“FortunaOne, this isFortunaPrime.You ready for pickup?”
There was a crackle of static and then a wild yelp.“Hey, Sarge!”
“Give me your exact coordinates.We’re coming in hot for you.”
She rattled off her location and I programmed it into the ship’s navigation.“‘We’?You got Finn with you?”
“Not exactly,” Dax said.“See you soon.FortunaPrime out.”
He gave me a nod and I cut the transmission.“Am I going to be a problem?”
“Probably,” Dax said after a pause.“I’ll handle it, all right?”
“Sure.”This was going to be great fun.
“I’ll take care of it,” he said again.“Now I need you down in the cargo hold to pick up Burn.”
“This has gotto be the dumbest plan ever,” I muttered as I triple-checked my safety harness and the lines that tied me to the ship.When Dax and I had set up the lines and harnesses earlier, I thought this was like a backup plan or something.Like in case of emergencies.
I’d argued with Dax that I should be the one to pilot the ship and he should meet his friend in the cargo hold.He’d refused.
Apparently, we were going to scoop Burn right out of the trees.The only way this was a plan was if he planned for me to fall out of the cargo hold.That wouldnotbe happening if I had anything to say about it.I tightened my harness again.
When my lines were as secure as I could make them, I checked the others.
The intercom chimed and I pressed the button to answer.“Cargo bay.”
“We’re approaching the coordinates.There’s nothing but trees here.I want you to open the cargo hold door and keep an eye out.Do you have comms?”
“Just the intercom.I can leave it on.”
“Do it.Let me know when the doors open and if you see anything.”
“Got it.Cargo bay out.”
My steps echoed ominously as I crossed the empty cargo hold and my stomach lurched as I approached the external bay door.With each step, the harness bit into my thighs, torso, and shoulders.It was attached to the cargo hold with flexible but strong metal tethers.They had enough slack that I should be able to lean out the door and snag our newcomer but short enough that if I fell out I wouldn’t hit the trees we were flying over.
Wasn’t that a happy thought?
I tugged on my tethers, giving a few good yanks to make sure they stayed attached.Not that my strength compared in any way to the intensity of the wind outside.
“Here goes nothing,” I said quietly.I slapped my hand on the button to open the outer cargo door and grabbed onto the wall for dear life.
As the metal slid upward, the wind increased and the straps rattled throughout the cargo hold.Wisps of hair slapped my cheeks and my braid fluttered out behind me.
“Doors open,” I shouted, hoping Dax could hear me over all the noise.
I left my hand on the inner hull as I made my way to the gaping door.Praying my tethers would hold, I gripped the side of the door and leaned out.
Wind battered my vision and made me blink.Why hadn’t I thought about a helmet and visor?
I squinted against the stinging wind and studied the surface below us.
A solid field of green passed under the ship.The only breaks in the unending green were caused by elevation changes.This planet was crazy alive.
“We should be coming over the coordinates in thirty seconds.”Dax’s voice was low against the high whistling wind and clanging metal.
One one thousand, two one thousand.As the numbers neared thirty, I leaned a little farther out the door.
