Page 44 of Fall

Hall had been her smuggling partner for a long time before he’d retired.He was still her friend.

“Damn,” Desh breathed, coming to stand beside her. “You mean the distresssignal actually worked?”

Hall turned his handsome face to the younger man. “Is this a friend ofyours?”

“Yes. This is Desh.” She was still so shocked she could barely move,barely think. “He got planet dumped here too.”

“Great. He can come along if he wants. The more the merrier. But let’sget moving, if you don’t mind.”

“Hallelujah,” Desh said, taking the spear out of Lenna’s hand and layingit down on the ground. “I’m not going to say no to a miracle. I’m ready whenyou are.”

“I’ve got a ship nearby. We found the crashed ship and your note, so wewere heading toward the cave you described. Just as well you saved us thetrip.”

“We?” Lenna said, rather hoarsely.

“Me and my buddy Cain. We’re in his old clunker, and it doesn’t like tobe rushed. So the sooner we get out of here the better. It looked like aCoalition fleet was going to pass by this planet in not too long, and I’drather be gone by the time they get here so they don’t think we were up to nefariousdoings.” Hall always had a teasing, confident manner, but she could see genuineurgency in his eyes.

She couldn’t let him and his friend get arrested for coming to save her.She had to do what she was going to do, right now.

She glanced back in the direction where she’d left Rone. “So we… justleave?”

Desh obviously knew what she was thinking about. “I don’t think you cantell him you’re leaving. He’d never understand. He might actually try to stopyou.”

“We don’t really have time for long goodbyes,” Hall said, for the firsttime looking rather concerned. “If you need to take someone else with us, weneed to get them fast.”

Lenna was frozen, still looking back in Rone’s direction, picturing himstanding in the sun, waiting for her.

He would be so confused. So upset. So dismayed.

She would have just disappeared, and he’d have no idea where she was.

“We can’t take him with us,” Desh said softly, sounding unexpectedlysympathetic. “He’d be miserable on any world but this one.”

She knew that was true. She couldn’t sentence him to a life he’d hatejust so she didn’t have to say goodbye to him.

“Lenna?” Hall asked gently. “You do want to come with us, don’t you?”

She swallowed hard. “Yes. Yes, of course.”

It was all happening too fast. She couldn’t think of any other options.Only leaving now—without Rone—or staying on this planet forever.

“Then come with us now—while we can. If you change your mind, you canalways come back here.”

Hall’s words were like a lifeline. The option of maybe coming back if shedecided that was what she wanted.

She wouldn’t necessarily be abandoning Rone forever.

She didn’t belong on this planet. She belonged in the civilized worldwith Hall and Desh and others like them.

She was a pilot and a smuggler. She belonged on a ship.

She shouldn’t have ever had a spear in her hand or a man like Rone in herbed.

It wasn’t who she was.

It wasn’t who she’d ever be.

“Okay,” she gasped, nodding her head. “Let’s go.”