by Calista Skye
“So we’re asking our friends to sacrifice their lives, Ja’al? There has to be another way.”
“There is not.”
Her eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Tyrus. He’d have a way. That kid never let anything go. He’d obsess over the problem until he figured something out. Maybe he was on his way out now with an answer that would save them.
Because the alternative was unbearable.
Maybe she didn’t get along with everyone in the Storm Squadron, but that didn’t mean they deserved to die.
“This isn’t easy for anyone, Kira.”
She shook her head in resignation.
“They all knew the risks. Every single one of them understood that they might be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice.”
“Listen to yourself! Fuck! I can’t sit around and watch my friends throw themselves into the fire.” She tightened her fists beside her body. “This isn’t right,” she said.
“I’m sorry, Kira. But at least you’ll be safe.”
“What about you, Ja’al? Don’t tell me you’re going to let Storm Squadron go in without you.”
He averted his gaze, collecting himself. “With you staying behind, they’ll need someone to lead them.”
“What about Jomanak?”
Ja’al shook his head. “Jomanak isn’t a leader.”
Kira clinched her teeth. She knew he was right.
“But don’t worry about me, Kira. I’m going to make it out.”
“You can’t promise that,” she said. The fear hit her like a charging haropluff. And she knew that he, too, would sacrifice himself if it meant saving the rebellion. He believed so strongly in the cause that he would give up everything. And in that moment Kira realized that it was possible to love someone and hate him at the same time and for the same reason.
“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?” she said, though no answer was necessary.
“I will do what I must.”
“Gods dammit, Ja’al,” she said. “Why do you have to be so damn noble?”
Ja’al smiled as he touched her shoulder, but the warmth of his hands did little to release the tension. “You wouldn’t love me if I weren’t,” he said.
“You think I love you?” she said.
He pulled her in close, kissing her with an unrestrained, animal ferocity. She released herself into his arms, tasting his lips on her skin as he pressed her body back against the JRV. She met the intensity of his passion with equal hunger. She couldn’t stand to lose him.
“I know you love me, Kira. And I would take on the whole gods damned Empire single-handedly to protect you.”
“I don’t need your protection.”
Ja’al’s drew his lips into a smile as he relaxed his grip on her body. “No, my love. You don’t. Anyone who can survive being orphaned on Tarksis is more than capable of taking care of herself. And you didn’t just survive, Kira. You made the best of a terrible situation. You observed the world around you. You learned how things worked. You studied people, and you studied systems, and you figured out how to save yourself.”
“It wasn’t some grand, strategic plan, Ja’al. I was just trying to get by.”
Ja’al shook his head. “You still don’t trust yourself. After everything you’ve been through, you still don’t see your gift. And that’s the only thing holding you back.”
She looked up into his eyes, searching for a hint of insincerity. Not that she expected to find one. Ja’al had never been anything other than honest with her. “Why are you so convinced that I’m any different than anyone else? Anyone would have done the same thing in my shoes. I’m no hero, Ja’al.”
“I’m starting to think I’ll never convince you.”
“You won’t, Ja’al. It doesn’t work that way.”
“No. It’s not something that anyone can tell you. You won’t understand it until you’ve proved it to yourself.” He squeezed her hand. “But you’ll never do that until you can accept that it’s possible.”
The knot tightened in her stomach as she looked away, scanning the flight deck for any distraction to change the subject. Anything so she didn’t have to face him. Face the possibility that what he was saying might be the truth. A truth she’d been running from.
“I’ve never cared about being a hero,” she said. “I was just living my life. Trying to survive.”
“Yes,” he said. “You never wanted anything more than to earn enough money to retire on the beach. You said that when we met. But I’m not sure you believed it. For someone who’s so damned good at reading everyone else’s motivation, you’re pretty oblivious when it comes to yourself.”
Her fists tightened. Dryness welled up in her throat as she fought to swallow. This was not the direction she’d imagined the conversation would take. “Don’t tell me what I want, Ja’al. You don’t know.”
“I know you better than you think,” he said. “I know that you put yourself on the line for Lana and Tanner. I know that you want, more than anything, to make a better life for the people who’ve become your family. And there’s nothing more heroic than that.”
“You’re wrong, Ja’al. You’re wrong about me. I’m just a silly, selfish girl who wants an easy life.”
“If that were true, you wouldn’t be here.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t be,” she said. She could feel her heart racing in her chest. “Maybe I don’t belong here. Maybe when we leave this base, I’ll just keep on flying and never look back.”
Why was Ja’al challenging her now? He should be saying a heartfelt goodbye. They should have kissed, said their blessings, and parted in a moment of strength. What did he have to gain by calling her out?
***
A lump welled up inside Kira’s stomach as she walked along the narrow corridor. She needed to talk to Tyrus. There had to be something he could do. Some way to protect them. She’d help him figure it out.
Walking usually cleared her head. She would have given anything for the comfort of open air, but the small rocky passage would have to do. Moving as fast as her legs would carry her, she made her way through to the largest room on the asteroid. Housed above a deep crater, it had formed when a smaller asteroid had assaulted the larger rock, leaving the gaping hole in the otherwise solid ball of rock.
It was exactly the way she felt. Like a giant ball of rock, floating in the blackness of space. Unprotected from the barrage of meteors that threatened to tear through her.
Helpless.
She hated the feeling. Kira prized herself on her ability to take action. To solve any problem the universe could throw at her. But now, there was nothing she could do. There was no way she could get Ja’al to change his mind. Storm Squadron needed him.
Still, letting him risk his life while she stayed behind, fleeing with the rest of the rebels, didn’t sit well with her.
She stopped in the center of the bridge, leaning out over the rail to peer into the gaping blackness beyond. There had to be an answer. Tyrus would help her find it.
The heavy thud of combat boots echoed through the room as she looked up to see Reina approaching her.
“Kira, there you are,” she said, quickening her pace as she approached. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Have you heard?”
“About the attack? Yeah. I heard.”
“No,” she said. “No. It’s Tyrus.”
“Have you talked to him? He figured something out! He has a way to save us. I knew it! I was just on my way to see him. I guess he doesn’t need my help. I knew he’d come through. Has he told you anything about the plan?”
Reina’s face went pale. Her lips quivered as she shook her head.
“What is it?” said Kira. The lump in her stomach swelled as her chest tightened. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry, Kira,” she said. “They just found his body. Tyrus is dead.”
Chapter 15
Panic set in as Kira charged toward Tyrus’s quarters at a full sprint. It couldn’t be tr
ue. Tyrus couldn’t be dead. Reina must have heard wrong.
Outside of his room, a small team of Rebel medics wheeled his body away. Strapped to a lightcycle, a large cylindrical medical device with the ability to repair genetic material and organic tissue, his body was obscured by a cloudy sheet of glass covering his face.
“Oh gods,” she choked out as they rolled the lightcycle past her. “What happened? Please tell me he’s going to be okay.”
The lead medic made only cursory eye contact with her as his face contorted and he shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“What do you mean you’re sorry? Is he …”
“Please, just let me do my job,” the medic said. He looked up at Kira’s face, which must have twisted into an expression as excruciating as the patient’s. The medic shook his head. “He’s alive,” he said. “But only just. There’s no guarantee that even the lightcycle will be enough to save him.”
Kira’s throat swelled and her head pounded, but a glimmer of hope flashed through her. She had to hold on to it. Anchor herself to the feeling. “He’s alive,” she said.
“We’ll do everything we can to keep him that way,” the medic said. “But it doesn’t look good. I’ve never seen a poison like this. His life signs are faint. His organs are failing fast.”
“Please,” she said. “You have to save him.”
The medic nodded. “We’re loading him into the med bay of the Vendetta. He’ll be under Doctor Ganar’s care soon.”
With a piercing wail, the vital monitor on the lightcycle sounded its alarm. Tyrus’ life was slipping away.
And Kira found herself filled with an emotion she never expected. Pure and unfettered rage. The heat and intensity of the thirst for revenge surged through her veins, priming her nerves for action. “Who did this?” she said.
“I’m sorry.” The medic shook his head and pushed on towards the flight deck.
Kira clenched her fists as the adrenaline surged through her. She didn’t need the medic to give her the answer. It was the spy. The same person who’d betrayed their location to the Kamarans.
“Kira, let it go,” said Reina.
The medic stopped in his tracks and turned back to face her. “You’re Kira?”
She nodded.
“Before he slipped into unconsciousness, he wouldn’t stop saying your name. He wanted you to have this.” The medic slipped a chip into her palm.
“What is it?” she asked.
The medic shrugged. “No idea. But whatever it is, he was adamant that you get it. I’ve never seen someone is his condition fight so hard.”
The medic turned and wheeled the lightcycle away down the corridor.
Kira’s temples pounded. She glanced at the chip in her hand. Whatever was on it was important enough to die for. She needed to get to her terminal.
Determination welled up inside her. And a thirst for vengeance, a strength welled up inside her. They’d made enemies with the wrong girl. When she put her mind to something, nothing stood in her way. And attempting to murder her friend? The traitor was going to pay.
She took off at a sprint back to her quarters, whispering a silent prayer that Tyrus would pull through.
“Kira, wait,” called Reina, chasing after her.
But Kira only heard the pounding of her heart as she raced through the passage. The dry rock walls of the asteroid closed in on her. Her whole world was closing in on her. The Kamarans were coming to destroy the closest thing to a home she’d ever known. The man she loved was staying behind to die. And the young engineer who’d grown closer to her than she cared to admit had been ….
No, she told herself. She couldn’t think about it now. She had to see what was on the chip. There would be time to mourn later. The Kamarans were closing in too fast, and there was still a traitor among them.
“Kira, wait!” Reina called again, sprinting through the rocky halls at a breakneck speed. Finally catching up with her, she grabbed Kira by the shoulder. “Where are you going?” she demanded.
“We have to see what’s on this thing. Tyrus might have figured out a way to save us. The Storm Squadron may not have to stay behind, and Ja’al …” She bit her tongue. She hadn’t told Reina about their relationship. Though she’d probably guessed it by now. Reina was a shrewd woman.
“…Ja’al needs to see this,” she said. “Whatever is on here, Ja’al needs to know. Maybe Tyrus figured out who betrayed us, and that’s why he was …” she couldn’t bring herself to finish. He couldn’t be dead. She had to hold on to hope.
“Kira, give me the chip,” said Reina, jamming the barrel of her blaster into Kira’s side. The metal clicked and whirred as she charged the pulse, readying the weapon to fire.
Kira tightened her hand around the chip her heart racing in her chest as she shook her head. “What the hell?”
“Gods dammit, Thorne. We don’t have time for this. Give it to me.”
The weight of the realization hit Kira hard as the pieces fell into place. Reina’s uncanny technical prowess. The way she handled herself during the training exercise. The urgency of her communication to her friends.
“Reina … you?”
“I’m sorry, Kira. I don’t want to hurt you. Give me the chip, now, and you can go back to Ja’al. Retreat with the rest of them. After I’ve jumped in a JRV and made it safely out of here.”
“Why?” said Kira.
Reina shook her head. She tensed her face, fighting back a tear. Hand trembled as she held the blaster. “Give me the chip.”
“Why are you doing this?” Kira pressed. In spite of everything, Reina’s humanity showed through. She could use it. “Whatever the Empire promised you … you know they’re not going to deliver, right?”
“Gods damn it, Kira, I’m not doing this for myself.” Her grip steadied on the blaster. “Just give me the chip and let me go,” said Reina through watering eyes.
Kira recognized the look of pain on her face. It could be another manipulation, but Kira had played Traps long enough to spot even the most convincing bluffs. Reina’s conflict was genuine. The break of her voice was the kind that couldn’t be forced. A realization dawned on her. “You’re not doing this for yourself,” she said.
“I had no choice,” said Reina. “They kidnapped my daughter. I couldn’t let them keep her. I don’t expect you to understand.”
Kira’s head spun. She had always felt vaguely distrustful of Reina. Something seemed off about her. And now it made sense. “There’s got to be another way,” she said. “We can figure out a way to save her.”
“If you think that, you don’t know the Empire at all. They’ll kill her. And I’ll be left with nothing. My little girl is all I have in this world.”
“If you think they’ll let her go now …”
“It doesn’t matter,” said Reina. “What’s done is done. They’re on their way here, and I have to see this through. I have no other choice.”
Kira’s stomach twisted. She felt sorry for her … friend? Yes, she told herself. Reina was still a friend. She was acting under duress. She tried to imagine the situation from Reina’s point of view. Would she have done anything different?
Reina was right about one thing: They couldn’t change the past. What’s done was done, and now they had to deal with the situation at hand.
“We can talk to Ja’al,” she said. “If we explain it to him, he can help us find a way out of this.”
“If you think Commander Ja’al will show any forgiveness, any mercy at all, then you don’t know him as well as you think you do. You know their flagship is called the Vendetta, right?”
Kira recalled the fortified frigate that they flew back when they were still an aimless band of space pirates known as the Gamma Raiders. Before the rebellion began. “Of course,” she said. “I always assumed that it was a reference to Prince Adaar wanting revenge on the royal family.”
“Oh, someone wants revenge on the royal house of Kamara,” said Reina. “But it isn’t the p
rince. Ja’al’s thirst for blood and vengeance is stronger than any Kamaran you’ll ever meet. I’m surprised he hasn’t told you. Maybe he doesn’t trust you as much as you think.”
Kira felt as though she’d been punched in the face. The will to action slipped from her as the fight escaped her body. Ja’al was the only one who had believed in her. Unless it was all just a ruse. A ploy to get her to cooperate.
She struggled to gain control of her thoughts. She was letting her own self-doubt get under her skin. Reina was bluffing. She had to be. Kira wouldn’t let her get under her skin.
But Reina’s mask had returned. The opportunity to reason with her had passed.
“The chip, Kira.” She pushed the barrel of the weapon deeper into Kira’s belly. “Now.”
Kira’s body tensed. Every fiber of her being fought to spring into action, but she restrained herself. The look on Reina’s face told her everything she needed to know. She’d killed Tyrus to protect her secret, and she wouldn’t hesitate to kill Kira, too.
This wasn’t the time for heroics.
She slipped the chip into Reina’s hand, feeling the last lingering remnants of hope slip away.
“Good girl,” said Reina. “I thought for a minute you’d let Ja’al’s pep talks about trusting your instincts get to you. Good to see there’s a shred of reason left in you.”
“We can still help you, Reina. You’re making a mistake. There’s still time to make things right.”
“I wish that were true.” Reina shook her head, and her eyes glazed. “I’m sorry about this,” she said. “But I can’t risk you telling anyone.”
With a twitch of her fingers, she pulled the trigger on her weapon.
Kira’s vision faded to black as she collapsed face first onto the cold stone floor.
***
A haze of light flitted through Kira’s eyelids as a strong hand shook her awake. Confused and groggy, she lifted a hand to her throbbing temple as she lifted herself from the ground and opened her eyes.
