Page 20 of Wed to the Bullman

“Why are they doing this?”

“We invaded their private ship and took something from them,” Mardol explains.

“Took back, you mean. I don't belong to them. We just reclaimed what was rightfully ours.”

“True. They have no qualms about invading our spaces, but they turn hostile when the tables are turned.” Lozi's voice comes from the navigation nest above us.

Deleon hits the mic. “SOS, Taurus Pod One to Taurus Sentinels, over.”

“Commander Chieftain Wilz here. Go ahead, Taurus Pod One, over.” The minotaur on the ground responds.

“We have two pods from the Integer on our tail, firing upon us. We've sustained one hit and require assistance. Over.” Deleon executes another evasive maneuver.

My head spins dizzily from the rapid maneuvers, and the chaos of the chase gives me a pounding headache.

“We'll fly low until backup arrives.” Lozi peeks over the bubble at the top of the pod.

Deleon descends rapidly, the sensation of falling triggering a wave of nausea.

“Oh no! Vozak, I think I'm going to be sick.” I look to him desperately for help.

“Hold on, Agnes. Anything you need.” Vozak's concern is palpable.

My body shakes violently, and I vomit, the remnants of the little water I had earlier splattering around as the pod continues to tumble.

“Drait.” Mardol is hit with some of the aftermath.

Vozak searches for something to clean up the mess and hands me a box in case I need it again, not for cleaning up but to hold in case I get sick once more.

“I'm so sorry. I can't handle all this spinning around.”

“Don't worry, Agnes. It's either this or taking fire, and the pod can only endure so much of that.” Deleon maneuvers the ship sharply, causing my stomach to churn.

Finally, Vozak finds a container and empties its contents into a drawer beneath the seat. He thrusts it toward me. Fortunately, despite the continued turbulence, I managed to keep from getting sick again. Probably because I had very little to eat on the Integer, mainly just drinking water.

“Commander Chieftain Wilz here. We are closing in with stealth mode engaged and will provide a countdown. Perform the fall reverse maneuver when instructed.”

“Roger that.” Deleon prepares to execute the maneuver.

“Taurus Pod One, this is Taurus Fighter coming in on your left. Taurus Bringer is approaching from your right. We have the rogue pods in our sights. Prepare to release and execute the reverse maneuver in five, four, three, two, one.”

“Roger that.” Deleon disengaged the thrust speed, causing the ship to drop away from the pursuing ships. He initiated the reverse maneuver, and suddenly, the four ships were positioned in front of us. In a spectacular display of fireworks, the Taurus ships unleashed a barrage of fire upon the Taupas pods, setting them ablaze in the sky before us. The resulting explosions painted the sky with a burst of colorful sparks. While visually stunning, it's a bittersweet sight as the demise of the Taupas in those pods becomes evident.

I'm not feeling well as we head back toward Alia Terra. With only a bowl of cereal and some water over the past twenty-four hours, I feel weak. The trauma of our escape has left me anxious and light-headed.

“Will there be consequences?” It's a straightforward question. Our actions resulted in their deaths, and retaliation might be a concern.

“No. We were well within our rights to defend ourselves and our property. They initiated the attack,” Deleon responds, his gaze briefly turning to me.

“They violated the treaty by their actions. I suspect the Taurus Sentinels will take significant measures to ensure our safety,” Lozi adds with a nod.

We descend rapidly to the ground, the landing happening much faster than I anticipated. Once we touch down, Vozak is by my side before I can even unbuckle my seatbelt.

“I'll carry you.” His tone is firm, his concern for my well-being evident.

I manage a weak laugh. “I'm alright, really. Just famished.”

“I'm sure Auryn will have some food ready for us.” Vozak glances at his wrist comm. “Vrakius sent a message saying to come straight over.”

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