Free Lana's Comet (Outer Settlement Agency) by Lyn Brittan Page B

away, closed their eyes and pushed.
    She kicked until her calf slammed against him. She kicked until the reverberation rang up her leg and into his body like a hammering sound wave. Ignoring the pressure on his upper arms, he waited a half second, then pulled with the little strength he had left. By the will of some unknown maker, he’d done it.
    He got up to celebrate, but a blast knocked him against the walls and the panels together. He turned in time to save his eyes, but Lana’s scream indicated that perhaps she hadn’t been so lucky.

Chapter Eleven
    M edical training goes out the airlock when you’re the patient.
    Her limbs trembled and although her back was on the floor, dizziness set in as if she’d been running in circles. She redirected all of her energy to her vision, now blurred with flashing white and blue spots.
    Cyprus called out to her, but she didn’t answer. She had to center herself first, get herself together or risk spiraling down a crater of panic and agony.
    His hands patted her face.
    His lips dragged across her forehead.
    And still she did not move.
    “I really need you to say something, Lana.”
    “The panels?”
    “Shifted back together. I’ll have to do it again.”
    She tried to get up, but strong hands on her shoulders shoved her down. She ought to have said something – tried harder to be of assistance – but everything hurt too much. She couldn’t even turn her head to follow the sound of him running and grunting with effort.
    Another blast. This one with more force than before.
    More expulsions of air, more grunting and he was back at her side “Keep talking. Let me know you’re still with me.”
    She retreated to the clinical and knew the precise moment his concern turned to terror. The hands that touched her went clammy and his voice dropped to a whisper. Each breath that came out of him was more of a gasp and every word had a heartbreaking tremor to it. “Lana?”
    “I can’t see.”
    He flinched against her and the hands that cupped her face dropped to draw wide circles on her back. Something whirred behind her. Had he done it? “Did it work? Do we have power?”
    “Some. Oxygen and lights.”
    But the words dropped like stones in the pit of an empty well. He was lying. Her faculties weren’t so far gone that she couldn’t sense it. Yes, the blast reduced her world to a series of shadows, but none quite registered as proper light. “We’re still at half systems. The light doesn’t feel bright enough. I’m a big girl. I can handle the truth.”
    This earned her a kiss, one she leaned into, suddenly desperate for more contact. But a blast rocked the shuttle and the warmth of Cyprus’s body disappeared. He swore above her, cementing that more trouble had come. “We’re being fired upon.”
    “Meash?”
    “This thing isn’t built for offensive action.”
    “You’ve got to be freaking kidding. It’s an OSA shuttle.”
    “Yeah, for training. The panels will give us just enough power to burst out of here. Maybe.”
    “Don’t waste it on that.” Even with her vision shot, she could sense that golden eyebrow jutting upward. “I know you want to get me back to base and you can’t see past that. Oddly enough, I can. Use whatever power we have left to send out a distress call. We’re running on batteries and the solar panel converters are useless. The only thing we know we can get out for sure is sound. Actually, not for sure, but it’s our best chance and you know it. Maybe we should send the files first.” Cyprus sighed and the sound of flesh hitting metal assaulted her ears. “Are you punching my ship, sir?”
    “I am, Madam. And to whom shall we send the files? How many people knew we were destined for this ship? A dozen, maybe.”
    “You’re not insinuating that your brother is in on this?”
    “Of course not,” though the concern in his voice was undeniable. “But he ordered plenty of people to ready the ship and I can’t trust them. It’s done