Page 16 of Krin (The Protectorate Warriors Alien Fated Mates #3)

Riley

MY HEAD WAS SWIMMING with all I’d learned in just a couple of hours. Unlike when I first met him, Dril was friendlier. He patiently explained the navigational controls on the sleek futuristic console in front of us.

It appeared a little intimidating at first. I’d never seen such advanced technology before. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Alara was, after all, an advanced civilization compared to Earth and the Moon.

Despite having read a multitude of books and manuals on the ship’s computer when I boarded the Chetok, it was obvious that I still had a lot to learn. Dril oversaw the ship’s navigation, and piloted. And was also trained in using the ship’s weapons.

I was overwhelmed by the complexity of the helm’s operation and unsure how to process it. There was so much more to learn, but my mind was already reeling from the sheer volume of information he divulged.

In front of us, a holographic viewscreen showed the planned route of the ship.

We could see what was ahead of us by simply tapping one of the buttons on the panel.

Furthermore, there were external cameras on the ship enabling us to observe the surrounding space.

Touching different colored buttons, Dril smoothly maneuvered through each section with precision while he explained.

Dropping the ship out of FTL speed, Dril showed me the steps to engage and disengage the warp engines. It felt like we were sailing through a sea of black velvet, with the stars shining like small, shimmering dots against the ship. I found it to be a combination of beauty and peace.

I paid close attention, eager to soak up all the knowledge I could. Dril mentioned that an additional holographic screen would appear above the main viewscreen to show incoming messages.

He suggested various positions that he thought I would be well-suited for, considering my experience. I liked the idea of ship security since it included protecting the ship from intruders both internal and external.

It turned out, the security section of the bridge involved a whole other set of controls to learn. And included the operation of the ship’s weapons systems.

It was a lot, but I felt sure I could do it.

I grinned at Dril. “I was thinking about working with the ship’s security.”

He nodded, his expression serious and thoughtful.

“Warriors usually train for a few years on Alara before being assigned to ships. At our academy, warriors receive a comprehensive education in all aspects of starship operations, including combat and weaponry. They have the option to specialize and finish their training aboard a starship.”

My mouth twisted. Was he suggesting I would need to go to school instead of staying on the ship to learn?

He must have noticed my expression or felt my emotions, because his grin widened.

“Do not worry. Whatever you end up doing as part of the Chetok’s crew will be within your skill level. Captain Krin and Commander Ezan will make certain of it. They will not put you in danger, or allow you to endanger yourself.”

I nodded, grateful I would not have to leave the ship to train. “Back on Luna I was a soldier for seven years and received various training in that time. I’m hoping to use skills I already have.”

While Dril smiled at me in acknowledgement, my attention was caught by two yellow lights blinking on the left side of the panel next to me.

“Remind me, what do those mean?” I asked, pointing.

Dril’s eyes darted towards the blinking lights on the panel. His lips went flat while his hands zoomed over the panel like lightning.

With composure, he declared, “Two Krilex ships are approaching.”

An explosion suddenly rocked the ship, knocking some of the standing warriors nearly off their feet. I was jolted in my seat along with Dril.

Amid another blast hitting the ship, I heard Commander Ezan behind me shout out loud to return weapon fire.

Surprisingly, the bridge crew were calm, carrying out their tasks.

Smoke and dust permeated the air, creating a distinct smell. The second blast caused damage to the ship and some ceiling panels fell with a loud crashing sound.

I looked over at the warrior in charge of weapons when I heard a noise from his direction. A section of the ceiling struck him and he fell to the floor. I gasped, jumped up, and rushed over to him. He was bleeding from a cut on his head as I frantically searched for his pulse.

Commander Ezan’s voice filled the air with its urgency. “The weapons need to be brought online and activated.”

Another crewman kneeled by the fallen warrior, seeing to his wound. I knew he was alive, but unconscious.

Without thinking about it, I stood at the weapons control panel. Waving my hands over the buttons, I asked, “What do I press?”

The Commander called out. “The green buttons on the upper right of the panel. Press them one after the other.”

“Any order?”

“Yes.”

I did as he asked, while voices around me were drowned out by the sound of my own pulse in my ears.

My heart raced and my hands shook.

I froze a moment, staring down at the panel.

A large part of my time had been studying the weapons system.

There were a couple of details I knew about how the control panel functioned.

Pressing my lips while I tried to remember what I learned, I was brought to the present when I heard Dril calling out that he’d raised the ship’s shields.

“What now? Should I keep firing?” I asked with my hands hovering over the control panel, waiting for the next set of orders.

“We have to realign the cerium ray before launching more phase cannons,” said Commander Ezan as he stepped next to me.

I moved to my right to give him space at the console, but watched carefully as he swiftly moved his hands across the panel.

Fortunately, I had some idea what he was talking about. Angling my head to look up at the Commander, I asked, “Am I right that we also have to sync the weapons?”

A surprised smile spread across his face, and he nodded. His expression showed how impressed he was at my knowledge.

The Krilex stopped shooting, but we were still in danger.

In the background, the sound of a door sliding could be heard.

“Report,” Krin said aloud.

The sound of Krin’s deep, authoritative voice sent a pulse of arousal through me. I felt my face grow warm as his gaze shifted in my direction.

His head tilted in surprise as he tried to make sense of why I was standing at the weapons console instead of being at the helm.

Ezan explained. “We were under attack by two enemy ships.” He waved his hand in my direction, grinning. “Riley did not hesitate to jump in to help. She took out one of the Krilex ships.” The Commander gave me a brief smile. “Well done.”

My chest puffed, and I held my head high.

Krin’s lips curled into a proud smile before Dril interrupted, “The Krilex ships are retreating.”

“They do not normally engage us in battle unprovoked. Did they attempt communication before attacking?” asked Krin.

Ezan shook his head.

Dril piped, “They were suddenly there, with no prior warning. No communications were received. I was unable to identify any other life signs on their ships, aside from Krilex.”

Krin’s brow creased and his head bobbed. “Notify Protectorate vessels in the area to be on the lookout for them. If they are found, they need to be interrogated,” instructed Krin.