by Calista Skye
Kira slammed the decelerator and rolled hard to starboard, hoping to buy herself some time. If she timed it right, the enemy fighter would blow on by her. It was a bold move, but it wasn’t enough to shake her pursuer. The enemy stayed right on her tail.
And to make things worse, she’d lost her momentum. She was a sitting duck.
Fuck.
It was damn near impossible to outmaneuver a torpedo once it had launched. And with her forward motion stalled, she’d never be able to evade it in time.
She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.
But it didn’t come.
“I told you I’d get your back,” said Ja’al.
Kira opened a tentative eye to see the fighter explode into shrapnel behind her.
“Thank the gods,” she said. “Not that I ever doubted you.”
“We’re not out of this yet, Kira. Get on around behind them and go for the power channel.”
“Copy that,” she said, re-engaging her thrusters as she looped around the edge of the destroyer.
She studied the ship’s surface as she flew closer. The destroyer was enormous, a floating city in the blackness of space. It would take a perfect shot to destabilize it. And she knew she’d only get one chance.
Kira glanced down at her radar to check her tail. No screeching sirens. Everything still looked clear. Ja’al must have pulled the defensive fighters away. It would buy her time.
She scanned the surface of the ship, looking for the telltale extensions of the power core that marked her target. To hit the structural weakness and cripple their systems, she’d have to line the shot up perfectly. It wasn’t an easy task when you had all the time in the world to focus. And the threat of enemy fighters returning at any second did nothing to help soothe her nerves.
When she spotted the massive power generator, she collected her focus. “Target acquired,” she said.
“Hurry, Kira. I can’t hold them off much longer.”
No pressure. It’s not like everyone’s watching. Not like Commander Ja’al is watching this whole thing unfold. Judging my moves. Judging my competence.
She had to shake that out of her mind. She had to focus on what she was doing. Just line up the shot to the power core and fire.
As she drew nearer and prepared to fire, something caught her eye out of the corner of the cockpit. It wasn’t on any of the plans she had studied. But as an engineer, it drew her attention. That one small spot, that structural weakness, would be a far more effective weak spot than targeting the power generators. Why was that the plan, anyway? Why cripple the ship’s power when she could collapse the whole thing by hitting its antimatter system?
She shook her head. Don’t get creative now, she told herself. Just stick to the plan. They gave you your orders for a reason. But damned if that wouldn’t be a better option.
Kira collected her thoughts and sped on towards the power generators, making a mental note of the antimatter core’s location. Wait, she thought, they have an antimatter core? She searched her memory of ship blueprints she’d studied. She didn’t recall seeing an antimatter core, but there it was, directly in front of her in the simulator.
Luckily, they were only using it for propulsion. Gods forbid they ever attempted to weaponize the thing. She shuddered at the thought.
She’d have to mention it to Ja’al later. If she’d even get the chance. Failing the flight portion of the Battery meant she’d be stuck in engineering. It wouldn’t be all bad, but Kira wanted more than anything to prove she had what it took to fly for the Storm Squadron. With Ja’al. And she’d only get that chance by following her orders. She had to follow the rules. It wasn’t the time to improvise.
The targeting computer established a lock on the power generator as her fighter drew nearer. “I’ve got a lock,” she said.
“Fire,” said Ja’al. “Take it out.”
Kira steadied herself and fired the pulse torpedo. The burst of clear blue energy lit up the black as it sped toward its target ….
…and disintegrated in midair as it collided with the shields.
“What the hell?” she said.
The shot should have connected. It didn’t make any sense. Unless something had changed.
But she didn’t have the time to reflect. She hadn’t seen the enemy fighter closing in on her tail. She didn’t register what had happened until the cockpit glowed red and the simulation came to an end.
***
Kira pulled the helmet off of her head as her vision returned to the training room. She felt the sweat pooling on her back as she pried herself up out of the battle simulator. Ja’al nodded to her and looked abruptly away. Gods dammit. She wished he hadn’t been watching. There was nothing more humiliating than failing in front of him.
Chapter 2
“He’s going to go crazy when he sees you. You look amazing,” said Kira, lacing up the back of Lana Riley’s wedding gown. “Adaar is the luckiest man in the galaxy.”
“I don’t know about that,” said Lana. She looked away. Lana had always been modest, and Kira understood that the attention probably made her uncomfortable.
“Seriously, Riley. After everything you’ve been through, you deserve this. I always told you your prince would come.”
“I never imagined you meant it literally.”
“Neither did I. But here we are. You’re looking more beautiful than I’ve ever seen you, and you’re about to marry a prince.”
“Don’t you mean space pirate? We wouldn’t be here if he had never hi-jacked our ship,” said Lana.
Kira had to admit that her friend had a point. Adaar was the captain of the Gamma Raiders, the notorious band of space pirates. And they were only here now because he had kidnapped them. But the Raiders weren’t a typical band of pirates, and Adaar was not a typical pirate captain. Adaar was an errant prince, once heir to the throne of the ruthless Kamaran Empire. And he had left that life behind in search of a way to repair the suffering caused by his people. All the spoils of their heists went to aid the people suffering at the hands of the Empire’s tyranny.
“Sure. The captain wasn’t what either of us expected. But you weren’t what he expected either.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Kira smiled and pulled the lacing tighter through her friend’s bodice. “It means, Lana, that he never expected to fall in love with you. And if it wasn’t for your ultimatum, this rebellion would never have happened. Things are changing, and we have you to thank for that. And look at you now. Marrying a prince. And a Kamaran, no less. It’s like I always told you—they’re not all bad.”
She tried to hide the hint of bittersweetness in her voice. Kira was happy for friend. A bit jealous, perhaps, but Lana deserved it.
Still, Kira was sure she’d be the one to find a husband first. She’d certainly tried hard enough to meet people back on Tarksis. And she’d spent plenty of her time vying for the eyes of the Kamaran marine recruits during their visits to the planet for training, before she became an “Enemy of the Empire”.
She knew that none of them were interested in anything beyond a brief planet side tryst with a local, but she didn’t mind. At least, she thought she didn’t mind. But seeing Lana now in her wedding dress, made her wonder. Maybe there was no one in the galaxy for her after all.
“Kira, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to …”
“Nope. Don’t you dare apologize,” said Kira, smiling. “This is your day, Lana. You deserve to enjoy it.”
Lana stood up from her seat, the soft light in the ship’s cabin glowing through her meticulously styled up-do, and looked Kira straight in the eyes. “I wouldn’t be here without you, Kira. You’re the best friend I could ever ask for. And some day, the right man will recognize the wonderful person you are. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And besides that, you look pretty damn amazing today yourself. Something tells me you’re going to turn a few heads. Ja’al won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.”
&n
bsp; Kira flushed, the bright crimson red that never failed to betray her emotions. “I’m sure Ja’al has more important things on his mind,” she said. Like telling me I’m not qualified to fly for the Storm Squadron.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit, Kira. Ja’al would be lucky to have a woman like you.”
Ja’al, the first officer of the Gamma Raiders, was Adaar’s closest friend. And Kira had her eyes on him since they first set foot aboard the ship. The chemistry between them was obvious. Or it was obvious to her, at least. Maybe he was just being friendly, but there were times Kira swore she saw the desire for something deeper in his eyes. Sometimes, he looked at her like he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and carry her off into his bedchamber. She would definitely be on board for that, but it wasn’t something either of them had ever acted on.
But if she wasn’t going to be a Storm Squadron pilot after all, she had nothing to lose. Maybe it was time to make her move.
Kira glanced in the mirror, adjusting the lines of her dress. She had to admit that she looked pretty stunning. She’d never worn such an ornate gown. The long, flowing silks and intricate lace work brought out the softness of her full-bodied curves in all the right ways. It was unlike anything she’d ever worn before. Beauty and luxury weren’t easy to come by for an orphan growing up alone under the iron thumb of Imperial rule.
“You’re damn right he would,” said Kira. “But today isn’t about me, Lana. This is your day. I can’t believe you’re getting married! Are you ready?”
Before Lana could answer, the opening chords of the Kamaran Ceremonial Waltz hummed through the speakers, filling the ship’s cabin. Kira took a last glance at the bride and kissed her on the cheek. “Congratulations, Riley,” she said.
“I’m lucky to have a friend like you.”
Kira stepped through the plush crimson velvet curtain and out into the training hall. The largest room on the ship, the training hall was the only sensible place on the Vendetta to hold the ceremony. Outfitted with a vast array of holographic projectors, the room could be easily configured to simulate any scenario. The Raiders used it to stage mock battles, but there was no reason it couldn’t simulate a majestic wedding ceremony, too.
No one had ever expected that the high-end technology would be used to create wedding decorations, but the faintly shimmering holographic tapestries projected on the walls ballroom looked magnificent.
Tyrus, the crew’s youngest member and chief mechanic, had a rough time conjuring up an image of an appropriately elaborate wedding ceremony, having never seen or attended one himself. But fortunately, he had Kira to help him. And between them, they’d created a ceremony fit for royalty.
Adaar might have abandoned his official claim to the Kamaran throne when he left the Empire, but he was still a prince. Lana was living a fairy-tale, and Kira wanted her friend to have the full-blown fairy-tale experience. At least, as much as she could aboard the cold metal ship. Kira was proud of her handiwork, all things considered.
As she walked down the aisle to take her place at the front of the room, Kira looked out at the Raider crew seated before her. Everyone’s idea of formal wedding attire was different, but that was to be expected when the crew hailed from so many different home worlds with their myriad traditions. But despite the lack of uniformity, the site was strangely perfect. All the diversity of disparate cultures coming together in one place, each adding their own unique flavor, seemed appropriate to celebrate the wedding of the Rebel leader who had united them.
Yamao, the Artruvian who served as the ship’s counselor, stood at the front of the room. He had been a priest before joining the Raiders. He looked happy to lead a ceremony again. Kira smiled at him, and took her place at the head of the room, waiting for Lana’s entrance.
She felt Ja’al’s eyes on her as she waited for the waltz to conclude. Her skin flushed as she tried to maintain her composure. Damn complexion will be the death of me, she thought. Maybe they’d be expected to dance when the ceremony was over. Weren’t the best man and the maid of honor supposed to … she swallowed hard. She’d been so caught up in planning the ceremony that the thought never even occurred to her. She wished she’d asked for a dab of Lana’s perfume ….
Kira reigned in the fantasy. This wasn’t the time to let her imagination get carried away.
But she couldn’t help herself. She risked a quick glance over at Ja’al. He looked regal in his formal attire. The perfectly tailored coat made from the finest azure velvets emphasized the hard lines of his muscular body. Kira’s eyes traced his arms up to his broad, muscular shoulders. She imagined his arms wrapped around her as he led her through a dance, his strong hands wandering over her body in anticipation.
She caught Ja’al’s eyes studying her, too. Had he seen her checking him out? It didn’t matter. Even if he had, he didn’t seem to mind. Besides, she looked amazing, and she knew it. Maybe Ja’al cared for her more than she knew. Maybe he was just waiting for the right opportunity.
And if so, this was definitely it. If he didn’t make his move, she’d do it herself. There was no reason to be shy about it. Kira understood that you had to make your own luck and take your own chances. If you wanted something, you had to reach out and take it. Ja’al might be too formal and proper to make a move on her, but she wasn’t afraid. Life’s just too short to wait around for fate to choose you. You make your own luck.
The chords of the Kamaran waltz drew to a close, and silence hung in the air as Lana appeared at the entrance to the training hall. It was time for her to get married.
***
The ceremony was beautiful if brief. With only the small Raider crew in attendance, it lacked the opulence that such a ceremony would have had back on Kamara. But the intimate bonds and familial feelings among the crew heightened the meaning and the intimacy of the moment. All the splendor and trappings and stuff in the galaxy could never match the bond created through the shared feelings of the small group.
Yamao offered an informal benediction, focusing more on the couple and their love than appeasing any sense of formality. And the ceremony was even more powerful for it. The priest’s words carried special meaning to those in attendance. They celebrated the bond of the couple and their vows to love one another through the good days and the bad.
For all the joy and happiness of the moment, the weight of their rebellion against the Kamaran Empire and all the danger it entailed remained. Yamao challenged the couple to be each other’s strength, that they might find comfort and courage in one another’s arms, and lead the galaxy to a better future.
The weight of the life they had chosen wasn’t lost on Kira. She knew that the storm was gathering outside, and the Empire’s retaliation for their victory on Tarksis would be fierce. Soon, she would be finished with the Battery of Tests, and she would need to choose her role in the rebellion. Even if she qualified for the Storm Squadron, it would be tempting to stay in Engineering. Kira had been a master of all things mechanical for as long as she could remember.
Growing up on Tarksis, she’d worked hard to learn everything she could about how the world worked. It was a necessary survival skill. Learning how to disable alarms and trip up the automated supply counters allowed her to keep herself fed. By the time she grew into tweaking and repairing ships, she found a job waiting for her flying cargo ships with Lana.
But it was the flight that intrigued her. The first time she and Lana flew a shipment of Tarkanium to the nearby Malotravian system, the simple joy of weaving through the air overcame her. She had never felt so unencumbered. So free. And she wanted to feel it again.
She insisted that Lana teach her the basics, and her friend happily obliged. Before long, Kira had looked forward to her time in the co-pilot’s chair more than anything else in her life.
But now, with the threat of Kamaran retaliation growing stronger every day, she doubted she would have enough time to get good enough fast enough to serve the Rebellion in the way she needed to.
However, if she earned high enough marks in flight during the Battery, she’d get the training she needed … and wanted. She may not have the skills yet, but Kira believed that she could master any skill with enough practice. People make their own luck, she reminded herself.
Best of all, if she was accepted into fighter training, she’d be spending plenty of time with the Storm Squadron’s commanding officer ….
“Ja’al,” she said as the large Kamaran man approached her, his face betraying a smile.
“Kira, you look amazing tonight.” She flushed a deep shade of red at his compliment. He’s just being friendly, she told herself. Don’t read too much into it. But she could have sworn she noticed something deeper than friendly intentions in the way he looked at her.
“Thanks, Ja’al,” she said. “You’re looking pretty sexy yourself.”
“Blunt,” he said. “I like it.”
Kira took the opportunity to study his body. The smooth velvets of his ceremonial garb pulled tight across his broad, muscular body, the dim lighting of the training room reflecting the lines of his chest.
She let her gaze linger for too long.
Ja’al caught her wandering eye and smiled. “It’s not really my style,” he said. “I prefer to be comfortable. I’m surprised that Captain Adaar wanted anything even remotely reminiscent of the Royal Kamaran traditions for his wedding.” He shook his head and shrugged. “But they know how to throw a ceremony, I’ll give them that. You and Tyrus did quite a job getting this place outfitted. It’s perfect.”
