It probably was, but if the backdoor was gone and the ship wasn’t actually under Caruson control, the Raptor wouldn’t be a bad option for escape. If they could get to it.
Velda slid Ethan a look and he gave a tiny nod of agreement.
“You fight with blades as well as laz?” Velda didn’t know why that was so shocking to her.
“Laz are good ranged weapons,” Nirro said. “Blades are good for close work.”
And taking a ship was very close work.
Velda tried to keep her features serene.
“You ran,” Nirro said.
“You’d have, too.” Velda pretended calm, stretching out her legs and looking up at him. “Given the same circumstances.”
Nirro paused, gave a laugh. “You’re right. I don’t blame you for it, and it didn’t cause me too much trouble, given there’s nowhere to run to.”
“About that.” Velda leaned forward. “Where are we?”
“Out near some planet Sylvester’s people found some months ago. Already inhabited, but difficult to take over, given the threat level of the indigenous species.”
“Fjern?” Velda couldn’t help the way her voice lifted in surprise. “We’re near Fjern?”
“Is that what it’s called?” Nirro shrugged. “Sylvester promised us it contained the motherlode of ore that we needed, but I gather from listening to the hidden comms my people set up in the Raptor that they barely came away with their lives last time. It was then that it occurred to me that Sylvester was perhaps setting us up to take all the risks, and maybe was hoping we’d be a much diminished force at the end of the trip.”
“All the better for Sylvester to make a new deal with your government, in exchange for you defeated, and their warship back. And with them owing him a massive debt,” Velda mused. “One they could discharge by helping him take Aponi.”
“Exactly,” Nirro agreed. “It was only a suspicion, until Linao made it clear she had intelligence from the Caruso establishment about where I’d served before.”
And that had been the last straw for the Caruson commander, Velda realized.
“Still, it was a long term plan,” Velda said. “It’s not as if you could set up a mine on Fjern overnight.”
“Apparently there’s already one down there.” Nirro lifted a shoulder. “So not that long term.”
“And how far is Aponi from here?” she asked. Because as much as she wanted to see Fjern, it was more important to get back to Aponi.
Nirro studied her, then flicked a look at Ethan. “Nice moves on the bridge,” he said, without answering. “I had a feeling something was up with you. You, though,” he turned back to Velda, “I was surprised at what happened in the launch bay. You hadn’t shown any sign of enhancement before that.”
Velda just lifted her brows.
“Well, that’s over for you both. Where’s the device?” He addressed one of their guards, and the soldier handed over the extractor.
Nirro went to Ethan first and unclipped one restraint. “Hand out flat.”
Ethan lifted his hand, palm up, and waited, his gaze fixed on Nirro’s face.
Nirro switched the little machine on and pressed it into Ethan’s palm.
Nothing happened.
Nirro stepped back, frowning, and turned it off and on again. Put it back on Ethan’s hand.
The smell of burning wires and electronics suddenly became evident.
Nirro’s face went hard. “No.” He put the extractor down on the counter, and then stepped back when it made a strange popping sound and smoke escaped from a thin join on one side.
The two guards edged a little closer to the door in the tense silence, and then Nirro turned suddenly to Ethan, lifting the curved blade from his belt and bringing it down on him.
