Page 20 of Full Speed to a Crash Landing

“Two,” Rian says. “Option two.”

“Option two is whateveritemsyou’re looking for, they’ve scattered. The ship didn’t just wreck; it broke apart and partiallyexploded on impact. Which created a scatter zone of the items that got tossed outside on the surface.”

Magnusson’s grin fades, and Saraswati leans forward. This is definitely what happened.

“Which creates a bigger problem, really,” I continue. “If whatever you’re looking for was inside the ship, it would be somewhat protected. But outside the ship? The volatile conditions of the planet make it at risk of being destroyed or lost forever.”

I sit back, done.

“I thought you said you were only scavenging from the aft end of the ship,” the captain says.

“Yeah, because the forward was a shit hole and not worth my time. Good thing for you, I’ve reconsidered.”

“Reconsidered?” Magnusson says.

“I’ll get your item for you. Sorry, I mean items.” Plural.

“You?” Ursula scoffs. “Magnusson and Yadav are experts, and—”

“And we can’t get it,” Saraswati says, leaning over the table to look at the captain. “I already told you, I will not risk my life for this mission. It’s not worth it.”

I wonder how much they’re paying her.

“You’ve only been down once,” the captain says. “I’m sure with some additional analysis and—”

“And God’s grace there’s not another earthquake,” Magnusson mumbles.

I bite back a smirk. There’s a ticking time bomb to getting at least one of the items—if an earthquake rattles the surface around too hard or a volcano burps up some lava, it could be lost. For once, a short time frame is working in my favor.

Blink.

“How do you know you can get it?” Rian asks. His voice is soft, but it slices through the lingering questions and tension at the table.

There it is,I think.Finally.

All eyes to me.

But my gaze is locked on his.

I slide my empty tray over and prop my elbows on the table, hands under my chin as I smile up at him. “Because,” I drawl, “Ineverknow when to give up.”

8

Rian’s not even gotten a tray of food, but he stands up anyway, offering me his arm like we’re in some period drama feed and not...here. I take his elbow anyway, becauseobviously, and we swan out of there.

“Do you actually think you can get something Yadav and Magnusson cannot?” he asks me. Just idle conversation.

“Yes.”

“Confident.”

“Experienced.”

“It seems that way.” He leads me forward, away from the bunks. My skin zings with anticipation. There seems to be possibility weaving around us like smoke. And where there’s smoke, well...you know the rest. I slip my arm out of his, slowing down a little so I can better look at my surroundings. This is a part of the ship I don’t think I’d be allowed to see without him.

“So, what’s your role here?” I say. “Captain, First, the doc—those are standard on a ship. And Saraswati and Magnusson are clearly your muscle.”

“Can’t I be the muscle, too?” Rian smirks, but here’s the thing. I was just touching his arm, and it is solid. The man definitely doesn’t spend all his time on spaceships letting his muscles atrophy and taking bio-enhancer supplements to make up for zero-g. I mean, I’m not wormy-armed myself, and I can lug up the scrap on the hover as well as anyone, I guess, but like...that arm was nice; that’s what I’m saying.

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