Page 115 of Saved By the Alien Hybrid
Murmurs of assent filled her pause.
“Lidan is going to lead the charge and buy us the distraction we need to get up to theGidalan. Fendar will temporarily overwhelm their communications, but the ship’s AI will recover quickly, so we have a narrow window to get on board and press the advantage of surprise as far as we can.
“Our goal is to take the ship, but it’s secondary to getting the innocents on board to safety. If something goes wrong on my end, Eunha takes command and you do everything to can to get the hybrids planetside.”
Eunha stood at attention and saluted with a “Yes, sir!”.
After a moment of study, the hybrids followed suit.
Cordelia’s eyes widened marginally, and she coughed awkwardly into her fist.
Fendar cleared his throat. “If I may?”
Cordelia gestured for him to proceed with a flourish.
He turned to face the others. “In the time since the women crashed, we have encountered several soldiers wearing state-of-the-art battlesuits. That means nanotech—self-healing armor that cannot be easily penetrated at a distance or with non-energy weapons. Rentir doesn’t believe that all the guards on board will be outfitted with the tech because of the expense, but we can’t rule out the possibility.”
An uneasy murmur spread over the gathered males.
“I have a solution, albeit a limited one. If I had more time…” He sighed, shaking his head. From the inner pocket of his jacket, he drew a small, black puck, holding it up for all to see. When he pressed it, the device emitted a shrill sound that made all the hybrids cringe in pain. He quickly shut it off. “This device will disrupt the nanotech of their suits, giving you an opportunity to deal damage that isn’t instantly repaired, but my supply is limited. I can supply a puck to each team. If it’s damaged, you’re on your own to find a way to destroy them.”
When they were passed out, Fendar stepped aside, transferring the group’s attention back to Cordelia. In the way that Thalen sometimes did, she seemed to transform as her gaze swept over the team gathered before her. She seemed larger somehow, more imposing, and Rentir felt a swell of pride.
“I won’t lie to you—the odds are stacked against us. The Aurillon are more technologically advanced than any enemy I ever faced on Earth. They have the weapons, the numbers, the home turf, but there is something vital that they are missing. Something I doubt they even truly understand.” Her face hardened, and she pounded her chest. “They don’t have theheart. They’re fighting for profit. For comfort. For the right to reign in opulence over those they consider their lessers. We fight for freedom!”
A roar went up at that.
Thalen moved to stand beside her, and she dipped her head to him in acknowledgment, gesturing that he should continue.
He paced back and forth, looking each hybrid in the eye. “We have overcome impossible odds already. Don’t forget why they’re cowering up there on that spaceship instead of fighting us on the ground. They’ve seen what we are capable of, and they live in terror of our might!”
Another roar of agreement.
“Today, we will overcome the odds again. Today, and every day after. They may have made us, but they willneverown us. Today, we take back Yulaira!” Thalen pounded his fist over his heart.
“We will show the Aurillon whatalwayscomes to tyrants, and we will make sure they never forget!” Cordelia continued, earning whoops of agreement from the human women.
“For Yulaira!” Yelir shouted, joining them. “For what we are owed! For all that they have taken from us!”
The roar grew deafening with the chants of “for Yulaira!” Hybrids beat a rhythm against anything they could reach—shells of old vehicles, fuel drums, their own chests.
All the fine hairs on Rentir’s body stood on end. So, this was what a force united felt like. This was what it meant to stand for something bigger than one’s own survival.
His eyes met Cordelia’s, and his breath was swept away by the fierce resolve that burned in her. He bowed his head in deference to her. Her chin hiked in answer. The look she gave him was half pride and half simmering heat. She turned her attention back to the crowd.
“Alright! We’re burning daylight. Any last questions before shit hits the fan?” she called. “No? Alright, let’s move out!”
The crowd thinned, and Cordelia’s makeshift squadron made their way onto the stolen dropship. Lidan bounded up the ramp of theLitha, and a moment later it was whirring shut. Eunha lingered in the door of the dropship, her expression inscrutable as she watched theLitha’sengines warm up. Lidan looked down at her from the cockpit, grinning as he settled his headphones over his ears. He held up a thumb to her, and her throat worked as she blinked rapidly. Eunha nodded. His smile broadened before he turned back to his controls.
Cordelia clapped a hand on Eunha’s shoulder, sharing a meaningful look with her before urging her on board thedropship. She turned back to him, standing on the ramp with one hand on the door frame and the other on her hip. She had the powerful, regal bearing of the Aurillon elite, and the strength of will of their greatest soldiers. He couldn’t believe this was the woman who had agreed to have him. In all the galaxy, he, Rentir, had somehow lucked his way into the most brilliant and incredible mate.
“You coming or what?” she called, arching a brow at him.
Smiling broadly, too overcome by his love for her to feel the weight of the looming danger they were facing, he bounded up the ramp to meet her.
CHAPTER 48
“Are you ready?”
