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It doesn’t matter what happened to him. Just because he was kind to you a few times doesn’t mean he's worth saving. Just keep going.
And yet, the further I walk away, the more I know I have to turn around. Like an invisible thread is connected between us. Like it’s trying to pull me back to him.
I grit my teeth.
“This is ridiculous,” I hiss. “Why am I so conflicted about this? Just keep going!”
I order my body to once again move, but I only get a few paces before I find myself looking back.
Why? Why do I want to go find him so much? Why do I care?
Because he had cared about me.
The answer is so sudden and abrupt that it nearly tips me over. Without him strapping me down as he did, I would be dead right now.
But there’s something more that tugs at the back of my mind. Something that, when I try to grasp it, seems to slip more out of reach.
There’s something between Karvex and me that I can’t explain. And I know that if I leave him and never find out, it’ll drive me mad.
Slowly, I turn the rest of my body to look where the other half of the shuttle should have crashed. There’s an obvious trail from where our half rolled and skidded along.
My mind and my heart scream at me, both pulling me in different directions. My mind tells me that I’ll never have a better chance to run and be free. But my heart wants, no, needs to know Karvex is safe and alive.
I feel like screaming in frustration. Karvex is the bad guy. I shouldn’t go back for him. If he’s in trouble, surely his own men will help him. Why me?
But even then, I already know I’ve made up my mind.
CHAPTER 7
KARVEX
“Well, I hope you’re happy,” Renari taunts from across the broken landscape as the rest of our crew struggles to their feet. Our half of the shuttle digs a massive line across the rugged terrain of D4319. I’m stuck in my harness, twisted up in half of the control panel and wires from the bridge. My fingers fiddle with my pockets for something to cut me loose, but I can’t find my multi-tool.
Renari pants across the wreckage, pulling a small hand blade from his vest as he staggers and stops. He stands over me, my feet splayed out and arms bound by wires. I’m at quite a disadvantage. I half think he’ll kill me here and now. The look on his face says he’s thinking about it.
“Well, fuck, Karvex. Looks like you’ve got us in one hell of a disaster.” A crease forms across my face that I know he can see. Despite my doubts, he bends down and cuts me free. “Lost the gold, the shuttle, and the woman, all in one go. Nice,” he hisses.
Once my arms and legs are free, I pull myself to standing and dust myself off. Ignoring the others, I start looking around for supplies that I can carry. Soon enough, I find a bag and a small med kit. I stuff it into the bag along with a hydration pack and head out towards the largest rock.
“What are you doing now?” Renari sounds pissed, but I know I don't have time to lose. Climbing to the top, I look out for evidence of where the other half of the ship might be. I don’t see much, just scattered boulders, craters, and the temp-poles that generate the artificial atmosphere on this floating hunk of space rock.
“I can’t see where the other half of the ship went,” I tell them, climbing down and grabbing my gear. “We’ll have to find another lookout on the way.”
“Are you kidding me right now?” he demands, putting himself between me and the line of wreckage. “We are not risking anything more for some human.” I know he’s right in his way. I shouldn’t give this much of a damn about her.
But I do.
“Get out of my way.” I drop my gaze to stare him down. I won’t try to explain it to him, I can hardly understand it myself. “I’m going back.”
This time he pushes the front of his skull into mine, bone spurs clanking against bone spurs. He growls. “Enough of this obsession!” He digs his boots into the dirt as I strive to push him out of my way with my brute strength. But I outweigh him and brush past through the burning rubble towards the only hope I have of finding her.
“Karvex! You better hope I don’t find her first!” The words bounce off my back as I trudge down and out of sight. He can spew threats all he likes. I don't need his permission. Besides, I can’t explain this pull I have to her, like she’s a part of me and I'll never be whole again until I find her.
It’s a straight shot through the line of wreckage. I was able to regain control of the thrusters on our end after the breakaway and managed to land us flat along the landscape. The shuttle hatch carved a neat line across a rocky but otherwise flat terrain.
As I walk along, it doesn't take long to see that it’s inhabited, with a small town coming into view. Around the line of wreckage about a dozen townsfolk crowd with shocked expressions. Their faces become even more distressed when they see me from afar.
“Oh, sir, please. Please let us help you.” They’re a strange race of aliens. Gray skin and big bug eyes. They're the bowing, scraping sort, which is just as well. At least I can expect them to be helpful.
