"Damn it, C'tra, you'll go where I tell you."
Duncan's fingers dung into her arm. She tried – and failed – to squirm away.
"Listen to me." He shook her to punctuate each word. Get Zinc out of here. You're the only one who can fly him out and he'll bury you so they don't find you. I'll meet you at Segea." Duncan shifted his hands, cupping her chin. "You're a damn good pilot, Jal, but you don't have a prayer outside the cockpit.
"And where will you be? Here?"
Duncan half-smiled. "Yeah."
"What?! Duncan, I will not – "
Duncan covered her mouth with his, effectively silencing her. And for a moment, she gave in, molding her body to his. Then she pushed him away, eyes narrowing.
"I will not be befuddled, Too'lite. What do you mean you're staying here – without me?"
"The computer system. After the hell I went thought to get it, I will not leave it for the Imperials." She snorted. "Neither can we leave Zinc to their tenders mercies."
"Or you."
"Yea, but I can fly myself out. Zinc can't." he put a finger to her lips, then jerked it away when she moved to bit it. "Enough woman. Breke's waiting." He pushed her towards the runners. Inside one, Zinc already had the engines going.
She turned on him. Then Breke can fly Zinc out."
Duncan just looked at her. "Get real. Who's the 'real' pilot?" He shoved her through the hatch. "Now, move before that destroyer drops in. You still have to get around the corvettes."
"If they kill you Too'lite – "
"Then I'll haunt you." He dropped a hard kiss on her lips.
And shut the hatch in her face.
Jalien woke with a gasp and clutch the cover around her. "Lights." Instantly, light flooded the room, and she bowed her head, trying to control the shaking.
That damn dream. Always the same, always ending with the Imperials closing in. She easily outruns the waiting corvettes, and jumps to safety just as the Destroyers drop in.
And then, feeling half her soul rip away as they kill Duncan.
Jalien gave herself a shake, then threw back the covers. Gods, she hated that dream. It always brought with it a feeling of hopelessness and pain that this happy-go-lucky little space pirate didn't want to dwell on. Losing Duncan…
Fortunately, the damn dream wasn't reality. Duncan was alive and kicking somewhere. Just somewhere he hadn't bother to inform her about yet, the bastard.
She stalked across the room, grapping a flask from one of the various piles and took a swig. Grimacing from the taste – Buelians aren't know for their whiskey – she flopped into a chair and stared out into the darkness.
Damn Duncan anyway
Duncan's fingers dung into her arm. She tried – and failed – to squirm away.
"Listen to me." He shook her to punctuate each word. Get Zinc out of here. You're the only one who can fly him out and he'll bury you so they don't find you. I'll meet you at Segea." Duncan shifted his hands, cupping her chin. "You're a damn good pilot, Jal, but you don't have a prayer outside the cockpit.
"And where will you be? Here?"
Duncan half-smiled. "Yeah."
"What?! Duncan, I will not – "
Duncan covered her mouth with his, effectively silencing her. And for a moment, she gave in, molding her body to his. Then she pushed him away, eyes narrowing.
"I will not be befuddled, Too'lite. What do you mean you're staying here – without me?"
"The computer system. After the hell I went thought to get it, I will not leave it for the Imperials." She snorted. "Neither can we leave Zinc to their tenders mercies."
"Or you."
"Yea, but I can fly myself out. Zinc can't." he put a finger to her lips, then jerked it away when she moved to bit it. "Enough woman. Breke's waiting." He pushed her towards the runners. Inside one, Zinc already had the engines going.
She turned on him. Then Breke can fly Zinc out."
Duncan just looked at her. "Get real. Who's the 'real' pilot?" He shoved her through the hatch. "Now, move before that destroyer drops in. You still have to get around the corvettes."
"If they kill you Too'lite – "
"Then I'll haunt you." He dropped a hard kiss on her lips.
And shut the hatch in her face.
Jalien woke with a gasp and clutch the cover around her. "Lights." Instantly, light flooded the room, and she bowed her head, trying to control the shaking.
That damn dream. Always the same, always ending with the Imperials closing in. She easily outruns the waiting corvettes, and jumps to safety just as the Destroyers drop in.
And then, feeling half her soul rip away as they kill Duncan.
Jalien gave herself a shake, then threw back the covers. Gods, she hated that dream. It always brought with it a feeling of hopelessness and pain that this happy-go-lucky little space pirate didn't want to dwell on. Losing Duncan…
Fortunately, the damn dream wasn't reality. Duncan was alive and kicking somewhere. Just somewhere he hadn't bother to inform her about yet, the bastard.
She stalked across the room, grapping a flask from one of the various piles and took a swig. Grimacing from the taste – Buelians aren't know for their whiskey – she flopped into a chair and stared out into the darkness.
Damn Duncan anyway