Fury to the Stars (Universe in Flames Book 2) (33 page)

It only took a few moments to catch up and he opened
a channel.

“Sarah… I’m hoping you’re no longer under Argos’
influence. Please respond.”

Silence.

“Sarah?”

Not a thing.

Chase’s throat closed up and his eyes filled with
angry tears. “
Dammit!
”

An incoming transmission buzzed within the cockpit.
Code Red transmission from Admiral Thassos. “Lieutenant Commander Chase
Athanatos, please respond.”

“Chase here. What can I do for you, Admiral?”

The admiral sounded frantic. “I’m sending you files
you need to look at. Sarah is a spy!”

“I know. She was under Argos’ mind control all
along. She couldn’t control what she was doing. Don’t worry. We’re in pursuit
right now.”

“I don’t think you understand, Lieutenant Commander.
Not only is she a spy, but she also orchestrated the terror attacks on Earth.
While your assault fleet was trying to destroy the shipyard, her nefarious
plans almost cost every single living being on Earth their life.”

Chase paled and stared out at her ship. “She has the
schematics for the ultra-advanced weaponry developed by Malayianis on board as
well…”

“Spiros Malayianis is alive? He’s our top R&D
scientist!” the admiral shrieked. “She could bring them straight back to the
enemy, and that’s not a risk we can afford to take. Your orders are to shoot to
kill, Lieutenant Commander. Please confirm the order?”

Chase felt his heart harden to a stop inside his
chest. He tried to focus on what the admiral was saying, but his mind couldn’t
process the command.

“I—I’m sorry. Say again, Admiral?”

“Your orders are shoot to kill. Please confirm.”

Daniel looked at him in horror and Chase shook his
head in a daze.

“I can’t do that, Admiral. I—I love her. It’s not
her fault. She’s… carrying my child.”

There was a slight pause before the voice crackled
through again. “I’m truly sorry to hear that, Lieutenant Commander, but you
must think of the bigger picture here. If Argos gets his hands on this
technology, it’s the end of us all. This is a direct order!”

Chase killed the comm.

“What are you doing?” Daniel gasped. “Did you just
hang up on the admiral?”

“No, we simply had trouble with communications.”

“
Right
, she’s gonna believe that.”

Chase threw up his hands. “Look, I… I need to think.
I need a plan!”

Daniel’s face tightened with pity. “Bro, I
understand. But as much as it pains me to say this… she has a point.”

“I should have killed Argos! If he was dead there
would be other options.”

“Perhaps, or perhaps she would have been killed and
the data recovered by someone else in the Zarlack ranks.”

“No! I let Argos live and now I am faced with this
impossible choice!”

What should I do?
he thought
desperately.
I can’t kill Sarah! I can’t kill my unborn child!

*   *   *

Onboard the
Dark Star
, Argos received the
red-coded alert meaning that an Olympian was establishing communication with
Chase. He acknowledged the alert on his terminal to hijack the transmission.

Oh, Aphroditis… your timing
couldn’t be better; thank you, dear.

*   *   *

“Chase, listen to me very carefully, you must—” But
Aphroditis’ voice was cut off in a sudden wave of static. It was the first time
Chase had ever heard such a peculiar sound.

“Aphroditis?” he shouted back. “I must what?”

“What’s going on?” Daniel asked in surprise.

“Hang on...” answered Chase.

“Chase, can you hear me?” called Aphroditis.

“I hear you.”

“Chase, you must not let Sarah escape with these
plans. If you do, all is lost. Everyone will die and Argos will win.”

Chase reeled back in horror. “I don’t think you or
the admiral understand what you’re asking of me! I can’t kill my unborn child!
I can’t kill Sarah! She is everything to me!”

“I’m so sorry, Chase, but think deep and hard. We’re
talking about billions of lives here. What would Sarah want you to do? How
would you live with yourselves?”

Tears started streaming down Chase’s face.

He locked onto Sarah’s StarFury and fired just
enough laser to shut down her shields.

“Sarah! Please don’t, I beg you! Turn around; we’ll
find a way!”

A deafening silence answered him.

Chase swore loudly and increased his speed.

“You know what it will mean if you don’t do this
now,” Aphroditis said solemnly.

It felt like an icy hand was slowly closing around
his chest, squeezing the life out of him as a war of emotions raged on inside
his mind.

Then his radar bleeped.

A ship was approaching fast. As it de-cloaked beside
them, Chase saw Argos’ dark ship.

He veered off immediately and engaged it, firing
everything he had left, but it only drained the
Dark Star’s
shields
about thirty percent.

“That tech is mine, brother,” Argos said
telepathically.

“Chase,” Daniel said gravely, “we can’t let him get
his hands on this data. If he does, it’s the end of the war; it’s the end of
all of us.” He paused, staring at his brother-in-arms. “I can take that shot if
you want me to.”

“No!
Don’t!
”

“There is very little time left,” Aphroditis warned.
“In a few seconds, Argos will recover the tech and everything will be lost!”

More tears burned Chase’s eyes as he vectored his
ship and lined it up behind Sarah’s. He fired a few more shots to get her
attention and smoke started pouring out of her ship.

“Sarah, I beg you.
Please
turn around or give
me some sort of sign that you’re in there, my love. Sarah, please! I can’t—I
can’t do this!”

And then he heard her voice.

“Chase, this is taking all the strength I have left
so you have to listen carefully. You have to shoot me down. There’s no other
way… I will wait for you at the gates of dawn, my love.”

The
Dark Star
approached Sarah’s StarFury and
was now nearly upon her.

It was like the space around them went silent. Chase
could still see things happening, he felt a vibration coming from the ship… but
everything was quiet.

The power of Chase’s emotions ran through every
fiber of his being with the force of a thousand tsunamis. Dread, remorse and
self-hatred started to blacken his very soul like an unstoppable venom. But
then the sheer weight of his sorrow pressed down inside his chest and he knew
he would never be the same. Something had changed within him. Something had
died.

With silent tears streaming down his face, he locked
onto Sarah’s ship, diverted all power to his weapons, and set them at maximum.

His lips parted with a broken sob.

“I love you with all my heart, Sarah. Please forgive
me. Both of you.”

He then closed his eyes… and opened fire.

TO BE CONTINUED.

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