“Forget that for now. These aren’t the same aliens,” Cage interjected as the computer announced we had four minutes to live. I glanced around, hoping someone had a brilliant idea. But no one moved. Everyone kept their weapons trained on Dad and Liam, but no one opened fire. Cage continued, his voice calm and cool and persuasive as always: “Hasn’t anyone told you? The aliens we encountered on Sanctuary were harvesting. These ones are killing. They’re not here to collect us, they’re here to contain us.” His eyes flickered toward me and Rune. “Maybe it’s our fault. We killed hundreds of them back on the ship. Maybe that brought them here with murder on their minds. But whatever their motives, there’s no reason to assume any of them are sleeping.”

“We’ll take care of it.” Dad glanced at the red countdown on the console. “You need to understand that this isn’t my choice. Omnistellar is tired of Legion, tired of anomalies. It took everything I had to convince them to save Kenzie and honor their agreement with Legion. Even if I tried to take you along, or if you killed me and took the shuttles, Sabre would destroy you on sight.”

“Sabre,” Priya repeated. “That’s a high-powered warship. You did come prepared.”

He sagged against the wall, clasping the back of his head and wincing in pain. “You have a choice to make. We can all die here together, along with the aliens, and Omnistellar will try to take the ship anyway. They might fail, with Obsidian still standing and all of its creatures alive. If they do, the aliens will be free to advance throughout the solar system. Or you can let me, Liam, and Kenzie go. You’ll die, but humanity will survive. I suggest you choose fast.”

“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?” Fury surged in my chest. Once again Cage’s arm turned restraining as I lunged at my father. “You arrogant, selfish bastard.”

Dad recoiled, his mouth dropping as genuine anger and hurt spread across his face. “I could have escaped this ship an hour ago,” he pointed out. “I delayed the self-destruct mechanism. I stayed and risked my life for you, Kenzie.”

“You were inputting the self-destruct when I came in! You were going to kill me!”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he snapped. “I saw you coming on the reactivated security feeds. I’m not . . .” He swallowed hard. “I’m not your mother, Kenzie. I would never hurt you.”

“And you expect me to be grateful ?” I was shouting now, heedless of the noise, even with Imani and Rune frantically shushing me. “To leave my friends, the people who saved my life when Mom abandoned me? Is that really what you think of me?”

“Please,” whispered Liam, looking around in frantic terror. “You have to stop. Listen, I don’t like this any more than you do. I don’t. But it’s about survival, you know? I’ve seen what those things can do to a planet. You don’t want them on yours.”