Esrynne, Ignus, Marne, and Rorsar respond in like fashion. The sound of claws hitting armor always gets me in the zone.
Davarok and Kren bring the ship online in the lower hangar. Corzin and Carnas meet me on the ramp of our Incision, packed with gear and weapons. They each give me a clawed salute, then hike up into the seats.
I’m about to turn back and hunt for Azrim when he rounds the rear of the ship and stalks up the ramp.
Okay.I nod to myself, glad he’s pulling his shit together. Finally.
I belt in across the aisle from Azrim, who is extra quiet and bounces a knee.
“Got any more of that jerky?” Carnas asks Davarok as we wait for Ignus’ countdown.
Davarok tosses him a piece as we’re kicked out the back of the Bloodmoon and drop into the void.
“So what’s the deal with Esrynne?” Carnas asks as he rips off a piece. “She got a thorn in her ass or what?”
“Usually,” Davarok chuckles. “Why are you thinking about her ass?”
Carnas stills. “I… I wasn’t. She’s just so…short tempered, and you’re so chill. It’s hard to believe you two are related.”
Corzin turns to him. “You can drool over her later. But there won’t be a later if you don’t get your head in the game now.”
Carnas holds up his hands, grins, and chews on the jerky stick still sticking out of his mouth. “Sorry for wantingsomething to distract me from the stress of infiltrating. I usually come in after you guys.”
I cover my face with my hands and try to clear my head of worries about Tessi, the Lunas, Rhysan, and Viriden’s orders.
Thelisoria, give us strength. We are so tired of fighting and losing.
“Earcom check,” I call out. The team taps their coms and says their names.
“Davarok, copy.”
“Kren, copy.”
Carnas and Corzin also join in. I look over at my brother.
Azrim inhales deeply, taps his com, and replies. “Azrim, copy.”
“Approaching Neb warship. Shields holding,” Kren says.
“Incision, Bloodmoon, we are locked in. Infiltrating now.”
Davarok and Kren fly us in close and attach us to the Neb’s smoking hull. A light bump shakes the ship.
“Bloodmoon, Incision, we copy. Locked in. Infiltrating now,” Kren replies.
“Bloodm—n, M-F Comm-nd, com— in.”
“Command, Bloodmoon, you’re broken up. Please repeat,” Ignus replies.
“Myn— on base. Took…” Static breaks up the com feed. “Aegeris —si. Do y— read?”
“Portals affect the signal,” Ignus tells us. “Going dark. Claws out.”
“Claws out,” we all reply. But deep in my gut I know something is wrong. Azrim gives me a worried look as we climb into the airlock in our starsuits and wait for the depressurization to complete, then hike down the ramp to the nearest hatch on the Neb’s ship. The smoke from their hull conceals our vessel.
“Ready?” I ask our team. Azrim nods and motions the others through the hatch first. As we drop in, we go silent over comsand will remain that way until someone decides the risk is worth breaking it or until our mission is complete.
Davarok enters first, followed by Kren, Carnas, and Corzin. I drop in behind them, silence my com, then wait for Azrim.
