent, scratching his chin as the others turned to him for guidance. His eyes were distant and calculating as he examined the battlefield before him. “David and Jag will lead the fighters to clear out those mines. We’ll need to take out most of them in order for Osirion to get to the Houston then for the Houston to maneuver enough jump into hyperspace.”
“While I’m fully confident in your daughter, sir,” David began, “I don’t think she can disable the weapons on the GC ships on her own.”
“No, you’re absolutely right.” Bob’s eyes met Dani’s. “I’ll fly with her. Jenkins, I’m taking your ship.”
“Uh… yes, sir.” A nervous young man who seemed like he couldn’t have been more than sixteen
looked relieved.
“Are you sure?” Dani asked.
Bob nodded. “I’d better be.”
“But—” David promptly slammed his mouth shut after Bob narrowed his eyes at him.
“We still have the element of surprise. Dani and I will start with the Class As. Our goal is to disable weapons and as many fighters as we can. You two will wait here,” Bob said as he pointed to the display. “Once they release their fighters, fire on as many mines as you can. I’d try to thin them out a bit rather than concentrating fire on one area, because you’re going to get company real quick.”
Jag and David nodded in unison.
“Jenkins, update the battle plan with the new information and ensure it’s included on the broadcast.” Bob turned and swept his eyes across the bridge once more before his gaze landed on Dani. “Let’s move.”
Bob led the march out of the bridge, followed by David, Jag, then herself. The growing restlessness in her body left her feeling like she could run a marathon. The sight of all the GC ships lingered in her mind as she considered the fact that those she used to fight side by side with were now standing in their way. She couldn’t help but wonder if they knew the truth about the GC or if they were just blindly following orders the way she had.
David and Bob wasted no time climbing into their fighters while the rest of the pilots readied their ships. Dani stared into hers as worry clouded her mind.
“Hey,” Jag said quietly from behind her. She turned to face him, and he gave her the sweetest smile. “It’s going to be alright.”
“The Helena is out there, you know. And the Vermont, the Arizona…”
“Dani, stop. You can’t think of them that way.”
“Jag, we served with those people. I know their faces… their names.”
He pulled her in for a hug, and she closed her eyes and leaned into the embrace. “We’re not setting out to destroy them. All we’re trying to do is disable their weapons and fighter bay doors so we can get the Houston out of there with as few casualties as possible.”
“As soon as I start firing, all six ships will release their fighters. People are going to die.”
The Complete First Season - Episodes 1-5 Page 45
