Aurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle #2)(113)

I do not want her to be on our shuttle when the spark reaches its destination.

“Options?” asks Scarlett, leaning forward to squint at the ship.

“Two,” Fin replies. “If we need to get Auri aboard, then either we make our approach less obvious or we create a distraction.”

“A distraction could be fatal,” I point out.

There is a short silence. This mission will be fatal anyway, we all know that. But what I mean is that it must not be fatal too soon.

“I hate to suggest this,” Finian begins. “But if we wait long enough, they’re gonna jump into the Terran system and we’ll have all the distraction we need.”

“That will likely result in a massive loss of Terran and Syldrathi life once the TDF engages the Unbroken fleet,” I point out.

“I didn’t say it was a perfect plan,” Finian shrugs. “I’m not the strategy guy. I have a deep suspicion I only passed first-year tactics because the instructor didn’t want me back in class the next …”

Finian’s joke trails off into silence as he realizes what he has done.

Given us another reminder that Tyler is not with us.

Another reminder of all we have lost.

Scarlett squares her shoulders, jaw clenched.

“Can we listen in on the Unbroken comms?” she asks.

I incline my head. “It will require utilizing the log-in codes the elder gave us, but if they are correct, then yes.”

“Do it,” Auri instructs me.

I connect to the Unbroken communications network, enter the access codes, and attempt to keep my breathing even as I wait to see whether they will be accepted. A finger of ice trails down my spine, but I do not speak. Abruptly a Syldrathi voice spills out of our speakers.

Scarlett listens a few moments, her brow creased. “Oh crap.”

“Bad news?” Fin asks.

“They’re getting ready to head through the FoldGate.”

A ripple passes through the fleet as it moves into position. A closing of the gaps between ships so the Unbroken can pour through the FoldGate en masse. An immeasurable, unstoppable flow.

Auri grips the back of my seat so hard, I hear the internal structure creak.

“Get us closer to the Weapon! A little more, and I can get myself there.”

“You want to spacewalk, Stowaway?” Fin asks. “You’re half the size of the average Syldrathi. None of the suits here—”

“I don’t need a suit.” She meets my eyes. “Zila, just get me close.”

I glance at Scarlett, who nods, and so I obey.

Fin curses, hurrying toward the stern of the shuttle and the airlock, Aurora on his heels. She does not say goodbye.

I bank the shuttle sideways, slip between two massive cruisers and ever closer to the rainbow refractions of the Weapon. From behind me, Scarlett puts her hand on my shoulder and squeezes.

I find that her touch unexpectedly eases the tension within me.

“As soon as we’re through the gate into Terran space,” she says softly, “the TDF will be shooting at us.”

“Yes.”

“We can’t shoot back. We can’t fight against our own people.”

“I will do my best to avoid combat.” The rest of the sentence is unspoken: For as long as possible.

A voice spills over the Unbroken communications network. Deep and musical. A voice we all immediately recognize.

“De’na vosh, tellanai,” the Starslayer says.

“ ‘Know no fear, my children,’ ” Scarlett murmurs.

“De’na siir.”

“ ‘Know no regret.’ ”

“Tur, si mai’lesh de’sai.”

“ ‘Today, we burn away our shame.’ ”

“Turae, si aire’na aire no’suut.”

“ ‘Tonight, we dance the dance of blood.’ ”

With a blinding flash of light, the Unbroken fleet begins dropping through the FoldGate. Dreadnoughts and carriers. Wave upon wave of cruisers and destroyers, fighters and drones. Finally, the Weapon itself disappears before our eyes. I steel myself, engage our thrusters, and a moment later we are through it too, with a ripple of sensation I feel in every pore.

We emerge into the utter chaos of battle, missiles and tracer rounds flying past us, the Unbroken fleet spreading out to engage the Terran defenders. Ships are wheeling and turning, dodging and cartwheeling, exploding silently and flying to pieces around us. Syldrathi instructions are snapped and shouted down the comms, broadcasting through our bridge, too quick for me to follow.

“Holy crap!” Scarlett cries.

The Unbroken fleet breaks apart into wings, spreading out across a broad perimeter, lighting the dark on fire. Despite the news feeds disputing the existence of the Unbroken superweapon, it seems TDF Command is taking the claim seriously; a phalanx of Terran vessels is throwing all it can at the wall of Syldrathi ships, hoping to punch its way through the Unbroken defenses.

“Those are Betraskan,” Scarlett whispers, pointing at our scopes.

It is true—among the snub-nosed hulks of the Terran fleet, we can see the smooth, beetle-shaped forms of Betraskan destroyers and battleships, locked in combat with the Unbroken force. It seems Earth’s allies have kept true to their word, stepping up in defense of Terra. My heart flutters slightly as I realize we are seeing the opening shots of what might become the first true galactic war. I do my best to ignore it, but the biological response to the sight is strong.