Somewhere between Tau Ceti station and Kekrax Main, the diplomatic liner Ptolemy is about to get into big trouble…
The ship’s
alarm klaxon sounded right over her head. Alexia’s heart gave a huge lurch,
almost seeming to stop, before pounding fast and hard.
alarm klaxon sounded right over her head. Alexia’s heart gave a huge lurch,
almost seeming to stop, before pounding fast and hard.
“¡Dios mío!” she gasped. She looked
around the dining room. Dozens of confused passengers looked back.
around the dining room. Dozens of confused passengers looked back.
The exec’s
voice came over the comms. “ALL PASSENGERS TO THE LIFEBOATS! THIS IS NOT A
DRILL! ALL HANDS ABANDON SHIP!”
voice came over the comms. “ALL PASSENGERS TO THE LIFEBOATS! THIS IS NOT A
DRILL! ALL HANDS ABANDON SHIP!”
Screams
erupted as the message repeated. Alexia stood and let frantic men and women
race past her. She had to find her father. When the way was clear, she headed
for the bridge.
erupted as the message repeated. Alexia stood and let frantic men and women
race past her. She had to find her father. When the way was clear, she headed
for the bridge.
“Where do
you think you’re going, miss?” A steward blocked her path.
you think you’re going, miss?” A steward blocked her path.
She drew
herself up to her full five feet and glared into his eyes. “Get out of my way, esclavo. I must find my father.”
herself up to her full five feet and glared into his eyes. “Get out of my way, esclavo. I must find my father.”
“You no
must find anything, chica. Get into a
lifeboat before I pick you up and throw you into one.”
must find anything, chica. Get into a
lifeboat before I pick you up and throw you into one.”
“How dare
you! Do you know who I am? Stand aside!”
you! Do you know who I am? Stand aside!”
The steward
shrugged. “Have it the hard way, then,” he said, and he scooped her up by the
waist to throw her over his shoulder.
shrugged. “Have it the hard way, then,” he said, and he scooped her up by the
waist to throw her over his shoulder.
“PUT ME
DOWN!” She pounded on his back and kicked, but he might as well have been a
wall for all the impression she made. Horrified, she realized he was going to
make good on his threat to throw her into a lifeboat. “PUT ME DOWN!” she
screamed. “I have to find my father!”
DOWN!” She pounded on his back and kicked, but he might as well have been a
wall for all the impression she made. Horrified, she realized he was going to
make good on his threat to throw her into a lifeboat. “PUT ME DOWN!” she
screamed. “I have to find my father!”
“No can do,
chica.”
chica.”
“PUT ME
DOWN!” She kicked harder, and her shoes went flying. “I’ll have you shot for laying
hands on me!”
DOWN!” She kicked harder, and her shoes went flying. “I’ll have you shot for laying
hands on me!”
“How
terrifying.” His voice was thick with sarcasm. Then he stopped, holding her
more tightly with one arm while he worked at a wall panel with the other hand.
There was a whoosh, and he set her down only to shove her backward into an
escape pod.
terrifying.” His voice was thick with sarcasm. Then he stopped, holding her
more tightly with one arm while he worked at a wall panel with the other hand.
There was a whoosh, and he set her down only to shove her backward into an
escape pod.
“NO!” she
screeched, scrambling to her feet. He shoved her down again, hard, as the hatch
shut. She heard the locking mechanism click. Through the porthole, he grinned
at her and waved, and then she lost her balance as the lifeboat launched into space.
screeched, scrambling to her feet. He shoved her down again, hard, as the hatch
shut. She heard the locking mechanism click. Through the porthole, he grinned
at her and waved, and then she lost her balance as the lifeboat launched into space.
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