Dragon and Liberator

Jack exhaled in a long hiss. "So the scam part is officially over," he said. "They've switched to your basic full frontal assault."

"So it would seem," Draycos agreed.

"Blast it all, why don't they just run?" Uncle Virge asked tensely. "I mean the K'da and Shontine. Why don't they just turn the fleet around and run?"

"They can't," Draycos said. "Our hyperdrives need time to cool down and reset before they can be used again. They won't be able to escape into hyperspace for at least eight hours."

"By which time they'll all be dead," Jack murmured.

Draycos studied Jack's face out of the corner of his eye. The boy had seen the truth, all right, and had come to the same decision Draycos had. The only decision possible for a K'da warrior. "As things stand now, yes," he confirmed.

"So what do we do?" Uncle Virge asked.

Jack took a deep breath. Draycos?

I understand, Draycos said. But you don't have to do this. You could eject in the Essenay's lifepod. Someone might arrive to rescue you before the air ran out.

Someone besides Neverlin's goons? Jack countered. Thanks, buddy, but I'd rather go out with you than with them.

"So what do we do?" Uncle Virge asked again. "Draycos?"

"We can't get through the bubble fast enough to alert the refugees," Jack told him. "Not forward, and not sideways. At least, not before Neverlin calls in one of those outriding Djinn-90s to blow us to bits. So we're going to do something else."

"Such as?"

Draycos felt Jack brace himself. "We're going to attack the Advocatus Diaboli and try to knock out its Death weapon."

"We're what?" Uncle Virge demanded. "Jack lad, in case you hadn't checked the weapons board lately, we're out of missiles. I used them all getting you off that troop carrier."

"I did notice, thanks," Jack said. "I also know our meteor-defense lasers and particle beam probably won't even scratch Neverlin's paint."

"So how do you intend to attack?"

"The only way we can," Jack said quietly. "We're going to ram him."

"Oh no," Uncle Virge said, his voice horrified. "No, no, no. Jack lad, you can't—Draycos, please. Talk him out of it."

"It has to be done, Uncle Virge," Draycos said gently. "I've already offered Jack the option of ejecting before then."

"And I've already refused it," Jack said.

"It won't work," Uncle Virge insisted. "Langston said Harper rammed, too, remember? Neverlin won't risk that happening again, especially not with a ship this size. He'll use the Death on you, just as he did on Harper."

"Which will accomplish the same thing," Jack said. His voice and thoughts, Draycos noted, had gone strangely calm. The same calm he'd seen many times in fellow warriors preparing to face death. "If Neverlin uses the Death on us, the K'da and Shontine will see it and know what they're up against. Either way, we win."

"You'll also die."

Jack looked down at Draycos. "It's sometimes a warrior's duty to die for his people," he said. Isn't it, Draycos?

It is, Draycos assured him, feeling a stirring of emotion he hadn't felt in a long, long time. I knew from the first, Jack, that you were more than you seemed. Far more than your uncle Virgil had allowed you to become. I'm so very gratified to see that I was right.

I'm kind of surprised myself, Jack replied dryly, giving Draycos a somewhat forced smile. Let's do it.

Draycos lifted his head again to look out the Essenay's canopy at the drive glows of the Advocatus Diaboli and Gatekeeper in the near distance.

And beyond them, at the last hope of his people. Yes, he confirmed. Let's.

This time, they made sure to handcuff Alison's wrists behind her.

The bridge hadn't changed much since she'd last been there, she noted as she was led through the door, a burly Malison Ring mercenary on either side keeping a cautious grip on her upper arms. Even with the handcuffs, Neverlin had finally learned not to take chances with her.

"There you are," Frost greeted her, as calmly as if she'd just been out getting the mail. "I understand we've been a busy girl. Again."

"Not as busy as I would have liked," Alison admitted, studying his face. He seemed way too calm for someone who'd been taken in by her con as thoroughly as he and Neverlin had.