Read Gamma Raiders: Storm Squadron Alpha: Scifi Alien Romance Novel for Free Online

cautionary tale to deter the new recruits. And she didn’t want Ja’al, or anyone else for that matter, to think she was incapable of handling herself. Kira gathered herself and managed a smile. She’d do better next time. She’d pay attention and follow their instructions. Maybe she could even learn a few things from the other crew members when they weren’t on shift.
    “Storm Squadron,” said Reina. “That’s where I’ll be, then.”
    Ja’al raised an eyebrow. “You think you have what it takes? It’s an unforgiving path. There’s no room for error.”
    “I can handle it, Commander.”
    “You have the right attitude,” he said. “If your test scores show that you have the potential, you’ll be welcome to begin your training. And I’m willing to help you.”
    She shot Kira a glance. “Just like old times.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 4
     
     
    Ja’al swiped his hand through the air, rewinding the holovid to watch Kira’s training exercise again. Something happened that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Kira was on the verge of passing the test. She’d spotted the weakness in the destroyer, but she hesitated. She didn’t take the shot. He pinpointed the moment in the vid when she had a moment of self-doubt and shook his head. She was so close. Right on the verge of passing the test. But she didn’t trust herself in the critical moment. Didn’t believe her own judgment. And Storm Squadron pilots couldn’t hesitate.
    He stood up from his morgelo leather chair and paced around the small viewing room. He studied the recording again. How could he convince her to follow her instincts without giving away the game? The technical skills needed to fly in the Storm Squadron could be learned, but he couldn’t teach her to trust herself.
    It didn’t make sense. Kira had always acted so confident. From the moment he met her, he’d admired her directness. Her unflinching spirit. She’d kept her wits about her in dire circumstances.
    When they first met, she and her friend had just been boarded and taken prisoner aboard the Vendetta. Abducted by a bloodthirsty band of space pirates—a misconception that amused him a great deal—but she kept her cool and befriended the crew. It was her attitude and her spirit that drew him to her in the first place. Ja’al appreciated her sense of ease and her confidence in herself. He admired her for it.
    But since she’d started the Battery, she had lost her sense of certainty. Kira, the boldest woman he’d ever known, the woman who could never be thrown off course, was struggling with something he didn’t understand.
    Ja’al wanted to see her succeed. He wanted her under his command. A part of the Storm Squadron. The Rebellion faced long odds. Taking down the Empire required unshakable faith; the kind that Kira inspired. Ja’al needed to be around her. Having her in Storm was the perfect excuse to spend more time with her.
    A buzz at the door interrupted his thoughts. Kira was here for her debriefing—his last chance to figure out what was going on before the Assignment Ceremony. There was no room for error in the Storm Squadron.
    Ja’al switched off the video feed and buzzed her in.
    “You wanted to see me?” she said as she stepped into the room.
    Ja’al studied her face. She looked so comfortable in her jumpsuit, the lightweight fabric hugging the curves of her breasts and reflecting the light in a way that drew his eyes.
    But he had to banish the thought. No matter how sexy she looked, it wouldn’t be appropriate for them to be together. Not if he was going to be her commanding officer. Aside from the accusations of favoritism, allowing himself to get attached would create a distraction. A weakness he couldn’t afford. Falling for her might compromise his judgment.
    The warring needs within him, to be near her, yet maintain his emotional distance, were a torturous line to walk.
    “Come in, Kira,” he said. “Have a seat.” He gestured to the