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The sound of boots on metal announced Deklyn's arrival. My brother’s face was streaked with sweat, but his eyes were sharp and focused.

"The diagnostic isn't good," he said without preamble. "Engine core is completely shot, and we've got hull breaches."

Vyk cursed under his breath. "Jump drive?"

"Damaged, but not beyond repair." Deklyn ran a hand through his shaggy dark hair. "I might have a few Inferno Force tricks that could get us at least one jump. Not all the way back to the academy, but somewhere safer than drifting in Kronock space."

I exchanged glances with Vyk. He probably had plenty of experience with Inferno Force "tricks” and their risks, but he was also the most senior officer on board. It was his call.

"Do it," Vyk ordered.

The ship's comms system crackled to life, Volten's voice cutting through the static.

"Ariana, we've located a nebula not far from our current positions. It'll provide cover for both ships while we assess damage and make repairs."

"Not sure we can make it that far, Volt. We're dead in space here."

"We're going to tractor you in. Prepare for some rocking.”

Deklyn and Vyk were already moving toward the jump drive access panel as I considered the hull breaches. Drexian ships contained layers of special composite that was incrediblyresilient, but if too many had been shredded, it could pose a problem during jumps.

"Commander," I said, "with your permission, I'd like to check the hull integrity from the inside."

Vyk nodded, already elbow-deep in the jump drive circuitry. "Take Torq with you."

Torq looked surprised but followed me as I headed toward the rear of the ship. As we made our way through the narrow corridor, the ship suddenly lurched, and we both grabbed onto the wall for support.

"That's the tractor beam engaging," he said, as if reminding himself as much as me.

We reached the first hull breach where the interior boasted scorch marks.

“Hand me that," I said, pointing to a repair kit mounted on the wall. Torq passed it over, watching intently as I applied a molecular bonding agent to the damaged section.

“I didn’t know you knew ship repair.”

I smoothed the edges of the patch. "The key is to work from the center outward, creating a stronger molecular bond that won't crack under pressure changes."

We finished checking both breach sites, applying temporary seals that would hold until proper repairs could be made. As we headed back toward the front of the ship, I could feel Torq's curious gaze on me.

"You know," he said carefully, "for someone who didn't complete the academy, you have some unusual skills."

I kept my expression neutral. "You pick things up here and there."

“Before you washed out, were you an Iron?”

I gave a quick shake of my head. “An Assassin.”

We returned to the cockpit to find that Deklyn had been replaced by Sasha. She sat in the co-pilot's seat next to her sister, her hands moving over the few functioning controls with familiarity as she and Ariana worked in tandem.

Through the viewscreen, I could see our destination. The vast, swirling nebula painted space in vibrant shades of purple, blue, and gold. The gases were dense enough to provide excellent cover, but also posed navigation challenges. But I supposed it was better than being blown from the sky by the Kronock.

My eyes swept the area, registering that Morgan was no longer there. A small twist of concern tightened in my chest.

"The seals are holding," I reported to Vyk, who had returned to monitor our progress toward the nebula.

He grunted. “And we’ll be able to get one jump from the jump drive.”

Since everyone else was focused on our approach, I slipped to the back of the ship again, opening the few doors until I found Morgan in a cramped room that housed a set of bunk beds. She sat on the lower bunk, head in her hands, her breathing uneven.