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"We need to get their attention," Zoran said, "and let them know we're here."

"And reveal our position to the Kronock?" Kann countered.

"If we don't, they'll be shot down," Zoran snapped.

I made my decision, banking hard to port and pushing the throttle to maximum. The ship responded instantly, surging forward.

"It's about to get bumpy,” I called out, as I rocketed toward the distant confrontation.

For the moment, we had surprise on our side, but once we engaged, that advantage would vanish.

I watched as Ariana executed a tight spiral to evade the first volley of Kronock fire. Beautiful flying, but she couldn't keep dodging forever. Not against two fighters.

My hands tightened on the controls, a familiar calm settling over me. This was what I was born to do. What I had trained my entire life for.

"Weapons systems online," I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins. "Disengaging cloak on my mark."

I could feel everyone holding their breath behind me as we closed the distance, invisible and silent. The Kronock fighters were fully focused on their prey, unaware of the predator at their backs. Just the way I liked it.

"Three," I counted down, making micro-adjustments to our approach vector.

"Two." My thumb hovered over the weapons release.

"One." I took a deep breath, the world narrowing to just me, the ship, and the targets ahead.

"Mark."

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

Morgan

The ship jolted violently as another blast from the pursuing Kronock vessels hit our shields. I clutched the edge of my seat, knuckles white, as Ariana banked hard to avoid the next volley of fire.

"Two on our tail," Deklyn called out, his fingers flying over the tactical controls.

Ariana didn't even flinch. "I see them."

The ship lurched again, this time into a spiraling dive that had my stomach somewhere near my throat. I swallowed hard, forcing back the nausea. Tivek's hand found mine again in the chaos, his grip steady and warm.

"Deploy countermeasures," Ariana ordered, not taking her eyes off the viewscreen as she pulled us into a sharp turn that jerked everyone to the side.

Deklyn punched a sequence of buttons. "Deploying decoys. Three, two, one?—"

"You need to cut the power before you release the third one," Sasha called from behind them, leaning forward in her restraints. "The energy signature will be more believable if?—"

"I know how to deploy decoys," Deklyn snapped, though there was no real heat in his voice.

Ariana rolled her eyes. "Stop backseat flying my ship, Sash. I didn't get chosen to be the first flight instructor at the Drexian Academy just to have you tell me how to evade Kronock fighters."

"Your ship is going to be space debris if you don't listen to reason," Sasha shot back. "That formation is classic Kronock pincer attack. They're herding us."

I watched as Ariana's hands tightened on the controls, but instead of arguing, she adjusted course. "Deklyn, redirect power to the aft shields."

He was already doing it, his movements fluid and precise. "Done. And for the record, she's right about the pincer attack."

A small, begrudging smile curved Ariana's lips. "Don't encourage her."