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“Eleven?!” Khoth’s father cried out. His shock and fear caused him to lose control of himself for just a moment.

“We’ve never seen so many in any system together,” Khoth remarked. “Your estimate of Thylacine-class fighters may be low. I have seen a single Hive with over 500 fighters.”

“Osiris didn’t give me a count. I just estimated,” Jace said.

“Sounds like they’ve come here to make a point,” Davies said.

“Yes, and that point is that none shall stand before them without facing their wrath,” Dr. Hayter whispered and crossed himself.

Jace wiped his nose and saw blood smear over the back of his hand. He stared at it as if mesmerized.

Amana got up from her knees and handed Jace a handkerchief. “Here. Let me help you.”

“Thank you.” Jace cleaned himself up.

Osiris saved Diane! Oh, thank goodness! Gehenna cried. But why did the Khul have to come now? When we’re down here and unprepared?

All good questions.

We should have known they would come, he told her bitterly. We should have been prepared. I shouldn’t have been sightseeing--

Jace, you weren’t! You were doing what you have to do to get the Alliance on your side, Gehenna cut off his self-recriminations.

He didn’t agree with her completely, but he recognized that this chain of thought would not help anything now. But he wondered truly why the Khul were here when they had never attacked so far into Alliance space before. Was it because he was here? Did they take this risk in a mad rage after what he had done on Earth?

More good questions he didn’t know the answer to. But answers would have to wait. Action was necessary.

He messaged Khoth over the comm privately, I’ve lost contact with the Osiris.

Khoth messaged back, We need to get out of this labyrinth.

That’s not the only problem. The Khul are using some kind of jamming technology and the damage caused by me being taken away from it when I was a baby are causing additional connection issues, Jace sent back, wincing at the admission. So I don’t know if going above ground will help.

We can do nothing down here in any case. Our best bet is to get to the Osiris, Khoth sent.

“We need to get upstairs and back to our ship,” Jace told the others.

“You can’t possibly be thinking of taking a dropship back to the Osiris in the middle of a firefight with eleven Hives,” Typhon objected.

That was a point. A very good point and Jace felt like a fool suggesting it.

“We need Moturin fighters. Whatever you can offer to get us up there,” Khoth stated.

“It is safer down here than in space right now, Khoth. We cannot put the Pilot at risk,” Typhon insisted. “He can communicate with the Osiris remotely, can he not?”

Except, of course, Jace could not. But he was not going to tell Typhon that. Khoth made a movement that could have meant anything, but Typhon took it as assent. For the very truthful Khoth, Jace was incredibly impressed how easily he had led Typhon astray.

“I know you wish to be part of this battle, Jace, Khoth,” Amana said quietly, “but my brother is right. The Pilot’s safety is paramount.”

They were at an impasse. What they were saying made sense. But they didn’t know everything. Maybe it would still make sense even if they did. Yet Jace was like Captain Kirk, always on the away team, never staying on the bridge, safe and sound, where he belonged.

Osiris? Osiris? Can you hear me? He tried again even though he knew it was no use. Osiris, please take care of everyone.

Nothing. No images. No tart replied. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

“I still need to get up above,” Jace said. “Being here is not an option.”

“Of course.” Typhon bowed and gestured for them to proceed him from the room.