Page 106 of Seven Oars
After a brief moment of deliberation, Phex punted the robot.
It zapped him, even as it rolled back from the blow.
Phex grunted, dropping to one knee. His neck arched back, teeth clenched, riding out the charge.
Rosamma’s mind spun.
They had precious seconds to send a distress signal. The other ship was so near, their first real chance at freedom.
Tutti rebalanced and rolled closer. Its flex-arm whipped out like a lash, but Phex’s instincts, boosted by Rosamma’s energy, took over.
He dropped and rolled clear, so fast Rosamma could hardly track the blur of his movement.
Good.
Between the two of them, they had a chance of tricking the robot.
She jumped into the Command Center, but the robot was in on her. Its flex-arm spun like a propeller.
Another body burst into the room. And oh God, it was Thilza.
Standing upright, he was huge, with traps like a Marvel character despite his degenerate lifestyle.
He moved fast too,wielding the drug pipe as a blunt-force weapon.
“We should trip him!” Gro called from behind Rosamma.
Sassa came too, out of breath and deathly pale from exertion.
Her reinforcements—so ineffective, but oh so dear.
“How?” she cried.
“I don’t know!”
Tutti rolled closer, preventing them from moving any deeper into the Command Center.
Gro tried to kick it, but the flex whip got to her in a flash.She dropped, further blocking the way.
“The golden panel!” Rosamma shouted.“That’s the place. The buttons… Avoid Tutti!”
Phex smashed his fist into Thilza’s face, briefly gaining advantage.
Strong as Thilza was, Phex was not easy to subdue in one-on-one combat. Their struggle dragged on. Thilza cursed violently.Phex fought in silence.
More pirates were coming—the mesh floor vibrated from their pounding boots.
Rosamma’s heart sank along with their chances.
“Why are you standing there, stupid humans?” he growled at Rosamma and Sassa, still engaged in a vitriolic dance with Thilza.“The golden panel! Pop it up and smash every button you can…”
Thilza’s retaliating fist rammed into Phex’s jaw, cutting off the rest of his command.
Rosamma’s eyes briefly locked with Sassa’s before she dove for controls, arching over Tutti, hating how slowly her body moved. She bumped into the edge, the golden panel within her reach.
“Don’t!” the Striker’s desperate shout sliced her down to her soul.
She didn’t want to listen. He wasn’t a defender—hers or anyone’s. Nothing he said would serve their purpose.
