Page 134 of Stars on Fire

Kainan scoffed, his voice calm and controlled yet laced with a wild rage. ‘You forget that you stole our lives. Unforgivable!’

The room fell silent as Kainan and Eminence 478Q1 glared at each other. The Sable Rider was now visibly trembling with rage in his meta suit, and Selene felt the roiling heat flow off him in waves.

‘Who is he?’ Selene hissed into her headset.

‘A monster,’ Kage rasped, loathing coating his words. ‘Specifically, the monster who conducted experiments on us many years ago.’

‘There’s only one punishment for you,’ the Eminence stated. ‘We’ll wait for other ships to arrive to outwork your fate.’

He and his fellow eminences swept from the room, leaving behind the silver-cloaked guard crats, who trained their guns silently on the humans.

Just then, Mirage’s voice cut through their headsets.

‘Khosi, there’s a problem. I’m detecting 50 or so crat ships converging at this point on FTL speed. My calculations tell me they’ll be here in less than 10 minutes. So what do you want me to do?’

Selene heard Kainan’s breath speed up. Then he spoke, his voice low and tight. ‘Kage, Riv, Ki’Remi, this is an Echo 2 play. Selene, the second I call fire, you’ll need to get the fokk out of here with your sister and Ki’Remi. Riv, you’ll cover them. Kage, you know what needs to be done.’

‘Khosi,’ the shrouded man grunted.

‘Once you’re all safely away, I’ll take over. I’ll keep them occupied so you can get out to Mirage before the other 50 ships arrive.

‘I’ll stay back with you,’ Kage offered.

‘Nada!’ Kainan growled. ‘You, Ki’Remi and Riv have to leave me be. Your job is to take Sheba and Selene back to Mirage safely. Do you copy?’

‘Naam, khosi,’ came the reluctant agreement.

‘I know what I need to do. And it doesn’t involve any of you.’

Selene’s heart dropped. She suspected what he was planning, and her knees weakened with dread.

‘Kainan, is there no other way?’ she asked softly, her voice echoing through their HUD network.

‘This is the only choice,khamila,’ he said quietly. ‘There is no more to be said about this. Clear?’

Apart from Selene, the helmeted team nodded imperceptibly. She instinctively put a hand over her wildly beating heart, trying to suppress her panic and fear.

‘Selene?’ Kainan prompted, switching to a private HUD signal. ‘Talk to me. We’re on my channel. No one else can hear us.’

‘I don’t know if I stand this, love,’ she whispered, staring intensely at him across the space between them. ‘You’re taking the worst resort. Which might harm you permanently.’

Kainan sighed. ‘It’s the only way, Selene. Please trust me.’

She sensed the finality in his words. ‘Come back to me,khaji,’ was all she could say.

‘I will,’ he grated. ‘Go with the others,khamila. Get your sister out of here and leave the rest to me.’

Selene jerked at his words, then sucked in a breath to steady herself. He was right. And she had no right to stop him. She nodded, and he noted it with a jerk of his chin.

After a beat, he switched back to group comms.

‘Mirage, provide cover once the rest of the team is out of this ship, and once they’re on board, fly to a safe distance and keep your airlock open.’

‘I’ll do my best,khosi.’

‘Ready at my command?’

‘Ready,’ the Sable Riders intoned sombrely as one.

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