Ricochet

by Sandra Sookoo

It wasn’t. The sappy memories she’d forced him to relive had temporarily weakened his mind and derailed his mission. He snapped his eyes open and focused on the datapad. As screens flashed at his command, he programmed two sets of coordinates. The first would take them to the final leg of the Nebulon Trike. The second would take them to Chaf’s secret route. Quickly, Stratton inputted the information into the screen then buried it in a fake folder in case Willa snagged the datapad.

  Afterward, he backed out of the screens as his stomach churned. He’d remain nav for the duration. Willa didn’t need to be alerted prematurely to his change in plans. And if all went well, he could ditch her at this next checkpoint, hopefully leaving her sleeping. Somehow, the thought of seeing the hurt and disgust in her eyes twisted his insides into knots.

  Get her out of your mind, Sin. She’s one woman in hundreds and will slow you down.

  He nodded, reminding himself he didn’t care for her attitude, her issues or her smart mouth. A woman with sweet curves could be found anywhere and bedmates weren’t hard to seek out. But—

  An explosion rocked the ship and yanked him out of his thoughts.

  The impact threw Stratton to the floor. One hand and a hip ached from the sudden fall. “What the hell was that?” Retrieving the datapad, he struggled to his feet as the Stellar Drift shook with a second collision. A red wash of light filled the cabin. Containers and spare engine parts tumbled from bins in the rear cargo hold.

  Willa flipped a switch. A green triangle appeared on the low-key radar screen. “Someone’s fired a warning shot to our flank. He’s ramming his nose into our backside. Give me details, Ace.”

  “Right.” Glad for a distraction, Stratton regained his seat and turned on the datapad. Two screens later, he had the answer. “It’s the Stryker. I guess your buddy Chaf missed you and is saying hello.”

  “Chaf? Why the hell would the man double back to irritate us? He’s jeopardizing his chances at the lead.”

  “Beats me.” He felt choked by the tight suit and tugged at the neckline. “Maybe he’s been overcome with lust for you.” I’ll kill him if that’s the case. He knew why Chaf was here. He must have seen the hack in the computer’s files or read Stratton’s energy signature. Damn it! I should have been more careful, but I wanted to get back to Willa…

  A clear reason to sever his relationship with her as soon as possible. No more errors. His focus belonged on his job. Period.

  “Can it. We need to lose this joker.” She strapped her safety harness over her chest. “Hold on. I’m going to execute some fancy flying.”

  With shaking hands, Stratton followed instructions. At least she had no feelings for the bastard. He hoped.

  A blast rocked the ship once more, and hoses fell from a compartment behind him.

  Chapter Ten

  Willa gripped the steering joystick in both hands as she gritted her teeth. What the hell is Chaf thinking by roughing us up in mid-flight? It didn’t make sense. By all rights, the most dishonest racer on this circuit was Stratton, hands down. Yet Chaf’s actions seemed retaliatory. She spared a glance at Stratton, but his face was averted as he studied the radar screen. Was this some sort of payback from their earlier sparring on the racecourse?

  “How far out are we from Treachin Houth?” If they could make it to the planet’s surface, they had a better chance of surviving Chaf’s ire.

  “Since this bird’s not new enough to be equipped with a reactor core, we can’t get to hyper-light. With impulse speed, it’ll be a good fifty-eight minutes until we reach the planet’s atmosphere. I suggest, if you want to remain in the rally, you lose him.” He tapped the radar grid as a shudder shook the ship. “Your boyfriend’s getting ready to knock again.”

  “Oh, we’ll stay in this race. That’s a promise.” No way would she let Chaf knock them out, especially after all the junk she’d endured with Stratton. Another bump in their rear plus the scream of a warning alarm shored up her determination. “Open a communication channel with the Stryker.”

  Stratton swiveled in his seat. “You’re seriously thinking of having a chat with that bastard right now?” His dark eyes glittered in the emergency lights. Was that fear swimming in the depths, and if it was, why?

  “I want to understand what’s going on. Now, do it.” She banked hard to port in an effort to shake Chaf off their tail. The Stryker followed, mimicking the movement. “I’m waiting, Sin.”

  He turned back to the console and flipped a black switch. “Comlink open.”

  “Chaf, this is Willa. What the hell are you doing?” The roaring engines echoed through the cabin, reminding her that the constant maneuvering taxed the subpar ship to its limits.

  A crackle of static shot over the com-line. “Why don’t you ask your fly mate? Seems he was nosy at the last checkpoint and stole something from me that’s valuable.”

  Willa glanced at her partner, but he gave nothing away. “I’m not his mother, Chaf, and it doesn’t excuse why you’re trying to destroy this ship. It’s a race, not a collision derby.” Another round of warning alarms erupted in the cabin. “Ace, gonna need a report ASAP.”

  On the other end, Chaf’s arrogant laugh filled the com. “Having trouble, Willa? Looks like you had some bad luck, seeing as how you’re now piloting space garbage.”

  “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Regretting the governing board’s choice of partners?”

  “Not as much as I’m regretting talking to you right this minute.” She jammed one of the flight sticks forward, and the Stellar Drift dipped lower. The Stryker followed. “If you disable us, you’ll be disqualified. You already know this. What gives?”

  “I’m not trying to disable you, just teach you a lesson that stealing isn’t very nice.”

  Stratton slammed a fist down on the console. “Chaf, you asswipe, leave our ship alone. We’re trying to stay in the race. If you’ve got a beef with me, take it up on the planet’s surface—unless you’re afraid I’ll best you and haul you in for bounty?”

  During the excitement, she’d forgotten Stratton had an ulterior motive. Her stomach clenched. When they hit the checkpoint, would that be the end of their partnership? She bit her bottom lip. No. She wouldn’t allow him to destroy her chances of winning the Trike. Even if it meant tying him to his seat, they’d continue on, a two-person crew. If he took offense, she’d gag him as well.

  “I doubt you can best me in anything. Haven’t you already shown your ineptitude by not capturing me?”

  “Shut up, Chaf.” Stratton glared at the comlink, even though there was no image.

  “Poor Sin.” Chaf’s laugh morphed into a full-blown guffaw, complete with hard edges. “Worried I might get away and you won’t get paid?”

  Neither Willa nor Stratton answered the question, yet the tension inside the cabin grew as thick as space dust, palpable and bigger than Chaf’s interference.

  “Doesn’t matter to me, Sinnet. If you want some sort of purse, you’d better get your bucket moving in order to catch up with the rest of the pack and—” A burst of static obliterated the rest of his statement. “Willa, love, you should have bribed the racing commission to score me as a racemate again. At least with me, I’d let you think you were in control.”

  “That’s it.” Willa’s grip on the situation snapped. She leaned over and severed the comlink while glaring at Stratton. “I don’t know what your issues are with Chaf. I don’t care.” She yanked her HEPP from its holster and trained it on him. “Your only responsibility is to finish this race, do you understand? You signed the registration papers, so you owe it to both of us to bring this baby home.”

  He put his hands in the air in the universal gesture of surrender. “I’m on your side.”

  “Somehow, I doubt that.”

  “There’s the trust thing again. One day, you’ll have to depend on someone. It might even be me.”

  Oddly enough, she did trust him. For all his faults and sketchy morals, he was probably the one person she cou
ld count on. He had nothing to gain by lying to her. Of course, on the other hand, his life had been built on falsehoods, but deep down, she felt he’d come through.

  Willa reholstered her weapon. Grasping the steering joystick, she turned the Stellar Drift about 180 degrees. If Chaf thought she’d let him intimidate her, he’d be proven wrong in three seconds. “I’m sick and tired of men like you and Chaf telling me how to live.”

  “What are you doing?” Stratton’s question was forced through clenched teeth. “You’re facing off with him? That’s insane.”

  “No, it’s edgy and innovative.” Willa kept her focus trained on the windscreen. The Stryker loomed several hundred feet before them, a sleek, black ship that had more than enough artillery on board to render them helpless.

  “Damn it, woman, we have no guns!”

  “You don’t know that. We never took the time to inspect every inch of this ship.” Surely even a rust bucket like this one had to possess a means of defending itself from attack.

  “Think, Willa. We got this bird from thieves. Of course they would have already gutted it. What the hell do you think’s going to happen if Chaf fires on us—if we manage to somehow survive a direct hit in this pile?”

  “Oh, now you care? I guess you do, since you’re probably using me and this ship to further whatever game you’re playing.” She refused to give life to the self-pity waiting in the wings. “You don’t understand, Stratton. Lingorians never back down in the face of a blatant challenge. And this Lingorian refuses to give way for trash like Chaf.”

  He snorted. “It’s not just Lingorians. It’s the same attitude of most humanoids. They wouldn’t have survived so long without it. The question here is do you want to be blown to bits right now, over this?” He gestured toward the windscreen and Chaf. “Pick your battles, Willa. Today’s not the day to get even with him, but we will.”

  Stone-cold sober, his expression and intense gaze, as much as hearing him say “we”, caused her stomach to tighten with anxiety. Of course he was right. His life experiences must have made him wise beyond his years—that or the annoying man was extremely optimistic. Her shoulders sagged. Once more she wished she could surrender and cling to his strength.

  “Put the ship on autopilot.”

  She straightened her spine. “I don’t take orders from you.” Her pulse pounded in her temples, matching the stutter of her heart.

  “Put the damned ship on autopilot, Willa.” His tone demanded immediate compliance, and she did what he said. He threw the datapad on the console. “If this is where you make your last stand, at least tell me why.” Stratton left his seat, crossed the small aisle, gripped her shoulders and swiveled her around to face him. “Look me in the eye. So help me, if you say it’s to gain your father’s attention or Chaf’s approval…” A muscle in his jaw twitched, but he didn’t finish his statement.

  “I…” Willa swallowed the lump lodged in her throat. She held his gaze, wondering what the speculative light in his eyes meant. Finally, she detached his hands from her shoulders. “I don’t need to give you an explanation. I have half ownership in this vessel.” She ignored him in order to stare at Chaf’s ship. Since when did she have no understanding of her own motivation? If one bout of sex made her this weak, she’d vow to be celibate for the rest of her life. “I’m making a point.”

  “Exactly. And that point is saying you’re playing the game like a girl who’s trying to show a bastard she’s worth his attention. Break the cycle right now.”

  Twin bursts from Chaf’s laser cannons hurtled over the top of their ship, close enough to be a warning, but off the mark to leave no damage. Then the Stryker shot past them. Empty space remained while the tension between Stratton and her thickened as if it were a living entity.

  “I think your stubborn side is sexy as hell, but it will be your downfall if you let it.” He threw himself into his seat.

  “Report, please.” The command rasped with emotion she wasn’t ready to indulge in.

  Stratton’s fingers flew over his control panel. “No damage to our hull.”

  She nodded, still numb from Chaf’s actions, yet reeling from Stratton’s words. Was she still seeking approval from the men in her life? Had she not made strides in taking back her life? She had, yet they were baby steps. The bad thing? She’d begun looking at herself differently since meeting Stratton.

  “Continue on to Treachin Houth.”

  Stratton tweaked a strand of her hair. “That’s my girl. Now let’s go kick that hybrid humanoid’s ass. He’s starting to get on my nerves.”

  “That’s an understatement.” She couldn’t stop her grin, for the first time glad Stratton was her partner, despite his catalog of flaws.

  “We’re losing speed and power.” Over an hour later, Willa scrutinized her side of the control panel, looking for anything that would give her an explanation. “Get into the computer and find out why.” Warning alerts flashed red, plunging the cabin into an angry gloom.

  Silence greeted her request.

  Tamping down her annoyance, she spared a glance at her navigator. Stratton was slumped in his seat, his legs sprawled in front of him under the console. The datapad lay propped against the radar screen and fuel gauges, while various food wrappers and old newspapers covered a good portion of the controls. “Damn it, Sin, this isn’t nap time!” She gave him a rough shake and snickered when he jolted awake.

  “What are you yapping about now, woman?” He rubbed a hand along his stubble-shadowed jaw. “Why are the alert lights on?”

  “That’s what I’d like to know, genius. We’ve been steadily losing power for the past quarter of an hour. Trouble is, we’re close enough to the planet that gravity is pulling us into orbit. I really don’t feel like crashing, so do your job and investigate.”

  “Don’t get your panties in a twist. I’m sure it’s not a big deal.” He yawned while clearing sections of the control panel. “There’s nothing indicating a problem.”

  Willa bit her lip. She mentally counted to ten. “Right, but that doesn’t explain the loss of acceleration. Get into the hold and take a look. You do know your way around an engine, right?”

  “As well as I do the bedroom. And you know how good my skill there is.”

  A flush crept over her skin as he left the cabin. Damn him for making her remember their time together. Seconds later, the screech of the metal trapdoor’s being wrenched open filled the air. Yanking her thoughts from anything resembling a naked Stratton, she leaned across the aisle and snagged the datapad. “Did you sync the onboard computer with the datapad? I want to check the flight path for our descent, in case we do need to crash land.”

  Nothing but banging met her question.

  She rolled her eyes. “Sin? Did you sync it?”

  “Not yet. I only put in coordinates to the planet’s location. I’ll do it after I’m finished here. No need to keep busting my balls, unless you want to employ them in other activities.”

  That wasn’t the issue. Regardless, heat settled between her legs. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the sync.”

  Metal clattering on metal followed the statement. Stratton vaulted from the cargo area, breathing heavily and wiping at a smudge of grease on his cheek. “I told you I’d do it.” He lunged for the datapad, but Willa yanked it out of reach.

  “What’s your problem? It’s just coordinates, not life-or-death decisions.” Willa narrowed her eyes. Something was off. She steered her gaze toward her nav. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his eyes were dilated. He shifted his weight, yet his expression gave nothing away.

  “What’s my problem?” Stratton glanced at the control panel. “Didn’t you see the little blinking light that virtually screams we’re out of auxiliary fuel, not to mention the freaking Ginix crystals are broken, the one thing we absolutely need to power this boat?”

  “Pardon me, you gigantic ass, but I was busy trying to keep us in one piece. And with all your trash, I couldn’t see that panel!” Why was it
that every time she felt a tiny bit amiable toward him, he did something stupid to cancel it out?

  Stratton shrugged. “Chaf’s ramming must have damaged the ship.”

  “Doesn’t explain why the alert lights didn’t go on.”

  “I’m aware, but since I’m not an engineer, I can’t say why.” His expression grew shuttered and closed, almost as if he were retreating into himself to deflect a coming storm. “Give me the datapad. I’ll run you some calculations and alternate routes.” He held out a hand, clearly expecting her to surrender the equipment.

  “Do what you can with the crystals. I’ll take care of everything up here.” She turned the handheld computer on, quickly flipping through screens while searching for star charts and course coordinates. Why was he acting so nervous? Yes, the lack of fuel was concerning, but it hadn’t turned dire yet. A few words on the screen caught her attention and prompted a frown. “Is there a detour on this leg? You have two sets of instructions and coordinates…” Her voice trailed off as she skimmed through each of the routes.

  “Damn it, Willa, give me the datapad. I don’t want you looking at it right now.” The statement, little more than a whisper, chilled her blood.

  She couldn’t believe the evidence before her eyes. He had no intention of winning the rally. In fact, he planned to take them so far off course there’d be no hope of even finishing the race. Her chest heaved while her heart ached. A sudden rush of hot anger whooshed over her body. Her cheeks burned. Her blood pressure spiked. She wanted to kick the lying piece of shit in the teeth. “You dirty bastard.”

  Stratton’s carefully built glass house began to splinter and crack. “I’ll admit I programmed those routes. Nothing has been decided.” He plucked the datapad from her weak grasp, then retreated to his seat. The hurt and anger blazing in her eyes cut him deeper than a dagger. Couldn’t be helped. “Of course I needed a backup plan. And yes, being in the Trike is a handy coincidence. You can’t fault me for seizing the opportunity. If Chaf hadn’t entered the race to hide, I wouldn’t be here. I never lied about that.”