Chapter 17
Maya
Rykar placed his hand on the crystal to communicate clearly with the Sola and navigate. I glanced at him and flashed a grin. “Not much different from flying a transport vehicle, right?”
He looked at me with one brow raised. “Maya, this is nothing like flying a transport vehicle.”
READY FOR FLIGHT OPERATIONS, the Sola announced on-screen.
“We need to draw their attention away from the Destran city,” I said.
“Yes, Captain,” Rykar said with an edge of amusement, but it was true. In this instance, I was leading this operation. Which was insane. The only person I’d gone to battle with before now, was my mother. And I never won against her.
Unlike the mechanical thrust of a traditional spacecraft, the Sola’s flight felt organic, natural, like being carried on warm air currents. Through the transparent walls of the heart chamber, I watched the Destran city fall away below us as we moved through the alien sky.
The initial plan worked. Our would-be attackers moved away from the rooted Solas and the helpless Earth ships, and focused on us.
“Corporate vessels are reacting to our movement,” Rykar reported, his voice tight with concentration. “They’re redirecting to intercept.”
Sweat broke out on my spine. “Okay, I guess…get ready to dodge whatever they throw at us. Cleo, Zara, are you getting the signal data I’m transmitting?” I asked.
“Receiving and analyzing,” Cleo confirmed. “Maya, this is incredibly complex. The Kythera aren’t just draining power—they’re creating a localized field that disrupts the quantum coherence of mechanical systems.”
“Which means what in normal words?” I all but shouted as Rykar guided the Sola through a banking turn that put us on an intercept course with the nearest corporate vessel.
“It means our frequency is all off, like an out of tune piano. But we will tune this bitch and get what we need,” Zara cut in, adding a near maniacal hoot of laughter. “And you need to not worry about it. We’ve got this.”
I heard Cleo say, “We do?” in a voice she was hoping I didn’t hear.
The first enemy ship opened fire, sending plasma bursts streaking toward us. But the Sola’s bioelectric shields absorbed the energy and dispersed it harmlessly through her hull structure.
“Shields holding,” Rykar reported. “But they’re going to bring more firepower to bear.”
“They won’t destroy us,” I said. “They need this Sola alive and healthy.” My hands moved over the controls, accessing systems I was only beginning to understand.
The Sola’s weaponry was unlike anything I’d—scratch that.
I had no experience with weaponry, other than movies and shows.
I was going on instinct and probabilities, and hopefully with some help from the Sola, I’d fire off some bio-plasma cannons that sent concentrated bursts, guided by the ship’s consciousness rather than targeting computers.
Our first shot struck the corporate vessel Prosperity, and I watched with satisfaction as their shields flared. But there were more ships incoming to support their allies.
“Maya, I think we’ve got something,” Cleo’s voice crackled through the communication system. “The power-drain effect is generated by resonance amplifiers positioned throughout the Kythera fleet. If we can hit those amplifiers with precisely tuned counter-resonance—”
“We can not only restore power to the Earth ships but disrupt the Kythera vessels’ own systems,” Zara finished excitedly. “It’s brilliant, but the timing has to be perfect.”
“How perfect?” I asked, swallowing hard as Rykar guided the Sola through a series of evasive maneuvers that made my head spin.
“Extremely perfect,” Cleo replied grimly. “And we need to hit them all simultaneously, or the ones we miss will compensate for the ones we take out.”
Through the Sola’s consciousness, I could feel Rykar’s growing confidence as he learned to work with the ship’s navigation and tactical systems. The Sola moved through space like the living creature she was, responding to threats with organic grace rather than mechanical calculation.
“We can give you the precision you need,” I said. I hoped we could, anyway. My hands found a harmony with the bio-organic controls that felt as natural as breathing. “The Sola’s consciousness can coordinate attacks across multiple targets with perfect timing. But I need target data.”
“Working on it,” both women replied simultaneously.
An enemy vessel dropped out of stealth directly in front of us. Its weapons were already charging for a point-blank assault. But Rykar anticipated the attack. He rolled the Sola through a spiral pattern that kept us just ahead of their targeting solutions.
“Got you, you bastards,” I murmured, bringing our bio-plasma cannons to bear. The shot punched through their shields and crippled their main drive, sending them tumbling out of formation.
“Target data incoming,” Zara reported. “I’m reading seven resonance amplifiers across their fleet. Maya, the attack pattern I’m uploading requires you to hit each amplifier within a thirty-nanosecond window.”
“Received and understood,” I replied. The Sola displayed a large-scale map of the targets on the screen, showing me the technical data and transforming it into targeting solutions that I could see with my own eyes.
“On my mark,” Cleo’s voice came through the comm. “Three…two…one…mark!”
I pressed my consciousness into the Sola’s weapons systems, feeling our shared awareness expand across the battlefield like a spiderweb of living energy. Seven bio-plasma bursts launched.
For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then, like dominos falling in reverse, the Earth vessels began to come back online. Running lights flickered to life, thrusters lit up with renewed power, and defensive shields blazed back into existence across the entire fleet.
“It worked!” Zara’s voice was filled with triumph. “Maya, it actually worked! Earth forces are reporting full system restoration!”
But the Kythera weren’t finished. Even as their power-drain technology failed, they began deploying conventional weapons that turned the sky into a maze of deadly energy beams. The corporate vessels came here with one objective, and they weren’t going to give up.
Suddenly we were in the middle of a full-scale space battle.
“All Earth vessels, this is Admiral Rodriguez aboard the B-class cruiser Harmonic,” a new voice cut through the communication channels. “We are back online and moving to engage enemy forces. Unknown Destran vessel, identify yourself and state your intentions.”
“This is Dr. Maya Chen and Lord Rykar aboard, uh, the Sola,” I replied, even as Rykar guided us through another series of impossible maneuvers. “We’re the ones you came here to protect.”
“Copy that, Dr. Chen. All ships, let’s get this done.”
The restored Earth fleet moved into attack formation with deadly precision. With their weapons fully charged and their crews angry, they began systematically dismantling the enemy forces.
But it was the combination of Earth technology and Sola capabilities that turned the tide. While the conventional warships engaged the main enemy fleet, Rykar and I used our unique mobility and weapons systems to strike at targets the Earth ships couldn’t reach.
“Corporate command vessel is trying to retreat,” Rykar reported. “They’re running for the hyperspace jump point.”
But before they could, our allies unleashed a volley of plasma blasts that struck the fleeing corporate vessel with imprecise, but effective hits. The ship tumbled out of control, and its crew was forced to eject in escape pods rather than face the total destruction of their ship.
Around us, the remaining enemy vessels were falling back as well. One by one, they disengaged from the battle. A few managed to jumped to hyperspace, but most were stuck to face the consequences of their aggression.
“All enemy vessels have surrendered or withdrawn,” Admiral Rodriguez announced. “Dr. Chen, I am buying you a drink when we convene in the Destran city. Earth forces owe you a debt of gratitude.”
“Oh, thank you, but that’s…not necessary, Admiral,” I replied as a wave of exhaustion threatened to smack me out of my chair. “But I hope you’ll be filing a formal complaint against LunarLink Surveys for their illegal alliance with the Kythera Syndicate.”
“Already on that. Their corporate charter is about to be revoked, and there will be criminal charges filed against their entire board and corporate officers.”
As we settled back toward the Destran city, I felt the Sola’s consciousness wrapping around Rykar and me like a warm embrace. We had fought together, all three of us, and emerged victorious against odds that should have been impossible.
“Maya,” Rykar said softly. His hand found mine as we descended toward the landing area near the other Solas.
Like it or not, we were going to join the others in the city.
I didn’t think she’d balk at letting us out, this time.
“You were amazing. I never want to do it again, but that was incredible.”
“Without your flying, it wouldn’t have happened. We make a good team,” I agreed, feeling a deep satisfaction that went beyond just winning a battle. “All three of us.”
TEAM, the Sola put on the screen. Then, also: FAMILY.
“Dr. Chen,” Admiral Rodriguez’s voice came through the comm one more time.
“I have a message for you from the Earth-Lunar Council. Your corporate contract with LunarLink Surveys is hereby declared null and void. Also, after all this is litigated, expect an enormous settlement coming your way. You’re about to be rich. ”
Tears pricked my eyes as the words sank in. I didn’t care about the credits. I was just happy that it was over. The legal battles, the corporate claims, the threat of being forced to return to Earth against my will—all of it was finished.
“Thank you, Admiral,” I managed to say. “That… That’s really good news.”
“It’s the least we can do, Doctor. You’ve earned your freedom, and then some.”
As the communication ended, Rykar pulled me into his arms, and I felt the Sola’s approval washing over both of us through our shared bond. We had faced an impossible situation and emerged not just victorious, but stronger than ever.
“You know,” Rykar said, his voice soft with emotion. “The moment you became my mate, you officially became a Destran citizen. You will be expected to learn the language, but other than that, how does it feel?”
“It feels like coming home,” I replied, settling against his chest as the Sola’s consciousness embraced us both. “It feels like the beginning of something amazing.”
Through the transparent hull section, I could see the seven rooted Solas in the city below.
Their bioluminescent patterns pulsed in what looked like celebration.
The Earth fleet was moving into protective formation around the settlement, no longer as reluctant allies but as genuine partners in an unprecedented alliance.
And in the space around us, the Sola continued her gentle descent toward the ground, ready to take her place among the other living ships that called this place home. Not as a prisoner or a resource to be exploited, but as a free consciousness choosing her own destiny.
“So what happens now?” I asked, as we prepared to rejoin the community that had welcomed us both.
“Now,” Rykar said, his smile bright with possibility, “we build something new. Together. All three of us.”
The future stretched out before us, uncertain but full of potential. And for the first time in my life, I knew exactly where I belonged.