Burning Up Flint by Laurann Dohner

“What happens if the Star continues to pursue the pod?”
    Seconds ticked by. “Programming states to continue burn until threat is out of scanner range. If pursuit continues we will burn all fuel in three hours, twelve minutes, three seconds.”
    Mira was horrified. If the Star continued to chase her it would only be a matter of hours before they caught her. She wasn’t a damn pilot. She stared at the controls, realizing she was at the mercy of the automated pilot.
    “Are there other options, Pod 3?”
    “None. I have auto scanned for any other emergency locations but we are out of range.”
    In other words, she was screwed. All she could hope for was that the Star broke off its pursuit of the pod. It might happen, she reasoned. The Star wouldn’t want to get too far from the Rally while it was away on its mission. The pod was heading for Earth and she knew the Star had been heading toward Garden. Would Flint really waste all that fuel chasing her?
    She was property to him and all property had value. She just couldn’t be that valuable to Flint. He was picking up more human women on the Piera . She tried to relax. The Star would break off pursuit when they realized that she wasn’t going to stop running.
    “Incoming message from the Star ,” the computer announced.
    “Shit.”
    “Order not understood. Would you like communications open?”
    She hesitated. “Yes.”
    “ Mirasia Carver,” a deep voice that was unfamiliar to her barked. “I am Vollus . Order the pod to stop burn now and reverse direction back to the Star .”
    “No.”
    The man literally growled. “I have contacted Flint. He and the Rally will catch up to us soon. You do not want him to have to board the pod. He was very angry. Order the pod to stop burn and reverse direction to the Star now. I promise you no harm will come to you if you do as I say.”
    She was tempted. She was terrified of Flint coming after her. Would he be so angry he just blew the pod up with her on it? She knew she was going to run out of fuel sooner than later. Did they? She took a deep breath.
    “This pod was designed for twenty-five passengers. I’m not burning much fuel with only one body aboard,” she bluffed. “How much fuel are you wasting coming after me? I’m just one human. I’m worthless, Vollus . Flint is pissed because I got away. Think logically. You’re a cyborg , damn it. Is it rational to waste fuel and time to come after one worthless human?”
    Silence greeted her statement, giving her hope that he was considering her words.
    “I’m not going to stop burn and I’m not going to turn around. I’ll blow this damn pod up before I go back on the Star . Is that clear? I saw how upset it made everyone when the pilots blew up the shuttle I was on. You could have salvaged the shuttle. I’ll blow the pod if you chase me until I run out of fuel. I’ll be dead, the pod won’t be salvageable, and you’ll have lost all that time and fuel for nothing.”
    Silence.
    “Hello?”
    Silence.
    “Pod 3? Is communications still active?”
    “Affirmative,” the computer announced. “I can pick up breathing sounds.”
    Fear hit her. They weren’t answering her. They were just listening. “End communications,” she whispered.
    “Communications ended.”
    She waited a good five minutes. “Pod 3? Are we still being pursued?”
    “Affirmative.”
    “Son of a bitch!”
    “Order not understood. Please restate order.”
    “Fuck you.”
    “Order not understood. Please restate order.”
    “He’s going to kill me.”
    “Order not understood. Please restate order.”
    “Pod 3? Stop talking to me.”
    “Order understood.”
    Mira let her head drop into her hands.

Chapter Eight
     
    “Warning. Respond. Warning. Respond.”
    The computer’s voice jerked Mira awake. She’d fallen asleep, exhausted from her lack of sleep the night before.
    “I’m here,” she got out.
    “Second unidentified ship approaching.”
    “Shit!” That woke her up all the