I focused on my ship. On my maneuvers.

Me, the controls, and the ship. Together, responding to…

Right.

I dodged away just before a Krell ship moved to cut me off.

They’re going to fire all out. I dove underneath a sudden, concentrated barrage.

Left. I made a sweeping turn by instinct, spinning between two enemy ships—causing them to collide.

It was uncanny. But somehow, somehow I could hear it in my mind. Somehow I knew… the commands that were being sent to the enemy ships.

I could hear them.

• • •

Judy stood quietly beside the hologram, and slowly, aides and junior admirals gathered around. By now they’d disengaged all flights from the battle for the shipyard, and had sent them streaking back toward Alta.

They’d be too slow. Even Riptide Flight, which she had ordered back earlier, was too far out. Right now, all that mattered was one speck of red among the swarm of blue. One magnificent red speck that wove between enemy attacks, somehow avoiding destruction time and time again.

Somehow, she faced overwhelming odds and survived.

“Have you ever seen flying like that before?” Rikolfr asked.

Judy nodded.

She had. In one other pilot.

• • •

I couldn’t explain it. I somehow sensed the orders that were coming from above, telling the Krell ships what to do. I could hear them… hear them processing, thinking.

It wasn’t an overwhelming edge, but it was enough. Just that little bit I needed to fly my rattling Poco in another loop, where I fired again on the bomber.

That’s five hits. I thought as I was forced back once more by the four black guardian ships. The bomber’s shield should be nearly down. Cobb’s training kicked in, warning me to be ready to over-burn away as soon as I dropped the bomber. Once the lifebuster hit the ground, the blast would…

“Spin?” It was Jorgen’s voice.

It almost kicked me out of my concentration. I spun my ship, dodging.

“Spin, is that you?” he asked. “My flightleader mentioned you were on the channel. What’s happening?”

“I’m…,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’m having a blast without you. More. Krell. For. Me.”

“I’m with Riptide Flight,” Jorgen said. “We’re coming to help.”

Clever quips and bravado escaped me. “Thank you,” I whispered, sweat plastering the inside of my helmet as I tried to come around for another pass.

Red blasts descended upon me, slicing at my ship. But I could dodge them. I knew what they—

An explosion cut across my ship, blasting the tip off the nose of the Poco. Something had shot me, something I couldn’t anticipate.

My Poco rattled, nose trailing smoke, my console basically just a huge expanse of red lights. I still had maneuverability, however, and dodged to the side.

That shot. I thought. One of the black ships hit me—and I can’t hear its orders in my mind.

I rounded toward the bomber once again. I hit the triggers, and nothing happened. Scud… the destructors were on my nose. They’d been damaged in that hit.