Page 33 of Hunter's Moon

“Captain, I must advise against?—”

“Now!” I roared, my patience wearing thin.

The ship’s systems hummed to life as I rushed to the bridge, Lina still in my arms. I deposited her gently into the co-pilot’s chair, my hands moving swiftly to secure the safety harness around her.

“Tharion, what—” Lina began, her green eyes wide.

“Hold on,” I interrupted, throwing myself into the pilot’s seat and gripping the controls. “This might get rough.”

The Mkrani Soko’s engines roared to life, drowning out the blaring alarms from the spaceport. Through the viewscreen, I could see security forces converging on our position, their weapons drawn.

“Apologies, Captain,” the AI chimed in. “But I feel compelled to inform you that our actions violate approximately thirty-seven spaceport regulations and?—”

“Noted,” I growled, engaging the thrusters. The ship lurched forward, breaking free from its docking clamps with a screech of protesting metal.

Lina yelped, her knuckles white as she gripped the armrests of her seat. “Tharion, are you sure about this?”

I flashed her a grin, baring my pointed canines. “Trust me.”

The Mkrani Soko shot out of the docking bay like a bullet from a gun, leaving a trail of destruction in our wake. Warning shots from the spaceport’s defense systems flashed past us as I expertly maneuvered through the departing and arriving ships.

“Hang on,” I warned, pushing the ship into a steep climb. The g-forces pressed us back into our seats as we rocketed towards the upper atmosphere.

Lina’s face was pale, but her eyes sparkled with a mix of terror and exhilaration. “This is insane!”

I laughed, the thrill of the escape pumping adrenaline through my veins. “Welcome to my world, sweetheart.”

As we broke through the moon’s atmosphere, the inky blackness of space enveloped us. The pursuit ships were falling behind, unable to match the Mkrani Soko’s superior speed.

“Preparing for warp jump,” the AI announced. “Course?”

I glanced at Lina, who was staring out at the star-filled expanse with wonder. “Set a random course, maximum distance. We’ll figure out where we’re going later.”

“Acknowledged. Warp jump in three... two... one...”

The stars stretched into lines of light, and with a lurch that always made my stomach flip, we entered warp space. The tension in my body began to ease as the immediate danger passed.

I turned to Lina, drinking in the sight of her. Her auburn hair was tousled from our mad dash, and a light sheen of sweat glistened on her skin. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

“We made it,” she breathed, her eyes meeting mine.

I nodded, allowing myself a small smile. “We did. Are you alright?”

Lina took a deep breath, then nodded. “I think so. That was... intense.”

“You handled it well,” I said, unbuckling my harness and standing. “Most humans would have passed out from the g-forces.”

She laughed, the sound I loved the best. Well, one of them. “I’m tougher than I look.”

“I’m beginning to see that,” I replied, offering her my hand. She took it, and I helped her to her feet. “Come on, let’s get you settled in.”

As we exited the bridge, Lina’s eyes darted around, taking in every detail of the ship. “This is amazing,” she said. “I’ve never been on a ship like this before.”

I shrugged, feeling an unexpected surge of pride at her admiration. “The Mkrani Soko isn’t much, but she’s home.”

“Can I get a tour?” Lina asked, her curiosity evident in her voice.

I chuckled. “There isn’t much to see, I’m afraid. The bridge, which you’ve already seen, and my quarters. I don’t need much else.”

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