Sleek, well-equipped, and deadly.
The lead Firebrand fired a laser shot right past them. TheMercuryshuddered.
“Dammit.” Justyn threw them into a hard, left-hand spiral turn.
Another shot.
This one hit.
Justyn and Nissa were thrown around like unsecured cargo on take-off, held in place only by their harnesses. He fought to keep control. “Come on, girl. We’ve been through worse than this.”
A flash of color across the viewscreen. Another hit.
“Goddess,” Nissa breathed.
The blare of an alarm.
The hull had been breached.
TheMercuryhad been designed for stealth and speed. Her shield capacity was negligible compared to the weapons the Firebrand fighters were packing.
“Why aren’t they hailing?” She gripped her harness so hard her fingers were white.
“They aren’t here to take prisoners. They’re here to kill us.”
Her mouth firmed. “Well, I don’t really feel like dying today.”
“Me neither, sweetheart.”
But the next barrage of laser fire tore open the side of theMercuryand the ship spiraled out of the control.
The heavy door to the cockpit kept the room safe, but the artificial gravity in the cockpit disappeared. Anything not strapped down floated upward, and Justyn felt the straps of his harness dig into his shoulders.
“Dammit!” He worked furiously, cutting the engine power to throw it into the stabilizers.
Nissa’s hands danced across her console. “I’m shutting off non-essential systems in the damaged areas.”
They worked together, doing everything they could to stabilize the ship and coax out every last drop of power theMercuryhad to offer. But it was no use.
As they spun, Justyn watched the glowing green globe of the planet grow, filling the entire viewscreen.
It was a hell of a lot closer than it had been a second ago.
Another few minutes and they’d enter the atmosphere.
“Anything?” she yelled.
“No.” Sparks exploded from the consoles in front of them.
She yelped and he swore. His screen went blank.
“I’ve lost the controls.”
She turned her head. “Me, too.”
Flames flared across the viewscreen as they hit the atmosphere. He prayed the fire suppression system was still functioning or they’d be crispy long before they smashed into the planet’s surface. Neither choice was remotely appealing.
He stared at Nissa’s strained face.Dammit. Those elegant features with that gorgeous mouth. He hadn’t done any of the things he’d wanted to with her. Now he wouldn’t get the chance.
