Page 29 of The Last Aquarius
A rock hit the surface, and the scything fin angled to the left rather than at him.
“Take that and that.” Ishtar kept chucking rocks, disorienting the snakes, which gave him time to reach the shore and heave himself out.
He popped to his feet and dragged Ishtar away from the edge. “It’s okay. I’m good.”
“Your suit is undamaged?” She checked him over, seeking for signs of tears even as he reassured.
“I’m fine just a little shook because, honestly, didn’t expect that.”
“Me either.”
“Didn’t you just say some things might have survived underground?”
“I expected microbes or bugs, not freaking snakes!”
“Guess it’s not a bad thing. Means Mars isn’t as dead as you thought and we now know there’s water outside your wells.”
She snorted. “Not sure how that helps. This won’t be enough to refill our oceans.”
“No, but having some will help the world start growing things once I get the magnetic shield going again.”
“Only you would be thinking of that rather than the fact you almost died.”
“Bah. If things got dicey, I would have just beamed myself out of there.”
“You would have…” For some reason, she began hitting him and yelling. “You jerk. I was worried about you, and this entire time you could have saved yourself?”
“Hey, why are you mad?” He didn’t bother stopping her pummels. It wasn’t as if the blows hurt. Besides, he kind of liked the fact she gave a damn.
“I’m mad because I don’t want to see you die.”
“Aw, Queenie. I knew you cared.”
“More like I want you to keep your promise,” she muttered, turning away from him.
He smiled. “Admit it, I’m growing on you.”
“Like an itchy rash that won’t leave,” she grumbled.
“You can scratch anywhere and anytime you like,” he offered.
“Unbelievable,” she huffed, stalking away from him.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“To find a way out. Unlike you, I can’t ask a star god to beam me to safety.”
“You could ask me.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because.”
“Because you hate asking for help.”
She whirled and presented him with a mighty glare. “I don’t need your help.”
