Nykyrian whirled, his hand drawing his blaster. Too late. The shot ripped through his shoulder with a painful sear. Returning the fire, Nykyrian watched the soldier crumple.
Alarms blared and flashed all around him. Nykyrian ran full speed, trying to get to his ship before the area was sealed off. The blast shield to the bay rumbled closed. Falling into a roll, Nykyrian barely made it under the heavy steel before the huge door slammed shut with a loud crash.
Unfortunately, he stopped rolling right at Aksel's feet.
"Still predictable," Aksel sneered, clicking back die release of his blaster as he looked at Nykyrian disgustedly. "I knew one day your sense of valor and fair play would be your death."
Nykyrian rose slowly to his feet.
"Kiara's safe," Darling said in his ear. "Detonation in four . . . three . . ."
"You're so disappointing," Aksel said, leveling his blaster at Nykyrian's head.
The gun and dummy charge fired simultaneously. Nykyrian dodged the blaster's shot, then rushed Aksel. Catching Aksel about the waist, he tum bled to the ground. Aksel brought his legs up and kicked Nykyrian back. Aksel threw himself on top of Nykyrian at the same moment Hauk launched his fighter.
Nykyrian took advantage of the distraction and landed a solid fist into Aksel's jaw. With a curse, Aksel reeled backward. Not waiting to see Aksel land. Nykyrian bolted to the Malta. As quickly as he could. Nykyrian climbed up the small manhole underneath the craft.
"Shields up!" Caillen called.
Nykyrian lay on the floor, his shoulder throbbing.
"They're scrambling fighters," Darling warned.
Forcing the pain from his mind, Nykyrian knew he had to launch before they went after Kiara.
Within seconds, he was inside the Arcana, his engines roaring. He launched and flew off in the opposite direction from Hauk.
"Fighters are changing course and heading straight for you. Three remain after Hauk,"
Darling said. "It looks safe for us, we're out of here."
Nykyrian's heart pounded. He knew Jayne could handle three fighters with little trouble, but his scanners glowed almost solid white from the am ount of ships trailing him.
"Surrender!" Aksel's voice snarled through his comlink.
Nykyrian slowed his speed. This was what he had always wanted. A warrior's funeral.
He would die like a man, in a brief burst of light. "I don't think so."
"You're outnumbered," Aksel said. "I have twenty ships after you!"
Nykyrian snorted in bitter amusement. "Do you want me to applaud your math skills?
You have to catch me first, and I don't think you have one pilot capable of it," Nykyrian goaded, knowing Aksel would break away from the squadron and engage him one on one
"Talk about predictable," Nykyrian whispered as Aksel's fighter broke formation and dropped in behind him.
He turned his ship about and prepared for the fight. Kiara would be safe. An icy, calm lucidity descended on him. Aksel shot first.
Nykyrian barely had time to dodge the blast of color that skidded past his ship into the darkness of space. Three more shots were fired in rapid pulses. Nykyrian gripped his shifter, the leather of his gloves creaking.
The other fighters were moving in. He had to destroy Aksel first. Only then would Kiara be safe. Taking the opening, Nykyrian fired his ion canon.
In one brief flash of orange light, Aksel's ship disintegrated. Nykyrian took a deep breath. The rest of the fighters surrounded him .
*
Kiara twitched in Hauk's lap. "We have to go back!" she shouted, her limbs trem bling in fear. "My orders are to get you to safety," he reiterated for the fifth time and for the fifth time, Kiara wanted to choke him.
"Don't you care?"
His hand jerked the throttle, the ship listed sideways in response. "I care more than you can imagine, but I also made a promise to him, and I'd open a vein before I'd break it!"
With another angry jerk, he righted their craft.
Kiara sat back, her tears scalding her cheeks. "He's out there alone," she whispered, feeling sick to her stomach.
"Jayne's gone back for him. He'll be all right."
Kiara heard the doubt underlying his words. She prayed as hard as she could. Nykyrian had to come back, he had to. She blinked in semi-relief as Gouran finally came into view.
"Comm ander Biardi?" Hauk asked.
"Yes." Kiara recognized the worried voice of her father.
"I have Kiara, but I need a squadron of fighters. One of our pilots is in danger. If I send you the coordinates, will you assist us?"
Silence greeted the request.
Kiara's anger built to a dizzying height. "Father, if you love me at all, you will do what he asks."
"Very well."
In unison, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Hauk programmed the information into the com puter. As they neared Gouran's bay, they were passed by a squadron of fighters on their way to help Nykyrian.
Tiarun met them in the hanger after they docked. Kiara threw herself into his arms, grateful for the support, but wishing it was Nykyrian who held her.