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“They’ll kill you, Aelon. They’ll kill you and your battle-brothers, and every Aurelian on The Instigator. They’ll shoot down every Reaver, and slaughter every soldier you have. Then, they’ll massacre the humans you swore to protect just to cover the traces of their crime.”

Iunia steps towards me. He puts his hand on my shoulder. His eyes are a light brown, and it’s strange to see them different after so many years of looking into the slate-grey irises of my battle brother.

“Aelon,” he rasps. His voice is harsh. Thinking Tasha was dead cut him to the core. “Aelon, she speaks the truth.”

I’m not used to being questioned.

The bridge of my ship has a concave view of the outside world. I can see the giant, green planet of Tarrion spinning below, and the coldness of the Scorp-infested moon above it. I’d already called back my fleet of Reavers to The Instigator the moment I felt Tasha disappear from my mind. That’s something. At least the Toads think we’ll be spread out.

My mind races. “We need tomove. The moon is the key to this battle. I’ll conceal The Instigator behind it – so they think we received advanced warning and retreated.” My lips curl. “Then, we’ll haveonechance to cripple that Mothership before they even realize my play.”

Tasha slams her fist against the controls –hard.

Hard enough to hurt her – and I feel that pain through the Bond. I’d rather take it a hundred times than have her feel that frustration and self-inflicted agony.

“Aelon! That’s madness! If they register The Instigator, you’ll be backed up against that moon – they’ll have you cornered!”

“But if they don’t,” I growl, “we’ll have one chance to fire everything we have – that’s enough to cripple even a Toad Mothership.”

I feel the heat of Tasha’s outrage through our Bond.

“You’ll haveonechance to beat them, Aelon! Once your cover is blown, you’ll be dead in the water. Therehasto be a better way.”

Tasha’s Reaver appears on my ship’s scans. She’s close enough now that I can protect her.

The tendril of doubt grows in my mind. What if Ican’tprotect her? I know my last-minute plan could triumph, even against this seemingly overwhelming force, but what if luck goes against me?

Can I afford even a one percent chance of being wrong? Twenty percent? Fifty? What are myrealodds in this battle? I’ve never been one to think about percentages – but now, for the first time, I feel doubt.

Every second I delay, though, lowers my odds even further. My greatest strength as Captain has always been quick thinking, quick acting, and the seamless flow of thought into decision. Decisiveness wins battles, and this will be the biggest decision of my life. Right or wrong, I must make itfast.

If you put me in this situation a week ago, I’d already be maneuvering toward the moon, landing on the concealed side of its surface, and then aiming our weapons to hit the Toads completely by surprise.

In the meantime, I’d have alerted the miners to flee their camps. The Toads will think I’ve left the mining camps unprotected…

…when, in fact, those anti-air batteries are going to come in handy after all.

That’s because I know what a Toad would do in a situation like this. With a score of twenty-six mid-sized Orbs to protect, they’d abandon whatever protection service they’d promised to provide. Long term profit is always less important to them than an immediate, valuable prize.

Likewise, when that Mothership finally comes into range and can’t detect The Instigator in orbit around Tarrion, they’ll assume we fled – taking our treasure with us. Having missed out on the main prize, the Toads would take consolation in razing the seemingly undefended mining camps.

Only, they won’t be undefended.

“If we hide on the moon’s surface,” I explain, “the Toads will attack the mining camps. We have enough triads on the surface, manning anti-air batteries we’ve already set up, to hit themhard. Then, as they’re in disarray, we’ll use The Instigator to cut them off from behind. They’ll be pinned between us - and we’ll blast them while they shift power from their forward shields to their rear ones.”

It will be a slim window, though. Even cool, lucid Iunia shifts his weight, standing uncomfortably as his aura fills with worry.

“That’s supposing they bring the mothership in close enough to the planet, Aelon. You know Toads. They may hang back and send in wave after wave of assault ships.”

Idoknow Toads. I know they’ll be greedy. Betting on a Toad’s greediness is always a safe gamble.

Iunia’s discomfort is contagious, though.

“Is any bet safe enough, now?” I challenge him. He shrugs. He knows I don’t have the same certainty I used to – but I’m still the Captain, and hesitation gets you killed in a battle. It gets your whole crew killed.

“Don’t risk it!”

Tasha is pleading with me now. I can feel her slipping away from me. She didn’t come back to be with us. She came back to warn us, and nothing else. I realize that as much as I try to cling to her, she’ll always find a way to escape me. And yet, knowing this, she’sstillpiloting towards me. She knows I’m going to try to keep her. I held her captive in my ship before, not allowing her to leave. So, why is she coming back?