The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) - Dianne Duvall Page 0,116
were the good guys and the pale gray craft were the bad guys.
The pale craft by far outnumbered the sleek black fighters, but those black fighters were putting up a hell of a fight. The battlefield was cylindrical in shape and bracketed by the glowing white walls of the qhov’rum. It was like watching military aircraft on Earth try to engage enemy fighters in the center of a Category 5 hurricane.
Taelon swore. “Where the drek is the battleship that launched these?” He too now wore a clear visor.
“Behind the Kandovar,” Ari’k replied, his tone exhibiting none of the fury Taelon’s did.
The floor beneath her rumbled almost constantly as the two Yona in the belly fired their weapons. Bright streaks of light shot from the transport and reduced pale craft to fire and rubble.
The transport shook violently. Then shook again.
“Shields?” Taelon asked.
“Holding,” Ari’k replied, veering left, then right. There were so many craft engaged in battle that Lisa didn’t know how the hell he managed to keep from crashing into one. Every time Ari’k veered away from one ship, he nearly brushed against another.
“We can’t keep fighting them in the qhov’rum,” Taelon said. He must be manning some of the weapons, because everywhere he looked, a craft exploded. “It leaves us no room to maneuver.”
“Affirmative,” Ari’k stated. His hands moved over his control screen. “I have input new coordinates. We will exit the qhov’rum in three, two, one.”
The royal transport abruptly swung straight up like a damn rocket launching and burst through the wall of the qhov’rum.
The transport shook violently.
Abby’s head slammed into Lisa’s chin.
Then darkness surrounded them.
Everything went still and quiet.
Except for Abby. Abby shrieked and wailed.
Ignoring the pain in her chin, Lisa gently rubbed Abby’s abused head and made soothing noises as she looked out the front windshield.
The bright qhov’rum was gone. Deep space stretched before them, eerily calm compared to the racing of her heart.
“Did any follow us?” Taelon asked.
“Searching,” Ari’k murmured. “Affirmative. Four did. There.”
“I see them.”
The transport vibrated several times. Light shot from the transport.
The transport zigged and zagged and spun as more light fired forth.
“Targets neutralized,” Ari’k announced.
The transport stabilized.
Taelon unfastened the safety straps and removed the visor. “Keep a sharp eye out and figure out where the hell we are. We weren’t supposed to exit this qhov’rum for another two months.”
“Yes, Prince Taelon.”
As soon as he vacated the seat, the other Yona in the cockpit slid into it and donned the visor.
Hurrying back to Lisa, Taelon knelt before her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded.
He cupped the back of Abby’s head. “The baby?”
“She’s okay. She just bumped her head on my chin.”
Taelon lifted Abby out of the sling and hugged her close. “Shh. It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. Mommy and Daddy are here.”
Abby clung to him, her little face red, her nose running. Taelon held her and rocked her until she calmed.
“Is it over?” Lisa asked shakily.
He looked up and opened his mouth to answer. Then his eyes widened with alarm. “You’re bleeding!”
“What?” Lisa glanced down, but saw nothing. “No, I’m not.”
Reaching out, he drew a thumb across her bottom lip and held it up. Blood glistened on his tan skin.
Lisa raised a trembling hand and swiped at her lips. “I must have bitten my tongue or my lip when Abby’s head rammed into my chin.”
One of the floor panels opened. The Yona inside the closest ball turret—she thought his name was Sodu—looked up at them. “I detect no more enemy craft. May I leave my post? The shield is in danger of failing.” His voice evinced no alarm.
Taelon passed Abby back to Lisa. “Of course.” Offering Sodu a hand, he pulled him up out of the turret, replaced the panel, then strode toward the other one.
Sodu stopped him as Taelon reached for the panel. “Don’t. Yihrus took a direct hit. The shield around his weapons station is compromised.”
Lisa’s heart sank. Was Yihrus dead? Had he died protecting them?
“Is it still functional?” Taelon asked.
“Barely. The atmospheric barrier remains but could fail at any moment.”
Since embarking upon this space voyage, Lisa had learned that Lasaran shields actually consisted of two separate layers. One repelled weapons fire. The other created an atmospheric barrier like the one at the entrance of the docking bay. Electronically generated, it did not create a physical barrier you could touch or feel, so ammunition (or whatever caused those blasts of light) could pass through it. Though it seemed strange to her, the most difficult one to destroy was the atmospheric shield. Lasarans had