Page 19 of Klaz

We moved to the panel, Cinta kneeling beside me as I lay on my back. The pod lurched, nearly sending her sprawling across my chest. I steadied her with a hand on her waist, acutely aware of how close she was.

“Alright,” I said. “Open the panel.”

Cinta complied, her nimble fingers making quick work of the latches. “It’s open. What am I looking for?”

“There should be a red switch at the back, about halfway up.”

She leaned in, peering into the cramped space. “I see it.”

I reached into the opening, my arm brushing against Cinta’s side. She inhaled sharply, and I froze.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Fine,” she said quickly. “Just... ticklish.”

I grunted, trying to ignore how soft she felt against me. “Guide my hand to the switch.”

Cinta’s fingers wrapped around my wrist, her touch immediately sending inappropriate thoughts through my mind.

But still, I had to wonder. What would those fingers feel like, curled around something else?

“A little to the left,” she murmured. Her breath ghosted across my ear. “Now up... there. You feel it?”

My fingers brushed against something. “I think so.”

“That’s it,” Cinta confirmed. “Now you need to-”

The pod jerked violently, slamming us together. We stayed frozen, staring at each other in the dim light.

“Flip the switch,” I rasped.

She shifted, pressing even closer as she reached for my hand. “Okay, now pull it towards you and then push it back.”

I did as she instructed, feeling the switch click into place. For a breathless moment, nothing happened. Then, with a whine of protesting machinery, the systems began to reboot.

Cinta sagged against me in relief. “We did it.”

I allowed myself a small smile, wrapping an arm around her waist. “We make a good team.”

She looked up at me, a challenge in her eyes. “Was that a compliment, Klaz Renka?”

Before I could respond, the pod shuddered violently. Warning klaxons blared as the viewport shutters retracted.

My blood ran cold at the sight that greeted us.

A massive ice planet loomed before us, filling the entire viewport. We were plummeting towards its surface at alarming speed.

“Cinta,” I said, tightening my grip on her. “Hold on.”

CINTA

The pod plummeted toward the ice planet, alarms blaring. My heart raced as I gripped Klaz’s arm, the viewport filled with a swirling mass of white and blue. The escape pod shuddered violently, threatening to tear apart.

“Brace for impact!” Klaz shouted, holding me tighter to his chest.

We hit the atmosphere with bone-jarring force. The pod’s hull glowed red-hot as we hurtled through layers of clouds. Frost crystals formed on the inside of the viewport, obscuring our view.

The altimeter spun wildly. Klaz lunged for the controls, fighting to slow our descent. I wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my head into his shoulder as we spiraled downward.