“Switching to universal language,” a robotic voice chirps.
A dark, cold laugh from behind freezes me in place. My hands move instinctively toward the blaster.
“Turn around, slowly,” a garbled voice orders.
“Okay. Whatever you say.”
Time slows down, everything except my pulse racing in my ears. I pick up the blaster. No hesitation. Just the cold weight of it in my hand. I turn and face my own reflection in the shiny helmet. I fire straight into his chest. Smoke drifts up from his chest as he sinks to the floor.
I step closer and fire another round into their chest. “And that’s for underestimating me.” I nudge the smoking body with my foot. The lack of response tells me all I need to know. I killed someone. I killed a Yuhlari poacher.
“Tai is going to be so jealous that I got to blast my way out.” I spin around and look for him through the smoke and rubble. I don’t have time to mourn the space trash I just took out. I need to get to Tai.
Back at the panel, I still don’t know what to do. Out of pure desperation, I slam my hand down on the panel. The freighter surges to life and slowly rolls forward.
“Enough of this bullshit.” I hit the phaser glyph on the control deck and a lever with a hand grip extends forward out of nowhere. I grab it tightly in my sweaty hand and point it at the ground in front of the poachers. The canon fires off, and a huge explosion of sand and smoke obscures my vision. A handful of Yuhlari bodies go flying from the blast. Still no sign of Tai. I wait for the smoke to clear to take another shot.
When I see the coast is clear and no one is left moving, I run for the cargo bay.
Tai, where are you?
He should already be onboard. Something’s not right. The feeling is so visceral it costs me my breath.
Then I'm moving. Down the stairs, through the cargo bay, and my feet hit the ground hard. Through the smoke. Through the wreckage. Through whatever gets in my way. There isn’t a single h’axom in sight. Relief hits fast. Daisy made it, but I don't stop moving.
I find Tai against a broken post, half collapsed, his bionic arm gone like it was never there.
“You can’t follow the simplest instructions, can you?” he chokes out.
“And you’re fucking lucky I can’t.” I check his pulse at his throat. It’s weak.
“Come on, let’s get the fuck off this planet,” he says and tries to lift himself off the ground. He falls back, unable to get up.
Tai groans when I pull him up. I sling his huge arm over my shoulders. It’s almost funny how big he is, leaning down on me for support. But no one is laughing, not at least until we are light-years away from here.
“What is it with your arm and this place?” I ask, trying to get him to focus on me rather than the pain. I can tell he’s in shock. I’ll get him talking and get him to a medbay.
“I wish I knew.”
“We’re almost home. Hold on a bit longer,” I say breathlessly. He’s heavy, and the distance to the freighter feels like it’s getting farther away.
We stumble together to the ship, him weighing heavily on my shoulders. With a grimace, he climbs the ramp and collapses in the cargo bay. I slam the button down, raising the ramp and closing us in.
On the floor, Tai's head tips sideways and his eyes roll back into his head until only the whites are visible. I roughly grab his face and pull it toward me.
“Tai, look at me. Stay with me. I’m going to get you home.”
“Bri, I need to tell you something. You need to know before we leave,” he says struggling for breath.
“No, focus on breathing. You can tell me later.”
“No, you need to know.”
“No, Tai. It’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay.”
His head rolls forward, and his eyes catch mine. “You’re so pretty,” he says, sounding intoxicated. His only remaining hand cups my face.
“Yes, I’m a goddamn beauty queen. Just hold on, okay?”
