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“Nevarch Dromm, Nallatrum,” Alvon Gargarm, the DDCSA, said, “Jeck is taking the Dawnstrider in. We’ll do this.”
Shi’tra considered that. He looked at the scopes and saw where the Dawnstrider was.
Then he noted where the Ravusqan Raider was. They were much closer.
The Dawnstrider would have to cross a lot of space, and potentially deal with lots of Ditufgne starships, to get to the ring-ships. The Ravusqan Raider could do it faster and with less potential resistance.
Noble was not a term Shi’tra would ever have considered for himself. But he had just watched the world of his birth get banished to the void between galaxies. It may not have been his home since long ago, but billions of his kin were gone forever. If he could spare anyone else from that, he would.
“Kyyl,” Shi’tra asked, “do you understand what the Xorcerizts have said about overloading the Multi-Phasic Universal Source Shield Generator?”
“Yes,” Kyyl replied without hesitation.
Shi’tra took a deep breath, then asked, “Can you do it?”
“I wondered what would happen if that were engaged,” Kyyl replied. “I can do it.”
Without a word to the rest of his crew, Shi’tra sent out a transmission. “No, Dawnstrider. This is not the end of your story.”
He felt the eyes of his crew, his family, turning to look at him. There, in the middle of the largest battle the galaxy had ever witnessed, they had to pause.
“Shi’tra?” her heard Jeck Murtsharn, Captain of the Dawnstrider, transmit.
“The Ravusqan Raider is closer than you are. We heard what the Xoercerizts need us to do, and our engineer has it worked out. We’ve got this.”
Shitra ended the transmission and said, “Hakk, fly us to the center of the collapsing ring-ships.”
“You never cease to amaze me, Shi’tra Juukamn,” stated Gek Guv Geq. “I knew you had a noble streak in you and that it might be the death of me. I thought to myself when we first met, does this Ravusq have what it takes to commit piracy? Then, you proved you did, and I found myself following you across the galaxy. But I was right. That damned noble streak within you will be the death of me.”
Turning to look at Gek Guv Geq, Shi’tra saw him grinning. “But I suppose, as noble deaths go, dying in the service of saving the entire galaxy is one for the history books.”
Shi’tra knew Gek Guv Geq had a softer side he rarely shared, and there it was.
“This is okay,” stated Roy. “I am good with this. This is right.”
“Yes, it is,” said Rhi. “I know death was always close at hand, no matter how good we were. But this is the best way to go I could possibly imagine, with all of you at my side.”
“Hakk,” Kaeri said, “I hope you know just how much I love you and how amazing my life has been since you became a part of it. Thank you.”
“I love you too, Kaeri Oratti,” replied Hakk.
“I cannot state what an incredible honor it has been to be a part of this family,” said Tvi’pra. “You are the people I love the most, and this will be the most amazing thing we could ever do together.”
“You are all a bunch of damned fools,” said Kyyl. “And I am the biggest fool of the lot of you because I love you all. It has been an honor and a privilege.”
Kyyl arose from his station and headed aft toward engineering and the Multi-Phasic Universal Source Shield Generator.
Shi’tra glanced at the screens as Hakk altered course, doing his damndest to dodge the Ditufgne between them and the collapsing ring-ships.
“Shi’tra,” Lori said, getting his attention. He turned to her as she continued, “I know that you cannot biologically love me. That’s not part of your make-up. Ravusq lack the emotion in the same way Humans carry it. But I love you.”
Shi’tra leaned in towards her, their foreheads touching. “We’ve been together longer, Lori Bradeau, than I was with Kdi’wra Jaalimn. Maybe I do not experience love in the same manner as you, but I believe that I love you, too.”
They kissed and then separated.
Shi’tra looked at the monitors around his station. Tvi’pra was firing their guns at any Ditufgne that approached. But as they neared the ring-ships, a mass of starfighters, freighters, and warships were putting themselves between the Ravusqan Raider and the Ditufgne.
“They’re throwing everything they’ve got at us,” said Lori.
Hakk flew with calm precision. Shi’tra knew his pilot would not fail. The Ravusqan Raider shifted course but never wavered from their target.
“Ravusqan Raider,” Shi’tra heard Jeck Murtsharn transmit. “Good luck. Thank you.”
That was enough. Shi’tra knew the decision was right.
The Ditufgne were attempting to overwhelm the ships protecting the Ravusqan Raider. But they were themselves being overwhelmed. Though IITA and Xorcerizt starships were most effective against the Ditufgne, everyone close was getting in the way of them, helping assure that the Ravusqan Raider made it through.
Shi’tra saw the collapsing ring-ships ahead. The Ravusqan Raider was coming in from aft and would soon be between them. Energies like lightning played across the ships and formed some sort of opaque residual portal. It was beautiful, but it would not be long before they could not fit in that space.
“Ten seconds,” called Hakk.
“Kyyl,” Shi’tra signaled to engineering.
“Ready,” Kyyl replied.
Shi’tra looked about at his crew, his family. No, noble was not a term he would apply to himself, nor Lori, Gek Guv Geq, Hakk, Kaeri, Tvi’pra, Roy, Rhi, or Kyyl. But noble was the nature of this one final act they would perform together.
“Three,” Hakk called out as Shi’tra watched the opaque energy get nearer and nearer. “Two...one.”
“Hit it, Kyyl.”