Spaced Out

In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream

The punch knocked out the world. Vision blackened, but Lily was perfectly conscious when interference scrambled her HAF. The loss of air compounded the shock of the Verakian woman's blow. Face tightened like a busted zit swabbed with alcohol. Wet warmth ran from Lily's nose. She snorted and swallowed liquid copper. When her resnance chip recalibrated, she moaned in both pain and relief.

After shocks in Lily's atmosphere bubble shuffled the scenery. She couldn't see anything as she struggled to get up.

The Verakian woman snarled. "Hold the Pashmi. I want his hands."

Feet pounded wood planks. Doctor Puu shouted. Lily lurched in the direction of his voice. The Verakian woman's voice rang out again.

"Deal with her. I've had enough."

One cezin Lily fumbled for the loudest sounds in the intersection and the next wind rushed from her in a violent wheeze. A flat hand had struck her chest and flattened her on the ground. Planks bashed her already pounding head. Pressure crushed her pelvis. Hands grasped her wrists. They crossed her arms over her chest, pinning them there.

After shocks finally cleared. Her atmosphere bubble fully stabilized and her vision clarified. The pressuresuited Verakian sat atop her. Scowling, she bucked beneath him. The man hardly wobbled. He grinned at her through his helmet's visor.

None of this had gone to plan. Vortrand was supposed to get to them before anything bad happened! Where was he?

Mucus and blood clogged Lily's nose and oozed down her throat. Her face was hot and achey and felt five times too big. Air wouldn't come through her swollen nose, so she panted as she wriggled under her captor. Starcollide made her body slippery. The Verakian's grasp slid a couple of times. If she kept at it maybe—

Wet ripping and a shrill yowl from doctor Puu stilled Lily. A cold sensation spread over her stomach.

"That's how you do it," the Verakian woman said. "Why are you being so careful? Give that to me. I don't give a shit about his arms."

The creak of bending metal plucked something dreadful in Lily's gut. Doctor Puu's strangled shouts sent her whole body tingling with an adrenaline rush; a chemical boost of strength. Hinging up, she butted her head against the Verakian's chest. Green and white lightning bolts of pain zig-zagged over the backs of her eyelids.

"Get off," Lily snarled through clenched teeth. Flecks of white spittle dotted the Verakian's pressuresuit.

Lily was up, but she couldn't free her hands. She yanked back and slammed forwards. The Verakian's gloved fingers slipped. One arm almost came free. Then her captor changed tactics.

On one of Lily's backward yanks, the Verakian released her arms. She slammed onto the ground, knocking herself stupid. A single hand secured her wrists again. Clawed fingers tangled in her bangs. The Verakian man dragged her up by the hair. Pressure at her scalp stretched her skin taut. He held her that way half off the ground as she thrashed and kicked.