11
Kass
I turnedoff the laser torch and capped it before shoving the handheld device back into its holster at my hip. Mia stood with her back braced against the base wall when I kicked in the outer shell to grant us access.
She’d said I was her favorite thing in the universe.
“Justice. I like it.” Mia held her pistol at the ready, watching my back. There was no need. At least, not yet. The base was unmanned and automated, but the explosion on our ship would have alerted the Dark Fleet’s security network to our presence. As long as we didn’t stand in front of a laser cannon and beg the thing to shoot us, we should be fine. The base’s defenses were made to take down ships, not individuals on foot.
Still, that was dated information. No one from Velerion had set foot on this moon since the Dark Fleet had attacked Xenon and turned the colonists into factory slaves. We hadn’t planned on setting foot on it either, but plans changed.
I swung the equipment bag’s strap off my shoulder and settled the heavy bulk just inside the opening I’d cut. Stepping in first to make sure there were no hidden weapons within, I motioned for Mia to join me inside. As she took my hand and stepped over the remains of the lower wall, I worked on setting up the portable comm unit. “We need to let Jennix know we’re not dead.”
“Good idea.”
Once set up, I activated the comm unit, even though I was probably painting a target on our backs if the Dark Fleet scanned the area. “Group Five Leader, this is MCS One; come in.”
“This is Group Five Leader. Go ahead.”
“We lost the Phantom, but the mission is on target. We are inside the base.”
“Thank Vega.” I couldn’t miss the relief in her voice. “Notify us when you are ready for retrieval. I will alert Group Two. We will monitor the force field from here.”
“Copy that.”
“And Starfighters?”
I stilled inside. The general had called me a Starfighter, despite the fact that I was supposed to be rotting in a prison cell right now. She was on our side. Once I told her everything, I had no doubt she would help me take down Sponder.
“Yes, General?”
“We’re all glad we haven’t lost you. Stay alert and stay safe.”
“Copy that. MCS One out.”
That done, I crouched down and helped Mia set out the rest of our equipment on the smooth, cold floor. Everything inside the base was the same matte black as the exterior. Dull. Boring. The base looked like a dark cancerous blight from space, if one knew where to look.
Mia sat with her back to the wall and our hacking equipment splayed out across her lap. I took the communication and sensors and set up my small operations center. Once the scanners were finished, I breathed a sigh of relief. We were alone, at least at the moment. If Queen Raya had soldiers stationed inside, they weren’t being picked up by our scanners.
“All clear?” she asked, most likely thinking the same thing.
“So far. How long do you need?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never done this before.”
She cleared her throat, and I looked at her. “What is it?”
“Why didn’t you tell the general about Sponder?”
“Over the open comm channel? No. I don’t want him to have a chance to run.”
“Okay.” She was distracted, her gaze already darting at lightning speed from screen to screen on her display, her fingers racing over the controls.
“Besides, we’ve got more important things to deal with. Tell me the moment you break through, or…” My voice trailed off, but I didn’t need to finish the thought.
“Or there will be nothing left of us by the time anyone shows up to give us a ride?”
“Exactly.”