“When were you a Hellion?” Eluni calls after me.
“Before I found Allele.” I get down and lean into the cavity where Jovie is. I can only peek inside, but she’s arm-deep in Allele’s central engine room, replacing wiring. “Jovie.”
She looks up at me with surprise.
“No time. Just know I love you, and I’ll find you.”
She extends a hand. I take it with mine. And even through the metal and armor, her fingers light up.
The ship jolts.
“Jovie, I need that engine!” Fieri shouts.
I get up and grab Talros’ shoulder. “Take care of the females, allthree.”
“With my life.” He nods as he extends a tool to Jovie. I glimpse a military tattoo on his arm and know he will do what he says.
I hurry into the airlock, close my helmet, and eject myself into space. The visor lights up with ships and their trajectories, color-coding them based on their species.
My rocket boots kick on as I aim for the closest Denarsoan ship. I arc around Allele, terrified I’m going to see her bloom in a cloud of parts and everyone that matters to me will be gone forever.
I can’t let that happen.
A wave of electric current shivers over me and pushes my rocket boots harder and me faster toward the ship.
I enter the Denarsoan shield through the opening by the main thrusters that rage in blazing orange stripes across the sky. I land hard on the belly, switch my boots to magnets, run along the hull to where I know the main powerplant is for the engines, and switch my gloves to synthetic Vybrance nodes.
I find the familiar transformer shell, grab my rifle, shoot it free, pull out every memory that fuels my rage and my purpose, ignite my Storm, and plant my hands on the power cables, overloading the system. Crags of lightning flash all around me as my energy arcs between insulators and control systems.
Transformers shut down. Engines darken. I let go and switch my boots to rockets again, launching myself away from the ship as fast as possible. I have to get free of the shield before the engines are completely offline, or I’ll be stuck inside.
I punch through just in time.
My triumph is momentary. There are many more ships left. Allele and the Pulsars lead the assault while ArcLitesand SurgeStrikes protect the motherships and a FlameRaze battleship engages. I can’t take large ships out, but I can make them vulnerable dead-in-space targets.
A Slithership races toward Allele.
I slap my rifle against the back of my suit and free the blade built into my hip. It forms a sword to my arm.Not on my watch.
Changing course, my vision lights up with impact warnings and landing trajectories. At the last second, I bank hard, ignite the blade, and punch through the hull, bashing through the other side.
As I reorient myself and select my next target, I get a ping from a familiar code. An audio bubble shimmers in the corner of my vision.
Hellion 1193:“I did not think there were other Hellions out here. Sa’Tai requesting your status.”
I smile to myself.
Hellion 870:“Sa’Tai! I thought you were bringing your ship into this battle.”
Hellion 1193:“Aura! My friend! You served Helsvia?”
Hellion 870:“Years ago, as a federation extension program. Status is two down. Shields ninety-eight percent. All weapons, operational.”
Stealing one more glance back at Allele, I continue deeper behind enemy lines with Sa’Tai when a shape appears on my visor, headed straight for my friend. There’s no time to communicate. I break course toward him, draw the rifle from the back of my suit, and fire.
The drone shatters, scattering pieces around Sa’Tai.
He grabs his rifle, and the blue light on the barrel brightens.
