Nyx is already out of the drone tunnels by the time the Donati undocks from the Michael’s Hammer, “We’re bein’ goin’ now?”

  Roxy looks to the hatch leading to the cargo deck where the soldiers are, “Yes?”

  Zone fiddles with his restraints, then crosses his arms, “Think they’ll be able to handle three ships?”

  Cai’s voice, “No. Twoey, once you’ve taken out the weapons, aim for the engines and the grappler on the last pirate ship. If they try to board us, we’ll have to run, and we won’t have another chance because the Donati can’t land on Mars to get more help. And they’ll be expecting us back. They know we have the advantage on range even if the mining laser is weak, so we’re expecting tricks.” A pause, “Corporal. Are your men ready?”

  A man’s voice, “Yes, Captain. Good flying.”

  “FTL in five.”

  Cai counts down, and they enter FTL.

  Twoey’s targeting display lights up, important targets on each ship highlighted.

  All three ships have docked side by side, and they see drones concentrated on the pirate ship in the center.

  The pirate ship with the working railguns immediately begins shooting wildly in every direction.

  Zone squints, “Why’re they wasting ammo?”

  Nyx has seen this before, “They’re bein’ makin’ it harder for us to be comin’ close in FTL. I was seein’ it a lot bein’ with the pirates. We were just waitin until they were runnin’ outta ammo, then goin’ in anyways.”

  A railgun goes silent, and Twoey grins as she switches to the last remaining enemy weapon.

  Roxy does a little clap that’s silent in the vacuum, “Good job!”

  Zone leans forward, “I’m thinking the hard part is boarding the ship.”

  Nyx realizes Zone is right and her anger flares; she hisses, “Let’s be takin’ out their engines and be leavin’ ‘em in the black to mummy.”

  Roxy gives Nyx a shocked look, but it’s Zone that replies with venom, “And kill my son!? I’m goin’ on there and getting Gwen even if I have to fight to get to her myself!”

  Twoey shakes her head, “Not going!”

  Roxy shakes her head, “Vice Captain’s orders. You’re all staying here.”

  Twoey takes out the last turret and targets the grappler.

  Zone crosses his arms, “Yeah, yeah. No guns and whatever.”

  Nyx recalls exactly where Cai keeps the weapons on the cargo deck, “I’m knowin’ where Cai’s guns are bein’. Cai, you bein’ okay if we are bein’ waitin’ if the pirates are tryin’ to sneak on?”

  Cai’s voice, “We’re not docking, so it won’t be a problem. The soldiers didn’t even enter the Donati and instead magnetized themselves onto the hull. It’ll be faster if they can jump off the Donati instead of waiting for us to dock. Which we’re doing right now.”

  The grappler grays out as the laser melts it.

  Another FTL jump, and Nyx jumps as they reappear alarmingly close to the ships.

  Cai’s voice, “Good luck, Corporal. It looks like they’re having a last stand on one of the ships. We’ll provide support, and if you need it, Lieutenant Twoey can attack any place you mark with the laser.”

  “Understood, and thank you for the drones. They’ll be a big help.”

  Two new video feeds appear, and they see they’re outside the Donati. There are a dozen soldiers pushing off the Donati, heading towards the nearest ship, the one the scientists escaped in.

  The drones reach the ship first, and Cai’s voice says, “Initiating the hack of the airlock.”

  The drones easily get into the airlock’s control panel and have the door open in seconds.

  Nyx feels gravity returning to the Donati as it burns away from the ships.

  Soldiers flood into the opened airlock, “Donati, we’re in. Standby.”

  A drone finds a drone hatch and enters. The other skittered just ahead.

  “Check for traps! And keep your eyes open!”

  They sweep through the ship. They’re on the cargo deck, which is mostly open space. “Team Bravo, secure this ship. Team Alpha and Charlie, with me.”

  One drone is already inside the engine room. It’s quiet, and nothing is on.

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  Cai’s voice, “Engines are dead. Checking fuel levels…” A pause, “They’re half filled. I’m going to run a check to make sure they’re not booby trapped or anything.”

  Nyx is feeling agitated. This feels too easy. But she can’t put a finger on why.

  Team Bravo stays on the science ship while the others move on to the next, “Team Charlie, keep going and check the last ship, we’ve got this one.”

  They’re empty too.

  Nyx’s stomach drops, “Where are they bein’?”

  There’s a flash as the central ship explodes, and the feed from both drones goes silent.

  Nyx, Twoey, and Zone hiss in surprise as they witness the deaths of the men that went on board.

  Cai’s voice, “That was an anti-matter explosion. They got us. Probably snuck the scientists out before we got here and used these as bait.”

  Static clears, and the drone on the lab’s ship reappears.

  Nyx sees that the central ship is a few scraps flying into the black. But the other two are still recognizable as they drift away from the point of the explosion. The lab’s ship is nearly in two, but the second pirate ship is in better shape with large holes and gashes along one side, but is mostly intact.

  “This is Charlie team! What the hell was that!? Marco and Briggs are dead. Morr is bleeding out, but we’ve got his suit sealed. My leg is mangled. Requesting immediate evac, Donati.”

  “This is Evans. The rest of Bravo team is dead. Requesting evac…” Evan’s voice sounds weak and his breathing labored.

  Roxy unbuckles, “Crew! Charlie and Bravo team!” Her voice is shaking, “We’re leaving to help with evac!”

  “Thank you, Donati. Hurry. Morr’s suit says he’s got only a few minutes of air left.”

  Nyx’s heart is pounding, but she knows Roxy is right as she unbuckles herself too, “Let’s be gettin’ goin’!”

  Twoey mewls as she unbuckles herself.

  Zone scowls, “Shitballs!” He looks up, “Cai, watch our back.”

  Cai’s voice, “Got it! I can handle everything from here. I’m taking us back to the ships now. There’s a few med kits in the lockers by the guns next to the airlocks.” Cai pauses, “I’m getting a message from Mars. Get ready while I talk to them. Need to tell them what happened too.”

  Nyx and the others race down to the airlock. She opens the lockers and grabs a pistol, some live rounds, and then finds a med kit as the others do the same. Even Roxy is looking with determination.

  Gravity changes as the Donati’s engines stop and then turn and they have to grab onto handholds around the room.

  The airlock opens as they go weightless briefly before gravity returns.

  They head inside and see the ships growing as the Donati does a deceleration burn.

  She notices the other three look nervous, “I’m bein’ the only one who’s been bein’ outside a ship and jumpin’ out and usin’ the suit’s thrusters?”

  They look at their suits.

  Roxy turns to Nyx, “We don’t have them.”

  The suits are those used on Mars, Nyx realizes. Thrusters are useless in gravity, “Be holdin’ on to me.”

  Roxy nods, “Okay. Vice Captain’s orders.” Her face turns white as she looks out, “Hold on to Nyx and j… jump!” In a whisper, “When she says of course!”

  Nyx has no confidence. Carrying three people isn’t something she’s ever done, and she’s not sure how well the thrusters will react with so much weight.

  “Donati, be thinkin’ of the best time to be jumpin’ to the comin’ ships.”

  Nyx’s visor lights up with a countdown and even a line showing her where to go after she jumps.

  She’s surprised Cai hasn’t helped, but he’s busy talking to Mars, so she’s not really worried.

  “Donati, hurry!” Comes a soldier’s voice over comms.

  Nyx waves to the others, “Be grabbin on! We’re gonna be goin’ in three!”

  The others grab her, and on three, they jump out.

  The ships are close now, but Donati’s showing her corrections she needs to make, and even how long to thrust to slow them.

  All three of the others look terrified as they float through the black. If they’re just off by a little, then they miss and drift until someone comes to pick them up, and even she feels her stomach tighten as they fly past the slowing Donati.

  Roxy’s voice comes, and she sounds terrified, “Nyx! Drop us off at the pirate ship, you go to the science ship!” She squeaks out her order.

  “Got it, Vice Cap’n.” Nyx says as she looks at the other ship as it slowly drifts away from the closer pirate ship. She then taps on her boots, “Magnetic boots…” and realizes they don’t have them. Again, not needed on Mars. “I’m gonna be gettin’ you on, then bein’ goin’.”

  Nyx puts her thrusters on full, not liking how much it’s draining her air supply. But she’s got hours left and hopes they’re gone long before she has to worry about it getting low.

  She hits hard, but not enough to stumble.

  Roxy speaks, her voice trembling, “Charlie team, we’ve arrived at the ship. Beta team, Nyx is on her way.”

  “This is Charlie Team, 10-4 Donati, please hurry. We need a blood substitute bag if you’ve got one. We’re trapped in the crew quarters.”

  Nyx hands Twoey her cutting torch and turns it on and off to show her how it works, “Be usin’ this to be cuttin’ through the sparkin’ metal.” She turns to Roxy, “I’m bein’ off.”

  “Good luck, Nyx!”

  Twoey is grinning as she takes the torch.

  Zone shakes his head, “Of all of us to give it too…”

  Nyx doesn’t look back as she pushes off the pirate ship, “She’s bein’ small and can be fittin’ in smaller places.”

  “Oh… That makes sense.” Comes Zone’s reluctant reply.

  Nyx turns off her open comm as she drifts to the science ship so she’s not distracted.

  The Donati is maneuvering towards her when Cai’s voice comes over the comms, “Bad news. We were tricked. No one was on any of these ships ever. Mars colony is currently under a coup and the Lab has taken over the colony’s command center. I just got done talking to the governor. He escaped, but the scientists have control now.”

  Nyx hisses as she feels her bloodlust return. All this fighting over empty ships!? “Spakin’ Earth! Goddum it!”

  “He’s asked for our help. Once we’ve rescued the soldiers, we’re heading back to Mars orbit.”

  Nyx is fuming and pushes her suit’s thrusters as hard as she can, and soon she’s on the ship, “Bravo team, I’m on the sparkin’ ship. Where are ya bein’?”

  There’s no reply.

  She hisses again. That’s not good.

  She recalls the drone being in the engine room with no one, so he must be near the fore.

  Nyx reaches the gash that nearly splits the ship in two and finds an opening to the drone tunnels, which she enters.

  There’s no light, but she still sees, both elated and hating it because of how she got the ability to see in the dark.

  The tunnel is jagged and warped at first, but soon she passes through a bulkhead, and it’s in much better condition here.

  She pokes her head out of the first drone hatch she finds and sees a mess.

  It’s mostly floating debris, but the far wall is bent and buckled with some holes torn open.

  Half of Bravo team floats here, their suits peppered with holes, some with jagged pieces of metal piercing their bodies as air escapes from the holes.

  None are moving, but she checks each of them just in case, and she finds one that’s patched his suit, but when she checks his wrist computer, there’s a ‘Deceased’ flashing on it in blood-red letters. All the others are the same.

  “They’re all bein’ dead. Headin’ back.”

  Roxy’s voice comes and it sounds like she’s been crying, “We found three still alive. We’re heading back now.”

  Nyx goes back the way she came and sees the Donati floating near the pirate ship, and soon they’re all on board.