A flash. His pulse quickened.
“Keep your eyes on your left, Reaper,” he said on the short-range Whisper. “Thought I saw a flicker.”
“Copy, Rock,” Reaper grumbled. “Debris off my forward shields.”
“Copy.” He glanced right. “Star, report.”
“Nothing, Rock. Nothing but black space.”
He smirked. We’ll see about that.
Ten minutes into the flight—ten to go. A few Star Runners called out apparitions in the dark, fears materializing from their minds. The science station filled his forward view. Tension in his chest eased. Perhaps they would be all right after all. The Sanctuary would dock and—
He didn’t see the laser fire, the explosion of yellow and orange fire filling the right side of his canopy. Star’s Trident vaporized, the fighter’s structure disintegrating before he could turn his hea
