Page 129 of Stars in Halo

‘They are a few off-duty ambulance flyers in one of the hangars near where we’ll be landing. We can requisition them, use them to get close to the vault without raising suspicion,’ Korin suggested, his eyes gleaming.

‘Once we’re in, we can use the comm tab to bypass the security systems again,’ Kiros added, tapping his fingers against the table.

Sounds doable,’ Akira interjected, a sly grin spreading across his face. ‘We just ought to make sure we can get in and out before anyone catches on.’

‘How will we discover the artefact we’re after?’ K’Zito asked.

‘That’s where I come in,’ Akira drawled.

He pulled a box from his jacket, placed it on the table, and levered it open.

Katya raised a brow as she recognised the crimson gem within. ‘The Iris.’

‘Too right. K’Sumi entrusted it to me. We require it on Eden II to locate the Viper’s Eye within the Shard by matching their frequencies. See why you needed me? You’d be lost without my unique touch.’

‘You’ve any idea what might happen if the Iris and Eye are reunited?’ she asked.

‘No clue.’

‘You don’t say,’ Katya sniped, tamping down the desire to roll her eyes.

In the past, by now, adrenaline would be pumping through her veins, the thrill of the heist calling out to her like a siren’s song.

All she wanted to do was walk away from the inanity of her previous life, but the blatant greed and ease with which K’Sumi and now Akira were playing gods with a planet-level weapon were astounding.

There was no way she’d let them succeed.

‘Let’s wait until 2 AM, early morning to approach,’ she continued. ‘With the access from the Sable device, we’ll be able to move more freely once we’re inside the spaceport when there’s less traffic around,’ Katya murmured.

Akira raised an eyebrow, a slow smile spreading across his face. ‘Sounds like a risky caper, my dear, the kind I like,’ he said, his voice filled with amusement. ‘But what a notch on my belt it’ll be if I can best the Sable Riders.’

Katya’s brothers exchanged wary glances but shrugged their agreement.

Pulling the comm tab back towards her, she put it away while flicking on a secret button on its side that Xion had shown her.

The metanoids hidden within a secret compartment poured out.

She caught the hint of a small silver cloud rising into the air, shimmering, disappearing into a vent.

They’d been programmed to infiltrate the ship’s systems.

She imagined their digital tendrils snaking through data streams and security protocols, fokkin’ it all up while gathering data and any evidence of King K’Sumi’s conspiracy.

The group returned to the bridge, where Katya sat and strapped in, bracing herself.

Akira didn’t take long to rise from his chair and approach her.

‘Woman, I’ve been busy and ignored you for too long. My apologies.’

He reached for her hand as if to kiss it.

She pulled it away before he had the chance, sucking her teeth in annoyance.

‘Twas this same smarmy appeal that had lured her when she was young and more naive.

No longer.

She met his gaze, her eyes calculating. Despite Akira’s charm and charisma facade, Katya saw right through him.

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