The salvager pounded her fists on the door, shrieking. Her body faced away from him, but even so, Rayan knew she was weeping. Over her shoulder, he saw the pilot spinning away into the stars, his mouth wide open. The biggest and worst surprise of his life.

I killed him.

Yes—the other voice in him rose—for us. You killed him for your family. For Mother.

“I’m sorry . . .” Rayan managed. He would burn up in his brain for this, and suffer, and he would pray later for true forgiveness, even if he felt certain it would never come. “Walters was his name? I’m sorry, but you don’t understand, I have to—”

Her grief changed then, spiraling out, snarling into rage, and she turned on him, slamming into his chest and sending him flying back against the card table. The little white rectangles fell around them, floating onto her back and his head as she tackled him to the floor. His back exploded in pain from the sudden impact, and at once Foxfire—Mother—consumed him, rushing over him, dulling the sting and summoning his own anger.

“No!” he shouted. JAX had already lumbered over and yanked her off of him by the elbows. His control returned and he sighed, covering his face with both hands before sitting up with a groan. “I did what I could . . . and then I did what I had to. You should’ve let me inject you. You should’ve let me! It will help! I’m sure it will help, the experiments, the allium . . .”

“What the hell are you talking about?” she shrieked back, struggling against the AI, kicking out both legs in frustration. “You killed my pilot! You killed him. What the hell is wrong with you? What did you try to stab me with, huh? You want to kill me, too?”

“No!” There were too many questions. His brain throbbed and throbbed, Foxfire grappling with him, but Rayan subdued it for the moment, rubbing at his face. “No, I . . . I wanted to help you. I didn’t mean to hurt you, okay? I tried to save you. Joining hurts. It shouldn’t be forced on anybody.”

“Save me? Save me!? I thought I was here to save you, or what the hell was all that about?” She was gasping for breath and reeling, her eyes unfocused.

Rayan climbed slowly to his feet. He wanted to tell JAX to let her go, but that didn’t seem wise just yet. “I didn’t try to hurt you. It’s protection,” he said, and pointed to his own head. “Against this.”