Jenna

JENNA

“ G ive me control of your weapons. I can fire back,” I yell over the sound of fizzing as the smoke clears.

“We can’t fire back, not this close to an inhabited planet,” Azul responds, weaving his ship in a sick making movement from side to side.

“Not even if they’re going to blast us into space dust?”

“We need to get to the worm hole. Once we’re in there, they can’t fire on us, and I can activate the stealth shielding,” Azul responds.

“At this rate, you’re not going to make it to the worm hole,” Tisel says unhelpfully. “Or through it, given the state of your port engine.”

“Did I not tell you to fak off?” Azul grinds at his holo image.

“I think we both did.”

“But neither of you terminated the comm.” Tisel’s fat blue face grins at us.

“Make sure our fee is transferred, and the client is waiting to take custody of the fakker in my hold,” Azul responds, reaching to terminate the comm.

Only I get there first.

“And you put up with him because?” I query.

“He hasn’t got me killed.” Azul swings the ship into an evasive pattern, lurching us from side to side. “Yet.”

“Comforting.” I roll my eyes. “Are we going to get out of this alive, do you think?”

“Nothing will harm you, my mate. You have my promise,” I respond as yet another pulsar bolt slams into the ship, the shielding weakening and the hull creaking under the strain of holding together.

“Please let me shoot back,” I beg. “I’ve handled space craft level weaponry in training.”

Azul gives me a beaming smile. “We’ll be in open space in a few nova-seconds, then you can return fire.”

I undo the grav-straps and move towards the gunner’s console, but as I do, we’re hit by another volley and the ship does a stomach-churning lurch. My footing goes, and I’m flung across the cockpit, slamming hard into the bulkhead.

I hear a crack.

It is not a fun sound.

The ship rights itself and I slide down onto the floor. As I scramble to my feet, pain spikes through my left leg. I grab for a nearby console as my body is robbed of air.

“?” Azul calls my name.

“I’m fine, really,” I respond, but I can’t stand. Breathing is becoming increasingly difficult. “Your venom is doing the job,” I add, dragging myself across to the weapons console. “Tell me when to fire.”

I cling on as Azul executes yet another maneuver to avoid being hit.

“You can return fire…now!”

I put the ship behind us in the sights and let rip with a volley of plasma bombs. They spin away, three of them hitting their target.

“Did I do it?” I ask.

“They’re still coming,” Azul replies. “And the wormhole is still too far.”

More volleys hit us and I hear the while of the starboard engine which doesn’t sound good at all, even as my leg burns at me.

“Can I be of any assistance?” A familiar voice comes over the comm.

“Dan?” I lift my head.

Azul growls loud enough to wake the dead.

Sure enough, there is a holo projection of Dan in front of us.

“Who,” Azul asks, his mouth filled with fangs, “is this?”

“He’s a human friend from work…who shouldn’t be here?” I say, my vision starting to dim.

“I have a confession, ,” Dan says. “I’m not who you think I am.”

“A rookie security officer? I’m guessing not,” I pant.

“Is he your mate?” Azul snarls. “If he is, I will rip all of his limbs off.”

“Azul, no, he’s a work colleague, not a mate.” My ability to breathe is getting worse and as pain floods my body, my arms have no strength, and I can’t hold myself upright.

And everything goes dark.