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I grabbed for the hand cannon and tried to pull it from her.
Of course, someone full of nanobots and used to manual labour was a lot stronger than me, but it gave Brinley time to act. While Selvia and I wrestled, the small pilot darted past Slek and Danec and scooped up the rogue's dropped blaster. With no hesitation, she turned and aimed at Selvia.
The shot hit her full in the arm, a fingertip away from my hand. The force sheared through her wrist, severing her hand.
The smell of burnt flesh in my nostrils made me gag.
While Selvia stared in horror at her stump, I dove for the cannon and grabbed it before the other Iri could blink.
I waved it at them. "Move away from the pod. Everyone, get inside." I had an idle thought and aimed the cannon at the nanobots who were closing in on Danec.
"No," Selvia groaned.
That was all I needed to hear. I fired the cannon toward them. The blast cut a swathe through them.
For a moment they paused and I started to think they were out of commission. Slowly, gradually, they moved toward each other, closing the gap and re-forming. Their numbers were fewer, but I suspected just as dangerous.
The cannon on them and the Iri, I hurried toward the pod, waving everyone inside with my spare hand.
I fired another shot at the swarm which made a last lunge at Slek before the door closed behind us. A second before it did, I caught sight of the rogues. They were all Iritauri now. The smiles on their faces chilled my bones. They and the swarm turned and headed deeper into the ship.
"We need to get out of here," I said.
Brinley gave a sharp nod and hurried into the cockpit.
"A weapon doesn't make you the leader," J'avet said, but his tone wasn't as cold as it had been.
"Are you sure?" I asked, but I let my hand drop and the cannon with it. To aim it at anyone, even as a joke, wasn't funny.
"Certain." He took the cannon from my hand and patted my shoulder. Without another word, he retreated to the cockpit and left me to tremble before Slek and Danec gathered me in their arms and led me to a seat.
"I don't know if I should be happy to see you, or angry you didn't tell me anything about nanobots," I growled, but I was glad to be alive.
"I wasn't certain," Danec said. "The history books were never precise."
"No one has used nano technology for a long time," Slek added. "It was banned over fifty years ago."
"I wonder why," I said sarcastically. "I suppose that's the reason your people tried to kill the Iri. It wasn't because of the people, but because of the nanobots."
"I assume so, yes," Danec agreed. He cupped my cheek and leaned in to kiss my mouth lightly. "That was the bravest thing I've ever seen."
"Yes, you saved my ass," Slek agreed.
"I acted without thinking," I admitted. "I couldn't let her kill you, or let you be assimilated."
"Either way," Slek looked sly, "I owe you a lifetime of orgasms."
I laughed softly. "Totally worth it then."
"Strap in!" Brinley shouted.
The pod lifted off, turned in a slow circle and headed back the way we'd come.
We moved slowly, or at least it felt like it. We approached the first set of doors and stopped. A lifetime passed, but it wasn't even a minute before the door slid open.
"It's there to keep pods out, not in," Slek said.
"Oh." I still watched the door carefully until it was fully open, then left out a soft breath when it closed behind us. "One to go."
