<Eris! Status update, princess.>

<I hear Morsfire.>

If Eris was killed, Clo would fail her mission. But if Eris was captured, the resistance was sunk. Eris might be hard as coffin nails, but everyone cracked under Tholosian torture. Everyone.

Clo couldn’t lose concentration. Already, the ship shook all around her, losing its momentum. <Just hold on. I’ll follow you—>

Zelus blinked out. Why was the ship doing so many little jumps? It was almost like it was trying to cover its tracks. Who the flark was flying that thing?

The hyperdrive blinked a red warning light.

Come on, sweet, she coaxed the ship as it prepared to jump again. Come on. Remember how you saved me all those years ago? Just one more time. One more time.

The ship jumped.

It came through with a shuddering, deafening groan, but it coasted into space right in clear view of Zelus.

“Yes!” Clo pumped her fist in the air. “That’s my sweet,” she patted the ship’s dash. “That’s my girl.”

<I’m through,> she told Eris. <What do you need?>

<Hit the ship with a pulse. I’ve opened the loading bay door, so hitting it will keep that open and stall the engine. Be careful when you dock.> Eris was curt, but Clo could sense the princess’s relief.

Zelus was in range. Clo blasted it with an electromagnetic surge. The ship slowed but didn’t stop. She strengthened the shield, waiting for a return blast. Nothing. That was unusual. The pilot should have put Zelus’s shields up, hit her back with all it had. Zelus coasted like no one was at the helm anymore.

A thought jarred her. Eris said she’d heard Morsfire; maybe the pilot was dead.

<I’m out of the hold,> came Eris’s voice. <The Morsfire has stopped. I’ll meet you in the docking bay to open the door for you.>

<Don’t get caught,> Clo thought back.

<Not planning on it.>

Clo blasted the ship again. In the black, peaceful quiet of space, Zelus went dark, and the engines stopped running. It moved through the stars on inertia alone.

If Zelus had a backup generator, it would switch on after a long-enough period of inactivity. She had to get Eris off the ship before it did.

A dark hole appeared on the side of the ship as the hatch opened. Smoothly, Clo guided Asteria to the loading bay. Her own ship had ceased its shuddering, but it wasn’t in great shape and the electromagnetic blasts only worked for so long. Once the backups went live, the pilot could put the ship into hyperdrive—if they weren’t dead—and they’d be dragged along with them. Asteria was in no condition for a dashing escape. Clo didn’t even think it would make it back to Nova. They’d be stuck.

One problem at a time, Clo thought.