Taming the void

against the cot, her breathing steadier now. She hadn't said much since h

s slide. Especially not when someone had dr

er my ship, and that beast back there didn't exactly look friendly. Star

a tight line. "That wasn't just any Stryn

hunt people. They hunt anyth

someone-or something-to barge in. "Because I have what they want," she

e with it. He'd spent his life avoiding entanglements, especially ones that in

s voice crackled over the inter

mm switch. "Def

Multiple signatur

stomach drop

e," Varro corrected

and, but Finn pushed her back down. "Stay put

owing figures streaked through the darkness, their bioluminesc

e you've got a plan," he said to Varro, who

arro grun

gave chase, their claws glinting in the faint light of the nearby star.

can outpace the

ket grows a warp dri

king across the aft shields. The ship

xty percent!"

ose things don't

y for support. "You can't outrun them," she said, he

. "Fight? With what? This is a

" Bella pointed out, nodding t

re off pirates, not take

g onto his. "You don't have a choice. If t

as right. With a reluctant nod, he activat

us steady,"

easts trying to gut us? S

nge. Finn fired, the plasma bolt streaking through the void and striking the creature i

it's still comi

ting at a cluster of glowing veins along the St

me, the plasma bolt struck true, and the Stryn

was short-lived. The remaining four Strynx con

rning," Bell

ng," Finn

ts underbelly. The impact sent Finn and Bella sprawling. S

irty percent!"

trols. "Kern, if you've got an

f a second before making her dec

Finn s

t me!" she

e comm station. Bella keyed in a frequency

," she said into the comm. "Authorization code Delt

unned. "Coalition? You

sponse. "Agent Kern, this is Coalition frigate Eclip

choed, still trying to p

. The Strynx were closing in, and it was clea

al?" she asked

utes," cam

three minutes,"

akened shields and gouging the hull. The ship shuddered

e gone!" Va

s again, taking out a second Strynx. But th

om the emergency locker and tur

nn said, i

it!" sh

irlock door slid open. Bella stepped inside, bracing herself agains

ng it back, but it wasn't enough to kill it. The

it!" sh

aled shut just as the Strynx lunged. Its claws ra

tting through the void. The frigate's weaponry unleashed a barrage of

t Kern, the threat has been ne

still pounding. "You want to explain what

readable. "I told you. I have what