Page 61 of Legend

“That’s because you’re a Wing, and you like things fast. Trust me that the most successful missions are planned to within an inch of their lives. The more contingencies we anticipate, the better prepared we’ll be for whatever happens.”

“You’re right. I know you’re right.” She nodded fervently. “This mission to get Sasha has to succeed.”

“It will,” I told her, believing it deep within my bones. Everyone involved in planning the rescue mission was fullycommitted and determined to rescue the human pilot who’d been taken by the enemy. Everyone was willing to risk their lives to bring Ariana’s sister home.

I gave my friend’s shoulder another squeeze. “I’ll come back once I’ve settled everything with the captain.”

“I’ll be here, trying to imagine that I’m in the cockpit of a plane.”

“As long as you don’t make flying noises.”

She tilted her head at me. “Flying noises?”

I took a few steps back. “You know, shhhhooo, shhhoooo, pew pew pew.”

Her eyes widened. “Were those supposed to be what a ship sounds like?” She shook her head slowly. “Sad, Fi. Very sad.”

“That’s why I keep my feet planted firmly on the ground,” I said, before I turned and strode from the Stacks.

I hurried down the ominously silent corridor and through the echoing main hall, my feet clicking on the stone as I jogged up the stairs. I was so focused on finding the captain that I didn’t slow down when I rounded a corner and walked right into him.

Chapter

Forty-Seven

Vyk

After the admiral left, I tried to focus on my work, but my thoughts were swirling and spinning like eddies in a rushing stream. The idea of the human captain leaving with Fiona had made it impossible for anything to hold my attention. Not the security reports, not the long-distance scans, not even the communications from my former Inferno Force colleagues.

I pushed back from my desk, standing to leave, when my device trilled. I tapped the surface and glanced at the name on the incoming vid call before I accepted it.

“Jaxon.” I nodded at the image of the Inferno Force pilot on the screen, his cheeks dark with scruff. “It is good to see you.”

“It is good to see you, Commander. I take it things are quiet at the academy with the cadets gone?”

I thought about the visiting Earth envoy and the human instructors and cadets who had chosen to stay. “Not as quiet as you might expect.”

He raised an eyebrow but did not press me for details.

I cleared my throat. If he was reaching out via vid call instead of sending a report or standard update, he must have important news. “Is this about the mission to find the human pilot?”

Jaxon grunted, frowning as he glanced at something in his hands. “You know we sent out several Inferno Force warriors on solo recon missions.”

I had read the reports about the warriors chosen for the missions earlier. All were battle-tested and had knowledge of Kronock space. “I do. Have they returned with news?”

My pulse quickened. If there was positive news and Inferno Force had located Sasha, then we would need to launch the rescue mission immediately. I would not be sad to leave the academy and the Earth envoy behind.

“In a way.” Jaxon pursed his lips and then sighed. “All the warriors have returned, except for one.”

I leaned forward, my heart stuttering in my chest. “Was a warrior killed?”

Jaxon gave a curt shake of his head. “We have no proof that he was killed, but he has not returned at his appointed time. The last transmission we received from him was before he entered Kronock space.”

My mind raced with possibilities. “There are no reports of explosions or energy anomalies, no enemy chatter about destroying a Drexian ship?”

“Negative, Commander. The Kronock usually do not hesitate to share with us when they take out one of our ships. We have heard nothing.”

I tapped my fingers on the desk. “This could mean that he was delayed because he needed time to determine if he had found the missing pilot. It could mean that he is in a position where moving would reveal him to the enemy.”

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