It feels like my side is being eaten away by molten lava. Those trident blasters sure pack a punch. I’m close to the door, so close, but I’m not going to make it. I knew that was the risk I was accepting and, if Talie’s safe, it was worth it.
“Renner!” Talie screams.
The sound only adds to my pain. I never wanted to hurt her. I wanted to save her, and maybe I have.
“Go.” It’s a whisper.
I press a hand against my side and nearly pass out. I need to stop the bleeding, but I’m already weak from blood loss and shock, shaky from the pain. Noble or not, I would never advise someone to get shot.
“Oye, you’re not getting off that easily, mate.” Leef’s suddenly there, reaching under my arms to drag me the last few meters to the door.
Another blast goes off right above us, shattering more duraplast into flying projectiles. Leef ducks and then yanks. Hard. I momentarily black out. When I come to, we’re in darkness, and I hear pounding.
“What—what happened?”
“We’re in a Versing closet.” Leef kicks something metallic.
The guards continue to pound on the door.
“At least it’s got a good door. Jammed the controls, but it won’t be long before they’re inside.”
“You knew this was going to happen.” Talie’s voice is low and to my left in the darkness.
“Well.” I’m not going to lie to her. “The odds weren’t great.”
Her silence speaks loudly, and I clench my teeth. Strike two for being noble. Shot and now she’s mad at me. Stars.
“Lovers spat later, mates.” Leef paces the small space, rummaging through the shelves.
A dull green light ignites from an access panel next to the door. It’s followed by a ripping sound, and I make out Leef bandaging his hands with material from his cape. He hands strips to Talie as well. “We need to get out of here. Now.”
“I told you there was a ninety-eight percent chance you would be shot, Master Renner.” The Shell sounds offended, but I’m glad it decided to keep that information between us.
“Shell, can you help us escape?” I ask out loud.
“Calculating.” It projects its voice so the others can hear. “There is an access panel in the ceiling. It will take you through to the transport bay. Door integrity dictates you must evacuate this area within five minutes.”
Warning aside, I’m glad we have a plan of action. I am not happy about the thought of moving. Especially climbing. I won’t make it.
“You need to leave me here.”
“Are you crazy?” Talie kneels next to me.
“There’s no way I can climb into an access tunnel, and you need to get out of here, Talie. You know that. Leave me.” That time I almost convinced myself.
Do I want her to go without me? No. Do I value her life more than mine? Absolutely yes. The sooner she realizes that—
“Okay, mate, let’s bring down the self-sacrificing ideation a bit, yeah?” Leef kneels next to me, his hand on my arm. “This may hurt.”
I feel a pinch in my arm, and something floods my veins in a cool rush.
“What was in that?” I demand.
“And one more.”
He jabs me again, and this time a quiet numbness proceeds from the point of the pinch.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know, but at least this way you’ll make it to the transport. We’ll have to deal with your injuries on my ship, but I’ve got a modified med-bay that should help with the worst of it.”
I have so many questions but, like my pain under the waves of whatever is spreading through my body, they fade into the background.
“Okay, let’s get to it. Come on, Lord Cartha.”
I sense movement, but I hardly feel anything. It’s like my limbs are made of pillows, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to work them.
“I feel…funny…”
“Ah, it’s kicking in. Good.” Leef’s arm goes around me. “Now let’s go. Talie, can you, uh, do something?”
“I—I can’t. I think it’s the weight of the water all around us. It’s throwing me off.” Talie sounds worried. “I’m sorry.”
“No problem. We’ll do this the old-fashioned way.”
My eyes try to focus on Talie, but everything is spinning. “You make me…dizzy.”
“What did you give him?” Her voice is a harsh whisper directed at Leef.
“Something I pulled from someone’s hidden stash.” He shrugs. “Not my first choice, but it’ll get him moving.”
The warmth I feel erupts in a laugh. “You’re a pretty great guy,” I tell Leef as he maneuvers me toward a vent in the ceiling. “You’re annoying too, but that’s ooookayyyy.” The word comes out in a song.
Leef shakes his head. “I’m gonna give you a lift, Ren.”
I turn and realize how close his face is to mine. I have the urge to kiss his cheek. He’s such a great guy. I lean in—
“None of that, mate.” Leef laughs.
I want to laugh. “What’s funny?”
“You, mate. You are.”
I smile. I’ve always wanted to be funny.