Page 53 of Desperate Measures

I love you all. While this is the glorious death I’m glad to go to for myself, I’m sorry I couldn’t save the rest of you as a Nobek should.

“Enemy ships in firing range in less than a minute, Captain.”

“Shields are down five percent from the fighter fire.”

“They’re about to go down a lot more. Helm and weapons, get ready to turn and fight.” He set aside regret to welcome the battle every warrior worth his blades lived for…the hopeless confrontation that saved innocents in the end.

“Computer, enact program Piras-One-One on my mark.” Kila’s Dramok stared at the large vid screen showing the pursuing warships.

“What are you up to?” Kila grinned in anticipation.

Piras returned the grin, every bit as malicious as his clanmate’s. “You’re going to love this.”

Kila punched his own command on his computer. “When we turn, rush us straight at the GC forces, helm. I want us in the middle of the garbage, taking it out on every side.”

He sensed rather than saw his crew glancing at him from the corners of their eyes. They knew what was coming. Fortunately, the kids didn’t. It would be quick, and they’d never know what had happened.

“Computer, enact program Kila-S-D on my mark.”

The system beeped compliance. When he gave the order, the ship would self-destruct, blowing itself to hell. Hopefully, he’d take a number of the enemy as well.

“Enemy in firing range.”

“Turn and attack.”

“Computer, Piras-One-One,” Piras called the moment Kila had given his order.

“Executing,” the system’s deep robotic voice responded.

Whatever he’d done, it wasn’t immediately obvious, and Kila had no opportunity to ask. The vid screen lit up as the warships unleashed a barrage at the spyship.

The bridge shook, but not as much as Kila had expected. First Officer Esren had maintained the psychotic speed they’d been traveling as the navigator turned and began flying in an evasive pattern toward the GC force. Jado and his underling were firing everything the ship had…and from the many blooming explosions on the enemy ships, they were scoring major hits.

A few of the younglings cried out as they were jolted, but they held steady. No sign of panic. Brave kids, Kila noted before directing his full attention to his readings.

“Engines steady. Slowly creeping into the red. Shields down thirty percent,” Esren reported. A remarkably low loss, given they were flying to the heart of their opponent’s numbers.

“Piras—” Kila began.

“I programed the ship’s phase to fluctuate at random intervals,” his clanmate chuckled. “Half of the enemy that’s unphased can’t get a lock on us when we appear. The phased ships can’t hit us when we drop phase.”

“You are truly the best admiral and Dramok I could have hoped for,” Kila said in a low voice. Not because he was embarrassed to share his feelings in front of his crew, but because the heartfelt sentiment was for his clanmate alone in these final minutes.

Piras’ response, a brilliant smile, was a wonderful vision to hold onto as they fought what was undoubtedly their last battle.

Chapter Fifteen

“Engineering to Captain Kila.”

“Go ahead, Chief, though I’m pretty sure I know what you’re going to tell me,” Kila called over the blatting alarms filling the bridge.

“Engines are nearing critical, Captain,” Lokmi answered in an even voice. “I have two containments up to buffer the blast when they go, but it might not be enough to keep the ship in one piece.”

Kila was glad he was taking reports from his officers in his earpiece. He’d been told the children had been taught the Kalquorian language. The teens were huddled in tight groups as the spyship shook under the enemy’s barrage, but no one was reduced to hysterics. Just silent tears of fright as they hung onto each other and their stoic minders. If they heard how badly the ship was damaged, how close to the end it was after twenty minutes of relentless fighting, it might have been a different story.

“Don’t bother with the buffers, Chief,” he said. “There’s no point, and we’re closing in on the perfect place to finish this.”

“Ah.” A beat of silence, then his Imdiko clanmate spoke in a shockingly chipper voice. “Looks like you got your wish, my Nobek. You finally got to race your ship all out with my blessing.”

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