Page 44 of Solar Bound
Poppy immediately complied, steering the jeep behind a cluster of large boulders and cutting the engine. They sat in tense silence as the sound grew closer, the light bobbing and weaving as it approached.
"That flight pattern seems familiar," Lunar observed, a note of disbelief in his cold voice.
As the craft cleared the ridge, Solar's energy flared with recognition and dismay. The small transport pod was unmistakably of Galaxy Brides' design, though it appeared to have been repaired with Earth materials, including what looked like duct tape covering multiple hull breaches.
"No," Solar groaned. "Not them."
“Slow down,” Rowan ordered.
"Who?" Dani asked, squinting at the approaching craft.
"Bob and Gary," Solar replied.
“Bob, Gary, and Pudding,” Lunar said at the same time.
The pod wobbled dangerously as it descended toward their position, its landing struts deploying unevenly. It touched down twenty meters from their hiding place, a cloud of dust enveloping it as the engines sputtered before cutting out entirely.
Poppy slowed the car as they approached the ship. “It’s too soon. We had more time.”
A hatch opened on the side, and a familiar yellow face peered out, wearing an expression of forced cheerfulness. "Hello! Yoo-hoo! We've come to rescue you!"
"They're going to get us all killed," Solar muttered, watching as Gary clambered awkwardly from the craft, followed by Bob's smaller form. They didn’t get out of the vehicle.
"Are those your alien matchmakers?" Dani asked.
"Unfortunately," Solar confirmed.
Gary waved enthusiastically, as if they were meeting at a social gathering rather than hiding from a ruthless corporate security force. "There you are. We saw the fire signal and came as quickly as we could!"
"Fire signal?" Dani whispered.
"Your diversion," Solar explained. "They must have mistaken it for a deliberate communication."
Gary and Bob hurried toward them, both wearing what appeared to be hastily modified skin-suits that made them look like particularly unattractive Earth children with oversized heads.
"We've been searching everywhere for you," Gary announced as they reached the jeep. "The extraction coordinates have been compromised. Milano has the entire area under surveillance." He peered into the vehicle, counting occupants. "Oh dear. We weren't expecting so many of you."
"The extraction is still proceeding?" Solar demanded.
"Of course," Bob interjected, speaking for the first time. "Just relocated. And accelerated. As in, right now. Our window is closing rapidly."
“Weren’t there three of you?” Gary frowned.
“We can’t find Eclipse,” Rowan said. “Can you track him?”
“Eclipse, that’s right,” Gary said.
“Ignore him. He bumped his foot,” Bob slapped a hand in the general direction of Gary’s mouth.
"Your pod cannot accommodate all of us," Lunar observed.
"Well, no," Gary admitted, tugging nervously at his skin-suit. "It's really only designed for three passengers plus pilot. Four if everyone breathes in shifts."
"Then it's useless to us," Rowan stated firmly. "We're not leaving anyone behind."
"Actually," Bob said, his expression turning surprisingly serious, "Milano's forces are converging on this location as we speak. They might have detected our landing."
"What?" Poppy hissed. "You led them straight to us?"
