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“There is fuel for one jump,” Zen said.

“Do it!”

“Yes, Quinn.”

The ship moved forward, picking up speed. As it did, I felt my Buddy buzz against my wrist and tapped it awake. It was a Nexus transmission.

It read:Sagittarius is under attack. Escape pods in need of pick up. All search and rescue units to the docking bay for retrieval.

And that was about the eeriest thing I could have ever seen. I had been on that ship that just got ripped up. I wondered if Omar and the others had made it out. Searching through tiny windows for the source of the attack, I saw a looming shadow near the flames of the cargo ship, but the transport was moving too fast for me to make it out. All I knew was that I didn’t want to be there. Space travel was great, but I really wasn’t keen ondyingin the expanse during my first month of work.

“Ihadto volunteer for this mission,” Quinn muttered to herself. “Why couldn’t I just stay on the Nexus?”

“There is a large craft blocking the jump path,” Zen said.

“Fuck!” Quinn spit. “Does this shuttle have coordinates for Phypso B?”

“Yes, Quinn.”

“Phypso?” I said. “Valerians own that solar system, don’t they?”

“Yup,” Quinn answered. “If we head that way, maybe a valerian ship can track us and give us a hand. Shit! This is so stupid. Zen, input coordinates.”

“Human vessels do not have clearance to—”

“Zen, I swear to God.”

“Why not go back to the station?” I said.

“Because those little stations are too important. Part of our agreement with valerians was to protect those stations. We can’t bring these guys right to it.”

I squirmed nervously in my seat.

“Ugh, I can’t believe this. I was prepping for a promotion!” Quinn complained. “Zen, map a new pathnowand make the jump. Anywhere. And send a damn distress call. We need help.” She craned her head to look at me. “With any luck, your boyfriend will get it. They would be a lot closer than the Nexus, or any other ship for that matter.”

“Distress call is active,” Zen said.

I heard an eerie moan that reached all the way to the pit of my stomach and looked out the window to see open space again. It was terrifying. Like a great big beast ready to swallow us instead of the serene emptiness I saw before.

“Quinn?” I said. “What’s that noise?”

“Big ship,” she answered. “Zen, make the jump.”

“Minimum—"

“Override. Make the fucking jump!”

“Yes, Quinn.”

I closed my eyes just as a violent vibration rippled through the transport. It felt like it was going to get ripped apart. My feet floated up and if I wasn’t strapped in, I would have, too. I was certain. I held on, sure I was about to die, and then felt my feet slowly lower again. My weight sunk back into the seat and I let out a breath I didn’t even know I’d been holding. When I opened my eyes, there was nothing but a black and blue haze swarming around the front of the ship like vapor. Quinn was still at the controls, not calming down, and I was worried about what it meant.

“Quinn? What’s happening?”

“I’m gonna be sick,” Sam mumbled across from me.

“We’re in a jump,” Quinn answered. “But there’s another ship with us.”

“What ship?” I asked. “The big, scary ship?”