the beings in the universe, he’d be so attracted to the one who picked him up.
Was their meeting an accident? During his journey from Endeki to Earth to close the Zin wormhole, Kirek had met Clarie and Delo, two Perceptive Ones. He’d sensed the beings’ interest in him. Had they orchestrated his birth in hyperspace? Had they manipulated his genes and his destiny? Kirek didn’t know.
He joined Angel, accepting with pleasure and satisfaction that fate had brought him to this place, this time, this woman. As they secured themselves to the hull of the spinning ship, he removed the welder from her back, handed it to her, and shot her his most charming grin.
“Need any help, or did you bring me along to admire the view?”
“WE CAME TO WORK.” Angel thrust a U-shaped piece of metal into Kirek’s hand and extracted a welding rod from the pack on her back, refusing to acknowledge his flirtation. “Hold the tow hook steady against the hull, please.”
“Why not weld the end of the chain directly to the hull?” he asked.
Next, she removed her torch and fired it up, taking care to keep her eyes focused on the hull but darkening her suit’s filter to protect her vision. With the ship spinning end-over-end like some wild carnival ride, she didn’t want to risk disorientation or blindness. “Salvage with this much mass should be anchored in several places.”
With one hand he placed the tow hook directly onto the flat metal plating. Angel held the rod with one hand, the torch with the other, and welded a seam of straight metal, fusing the hook to the hull.
Although she worked as quickly as she could, the air inside her suit was growing stale. While the plan for Kirek to share oxygen with her had been to wait until after they finished the welds, she was growing lightheaded. “I need more air.”
“Captain,” Leval interrupted. “Sensors have picked up the Kraj ship.”
“Damn.” If she’d once doubted Kirek’s importance to the Zin, she’d changed her mind. The Kraj persistence had led her to believe Kirek had told her the truth—that he was a direct threat to the Zin.
“How long until the Kraj arrive?” Heart racing, air giving out, the Kraj looming ever closer, Angel turned in search of another place to weld while Kirek ran the chain through the hook she’d just made.
“Ten minutes.”
“Explain.”
They should have had more warning. But she wouldn’t waste oxygen asking detailed questions or again cursing the timing. They had to finish and return to the Raven, but by her calculations, they wouldn’t finish. They would die here where they were so vulnerable to Kraj attacks.
Kirek joined her, expanded his shield, and suddenly she had plenty of air again. With the air, she redoubled her efforts. “Thanks.”
“There’s a flat spot over there.” Kirek pointed to a location on the hull that would balance the load—assuming they could attach the chain before the Kraj arrived.
“Captain. Dust clouds are limiting sensor range,” Leval explained.
“Give me a five-minute countdown.” Angel headed toward the spot Kirek had indicated. Keeping his psi wrapped around her suit’s force field, he followed, pulling the chain behind. She handed him another tow hook, and he attached the end of the chain, then held it so she could weld.
Angel gestured for Kirek to leave. If the Kraj showed up and fired on them before she was done, there was no reason for both their lives to be at risk. “I’ll finish. Return to the Raven. ”
Kirek didn’t budge. “We’re sharing air.”
“I have taken enough inside my shield to return on my own. Go.”
“I’m not leaving you. May I point out that you’re wasting time by arguing.”
Furious that he was right, annoyed that he was going back on his word, and nonetheless pleased that he didn’t want to leave without her, she welded and reminded him, “You agreed to obey my orders.”
“Five minutes.” Leval’s calm voice came over the
Was their meeting an accident? During his journey from Endeki to Earth to close the Zin wormhole, Kirek had met Clarie and Delo, two Perceptive Ones. He’d sensed the beings’ interest in him. Had they orchestrated his birth in hyperspace? Had they manipulated his genes and his destiny? Kirek didn’t know.
He joined Angel, accepting with pleasure and satisfaction that fate had brought him to this place, this time, this woman. As they secured themselves to the hull of the spinning ship, he removed the welder from her back, handed it to her, and shot her his most charming grin.
“Need any help, or did you bring me along to admire the view?”
“WE CAME TO WORK.” Angel thrust a U-shaped piece of metal into Kirek’s hand and extracted a welding rod from the pack on her back, refusing to acknowledge his flirtation. “Hold the tow hook steady against the hull, please.”
“Why not weld the end of the chain directly to the hull?” he asked.
Next, she removed her torch and fired it up, taking care to keep her eyes focused on the hull but darkening her suit’s filter to protect her vision. With the ship spinning end-over-end like some wild carnival ride, she didn’t want to risk disorientation or blindness. “Salvage with this much mass should be anchored in several places.”
With one hand he placed the tow hook directly onto the flat metal plating. Angel held the rod with one hand, the torch with the other, and welded a seam of straight metal, fusing the hook to the hull.
Although she worked as quickly as she could, the air inside her suit was growing stale. While the plan for Kirek to share oxygen with her had been to wait until after they finished the welds, she was growing lightheaded. “I need more air.”
“Captain,” Leval interrupted. “Sensors have picked up the Kraj ship.”
“Damn.” If she’d once doubted Kirek’s importance to the Zin, she’d changed her mind. The Kraj persistence had led her to believe Kirek had told her the truth—that he was a direct threat to the Zin.
“How long until the Kraj arrive?” Heart racing, air giving out, the Kraj looming ever closer, Angel turned in search of another place to weld while Kirek ran the chain through the hook she’d just made.
“Ten minutes.”
“Explain.”
They should have had more warning. But she wouldn’t waste oxygen asking detailed questions or again cursing the timing. They had to finish and return to the Raven, but by her calculations, they wouldn’t finish. They would die here where they were so vulnerable to Kraj attacks.
Kirek joined her, expanded his shield, and suddenly she had plenty of air again. With the air, she redoubled her efforts. “Thanks.”
“There’s a flat spot over there.” Kirek pointed to a location on the hull that would balance the load—assuming they could attach the chain before the Kraj arrived.
“Captain. Dust clouds are limiting sensor range,” Leval explained.
“Give me a five-minute countdown.” Angel headed toward the spot Kirek had indicated. Keeping his psi wrapped around her suit’s force field, he followed, pulling the chain behind. She handed him another tow hook, and he attached the end of the chain, then held it so she could weld.
Angel gestured for Kirek to leave. If the Kraj showed up and fired on them before she was done, there was no reason for both their lives to be at risk. “I’ll finish. Return to the Raven. ”
Kirek didn’t budge. “We’re sharing air.”
“I have taken enough inside my shield to return on my own. Go.”
“I’m not leaving you. May I point out that you’re wasting time by arguing.”
Furious that he was right, annoyed that he was going back on his word, and nonetheless pleased that he didn’t want to leave without her, she welded and reminded him, “You agreed to obey my orders.”
“Five minutes.” Leval’s calm voice came over the
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