Debris pelted the safety pod, each crack and thud loud enough to make Tila think it would breach the hull.

“Turn on the nav system, let's see if we can power out of here.” Drake patted the console almost exactly where the nav system was located.

Tila stretched across and activated it, and a strange, grinding sound filled the cabin.

She hit the deactivation button and stared at the console as it lit up with various warning lights.

“Debris in the thrusters.” Drake's voice was disgusted. “This model was recalled and destroyed twenty years ago for that very reason.”

“My guess is some of the snatch barons setting up the Breakaways got their hands on them before they were destroyed.” A big piece of debris hit them, hard enough to spin them in a new direction, and her last word squeaked out.

“Is there anyone out there?” Drake had set his seat upright, even though he was still blind, and he strained against the harness keeping him in place, as if he wanted to explode out of his chair.

She angled her neck so she could look up as well as straight out of the transparent lid of the pod, but there was nothing to see but parts of Jirmain's ship.

“No.”

Of course, if something was directly behind them, she'd never know it.

“You think we’re asking for trouble, using the comms?” She looked over at Drake, and saw he had relaxed a little back into his seat.

“That's why I hesitated, back on the ship when I was getting into the pod. They were worried about Jirmain's backers shooting them down. Using an open comm would have meant the backers could hear us, just as well as Special Forces.”

“Only, they weren't shot down. They were blown up.” It couldn't have been a laser strike. No laser strike could completely destroy a ship in a single hit. Which meant there had been an explosive hidden onboard which had been detonated.

“Agreed.” Drake rubbed his eyes. “It was either detonated remotely, through a bug sitting in their system, or . . .”

“Or?”

“They got close enough and activated the bomb using a signal.”

“With Special Forces converging on the pinch zone?” She looked out again, but there was nothing but the ruined pieces of a space ship.

“That's why they did it now, before Dun got to the pinch zone.” Drake rubbed at his eyes impatiently. “I remember that moment, you know. That Jirmain described to Zy.”

“You really saw him on the Caliope? What happened?” She never thought for a moment Drake would have deliberately left him there.

“I was under fire. I was carrying you, and he seemed safe enough. He was in a cell, like the one I'd taken you out of, and I thought that was probably the safest place for him until the fighting died down.”

“That makes sense. It's just . . . when you're in a cell, anywhere else seems better.” She could see how Jirmain had built his anger over the years. “He wanted out, and then he was trapped there and couldn't get away when the smugglers took him again.”

Drake sighed. “I went back, found the cell empty. I thought one of my team had gotten him out. I didn't see him again, but that wasn't surprising. I was more or less under arrest after that, until all charges were dropped.”

“It's not your fault. I meant what I said to Zy. The fault lies with the smugglers.”

“And with the Verdant String Council. Everything the smugglers did could have been prevented if the Coalition had acted in time.”

“Yes.” There was nothing more to say to that. She either let it go, or it ate away at her forever. Amends--as much as were possible--had been made.

A piece of debris knocked against the pod with a thud, and sent it into another slow roll.

As they turned, she thought she caught a glimpse of a ship.

“I think--” She drew in a sharp breath as they rolled again. “I think I saw a ship.” She'd caught the glow of the Mother off a wing, more than anything.

“VSC?” Drake demanded.

“I wouldn't know the difference, I'm afraid. But yes, it looks sort of like the ships on the broadcasts.”

Drake grunted. “It's coming closer?”

“I can't see it anymore, and surely if it was a Special Forces ship, it would be making contact?”

“Then send out a call,” Drake's voice was grim. “Our reason for not using the comms was to stay hidden. If they've found us, we might as well make as much noise as we can, and hope Special Forces is listening.”

* * *

“We have a signal.”

The comms tech looked up, eyes wide with relief.

It was the first words spoken since they'd all seen something flicker just beyond the curve of the Mother, and Intoh had ordered the pilot to move as fast as she could.

“Who from?” Nick felt his heart squeeze tight in his chest.

He realized he wasn't breathing, and forced some air into his lungs.

“It's Tila Dor Rio. She says she's in a safety pod with Commander Drake, and that the ship they were on is--” The comms tech stopped talking abruptly as they rounded the Mother and the first pieces of debris hit the ship. “Gone.” He finished his sentence in a whisper as the pilot pulled them to a halt.

“Who is that?” Intoh leaned forward, looking at the nav screen, which showed another ship.

Nick dragged his gaze away from the nav and up to the massive transparent wall screen that took up the whole front of the pilot's deck. There in front of them, looming silent and massive behind the tiny yellow safety pod, was another VSC ship.

“One of ours?” Tyr, Intoh's second-in-command, asked.

“If so, why aren't they saying hello?” Intoh brought up a screen on her chair and typed something in. “Are you seeing this?” she said.

“I am.” The voice was deep, and one Nick thought he recognized, but he didn't have time to place it. Tila was right in front of him.

Right there.

Why was she staying where she was? “Why aren't they using the inboard thrusters to head toward us?”

“She says the thrusters are jammed.”

“Let me go out in a small tow and fetch them.” Nick turned to Intoh. “Right now. Let me go.”

She cocked her head. “Do you not see the big, mysterious ship hanging there, Sergeant Bartega?”

“I see it.” He held her gaze.

“They are most likely not friendly.” Tyr crossed massive arms over his chest.

“We caught them by surprise,” Nick said. “They wondering if they shoot the safety pod, will we shoot them?”

“And you think this because . . .?” Intoh raised her brows.

“Because why else are they still here? They've got a VSC ship which they clearly shouldn't have. My guess is that while they do have a ship, they might have less powerful weapons, maybe even non-standard weapons, because while it may be possible to steal the parts to make a ship, I imagine it's a lot harder to steal the parts that make a laser cannon.”

“Hmm.” Intoh nodded. “And if I let you got out there, what do you think will happen?”

“Hopefully, I'll rescue Tila and Drake.” That's all he really cared about.

Intoh blinked, as if she was expecting a more tactical response. “And if they do decide to try their luck and fire?”

“Then they do.” Nick wasn't going to sit here waiting for a what-if.

Intoh turned to Tyr. “Get Bartega into a tow.”

Nick gave her a nod of thanks and jogged off the deck, Tyr right behind him.

That ship wasn't going to sit there forever. At some point they would have to make a decision. Nick would rather disrupt their plans sooner rather than later.