Page 34 of Possessed by the Dragon Alien (Zarux Dragon Brides #6)

She pressed her hand against the cool surface of the viewport, watching the organized chaos of vessels maneuvering around them. “I never imagined anything like this. All these people, coming together.”

“Neither did I.” The admission surprised him.

As a high chancellor, he’d commanded vast fleets, coordinated massive military operations.

But those had been exercises in control, in imposing the Axis’ will through superior force.

This was different. This was organic, driven by something the Axis had never understood.

Hope .

“Sir,” the communications officer called again. “Priority transmission from the forward scouts.”

Fek’s sake, this was beginning to become unmanageable. “Put it through.”

A new voice filled the observation deck, tight with urgency. “This is Scout Wing Alpha. We’ve completed our reconnaissance of the Axis Central perimeter. The dome’s defensive grid has been reinforced. They’re doubling the power output to it.”

“Of course, they are.” Madrian’s stomach dropped. He’d provided everything he knew about Central’s defenses, but the Twelve had a few tricks left, and one of them was making their dome impenetrable.

“How extensive?” Ellion’s voice carried clearly.

“The energy barriers extend in layers, all around Central. Multiple redundant power sources, rotating frequency patterns, automated repair systems. This isn’t just a shield. It’s a fortress.”

Silence stretched across the communication channels.

Madrian could almost feel the doubt creeping into the minds of the rebel fleet commanders.

Attacking a heavily defended space station was one thing.

Cracking a planetary defense system that had been under construction for centuries was something else entirely.

“There has to be a weakness,” Cyprian said finally. “Every system has one.”

“Not necessarily,” the scout replied. “But we did find something interesting. The dome’s power distribution follows a pattern. Six primary nodes, arranged in a hexagonal pattern over the base. There’s a brief window during the power cycling sequence where all six nodes synchronize.”

“How brief?” Takkian asked.

“Two-point-three piks .”

Another stretch of silence. That was a very short period of time to break through planetary defenses that had never been successfully breached. It was impossible.

Unless…

“Dragon fire,” Madrian said suddenly.

The words hung in the air like a challenge to physics itself.

“What?” Razion’s voice carried confusion.

Madrian stepped closer to the communication array, his mind racing through possibilities. “The ancient archives that Rien recovered. They mentioned that bonded Zaruxian dragons could channel immense power. Fire hot enough to melt stone, to reshape reality itself.”

“You’re talking about legend,” Stavian said cautiously.

“No,” Ellion’s voice carried quiet conviction. “I’ve experienced it. When I fought the Axis ships over the settlements, my dragon fire was more powerful than they expected. Turi was there. Her presence, her bond with me, it amplified everything.”

Understanding began to dawn in Madrian’s mind. “Six dragons. Six Terian mates. We’d have to coordinate a strike at the moment of synchronization. Shatter one node and the rest go down. Central would be completely vulnerable.”

“That’s insane,” Razion said, but there was something else in his voice now. Not dismissal. Consideration. “But interesting.”

“It’s our only chance,” Madrian replied. “A conventional assault would take cycles to break through those defenses and many of these people who have come to fight with us won’t survive. The Axis would have reinforcements from every loyal world in the galaxy.”

Nena’s hand found his arm. “You’re talking about flying directly into the most dangerous place in the galaxy and getting out of your ship to change into a dragon form—which you’ve never done—to shoot fire from your mouths onto the dome. All six of you, at the same time.”

“Yes,” he said simply. He looked down at her, seeing the fear and love warring in her green eyes. “We are.”

“And if the timing is off? If the dragon fire isn’t enough?”

Madrian thought about that. About the hundred ways this plan could fail. About the thousands of people who would die if they miscalculated. About the future of freedom across the galaxy hanging on thirty-seven seconds of perfect coordination.

“Then we fail,” he said. “But we might not fail.”

The communication channels buzzed with activity as the implications sank in. Ship commanders discussing logistics, fleet captains arguing over attack formations, resistance leaders debating the wisdom of putting everything on one desperate gamble.

But underneath it all, Madrian heard something else. The sound of people choosing to believe. Choosing to fight for something better than what they’d known.

“All right,” Ellion’s voice cut through the chatter with calm authority. “We do this. But we do it right. I want full tactical planning sessions with all fleet commanders. Complete intelligence briefings on Axis Central’s layout. Simulation runs on the synchronization window.”

“How long do we have?” asked one of the Dokkol commanders.

Madrian checked the display. “Based on Axis response patterns, they’ll mobilize their main battle fleet within eight cycles. If we’re going to do this, we need to move before then.”

“Understood,” Ellion replied. “All ship commanders, report to the main strategy chamber. We have a battle to plan.”

As the communication channels closed and the observation deck fell quiet, Nena moved closer to Madrian’s side. “Are you sure about this?”

He thought about the question. Was he sure? Sure that six dragons could break through the most advanced defense system in the galaxy? Sure that their bonded mates could amplify their power enough to reshape the course of history? Sure that this desperate gamble would work?

“No,” he said honestly. “But I’m sure that trying is better than living under the Axis forever.”

Through the viewport, he could see more ships arriving. Vessels were carrying people who’d decided that freedom was worth fighting for. Worth dying for, if necessary.

The rebellion had become something neither he nor the other Zaruxian brothers had expected. It had become an army. And armies, he knew from his time as a high chancellor, could accomplish impossible things when they had something to believe in.

He watched a group of converted mining haulers maneuver past a squadron of the warlord’s battle craft. Their crews coordinated with the efficiency of people who’d found a common cause.

This was what the Axis had always feared. Not any single enemy, but the idea that their scattered, oppressed subjects might one day unite against them.

“Come on,” he said to Nena, taking her hand. “Let’s go help plan the liberation of our homeworlds.”

As they walked toward the strategy chamber, Madrian allowed himself one moment to appreciate the strangeness of his situation.

A few cycles ago, he’d been High Chancellor Madrian of the Axis, one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy.

Now he was a rebel, preparing to assault the very seat of power he’d once served.

The change should have terrified him. Instead, as Nena’s fingers intertwined with his and the sound of determined voices filled the corridors around them, Madrian found that he’d never felt more certain of his purpose.

The storm was gathering. And when it broke, the galaxy would never be the same.