Nokx (The Sraibur Crew #3) - Layla Nash Page 0,104

Messier nebula after getting its power back online.”

“They survived the Slasu,” he said, relief washing away some of the tension in his spikes. “Gygak got her ship.”

“So it seems,” EJ said. She shook her head and put a full plate in front of him. “There are at least half a dozen Class III planets that way, so she’s keeping the deal to drop the settlers off somewhere habitable. Now eat before you fall over.”

Pyix changed the hologram to show other ships in the vicinity. Nokx clenched his jaw as he searched for the Sraibur, for anything that looked like his ship. He needed to know that his crew survived.

The captain leaned back, arms folded. “There were ten ships along with the Slasu mothership, and one anomaly. Your ship, I believe.”

“The Sraibur,” Nokx said. He concentrated on picking up a hunk of marinated meat, not bothering with utensils. His hearts tripped as he braced for the worst case. He just hoped that, if it came down to it, they died quickly rather than ending up adrift or captured to face a trial. “Where did they end up?”

“They’re almost within hailing distance,” EJ said slowly. She didn’t look at him as she stared at the hologram. She vibrated with tension, though, and made his nerves twitch. Something wasn’t right.

The food hit his stomach and ignited a ravening hunger. He would never be able to eat enough. He would always be starving. His guts growled in response and he inhaled the rest of the meat in front of him as he tried not to think about the very careful way that EJ didn’t mention the Sraibur’s condition. “And?”

“It seems like they escaped the fight unscathed,” EJ said. “But they haven’t left the area, and they didn’t follow the Hollbrd. I’m not sure what it means, whether they know we’re here or are trying to ambush any Slasu who return.”

Nokx leaned his elbows on the table and rubbed his face. He needed to sleep a Xarav year. Then maybe he’d begin to feel like himself again. “I thought this battleship would have destroyed all the Slasu. Why would any return?”

“We were in the midst of destroying them,” Estelle said without inflection. “And then an escape pod shot out of the Hollbrd and would have been scooped up by the Slasu, so we detoured to rescue it.”

Which meant she hadn’t gotten her revenge against the Slasu because of him and EJ. Nokx leveled a look at the Earther in front of him. “And we thank you for it.”

Even if he didn’t feel particularly grateful as she scowled at him.

EJ nudged his shoulder. “We were discussing whether to recontact the Sraibur or continue pursuing the Slasu first. In the right area, we could cripple the mothership.”

Nokx massaged his temples.

“Oh yes,” murmured one of the birds. The tufted feathers on her head stood up. “Yes yes. We will end them. But first we must deal with the ship.”

He tensed. “What do you mean, deal with the ship?”

Silence answered him. Nokx straightened. Did they mean to attack the Sraibur? Why bother telling him? What was he doing there, if they meant to destroy his ship? Heat suffused him along with anger, and his scales reflected the change.

Pyix’s voice deepened. “Easy. There is no need...”

“You will not damage that ship,” he growled in response, and shoved to his feet.

Well, he tried. The room went sideways and EJ’s horrified expression followed him as he crashed to the floor and everything went black.

Chapter 48

EJ

EJ wanted to shake him and kiss him at the same time. Part of her hadn’t expected him to actually wake up, not after the medical officer totted up all of his injuries and shook her head. EJ braced herself for the worst as first one day, then two, passed and Nokx remained unmoving in the sick bay. Some of the Slasu’s weapons had been modified for additional cruelty: if the initial wound didn’t kill the target, the projectile or laser burn continued to eat away at them until they succumbed. It made her blood run cold just to imagine it.

She’d been a little torn up herself, but not nearly as bad. A few hours in sick bay with the rejuvenator pod and she could get around. Seeing Bula again was almost enough to make her forget the previous few weeks on the Hollbrd, and meeting Bula’s sisters made up for the rest. A whirlwind of introductions to the captain and crew followed, until EJ felt like she’d