12
Traveling with Incomplete Strangers
April hugged her bag close to her chest, reluctant to move away from the airlock even as she felt them drifting away.
“Firing,” Salima’s voice echoed back from the front half of the ship.
“What?” April asked. Hakim caught hold of her shoulder and tucked her close to his side just before a loud bang shook the tiny ship around them and a series of jerking pushes thrust them back against the wall.
“It’s OK,” Hakim said when the noise stopped and they were once more freely floating.
“What?” April said again, her ears still ringing from the noise.
“You were screaming. It was just the directional rockets getting us away from the Triomphe. Let’s stow your stuff before Salima fires the big rocket.”
“The big...” April’s voice trailed off. Hakim opened
