Free The Star Thief by Jamie Grey

sent three platoons of MYTH soldiers and two regular platoons of Coalition troops, and three starship cruisers are in orbit. Whoever they are, they won’t get out of here without a serious fight.” He cleared his throat as if remembering who he was talking to. “But right now, we need to worry about getting you off-world. The hangar is down this hall. The MYTH team and a small platoon of soldiers are already waiting.”
    “How big a crew do we have?”
    “The Athena is a frigate with a service crew of thirty, plus the six MYTH officers. They’ve all served together on several missions now.” His gaze was cold, and she could read the warning there. “I’ve read your file. You need to behave yourself, Renna. It’s not a buffet.”
    She smirked and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I am a professional. You don’t need to worry. Much.”
    Dallas entered a code on the datapad at the hangar door, and it slid open with a whoosh of air. Renna inhaled deeply; the smell of starfuel, machinery, and space filled her lungs. Gods, it smelled like home.
    And then she spotted the prettiest cruiser she’d ever seen gleaming in the helolights. The ship was long and silver, with a dark red stripe running down the center. Two long wings jutted from the back, and the nose of the ship was blunt and wide, all the better to jump to hyperspace with.
    Her skin prickled. She recognized it as an Infiltrator-class frigate. One of the newest and stealthiest on the market. She was going to enjoy getting to know her new home.
    Dallas smiled at her. “That’s the Athena . She’ll get you where you need to go and then some. Be nice to Finn and I can promise you, you’ll get there unharmed.”
    “I planned on it. Anyone who captains a beauty like this deserves my best behavior.” Or at least his pilot did.
    Inside the ship, the familiar hum of the engines and the smell of recycled air greeted her like an old friend, but Dallas was moving too fast for her to get much more than an impression of the main deck. The crew was already sitting at their stations to man the ship controls. It might be a new frigate, but the ship couldn’t fly itself.
    She followed him to the command center, a circular space looking forward over the ship. Captain Finn paced back and forth, barking orders as they prepped for takeoff. Keva sat at a terminal beside him, her fingers flying across a holoscreen.
    Major Dallas turned and clasped her hand in his. “Good luck to you, Renna. We’re all counting on you.” Then he strode over to Captain Finn. The two men spoke in hushed tones, glancing at her once before Dallas spoke into the ship’s comm unit. His mellow voice filled the empty space around them. “The success of this mission depends on you. Be swift, silent, and deadly. And may the gods be with you all.” He saluted before stepping down from the command center. Without a look back, he strode from the ship.
    As the hatch closed behind him, Renna heard footfalls as someone sprinted toward her. She spun just in time for Myka to throw himself at her.
    “I thought they were going to leave without you!” he said, hugging her around her waist.
    She patted his back. “Can’t get rid of me that easily, kid. They been treating you okay?”
    He stepped back and nodded, scuffing one of his shiny shoes against the deck. “New clothes, a shower, some food and water. I’m much better now.”
    “Good. They really don’t want to see me get angry.” She winked at him, then nodded toward the bridge. “Come on, I have a feeling this is going to be a bumpy ride. Let’s find somewhere safe.” Renna waited for a pause in the action before calling up to Finn. “Captain, where do you want us?”
    He glanced at her in surprise, as if he’d forgotten their presence. Her smile slipped. Was she that forgettable?
    “Private Adams,” Finn said, “Take these two to the observation deck and strap them in. Then get your ass back here.”
    One of the young men scurrying