Spaced Out

Would You Like To Lecture Me On The Wickedness Of My Ways?

"Admit it. I'm good." Lily jumped from the fledgling's flank flap, hit the ground and bounced up six inches. Gravity on Riklim was wonky. "Like really, really good."

"You were lucky." Vortrand landed beside her. Once he gained his footing, he caught her upper arm. "And if you ever incapacitate me again I will return the favor. Permanently."

Before climbing from the navigation cabin, they'd removed and stowed their helmets in their suits' packs. Vortrand had been right about their gear. After the fledgling exporated the MSac fluid from the cabin, the internal port fissures blasted the residue from their bodies. Their equipment came away bone dry and running in perfect order. Shrugging out of the captain's grip, Lily smirked and paced around the fledgling, checking its injuries.

"You really can't stand that little, inferior me might be as good or better than you at anything, can you?"

Damage to the fledgling wasn't as bad as Lily expected. The ship's sprint end got the worst of it. Deep and dripping gouges raked the ship's elastic flesh. Frowning, she bent and touched the area around the wounds. The fledgling shuddered and groaned. Patterns of violet bioluminescence flared at its ululation. She drew her hand away. The captain came up behind her.

"A neural bond is no substitute for skill of which you have pathetically little."

With a snort, Lily righted herself and spun away from him. Her dismal surroundings went off kilter. Legs wobbled. She steadied herself on the fledgling's side.

Flu-like symptoms from piloting hadn't gone away even after Lily disconnected from the flagettes. Weakened limbs protested her weight. At home she'd be snuggled in bed with soup and a glass of icy water. But she wasn't home. She was on a small, black rock in space with a crotchety alien.

"What's wrong?" Vortrand asked.

"Nothing." Lily rubbed her forehead. "Just worried about the fledgling. Those asteroids tore up its sprint end."

"It's shallow damage. Reesa can patch that. It won't affect our return trip if we're careful."

"Yeah, yeah." Lily pushed herself off the ship and swayed. She stood doe-still until the ground stopped shifting.

Vortrand's hand slid under her arm. "Let me he—"

Lily snatched her arm away. "I don't need help." Faintness overcame her. Wobbly knees buckled. Legs gave out and she collapsed.

The captain's face came into view. "You sure about that?"

"Piloting took more out of me than I thought it would. Give me a cezin."

Vortrand made a thoughtful noise and let her collect herself. Curling over, she inhaled shuddering breaths of mountain-thin air. When the wooziness subsided, she sat up.