Nova made a face as he lifted his helmet and maneuvered it into place. Himoto did the same in the front of the shuttle craft as Graydon and the rest followed suit.
"Remember, boys and girls." Raider grabbed the handle strap on the ceiling, balancing as the shuttle entered the most outer layer of the planet’s atmosphere. "Keep your head on the swivel once we're down there and don't get dead."
Odin made a happy sound as the shuttle jolted. "Kira, I did it. I found him."
She yanked the wires out of her tablet, crossing the short distance to kneel in front of Kira. The Sye flipped the tablet so Kira could see.
"Look—that's him."
Kira squinted at the blinking dot, taking the tablet from Odin so she could see better.
"There was an encrypted program in the drone that I think he created so he could always track his spawn," Odin explained. "Remember how we used the spawn to find Jin on Jettie? This is the same concept only reversed."
"Can you upload that to mine and Kira's systems?" Raider asked.
Before Odin answered, the shuttle veered suddenly.
Kira grabbed Odin. Graydon doing the same for Raider.
The rest of the shuttle's occupants weren't as lucky. Nova and Maverick crashed into the side as Amila caught hold of Tank.
The Tuann fared a little better due to their ki.
"What the hell was that?" Himoto snapped.
"That's what we'd like to know," Nova snarled, picking himself up off the floor. "I thought you said no engines until we were ready to drop."
"I had no choice. We just got a target lock notification." Himoto's voice sounded strained as she took control of the ship. "You need to prepare to drop. I won't be able to hold out long."
"I thought you said shutting everything down would make us invisible to their scanners," Nova demanded.
"We must have been wrong."
"Then are we wrong about the waveboards being able to slip through their net too?" Maverick asked.
Kira glanced at her friend. "Odin?"
Odin shook her head, still bent over the tablet. "The plan is a go. The waveboards should be able to slip through still. That's not the problem."
"What is?"
Odin looked up at Kira. "We're too far off from where we were supposed to drop. This high up the engines from the waveboards will paint a target on you."
"We don't use the engines. We glide down as was the original plan."
Kira didn't see the problem.
Odin showed her the tablet. "This is where you'll land."
The place Odin was pointing to was far from Jin and Elena's current position. Much too far to cover before Jace and Bechler's ships were destroyed. Once that happened, the Tsavitee would turn their attention to the surface and any potential incursions. They'd be hunted down and captured.
"Fuck!" Raider cursed.
"Whatever you're going to do, you have to decide now," Himoto yelled.
"The Curs will do it," Tank declared. "We can guide you onto the proper trajectory and then bug out while the system's defenses target us. You'll make it down safe."
Odin nodded. "That might work. I can do the calculations. It should get you in the vicinity."
Kira hesitated, looking at Raider. "I don't like this."
It smacked of sacrifice. Something she'd promised she'd never allow happen for her again.
"There's no choice," Raider answered.
The shuttle's engine exploded. They spun.
"Bail. Bail. Bail," Himoto screamed, managing to stabilize the craft. "This shuttle is going down."
Tank grabbed Kira's hand, squeezing. "Trust us, Phoenix. We're Curs too."
Reluctantly, she nodded. "Joule, you're with them. They'll need someone to cover their asses."
With him, they at least had a fighting chance.
"We don't need a kid," Nova argued.
Tank strode to the hatch, popping it. The hatch blew out, the sudden rush of air threatening to rip them out of the shuttle before they were ready.
"Pick a buddy," Raider yelled. "That person is responsible for putting you on the right trajectory."
Odin rose, a conflicted expression on her face. "Kira—"
A wing ripped off the side of the shuttle.
Tank grabbed Amila and Solal, bailing out. Nova latched onto Graydon, tipping them both out the hatch.
The shuttle started to spin, ejecting Joule and Devon. Somehow, Maverick managed to leap for Finn and Talon, tackling them out of the shuttle.
Soon, Kira and the two pilots were the only ones left.