Page 63 of Rebel Fates

Instead, he zaps me unconscious for my misbehavior.

My last thought is that I’ve lost the last piece of my guys. I’ve failed.

29

HOPELESS

ZEEK

My eye repeatedly wanders back to the screen displaying Gemma’s tracker location. This beacon is my only connection to her, except for the one I steadily feel growing in my heart. I keep thinking if I just focused hard enough, I could pull her right through the screen and back to me.

I don’t understand how a bond like this works, but she’s all I can think about, and it feels like I might die if I don’t find her. From what Rok says, that might not be completely inaccurate.

Serrat paces behind me. He has tried to rest a few times, but the last day has been rough. I can’t find peace to sleep either, hence why I’m in the control room. Not my favorite room, I’m not into navigation. But now, that’s all I can think about. Navigating my way back to my nexus.

My animal has retreated inside, but it paces too. Stirring to get out, to see Gemma.

The tracker screen blanks out. I blink and rub my eyes.

I stand up to look at the screen. Is it a glitch?

“It’s not working!” I roar.

Rok runs into the cockpit. “What’s happened?”

“It’s gone!”

“Frex!” Serrat pushes at our backs, looking over our shoulders at the empty screen.

Rok keys in something on his tablet, trying to reset his system. “I think they found our tracker.”

“Were they still headed toward the Malan space station?” Serrat demands.

“They changed course a while ago,” I inform him. “I would say they were now headed toward Rikkan Station.”

“Why didn’t you alert me to the change?” Rok asks in an accusatory tone.

“I made corrections. What’s the big deal?”

Rok pulls up the recorded tracking log. “It wasn’t that long ago.” He seems to ponder the possibilities. “There’s a chance that the Tirbs set a new course, andthendisabled the tracker to throw us off their trail.”

“Are they that smart?” I ask.

“Well, they were smart enough to possess and use technology to kick our asses,” Serrat growls with his assessment.

“True,” Rok says. “If we miss our window, we might never see her again. We need to outmaneuver the Tirbs.”

I look at Leva’s console. Even though Leva shouldn’t be able to sense ships that far away, I say, “Leva has some connection with Gemma, just as she does with us.”

“It doesn’t hurt to ask,” Serrat says. “Leva, can you sense the human?”

Leva:“No. Too far.”

“Frex,” I hiss.

“I say we gamble on Malan station. Agreed?” Rok asks.

“Agreed,” Serrat says.

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