Page 140 of Star Bringer
“Fuckrightoff,” Beckett snarls as she continues to press buttons and levers, all to no avail.
“So what is the plan?” I ask, because those ships are gettingcloser.
“There is no plan,” Max answers grimly. “I think that’s why everyone is freaking out right now.”
“So, now’s a good time for me to be freaking out, too?” Because I have been since I sat down.
“Oh, yeah,” Merrick intones. He’s leaning forward, his forehead resting on his elbow in an I-can’t-believe-this-shit-is-happening-again pose. “It’s an excellent time for that.”
All of a sudden, theStarlightjumps about fifteen meters. A torpedo bigger than a drokaray flies right by on our airlock side.
“She’s awake!” Beckett calls.
“Yeah, no shit,” Ian growls. “Now can you get her to move?”
“I’m trying,” she answers testily. But nothing happens.
“They’re using torpedoes,” I point out. “That’s a violation of space-debris procedure. That’s illegal.”
“I’ll be sure to let them know,” Ian says snidely.
Another torpedo comes at us, and this time theStarlightshoots up about ten meters so it can pass below.
“On the plus side, at least these ships don’t seem any better at hitting her than the other ones did,” Gage says, getting up and dusting himself off.
“Yes, but what if—” Rain breaks off as three torpedoes come at us at the same time, followed by three more, followed by three more—all simultaneously.
“Get her moving, Beckett!” Ian snarls.
“I’m trying. She’s not—”
TheStarlightdoes an arcing spin through space that ends with a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree vertical circle that flings Gage across the bridge and has the rest of us yelling.
But the first three torpedoes miss us, and so do the next—
All of a sudden, theStarlightshudders, the entire ship groaning and buckling as a torpedo slams straight into her left side.
Chapter 54
Ian
“Beckett!” I bark as two more torpedoes slam into theStarlight’s hull. “Run a status report now!”
“I’m trying, but she’s not cooperating, Ian.” The fact that she calls meIanand not her preferredCaptaintells me just how frazzled she is.
“Gage, can you get in there? See what you can make happen before we get blown right out of the sky?” I shove a hand through my hair.
Gage doesn’t answer. I whirl around to find him passed out several feet from the bridge door with Kali kneeling at his side.
“Get back in your seat!” I roar, unfastening my harness and running across the bridge to her.
“He needs—”
“He needs to be strapped in, and so do you, or you’re going to end up with the next concussion.” I sling him over my shoulder and carry him to the nearest open chair. Max is already there, waiting to fasten him in.
“You get back to your seat as well,” I snarl as theStarlightzips to the right to avoid more projectiles.
The jump is effective, but it’s not nearly as smooth as it was the first time, and I nearly end up going ass-over-ankles myself.
