Free Fringe Runner (Fringe Series Book 1) by Rachel Aukes Page A

you were looking for,” he said.
    “What do you mean?” she asked.
    “We have a tail,” he announced. “But I can’t get an ID.”
    “Where?” Sixx’s seat buckle clinked as the man hustled to peer over Reyne’s shoulder.
    “I’m marking the rock in quadrant one-seven-four,” Reyne said.
    “Firing the phase cannon is sounding better every minute,” Sixx said.
    He glanced back at the other man. “Let’s hope it doesn’t have to come to that.” He returned to his console. “The bogey hasn’t moved, and sensors show no sign of their engines firing up.”
    “Maybe they haven’t seen us,” Throttle offered.
    Sixx chuckled. “You’re one hell of an optimist.”
    “Shut off all nav lights,” Reyne commanded. “On the off chance your optimism turns out to be reality, we don’t need to be lit up like a Spaten whore.”
    He then clenched the comm in his hand and broadcast his next words to the entire crew. “Heads up, everyone. Seems we have a player waiting on the sidelines who might try to jump into the game.”
    He turned to Throttle. “We’ve got a Flux Whisper. Chances are, they don’t have anything near that caliber. Problem is, we don’t know the Coast like the back of our hands, and I’d lay bets that they do. If they try to take us, do you want to outrun them? It’s your call.”
    “Hell yes,” she replied far too quickly.
    “Okay, then. It’s your party. We’ll cover you.” He nodded to Sixx. “You take the forward guns. I’ll take the aft.”
    “Aye, aye, boss.” Sixx buckled back into his seat.
    “You won’t need the guns,” Throttle said with confidence.
    “Let’s hope that’s the case,” Reyne cautioned as he opened the weapons console. “Give them a wide berth, Throttle. Make it clear we know they’re out there.”
    “Wilco,” she said.
    Tension built up within Reyne’s shoulders as they closed the distance. He didn’t take his eyes off the bogey. “We might get lucky. The scans haven’t picked up any signs of it powering up yet.”
    Throttle angled the Gryphon to place a mid-sized rock between the two ships.
    He held his breath as they passed the bogey. “Still no change.”
    As soon as they were beyond the ship, its engine flared to life, and it shot out from its cover.
    “He’s out and on our ass,” Reyne called out. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves some pirates. Find us some distance, Throttle.”
    The Gryphon’s engine set the entire ship in a teeth-rattling, humming vibration. The next instant, Reyne found himself pressed against the back of his seat. He opened the gun bays and started sighting in each of the aft photon guns.
    Throttle took the ship in aggressive twists and sharp turns, nearly skimming rocks. As expected, the pirate ship didn’t have the speed of the Gryphon , and the distance grew between them. Reyne lost visual with the bogey when Throttle banked around a large rock.
    “I think we lost them,” she said.
    Just then, a larger ship popped out from a cavern within the rock directly in front of them and shot out an EMP net.
    “Shit!” Throttle yanked the ship at a hard angle to avoid hitting the net.
    “It’s a tag team,” Reyne started. “Sixx!”
    “Got ‘em.” Sixx fired off several bursts.
    The first ship somehow managed to catch up and was tailing them again. Without taking time for automated targeting, Reyne manually fired at it, narrowly missing.
    “I clipped mine,” Sixx exclaimed. “Big bird’s heading off. Doesn’t look like he wants to play with us.”
    Reyne watched his target slow and peel away. “Other bogey is bugging out.”
    He scanned the quadrants, finding nothing but the two departing ships. “Everything looks clear, but keep your eyes peeled.”
    After closing the gun bays, Reyne turned to Throttle. “Was that exciting enough for you?”
    She tried not to smile but then broke into a wide grin. “That was crazy. But seriously, who would live out here if they had to fly past that every