“No,” I agree. “That’s a kill order.”
The ship jolts again, sharper this time, something striking the outer hull with a heavy, concussive thud that reverberates through the structure.
“They’re firing already?” I snap.
“Warning shots,” the pilot replies.
“Those don’t feel like warnings,” I mutter.
“They’re not meant for you,” he says. “They’re meant for me.”
“Great,” I breathe. “Love that.”
The ship banks hard to the left, the horizon tilting violently through the forward viewport as the ground below blurs into a streak of industrial sprawl.
“Hold on,” Hrask says, his voice lower now.
“I am holding on,” I snap, gripping the edge of the console as another impact rattles the hull.
The pilot adjusts something, his hands moving fast across the controls.
“They’re tightening formation,” he says. “Trying to box us in before we break atmosphere.”
“Can we outrun them?” I ask.
He glances back at me, one brow lifting slightly.
“Not without help,” he says.
“Then tell me where you need it,” I reply.
Hrask shifts beside me, his gaze flicking between the display and the external view.
“Jolie,” he says, his tone sharper. “You don’t need to?—”
“Not finishing that sentence,” I cut in, already leaning over the secondary panel. “What do I need to do?”
The pilot exhales once, then nods toward the control cluster to his right.
“Defense grid’s partially manual,” he says. “Targeting assist is lagging because of interference. You can override it if you’re fast enough.”
“I’m fast enough,” I reply.
“That’s what I’m worried about,” Hrask mutters.
“Get over it,” I shoot back, my fingers already moving across the interface.
The system resists at first, locked into standard protocols, but I push through it, forcing manual control into place.
“Alright,” I mutter. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
The targeting display snaps into sharper focus, the enemy ships resolving into clearer shapes as they close distance.
“Three on our tail,” I say. “Two flanking.”
“Yeah,” the pilot replies. “And more coming up behind them.”
“Then we make them hesitate,” I say, adjusting the targeting.
