“Sounds like things are going well then,” Kira said.
“Is that Kira?”
There was a clatter and then an oomph before an ow.Raider grimaced as Jin shoved him to the side so he could stick his head out of the hole.
“Nixxy!What the hell did you get us into?”
Despite his words, Jin looked more alive than he had in weeks.
“You seem to be enjoying yourself,” Kira observed.
Jin offered her a crooked grin.“It feels nice to get back to something familiar.Even if these things slow me down.”
He held up his hands for her to see.
“We going to be ready soon?”
“Just about.I took a look at the records.We were right.Its signature has it out of Titan which is less than a week from here.Good thing too.I don’t trust this ship to hold together longer than that.”
“Neither do I,” Kira murmured with a glance around.
Jin planted his hands on the floor and attempted to hop out of the hole.Frustration grew on his face after several failed attempts.“Will one of you help me?”
Raider snagged Jin under the arms and lifted him out.“There you go, short stuff.”
Jin fussed with his clothes.“As I was saying, we’re ready to get underway when you are.”
Raider’s exit was far more graceful than Jin’s had been.He grabbed the grate lying nearby and pulled it over the opening to prevent any unnecessary accidents.“I’ll notify the rest.”
Kira moved aside to let Raider out of the narrow space before looking at Jin.“How are you doing with everything?”
“I’m managing.I don’t know what else to say.”
“Keep it up.One foot in front of the other.It will get easier.”
She had to believe that or the guilt of dragging him back to life would eat her alive.
“I think I need a hobby.One that doesn’t involve my spawn,” Jin mused.
“That sounds like a good idea.”
Something interesting that also wouldn’t lead to galactic domination.Maybe knitting or pottery or something along those lines.
“At least one thing hasn’t changed.”Jin slid his hand into Kira’s, looking up at her with an expression that tugged at her heart strings.“I have you.”
“Yes, you do.Always.”
Everything else might change—but not that.
Graydon
Blood splattered Graydon’s face and armor as he wrenched his en-blade out of the human’s shoulder.The man collapsed with a pained cry.He landed knees first in a puddle of his companions’ blood.The liquid soaked into the coarse fabric of his pants, staining them red.
The addition was an improvement.
The human was unkempt and dirty looking, his body odor suggesting he hadn’t seen the right side of a shower in many weeks.The smell stung Graydon’s nostrils, making him yearn to be back on his ship, breathing clean air.Not this recycled crap that was being pumped through the air vents of the asteroid based hideout.
“As I was saying before you and your friends so rudely attacked me, answer my questions and I’ll let you live,” Graydon ordered.
