Page 11 of On a Rogue Planet
“What are you doing?” She raced over.
“Strap in.”
He was clearly still interfaced with her ship.
“I want to know what you’re?—?”
“Strap. In.” His words were like bullets.
She sank into her chair and pulled her harness on.
Slowly, the ship righted. Her lips parted and she stared at the screen. The stabilizers were back online. Not at full capacity, but enough for the ship to function.
It wasn’t possible! They were too damaged.
Her gaze shot to Xander.
Lines bracketed his mouth and his face was pale.
He was killing himself to stabilize theFirebird.
“Xander, enough.”
He ignored her.
She gripped his arm. “Enough!”
“Almost…there.”
“You’re going to kill yourself!” She heard the fear in her tone. “Enough.”
She managed to yank one of his hands off the console, but his body started convulsing.
“Shit.” She helped him back into his chair and his head slumped forward.Please don’t be dead. She touched her fingertips to his neck. Felt a pulse.
Okay, the best thing she could do for him was get them safely back to Khan. He’d nearly killed himself to get theFirebirdfunctional again.
She set a course for the Phoenix moon.
Then she noticed the flashing red light on the console and her chest tightened. Dammit. Couldn’t they catch a break?
Enviro was failing…not just in the cargo bay but across the entire ship.
She glanced at the unconscious CenSec beside her. This time she was on her own. She had to find a way to keep him and herself alive.
CHAPTER THREE
Mal blinked slowly, trying to stay conscious.
She’d shut down everything she could except the engines and the enviro system in the cockpit.
But even that was failing now.
“Oxygen at unsafe levels,” said a modulated female computer voice.
Mal dragged in a shuddering breath. They were close. They had to be. She just had to hold on a little while longer.
She sagged against her straps and tried to focus on Xander’s inert body beside her. He hadn’t regained consciousness. She swallowed the huge lump in her throat. His face was pressed against the console, turned her way. He looked less intimidating with his eyes closed and muscles loose. His dark lashes were ridiculously long.
