want the admiral to know.
“Good. Now, take over Com Desk, I need Eden to command the pilots.”
“Aye, sir!” Brigger ran down a couple of stairs to the Com Desk next to the admiral's station. Eden got out of her seat and stood at attention in front of Admiral Byrd.
The admiral cocked his head. “Eden, what are you doing?”
“Permission to fly, sir.”
Admiral Byrd unfolded his arms and turned his head toward the vid screen, hesitated, then put his hands behind his back. “Request denied.”
Eden took a step forward, her gaze flitting around the room, not settling on anyone, and unsure if her next statement would get her thrown into lockup. Finally, she brought her attention to the admiral. “Admiral. I must! Please.”
He turned, about to speak, but Brigger interrupted. “Weapons lock! We have engaged the enemy.” He smiled at the admiral, and then dropped his gaze back to the HDC. His smile faded as quickly as it came. “Thunderbirds down! Thunderbirds down!”
Commotion rippled through the bridge, and although the admiral's attention was locked entirely on Eden, the voices on the bridge softly echoed into his mind, sounding like people yelling through a wall.
Admiral Byrd wanted to shake his head, but Eden shook her head first, pleading for him to give her a nod and grant her request.
I can't let you go, Eden. I need your expertise, thought the admiral. When the words came out of his mouth, he heard himself say something entirely different. “Get your jump suit on. Command from the air.”
“Excuse me?” asked Eden.
“You heard me. Leave before I change my mind.” He turned, staring back at the vid screen encircling the bridge, placing his hand over his mouth as he combed his lips with his fingers.
She relaxed and bowed her head. She was sure she could help much better from a pilot's point of view versus a command desk. “You won't regret it, sir!”
“You better be right, lieutenant.”
Eden ran out of the door of the bridge just as the admiral turned around to watch her leave, wanting to yell at her to stop, to command the pilots from the bridge. Instead, he watched the door close vertically behind her. He rubbed the back of his neck. His stomach churned. He didn't want his best pilot joining the fight. Eden was too important, too intelligent, and too brave for that.
“Admiral, we are taking heavy losses!” said Brigger.
The Admiral did a quick exhale. “How is the enemy fairing?”
“They are taking losses too, although not many.”
“Give me exacts, Brigger!”
Brigger fumbled in his chair, glaring at the HDC in front of him. “28 of ours... no, now 29 of ours down. Only 12 of theirs, sir!”
The Admiral wanted to drop to the ground, cover his ears, slam his fists into the floor, scream. Holding back, all he managed to do was bite his lip.
“Eden away, sir!” sounded Brigger, letting the Admiral know that Eden had left Brigantia in her Thunderbird and was headed into action.
Captain Stripe left the helm and slowly walked over to the admiral, resting her hand on his shoulder. She whispered, “We need a miracle.”
He could feel her hand shaking as he glanced at it, then at her thick lips, looking anywhere but into her eyes. “That's what I'm hoping for.” He reached his hand into his pocket, feeling the texture of his pendant. Knights Templar, be my miracle. He blinked a couple of times. “Louise, in times like these, act like hope is always on your side, and that a miracle is always on its way, no matter what. It's time to take a giant leap.”
The captain lifted her brow, wondering what that leap might be.
“36 Thunderbirds down, sir, and 17 enemies,” reported Brigger.
Captain Stripe shot a glance at Brigger, then looked back at her admiral. “Suggestions?”
“Let's take Brigantia and Taranis for a ride. We meet head on with those pyramid flying piece of starshits and blow some holes in their asses.”
She crossed her arms and dipped her head. “Indeed.”
Admiral Byrd pointed to Brigger. “Open com link to Taranis.” A crackle came over the link and Admiral Jenkyns' hologram appeared.
“Yes, Fleet Admiral?” Admiral Byrd sensed panic in Jenkyns.
“We move in on the pyramids, full speed ahead.”
Jenkyns paused for a second, clearly calculating strategies in his head. “That doesn't feel like the best option, admiral.”
“Do you have an alternative?”
Again, Jenkyns paused, looking down. “We retreat. We run.”
“Jenkyns, we have four hours until hyperdrives are online and functional. Until then, we can't jump. We have to maintain and fight.”
Jenkyns touched his temple. “Our hyperdrives are functional, sir.”
Admiral Byrd titled his head, knowing what Jenkyn's meant, but asked anyway. “What are you saying?”
“If we move on the pyramids, we are likely to die, although with honor. However, the human race can survive if Taranis jumps. We can give our species a chance.”
Admiral Byrd glanced at Captain Stripe, who gave him a nod. She agreed. He closed his eyes for a moment and placed his hand in his pocket, touching the pendant again. Knights Templar, hear my prayer. I know you're not a myth. I know you must be a part of our history, somewhere. Please come to our aid!
“Ten more birds down!” yelled Brigger.
“Orders, admiral?” asked Jenkyns.
“You are to jump on my mark!”
“And, what about my Thunderbirds, sir?”
Admiral Byrd shook his head. “They stay. If we can last four more hours, we’ll have all birds dock here and we’ll rendezvous with you at your coordinates. If, after approximately five hours we don't show, jump again.” Admiral Byrd glanced at Brigger, making sure he patched coordinates to Taranis.
Brigger pressed several buttons, and then looked up at Admiral Byrd. “Complete, sir.”
Admiral Byrd gripped his pendant. “Admiral Jenkyns, set your time to five hours.”
Jenkyns took a deep breath and crossed his arms, putting two fingers to his brow in a quick salute. “It has been an honor, sir.”
Admiral Byrd took his hand out of his pocket and placed both hands flat on his chest. “And, it will still be an honor when we jump to your coordinates.” Then he stiffened and dropped his arms to his sides. “Jump on my mark, Jenkyns.” The hologram bleeped out. “Five. Four. Three. Two. One—jump!”
Starship Taranis brightened like a small star on the vid screen, and then collapsed into itself, successfully jumping to another space. Admiral Byrd kept his eyes where Taranis had been, observing the remnants of the energy disbursements of a jump, seeing them slowly fade away and wondered if this would be the last time he’d ever see energy remnants again. Then he yelled, “Full speed ahead!”
∞