Lost Change

Chapter 100

Several long, nerve-wracking moments went by before Minna let out an excited 'Got it!', and the side of the shuttle slid open. She dashed into the shuttle and slipped into one of the chairs at the front. I was able to get enough of a view of the inside of the shuttle to notice there were only four passenger chairs behind the pilot seat.

I hoped that wouldn't be a problem for whoever ended up having to stand up.

Minna looked over the controls while the rest of the Kymari ran inside. She frowned and looked over her shoulder, glancing from one guard to the next, then nodded when she saw they were all inside. She tapped one of the controls and the side of the shuttle slid closed... then a second later lights came on inside the shuttle, followed by a hissing sound that began echoing around us.

"We have air now, but I need a minute to figure these controls out. This doesn't look like I expected it to." She reached for the bracelet at her arm and tapped part of it, causing the shimmering field to vanish around her. "Kilpin, can you hold Nate for me? I'll need my hands free, and I don't think I have time to untangle him right now."

She passed the handle to the older guard. He took the baton and kept his hands well away from the net, letting me dangle aimlessly in the air... for which I was actually grateful. I was not happy about being trapped and tangled up in the net, and my instincts were urging me to lash out at anything I could sink my claws into. I didn't want to think about a stranger touching me with how worked up I was becoming, even somebody I was more or less used to. Even if they were trying to help me.

The horrid chemical scent was finally gone, though. Or at least, it was incredibly faint now. That was at least one upside to the situation. The numbness was also starting to wear off now that I wasn't constantly bumping into that energy field. I began to get feeling back in my legs and wings, and I squirmed enough to get my head between the strands of the net. It took a few more wiggles and squirms before I managed to get my mouth around one of the strings, and then I began gnawing on it.

It didn't accomplish anything, but it made me feel a lot better.

Ivy's voice returned before I had made any headway on the netting. Worry was obvious in her tone. "The Kymari are talking about firing on the freighter! It's making a break for it; they don't want to risk hurting you but they don't want to risk them getting away while you're still on board. I'm not sure how much longer Trenil will be able to delay them. Have you made it off the ship yet?"

I grimaced at Ivy's warning. "We found an alien shuttle; ours was too far away. Minna's trying to get it started now." I spun in the net to try and get a better look at Minna. She was still studying the controls. From the frown on her face, I didn't think she was having much luck. "It's not going well. I don't think she understands which controls are what."

Minna glanced away from the controls to look back at Morton. "Any change on the jamming?" The Kymari fiddled with his wrist for a moment while Minna watched with a hopeful expression, but he finally shook his head. Minna grimaced and looked back at the controls again.

"What type of shuttle is it? Can you show me what the controls look like?"

"Minna used the word 'Kergarian', if that means anything." I sent Ivy my memory of the outside view of the shuttle, then sent her my view of the controls.

She was quiet for a second before she responded in a voice full of suspicion. "...Nate, why is everything upside down?"

I sighed and gnawed harder at the ropes causing me to dangle limply in the air. "Can we talk about that later? Kind of in the middle of something here."