Chapter 12: Esthi
Armor’s shield generator is damaged but not irreparable. I work through my plan for repair so the moment I’ve got time and opportunity, I can get it done quickly.
“Isn’t that hypocritical?” Mace asks. “You want to kill your uncle for betraying you, but you don’t think Solcrue killing Solcrue for betraying them makes sense? I mean, I’m all for taking out the enemy, but...”
“It’s not the same.” I flash Armor a glance, realizing he’s shared what happened with his brothers. I should’ve expected as much with the regular updates. “He is a threat to all humans because he’s willing to sell us out to save himself like most CSP soldiers.
“Sathrin was still serving his kind in Venom Squadron. He wanted to protect them; he just thought they should do it differently. But his goal was the betterment of his people, not himself.”
“Fucking head games.” Karambit curls his repaired finger. “I prefer simplicity. With me or against me. I protect or kill. There’s nothing in between.”
A shudder runs through the tunnel.
“Report!” Armor calls out.
Radar’s green eyes find us. “Skysprinter attack. Distraction operations beginning. Civilians loaded. BlazeStar prepped for launch.
“That’s all I can pick up from the transmissions. I relayed your message, sir. But without a way to scan for Venom ships, there’s no way to predict where they’ll be or how many we’re up against.”
We’re running out of time to get up there and help.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have any data on Venom ships. I can’t help with that,” I admit.
Armor turns me around, picks me up, and runs. All of the Titans are suddenly moving fast, as if they all felt the same urge at the same time.
The tunnel collapses behind us.
Brunt struggles to catch up. “I’m not doing that!”
Armor’s wings take hits from rocks. He clenches his teeth and hunkers around me as we race through the tunnel after Carver.
“Someone’s found us.” Armor holds me tighter. “I need that shield, Esthi. Can you fix it?”
“While we’re running?” I can barely read my tablet with all the bouncing.
He adjusts his grip and tries to smooth out his paces.
Fucking hell.I dig into my bag for my multitool, careful not to drop it. Prying open his chest, I find the damaged wiring around the shield generator that’s been knocked loose, tighten the unit back into place, and begin reconnecting the wires. “It’s going to be a hack job for now. You have a damaged circuit board and need better connectors...”
“Don’t care! I just need it as fast as you can get it up!”
I work my way through the wires again and find one I missed that’s broken free of a control module. “Magma!”
He drops back with us again, the hydramidium in one hand.
“Heat my multitool? I have to solder.”
He reaches a finger toward me that glows like molten lava. It’s not easy to get lined up as we run with rock raining down on us. But Magma manages to tap the tool long enough for it to glow. I immediately stick it inside Armor’s chest and reattach the loose wire.
The moment he’s back together, I close up his chest panels and watch the shield symbol light up. “Can’t take a plasma hit from a mothership, but she’ll hold for Skysprinter missiles.”
Armor’s eyes brighten. With a single blink, he thrusts out a shield that fills the tunnel. Rock stops falling on us, and Brunt finally catches up.
“Solcrue have our position,” Radar calls out.
“We’re almost to the outpost,” Firebolt adds. “Smash and grab?”
Several Titans confirm interest.
