Planatae

Flight

"How did you make it back? How did they let you go?" Lukas peppered the assistants with questions as the Andromeda peeled away from the dock, moving into the space between the port and open space.

Viktor stepped up, hands wringing. "After you two left, they never seemed to suspect a thing."

He looked over Lukas' shoulder, pitched his voice towards Erin, who stood by the captain.

"Was that you? The alarms? We heard them from outside."

"Yes," she called back. "I'm shocked they let you go."

Viktor furrowed his brow, perturbed. "When they went off, Maddox had a squad of Purists escort us out of the embassy. What was your plan if they didn't, Ademas? Were we meant to just fend for ourselves?"

"If you played your part well, then they would have assumed you knew nothing - there was never any danger. You knew what the priority was when you agreed to this."

The two scientists stared each other down. Lukas, along with the other assistants, edged out of the way.

"Yes, but you barely told me anything," Viktor protested, "and the kids... what if something happened to them? You sent the soldiers we had to the drop off point, to set off that tech disruptor, what about us? We had no protection!"

Ah. So that's what happened. Erin had used her implants to communicate with the soldiers and set up an military-grade EMP at their location. That's how they managed to bust down the prison.

"You and the others were an important part of the cover, Viktor," His mother shot back, drawing him back into the argument. "And nothing did happen. I'm sure my assistants did as well, and my son handled himself fine on our end."

Suddenly, all eyes were on him, and Lukas felt the heat of their gazes melting away at his composure. There was a strange conflict within him at that moment; pride, from his mother's approval - but Viktor's concern was unexpectedly warming. Compared to his concern, his mother felt too cold for comfort.

"You two are covered in bruises," Viktor hissed. "What in Ferrus' name did you put him through?"

"Viktor!" Erin snapped back, her tone suddenly iron-hard. "We don't have time for this. Appreciate that the Purists were kind enough to let you walk out of there, and leave it at that! We have things we need to do right now."

Viktor did not seem like he was about to let things go, but the rising tension was halted, abruptly, by the arrival of Captain Arrum.

"Now, I know I agreed to a certain level of... rule bending," he interjected in his low, smooth voice, "but we are currently faced with the task of breaking out of a space station mid-lockdown. I'd like to think this is the most pressing issue at hand, yeah?"

The scientists went silent; Viktor glowering as Erin turned away, face wiped clear like a clean slate.

"I doubt they have the anti-craft weaponry to stop us," she said breezily. Not with the Andromeda's much-rumored upgrades."

The captain stared at her for a long moment, before breaking out with a wide smile.

"You wanna see what she's got, eh? Sure, let's take the frontal approach then."

He signaled to his crew over the feed. As he did so he gestured, big and dramatic, at the viewing windows.

"Enjoy the show," he crowed at them, spinning away, back towards his controls. "And tell the newcomers I say hello."

Lukas spared a glance backwards, at a far corner of the bridge. That woman with the blinding Factor, Ricardia stood pressed back as far as she could go. Beside her hovered Ito, who seemed just as unsure of his position as she did.