Page 9 of On a Rogue Planet
“Fuck!” Mal leaned to the left, flicking at various touchscreens. “Incoming.” She looked his way. “Squadron of Infiltrators.”
He slammed a fist against the console so hard he dented the metal.
“Hey! Don’t damage my ship.” She pushed his hand off the console. “Can you contact them? Call them off.”
“They are not under Centaxian control. The mercenaries have seized control of the Security spaceport.”
Not good. She chewed on her lip. “You’re telling me those giants are flying those Infiltrators?”
“Most likely.”
“Shit.” She tapped at the controls. “I’ll try and pull some extra power from?—”
Another alarm sounded. This time Xander reached forward and touched the screen in front of him. “Incoming ion missile. Starboard side.” He spoke like he was giving her a weather report.
“Shields are up.”
“Won’t stop these missiles. They’re designed to penetrate shields.”
Her stomach dropped. “What?”
“New Centaxian tech.”
The ship shuddered and they were both tossed forward in their seats, held in place by their harnesses.
More alarms sounded. Mal worked furiously at the controls. “We’ve lost grav and enviro in the cargo area. No hull breach.”
“Yet.”
“Hey, positive attitude please.”
Another hit. The ship shuddered again and this time the console to the right exploded, sparks raining over both of them.
“Dammit. I’ve lost one of the engines.” Her hands flew in a blur over the controls. “We can’t take another hit.”
Xander reached forward and touched his palms to the console.
“What are you doing?” she bit out.
He ignored her, his gaze turned inward. Once again, his eyes flared that eerie neon green.
Even in the midst of chaos, she couldn’t help but stare at him. Damn, he was handsome. Not to mention scary. “Xander?—”
“I’m strengthening the shields and the weapons systems.”
“Your eyes?—”
“A sign I’m utilizing my advanced cyborg systems.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “However, they are still not fully back online. But we will get off Centax, Malin.” His voice was colder than ice. “I will do whatever is required to get us out of here.”
She couldn’t look away from him. The luminescence of his eyes cast a glow over his black uniform. She saw the lines of pain on his face soften, and that scary blankness deepen.
He looked less man and far more…something else.
Another insistent alarm. She palmed the screen. “Infiltrators are coming back! Weapons are locked.” Her heart pounded in her chest like a wild animal attempting to burst free.
She glanced out the viewscreen, and could just see the squadron of five sleek, black ships heading straight toward them.
Then her ship’s lasers fired.
