Free Hammer of Time (The Reforged Trilogy) by Erica Lindquist, Aron Christensen Page A

corona of one of those stars," Logan said in a flat voice.
    "Their FTL system is faster than ours," Duaal reminded him, all in a breathless rush. "With their nav connected up to ours, the Oslain'ii will just follow us!"
    "Into the sun," Maeve said, finally understanding Logan's plan.
    Duaal punched up the coordinates. "Shit, there's a moon in our way… We hit that and we'll wish it had been the missiles."
    "The other star then!" said Logan.
    The Hyzaari mage swiped up another flight plan and sent it to the navigation system. Logan jabbed at the FTL button, his metal hand slamming into the plastic cover and shattering it as he pounded the command home to the Blue Phoenix's computers. The damaged ship screeched in protest, but the blue NI indicator flashed and the faster-than-light engines roared. Bulkheads trembled under Maeve's hands as she steadied herself. In a flash of multi-colored light, Sunjarrah, the missiles and the Oslain'ii vanished. Just for a moment, the soothing mosaic of superluminal flight washed over Maeve.
    "Dropping!" Duaal shouted.
    Light blazed through the cockpit, glorious golden celestial fire. Maeve scrubbed at her eyes, but could not wipe away the dark spots burning in her vision. The polarizing filter was no match for a star at this range. As if in answer to this blazing challenge, azure flames streaked across the Blue Phoenix's hull. Duaal's head dropped to his chest and he squinted at his instruments, tears streaming down his dark cheeks.
    "The phenno is holding…" he said, then jumped to his feet, smashing his head against the low ceiling, but uncaring. "Wait, the Oslain'ii!"
    Maeve shielded her eyes and stared through the blue glow. Yes, one of the dark spots in her vision did not move as she shook her head. It was Xartasia's ship, just a hundred yards off Blue Phoenix's right side but very nearly swallowed by the star's brilliant corona. No, not nearly… Without phenno, the other ship was burning, searing red and then white as heat and radiation seared the Oslain'ii. The black ship lurched once as the pilot tried to fly away, but within seconds, the black ship listed to one side and sank deeper into the star's corona.
    Gripper's hands shook and his computer clattered to the floor. "I… Freezer… I just killed everyone on that ship, didn't I?"
    "Yes," Logan said. He squinted after the vanishing Oslain'ii with hard eyes.
    "They would have killed all of us," Duaal added quickly.
    But the big Arboran ran, bumping and stumbling, away from the cockpit. Maeve could hear his sobs long after Gripper was gone. She took Logan's left hand. The illonium was cool to the touch, even as sweat ran down her skin. Maeve was shaking all over, but Logan's grip was steady. She kissed her hunter's temple once and then left to find Gripper.

Chapter 7:
Lights
     
"What we know is fragile defense against what we don't."
– Devros Vol, Dailon philosopher (52 MA)
     
    Maeve sat silently beside Gripper while Duaal maneuvered the Blue Phoenix out of the star. She did not know what to tell her friend. She had killed before and not always in self-defense, as Gripper had today. But lives were gone, snuffed out like candle flames. The pain of that never dulled, Maeve knew. It honed itself against guilt and doubt to a razor edge.
    They sat together on Gripper's workbench. Maeve rested her head against his broad shoulder. She wrapped a wing around the Arboran as he cried, but could do nothing more. Even if she knew what to say, Gripper could not have heard it. The engines in the room's center thunked and ground unhealthily. The Oslain'ii had landed several shots before the Blue Phoenix could escape. Repairs were going to be expensive, but at least they were still flying. That was more than could be said for Xartasia's ship.
    Had she been on the Oslain'ii? Could Xartasia be dead? Maeve doubted it. Why would Calathan make a speech on his queen's behalf if she were on the ship? Xartasia – the White Queen – was somewhere