Ava
I can barely get air in my lungs.
That predatory Seth skulks about with a knife while Rigel, my angel, is in a net.
My angel could get hurt. I need to help him. I look to see what tools are available. The drone Tarak wore still sits a few feet away from the door, and then there is the wall computer. This I can work with.
"Computer, reopen the hatch," I command.
"Complying," says the wall. The hatch immediately opens, and air blows into the helm.
"Ava?" asks Kayla.
I race toward the hatch.
Tarak's feet pound against the floor, chasing after me. I dive onto the floor and slide. Tarak's claw rakes toward my feet. He misses and roars while I keep sliding straight toward the drone. I slip my shoulders into the drone's straps, run, and—
I leap. Massive scourge hands curl around my wrists.
I am suspended in the air, helpless to resist as Tarak pulls me back onto the ship. "No!"
Tarak pulls the drone from me, letting it fall onto the floor. He carries me back to the helm, dropping me into the chair.
"Ava, what's wrong with you? You didn't even turn the drone on ... You would have fallen and gotten injured or died," says Kayla.
"I don't care. Someone needs to try to help Rigel."
Grunts come out of our wall, the computer immediately translating scourge into human words. "By the orders of Hydra, all transport ships are forbidden from departing. Closing all hangar bay doors."
Kayla frowns at me. "We need to leave, or we will be trapped here."
"Please, Rigel is still out there!"
Kayla shakes her head and gives me a sad look. "Computer, close the–"
"No!" I scream. "Ship, keep the hatch open!"
The wall blinks, and nothing happens. Tarak growls.
"Please, show me how to turn on the drone, or throw me off the ship if you have to but let me determine my own fate."
Kayla's back is to me where she stands in front of the speaking wall at the helm. In a shaky voice, she says, "I'm sorry, Ava. If the hanger closes, it could impact all of us. Computer, override the command to keep the hatch door open and..." She sounds like a monster, growling and making guttural noises.
The viewport no longer shows us Rigel, but everything is still burned into my retina: Rigel's beating wings; the net; and Seth's silver knife.
I can barely breathe. Please let him be alive and return to me.
"Computer, close the hatch door," says Kayla.
A banging sound comes from the direction of the hatch and something white and luminous streaks through the half-opened door.
Rigel lies on the floor, his feather tips twitching. His hands press against the floor and although he starts to rise, his arms tremble and he collapses.
"Rigel," I scream.
Kayla and I run toward Rigel.
Tarak barks orders at the ship wall. Our hatch bangs closed, the engine shrieks, and slowly the ship moves.
"Tarak will need to accelerate the Firefly to get the ship out of Hydra's hangar, so we need to get Rigel into a chair and strap him in for departure," says Kayla as we get on either side of the unresponsive Rigel. "Put his arm over your shoulder and together we drag him, yeah?"
I pull Rigel's limp hand over me. He's so heavy. I feel like I'm going to fall under his weight, but somehow, we get him into a chair. Tarak barks at the wall.
Kayla looks between me and Tarak. "Time's up... Acceleration will begin in 5, 4—"
Finding out Rigel's status will need to wait. I get into the same seat as Rigel, pulling a strap over us.
"One," says Kayla.
The g forces press on my cheeks and face. My entire body is thrown back, my back bumping against Rigel.
I press my cheek and ear against Rigel's chest, listening to the thumps of his heart. For now, I rejoice; my Rigel is alive!
***
"Acceleration complete. Passengers can move freely throughout the ship," says the wall.
I unbuckle myself. Rigel is still unconscious.
I cup his cheek. "Rigel?" I feel like I'm in a freefall, unable to coax him out from wherever he is, not even to open his eyes. "Kayla... help?"
Kayla brings over a first aid kit, attaching all sorts of button-size devices to Rigel's skin and even on his head between tufts of hair. She squints at the graphs blipping across the wall,
"Umm... So, what does all this mean," I ask, waving at everything from the small devices attached to Rigel and the graphs on the wall.
"Although Rigel's body temperature runs a bit warmer than ours, his health metrics are similar to humans. The measurements reported here and here and here," Kayla says, tapping at some of the graphs. "Suggest that other than being overly stressed, he is healthy. He probably just needs to sleep this off." Kayla turns and does her growly thing with Tarak before turning back to me. "Tarak is going to deposit Rigel into one of the available rooms so he can rest."
Tarak throws Rigel onto his shoulders and carries him away. I follow Tarak and Rigel down the hallway, keeping my distance. After Tarak drops Rigel into one of the rooms and leaves, I peek inside. One of Rigel's wings hangs over the edge of the bed, his feathers touching the floor. His other wing lays across the bed.
I need to check on Rigel, so I take a few small steps into the room. Rigel's quiet breathing puts me a bit at ease, although...
Something about the arrangement of Rigel's wings seems off and then it hits me; he is missing something.
I climb onto the bed, only inches away from the feathers of his outstretched wing. The room is chilly, and I shiver. Carefully, I lift his wing. Craving the familiar softness and warmth, I curl underneath it.
Finally, Rigel has what he needs; me underneath his wing. It isn't only him that needs me, but me that needs him. Hearing him breathe and feeling the weight of his wing over my body helps melt my anxiousness.
With my fingers wrapped around his feathers, I close my eyes and sleep.