Topgun: Mastered (Brutal Response Book 8) by Michael Anderle

Author:Michael Anderle [Anderle, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2023-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Mia gathered the entire crew, including Jon. She was unsure of the particulars of Galik’s plan. Given his understanding of her goals and morals, she assumed he wasn’t leading her on when he discussed a target she wouldn’t mind robbing.

She was more concerned about the blowback and the risk. Corpo military and security targets were an obvious choice, yet heavily defended. She didn’t mind mixing it up as long as her ship and fighters weren’t heavily damaged.

Ito would be busy modifying the shuttle. She might not have time to repair any damage they sustained in a fight unless Galik could point them somewhere that she could grab spare fighters and a light cruiser, too.

Mia was surprised but happy that she was about to listen to Galik with no money involved. Any residual distrust she’d had for the man had vanished after his earlier speech. It had changed how she viewed him.

She wasn’t always sure who was helping her out of fear and who believed in her cause. It was nice to realize that people beyond her crew understood her battle and its importance. It made the galaxy feel less lonely.

That left her thinking about everyone she’d been dealing with since leaving Kordell. More openness might help recruit more allies. A final battle that relied solely on her crew was a risky gamble for the entire human race's future. She wasn’t arrogant enough to believe she could finish the Protocol with one light cruiser, a flight of fighters, and a squadron of souped-up drones.

She decided she’d worry about the implications after her team disrupted the attack on Felsk. That didn’t require stopping the entire Protocol, only a team of Reapers.

Success would breed more success. Stopping the first link in the chain would disrupt the entire plan. Any delay would save thousands of lives. She couldn’t let the Protocol do what they wanted.

Every move they made, she’d be there. Every Reaper they sent out to hunt, she’d kill until she had a fleet, a target, and a final battle to fight.

In the end, Mia always went back to the same fundamental truth. Sometimes it was easy to get bogged down in the scope of her overall mission. The best way through the confusion was to remember that the Protocol started it when they murdered her father.

Some might consider it a petty truth. She wouldn’t deny it, though. They started the fight. She would finish it, and Galik was the next step in her taking the battle to the Protocol.

Galik stood at the front of the table, beaming with pride. He’d cleaned up and swapped his bloody suit for another one borrowed from Paul of all people. Mia hadn’t realized that Paul had one.

She wasn’t sure where he thought he’d need to wear a suit. Maybe he’d become jealous of her little dress-up diversions with Ito back on the Gate. He’d never departed the ship in a suit. Perhaps it was a wish for the future in clothing form.

“Everyone who needs to be here is here, it looks like.

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