The Dead Fleet (Juggernaut #3)

Thirty Five

Tila and Malachi jogged through steel tunnels, painfully conscious of every sound they made. Behind them was Typhon. All around them were pirates, and now somewhere ahead was a new threat. Heavily armed. Ready to kill.

Their long day was overtaking them. Injuries, fear and exertion were taking their toll. They jogged instead of running. Their hands hung lower, their steps grew smaller.

Malachi awkwardly shouldered his bag while he checked their route on the datapad he carried in one hand, and his nervous fingers held the pistol they had found in the other.

Tila carried the staff two-handed. She need to be ready. Even the half-second it took to pull it from her back and snap it open was too long.

But they passed another junction without incident, then another, and then another. With each passageway cleared or corner turned Malachi repeated his wish of 'not far now' and 'nearly there'.

Tila stayed quiet, stayed alert.

Malachi slowed. He tapped Tila's arm with the pistol to get her attention.

'Hey, careful with that!'

'Sorry. We're almost there.'

'Are you sure? I don't recognise it.'

'There should be a broken pipe around the next corner.'

Tila edged up to the corner peeked around. There was the pipe and the acrid smell of coolant. There was the door to the airlock.

"All clear," she said.

Malachi stepped past her. "Do you think Ellie made it back yet?"

They jogged along the familiar corridor. Tila's face betrayed her fears even as her silence concealed them.

"I hope so."

Malachi said nothing as they fell in step with each other until they reached their door. Tila had the feeling that he was trying to say something difficult. She didn't feel like making it easy for him.

"How long do you want to wait?" he said. It sounded like a question he didn't want to ask.

"I already told you, I'm going back if she's not here.'

Malachi nodded his understanding but he couldn't accept that.

'I'll go with you.'

'No!' Tila said sharply. Then more softly,' No. You'll slow me down. You took a bad hit in the refinery. You wait here with the gun. I'll be quicker alone.'

'I can't... I can't be the reason I lose you too, Tila.'

'Mal you won't be. I promise. You need to rest. I'll find her and we'll come back together.'

'But-'

'I said, I'll find her and we'll come back together, okay? That's everything you need to know.'

'They'll be looking for you.'

Tila hefted the staff. 'Good.'

Malachi gave her a weak smile and opened the door.

The chamber was as lifeless as the moment they had left it. Wherever Ellie was, she hadn't made it back yet.

The airlock console welcomed them back with it's friendly blinking red light, oblivious to their distress. Through the inner airlock window they could see the inner sphere of the dead fleet making it's slow turn around the Solar Forge.

Malachi walked to the lockers and opened the one where he had stashed their gear. Tila lay the staff on the console and stood by the airlock, watching the world spin and sighed quietly. She squeezed her hands into fists and released them again, squeezed and released.

Just breathe, she told herself.