away on its mission. The pod was heading for Earth and she knew the Star had been heading toward Garden. Would Flint really waste all that fuel chasing her?

She was property to him and all property had value. She just couldn’t be that valuable to Flint. He was picking up more human women on the Piera . She tried to relax. The Star would break off pursuit when they realized that she wasn’t going to stop running.

“Incoming message from the Star ,” the computer announced.

“Shit.”

“Order not understood. Would you like communications open?”

She hesitated. “Yes.”

“ MirasiaCarver,” a deep voice that was unfamiliar to her barked. “I am Vollus . Order the pod to stop burn now and reverse direction back to the Star .”

“No.”

The man literally growled. “I have contacted Flint. He and the Rally will catch up to us soon. You do not want him to have to board the pod. He was very angry. Order the pod to stop burn and reverse direction to the Star now. I promise you no harm will come to you if you do as I say.”

She was tempted. She was terrified of Flint coming after her. Would he be so angry he just blew the pod up with her on it? She knew she was going to run out of fuel sooner than later. Did they? She took a deep breath.

“This pod was designed for twenty-five passengers. I’m not burning much fuel with only one body aboard,” she bluffed. “How much fuel are you wasting coming after me? I’m just one human. I’m worthless, Vollus . Flint is pissed because I got away. Think logically. You’re a cyborg , damn it. Is it rational to waste fuel and time to come after one worthless human?”

Silence greeted her statement, giving her hope that he was considering her words.

“I’m not going to stop burn and I’m not going to turn around. I’ll blow this damn pod up before I go back on the Star . Is that clear? I saw how upset it made everyone when the pilots blew up the shuttle I was on. You could have salvaged the shuttle. I’ll blow the pod if you chase me until I run out of fuel. I’ll be dead, the pod won’t be salvageable, and you’ll have lost all that time and fuel for nothing.”

Silence.

“Hello?”

Silence.

“Pod 3?Is communications still active?”

“Affirmative,” the computer announced. “I can pick up breathing sounds.”

Fear hit her. They weren’t answering her. They were just listening. “End communications,” she whispered.

“Communications ended.”

She waited a good five minutes. “Pod 3? Are we still being pursued?”

“Affirmative.”

“Son of a bitch!”

“Order not understood. Please restate order.”

“Fuck you.”

“Order not understood. Please restate order.”

“He’s going to kill me.”

“Order not understood. Please restate order.”

“Pod 3?Stop talking to me.”

“Order understood.”

Mira let her head drop into her hands.

Chapter Eight

“Warning.Respond. Warning. Respond.”

The computer’s voice jerked Mira awake. She’d fallen asleep, exhausted from her lack of sleep the night before.

“I’m here,” she got out.

“Second unidentified ship approaching.”

“Shit!” That woke her up all the way. “Is it the Rally ?”

“Unidentified. Hailing.” A pause. “No response.”

“How far out?”

“We will make contact in four minutes.”

“Four minutes?” Shock tore through her.

“Warnings have been issued in minute increments for twenty-three minutes. You did not respond.”

She had slept deeper than she had thought. “Is the Star still pursuing?”

“Affirmative.”

“Can we full burn?”

“Negative. Fuel resources are at an unsafe level. Full burn could cause tank rupture.”

She knew that meant the pod could explode as the shuttle had. She shut her eyes, trying to think. The Rally was going to reach her in less than four minutes. Damn.

“Orders?”

“What do you suggest we do?”

“Orders?”

“Fuck!” Frustration hit her hard. The damn computer was asking her what to do and it wasn’t giving her any options. She had no idea what to do beyond a full blast to put distance between the pod and the Rally . “I don’t know.”

“Orders?”

If she risked a full burn it would probably blow her up. All it would give her was another ten minutes, if that, before the Rally caught her again. She was screwed and she knew it. She’d never thought Flint would chase her down. It was insane to waste his fuel to come after her. She’d underestimated her worth to the crazy cyborg . She didn’t want to die so she didn’t order the computer to do something suicidal.

She’d been bluffing about blowing up the pod.

“Third ship in range. Unidentified.”

She frowned. “What?”

“Proximity alert!” A sharp blast sounded through the pod as an alarm screamed. “Impact is imminent.

Evasive maneuvers. Reversing