For the millionth time, I wished the Endeavor had firepower. But phasers weren’t authorized on cargo cruisers, and black-market stuff was way out of our budget. And bullets… They were for places with breathable atmospheres. No sparks in space.
The wand’s signal beeped more frantically toward the nose of the ship, and I crawled over the front panel. Reflected in the window, I saw the small cruiser looming behind me again, the claw opening wide. My crew looked on in horror, but I hardly had time to register their distress, or how they looked like ghosts, aging with every breath.
“Got it!” The device sat just above the central window, like a target on our heads.
I ripped it off and tossed it away.
“Move. Start moving!” I shouted.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jax cried.
I pulled hard on anything I could grip and let go of the ship for terrifyingly long glides, propelling myself back over the top. The claw chased me. The armored tile I was gripping vibrated. I glanced over and saw a flash of retracting metal and dents not even a foot from me.
Holy shit, that was close.
Whoever was steering the claw readjusted. I sprang away before they could correct their aim.
“Drop us out of line, Jax!” Even if I managed to get inside, we couldn’t jump like this, sandwiched between other ships. We needed a minimum of open space.
Fear and effort got me to the other side of the Endeavor, and I crawled-flew-swam toward the open starboard door. The hunters repositioned themselves, getting so close that their powerful spotlight nearly blinded me. I turned away, squinting. The claw hit just beside my foot, and I yelped, jerking my leg up.
The Endeavor finally dipped, and I tumbled sideways, rolling out of control until a protruding instrument caught me in the ribs. I hissed, my gunshot wound exploding in agony.
“Tess!” Jax shouted.
“Here,” I panted out.
A bright light flashed near me, followed by another. Gasping, I threw myself away from the next blast. The hunters had phasers. No surprise there; they were Bridgebane’s lackeys.
My mouth stung with the acidic taste of panic. How had they missed?
They let off more shots that bounced off the Endeavor. They were aiming for the tether!
Shade must have convinced them to go for the live capture. If they could shake me loose from the hull and send me floating without the rope, that claw would snatch me up in an instant. I’d have nothing to hold on to, nothing to propel myself away from them.
There was too much hysterical shouting in my com now to make out any of it. I wished I could turn the damn thing off, but I didn’t have control over that. My side burned as I scuttled away from more phaser shots. One grazed my suit, making my pulse explode with dread.
I held my breath.
I didn’t freeze and die instantly, so my layers of protection must have mostly held. I could feel the cold starting to seep into my leg, though, and it scared me more than the phasers did.
Ignoring the pain in my calf, I kept going. The door wasn’t far.
I straightened and ran, taking a huge leap to get there faster. The Endeavor dipped again, and the ship went one way while I went the other.
Terrified, I flailed and dropped the wand, trying to grab back on to the ship with both hands. I pitched forward, stretching my arms and fingers out.
I missed the hull and somersaulted. My feet didn’t even hit as I came back around. My attempted dive sent me into a weightless spin, and I spiraled out into space, rotating again and again.
Dark. Claw. Ship. Phaser beam. Up was down, down was up. I was out of control. Petrified. Momentum carried me away, every dizzying head-over-heels inch rolling out like a mile paved in solid fear.
I screamed for Jax. Jax screamed for me back. He’d fall apart if I died. There was no one to keep him together, not when he wouldn’t really let himself have anyone else.
A hard jolt wrenched my waist and snapped me to a harsh stop.
“Fuck!” I yelled.
“What?” everyone yelled back.
I sucked air through my teeth, pain ringing inside me like a slap. I blinked, trying to focus. Pain and panic were making it hard to see. I frantically tried to locate the hunters again.
There! On my left.
“Might need new stitches, Fi.”
“Just get in here!” she cried, sounding like she wanted to tear me apart, not stitch me up.