Rashad stopped them at a simple reinforced hatch, one of only a few with a security panel connected to it. “Welcome to Wraith’s bridge, Captain Strickland,” he said, using his thumbprint to open the hatch. “Of course, I’ll provide you and your crew relevant access permissions to all of the doors.”

  “No,” Keira replied. “We don’t want to leave any traces on the ship, and that includes biometrics for the secured areas. Do we, Captain?”

  “We do not,” Soren agreed. “Can you have the protocols fully disabled?”

  “I can, but⁠—“

  “Let’s do that,” Soren interrupted. “I trust all of these people with my life.”

  “Of course, Captain. Care to look around?” He led Soren and the others onto the bridge. Compared to the last starship he had commanded, Soren found Wraith’s sleek consoles and holographic displays a thing of true beauty.

  “The upgraded interfaces will provide unparalleled control, and the latest generation projector, combined with updated sensor arrays, provide better situational awareness than you could have dreamed of back in the day, Captain.”

  “I’m already impressed,” Soren replied.

  "She's got teeth, too," Rashad said, using the command station to bring up a schematic of the ship's armaments on its tabletop surface display. "Railguns, missiles. Oh, and a prototype beam weapon which also needs some testing. Her shields are also state of the art, designed to take a pounding. The ship was designed with your prowess in mind, Captain, and to survive a prolonged standoff against multiple enemy destroyers at once.”

  Soren ran a hand along the command chair, feeling the supple textile beneath his fingers. This was a ship built for war when war seemed so far away to so many. A ship the Navy didn’t want to exist because it spoke to a future they didn’t want to see.

  Their loss was his gain.

  He turned to Rashad, his decision made. "I'll take her."

  CHAPTER 11

  “Then she’s all yours, Captain.” Rashad sounded exceptionally pleased.. “She’s a fine ship, or will be once everything’s installed and all the checks are completed.” He reached into the pocket of his uniform, lifting out a handful of small, silver discs. “I brought these along in anticipation of your acceptance.”

  He passed one to Soren, who held it between his thumb and forefinger. “What is this?” he asked.

  “A comms device,’ Rashad replied. “Touch the back of it to your tongue and then press it to the side of your head, behind your ear, against your skull.”

  Soren marveled at the small disc. The last time he had used a comms device, it fit into his ear like a hearing aid. This one was barely ten millimeters in diameter, hardly large enough for a battery, let alone a speaker, microphone, antennas, and processing unit.

  “More experimental tech?” he asked.

  Rashad paused while passing the devices to the rest of the crew. “Sort of. They came out of our research and development department, and are already in use by Special Forces ahead of a wider roll-out. They use bone conduction to transfer sound and body heat for power. Ten broadcast channels. Channel zero sends transmissions across all the frequencies. Tap your molars together on the comm side once to activate, twice to change the channel, three times to disconnect. Grind to adjust the volume. Simple.”

  “Won’t these things go nuts when we eat?” Wilf asked, turning his fingers questioningly toward Rashad. The station commander looked at Wilf’s hands in confusion.

  “Uh…no. The AI in the signal processing unit can tell the difference between intentional and unintentional activations with ninety-eight percent accuracy.”

  “Cool,” Wilf said.

  “What’s the range of these things?” Ethan asked, examining it more closely than Soren had.

  “Fifty kilometers with no interference,” Rashad replied. “Five kilometers or so in confines like these. But the devices form a mesh network, so you can extend the range by placing units at regular intervals, like breadcrumbs.” He held up his handful of the devices. “I’ll leave the surplus with you, too.”

  Soren wet the device with his tongue and stuck it behind his ear while Rashad passed the rest out to the crew. He tapped his molars together to test it.

  “Channel zero,” the device announced, the sound seeming to come from inside his mind rather than his right ear.

  “Testing,” Soren said. “Do you copy?”

  “Loud and clear, Captain,” Ethan said.

  Satisfied, Soren tapped three times.

  “Power off,” the device reported.

  Rashad returned to where he and Jack stood. He put one of the comms devices behind his own ear. “I’m going to call the station crew to the chow hall for an all-hands meeting. I’ll go over station reports, and Admiral Harper will explain that a skeleton crew has arrived to bring Wraith to Ganymede Station for breaking and salvage. That's your window to load as many supplies as you can onto the ship.”

  Soren nodded, his mind racing. "We'll need food, water, equipment, anything we can get our hands on."

  “Of course, I’ve already planned ahead for that as well,” Rashad said, retrieving his DA from his pocket and unfolding it. A couple of taps brought up a map of the station. He placed it on the command station’s surface display.

  “Everyone, huddle up,” Soren said. The crew moved in around them to look at the map, and Rashad went over how to get to the supplies they needed for the ship.

  When he had finished, Soren straightened, his voice ringing with authority. "Ethan, take Tashi, Wilf, and Lina. Gather whatever equipment you think you’ll need to make repairs, especially to critical systems. We’ll also need cleaning supplies, tools, and spare parts. Anything you think might come in handy."

  Ethan snapped a salute. "Aye, sir. What about the items on the construction list? I assume those take priority?”

  “Most of what you need to complete the unfinished line items should already be on board,” Rashad said. “I would suggest focusing primarily on processing modules, circuit boards, and electrical components.”

  “Agreed,” Ethan said.

  “Keira, Bobby, Alejandro," Soren continued, "you're on ammunition detail. Grab as much as you can, as fast as you can."

  The three nodded, their faces set with determination.

  "The rest of you," Soren said, "you're with me and Harry. We'll handle sundries, rations, and medical supplies."

  “Aye, Captain,” they replied.

  “Give me five minutes to gather the station crew,” Rashad said. “I’ll ping you when you’re clear to raid the pantry, as it were.”

  “Thank you again, Commander,” Soren said. “For everything.”

  “It’s my pleasure, Captain Strickland. And my honor.” He hurried off the bridge.

  The teams split apart, each leader reviewing what they would prioritize to load onto the ship. Soren left Harry to organize his team, trusting him to have a better idea of what supplies they needed.

  “Captain,” Rashad said over the comms a few minutes later. “You’re clear to move out.”

  “Attention!” Soren barked, drawing the crew’s attention. “It’s go time, people. You know what to do. Get it done!”

  With their orders given, the crew scattered, each group racing to their assigned tasks. The station's corridors echoed with the pounding of boots, the soft buzz of hovercarts, and the rumble of pallet loaders as they hustled back and forth, filling the Wraith with everything they could lay their hands on.

  In the ship's main hangar bay, a motley assortment of crates, boxes, and containers began to pile up, stacked haphazardly in the rush to get everything on board. Entering the bay for the first time, Soren noted with satisfaction the dozen sleek attack drones nestled in their berths along the bulkheads, ready and waiting for action.

  The minutes ticked by way too quickly for Soren’s liking. As sweat poured down the crew’s faces, Soren knew their muscles had to be burning from exertion, but no one slowed. And no one complained. They all knew what was at stake.

  As the hour mark approached, Rashad's comm crackled to life. “Captain,” he said, his voice quiet and tense, "the meeting's wrapping up. You need to clear your crew from the station, asap.”

  Soren activated his comms on channel zero. "All hands, this is the captain. Last call. Finish your final load and get back to the ship. We're out of time."

  A chorus of acknowledgments came back, and within moments, the crew was streaming back onto the Wraith, carts laden with last-minute grabs.

  “All hands are accounted for, Captain,” Mark announced as Soren returned with his group. He remained outside the umbilical, waiting for Jack, knowing his old friend would return to say goodbye.

  He wasn’t disappointed. Jack hurried down the passageway to the airlock, stopping in front of Soren. “How’d I do, Captain?” he asked with a grin.

  Soren clasped Jack's hand, emotion thick in his voice. "Jack, I can't even begin to thank you enough for everything you've done. This is more than I ever expected, and I’m beyond grateful. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

  Jack raised his eyebrows, still grinning, though a serious light was in his eyes. "You can repay me by letting me come with you."

  Soren blinked, taken aback. "Jack, no offense, but I don’t know how that would work. You're an admiral. I'm only a captain. But this is my mission. My daughter. I need to be in charge of it."

  Jack waved a hand dismissively. "Rank doesn't matter out here, Soren. And we’re all retired anyway. I appreciate your respect, but you’re absolutely right. This is your mission, your command. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would, however, be honored to serve as your XO."

  Soren hesitated, torn. "What about your family? If something happens to you out there..."

  “I already told Emily I was joining your crew,” Jack assured him. “She wasn’t thrilled, but she understood. In any case, I told the station crew that I’m here to take the Wraith to Ganymede Station. It would be awkward if I left on the transport instead, wouldn’t it?”

  A grin to match Jack’s spread across Soren’s face. "In that case, welcome aboard.”

  Together, they boarded the Wraith, the airlock sealing behind them with a definitive hiss. When they reached the bridge, the crew were already at their stations, faces flushed but eyes bright with excitement and purpose.

  "Captain on the bridge!" Ethan announced, and everyone straightened just a bit more.

  Soren waved them off as he took his seat. Jack remained standing beside him.

  “A…Admiral,” When Ethan noticed him, he began stammering an apology.. “I…I didn’t expect⁠—”

  “Relax, Ethan,” Jack said. “To be clear to all of you, this is Soren’s command. I’ll be serving as his XO for the duration.”

  “Of course, sir,” Ethan replied.

  "As you were,” Soren said. The crew members sat down, turning to their stations. “Well done, all of you. "

  "Captain," Samira called from the communications station, a frown on her face. “The comms system isn’t operational. I can’t even get the screen to light up.”

  Soren nodded, unsurprised. “Understood. Comms were likely at the bottom of the priority list. We'll bump it to the top, but hopefully we won’t need comms right away. No one is supposed to know we’re out here.”

  "Aye, Captain," she replied.

  “Ethan, besides the comms, how do we look?” he asked.

  “All critical systems are nominal, Captain,” he replied, eying his displays. “Reactors online and purring like kittens. Power supply stable. Thrusters ready to light up. We’re good to go, sir.”

  With the ship’s comms down, Soren activated his ear comms. "All hands, this is the captain. Secure for departure and prepare for immediate jump once we're clear of the station."

  Acknowledgments rang out, and a hush of anticipation settled over the bridge.

  “Commander Rashad, we’re ready to cast off,” Soren told the station commander.

  “Aye, Captain. “You’re cleared for launch. Releasing docking clamps now.” The ship shuddered as the station’s grip on the Wraith relaxed. “Good luck out there, Captain. I hope you recover your daughter unharmed.”

  “Thank you, Commander.” Soren nodded to Sang at the helm. "Take us out. Nice and easy."

  Sang grinned, her fingers smooth on the controls. "Aye, Captain. Disengaging the umbilical.” Another, softer shudder as the rigid connector released from the ship’s hatch. “Firing vectoring thrusters.”

  With a shudder, the Wraith slipped free of the station's embrace, gliding sideways into the star-strewn black. Soren felt a thrill run through him as the ship responded smoothly to Sang's touch, like an eager stallion under a skilled rider.

  "We're clear of the station, Captain," Sang reported.

  “Fire main thrusters,” Soren replied. “Five percent.”

  “Aye, Captain. Five percent.”

  The ship continued slipping starboard as the mains began pushing from behind.

  “Cut thrust,” Soren announced a minute later, allowing the Wraith to drift further and further from the station.

  “Captain, we’re clear of the station,” Bobby announced. “Free to jump on your order."

  “Sang, all stop.”

  “Aye, Captain,” she replied. Rather than turn Wraith over to let the mains bring them to a stop, she fired reverse thrusters, allowing the ship’s computers to calculate the burn that would bring them to a nearly complete stop.

  “Bobby, plot a course for the Wolf 1061 system. But keep us well clear of the planet’s orbit. If there are Navy ships in the area, I don't want to pop up on their sensors before we can test the cloaking system.”

  Bobby nodded, already entering commands on his console. "Aye, Captain. Standby.” He finished tapping, leaving the bridge in total silence while the navigation computer ran its algorithms. “Course plotted and locked in, ready to jump.”

  Soren settled back in his seat, a sense of rightness settling over him. This was where he belonged, on the bridge of a starship, with a mission ahead and a crew at his back.

  “Execute jump," he ordered.

  “Executing,” Bobby announced, tapping his console.

  The bridge lights dimmed, but nothing else happened. Bobby tapped again, with the same result.

  “Ethan?” Soren asked.

  “I’m not getting any error reports, Captain,” Ethan replied. “But obviously, there’s a problem somewhere. We may not be as space worthy as we thought.”

  Soren leaned back in his seat. He had been through too much to let this setback rattle him. “You know what to do, Mr. Kaine.”

  “Aye, Captain,” Ethan said, rising from his station and hurrying off the bridge. He activated his comms as he left. “Lina, Tashi, I’ll meet you in engineering. We have a cranky jump drive to diagnose.”

  A heavy silence fell over the bridge.

  “Maybe this is a good omen,” Jack said, quickly breaking the silence.

  “It did rain on my wedding day,” Soren agreed.

  A flash of light drew his eyes to the primary viewscreen.

  “Captain,” Mark said, eyes glued to his sensor grid, “we have company.”

  CHAPTER 12

  Soren stared at the viewscreen, his eyes narrowing as the first flash of light heralded the arrival of an unknown ship. His heart sank as four more flashes followed in quick succession, a small fleet of Valkyrie-class corvettes materializing in the void surrounding the station.

  Before anyone could react, three of the Valkyries opened fire, dozens of missiles streaking from their launch tubes and rocketing toward the defenseless station. The other two ships swung around, accelerating towards the Wraith with clear intent.

  "Evasive action!" Soren barked, his voice cutting through the stunned silence on the bridge. "Sang, get us out of here. All hands, this is the captain. Red alert! Battle stations!”

  Jack broke from his position beside the command chair, hurrying to a jump seat and strapping himself in as the ship shuddered under Sang's control. Thrusters fired in rapid bursts to dodge the incoming fire, and the quick changes in inertia were like riding storm-tossed seas.

  "Captain," Mark called out, his face pale, "What about our weapons?"

  Soren remained calm, years of training and experience returning to him at a moment’s notice. Panic would only get them killed. “Keira, do we have anything to throw at them?”

  There was a tense pause before she replied. “Negative, Captain. The railguns and launch tubes are empty. All the ammunition is still in the hangar bay."

  Soren's stomach dropped. The attack drones would be useless, too, trapped in their berths by the very supplies they had so desperately gathered. They were caught with their pants down, defenseless against the onslaught.

  On the viewscreen, the station crumpled beneath the relentless barrage, huge gouts of debris and atmosphere spilling from the gaping wounds in its hull. Soren's jaw clenched as he watched helplessly, knowing that Rashad and his crew didn’t stand a chance. At least their deaths would be quick.

  The first wave of enemy missiles slammed into the Wraith's shields, the energy barrier flaring brightly as it absorbed the impact.

  "Shields holding," Mark reported, his voice tight.

  “Put the grid over the barrel,” Soren ordered. “I want to see what we’re dealing with.”

  “Aye, Captain,” Mark replied, activating the projection.

  The sensor display showed the two original Valkyries trying to pinch them from either flank while a third had broken from the station and was trying to sneak over the top of them. It was a sneaky maneuver, one not every starship captain would notice long before it fully developed.

  To Soren, it stood out clear as day. And without any offensive capabilities, it still meant trouble.

  "Ethan," he called over personal comms, "status on the jump drive?"

  There was a moment of silence, then Ethan's strained reply. "We're working on it, Captain, but I can't give you an ETA. All I can tell you is that the drive isn’t connected to anything. Don’t ask me where the power went that caused the lights to dim, though.”