Page 45 of Game on Askole

Momma Sarah? I had always wanted kids.“Let’s go, KeeKee.”

She scrambled up my body and settled on my shoulder.“This fun.”

Funwasn’t the word I would use. I grabbed Antler Guy’s weapons and waved all friendly like at the camera. “Hi, guys. These morons are about to find out what happens when they mess with a Jones.”

An alarm began to wail, and a mechanical voice yelled a bunch of gibberish.

“What’s it saying?”

Tihar answered,“Prisoner escape. Detention area two, cell 5.”

The alarm was getting on my last nerve.“Is there a way to shut it off?”

“Shoot the control panel,”Tihar answered.

I fired my laser rifle at the panel.Snap! Crack!The metal melted and sparks flew. The alarm stopped. Silence reigned. I smiled in relief.

Tihar commented drily,“Your relief is premature.”

“Killjoy.”

“This ship carries three hundred Legionnaires. Lilkee will send all of them after you. You must be prepared.”

My Spidey sense finally decided to kick in. Yep, a whole shitload of wannabes was heading my way. I ran in the opposite direction.“Where’s the launch bay?”

“There are laser canons in the launch bay. You would be incinerated before you reached a ship. The only way to escape is to disable their security and power systems,”Tihar answered.

“Okey-doke. Where do I find them?”

A map formed in my mind.“Take the next left,”Tihar instructed.

The sensation of sudden, overwhelming danger screamed through my brain. I dropped to the floor and rolled behind a large red droid repairing a communications panel. A volley of laser beams exploded around me.

KeeKee clung to my hair.“No die.”

“Only the bad men die,”I said, trying to soothe her.

A loud warbling whine sounded from the droid. Ten seconds later, it spat dazzling green balls at the wannabes.Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!Nets deployed and wrapped around the warriors. They fell to the floor, struggling madly against the netting.

KeeKee perched on my left ear.“Where other Tabors?”

“Those are nets, honey, not webbing.”

“You have inherited Kaylee’s talent for attracting trouble,”Tihar interjected.

I shrugged.“Shit happens, but I’m not the one dead on the floor or netted.”

“This is true. You are fortunate the Goddess favors you. Power down the droid before it nets you too.”

“How?”

Tihar replied,“The red button below the sensor panel.”

I hit the button.

“Not that red button. The other one,”Tihar corrected in a vexed voice.

“Hey, cut me some slack. I’m still learning alien technology.”Before I could hit the right button, the droid charged off down the corridor.Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!It netted more wannabes.

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