“Hang on!” Gracie gritted out between clenched teeth as she weaved in and out between incoming fighters.
Ladara gasped as she saw the huge doors beginning to close. “Gracie, faster.” Ladara said urgently from behind her.
“Keep your shorts on. I’m doing the best I can without getting us killed.” Gracie muttered as she jerked on the control stick. “This is just like playing video games back home.” Gracie joked half-heartedly.
Gracie pulled up and increased speed. Behind her she could hear Ladara saying they weren’t going to make it, they weren’t going to make it. Gracie was determined they were going to not only make it out of the ship but she was going to make it back into Kordon’s bed…and never leave it again.
Gracie turned the fighter on its side and scraped through the closing doors with just feet to spare. “Elvis, listen to the fat lady. She is singing her heart out!” Gracie crowed as she pushed the fighter to even greater speed now that she was clear of the mother ship.
Everything seemed to slow down as one minute they were speeding away and the next the percussion hit the fighter from behind as the mother ship exploded. Gracie and Ladara were pushed forward by the force and the power on the fighter flickered on and off as it was pushed forward. Gracie’s last thought was you probably could feel a tree fall in a forest even if you didn’t hear it. God, she thought as darkness descended, Murphy really was on her shit list now.
Chapter 14
Kordon looked over the reports being sent to him. There was minimal damage overall to the Conqueror from the shockwaves. There were a few injuries to some crew members, mostly bruises but a few broken bones and concussions. Bran and Cooraan were working on the damages to some of their systems including minor damage to the engine’s main core which was knocked offline preventing them from going into light speed. It had been almost twelve hours since the battle and it would take another fourteen before the Conqueror was ready to travel.
Thirty-eight fighters were destroyed. Kordon felt the weight of each death on his soul. The fighters were primary Zion warriors and he knew all of them personally. Their death was a time of celebration for they would be accepted into the next life. It was the Zion way. They would be reborn again as warriors for they died in battle.
Kordon stood up and walked over to the viewport. He could still see debris from the mother ship in the distance. Some of the metal seemed to reflect from the lights of the Conqueror when it struck them. He bowed his head in anguish. He did not even know Gracie’s beliefs. In all the archives and in her personal diary she never mentioned if she believed in being reborn after her death. He should have asked her. There was so much he should have asked her. He didn’t know her favorite color or what her favorite foods were. He didn’t know if she would want to live on the Conqueror or if she would be content to live on his home world of Zion in his home there.
Kordon closed his eyes as grief and pain surged through him unlike anything he ever felt before. He clenched his fists and pressed them against the clear material protecting the viewport. He felt like his heart was being torn out of his body as the grief swelled up inside him until he felt like he was going to explode from it. Was this how Gracie felt when she found out everything she knew and everyone she loved was gone? If so, no wonder she tried to end her life. The pain and grief was unbearable.
Kordon didn’t react when the door to his office slid open silently. He knew he wasn’t alone but he no longer cared who needed him. He needed time to get control of his emotions before he faced his crew. This is one time when he knew without a doubt he would not be able to keep the cold, indifferent mask on his face.
“Sir.” Mohan said softly from behind him. “Sir. I am getting a signal. It is very faint but I believe it is from Gracie.”
Kordon turned slowly and looked at Mohan who stood before him. She was wearing the same dirty clothes from when she was taken on the dome moon. Her eyes were red from crying and her fur seemed dull. Quan stood next to her with his arm around her waist. From the way her body leaned into his, it was probably the only thing keeping her upright.
“Patch it through to my office.” Kordon said wearily.
Mohan nodded before turning. As the door slid open she turned again to look briefly over her shoulder. “She wanted to live. She wanted to come back to you. If it is possible, she will have done so.”
Kordon nodded briefly dismissing Mohan. He knew the damage the Conqueror received was minimal from the shockwaves as the mother ship exploded but it was still damaged. He was under no illusion as to the type of damage a ship the size of the Alluthan supply ship or a fighter would have received. The shockwave would have torn them apart.
Kordon pulled the signal coming through up onto his console. He leaned back for a minute and listened. It took a moment for him to finally narrow in on it. At first, he thought it could have been just a distortion the Conqueror was picking from debris still hitting its shields. Leaning forward, he pressed several commands, increasing the volume and filtering the signal. It took several adjustments before he heard a faint voice through all the static and other noises.
“This is Gracie reaching out to the Conqueror. Can you hear me? Please! Kordon, I need you to come for me. This is Gracie reaching out to the Conqueror. Kordon, if you hear this Ladara and I are in an Alluthan fighter. The power has failed. Life support is at a minimum. We are using the power from the suits to help keep us alive. Please, help us.” The signal was fading. “I can’t use any more of the power in my suit. I only have about fifteen maybe twenty minutes left. Kordon, please help us. This is Gracie. I love you, Kordon. Goodbye.” The last words were said on a faint sob.
Kordon surged out of his chair practically running for the door. Once on the bridge he began issue orders. Kordon told Mohan to send out a return signal letting Gracie know he was coming for her. Kordon looked at Quan who was already nodding his head and following him. Bran met them down in the landing bay.
“I have the sensors set for maximum. If there are any life forms alive, it will pick it up.” Bran said as he handed Kordon a flight suit.
Cooraan was already suited up and climbing into one of the huge transport ships. It was large enough to transport and retrieve any of their fighters and was designed for rescue missions such as this. Quan would take one of their fighters and scan the area and Kordon would take another. Once they found Gracie, Cooraan would come in and scoop her up – fighter and all.
“We have ten, maybe fifteen minutes to find her. I want her brought home alive.” Kordon said fiercely as he climbed up into the cockpit of one of fighters.
“I’ll be scanning from the Conqueror.” Bran assured him as he moved back behind the protective shield.
Kordon went out first, followed closely by Quan and Cooraan. He set the scanner and moved quickly until he was in the debris field left over from the mother ship. He cursed loudly when he saw the amount of debris floating like ghosts in the inky blackness of space.
“Nothing yet.” Quan’s voice came out over the comlink. “I’ll take the starboard side. Cooraan you better take the outer rim. There are a lot of pieces floating out here.”
“Thanks for letting me know something I couldn’t see for myself.” Cooraan responded sarcastically.
“Bran, do you have anything?” Kordon asked tersely.
“Nothing yet…hold on.” Bran’s voice faded. “I’m sending you the following coordinates. I’m picking up a faint signal.”
Kordon watched as the information came over his screen. He touched the pad and moved towards the coordinates Bran gave him. A part of him felt the faint stirrings of hope while another part dreaded not finding what he was hoping for. As he by-passed a piece of debris twice the size of his fighter, his scanner suddenly lit up. He gingerly maneuvered his fighter around it. In front of him was an intact Alluthan fighter. He could barely make out the two figures in the cockpit. He brought his fighter as close as he could safely and fired the towline. The magnetic clamps connected to
the front of the fighter. The figure in the front turned as it connected and looked out the viewport. A small hand came up and splayed across the clear protective surface for just a moment before it disappeared and the head of the figure slump forward.
“Cooraan, get your ass in here. I have them but they are in bad shape.” Kordon growled out into the comlink.
“Right behind you, Kordon. Keep them steady while I get the lock on them.” Cooraan said as he pulled the larger transport ship up behind the fighter. “Release your towline.”
Kordon press the release and watched as it floated briefly before it started to retract back into the fighter. Cooraan had the hooks into the wings of the Alluthan fighter and Kordon watched in grim silence as it was pulled into the holding bay. Once it was in, Cooraan would fill the bay with oxygen. Kordon waited impatiently until the heavy doors of the transport finally sealed and Cooraan came on to inform him he was pulling out.
In seemed an eternity until they were able to safely get out of the mine field of debris. It was as slow coming out as it was going in but to Kordon it seemed as if time itself stood still. He quickly maneuvered his fighter back to the Conqueror landing bay once he was clear.
“Get Toolas in the landing bay with an emergency medical team immediately.” Kordon growled out to the landing bay officer. “Tell her to expect the worse.”
Kordon bit back an expletive. He knew what the smears on the side of the fighter were. He had seen them often enough in his battles. One of the women were injured - and badly. His fear escalated when he saw the speed at which Cooraan was coming in. He wouldn’t do this unless his sensors inside were indicating an emergency.
Chapter 15
Gracie let her head fall back simply because she no longer had the strength to hold it up. She was freezing, could hardly breath as the oxygen levels were dropping dramatically, and weak from blood lost. The tears in her suit were hindering the suits capability to keep her warm. Ladara raised a weak hand and laid it on Gracie’s shoulder when Mohan’s faint voice urgently repeated that help was on the way.
You did it, Gracie. Ladara sent the message across the screen from behind her. You brought everyone home like you said you would.
Gracie was too tired to respond. One slow tear coursed down her cheek when she heard Mohan’s voice. Kordon would know she had tried to come back to him. She only had a few more minutes of power in the damaged suit. She put the helmet back on to help retain heat and to use the power of the suit to patch into the fighter. It was a huge drain on it but it was the only way she could get the communications back online long enough to send out a SOS. But, it came at a price. It drained her suit and its life support capabilities.
Gracie, your suit level is low. I can see it on the screen in my helmet. You must patch into mine. We will share until they get here. Ladara in alarm.
Not…yet. Gracie sent weakly. I have a little time. Ten minutes, maybe more if I use shallow breaths. I don’t want to drain you as well.
Ladara leaned forward and placed her hand on Gracie’s uninjured shoulder. You must promise to connect to me before you run out. If you do not, I will try. Ladara sent across Gracie’s helmet.
Gracie let her head move in a weak nod of agreement. She just needed to hang on for a little while longer. Shivers shook her body as it attempted to keep warm. Every violent shake sent waves of pain through her as her injured arm and leg protested the movement. Luckily, she thought as her vision became fuzzy, it seemed like the bleeding had stopped or at least slowed down.
What seemed like hours later, Gracie’s head jerked when she a thump on the outside of the fighter. She was down to less than two minutes of air and the helmet was flashing a warning. Gracie turned her head slowly and looked out through the clear viewport window of the fighter. About twenty-five feet away was one of the Conqueror’s fighters. Gracie couldn’t make out for sure who was in the pilot seat but everything in her body was screaming it was Kordon. He had come for her. Gracie weakly raised her uninjured arm and splayed her hand on the window to let him know she knew he was near. That last bit of effort was more than her body could handle. Gracie’s vision went dark and she slumped forward as the last of her oxygen ran out.
Dreams were often a strange and wonderful thing, Gracie thought vaguely as she drifted in a warm cocoon of darkness. Flashes of light, strange and familiar voices, strong arms, and a deep voice threatening to whip her ass if she gave up floated through her mind as she drifted between wakefulness life and death. Perhaps death wasn’t so bad, Gracie thought. A deep growl and firm hands on her face told her she must have said that aloud.
“Death is not better. Do you hear me, Gracie? Death is not an option. You will fight. You will live.” Kordon growled out hoarsely.
Gracie could feel his hot breath against her cheek as he leaned close to her ear. She couldn’t seem to get any more words out so she just squeezed the hand holding her uninjured one. She would fight. This one last time, she would fight. Then she was going to sleep for a very, very long time. A frown ceased her forehead. Why was she so tired? The thought faded as fingers gently caressed her forehead until the frown was gone. The touch felt so good Gracie couldn’t help but try to lean into it.
“Admiral, I need to get her to medical as soon as possible.” A light feminine voice said. “I have her stable for now but she needs additional healing that I cannot do here.”
Kordon nodded and reluctantly released Gracie’s hand as the medical staff began moving Gracie out of the triage set up in the landing bay. Kordon stiffened when Gracie made a slight whimpering sound at the loss of his touch. One of the other medical staff was checking Ladara over to make sure she wasn’t hurt.
Kordon paused when he felt the light touch on his arm. Turning, he looked at Ladara. “She is an extraordinary woman. I hope she will be alright.”
Kordon nodded briefly. “She will be. See that she is given quarters, food, and fresh clothing.” Kordon ordered to the medical technician before he turned to leave.
“Bran, you have the bridge. I will be in medical should you need me. Send me the reports on the ship as soon as it is done and plan a course for Paulus.” Kordon ordered as the lift opened and he stepped in.
“We should be finished in another ten hours. I’ll get the reports to you immediately. I also have the data collected from the Alluthan mother ship that we were able to download before it exploded. If not for Gracie’s understanding of their programming, we wouldn’t have gotten so much. I am still analyzing their weapons and engineering. Cooraan sent Toolas the information on their organic DNA and he is reviewing the robotic part of them. We will get you the preliminary report as soon as we can.” Bran said as the lift opened onto the level containing the medical unit.
Kordon nodded. His mind was not on the Conqueror or even the Alluthans any longer. It was focused solely on Gracie. He knew he needn’t worry about the Conqueror. They could run the warship without him for a little while. That was why he chose the crew he had.
Three days later, Gracie’s brain finally decided it had enough sleep and was ready to wake up. She had been conscious part of the time over the past couple of days but she just didn’t have the strength to respond. It was like her body said enough was enough and it was going to do what it wanted for a little while.
She heard Mohan’s soft voice and felt the soft fur from her hands as she brushed over Gracie’s face or hands when she touched her. In the background, she knew Kordon was there. He never left her except to take care of his personal needs. He always returned within what seemed like minutes. She heard other people coming in and out asking Kordon questions or him giving orders but he was always near enough she could feel the warmth of his skin against hers. She liked it when he talked to her. He told her about growing up on Zion and how beautiful it was. He told her about his home there and how he was going to take her there after she woke up. He said his favorite color was green now because of her eyes. Her lips actually twitched at that. She never would have realize
d the tough exterior of the warrior was a cover for a romantic interior. He was always touching her, either her face or her hands or her hair. It didn’t matter. She loved it and would unconsciously move towards it seeking more.
Gracie forced her eyes to crack open just a little so she could look out from under her eyelashes. The room was dim but she could see the glow from the portable tablet in Kordon’s lap. He was talking with Bran and Cooraan.
“We should reach Paulus by tomorrow afternoon. The council has requested a full report as soon as possible.” Bran was saying.
He was leaning up against the wall near the door. Cooraan was sitting in a chair across from Kordon with his legs stretched out in front of him. Both men appeared relax but Gracie could tell something was wrong.
“What is it?” Kordon asked with a frown.
He had already given a detailed report to the council on the Alluthans. The data they had collected, along with the information from Gracie, would be turned over to the appropriate divisions for further analysis. He would make the expected appearance and leave with Gracie for Zion as soon as possible.