“Sonar detonators, too.” Seth cursed as another blast caused several warning lights to ping from the copilot’s seat. The blast of soundwaves would rattle our ship apart before we could even take off.
“This is why fighting on the ground is far superior.” I looked for the ion blaster controls that would arm the guns mounted on the sides and front of the ship. I had no idea what I was looking at. I felt helpless, and my beast did not like the feeling. My muscles begin to pop, breaking open and growing larger as I fought to maintain control.
Sarah must have sensed my struggle because she called to me, her voice rock steady. “Dax, we’re fine. You can’t go all berserker in here, there’s not enough room for that. So tell beasty boy he’s just going to have to wait.”
“Jesus. This is a fucking train wreck.” Seth stepped to my side and pushed several buttons, the weapons on the top of the ship firing i
n the general direction of the Hive.
Another ion blast and I could smell burning circuits. The load roar of another sonar blast struck, then a pop. A warning alarm went off and I tried to figure out where to shut it down.
“Sarah, get us the fuck out of here,” Seth yelled.
“Seth, get the fuck out of my face.” Sarah gritted her teeth. “It’s a good thing the Hive hadn’t killed you, because when we get back to base I am going to do it myself.”
She fiddled with a few more buttons and then hissed and grabbed her side.
“Get ready to go in…”
She pressed a yellow button. The bay doors opened, space beyond.
“Sweet baby Jesus, the doors opened,” she muttered. “Three.”
The steering control pulled back easily in her hands.
“Two.”
Her knees moved as the pedals on the floor and wiggled the ship from side to side. She found the right balance of her feet and the ship leveled, floating off the floor in the launch bay, ready to accelerate.
“One.”
She pushed forward on the steering column and the ship shot out of the prison ship like the rocket that it was. I was pressed back into my seat from the power of the thrusters, just fucking relieved to be out of there. Sarah, however, cursed like the worst Atlan brawler I’d ever heard, her movements jerky and stilted, as if she struggled to maintain control.
“Sarah, you can calm yourself, we are out of the ship’s range of fire.”
“I am calm,” she replied, her words bitten off. I scented her blood in the air and reached for her, but she waved me off. “Give me a minute. I’m not done yet.”
“You are injured.”
She shrugged. “It’s just a scratch, Dax. Leave me be. We’re not home free yet. Talk to me, Seth.”
Seth sat at a tracking station behind her, his eyes scanning for enemy ships that might be following us. “Looks clear. I don’t see any pursuit.”
“Thank God.” She sat in silence, sweat sliding down her temple and her hands shaking as she directed the ship back toward coalition space. The magnetic field shook and rattled the ship for several minutes, and the tracking station’s display became solid green.
Seth leaned back in his seat and pumped his fist in the air. “Yes. We’re hidden by the magnetic field. They have no way to track us, sis! Holy shit! You did it!”
“Good. Dax, can you take the controls. Just hold it still—until we are…” Her hand dropped from the steering controls and she grabbed her side, doubling over with a moan. “Clear. Until we’re clear.”
Instead of looking out into space, I looked fully at Sarah. “I can still smell your blood, mate. And you’re sweating like I’ve fucked you for hours.”
Seth muttered something about hiding a body at that comment, but I ignored him.
Sarah grimaced but didn’t argue. Something wasn’t right. Her skin was pale. Too pale and her breathing was shallow, her eyes glazed over as she looked at me without seeing.
I removed my restraint and turned toward her. She blinked a few times and looked in my direction, but I knew she was no longer processing what she was seeing.
“Just a scratch, Sarah? Did you lie to me?” Moving slowly, I knelt beside her and got my first good look at her far side. I wanted to spank her and hold her at the same time the moment I did. Blood coated her armor and dripped onto the floor from a large piece of metal that was sticking out of her armor. The metal must have pierced a rib, possibly her lung. “You stubborn female. You’re bleeding to death.”