Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Vyk
M y spine stiffened. The admiral must be joking.
He had married a human, and I was well-aware that Earth humor was different than ours. But even humans did not make light of treason, did they?
I shifted my stance and met the admiral’s gaze. Why was he smiling? “I do not understand your humor, Admiral.”
He straightened and clasped his hands behind his back. “I am not attempting humor. I called this private meeting with the Drexians I would most trust to defy Drexian authority with me.”
I frowned. He thought that I, the head of academy security, would agree to defy our High Command? I thought about my failure to defy them when I should have, and my face warmed with fresh shame. If I had learned one thing since coming to the academy it was that there were many shades of gray when it came to the school and the cadets.
I had arrived with the belief that humans should not be allowed to train with Drexians, but then they had proven me wrong by surviving the maze trial when some Drexians did not. I had also been sure that females were not suited to our alien academy, but then I had witnessed the aptitude of the Earthlings. I had also been challenged by Fiona, who I had discovered was every bit my equal, if not superior to me in many ways.
“Why do we need to defy Drexian command?” Volten asked before I could recover and do the same.
Admiral Zoran pivoted to face the window and his view of the Restless Sea, which was now nothing but a view into darkness. “Drexian High Command has not authorized a rescue into Kronock space.”
Kann drew in an audible breath. “They will not rescue an abducted human, a female pilot who was taken fighting alongside us?”
The admiral turned back around. “They have determined that it is too big of a risk and that we cannot spare the resources considering the attack and the near-miss by the Sythian swarm.”
“We survived both of those,” Volten said with heat in his voice, “and came out stronger.”
Zoran locked eyes with his half-brother. “I agree. That is why I am telling you that this mission is not authorized, but I am asking that you defy the order and do it anyway.”
“You know my answer.” Tivek crossed his fist over his chest in salute to his commanding officer. It was no surprise that the admiral’s adjunct would agree since the Drexian would follow the admiral through flames.
I might not have served under Zoran for long, but he had shown me more loyalty than I had deserved. He had given me a second chance when others would have cut me loose. He had put his trust in me and his belief in me had allowed me to gain the trust of the rest of the academy. Without him, I would not have ended up with Fiona, and she had changed my life for the good in every possible way.
There was no doubt in my mind that rescuing Sasha was the honorable thing to do, authorization or not. Even if it had not been the right thing, I would have done it for Zoran. I glanced at Volten and thought of Fiona’s best friend. And for Ariana. My throat tightened. And for all the friends I had made at the academy.
I thumped a fist across my chest and snapped my gaze to Zoran. “You have my blade.”
Kann followed suit, thrusting out his chest as he saluted the admiral. “And mine.”
Admiral Zoran drew in a deep breath. “If we are successful, we will all be heroes and our disobedience will be nothing but a footnote.”
He did not have to say what would happen if we failed. Thoughts of death, censure, and banishment flitted through my brain, and I was not sure which I feared most.
Silence hung heavy over our group as we all contemplated the seriousness of our decision. Then Zoran rapped his knuckles on the hard surface of his desk. “New intelligence has come to me through backchannels with Inferno Force. They have been able to pinpoint the last known location of the missing Inferno Force scout.”
Tivek flinched and Zoran held his gaze for a beat.
“They also retrieved an encoded message from him. He was certain he’s located the site that was holding prisoners from the battle with Earth. His plan was to infiltrate it.”
Kann shifted from one foot to the other. “Infiltrate it?”
“He probably got himself thrown in,” Tivek said with an almost imperceptible shake of his head. “That would be his way of infiltrating.”
I looked at Tivek as he spoke. A part of me was still coming to terms with him having a brother in Inferno Force—and the startling revelation that his brother was the warrior missing from the reconnaissance mission. I had barely believed him when he’d told me, and Zoran had had to confirm it before I would give him leave to speak to Kann.
Tivek was so serious and controlled. How could he be related to someone who I had since earned was notorious in Inferno Force for breaking rules and pushing boundaries? To be Inferno Force meant you defied some level of norms. To be considered wild for Inferno Force made even me shake my head.
Volten rocked back on his boots. “Then we are rescuing two?”
Tivek snorted out a laugh, an outburst so unusual for him that we all stared. “My brother will not see it that way. If I know him, he will already be plotting a way out for them—if he hasn’t already attempted it.”
“That is why the mission must be soon.” Zoran gave us a final nod. “I have sent you all the schematics and information you need. Brief your team and make your final preparations.”
I led the way as we walked from the admiral’s office, my head swimming. There was much to do and little time in which to do it.
“Now I’m starving,” Volten said, giving Kann’s back a hard thump. “Dinner?”
His friend nodded, but I shook my head, ignoring the relief on both their faces. “Not tonight.”
As they headed for the staff dining room, I took quick steps to my quarters. As I walked, I went through everything that needed to be done before the mission. The academy needed to be prepared, the security system needed to be reviewed, I needed to assign someone to be in charge of security in my stead.
When I reached my quarters, I rushed inside without looking up. Then I skidded to a stop when I spotted Fiona standing by the fireplace. She wore a robe and her pale hair fell in waves over her shoulders.
She spun around when I entered. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
Before I could tell her where I’d been, or what we needed to do, she untied her robe and slipped it off her shoulders, letting the white fabric pool at her feet. My mouth went dry as she sauntered toward me, completely naked.
Maybe the mission briefing could wait.