Free Starbounders by Adam Jay Epstein Page B

the flight deck was to climb up into the main cabin. Skold reached into the equipment panel he had pried open and removed an object that was roughly the size of a box of playing cards. It was solid indigo and had an infinity symbol on it. He pocketed the device and led the way, with Zachary, Ryic, and Kaylee behind him. Kur’tuo brought up the rear.
    The dreadnought’s main cabin was a grim scene. Those who hadn’t been injured in the space battle had clearly suffered in the crash. The only beings still conscious were Jahir and his twin.
    â€œThis one’s still breathing.” Jahir pointed to an IPDL guard lying on the ground.
    Suddenly the ship jolted downward. It was sinking into the sand. Skold punched a button to activate the departure ramp. But nothing happened.
    â€œWhat good is an emergency exit door if it doesn’t open during emergencies?” Skold demanded of no one in particular.
    He picked up one of the discarded photon cannons and fired at the exit door. The blasts made slow progress, and it felt like the dreadnought was submerging faster.
    â€œJahir, Lalique, arm yourselves,” Skold ordered. “We need more firepower.”
    The two emaciated wolven beasts took up sonic crossbows and started firing at the same spot that Skold was blasting. Zachary bent down and reached for a weapon of his own. As his hand gripped one of the crossbows, Kur’tuo moved an arm blade inches away from his throat.
    Zachary tried his best not to flinch, to keep his voice steady in the face of having his windpipe sliced open. “He said we needed more firepower.”
    Kur’tuo looked to Skold, who nodded to let Zachary join the attack. Finally, their combined firepower punctured a hole in the steel door, but the ship had already sunk so deep that sand started pouring inside. Quickly.
    Kur’tuo scurried over and used his arms to saw away at the opening. The alien mantis started to turn the small hole into a larger one. Then, with a couple swift slashes of his blades, the gap became big enough to squeeze through.
    â€œGo, go,” Skold commanded.
    Weapons still in hand, Kur’tuo, Jahir, and Lalique climbed for the planet’s surface as sand flooded past them. Skold pushed Kaylee out through the hole, using his strength to propel her forward despite the tidal wave of sand crashing in. Ryic was next, and there was no time to waste. The ship’s flight deck was filling up like the bottom of an hourglass.
    Zachary turned back to the unconscious guard, whose body was halfway submerged in sand.
    â€œWhat about him?” he asked.
    â€œRemember what I told you about trying to be the hero,” Skold replied.
    â€œWe can still get him out of here,” Zachary said.
    Zachary dropped the sonic crossbow and moved to the guard’s side. He tried to shake him awake, but the IPDL officer felt cold and lifeless. Zachary put two fingers on his throat and couldn’t find a pulse. Still not ready to give up, Zachary tried to lift the guard from the sand, but Skold grabbed Zachary by the back of his shirt, heaving him up over his shoulder.
    â€œI need you alive,” he said.
    The alien hijacker scooped up a supply canister and vaulted himself out through the hole with Zachary in tow. As Skold swam against the current of sand, the fine particles washed over Zachary, invading his ears, his nose, and his tightly shut eyes. It felt like a thousand tiny daggers were scratching at Zachary’s corneas. He had to squeeze his lips tightly to keep his mouth from filling up, too. Even so, stray grains slipped through, grinding between his teeth. Then Skold pulled himself to the surface. He put Zachary down, and they both hurried to solid footing.
    Kur’tuo, Jahir, and Lalique stood together, watching with perverse delight as the dreadnought disappeared into the ground. More precisely, only the front half of it disappeared. Zachary hadn’t realized that the back end of the