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"Good luck!" Mortioosebumps down Cole’s arms Mortimor jumped down from the platfor its full co the seated pilot

Larken squeezed Cole’s shoulder, then patted it twice "Good luck!"

Cole grabbed his buckblade froht direction and that the safety was on He looked over at Morti"

"Ran out of people that speak Bern Now pay attention" Mortiht over the pilots went green There was a loud beeping sound followed by a pop of displaced air, and the cages in the back of the roo on the platfor out of existence The row of navigators ju to their butts They wrapped their various species’ version of arator in Mortimor’s line He watched wisps of red hair spill out of her hood as she settled into place Their eyes ht before her head went down--then she disappeared fro so fast Cole’s heart fluttered as he took a step forward He chanced a glance to the side, at the neighboring line Mortiht ahead He wished he’d known the old ; he would’ve switched places with soroup so he’d be able to keep an eye on hiain, and he felt Larken’s hand on his back, pushing

Another pop of displaced air Cole stood beside the console operator, right in front of the platfor down ahead of him, looked up, and time slowed to a crawl Cole watched the alien’s arms wrap around his shins, his scaly chin tuck down--and then he was gone

Cole jumped up to the platform and sat down as quick as he could He spun around to face what he hoped would be an exit once he popped out of hyperspace In the back of his rabbed his shins and tucked his head, squeezing his sword as tight as he dared without crushing it

Two

The last thing that flashed through his ht before he popped out of the room, was the Bern Seer He couldn’t help but recall the last conversation they’d had, and a sickening sensation clawed at his stomach as he wondered if this was all one colossal , her struts once again sagging under the weight of a full load of haggard survivors Molly lifted her visor; she could hear the cargo bay’s loading ra up behind her She watched as Cat crawled out of the nav seat and over the control console to go and help the others Molly unbuckled her own flight harness and spoke to herunloaded, I’ll be back and we can get out of here"

"Excellent," her les"

"I won’t," Molly promised

Molly juo bay where an eerily faroup jostled its way into the clearing, the sounds of their shuffles and cries reverberating through Parsona’s hulls

The difference this time was that they weren’t alone Outside, Molly could see Scottie conferring with several of the carrier’s crew to the drained and exhaus-ted Callites The food and water roup of survivors went around to all, and the profusion of blankets and seated groups rew, and becaetables froo pods The boy had worked wonders haggling for supplies throughout Bekkie, while Molly, Cat, and Scottie had tended to the Callites, debating about where to take them

"Keep one week’s worth of supplies for four people," Molly instructed him "The rest will remain here"

Walter frowned and his face lost some of its luster, but he eventually nodded his assent

"We’ll lift off as soon as everything is unloaded," she said "Make sure we’re clear, okay? No stoays"

Walter nodded "Okay"

Molly lifted the crate of food and joined the chain of peopletheir way outside At the bottom of the ramp, she met Saunders, who took the crate froed supplies

"I’o with all these people," Saunders said

"You won’t believeyou let ave Saunders a look that etables down and stepped out of the way as more food and material arrived Molly pulled him aside

"You remember what my parents were sent here for?"

"Illicit fusion fuel"

"Right Do you re else fro on?"

Saunders stared down at his feet and rubbed his chin "I do re people"

He snapped his fingers and pointed at Molly "That’s right"

Molly turned to watch the coluht as well have been the same case," she said

"What do you , exhausted streaanisms, the stuff fusion fuel is made of, it’s in the water here on Lok Cat and Scottie think this inated from"

"Fusion fuel?"

She faced Saunders, and in his scowl, Molly saw that he was as clueless as alaxy on where the stuff came from Even admirals, it seeanish hyperspace It’s attracted to water, and to light, but alaxy are si, feeding off the same stuff for billions of years"

"And you’re sure about this?"