“Don’t kill her. We need her alive.”

The voices sounded so close. Ghwenn closed her eyes and held her breath. Stilled the rapid flutter of her heart. Quiet down.

Everything inside her slowed.

The thick cloak she wore would hide her body heat, the threads of plumbum blocking any signals from penetrating. The fabric also masked her shape, so even if they did notice her, they might not realize she was who they looked for.

The steps moved away, and Ghwenn let out a pent-up breath. Close. Close to being captured and so close to escape.

She couldn’t waste time. Every moment could mean the chance between success and failure. She needed to flee. Now. And not just this city, the planet.

The port for the ships visiting La’zuun was massive, the Bazzr Port one of twelve on the planet and busy. Ships constantly landed and left, a steady stream of traffic she hoped to use to her advantage.

Currently, she hid in the export warehouse. The busy machine-run building was constantly receiving packages and bundling them for delivery to ships. Despite La’zuun’s reputation for pleasurable adventures, trade also accounted for a good portion of everyday profit.

Ghwenn observed the many ships docked. A golden-hued one for the Bubyg hive. The queen had arrived with her consorts for the wedding. A Rhomanii citadel orb vessel hovered over the tarmac, its gleaming black exterior matte and yet mirroring.

There was a slave ship as well, the cages used for transport currently outside on the tarmac. Machinery rinsed and disinfected the boxes lined with bars and a few clear glass-like cubes, getting them ready for their next cargo run.

A massive vessel, its name boldly painted on its side—Gypsy Moth—was being loaded. The crates, moved by robotic means and overseen by humans, were large. Certainly large enough to smuggle herself aboard.

She almost went for it. Then a vehicle stopped and spilled out some soldiers.

Guess who they were looking for?

I am the most popular person on this planet right now. It wasn’t a distinction she craved.

She needed to go. Now. There was no time to find a specific crate and climb inside. Ghwenn had to depart this planet. At this point—the point of desperation—just about any ship in port would do.

The cloak covered her as she stepped onto the tarmac. A clench of her fists and a whispered, “I’m invisible,” helped her take a second step. Then a third. She felt as if everyone could see her. Any moment, someone would point.

Yell.

You can’t see me. She whispered the words to the very ether around her. Nothing here.

She made it past the Gypsy Moth, almost having a moment of panic when her gaze met that of the towering man overseeing it. Giant among the other humans, his bald pate seemed at odds with the scruff along his jaw. The metal hoop in his ear gave him a rakish appearance. He wore a tunic with the sleeves torn clear. He surveyed things with a rapier gaze.

Their eyes locked.

He sees me.

Invisible. She held her breath. It’s nothing. Just a trick of the eyes. She kept her fists clenched.

His glance shifted away. She let out her breath and scurried, heading not for any of the large ships but a small one that could be flown by one person.

She even knew all the codes to make it run. She’d learned them on the trip over. A trip where she’d been played for a fool.

I’m not blind anymore.

The sleek, emerald-colored vessel opened with the press of her hand on the hull.

“Welcome—”

She cut the computer off before it finished. “Prepare for departure.”

“Pre-flight check in progress. Destination?” the dulcet voice asked, and Ghwenn had a moment of panic.

Where to? Where could she hide?

A limitless number of galaxies and planets. How to choose?

She knew of one that wouldn’t turn her, a female, over to anyone. “Zonia.” A planet of fierce warriors where the males had few rights and where their honor wouldn’t allow them to hand Ghwenn to anyone, no matter how much they demanded—or threatened.

And there would be threats.

The computer began preparing the vessel for takeoff. “Setting coordinates. Pressurizing the craft. It is advised that biological passengers take a seat and buckle themselves in.”

The process for departure happened quickly. Just not fast enough to suit Ghwenn. How long before someone remarked on the ship preparing to leave? A ship that wasn’t scheduled to depart for a few days.

As she sank into the navigator’s seat, one of two in the smallish vessel, the summons came.

“Incoming communication from the Bazzr Port Authority.”

It couldn’t be avoided. “Put it through and present all replies in audio pattern F67.” This would turn anything she said aloud into a specific voice that would pass any speech recognition program.

“Emerald Spring, you are not cleared for departure.”

“Then clear me.” She spoke the words in her voice, but she knew on the other end they heard a gruff man.

“Negative, Emerald Spring. We cannot clear you for departure. Due to a security issue, all vessels are to remain grounded.”

“You think I don’t know about your issue?” She gave the word a sneering twist. “It’s my daughter that is missing,” she snapped. “Because of your incompetence.” Spat out much as her father would.

“Sorry, sir. But my orders—”

She cut him off. “I don’t care about your orders. I have a tip on my daughter’s location, which means I am going to depart this planet and I am going to find her worthless carcass. I would not advise you get in my way or you will suffer diplomatic consequences.”

A brash threat to make. But totally in character. She shut off communications and huffed. Hopefully they would buy it. She kept prepping as if they were.

“Beginning our taxi.” The ship’s computer relayed every step of their journey in her soft monotone. Ghwenn had to wonder if she’d announce their impending doom in the same calm manner.

“Elsa”—the ridiculous name given to the ship—“any weapons sighting on our ship?”

“No armament is currently showing any signs of activity. However, the Rhomanii citadel did send a drone earlier to scan the vessel.”

Nosy bunch, those space gypsies. Ever since they’d found their home world and lost their prince, they’d been scouring the universe for a sign of him. She didn’t grasp why they didn’t just elect another.

The Bazzr port authority tower didn’t give her verbal permission to leave; however Elsa showed confirmation on the screen. They were cleared for planetary takeoff.

The ship entered a runway. While some vessels took to the skies vertically, that kind of push required a lot of power. A horizontal run could give the same kind of boost for much less energy.

The Emerald Spring hummed loudly as the engines spun, hurtling them down the cleared lane. Ghwenn stared on screen at the lights as they blinked past on either side.

Her stomach dropped as the craft lifted and began angling away from the planet.

I’m doing it. She was escaping.

She didn’t let elation curve her lips into a smile. Not yet. She’d not even cleared the atmosphere. Plenty of time for something to go wrong.

Sure enough, her screen flashed.

“Incoming message from the port authority,” Elsa announced.

“Play it.”

She expected many things. A command to return at once. A warning they would shoot and disable her craft. Instead, she got her father’s voice.

“You disgrace the family with your cowardice.”

She didn’t reply. It wasn’t cowardice to flee what he planned. As a matter of fact, it was probably the bravest thing she’d ever done.

“You won’t escape,” he hissed. “No matter where you go in this galaxy, I will find you.”

Then she’d have to make sure she hid well. She shut off communication with the planet. No point in listening to threats. She’d made her choice. Now she had to survive it.

The ship popped free of the shell of the planet, the shuddering of acceleration and the pull of the atmosphere giving way to the sudden calmness of space. Rather than apply any kind of brakes like most ships did given the rather crowded airspace, the Emerald Spring kept accelerating, dodging the various obstacles in its way.

A good thing the vessel moved fast. The tractor beam that shot from the side of a giant spined ship jostled the tail of her craft, giving it a good rattle. Her fingers dug into the armrest of the chair as her small ship danced among the vessels crowding the area. Many of them turned, ready to converge on her.

Had Father broadcasted a reward for her capture? Surprising given he valued the family’s privacy and wasn’t one to advertise scandal. Then again, what bigger scandal could there be than a daughter fleeing the fate her father had arranged?

A pair of cruisers, big ones compared to hers, angled together, forming a wall in front of her, and yet the Emerald Spring kept speeding toward them.

“Elsa?” She couldn’t help uttering the name of the ship’s AI.

“Preparing to jump. In four, three…”

Ghwenn closed her eyes as it counted down to two, then one.

Zip.

Her stomach bottomed out. Her insides sloshed, and her ship hurtled suddenly into the void, a fold of space and time that allowed travel between galaxies that would have otherwise taken lifetimes to complete.

When her ship finally cruised to a normal pace five jumps later, Ghwenn unstrapped herself and ran for the nearest waste receptacle. She dumped the sparse contents of her stomach. That many jumps so quickly played havoc with the body, but it would ensure she’d lost anyone who tried to follow.

She spent the next few sleep cycles anxiously watching. She had enough juice left for one more jump. Fueling became a priority.

What she didn’t count on was the difficulty she’d have. For one, she couldn’t access her credits. Father would trace it. No credits meant she had to bargain with items on board. Which proved a mistake. Riches drew thieves. Thieves stole her ship, and she barely escaped with her life.

The freedom she’d fought so hard to achieve?

Short-lived.