Free Deep Space Endeavor by Ron Francis

option would include Jesse, because he would insist on joining the fight. As their commanding officer, there wouldn’t be any way to dissuade him. Under normal circumstances, having him on your side during a fight would be an advantage. Jesse, however, was still recovering from the injuries suffered in the shuttle, and was not yet battle-ready. Josiah did not want to put him in harm's way before he was recovered. It seemed to him as though option one was the best available option.
    As he was finishing his internal debate, he heard Collin saying, “I think going for reinforcements seems like our best option Jo.”
    Kimi shook her head in agreement. “I believe that to be the case as well , Josiah,” she added. He knew they didn’t want Jesse entering the fight at less than one hundred percent, and he knew that was the reason for their thinking.
    “I agree ,” he replied. “Now, we just need to lay low for an hour or so and hope the pirates don't begin to search out here before we leave. Hopefully, we can get help on the main continent and be back to the ship by morning.”
     
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    Jesse had gone to engineering to continue Collin’s work on the sublight engines. Chances were they might have to lift off fast, and he wanted the ship ready as soon as possible. It looked like it would take at least another day before he would be able to get them going, and he was getting tired fast. Still feeling the effects from the recovery pod treatment, he knew it was only a matter of time before sleep caught up to him and overtook him. He was beginning to worry; his crew was long overdue and the pirates must have been jamming communications. He knew his crew was resourceful, so he figured the best thing he could do was get as much work done as possible and wait. The problem with that was; he really hated waiting.
    A short time later, t he door to engineering slid open and Suzy walked in with Commando and Shadow. “Time for bed. Doctor’s orders.” She sang as if she were letting a child know it was the end of the day. He was too tired to argue and followed; he knew he would need all the rest he could get if he were to mount any kind of rescue the next day. By this time he was sure his crew was at the very least pinned down somewhere, but more likely they had been captured. As Suzy continued past his room and down the corridor, he noticed Commando claiming his usual spot at the foot of the bed to be his protector while he slept. He smiled and called out, “Good boy, Commando.” The large wolf wagged his tail at the mention of his name and Jesse smiled. He didn’t even bother to undress for bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
     
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    Josiah figured they only needed about ten more minutes until it was dark enough to make a run for the speeder. That’s when he heard a high pitched whine coming in their direction. He knew it was only a matter of time before some ground-based forces came this way. Judging by the frequency of the starfighters fly by’s, he knew they were looking for someone or something.  They were most likely looking for Jesse, still angry over the destruction of their ship .
    “Someone’s coming,” Kimi whispered, breaking into his thoughts. “We should retreat further into the boulders.” The light maroon boulders were a maze of passages and tunnels as time and wind had worn a pattern into them. At one time the boulders may have been one massive rock. Some of the passages were wide enough for all three of them to walk side by side, and others were barely wide enough for Kimi to squeeze through. Some of the tunnels were high enough to walk through, while others you would have to crawl. If one were to get turned around in there, it might take them some time to find their way out. He had a bad feeling about the boulders, but their only other option was to engage the pirates.
    “How are we going to find our way out if we need to move quickly?” He