“We need to act quickly before the Council have a chance to move Pegasus again. We have fighters on the inside who have been monitoring anyone entering or exiting the building. As far as we are aware, Pegasus has not been moved.”

My heart thumped uncomfortably as I watched Aquila brief the team surrounding the table. Ever since the announcement yesterday, I’d felt on edge.

My crew had been silent. We didn’t talk at dinner, we didn’t talk in our room. Even this morning as we got up and walked to the briefing, we had nothing to say. I was too distracted by my thoughts to speak. Peggy’s face was burnt into my brain. Every time I opened my mouth to speak, I saw her victorious smile and heard her scream of ‘no retreat’. I couldn’t bring myself to speak after that. I just needed to act. We needed to get her back.

“I’d like to volunteer myself and my crew. We’d like to be part of the retrieval team,” I said quickly, as soon as Aquila fell silent.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have time for your crew to be part of the ground mission.”

I opened my mouth to complain but she held up her hand to stop me.

“Hold on. We need to use the fighters already in place posing as Guardians and the additional fighters we have near the headquarters. This is non-negotiable. We do not have time to wait for you to reach them. However, Andy and I have discussed your crew being part of the aerial support.”

I cocked my head, waiting for her to continue explaining the plan.

“Leaving within the next hour should get you there in time to provide any support needed once the crew have retrieved Peggy and are in the air. I don’t assume that they will allow us to take her without fighting back. We will be penetrating the Council Headquarters. This will be seen as a direct act of war. Freo must be prepared for retribution. We have not been discovered yet but that does not mean this will always be the case. Once Peggy has been rescued, the Council will step up their search and we will need to respond in kind. We will increase our patrols, move further into the unclaimed areas and reduce recreational flights.”

A hiss of disagreement went through the room but Aquila stared the perpetrators down.

“Enough! We will not risk the safety of the people on board this ship just because a handful of people cannot cope with staying inside. This is what we have been fighting for. This is what we have been preparing for. All of these years of hiding and working within the shadows has led to this point. This is the beginning of the downfall of the Council!”

A roar sounded at that, lead by Fornax. It was victorious, angry yet excited but my crew and I were silent. It felt as though we didn’t have the right to celebrate. We were new to this fight. We hadn’t lost what they had.

My eyes met Andy’s. He wasn’t celebrating either but a small smile was playing on his lips. He shrugged slightly and raised his eyebrows towards the loudest people. I smiled back at him, my nerves slightly calmed.

Aquila surveyed the celebration crowd with a triumphant look as if she’d been waiting for this moment, to give this announcement for a long time. She savoured it, allowing the cheering to go on for much longer than I expected before finally holding up her hands again and calling for silence.

“Fornax, you and Trolis will lead the two teams. I want you to head the warships, Trolis to lead the individual fighter ships. I want four warships, fully manned, eight individual fighters. Wait outside of the atmosphere and prepare to engage when needed. Menzel, take two ships, wait just outside the nearest warp gates. If any Council ship approaches, I want to know about it. Hells, if any ship approaches, I want to know.”

Menzel nodded, typing on his screen and sending out orders.

“Chal, I won’t send you, you’re needed more on this ship, but I want you to select a team to send out on the fighter ships and prep the medBay. Even if this goes well, prepare for an influx.”

Chal’s face was unhappy but he inclined his head slightly.

Aquila’s eyes landed on my face again and I felt her weighing my crew up. I felt my chin raise stubbornly as I stared into her eyes.

If she puts us anywhere away from the action, we’ll find a way to get there, Gem promised.

Agreed, I thought back.

We needed to be there for Peggy.

“Crew Seven Six One. You’ll be on Fornax’s ship. Yes, all of you. Fornax, are you happy to have Aries as your secondary for this mission?”

My eyes landed on Fornax and I chewed my lip as a grin spread over her face.

“Of course.”

A breath I hadn’t realised I was holding slipped out.

“Great. Cas, Gem, you can be on the guns. Chal, I assume you were planning to send Cory?”

Chal nodded.

“If you want to go?” he asked Cory.

“Yes, of course,” he answered quickly and I saw his hand tighten on Gem’s.

“Okay, you’ll be the doctor on their ship. Fornax, you can select anyone for your other three fighters.”

Fornax’s eyes narrowed as she nodded, looking down at her screen in thought.

I slowly let out a steadying breath. We’d be going to rescue Peggy soon and Aquila seemed confident that this would work.

Is everyone happy with this plan? Anything you’d like me to say? I asked, glancing at my crew.

Their faces were determined. There was nothing that would stop us from getting her back.

When are we leaving? She said within the hour, right? Gem replied, her eyes focused on Aquila.

I’ll ask if she doesn’t tell us by the end. Anything else? My eyes landed on Cas who looked conflicted.

What about my dad? I assume he’ll be there? He’s always in the building, even before he was elected.

I swallowed, fear creeping into my heart at the thought of seeing him again. Despite my many dreams and fantasies about killing him, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel if I came face to face with him again.

I’ll ask.

“I will hold a ship-wide briefing in twenty minutes. Fornax, Trolis and Chal, find and inform your teams and start preparing. You don’t need to attend but I want you ready to go before the hour is up. If there is anything else you need, contact me immediately and we will get back to you as soon as possible,” she said, gesturing towards herself, Andy and Elliot.

Andy nodded, his face troubled but a small smile flickered over Elliot’s face.

Aquila surveyed the room, looking for any signs of confusion before asking, “Does anyone have any questions?”

I glanced awkwardly around the room, not wanting to interrupt anyone.

“What will happen if the Councillors are there? Harvey is normally in the building,” I said finally, once I was sure that no one else wanted to talk.

Aquila nodded as if she had expected that question.

“The standard procedure is that if the building is breached in any way, the Councillors must retire to the panic rooms and stay there until it is safe.”

“And if they don’t get there in time?” Cas asked, his face dark. “Will they kill him if they see him?”

Aquila examined his face carefully, unsure of what he wanted the answer to be.

I wasn’t sure either. I knew he wanted Harvey dead but it was more difficult than that.

“It’s unlikely but not impossible. Our orders will be to capture to be held for trial, not murder.”

Cas nodded, staring down at his hands.

“And what happens if this doesn’t work?” Chal drawled, his anxiety well hidden except for the way he picked at his nails.

“If this doesn’t work?” Aquila repeated.

“Yes. At what stage do we withdraw if it is clear we are not going to win?” His voice was weary as if this was a question he had asked before.

For a second, a crack appeared in Aquila’s careful facade and doubt shone through but before long, it snapped back into place.

“That’s a call we’ll need to make as a team. If things seem impossible or if the losses become too high, we withdraw. Any other questions?”