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Kainan gave him a narrow look.Go. Zane has thrown out a psionic force field around the spaceport. But its radius is limited due to the amount of sheer psi power needed so he can only maintain a less than optimal shield around Skylab. So you have to turn on the semiconductor shields there to stop any missiles from getting through.
Need a flyer.
Kainan pointed to his. Kage nodded and took off in a jog towards the craft.
As he loped off, he heard Kainan continue to issue orders.Xion, Riv, we’re heading off to the spaceport. More to protect there. We have to cordon off the space lanes and stop any crafts from landing. We must also funnel personnel and travellers into the port’s secure bunkers. Zane, keep up the psionic force field going, brother, Mirage, hack the heck out of those missiles and stop them from going off.
‘Copy,’ the Riders said as one.
Kage jumped behind the flyer’s controls.Mirage, can you tell where Harlow is precisely?
There was a brief pause before the AI responded.Per her comm tab and wrist comm location markers, she’s at Skylab.
How many other staff members are with her?
I’ve got a tally of 13.
The flyer rumbled into the air and shot out of the hangar. Kage enabled stealth mode as the craft took off into the skies above Eden II.
Any chance you can patch me into Harlow’s comm tab?
Mirage paused for a beat.I’m trying it now. I’m going to connect you via Zane’s link to Sable-Net.
You’re the best, Mirage.
I know I am.
Harlow
The sound of her comm tab trilling filled the emptiness of the almost-deserted cafe. Harlow leapt from her chair and scrabbled for the device she’d left on a table while pacing between the settings in the artfully arranged restaurant.
The screen showed a call coming in from an unknown contact. It was the first external connection she’d had since the network failures, and she swiped to accept the call with a shaking hand.
‘Kara?’ She heard Kage say.
She nearly fell to her knees with relief. ‘Kage, it’s me.’
‘You safe?’ his voice rasped, filled with the same deep emotion she was feeling.
‘I’m OK. Sondra and Bassam are with me. We’re together in the coffee lounge at Skylab.’
‘Good,’ Kage replied. ‘Now listen to me, love, there’s been an attempt at taking over our Sable comms systems, including security and shuttle networks.’
‘That figures,’ she whispered.
‘We’ve handled one part of the attack, but there’s still a major concern about Skylab’s safety. I won’t mince words, there are currently enemy missiles over Skylab, but we’ve got a plan to keep them at bay.’
Harlow gasped, but Kage kept on, knowing she was big enough to handle the crisis. ‘I’m coming over to you now. Meanwhile, I need you to find everyone in the facility - I’m sending you location markers for everyone we know is on campus. You must gather and wait in the terminal until I arrive. It’s shielded with ballistic level plex, and the best chance you have to be safe if the missiles go off. Mirage is piloting Void to land at the terminal to fetch all of you. It’d help if you were ready to go, the second Void lands. Can you do that,kara?’
Harlow’s body shook with tension. ‘Of course, baby. How far off are you?’
‘Five, ten minutes max. I’ll be cloaked coming in to prevent any hostiles from seeing me, so don’t freak out if I suddenly appear. OK?’
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘See you soon.’
There was a slight pause then he spoke. ‘I’ll be there,’ he said softly. ‘Stay strong until I do.’
There was a short silence as they both held on to their shared connection. Then Kage ended the call, and Harlow stood staring at the screen momentarily. Just like that, the tension between Kage and herself over the last few days had dissipated. Instead, there was a tendril of hope. They could make a future together after all if they made it through the night. She’d had days to think about their last encounter and knew even before this evening that she wanted to try for a committed relationship with Kage. She’d vowed that if he gave her a chance again, she’d stick it out instead of running from her fears, pain and angst.
