the bomb. It was still covered in Kogav’s offensive blue sheets, technically hidden but within arm’s reach.
Right where he would’ve preferred Sherre to be, rather than bleeding out in the control room behind him.
“Fucking snakes!” Zaddik roared furiously, popping up above the bomb to get a better aim. The Thagzars scrambled for some cover of their own, hissing and spitting at one another.
It’d been a few years since Zaddik had come face-to-face with a band of Thagzars like this, and even longer since he’d bothered to make sense of their language. But he was still wearing an Eiztar earpiece, one that knew Thagzar very, very well.
“I can smell another!” one of them called to his teammates, hidden behind the left corner while his two comrades were shrinking beyond the right.
“Where?!” one demanded, at the same time that the third hissed, “It’s bleeding.”
Zaddik did his best to ignore them. He flung off the sheet covering the bomb and swore. In the fight, the bomb had turned, the trigger was hidden under the folds. All it would take was one well-placed shot of a laser, and he’d have them.
But the Thags pressed closer, and he’d only have time for one shot.
“It’s a bitch!” one of them shouted out gleefully. Zaddik grit his teeth, pushing down the memories he had of his days spent in servitude to the aliens.
Damned if any of the bastards would get any nearer to Sherre.
“There,” Zaddik breathed, and he shoved his laser into the small opening, pulling the trigger as he looked up to see the bravest of the Thagzars stepping from around the corner.
The split-second of fear in the creature’s eyes was more than satisfying.
With a small bang, the bomb popped in half. Dark smoke filled the air, and the bitter smell of the poison filled his nostrils.
An irritant to him, but the Thagzars didn’t stand a chance, even as they shouted and ran. They’d already breathed in too much. With three sickening smacks Zaddik knew they’d fallen dead.
He took a deep breath, then checked his scanners. Finally, his ship was his own. Not a single Thagzar remained.
Normally, he’d poke their corpses and rob their pockets, but something much more important required his attention. Standing, he faced the keypad and input his code, both elated and anxious to open the door.
Sherre was right where he’d left her, slumped on the floor with a bleeding shoulder and pure shock written across her face.
He didn’t waste time; he picked her up, much more slowly this time, and set her into the closest chair. They were in the control room, meaning plush seats and warm beverage stations.
“I’ll be right back,” he promised, already straightening to march across the room and grab the medic kit above the navigator’s board.
Sherre’s light grip on his wrist stopped him.
“You fought them alone,” she said quietly, her voice hitching as she struggled to breathe through the obvious pain in her shoulder. “I told you I wouldn’t be of any help—”
Zaddik couldn’t help it, he kissed her. Had been dying to ever since she’d tried and knocked their teeth together, showing her inexperience.
But he couldn’t exactly make this a long one, either. “Hold that thought,” he breathed, jumping up to race across the room. The medic kit was there, thank goodness, and he ran back to her just as fast, dangling the box in front of her face. “Thought you could use this.”
Rather than smile like Zaddik was hoping she would, Sherre squeezed her eyes closed and made a choking noise. The tears suddenly escaping down her face only confirmed what Zaddik had feared, and he moved quickly to brush them away.
“I’m s-so sorry,” she apologized brokenly. “I don’t know what you thought my braids ever meant, but I’m not some warrior.” She spit the word like an insult, and Zaddik had to wonder what she thought of him. “I’m a navigator! I’m not brave.”
“Sherre,” Zaddik said kindly, furrowing his brow. “You are so brave.”
She opened her eyes, frowning at him angrily. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do,” he nodded furiously, “I really do. You’re half my age, never been caught in laser fire before, and you still agreed to help me take back my ship. Hell, you even accepted the alien weaponry I shoved into your hands.”
“Yeah,” Sherre rolled her eyes at herself. “A lot of good that did.”
But Zaddik just shook his head, taking a moment to pop open the medic kit and retrieve one of the pink bottles.
“Sherre,” Zaddik said, looking for a wrapped