Byrne had been meticulously cleaning out Peterson's charred hands. I stood nearby and helped her, too anguished to leave. I felt like I deserved some of the blame for his injury. I'd been checking on him periodically and never once considered safety measures. I wanted to slap myself, but what was done was done.

   Peterson flinched as she delicately sliced off another piece of flesh. She grimaced sympathetically. I offered the tray and she set the bloody bit onto it. Peterson's face was sweaty as he said, winded, "And then there were three. It started with us..." He coughed a small laugh. "I guess it ends with us."

   I had whacked his head before I was able to help myself. "I don't want to hear it. You're not getting kicked from the crew because your hands are crispy."

   He looked up, a little surprised, but still sad. "What if they're permanently damaged? I won't be any good as an engineer anymore."

   "Even if that were true, there's no way I'd let you leave." After Byrne looked up, confused, I added, "You're a valuable member of this team, Peterson. You're our friend. Besides, we're crew. Crew don't leave each other. It's in the contract you signed, remember?"

   Byrne rolled her eyes and set down her tweezers and scalpel. "Way to be cheerful." Her tone said she was joking around. I exhaled as she grabbed a flashlight and sat back down. "Can you flex your fingers for me?"

   He held his breath and did as instructed. A small noise escaped his lips as his fingers twitched and his eyes scrunched. I squeezed his arm tightly to distract his brain from his hands. Byrne nodded. "Okay, good. You can stop." He did immediately. "Your tendons and the like are still intact. It seems that just the muscle is what's damaged."

   "And possible long-term side effects?" I inquired. She pulled out some medications and bandages. "No telling without better testing. He could be perfectly fine – just scarred – or his hands could have limited mobility for the rest of his life." Her face was sad. "We'll need a doctor that specializes in this type of injury. I'd say that the majority of the damage is second-degree, but right here where his palm was pressed against the converter—" she pointed the flashlight at the center of his palm, "—I'd say that's third-degree. Third-degree burns off nerve ends, leaving no room for pain, and Peterson hardly flinched as I cleaned this area out. But long term effects, I've no idea."

   I opened my mouth to speak. The room suddenly shook and Byrne caught herself on the wall. Peterson looked up, eyes wide, as she hastily finished wrapping his hands into nubs. "What was that?"

   "I have no idea," I answered, wary. "We're only half-way through the five hour flight. We shouldn't be slowing down yet."

   The ship suddenly groaned. I flew off of my feet and crashed into the wall with a shout. Peterson hit the floor. Byrne managed to catch herself on a chair and I scrambled upright, my vision swimming. "Captain—"

   "We're being hijacked!" said Decker suddenly. "The pilot says we've been caught in the grasp of another ship and we just got pulled from full speed—"

   My heart sank. "Don't tell me that's the ship."

   Bright alarms suddenly screamed. "Hull breach, needs immediate attention! Risk: air pressure release and permanent body failure. Hull breach!"

   "They've connected to the airlock—"

   I rounded on Peterson. "You have the battery – where?"

   He was pale as the ship continued to wail. "Right here – in my pocket."

   "Byrne, get a case and you are to handcuff it to yourself, understand?" I yanked out my gun and glared daggers at her. "In no situation is anyone to get that away from you other than me or the Captain. Do I make myself clear?"

   She nodded frantically and took the battery as Peterson offered it. "Peterson, you are to hide and offer me updates. You are in no fighting condition and I don't want you risking yourself needlessly. I'm going to see what's going on." Chambering my gun, I opened the door to the small medical room and stepped out. Just as I shut the door, my head exploded with voices and the lights shut off.

   "It's them, it's them! They just shot the pilot – and they've got control of the bridge. And they're after the battery!" Bird informed me, his voice panicked. "I heard them think about getting it, that's what they're after—"

   "There's four of them!" Decker cried. "And they've got the Captain in the bridge."

   "Autumn, keep the battery safe—" Came the Captain's sharp tone. I responded immediately, "It's secure. What's your status?"

   "They don't know I'm in here with them," he replied. "One named Julian is taking the pilot's place. The other three are preparing to leave and search for the battery."

   I cursed mentally and walked along the wall carefully, gun held in both hands and extended. "Have they left yet?"

   "They're preparing to right now. The door's opening..."

   It was too dark to see in the hall. Remembering my discovery in the chamber so long ago, I closed my eyes and focused. Vaguely, I could feel a direction from where Captain Thorn's voice was speaking. My head picked up on a few others – the other crewmembers. I didn't know which, but one other was advancing in the same direction I was at roughly the same speed. But I had no way to judge where the intruders were.

   "They're gone."

   "Decker, I want you to get to the medical room and guard that door."

   "Yes, First Officer."

   My footsteps were soft as I found the final hall that turned toward the door to the bridge. There was not a sound in the hall, but faint voices whispered. "Damn it, we should have just stolen it before they left the surface . . . we're sitting ducks in a ship. Can't use these suits without flying off into space...what's the point of them if we can't even use them?"

   "—Could be anywhere—"

   "Julian had better not screw up this one —"

   It was only two people. One was a woman, and the other was Ambrogio Tase. My lip curled. But where was the third? Had they not left the room yet? I leaned forward and carefully listened to pinpoint where to shoot. "Hopefully Semper can find them before we have to fight in this bloody dark—"

   Semper? She must have split off from the two of them. But if they had all come from the same door, she must have already passed me—

   A foot connected with the side of my knee. Pain exploded as it bent the wrong way and I threw myself down before it could break under the pressure. I shoved my hands off of the wall and kicked my leg upwards, slamming it against their gut. The grunt told me it was a woman. She staggered backwards and I kicked her knee in. It snapped and she screamed. "Stupid woman!"

   "Semper!" The two in the hall rushed towards us. But this woman – Semper – wasn't done. I got to my feet for her fist to slam into my chin. My teeth slammed on my tongue and blood spurted into my mouth. I snarled and blocked her clumsy attempt to hit me again, lashing out with my other arm. My hit connected with the side of her head just as she punched me straight in the stomach.

   The other two arrived. I raised my gun and fired at one. I heard the bullet hit the wall and one of them swore. "Which one is it?!" A man's fist hit my side and I jumped backwards, realizing that it was one against three. I was outmatched. Snarling, I lifted my gun and fired again. This time I hit Tase and I knew it because he cried out and his thoughts swirled with hate.

   I rapidly backed out of the hall and spat blood out of my mouth. "Three of them in the hall to the bridge – it's Tase and two other women. I shot Tase and broke the knee of one of the women but I'm outmatched. Can someone please get the lights on?"

   "Little – busy—" Captain Thorn grunted a reply and I realized he was fighting the fourth intruder for control of the bridge.

   "I'm just around the corner," said Edwards. "Bird is with me and we're ready to ambush them."

   "I'll lead them to you." I turned around and asked out loud, "What exactly were you trying to accomplish by hijacking the ship? You're seriously outnumbered."

   The woman from Nusora decided to reply and I knew they were following me. I slowed my steps and dragged my hurt leg, hoping to trick them into thinking I was actually hurt. "You can't be the woman that Tase knocked out back in Vilara, so you must be the First Officer. How's it feel to be about to lose, Genevieve?"

    "You tell me." I turned the corner and felt Bird's hand catch my arm. "It's just me." He let go. "Ah." I kept dragging my foot and moving through the hall. The woman laughed slightly but she just turned the corner and Bird's fist sank into her stomach. Her laugh turned into a wheeze and her back hit the floor. Bird advanced after her.

   "Perenna has been ambushed! Shit, how many are in here?" Tase backed up but I jumped forward, swinging a sharp right-hook into his jaw. His head snapped to the side. I lifted my gun to shoot him again but he jumped forward and his arms went around my waist. I slammed onto the ground and his hands grabbed the gun in my hand. I had flashbacks to the Courtroom on Satov and snarled, bucking my hips. I twisted the gun, pinpointed where I heard Edwards fighting Semper, and pulled the trigger. Semper cried out. "My arm!"

   Tase's hand caught the front of my shirt and he slammed my head against the ground. My dark vision swam and he scrambled off of me, rushing to escape the hall. I grabbed his ankle and pulled, sending him crashing back down. "You're not getting out of here," I hissed darkly, "you can quit thinking you have any shot of getting the battery."

   Shock flashed through his thoughts. "How did she—?"

   Bird suddenly cried out and I felt something warm splatter against my face. I heard his body hit the ground and panic took over. "Bird, Bird answer me!" Nothing came back, mental or out-loud. I spat out in rage and got up, slamming my foot on the back of Tase's head. His body went limp instantly and I rounded on where I'd heard him fighting with the other woman.

   There was a shriek and pain shot through my shoulder. I cried and turned, clobbering her on the side of the head. She disappeared and her thoughts faded before I could follow as she ran away. I pressed a hand against the front of my shoulder, feeling blood drip down my back. She'd stabbed me. Stinging pain shot down my whole left arm and I stumbled for Bird. He groaned as my foot connected with his side.

   Edwards was still trying to subdue the woman, with Semper gone. I hoped Decker would be able to keep her from getting the battery. I was breathing heavily as blood continuously leaked down my arm and back. "Bird, are you okay?"

   "My fingers," he moaned, "she cut off my fingers."

   My foot stepped in something slick. I coughed out slightly. "C-Cover it. Stop the blood-flow. I've got to get to the battery."

   A mumble was his only response. I staggered after where Semper had gone – a direct line toward the medical room. It was utterly silent until Captain Thorn finally spoke. "I've got the man down. Lights coming on in three..."

   I turned the corner to the hall as he said, "Two..." Thoughts whispered through my head just as they turned on. The color drained from my face as I saw the door to the medical room blasted open. Inside, Peterson was lying unconscious on the floor. Decker was nowhere to be found. And Byrne was limp, out cold, as a new man used an aquarius to slice off the handcuff keeping the case holding the battery to her arm. Semper stood by him, hissing, "We've got to go, Emrys!"

   "I know, I know!" He snapped. "I didn't think she'd be so hard to take down, alright? And now Julian's be compromised – he was supposed to keep the lights off."

   I didn't hesitate. I lifted my arm and shot. The bullet sunk into Emrys's stomach. He shouted and doubled over with a cry. My gun was aimed between Semper's eyes before she could blink. I panted, bleeding and standing awkwardly, and sneered. "Drop the case."

   "Are you sure?" She spat out. "It's pretty explosive. It'll send us all to hell if I drop it."

   She had a point. Her silver hair was wild and her dark eyes crazed. I curled my lip. "Then I'll kill you and use your body as a cushion."

   Her eyes widened slightly. I took a step forward, finger tensing over the trigger. I only realized something was wrong when she smiled darkly, but it was too late. Something slammed over the back of my head.