“All the shuttles have left the area in various directions, as have most escape pods. The rest are still on their auto heading. Back to Kirs.”
Suddenly, Talyani slammed back into her seat. She cried out as the Troubadour shuddered.
Ranvir’s head jerked in her direction. Something she couldn’t define passed over his expression.
“That was a direct hit,” Pike told Ranvir what he already knew. “Rear shields at fifty percent.”
Ranvir nodded his understanding. “Then it’s time to go. Ganesha, get us out of here. Max speed.”
“Yes, Major.”
“But,” Talyani began, only to clamp her lips together at the sharp look the major sent her.
“Anyone wanting and able to get away has,” he told her. “It’s time we do the same.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Talyani ran through the corridors of the Troubadour to her suite. She hadn’t been able to stay on the bridge, not when she knew the people left behind were being murdered—knowing that Nas could be one of them.
Entering her bedroom, she threw herself onto her bed and began to sob.‘Oh, Gods. Had she done all this for nothing?’
Risked her life.
Destroyed her career.
Only to lose Nas anyway?
“No.” Pushing herself up, she wiped her face. She wouldn’t accept that. “Nas isn’t dead. He’s too smart. He’d have gotten away. Now I just have to find him.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Ranvir didn’t react when Talyani ran from the bridge, even though his enhanced hearing caught her nearly silent sob. He didn’t have time to deal with an emotional female. He needed to ensure the growing number of ships heading their way couldn’t track them.
“Wells, what are you picking up?” he demanded.
“There’s a lot of cross chatter, but Shui has released a statement claiming that instead of accepting the just and lawful punishment they’d received for treason, the rebels chose to overpower their guards and commit mass suicide, without regard for the innocent lives they were taking with them.”
“He’s blaming the Rebellion for the massacre,” Ranvir huffed humorlessly.
“Which means he can’t allowanysurvivors,” Tane pointed out.
“He’ll have all of us hunted down,” Pike added.
“The Nissa is reporting that a ship with the designation of the Troubadour attacked it.” Wells’ announcement cut through the chatter and had every head turning toward him.
“Shit!” Ranvir swore. “I forgot to deactivate the transponder.”
“I’ve got it.” Wells fingers rapidly moved over the communications console.
“You know how to deactivate a transponder?” Ranvir’s eyes narrowed into sharp slits.
“It’s part of the communications array, isn’t it?” Wells fired back, his fingers never slowing. “Done.”
“That fast?” Ranvir’s suspicion grew. Not even a cyborg could deactivate the high-security transponder that fast, and Wells wasn’t one.
“I figured you wanted it done quickly, so I deactivated the entire outgoing communications array.” Wells swung around in his chair to face Ranvir. “We’ll be able to receive but not respond. I can reactivate communications once I have the time to isolate the transponder. You know the transponder must be active if we want to dock anywhere. Don’t you?”
“Yes,” Ranvir bit out, causing Wells to flinch and turn back to his console. “Tane, is the Nissa still tracking us?”