Page 52 of Right on Time

“What can just two accomplish?” The moment she asked that, Chloe realized what the slimies were up to: they would go kamikaze on the station. The level of destruction would be horrendous. “We have to stop them, now!”

“I’m in pursuit. You focus on those behind us.”

“Roger that, Subcommander.” His confident tone managed to ground her racing thoughts amid the chaos. She could do this. It couldn’t be that different from playing that DemonStar arcade game in first grade, could it?

Only that they didn’t have several lives to spare in case she screwed up. And the shield was at 5%.

Chloe quickly got the hang of shooting, but managing to direct the shots at the enemy dots moving across the screen? Fat chance.

The shield beeped at 3%.

This was hopeless! She and Nitiel would be space dust long before she learned how to target properly–

“Bingo!” She did it! Somehow, she hit one of the spheres hot on their tail! Chloe felt like jumping in her jelly bed. “Ha, take that, slimeball!... Just one more left…”

The shield dropped to 2%.

“Hold on!” Nitiel sent the ship spinning like crazy, worse than ever before. Whatever he was doing had to be a last-ditch effort to stop the kamikaze baddies. Or the sphere behind them scoring a hit again. Or both.

Either way, Chloe could do nothing but keep her fingers squeezed for a constant volley of plasma fire while struggling to not lose consciousness. She dared crack an eye open only when she heard Nitiel shout in triumph.

“We did it, Loe! All targets are down.”

“Huh?” Indeed, there were no dots blinking around them on the screen. “Why are we still spinning through space, then?”

“We lost power. I put everything we had in this last maneuver and the shield.”

“Oh… What does that mean?”

Nitiel turned around in his seat, a sad smile on his face, and met her gaze. “Jupiter is drawing us in. We’re about to crash on one of its moons.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry, Loe.”

“Don’t be. We saved the station. It was epic!” She laughed through a stray tear.

He chuckled. “Told you you’re adventurous. I wish I could wrap you in my wings and kiss you breathless, my Loe… But we might still have a chance to survive. There is one thing I could try. Mold as much gel as you can around you.”

She did as he asked, but it was obvious they were doomed. A gray moon was coming closer and closer at breakneck speed. It was so surreal she couldn’t panic anymore. Instead, she closed her eyes and had the most random thoughts while the ship was hurtling through the atmosphere.

If they were going to die and everything happened for a reason, that meant fate had brought Chloe here so she could meet the male of her dreams, get laid, save the station, and then die right after realizing she was in love. Thanks, fate?

“Brace, Loe!”

She opened her eyes and looked out the porthole. “Shit!” Not the best last word, but there was no time for I love you.

The ground was coming to greet them.

Her world went dark.

CHAPTER 25

Niela

“Loe? Loe, wake up! Come back to me, niela.”

She didn’t open her eyes. Didn’t move in the gel encasing her body. But she moaned weakly.

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