As We Rise: Rogue (As We Rise Saga Book 1) Read online

  As We Rise: Rogue

  Donnielle Tyner

  As We Rise: Rogue

  Donnielle Tyner

  Copyright © 2017 by Donnielle Tyner

  All rights reserved.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Donnielle Tyner and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design by Najla Qamber of Najla Qamber Designs

  Copy-editing by Jessica Nelson of Rare Bird Editing

  For Jo.

  #janmoms4lyfe

  Contents

  Foreword

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Epilogue

  Call to Action

  Also by Donnielle Tyner

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Foreword

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for downloading my newest adventure. If you want to be informed of new releases, participate in giveaways, and be notified first of book news, then please join my mailing list.

  Click to join the Nerd Herd

  I enjoyed exploring the binary star galaxy of the As We Rise saga with Jo and I hope you are just as taken with her and the crew of the Kismet as I am.

  One

  Sparks danced across Jo Cygni’s screen as the hull of the CS Kismet shook with a direct hit from another proton missile. Blood flowed down her cheek from the gash ripped in her forehead when her face met the guidance system console during the last barrage. She had left her own station next to the captain in attempt to save the weapons operator. The effort failed, and now it was up to Jo to man the console. Jo furiously swiped as a fresh stream pooled into her eyes just in time to see the bright warning flash across her screen. The shields were down.

  “Captain, we cannot take another hit,” Jo screamed as she typed in the commands to reload the cargo ship’s pulsar cannon. The Kismet was a cargo ship and not outfitted with weapons sophisticated enough to fight the Drachen Syndicate. A problem she vowed to remedy as soon as they banked their credits for the liberated Nereus crystals in their cargo.

  “Elek, evasive maneuvers. Get us out of range. Now,” the captain growled.

  “Aye, Captain.”

  Captain Apollo Cygni shifted in his seat as he scanned the bridge. His fingers dug into the arms of his chair, the metal groaning in protest as he assessed the damage to his ship. His home. The crew was in no better shape, and as the captain’s gaze took in the bloody crew he called family, his jaw flexed as he ground his teeth—a tic Jo knew intimately. Apollo was furious. Jo’s stomach dropped at the sight of the metal shard sticking out of his shoulder. She started to go to him, but stopped mid-rise, her cybernetic leg whirring and clicking at the sudden halt. There was no way she could leave her temporary station during battle, even if her father was wincing in pain as he barked orders.

  “Siaren! Can you reroute any power from the secondary systems to reengage the primary engines?”

  “I’m pulling from all available systems, but it will take a while, Captain.”

  Captain Apollo pinched the bridge of his nose as he scanned the read outs from the universal access band—UAB—attached to his wrist. “Jo, is that pulsar cannon reloaded yet? We cannot let them hit us with another one of those damned missiles.”

  “We are locked in and loaded, sir. I’ve…” With a soft growl, Jo ripped the hem of her shirt and wrapped the cloth around her head, stanching the flow of blood that hindered her vision. “I’ve got them in my sights, just say the word.”

  “Captain, the sensors show that their shields are intact. We shouldn’t waste what’s left of our pulsar missiles if they aren’t doing any damage,” grunted Apollo’s XO.

  Jo pushed out her full bottom lip in a pout. “Aww Haedus, you ruin all my fun.” Haedus shook his head in exasperation, but Jo saw the hint of a smile as he turned back to his station.

  The captain’s lips twisted into a conspiratorial smirk that he only shared with Jo before turning back to his second in command. “What do you suggest, Haedus? It’s not like we can compete with the Drachen’s shiny new striker.”

  Haedus scratched at his beard, “Captain, I have no idea, but wasting our missiles isn’t the wise—”

  “Uh, Captain. Look!” Elek yelled, the last word coming out with a squeak. Haedus scowled, causing the scar that ran from his hairline down through his left eye and ending at the corner of his mouth to bulge menacingly.

  “What in the worlds is that?” The captain stood and walked toward the bow of the Kismet. The holodisplay centered on a small, rocket-like projectile that ejected from the shuttle bay of the Drachen’s ship.

  “Zoom in.” Haedus barked at Sky. “What kind of trickery is this?”

  “Surely they aren’t stupid enough to believe we’d give them our docking codes,” Jo stood from her chair to get a better view of the screen as the shuttle craft became more focused. “What in the hell is that?”

  “Siaren, get the engines online now. Shut down all systems except the ones that will keep this crew alive,” the captain barked. “Everyone, get harnessed up.”

  Jo watched her father as he returned to his chair. His face had paled, giving him a gray pallor, but his mouth was set in grim determination. Just before he sat, his gaze swept up to Jo.

  “Sit, girl. This isn’t the time to be reckless.”

  “What is that ship, Father?”

  The captain bristled at her familiar term. It had always been his directive that on the bridge he was Captain first and Father second—a decree she respected even as a small child. Never before today had Jo broken the rule, even the time when she was three and was running around pretending to fight Galactic Consulate soldiers. She’d fallen down the steps, breaking her ankle. She cried for the captain.

  Apollo pinched his chin as he studied his holodisplay. “It’s a dragon class boarding vessel. During my term in the military, I heard rumors that one of the corporations was building a shuttle that could pierce the hull of a ship so one could board without gaining docking codes. I’d bet my share of credits that’s what we’re dealing with.”

  “How did the Drachen obtain a corporation-made vessel?” Jo wondered out loud.

&nb
sp; “Maybe they have a corporate sponsor, or perhaps they stole it,” the captain answered.

  The Kismet shifted starboard with a lurch as Elek readjusted the thrusters. Both Jo and the captain had to grip their chairs or end up tumbling across the deck.

  “Are they going to ram us? The impact alone will disintegrate us. Why use their shuttle when it would be quicker and more cost effective to shoot another anti-matter missile?” Jo asked.

  “It doesn’t work quite like that, or you’d be right—what would be the point? I’ve heard many theories about the dragon class, but was never privy to hard facts.” The captain ran his hand over his face. He looked as if he had aged ten years in the last hour alone. “Just sit down and harness yourself, Jo. We’ve gotten out of worse situations.”

  Jo nodded and sat down. Her movements were robotic as she strapped herself into the harness system. There was no way Jo could see getting out of this situation. If they rammed the Kismet, the force would explode the ship, killing everyone in under a minute. If they somehow cut into the hull and boarded the ship, they would steal the crystals and probably kill everyone.

  Where was the win?

  The ship lurched again as the crew attempted to evade the dragon shuttle using only the primary thrusters and minimal propulsion. It was all in vain, every soul on board knew it, but not a single crew mate gave up. Not even when the dragon drew alongside the Kismet. Not when bright lights flared from somewhere outside the ship. Not when the alarms blared and the lights blacked out, bringing up the red emergency lights. Not even when the ship’s AI announced that the hull had been breached, and shots rang out.

  Jo’s father jumped out of his chair and shouted orders to the rest of the crew, but Jo didn’t hear a sound. It was as if she were floating in the void. An eerie calm fell over her as she came to terms with their situation.

  She had to save her crew.

  Time seemed to fast forward as her father’s frantic, verging on violent, shakes jolted her out of a daze.

  “Get up, Jo,” the captain screamed, inches from her face.

  “Captain, where is everybody?”

  “I sent half the crew to confront the Drachen and the other half to hole up between them and the cargo bay.”

  Jo stood and pulled her PP5K Blazer, a GC-grade phase pistol out of her thigh holster. “Where do you want me?”

  “Guard the bridge.”

  “No. I’m not…”

  Captain’s face warped from concern to anger in an instant. “Don’t you dare contradict me. I am the captain, and you will stay on the bridge.”

  “I can help,” Jo growled through her teeth.

  “I know you can, but you’re the only other person on board with alpha level security codes. You’re the best strategist we’ve got, and we could use you here to keep us organized.”

  Jo’s muscles loosened as she saw the wisdom behind her father’s choice. With a quick nod of agreement, she turned to sit in the captain’s chair, but a giant hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her back to face the captain.

  Before she could say anything, his warm lips pressed firm against her forehead and lightly against the tip of her nose. His large hand caressed her cheek before he turned with his plasma rifle in hand and ran out of the bridge. The last night he’d kissed her like that was four years ago, the eve of her sixteenth birthday. The night he told her that on Kleos—his home —she would be considered an adult, and it was time she took on more responsibilities. Jo was proud that he wanted her to be an official crew member, but she missed his goodnight kisses.

  The crew’s voices shouting through the communications port shook Jo from her shock. She had a job to do, and she would make her captain proud.

  Jo flung herself into the captain’s chair and started typing commands into the attached monitor. After a few seconds, a holographic internal map of the Kismet filled the space between the captain’s chair and the holoscreen still centered on the Drachen’s main ship.

  The dragon penetrated the floor above the cargo bay, but hadn’t made it more than a few feet into the ship before the Kismet crew intercepted them. A blue dot indicated the captain had arrived with the group engaging with the Drachens.

  “We’ve lost Carter and Ren,” Haedus’s voice boomed through the speakers. “If you got any tricks up that sleeve of yours, Jo, we could use them.”

  Sky answered through the comm, “I can send a few guns up to your location.”

  “No, Sky. Your group needs to stay in case they break through.”

  “Jo! The dragon’s ship has a copper seal with four flanges holding their ship in place,” the captain roared between shots fired.

  Jo’s fingers flew across the screen as the beginning of a plan began to form in her mind. “Are the nandroid tubes still intact?” Jo asked.

  “Aye,” the captain replied. “You got an idea.”

  “It’s risky, but I think we can make it work if the timing is perfect.” Jo bit her pinky nail as she skimmed over her calculations.

  “We trust you, Jo.” Haedus grunted. “Just hurry up.”

  “Okay.” Jo nodded, the motion giving her a boost in the courage department. “Sky. How long will it take for your people to meet up with the captain?”

  “Less than two minutes.”

  “Go.”

  “Jo, the Drachen will break through,” the captain barked. “We need Sky’s team to guard the haul.”

  “We’ve lost too many at your location, and we need the extra firepower to make my idea work.”

  The captain grunted in assent. Jo checked the holographic map. The Drachen had gained at least four feet. The increase of space between them and the connected ships made Jo almost reconsider her decision. She would have to release the nandroids later than she hoped, but it would still work.

  “The others have arrived,” Haedus’s booming voice vibrated the speakers set into the chair.

  Jo checked the map one last time. “Okay. Everybody, use your tethers to secure yourself to the ship. Captain and Haedus, focus your fire on the copper flanges while the rest keep firing on the Drachen. When the ships begin to separate, I’ll activate the repair nandroids.”

  “That is the most reckless…” Haedus growled before the captain interrupted.

  “Ingenious and risky, but when has there ever been an idea from our Jo that isn’t a little reckless? Girl, if you pull this off, I’ll buy the first round of Lyrae ale.”

  “It’s a deal.”

  Jo waited, her fingers hovering over the activation button, as she listened to the volley of fire between the Drachen and her crew. Sweat poured from her head, but she didn’t move. Her organic leg bounced up and down as the shouts of her crewmates grew louder.

  “Got one,” Haedus shouted.

  “Me too,” the captain grunted.

  A red warning flashed across the holographic map, highlighting the area where the ships connected and warning Jo that the atmospheric pressure was becoming unstable.

  “Guys, those last two need to go quick, or we’ll lose too much pressure and start venting oxygen,” Jo warned.

  “One more to go,” Haedus answered.

  “Shit! My rifle has been hit,” the captain cursed. “And we’ve got too many injured. Jo, are you ready?”

  The calm emanating from the captain’s voice was unnerving. It made every hair on Jo’s neck stand on end and her heart beat double-time. “Aye. What…”

  “What the—” Haedus screamed, along with a chorus of protesting voices causing the speakers to crackle.

  “What’s going on?” Jo asked as the blue dot on the holoscreen moved into enemy territory. Jo’s stomach dropped as the rest of the ship darkened, and all she could see was that tiny blue dot make its way to the breach.

  “…Captain’s been hit. Multiple times. We’ve got the Drachen off his six. He’s prying the flange off with the butt of his rifle.” Jo didn’t comprehend who was giving her the play-by-play. It could be one or many voices, but she understood what
they were saying. Her captain. Her father was sacrificing himself for the crew.

  “Jo…” Her father’s voice poured over her like warm water, releasing her frozen muscles from the stiff hold of fear. “Are… Are you ready?”

  “Aye,” Jo whispered.

  Jo heard her father grunt and groan. It was obvious he was struggling to free the flange, but he kept going. “Almost… got… it…” the captain panted. Soon the AI announced the breach and Jo activated the nandroids.

  “Deploying aluminum foam,” announced the AI.

  A ripping, thunderous wind tore through the speakers as the ship’s atmosphere was sucked into the endless void of space. Tears mingled with the streams of sweat as Jo sank into the plush cushions of the captain’s chair. The hologram shook as the ship shuddered from the massive force of escaping air, but Jo was unconcerned. The emptiness of her father’s absence threatened to pull her under. There was so much she had wanted to say. Things she would have done differently if she’d known this would be their final day together.

  “Oh, Father…” Jo hiccupped. “I love you so much.”

  “Jo…” Her father’s gasping breath tore at her heart. “I love you too.”

  “Aluminum foam repair completed. Hull breach secured,” the dispassionate AI announced.

  Jo wanted to break down. Her chest ached as if when her father’s body was jettisoned out of the airlock, he took her heart with him. She felt a physical pull to reclaim her father’s body and give him a proper service, but the Drachen’s ship was coming about to fire. Jo had to leave.