Page 5 of Last Chance to Save the World

Good thing he doesn’t know I have some connections of my own.

2

This is never going to work,” Rian mutters.

“Not with that attitude,” I say cheerily.

It doesn’t take long for us to clear the Moon’s station and head toward that blue marble. From here, the planet still looks healthy and glowing. Clouds swirl over vast oceans. I know from research that the beauty of Earth has dimmed over time. Even those grainy original photos from the first few flights into space promised more life than now. From here, I can see dark spots in the ocean where islands of trash float, large enough to support colonies of rovers. More brown swaths across the continents than a millennium ago, and far, far less white.

But at least from this distance, it’s possible to pretend the world doesn’t need saving, that the fate of an entire planet doesn’t rest on the bits of code I’ve been writing and rewriting and tinkering with for the past week. Well, actually—it’s not the fate of the planet. It’s the fate of humanity living on the planet. Because I have no doubt Earth will continue on after the last human. And maybe would be better without the parasites.

As we get closer to Earth, I twist around in the pilot seat to see Rian.Gloryis not made for mild conversation while burning through the atmosphere of a nearly dead planet, but I’ve had worse landing situations. Besides, I’m comfortable in my nest, every control perfectly fitted to my body.

I know how this bird flies.

“Eyes up front!” Rian shouts. From this angle, I can’t see if his knuckles are white, but there’s no mistaking how tense he is.

“You are absolutely adorable when you’re terrified for your life,” I say, unable to keep the infatuation from my voice.

“Could youplease, for the love of all things holy, stay focused?”

Rian is definitely not comfortable flying. I noticed it before, when we first met, but it’s very obvious in this moment. Which, now that I think of it is, isn’t really very polite, is it? When the crew of theHalifaxwas shuttling him to the protoplanet’s surface, he kept his mouth shut and his nerves tamped down.

Maybe it’s because he feels safe enough with me to show his true feelings,I think.

Behind me, I hear a suspicious gagging sound. I lean back, eyeballing him again. “You had better not vomit in my ship. You’re cute but not cute enough for that.”

Rian’s jaw works as he frantically points to the front of the ship. Sighing, I turn back around. He’s acting as if I need to keep my eyes on the road, but thereisno road when you’re reentering a planet’s atmosphere, and besides, there’s no point looking out the window right now. If anything, I suppose I should look at the controls in front of me, and . . .

Oh, shit.

That switch shouldn’t be flipped that way.Shit.I flick it with my forefinger and then pull up on the throttle.Gloryjudders, an alarm sounds three times before I silence it, and Rian makes another funny sound followed by a lot of cursing.

Glory’s gravity generator is working overtime to counter some of the g-forces in landing, but it’s still a strain to hold my body so I can turn and see Rian. “It’s fine,” I tell him.

“The ship is onfire,” he says. No need for the yelling, damn.

“That’s normal.”

It is. Itis.Reentry requires burn-off. Yes, there’s fire, but it’s all outside. Which is, by far, the preferable place for a fire to be when you’re inside.

“Have you never seen a ship burn through atmo?” I ask.

Problem is, going at regular speed from the Moon to Earth takes days. We don’t have days, so I’m having to use a temporary portal well and make up for it with the ship’s grav gens.

It’s a bit rocky, sure, but quick.

“Every time I’ve ever been on a ship landing on a planet with atmosphere, I’ve been strapped in a passenger seat.” One with vid screens instead of windows, I presume. Even at a leisurely cruise pace, there’s still burn-off.

“Sitting neat and proper like a good little boy,” I say. Shit, I really should have flipped that one switch sooner. Silencing the alarm did make the noise go away, but that wasn’t a fantastic time to lapse in judgement.

“I’m not a good little—”

“I know. You could stand to be a little naughtier. We discussed that already.”

“You kidnapped me!”Rian bellows. “And now we’re heading to fucking Sol-Earth in a ship that is onfire!”

Fine. He’s not in the mood to talk. You’d think he would settle down after a while, but no. He’s still pissed I happened to take himsomewhatagainst his will.

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