sweat-pricked gaze found and followed the line of the tether home to the Endeavor, and I swung my arms forward and grabbed on. Hand over hand, I began reeling myself in.
The hunters zipped around and let off a series of shots again, nearly severing the line. If it had been any thicker, they would have had it, but without anything technological for their instruments to lock on to, the tether was a damn hard target.
My heart beat like a drum in an empty cavern as I pulled myself in. Double-crossing asshole, I-will-eviscerate-him-if-I-ever-see-him-again Shade had definitely convinced his buddies that a capture was better than a kill. So much more profitable. Either that, or they couldn’t shoot for shit, but bounty hunters weren’t known for their incompetence.
I finally hit metal tiles with enough force that it would have hurt without the bulk of the space suit to cushion me. Grabbing on to the hull with both hands and the help of my magnetized boots, I scuttled toward the open door again. I would get to that starboard air lock. I had to.
Another hard jolt stopped me, making me gasp and curl in on my injury. For fuck’s sake! The actual gunshot wound hadn’t hurt half as much as the rest of this did.
The hunters swooped down next to me, the claw reaching out. I sprang forward but couldn’t move. Something was holding me back.
I twisted and yanked on the rope. “Jax! I’m stuck!” The tether was caught.
“I’m coming for you!” he yelled.
“No! Stay inside!” He could never suit up fast enough. Either I got inside on my own, or…
The claw twisted toward me, opening like a terrible flower. My eyes widened behind my mask—no way was that thing catching me.
I swiped at the latch on my belt, fumbling the mechanism because of my thick gloves. I tried again, shaking from the fear and adrenaline pouring through my blood.
Come on… Come on…
The tether detached, freeing me. I pulled hard on two of the big screws holding down the armored plates and shot along the outside of the ship. The claw hit right below me, smacking my heel so hard my foot went numb.
“I’m loose! Don’t move. I’m coming in.” I aimed for the opening, going as fast as I could. I’d never spacewalked without the tether before. It was as terrifying as I’d always imagined.
“Tess. Partner. Holy Sky Mother.”
Poor Jaxon. He’d lost hair the last time I scared him this much.
I propelled myself toward the starboard door, using more hands than legs, my arms straining and my shoulders aching. Phaser shots chased me, getting closer and closer. The hunters weren’t aiming for the lost tether anymore. Dead was plenty good enough again.
I reached the opening and dove inside, pain flaring again at the level of my injury as I twisted to get behind the protection of the doorframe. “I’m in! Close the door, Jax!”
Phaser shots blasted through the gap, and I huddled into the corner as the air lock lit up like a solar storm, direct hits exploding straight into it.
The new armored door whooshed shut, cutting off the barrage. All went suddenly dark and silent.
A red light flickered on. It meant no atmosphere.
“Tess?” Jaxon sounded so lost.
“I’m here, partner. I’m okay.” Or at least, I’d tell him that.
Breathing hard inside my helmet, I waited for the red light to turn green, indicating the repressurization of the air lock zone. If the hunters were still shooting at us, I didn’t feel it. Their small phaser wouldn’t do anything against my girl, not like the heavy artillery of a Dark Watch frigate.
The instant the light changed, I punched in the code and went through the safety door and into Jax’s arms.
He gripped me hard, locking me tightly against him and closing the door again with his other hand. In practically the same movement, he pressed a finger down on the com button to the bridge and yelled, “Jump, Fi!”
“I don’t know how to fly!” she cried back through the speaker.
“The blue button I showed you. Hit it! Now!” Jax let go of the com panel and swept me up against the wall, bracing us both.
Pressure clamped down on me, my bones crunched, darkness came and then ultimately went—a plunge into deep night before dawn broke again.
I shuddered, sagging against Jax.
And that was that. We were in Sector 8. I was home. Alive. Ready to help Coltin and the others as fast as we could.
I exhaled. I could hardly believe it. Yesterday already seemed