Drake dropped into his seat and fastened the straps as the Dagger started to move, studying the situation as he did so. No matter how he twisted it there seemed to be no way they could survive this. Rescuing the children had simply taken too long.
Even if they managed to survive for long enough to break through the layers of Acolyte ships they would have hundreds of ships targeting them from behind. The Dagger’s shields and then engines would quickly be knocked out and at that point they would all be captured or killed.
They had to try. If they didn’t then they couldn’t possibly escape. And, if it came to it, he would make sure he granted his people and the children death rather than the horrors of falling into the Acolytes’ hands.
“Sonia,” he said. “Are you recovered enough to han
