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Was he just guessing? Had Braxl found out what I did?
It wouldn’t matter. My training was foolproof. They wouldn’t be able to defuse the bombs.
“Braxl, I must do this. But… Iamsorry. I…” I blinked tears again. “I really care for you. Maybe… maybe we can still have a future.”
The tension was rising in my fingertip to press execute as the shuttles started to creep toward the perimeter. Kressel’s ship was already free of the detonation space.Damnit.The others aimed to get out of reach of the code I was prepared to send.
It was now or never. I had to execute. If I didn’t get Kressel, at least I would get the rest.
I have to do it.
I have to.
“I care for you, too, Jasmine.” His words stopped my finger, and I felt my heart break. “Let’s talk about this. No one knows it was you…” That was a full-on lie. There was no way they wouldn’t know.
“I’m sorry.” I took a deep breath, “Resistance Strong.”
I pressed the execute button. The surge of power was sent, the code was laid, it would take mere moments—
The shuttle furthest out exploded.
A fury of flames in the vacuum of space belched on the screen. Then a second, a third. A dynamic cluster of fireworks in the sky to celebrate my wedding day. A tumble of dominoes driven to destruction.
Yelling broke out behind Braxl and he turned to give commands.
Klaxons blared all over the ship, and lights flared into being in my little bay just as a hammering thundered on the latched door behind me.
They can’t get in.
Even if they do, it is done.
They can’t stop it.
I sat back in the seat and watched as Kressel’s shuttle sped up, heading back toward theGloryDaze. All other shuttles, a couple dozen, were quickly engulfed in flames. The fire of oranges, reds, and yellows sparked into the dark space, obscuring my view of the planet’s dawn below.
The sense of Resistance triumph flooding through my body was at war with the tears in my eyes as I looked at Braxl’s harried face on the screen as he shouted orders and tapped instructions on the terminal he was sitting near.
Betrayal. Betrayal and triumph.
Word would reach the Resistance on Earth, and I would be remembered always.
I pulled the blaster from my belt and waited as the hammering and shouting outside continued. They would figure out a way to open the door. Or I would open it willingly, eventually, to face my fate.
Kressel’s shuttle was free of the explosions. The restraint I had placed on the code had ensured that his firing cap never received the surge. It would have been too close toGloryDaze. It might have caused Braxl harm.
I found I truly, deeply, didn’t want to hurt him.
However, since I had not killed his father, I was unsure that hurt wasn’t coming to him, regardless of my efforts to keep theGloryDazesafe.
It made sense that Kressel’s wrath would fall not only on me but also on Braxl.
Braxl swung his vision back to the open video with me. He could see the tears streaking down my face, the blaster in my hand, and the sorrow in my eyes.
“Jasmine. Stay there. I will come get you.”
“Braxl, your father—”
“I know. It was his engineer that found the firing cap. I…” Braxl shook his head. “I don’t know if I can keep you safe.”
