Page 27 of Crossing Quinn

Quinn’s face paled. “It was market day, and I imagine they’re all a bit pissed off you destroyed the base.” The Talon accelerated rapidly and went into a nauseating series of twists, banks, and dives.

I cast a wary eye at Clio, who grabbed a partially digested hand off the floor and stuffed in her maw.

In a bright voice, I asked, “How did you become such an excellent pilot?”

“Mind meld with Zarek. Something you want to avoid at all costs.” Quinn’s hands flew over the command console. “Lucky for us, all those ships aren’t carrying human cargo. As soon as we’re a thousand kilometers from the planet, blow those bastards to hell.”

“My pleasure.” I switched the targeting scanner to manual and waited. Five hundred. Eight hundred. One thousand. I opened fire.

A barrage of missiles shot from the Talon.

A short time later, the blackness of space was filled with brilliant billows of orange and yellow flames from the disintegrating spacecrafts. “Color me surprised. Their shields were down.”

The warlord flicked a piece of Tai-Kok off his console. “I fed them a computer virus Detja cooked up. It back-doors through their communication systems. Once it works its way into their command controls, it disables their shields, and every ship they communicated with gets infected too.”

“Detja is awesome. Most males don’t realize how clever or powerful she really is.”

Quinn’s lips twisted in self-mockery. “I learned that little fact the hard way.”

A warning beep caught my attention. Eight Tai-Kok Marauders had launched from the surface. “Where were those buggers hiding?”

“They probably have an underground hanger.”

I focused my psychic powers on the ships, lined up the crosshairs, and started shooting. The laser cannon spat crackling beams of death. I watched as ship after ship ignited into a cascade of flames and shattered metal.

“Lysis taught you well.”

Quinn’s compliment pleased me way too much. “He had little choice. We travel through uncharted space and have been attacked by pirates a couple of times. We never know who or what we’re going to run into.”

A lone Marauder shot out of the debris field, its lasers blazing.

The energy bolts peppered the Talon’s shields, rocking the ship.

“If he wants to play, I’m game.” I aimed and fired. The Marauder disintegrated in a blinding flash of orange. Chunks of flaming metal slammed into a badly damaged Tai-Kok destroyer, setting off more explosions.

A familiar shriek ricocheted around the hull. Mami was awake and not happy. “I need to see my mother before she works herself into a panic.”

Quinn vanished.

Please don’t let him stun her.I released the harness, but before I could stand up, the warlord popped in behind me and snagged my laser pistol.

“Give it back.” I held out my hand.

Quinn snorted. “Do I look like a dumbass?”

I eyed the slimy digestive juices dripping off his battle suit. “No, but you are in serious need of a shower.”

Mami’s screams grew louder and louder.

I exhaled a long breath. “I will calm her down while you shower and change.”

Quinn nodded and tapped the command console. “The console is locked. Touch it, and I will paddle your behind.”

I burst out laughing. “You are too funny. Touch me, and the only ass getting paddled is yours.”

Quinn’s eyes narrowed. “You really think you can take down a highly trained Coletti warrior?”

“I do. My father was in the emperor’s elite guard, and he taught me all his moves.” I put Clio on my shoulder. “Let’s go say hello to your grandmother.”

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