Page 163 of Tempting Fate

“Skik.” The captain thumped his fist on the console and turned to me, glowering. “They don’t love you that much, do they?”

A lie. I tasted it as if the words had fallen from my own mouth. Imani loved me. She was my mate. The others were my friends. Whatever they were doing, they had a plan. They had to. My hope is the dormant seed in the soil. “Clearly ridding the galaxy of you is more important than saving me.”

“And they will definitely succeed unless you go to the escape pod, Captain,” the AI said, exasperated. “The hull integrity is failing. I predict catastrophic disaster in, oh, eight minutes and forty three point oh two seconds.”

The captain aimed a snarl in the general direction of the ceiling speaker, then muttered, “This isn’t over, Tal’garfa.” He stalked towards me, a wicked grin splitting his features. “But it is for you. Enjoy going down with my ship.”

Before I could react, he seized me, shoving me towards the main console. My hip hit the corner. The pain had my knees buckling, and by the time I stood up, he was already running.

I raced after them, but the airlock sealed shut. I watched, helpless, as the escape pod jettisoned, leaving me behind on a burning ship.

Another explosion rang out down the corridor.

“Hello prisoner. There is a fire approaching supplementary fuel storage,” the AI said. “You’re pretty screwed, right? Want to hear a song in your last moments?”

I barked out a laugh at the absurdity of it all. Months ago, I would have given up, would have despaired. But not now. “If you’ve got The Ancestors’ Reel from Orith, that would be delightful. If not, keep quiet please.”

“Hmmh.”

The music started up as I strode to the bridge, my body reacting to the rhythm, wanting to dance, remembering the woman I would survive this for. At the main console, my fingers flew over the holopanel until I found what I needed.

Reskavi’s face flickered on the main screen. “You all right, lad?”

“Been better.” But I could move, I was strong, and I wasn’t dead yet. “But I’ve been worse. They’ve taken an escape pod. I hear corsairs are good at getting out of things in a pinch. Any ideas?”

Reskavi said nothing, and the nervous energy sparking through all my nerves froze like cooling lava. Then he let out a cough. “Run, see if you can find a suit. Look on the lower levels.”

“Suit?”

“Protective suit. With helmet. We can’t dock, so you’re going to voidwalk.”

“What?” Surely he couldn’t mean…

Reskavi’s voice was grim. “The Altair could blow any minute. You’re gonna have to jump, lad, from your ship to ours. Go. Get a suit. But first let me into the controls.”

Too many instructions. Too many sounds. Jump. Through… the void?

“Ooh, that’s a good idea!” the AI chirped. “Bit risky though. But you might have time. Or not. Best get on with it.”

I let out a low growl. “Are you going to taunt me or give me full computer access?” I could do computers. Focus on that. I swiped through menus, but without the captain’s authorisation, the system kept me locked out of what I needed.

“I am not supposed to. Why should I?”

I continued swiping menus and typing commands. “Because you do not wish to explode either?” I had no idea if the AI had any true sentience, but it was worth a try. There. A step closer, but this was taking too damn long.

“Oh. I have never considered I might die.”

The comm crackled as Reskavi spoke. “Start considering it, you puffed up datastream.”

“My name is Comkiri.”

I pulled at my headspines. “Please, Comkiri.”

Lights rippled over the bridge in a geometric cascade. A cylindrical dataslab extruded from the wall at the same time Comkiri gave a huff. “Fine. Transferring control to the Jewelled Tusk. But only if you take me with you.”

Another thing to do. Another thing to think about. I didn’t have time for this.

“Do it, lad,” Reskavi said. “Then run.”