Chapter 16Istaran was four days behind them. The Eternal Flame led the flotilla. The Hot Mess, The Skylark’s Song, the Nostferatu and the Jade Swan followed. The Persephone brought up the rear, guarding their six, as Hawkins put it. Max and Tai were both on the Hot Mess. The Jade Swan was being flown by a pilot borrowed from the Eternal Flame, with a couple of other officers assisting them. He and Max could have split up, Tai supposed. He could have gone back to the Swan, while Max flew the Hot Mess. But he didn’t want to go back to the station on that ship. He wanted to fly in there beside Max, on this ship. “All ships,” came N’Kindi’s voice from the comms. “Break off formation to take up position.”
“Roger that,” Max said, and the other ships responded the same. The flotilla began to spl
