Chapter 28 Roxi
The new CSP bases concern me, but it’s no surprise that they decided to change their security systems, weapons, and shields while removing themselves from the resistance.
I’ve got their information on the stolen CSP tablet, some from Crezlith, and the rest out of Joey.
What we don’t have is all the information on how Solcrue are building their fleet so fast.
They always replaced ships as fast as they were destroyed.
I know by the numbers they etch on each vessel.
Solcrue are very orderly. They have to be when so many soldiers die.
There must be a consistency of operation because knowledge is not going to get passed on or updated regularly, like it is with Titans.
After I’ve given Chasm, Savage, and their lead Relic and Rogue teams all the information I can, they enter discussions around the schematic table, moving blue windows of information until we have planned missions for each task and designated teams that will tackle the problems.
“We need to scavenge and eliminate these new CSP bases, rescue the CyberGuards from Nulzo and Plutoas, and a lot of other things,” Chasm says.
“But we really need a place to safely offload some civilians. We cannot go into battle this heavy with non-combatants. Children on a battleship is unacceptable. I do not want families on board if we have a catastrophic failure. The future will be lost.”
Lenarro, who has needed extensive repairs to his body after capturing Joey, lifts his good hand from where he sits in the corner behind me. “I might know a place.”
“Can you show us?” Savage asks.
Fracture gets under Lenarro’s good arm and assists him upright and to the table. Lenarro limps the whole way. I know he has to be in immense pain to display any of it on his face, and he’s barely holding himself together.
“There's an abandoned spaceport in the Deep Black between Solcrue and Balshion systems. It could easily house everyone on Aegis, Centurion, and BlazeStar.
“You sound hesitant.” I turn toward him. “Solcrue territory?”
Lenarro laughs nervously. “No. Iridithatium is out there, but it isn’t what makes even Solcrue stay away.
There is only one person who lives there, and she is crazy.
Like…she thinks she sees ghosts and can talk to the dead.
Super paranoid, so there’s a massive minefield around the port.
And basically the whole place is booby-trapped. ”
“Then why mention it if it isn’t a good option?” Chasm asks.
“Oh, it is. It’s viable. She spends most of her time repairing it. And we can trust her.” Lenarro grimaces. “She just doesn’t like me.”
“Not many do,” Relic Fury grumbles. “You hurt Tumble.”
“That was Joey.” Lenarro steals a glance at me like he feels he needs some backup. “She’ll help us. Astelle…is my cousin.”
“The NanoTech?” I ask.
Lenarro draws in a shallow breath with some effort. “Our family was…involved in the rebellion more than I admit because it is what has kept us safe.
“Grey style, I like it,” Esthi says.
Chasm thinks for a moment. “We could use one of those. And a place where Solcrue won’t want to attempt to steal our civilians and take them as anajas and workers for mines.”
Lenarro runs a hand over the back of his neck. “The trick is going to be getting there without getting blown up. Accessing Desolation is going to require a fast ship and a lot of patience.”
“Two things you’re great at.” I pat his back.
He frowns in mock annoyance at me. “Only one.”
“You’ll figure it out.”
Lenarro enters the location in the schematic display. “ETA is two days.”
“Alright, let's set a course,” Chasm says. “The sooner we have a safe place for our civilians, the sooner we can return to full-scale assault status.”
“Cool if I go lay down in the medbay again?” Lenarro asks Chasm. “I’m happy to give you everything I can. But I am not in vertical shape.”
Chasm nods.
“I gotcha, bro.” Castor guides his blue-swirled black body under Lenarro’s shoulder. “So tell me about how your crazy cousin ended up on Desolation.”
A hand moves around my waist. “Looks like we have some time.”
Fracture’s voice in my ear carries an additional, deeper vibration when he’s in his Obsidian form.
“Why are you in stealth mode?” I ask.
He guides me out of the room as our group disperses. Obsidian encourages me toward a residential area and the private resting rooms for Titans. He nibbles my neck, sending a wave of goosebumps over my skin. “Because of the things I want to do to you.”
Red lights flash above the doorways, making everyone stop. An alert warbles through the ship.
“Damn it,” Obsidian grumbles.
“Aegis 189, this is CP Lotus. Mothership Tarskus coming in range. Fighters unloading, Aggressive formation advancing fast. They are demanding the return of CSP & Solcrue vessels.”
Chasm>>Local: Denied.
Chasm>>Local: Sending coordinates for new meet-up. Defensive Response Squadron, shield-up. We do not have the numbers for a full-scale battle with Tarskus! Commander Savage, please confirm.
Commander Savage>>Local: Confirmed.
Fracture looks around at his brothers who leave to gear up in the launch rooms and climb into Rogue Fleet ships. Engines hum as they power up. Sealscreens pop to life as hangar doors open.
“You feel up to it?” I ask as Chasm’s coordinates for Desolation load in my vision.
He shakes his head. “I don’t know, but I can’t stand the idea of other brothers decommissioning when I don’t even try.”
“I’ll be out there with you,” I tell him.
“No.”
“Don’t fight me. You’ll lose.” I gently rub a finger over the killswitch in his side.
“You wouldn’t.”
“Don’t make me.” I grab a rifle from the rack in the hangar. “Your Brothers are as much mine. I fight with my family, not hide behind their shield.”
“Roxi!” Esthi throws a tech harness at me with a built-in tablet. “CSP hid the good stuff from us. Glad you snatched up Flamberge!”
I am too. And it’s why I want to get the enemy off our tail.
Commander Savage stops when he sees me sling the harness around my body and buckle it. “Creator… Commander of Titan Security… You must remain safe.”
“Savage, the Creators you need are on this ship. They can bring your Brothers and Sisters back. I cannot. It has always been my job to protect them and you. I was a guard before I was ever a Creator.” I check my ammo and rack in a live round, then flip the safety switch on with my thumb.
“I could force you to comply, but I’d rather it be your choice. ”
Commander Savage doesn’t stop me as I pass him, heading toward my docked Rebel ship, a modified SunFlux that’s more of a Fuck It now than anything. But she’ll rip across the sky and outmaneuver a Skysprinter any day.
Obsidian, now armed, motions toward a different ship. “I’m assigned the Fuck It Two.”
He looks around, steps toward me, grabs my harness, tugs me against his body, and kisses me hard until I am breathless beneath the sensual caress of his smooth lips.
He nuzzles my nose. “Now you can go.”
I smile up at him. “Come back to me.”
“You do the same.”
He hustles to the ramp of the FI-2 and disappears into a ship with other Titans as I climb into mine, belt in, and bring my ship online.
“Tarskus…” I’m eager to give General Devian’s fleet a long overdue middle finger from us for taking out the most legionnaires of any Solcruean division.
My screens light up blue, and my engines thrum with perfect synchronization as I join Rogue Fleet in the darkness.
They cannot be allowed to harm our last Creators. And as I watch the brave Titans form a wall between Torskus’ massive approaching fleet and Rogue’s retreating one, I fear we may not be enough this time.
Creator Roxi>>Fracture: Do you copy?
Fracture>>Creator Roxi: I copy.
I eye the lead ships. Solcrue love to use one of their best ships to cut in the path that breaks up our defense fleet, like a diamond-tipped blade.
Creator Roxi>> Fracture: We need to end this quickly. I have an idea.