Home > Rules of Redemption (The Firebird Chronicles #1)(95)

Rules of Redemption (The Firebird Chronicles #1)(95)
Author: T.A. White

Something streaked across her right shoulder. The ship shuddered as a Tsavitee weapon punched into it on the right side.

Interesting.

Her body seemed to have taken the place of radar, telling her where the next attack would hit.

"Shift vector by five degrees," Kira called.

She didn't pay much attention to the frenetic activity on the bridge, concentrating on the surrounding space instead.

The defenses grew small behind them as they barreled toward the Tsavitee ship. An angel class six. A world killer. Even with the Tuann's considerably powerful technology, it would be a difficult foe.

There were thousands of Tsavitee on that ship. The Tuann ship contained at most fifty. Even with the other Tuann ship up here following them, their odds weren't good.

Both Tuann ships were fast and maneuverable, but they weren't meant to meet an angel head-on.

Her collar bone and the side of her arm tingled.

"Six degrees port side and two degrees up," she said.

"How is she predicting their movements?" someone muttered.

"I'm reading the energy of their ship," Kira murmured, her gaze focused and distant. "It's quite easy when you know what to look for."

And after several years spent sifting through the wreckage of every Tsavitee ship she could get her hands on, she knew exactly what to look for.

A spot on her stomach burned.

"Roll," Kira shouted.

The ship jerked around her incorporeal body, shuddering when one of the blasts glanced off the mid-section of the ship.

"Hull breach in decks six through ten," someone shouted.

"Increase acceleration," Kira said.

Distantly she noted a string stretching from her intangible body out into the void. It was faint, barely there, more suggestion than reality.

Curious, she tugged on it, faintly surprised to find it attached to something.

While the Valiant raced toward the Tsavitee ship, cutting through space as it dodged and swooped, returning weapons fire when it could, she investigated the ghost string, feeling along its length.

Ah, so that's what it was.

The plan that had been coalescing in her brain took shape.

"The enemy ship is charging all weapons," someone on the bridge called.

"We're not going to make it," Kai said.

Kira didn't respond, still busy with the ghost strand.

Kai closed his eyes, making a decision. He straightened. "Ram the ship. It might buy the planet enough time to mount a defense.

"Belay that order," Kira barked. "Prepare for a hard turn."

There was a silence on the bridge as everyone considered her.

"I'd do it now," she said mildly.

Kai's jaw locked as he considered her, judging how much to trust her. "Do what she says."

The deck bustled with movement.

The ship began to turn, the force of its momentum screeching through the hull as it threatened to cleave it in two. Even here in space, the laws of physics wanted to be obeyed, and what they were doing threatened to tear the ship apart.

"Almost there," someone called.

"The cannons on the Tsavitee ship are realigning. They'll lock onto our new position in ten seconds."

"It was a good try," Kai told Kira. "Don't blame yourself for it failing."

She didn't glance at him, a faint smile on her face. "You need to learn to have a little faith."

The Tsavitee ship's weapons prepared to fire. Those on the bridge braced, their hands dancing across the controls as they fought until the last second.

The ship completed its turn.

"Second ship detected," someone shouted.

"An enemy?" Kai asked.

"No. Human."

Kira's smile felt strange in this form. The flinch of those closest to her told her it wasn't a welcoming sight. Understandable since primus form looked more monstrous than beautiful. The more time she spent in it, the less she resembled the Kira and became something else entirely.

The human ship appeared on the Tsavitee’s other side, firing into it, their weapons already targeted and locked.

Good, they'd gotten the firing package she’d sent.

The Tsavitee were caught off-guard, largely unprotected on that side, their cannons having rotated to lock on the Tuann ship.

"The humans are firing at the Tsavitee ship," someone said in excitement.

A voice came over the comms. "Tuann ship. This is Admiral Grant of the CSS Reliance. Please unload everything you've got. We'll do the same."

Kira tied the two ship strands together, linking them. She wasn't sure if the action would help or hinder, but it felt right. That would have to be enough.

Her consciousness faded from the Tuann diplomatic ship.

She stumbled, her body weak and tired as the symbols faded from her skin, the gray turning to normal pale creaminess as her second form deserted her.

She resisted the cold pull of rest. Her job wasn’t done quite yet. Lifting her arm, she used one fingernail to peel off the small, nearly invisible dermal micro storage device she carried on the inside of her bicep.

The color of her skin, it was designed to stay attached through everything, short of being burned to death. It was her backup if she ever got caught somewhere without her normal supplies.

Carefully, she stripped the wires of the Tsavitee device before wrapping the patch on the exposed metal.

Her hands shook as she sifted through the Tuann database. Trillions of pieces of data at her fingertips. She hoped the patch could download everything she needed.

Ah, there. That’s what she’d come all this way for.

She downloaded what she needed into the patch before disconnecting it and smoothing it back onto the underside of her upper arm.

Done. Finally.

It looked like Odin was getting what he’d asked for after all.

Kira took a step and stumbled, ending up on her ass. She leaned against the cool stone of the Nexus, too exhausted to do anything else.

Her chest ached from having a sword rammed through it and the cells of her body felt like they were about to tear apart.

Warmth flowed up into her from the ground, the planet pouring its power into her, bolstering her. It was seconds before that warmth turned sharp, burning a line through her as her body struggled to accept the power.

She didn't know if it was going to be enough. She'd done too much. Was too injured.

She might not be able to keep her promise to Liara after all.

That was her last thought as exhaustion and pain pulled her down.

*

Kira blinked up at a familiar ceiling. It took several seconds to remember where she'd seen it before. She was back in the healing room.

She shifted her head, expecting Finn's morose expression as he stood guard. Instead, Graydon looked down at her, a pensive expression on his face.

"You got them out," she croaked.

"Yes."

She cleared her throat. "Thank you."

The words seemed to insult him, his gaze going wintry. "You're an idiot."

She blinked at him. That was harsh

"One against nearly thirty. What could have possessed you to think those were good odds?" he said, his jaw granite hard.

Ah-ha.

She looked around the room as if searching for an explanation or maybe some patience. Finally, she glared at him. "It worked. Everyone survived."

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