I didn’t hear Zahra or Malachi. The light ahead moved, and the shadow of a person stretched around the corridor. I gestured urgently, motioning for the others to turn and head in the other direction. Baqir had been bringing up the rear; he was at the head of the line now. When he reached the door to the bridge, he glanced back at me, inclining his head with a silent question. I waved for him to keep going. Xiomara was right behind him. Ariana followed, but the sleeve of her space suit caught on the handhold; she jerked her arm in frustration. I reached out to pry the snagged material free. She looked at me, then looked down at her hand, bending her fingers into a fist for a moment. I wanted to ask her if she was hurt, but I didn’t dare speak. I nudged her onward. Baqir and Xiomara had already disappeared around the curve in the hallway.

We passed the entrance to the bridge as the light behind us grew brighter.

Then, from ahead, Xiomara’s voice came clearly: “Hey, don’t—”

She was cut off by a wordless shout of surprise. Ariana kicked away from the wall, arrowing herself toward the shouts. I was right behind her. Shadows danced wildly in the low red light.

Baqir shouted, “Let me go!” I rounded the bend in the hallway just in time to see Dag grab him by the arm. Dag had come around the opposite direction, moving swiftly and silently while we fled Panya and her light.

Baqir struck at the man’s face, at his torso, at the hand that was holding his weapon, but Dag dodged the blows easily. He swung Baqir around by his prosthetic arm, and Baqir screamed. I heard something creak, heard something crack, then Dag released him, and Baqir slammed into the wall. The horrible whimper he made on impact was so much worse than the scream had been. I couldn’t see his face. He curled into an instinctive ball, not even trying to grab a handhold or right himself. I pushed over to him, but I had no more than touched his back before he let out another cry of pain.

Xiomara launched herself at Dag feetfirst, her boots aiming directly for his head, and Ariana flung herself forward to grab his arm. He dodged to the side, and Xiomara hit his shoulder, deflecting herself into a sideways spin; he caught her ankle and whipped her away from him. She struck the wall with a loud grunt, then flailed for the nearest handhold. Dag hit Ariana across the face, sending her spinning away easily. Momentarily stunned by the blow, with her nose and lip bleeding, she floated past me and right into Panya, who had come around behind us.