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"It's neither of them," I said firmly.
He looked like he might say something more, but the communicator in the cockpit crackled.
I leaned forward to hear the rogue's response.
"Nice work," I couldn't see them, but their accents sounded like Danec and Slek. "Can you prove it?"
"We're both Freytaurian, aren't we?" Slek spread his arms. I was sure he was grinning, but could only see his back.
"Who else would be bold enough to steal a pod right from under IF noses? As a bonus, we have hostages. More on the planet and a colony of Iritaurians, ripe for the slaughter."
Did he have to sound so convincing?
Apparently J'avet thought so too, because he gave me a sidelong glance.
I didn't want to draw Selvia's attention, so I refrained from giving him a one finger salute.
The comms went silent for a moment.
My heart stopped. I was sure the ship had cut contact and was about to open fire. We would be the proverbial sitting ducks.
This was the moment my father would say to kiss my ass goodbye, but I wasn't ready to do that yet.
My hand in my lap, I pressed a couple of buttons on my watch.
I looked up to see J'avet's eyes on me. He nodded, then turned back to the cockpit.
The comms crackled. "You're cleared for boarding in pod bay three. We'll send a contingent to meet you."
In other words, 'come on board, but we don't trust you as far as we can spit you, yet.' Fine, whatever got us on board. Once there, I'd figure out a way to prevent us from getting killed.
"Thank you." Slek cut the comms.
"Back to your seats," Selvia ordered. "Don't get too comfortable, You'll be needed soon enough."
Visibly troubled, both guys rose and flopped back into place next to me.
"Out of the frying pan, into the fire," I said.
"I wish we had hallucinated them," Danec said. "Or better yet, run."
"We might have, if we'd been believed," I said to the back of J'avet's head.
He turned and scowled at me. "Save your 'I told you so' for when we get out of this."
"I prefer to say it now," I said easily. "We might not live long enough for me to do it later."
He rolled his eyes and turned away.
"Fine. If we live through this, you can tell me why you hate me so much."
The ship loomed closer in the windows, especially the gaping hole in the side that must be the pod bay door. It sat open like a giant maw, ready to eat us whole and crunch our bones.
With that cheery thought in my head, I gripped Danec's hand and braced myself.
The pod slipped neatly through the door and into a long, well lit tunnel that led deeper into the ship.
The space door closed behind us and I immediately felt a bit heavier. Presumably the ship's gravitation was heavier than the pod's. I felt stuck down to the floor.
