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Chapter Thirty Three
Adreax
The Greedy She-Devil shook as we passed through the last layers of the still-building atmosphere on Orb5. As we broke through, our ship rocked slightly and then set itself straight, sailing smoothly for the first time since we’d left the ground.
“That a girl!” Herod cheered, patting our old ship on the console proudly. “Now, let’s see about getting to Kychek and finding some entertainment.”
I continued to scan the sky, trying to ignore Herod’s ongoing commentary. I knew what kind of entertainment he was suggesting, and I still wasn’t interested. More importantly, we still had the matter of the missing guns to deal with, and no money with which to eat or refuel, much less pay for the company of the entertainers. Nevertheless, he carried on cheerfully, and I thought it might be good to let him enjoy himself for a while before the bitter reality of our situation set in. What could it hurt?
“Can’t wait to get my hands on a big juicy piece of meat, some excellent drink, and then settle in with the ladies. Hey, Dre, remember that lady friend of yours from back in the day? You think she’s still around? Maybe she could help you get over Tayla right quick. If I remember right, she knew her way around-”
I cut him off with a glare.
“Nobody will be getting over anybody, Herod. Leave Tayla and Kayzik out of this. They don’t need you besmirching their good names.”
Kayzik was a good friend, and we found a way back into bed together whenever we crossed paths. Not this time, though. The thought of Kayzik now just made my defeat with Tayla that much more painful. Two women I had disappointed and left to fend for themselves, light years apart. I could almost imagine them sitting down together, discussing my shortcomings over a hot cup of tea and shaking their heads in pity.
“Why don’t you just worry about steering the ship and let me worry about the women? Perhaps one day you’ll have a lady of your own to think about instead of meddling in my affairs.”
Herod chuckled at the barb. He knew as well as I did that he had no intention of settling down, and he had no trouble with paying the entertainers on Kychek whenever we made it into port. The only worrying he ever did about women was if he’d have time to get to know all of them before he died.
I was always a little envious of his aloofness.
“All right, all right. I get it. You’re just worried that Tayla might choose me next time instead. Don’t worry, Dre. I’ll take care of her the right way.”
His comment was a bridge too far. My hands gripped the arms of my seat until my knuckles turned white and I growled fiercely.
“Do not speak of her anymore,” I warned.
Herod gave me a sidelong glance. “Or what?”
I wanted so badly to pummel him for his disrespect. But I couldn’t afford to distract him when we were in such treacherous airspace. We had to work together to make it out of this alive, and that meant that my retribution would just have to wait.
Something flickered at the corner of the viewscreen. I turned to investigate it without answering Herod’s challenge. This whole time I had been expecting the Patrol’s airborne fleet to close in on us or fire warning shots, but so far all was quiet. Now, I saw why.
A large cohort of Patrol ships was approaching Orb5, flying in tight formation around a bulbous, slow-moving ship. It was an escort of some kind, and the sight of it made me nervous. I had never seen such a ship before, and I couldn’t imagine what use the Patrol would have for something of that size. It was too slow to use for enforcement and too pristine to be any kind of prison ship.
“What is that?”
Herod and I both watched as the convoy made its way down toward the Orb, heading straight for Tayla’s camp. I had to warn her. No, it wouldn’t do any good. There was no time.
“Turn around,” I ordered, trying to keep the hysteria out of my voice.
“We are not going back, Adreax. If we go back, we will not get off of that planet again.”
Herod’s voice was chillingly cold, and all humor had left his eyes. We were not companions in this moment. Now, he was just another enemy standing between me and the thing I desired most.
“I don’t care if we ever make it to Kychek! There’s nothing there for us! We have to save her!”
I was out of my seat, leaning over Herod and wrestling the control yoke from his grasp. He may have been my star navigator, but he was not the only one who could pilot this ship. He jabbed his elbow in my side, and I yowled with pain. It was a targeted attack. Herod knew how to wound me, and he’d gone straight for the bandaged area.
I refused to let go of the controls, though, fighting with all my might to bring the She-Devil around. When she finally completed the awkward turn, I gaped in horror at the sight of the Patrol ships landing on the Orb, kicking up dust into the atmosphere that nearly blocked my view altogether.
“No!” I yelled, directing all of my fury toward the intruders.
They were so close to her already. Even at her best, our ship would never be fast enough to rescue her. I shuddered to think of what those evil bastards had planned for her.
Another stabbing pain in my side. Herod was not finished with me yet.
