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An alert flashes in my vision that my corrections officer is in trouble. It takes a second for me to make sense of the signal as I dart through a barrage of Skysprinter fire toward a glowing Venom gun. I have learned that they give a pale visual warning before they go off.

I have to watch them and the Skysprinters and other ships for Brothers in trouble or about to be. But as I steal a glance back in Esthi’s direction, my ultromotor stalls for a beat.

She’s falling from Kelta’s smoking LightBlade. More ships descend upon us from the motherships: Marst , Vessna , and Corenge . We are failing, and the BlazeStar hasn’t quite broken free of the rocky mountainside yet.

All I can think about is Esthi.

ArmorCorrections Officer 952: Suit thrusters!

Esthi’s suit blazes with light and stops her midair. But in my distraction, I’ve missed the window to stop the venom missile. It tags the passing Solcrue transport we’ve acquired and eats a hoverpad into a dripping metal mess, leaving a gaping hole.

But it’s what I see dropping into orbit behind them that terrifies me more. A CSP transport, one of the deadliest, cuts like a black blade through the hazy sky.

A spray of acid hits my right wing as I patrol the Venom ships. The blast glances off of my hydramidium lining and rains back onto the Venom ship’s hull. To my surprise, it fizzles and eats metal.

Rushed job? Or they didn’t find enough to plate the hulls!

ArmorLocal: Update - Venom ships not immune to friendly fire! Crash and burn! Scythe entering orbit!

FuryLocal: Come again? Did you say Scythe?

A Skysprinter races by with a flaming orange Titan inside one second, then outside the next as he jumps free and smashes his ship into one Venom vessel, which sprays acid onto three others, including a Skysprinter.

All five ships explode and fall to the desert’s edge below.

The wreckage trail takes out small trees at the forest’s edge and lights it on fire.

Thruster catches Fury and drops him onto another Skysprinter before darting off to punch through a different Skysprinter and out the other side.

When I check on Esthi, I find she’s not where I last saw her. A faint trail of light from her suit follows Kelta’s ship.

RedlineLocal: Are you sure you’re looking at Scythe and not the Poison Arrow that’s been hunting us recently?

He sends me a visual of an oily black ship currently tearing up another area of the battlefield further south.

I copy an image of the ship and forward it to the local network. The chatter in response confirms my suspicions. The deadliest CSP vessel, the one with anti-Titan ballistics, is headed into battle.

CO 952Local: Can it target a CSP Corrections Officer’s suit?

SavageLocal: With an override. But it is a one-shot deal. It must be approved each time.

CO 952: Understood. Engaging now.

Dread sinks me in the sky.

ArmorCO 952: No, Esthi. Do not engage! That suit is your only protection. If you are captured…

CO 952: Understood.

She’s being short with me, and I realize that the way I pushed her off our ship without talking to her may have come across as rude or inconsiderate. But I was desperate to protect her.

ArmorCO 952: Be careful, Esthi. Scythe is not a ship to mess with.

CO 952: Women are Omega Force now. We have seen Solcrue and CSP take many things we love: our friends, our men, our Titans, and our future. Sometimes, our virginity, our sanity, and our restraint. I hope they’re ready for me.

My insides are tearing apart as I watch her suit brighten and bank into a collision course with Scythe. I can’t protect her over my Brothers or them over her. I have to protect who I can and hope everyone else is able to hold their own. I can’t be everywhere all at once.

“Armor!” Thruster crashes into me as a writhing mass of metal arcs by us. The gravity of the cannonball grabs us, slings us in a wide arc around it, and drags us after it. Thruster’s rockets blaze as he winces and fights the pull of the weapon.

I track our trajectory and call out to Brothers in danger. The weapon slams into a Skysprinter as Fury and Redline leap from its hull. The ship implodes, crushing into itself on impact.

Fury, in full Torch mode, falls from the ship like a hot meteor. Redline flails, red hot.

ThrusterArmor: I’ve got Fury. You take Redline.

I pinpoint our approaching CSP transport as a possible drop-off. Landing in the dunes from such a height is not something I want any Brother to have to endure. I signal Lance and Hydra of our ship for a drop.

ArmorThruster: Patrol on approach.

Thruster guides me toward Redline, then releases me to catch Fury. He can take the heat. But so can I.

I fold my wings back and dive after Redline.

ArmorRedline: On my way, Brother.

RedlineArmor: Skysprinter on our six. Request landing for snipe.

I glance at the Solcruean fighter that was trailing their Skysprinter and dive lower.

Redline preps his rifle even as he falls.

Opening my wings just underneath him, I create a platform.

Redline lands hard and hot on my back, moves into position, and releases a string of bullets up at the passing fighter.

He tags a fuel cell. I know by the rain of flaming green and gold pieces of honeycomb material. The fighter descends with an engine throwing sparks and trailing smoke. It bashes into the ground, slinging up a wave of sand and parts.

Thruster and Fury land on the patrol ship just before us. Redline hops down.

CatalystLocal: Charge available.

He crawls out of the roof hatch and jogs to us.

Thruster, Redline, and I pull charge cables from our chests and clip into Catalyst’s body. Hot power fills me, making me more alert and eager to continue.

CatalystArmor: You almost got a Black Death. I’ve been trying to reach you for fifteen minutes.

ArmorCatalyst: Esthi’s going after Scythe.

His green eyes dart out at a ship in the distant battle. “It’s here for us, isn’t it?”

“Has to be.”

“Armor!” Thruster grabs me by the arm and relays what he’s seeing over our neural network. Another acquired vessel is getting pummeled by Venom squadron. We simultaneously agree to engage.

It’s rare, in battle, to have much time to decide what risks to take. There is a certain element of willingness to figure it out when premade tactics have to be changed up because the situation, combatants, or resources experience alterations.

ArmorThruster: Defend and Destroy Program Active. Jump in two.

ThrusterArmor: Defend and Destroy Program Active. Roger.

We sprint along the patrol ship’s hull to the edge and jump off. Thruster’s engines ignite gold all over his body as I open my wings. Together, we race toward the transport housing five members of the jailbreak crew: Commander Savage, Diesel, Rebel, Turbo, and Shifter.

ThrusterArmor: Taking offense.

I don’t think he or any of the other jailbreak Titans know how thrilling it is to be among Brothers again. But I am grateful for this chance, even if it is my last day in operation.

Thruster banks toward the Venom ship painted pale purple with iridithatium.

They’re wicked-looking, V-shaped, and have tapered ailerons make them easy to distinguish.

The ship’s gun swells with green light and launches repeated acid shots.

Thruster hides behind his shield as he dodges shots and sneaks a rifle barrel around the edge. I hope he makes it.

ArmorThruster: Shielding up.

I take a hit as I dart through the lacework of missile fire and venom shots to the gaping hole in the ship. The moment I land, I pull my wingtips together and stretch my shoulders into a massive plate of metal. Inside, Commander Savage peers out at me.

SavageLocal: Ship cannot be salvaged. On our last run with this one.

Diesel charges up Rebel, Turbo, and Shifter inside the adjoining cargo hangar. Two human females lie dead on the floor, badly burned. Not far from them is a darkened unit.

ArmorLocal: Gunner is down.

RebelLocal: Gunner is salvageable. But I cannot heal the females.

TurboLocal: Why are you all staring at them? We are on autopilot! Venom is shooting at us!

Another blast hits my shield, sending acidic heat radiating through my back. I grunt and clench my teeth to push back the pangs. Commander Savage and the others cannot be allowed to meet Gunner’s fate or worse—irreparable damage.

“It’s because we have females,” I say. “Looking at them makes us worry about ours.”

“You are mated?” Shifter asks.

“Yes. Esthi of Earth Minor. She’s a cybertech.”

Commander Savage moves toward me. “A cybertech? And you’re not guarding her?”

Another blast slams into me. I spread my feet and adjust my grip on the haggard hole in the ship. “My duty is to my Brothers. Hers it to her sisters.”

Commander Savage braces himself on a support pillar as the ship tilts.

SavageLocal: Menace and crew, time for Cerebus Drop.

MenaceLocal: Understood. Will confirm completion.

SavageLocalTransport: New plan. Give this vessel one last use and rescue Esthi. Do you comply?

DieselLocal: I comply.

RebelLocal: I comply.

TurboLocal: I comply.

ShifterLocal: I comply.

ArmorLocal: I comply. Thank you.

Commander Savage growls at me. “You are becoming rusty, Brother. Perhaps I should find some anti-size for your gears. A cybertech?” He’s furious.

“Leah is out there by herself,” I challenge, taking another hit that rattles my core. We’ve been updated on who all the mated females are so we can protect them and keep our distance.

He glowers at me with brightening blue eyes and bares his pointed teeth in a snarl.

“She is the female’s commander, not a Titan medic!

Esthi must be protected! She’s the closest we have to a Creator!

We must get her back! And you need to get your head screwed on straight!

Trying to claim a Creator for a mate? Have you gone haywire, Brother? ”

ArmorCommander Savage: I didn’t know. It happened when I was broken after she dug me out of the mud after five years.

Commander SavageArmor: No excuses. Freedom doesn’t mean you can afford to be irresponsible. You made this mess. Fucking fix it!

I hang on to the ship as Shifter takes the controls with Turbo and guides the damaged ship away from battle and toward Scythe.

It’s a suicide mission. Commander Savage is pissed at me for choosing us over my mate. And Esthi’s vulnerable without guardians.

But part of me wonders if Savage is so upset because Leah fought him on the matter and won.

I have no doubt he wishes she was safe. It’s just something in the way his gaze falls away from our conversation, a feeling like Esthi said, she gets.

Ultimately, I’m left with only one thought that brings me relief.

We’re going to rescue Esthi.