He smiled and brushed her hair back from her face. “I promise.”
CJ took a step back, giving the couple some space, and turned to find Krystal already settling into her pod. Krystal gripped T’arq hand tightly, reluctantly letting go to shut the door, the pod sealing with a hiss as it pressurized. The second set of doors to the shuttle itself closed, a small window the only way to see the pod. Krystal waved from inside as the light on the outside flickered from green to red, and the pod disengaged, leaving an empty cavity in the shuttle's side. CJ watched as Krystal’s pod quickly moved away and toward the Starship Zataras in the distance, before the pod’s cloak engaged and it disappeared. T’arq quickly got into his own pod, and within seconds had ejected from the shuttle and was following Krystal back to the Zataras.
CJ turned, stumbling along the row of pods toward one of two empty ones. Was Domik able to get away? She couldn’t imagine a world where Domik wasn’t able to overcome anything thrown at him. He faced down all threats with a solid dependability that made concrete look like jelly. Thinking of Domik calmed CJ’s rapidly beating heart.
She reached an empty pod and hit the button to open the hatch, before turning to see Zac settle Laila into her pod, pressing a series of buttons on the outside before closing the doors to the shuttle and ejecting it to follow in T’arq and Krystal’s wake.
Zac gestured for CJ to climb into her pod. “Get into your pod. I won’t leave until you do.”
CJ peered into the pod, the small coffin-like space making her skin crawl.
Krystal did it, and she used to be terrified of flying. You can do this. It’s not like the freezer at all.
The dull silver of the metal was warm against her skin as she reached a hand out to open the doors. The cooler air in the pod rushed out, sending goosebumps over her skin.
You have to do this. It’s the only way.
The seat was comfortable; she noted with surprise, and she settled into it, pulling the harness over her shoulders and up from between her legs to connect in the middle.
Zac hit the button on the outside of her pod and the doors slid shut. He gave her a small smile before turning and leaving; the smoke swirling behind him was a stark reminder of how urgent this situation was.
Just hit the button, and then you’re safe.
She took a deep breath and hit the button that would eject the pod from the ship.
Nothing happened.
What the fuck?
She hit the button again.
Nothing.
Mashing the button for all she was worth, she banged again and again.
Nothing.
This could not be happening.
She threw her head back against the cushion of the seat, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths.
I have to get out of here. Now.
CJ pushed the button to open the doors to the shuttle and, with a wave of relief, they opened, sending a plume of smoke into the pod.
She coughed, pulling the mask over her face once more, and clambered out of the pod. Had Zac left? He could help her, surely? She looked down the row of pods, and with a sinking feeling, counted.
Five pods. Four ejected. He’d gone. And the last one was malfunctioning.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
But there were eight on the ship. She just had to get to the other ones. The ones where Domik had gone. The ones that had likely been damaged by fire from a Xakul ship.
Don’t think about that.
Dropping to her knees, the metal grid biting through the fabric of her flight suit and into the skin of her legs, she mashed the button on her wrist comm.
“Domik? Domik? Are you still here?” Her voice was hoarse from the smoke, and she began coughing.
