Page 28 of Seven Oars
He shoved Rosamma; she fell backward, toppling Daphne, Sassa, and Gro.
Galan laughed, a weirdly genuine sound. He found it hilarious.
“Take them to the Cargo Hold,” said the gravelly voice with the heavy inflection. The Striker.“We’ve got to secure their cruiser.”
Rosamma staggered again to her feet.
On the positive note—pretending there was one—the fall snapped Daphne out of her crying.
“But we haven’t checked them,” Galan whined.
“Later,” the scarred leader grinned, showing fangs befitting the apex predator he was.
Later, a small, terrified voice repeated in Rosamma’s head.
*****
Once again, the women were herded to their destination by strong, uncompromising Rix aliens. Only this time, it was a thousand times worse than their short hike through the woods to the spaceship depot.
They were poked and prodded like cattle down a narrow corridor with a metal mesh floor that wobbled with each step.
The Cargo Hold was a windowless room with the same unsteady mesh floor. The walls were padded with thick material that was streaked with something oily and sloughing off in places.
The room smelled gross, although not as rank as where the pirates congregated.
The robot, with its blinking purple light and a wavy, long-haired wig, rolled in with the women. It circled the room as if inspecting it.
“The Cargo Hold is secure,” it informed everyone cheerfully and whirred out.
The pirates, leering and guffawing, followed the robot out in an uneven line.
Two returned right away, dragging in the unconscious Phex and throwing him inside like a bag of garbage.His body landed in an awkward sprawl, setting off a new bout of demented mirth from their captors on their way out.
Then the women were alone.
Fawn’s legs buckled, and she dropped to the floor.The rest followed, all of them shaking uncontrollably.
Rosamma and Gro eased Daphne down. She was crying again, a mindless, keening sound.
No one dared to acknowledge that Mara wasn’t among them.
Alyesha scanned the room.“I can’t believe they left the door open.”
“There’s nowhere to go,” Gro said.
“Where are we, anyway?” Fawn asked.
“Looks like a space station,” Eze muttered.
Fawn’s eyes widened.“Oh, wow. A space station! Never thought I’d see one.”
“Aren’t you a lucky winner?”
“Well, no,” Fawn shuddered.“This place gives me bad vibes.”
“The sooner we escape, the better.” Alyesha rose and went to peek out the open door.
Gro’s expression was somber.“Not saying you’re wrong, but where are you going to escape to? Open space?”
