Page 24

The portal that brought the Titans to Ellipsis from Hyperion is a massive ring of metal and engines that automatically maintains its position. The only system wired in to be accessed remotely is navigation. No one can hack it or move it without disassembling it or towing it.

Sometimes, old ways are the best for securing things. Unfortunately, my navigation tech skills on portals are non-existent. All I know is theory and history taught to me by my instructors.

I’ve tethered myself to the edge of the portal’s frame, where the circuitry access is for the damaged navigation bar. All twelve have to work, or the portal won’t ignite.

Chaos’s Trio of Terror and the other Titans have repaired the burnt wiring around the ring. It’s almost as if something exploded in it while it was open.

I crawl through the dimly lit guts of the ancient portal and feel a sudden rush of awe that humans could build such beautiful things.

Solcrue might’ve known how, but they made our people do the work, teaching us new secrets and giving us the power to learn, excel, and ultimately refine our own creations.

The panels that are damaged look scorched but mostly intact.

“Did you find that spacetack gun?” Rhee asks over my coms. She’s stuck in the engine room of the BlazeStar, waiting for Scant to finish his repair of the last hyperdrive engine. Diesel won’t let her leave the ship, but she seems content to stay where she is.

“Yeah, thanks.” I work through the circuitry, trying to memorize the pieces as I go when I get to a small drive motor.

“Hey, Rhee. I’ve found the navigation motor for bar twelve.

I just need clarification, so I replace this last wiring harness correctly on the torque converter.

The flex plate that engages the actual navigation gearing is larger in diameter than the impeller, right? ”

“A-firm.” She makes a strangled noise. “Hurry, Esthi!”

I place the wires and tack them as fast as I can. The gun flashes and smokes. But, in space, it dissipates fast. “What are you hearing?”

“It’s not what I’m hearing. There’s a visual in here on a screen. Finish, and get out of there!”

I tack the last wire, close the casing, and pack my tools away.

Crawling out of the access, I flip on the power to bar twelve and watch it light up like the other eleven.

Then I see what I wager Rhee was speaking about.

A mother of motherships in black and decked in evil green lights lurks into Ellipsis’ orbit from the outer rim.

The portal ignites a bright blue.

The mothership’s sides open, and hundreds of fighters gush out in deadly waves.

AmpLocal: Launch!

BlazeStar’s hangars open, and a hundred or more vessels dart out of the sides. They spread into a ring that rotates, rises, and falls, depositing small items out into space.

CelesteLocal: Minefield set.

Lights blink on in a grid surrounding the BlazeStar.

KeannaLocal: Mines online.

A massive missile arcs toward the ship.

The BlazeStar’s reverse engines brighten, trying to move her out of the way, but the missile is fast.

CloverLocal: Clear hull rooms, now!

I watch in horror as the missile lights up two mines, but still makes it through the field, Mother’s shield, and bashes into the side of the BlazeStar. The hole puffs a gray cloud of parts and life support, Titans and humans. And the bleeding doesn’t stop.

CloverLocal: Bulkheads not closing, level Sixteen, Charlie through Indigo. Emergency Rescue Program – BleedStop. Starboard Collector Five is down! I can’t catch our Brothers! Many females lost to space!

Clover’s panicked voice makes me forget where I am. My tether snaps tight, reminding me I’m still harnessed to the portal, and I’m letting myself drift away from it.

Chaos 2CO 952: Esthi!

CO 952Chaos 2: I know! I know! I got distracted!

I pull myself back to the portal as the Titans gather up and begin jumping off of the portal toward the mothership.

Chaos 2CO 952: You have to use your engines. Mother is in trouble. We’re on our own.

I look out at empty space. I’m screwed if I miss and my boots cut out.

After a deep breath, I disconnect myself and push off of the portal like the other Titans, sending my body out across open space. I kick on my boots, launching me with the terrifying rush of a hot blade through flesh.

Then, to my relief, the BoltBurner uncloaks, and a gorgeous glint of wings launches off of it toward the BlazeStar. My visor focuses the view so I can watch Armor gather up ejected Titans and carry them to the ship’s hull.

The Chaoses and others I’ve been working with follow suit and collect who they can. I snag the hand of a small Titan named Tumble.

CO 952Tumble: Status?

TumbleCO 952: Cold as shit, but I’ll survive. Thanks for the lift. The females are not so lucky.

I fly us through the sealscreen of an opening hanger and land inside with the other Titans, who carry their Brothers and frozen women. “I’m going to go see if I can help with the puncture.”

Tumble takes my tether. “Follow me.”

We run out into the hallway and hike a set of large spiral stairs to an open compartment.

“Mother won’t let us near the injury without another airlock in place.” Tumble closes us in a room beside the damaged section. When the life support has been reclaimed, the door to the torn compartment opens.

Armor cries out in pain as he struggles where his wing is suctioned against a bulkhead door. Several Titans in Starjumper suits try to free him.

“Disconnect it!” he growls as crates of supplies drift around the semi-weightless environment. “It’s the only way we can stop the bleeding right now!”

I run to him, climb up onto his shoulder, and find the mechanical switches for his wings. I disconnect the stuck wing, and Armor stumbles to his other side under the weight of his last.

“Take it,” he rasps to his Brothers in the low oxygen. Ice crystals have formed on his broken Starjumper’s suit.

I hesitantly disconnect it, and the other Titans, Tumble included, brace it in front of the second cracked bulkhead door and let it go. It seals the room and brings the depressurization to a standstill.

I try to help Armor up, but it takes two other Titans to assist.

“I need a new suit.”

“Armor,” Chaos says. “You’re in no condition to fight.”

Armor stands and snarls at him. “I will not sit and watch my Brothers and Sisters die like this!”

He motions to the bodies of frozen women drifting by us.

I look away and swallow down my urge to cry. I’m so sorry.

“I can fight,” Armor defends. “Just because I don’t have my designed purpose anymore doesn’t mean I can’t be useful another way.”

“Your shield doesn’t work?” I ask him.

“Very limited.” Armor draws me close. “I can only protect myself and one or two other people without my wings. Until we get this mess sorted and cleaned up, my wings need to stay here and help Mother keep her insides inside.”

Chaos helps him into another room. I follow behind them, staying as close to Armor as I can, relieved he is back in one piece.

Out in the hallway, we stop to let Rebel pass us with a stretcher holding Thruster. Another one trails behind with Karambit.

I can’t help but reach out a hand and brush Karambit’s shoulder, remembering fixing his middle finger. “It’s not fair.”

Armor corrals me against him with an arm. “It’s just the nature of war. If anyone can save them, it’s Rebel.”

AmpLocal: Incoming message from Commander of Aidrithin, Mothership.

AmpLocal: You can surrender or die.

Commander SavageAidrithin, Local: You will kill us either way. Titans do not surrender.

Through a nearby hangar door, I see Savage staring out at the mothership through a sealscreen as the hundreds of enemy ships close in on us. I watch the ships as Chaos helps Armor climb into a fresh Starjumper’s suit.

A woman in a CSP suit of armor joins Savage, takes his hand in hers, and squeezes it.

Commander LeahAidathra, Local: Omega Force chooses freedom. If that means death, then we accept it.

Commander SavageAidathra, Local: We will not grovel at your feet when you hurt and kill us either way. If all we have is pride and each other, then that is what we die with.

I walk up to Leah’s side.

“Change Identifier from CO 952 to Esthielle.”

My helmet’s ID code switches out. I take Leah’s other hand.

EsthielleAidathra, Local: Grays and Creators stand with the freedom fighters.

Leah smiles at me from inside her helmet and gives my hand an encouraging squeeze. “Now, let’s kick some scrawny green dicks into the stars and get Mother through the portal.”

Armor hugs me from behind, dressed in his new suit. “Please, don’t make me let you go again.”

Savage motions us to a ship. “Stay together.”

Commander SavageLocal: pair up for the assault wave. Mates stay together whenever possible! Launch fighters asap! Clover, prep hyperdrive for portal jump!

Armor and I rush through the bays to an available Skysprinter and climb inside. He takes pilot controls while I slide into the seat beside him. He gets us headed out of the hangar with the other ships.

But as we emerge into space and slip past the minefield meant to protect the BlazeStar, I’m not sure there’s any way we’ll survive. They have more ships, bigger and better vessels, many I’ve not seen before.

Ellipsis’ orbit quickly turns into a weave of blue Titan fire and Solcruean green and gold. Ships take hits on both sides.

TumbleLocal: Last fighter out of the hanger. Clover, clear for launch.

CloverLocal: Understood. Hyperdrive operational. Vacate now.

Hundreds of clicks overlay one another before the com channel goes silent. Her engines brighten as another missile launches.

Commander SavageLocal: Incoming!

The BlazeStar grows so bright that I have to look away even as my visor tints.

Just as the massive missile races to the BlazeStar’s position, Mother disappears in a blur of chrome through the portal.

But we can’t follow her. All we’re trying to do is give her enough time to get to the other side and clear the exit zone.

Commander SavageLocal: Does anyone have contact from Amp?

The Titans that respond have only fragments.

Commander SavageLocal: Anyone who can get through, go! Protect Mother. Do not let the enemy catch up to her.

A handful of ships make it through before the minefield blooms with missiles tagging mines, and the enemy vessels start making it too close to the portal for comfort.

I target everyone I can as fast as I can with the Skysprinter’s guns while Armor flies.

“Banking port. Aim ahead!”

I swing the gun to the left and fire ahead of passing ships. Two take hits as we pass and move into a starboard turn that arcs upward, then dives back into the battle.

“How are we going to get out of this?” I ask, tension knotting up my body.

A pair of guns light up from a deep space Ravenger vessel, tearing through a squadron of Solcruean fighters.

Aidathra comes over coms. “What are you doing? You’re shooting at your own people!”

“No, I’m not,” a deep Titan voice roars triumphantly. “ You are not people! And let’s just say that Sevrin had a tiny little accident back on Hyperion. We’ve been chasing you a while, you big green asshole! Time to eat some Iridithatium!”

New guns raze rapid fire on the vessel, spitting thousands upon thousands of glowing purple bullets.

“You can thank my mate, Navi, for that little gem .”

Commander SavageLocal: Your ID is broken, Brother. Please repair.

Cr4Lve1Local:…

CrazeLocal: Please confirm receipt.

ChaosLocal: Craze! You survived! So glad to have another wild SOB on the force again!

MenaceLocal: Craze, when did we lose you? There was a husk like yours on Ellipsis.

CrazeLocal: Fell during the jailbreak.

Their ship continues its devastating onslaught.

CrazeLocal: Have a few other units with us. Ranger…

A missile tags us in the side. Red alerts fill the cabin.

My body jolts. My helmet cracks under some sort of debris. We’re hit again.

“Armor!”

He grabs me, frees me from my seat, and jumps out into space.

Air vents from my helmet and my knee as we slowly rotate and drift away from the Skysprinter. Another Titan ship explodes not far from ours. It only takes one more hit for ours to go.

Armor breaks off a unit from my thigh and snaps it over the hole in my knee that’s letting in an agonizing cold. He breaks one off of my other thigh and places it over my helmet. It seals but blocks most of my vision on my right side.

ArmorEsthielle: Hang on beautiful. We’re on our own.

Armor clutches me tightly, ignites his boots, and races us through the battle. I can’t quite tell where we’re going, but I think he has a plan.

It can’t get any worse, can it?

But all I can see for sure is the Solcrue berserker that drops out of the mothership.

“Shit.”