Page 15 of Klaz

A meaty hand clamped down on my shoulder, spinning me around to be face-to-face with a leering pirate, his breath reeking of stale synth-ale.

“Where do you think you’re going, sweetheart?” he drawled.

I didn’t bother with a witty comeback. Instead, I drove my knee up between his legs with all the force I could muster. As he doubled over, I brought the shock baton down on the back of his neck.

But the delay had cost me. When I turned back, my heart plummeted. Klaz was on his knees again, surrounded by a ring of pirates. Blood soaked his armor, and his breathing came in ragged gasps. Yet still he fought, lashing out with fists and feet, taking down two more attackers before a vicious blow to the head finally sent him sprawling.

“No!” The scream tore from my throat and I surged forward, but strong arms wrapped around me from behind, pinning me in place, unable to strike.

The cyborg sauntered over to Klaz’s prone form, a satisfied smirk on his face. “Not so tough now, are you?” He nudged Klaz with his boot, eliciting a pained groan. “What should we do with you, I wonder? What do you think, boys?”

The pirates laughed, a cruel, hungry sound that made my skin crawl.

I struggled against my captor, my mind racing. There had to be something I could do, some angle I could work. I was Cinta Longdon, dammit. I’d talked my way out of tighter spots than this.

But as I looked at Klaz, bleeding and battered on the floor, I realized something with startling clarity. This wasn’t just another mark. This wasn’t just another con.

Somehow, I cared. Really, truly cared. And it terrified me.

I strained against my captor’s grip, desperate to reach Klaz. The pirates gathered around him, their laughter cruel and mocking. He circled Klaz’s prone form like a predator toying with wounded prey.

“What to do with the great Klaz Renka?” the leader mused, tapping his chin in mock contemplation. “We could ransom you back to your Vinduthi brethren. Or maybe sell you to the highest bidder. I’m sure there are plenty who’d pay handsomely to see you suffer.”

One of the pirates chimed in, “Why not just space him? Quick and easy.”

The cyborg shook his head. “Too merciful. No, I want him to suffer. But, we have work to do here, and I don’t want him getting in the way.” His cybernetic eye glowed as an idea struck him. “Boys, remember that damaged escape pod near where we boarded? The one with the faulty life support and busted nav system?”

A chorus of chuckles rippled through the group. My stomach twisted as I realized what he was suggesting.

“Oh, this is perfect,” he crowed. “We’ll give our dear friend Klaz a fighting chance. Minimal supplies, and no time to use them. How’s that sound, Renka? One last adventure for the famous bounty hunter?”

Klaz’s only response was a low growl, but even that small act of defiance sent a thrill through me. He wasn’t broken yet.

The pirate’s grin widened, revealing teeth filed to points. “Load him up, boys. And make sure our guests get a good view. Wouldn’t want them to miss the show.”

As the pirates dragged Klaz away, I knew I had to act. But how? My mind raced, sorting through half-formed plans and discarding them just as quickly.

I forced myself to relax in my captor’s grip, feigning defeat. When he loosened his hold, I dropped to the deck, rolling away before melting into the crowd of terrified passengers.

“You little bitch! Come back here!”

Really, did anyone actually obey something like that?

Heart pounding, I crept towards the escape pod bay. The corridors were chaos – alarms blaring, emergency lights flashing, and panicked voices echoing off the metal walls. I ducked into a maintenance shaft, using the warren of service tunnels to move undetected.

As I crawled through the cramped space, I caught snatches of conversation from the pirates.

“...life support’s shot to hell. Maybe a few hours’ worth of air, tops.”

“Nav system’s fried too. Whoever’s in there is flying blind.”

“Perfect death trap, innit?”

I gritted my teeth, anger and fear warring for dominance. I had to get to that pod before they launched it.

I emerged from the maintenance shaft near the escape pod bay, just in time to see the pirates forcing Klaz into the damaged pod. Blood matted his long hair, and fresh bruises bloomed across his grey skin. But his eyes still burned with defiance.

The cyborg stood at the airlock controls, savoring the moment. “You know, Renka, I’m feeling generous. I’m giving you a chance here. More than you gave me when you hauled me in.” He leaned in close, his voice dripping with false sincerity. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll get lucky. Maybe some good Samaritan will pick up your distress signal before you suffocate. Stranger things have happened, right?”