Serendipity (Book 1 of the Dana Halliday series)

SOUNDTRACK BY KENNY LOGGINS. THE HARDEST THING. REFRESHINGLY ACCURATE.

"Pilot Tamma has informed us she will miss the official scoring ceremony tonight to attend to a...medical situation. Never fear, sister Novernyi, you will be moving on to the next race! Congratulations!"

Flynt and I cheered—in his case, it was a sort of subdued howl. Novernyi merely let out a relieved breath and leaned back. The old-school control panel slid away, and she hit some virtual buttons. The Volshoth Bren was silenced. 

I'd been hearing a soundtrack by Kenny Loggins during the race; now I seemed to hear the instrumental theme from Top Gun. I did not feel the need for speed. My need for speed was currently satiated. 

Time for the closing credits.

"All right." Novi looked at me. "Someone will have to report my official score to me later. I...should go to hospital. Yours or in Tadscas?"

"Um, I'm just an emergency room, and an inexperienced one at that. Plus, my brain is fucking fried, Novi, so if you feel safe going to Tadscas, I'm sure it's the better option."

"Well said," she replied. "All right. I'll send a message to Lonavat to meet us there."

"Whew. Good job."

"Thank you." She gave us a huge grin, the cherry on top of the whole misbegotten adventure. "I thank you both. We will celebrate when I'm well." She rested her head back and closed her eyes.

Novernyi had brought the Mirra around and was diving toward the planet again, but more gradually than before. Still, it was getting a little bumpy. I made my way back to my seat, Flynt behind me, and we belted ourselves in once more.

He grew expressionless as we looked down at the planet. We were still over the ocean, which stretched to the curve of the horizon in all directions so far as I could tell. There were scattered clouds, so maybe there was an island or two hiding down there. 

"Worried about this place again?"

Flynt shrugged. "I just can't seem to stay away from it."

"If we didn't have a choice, I'd do surgery on her arm," I said quietly, almost as if to reassure myself. "But I'm not the best doctor for her around here."

"Of course." He smiled at me over his shoulder. "I'm sure you'd do fine, though."

I was about to scoff, when the unseen speaker crackled to life. 

"Novernyi!" barked Ullo's voice.

Novi sat up, leaning toward the window. Far in the distance, I saw a vague golden flash. 

"Ritarren," she replied. There was very little emotion in her voice beyond a tired resignation. "WhatcanI—do—foryou?"

"Youare—verybrave—whentheraceofficials—arewatching."

As we drew closer, the gold Mirra seemed to hang in mid-air. Novi kept adjusting our position—she was still on a descending course—but Ullo appeared to be hovering in place. 

"What's happening?" I asked.

"As—are—you," Novi answered smoothly. "Getout—ofmyway, Tarren."

As if in reply, Ullo held his ship steady. It grew until I could see that it wasn't really hovering. He was speeding straight for us. "Yougetout—oftheway."

Novi gnashed her lips, and I felt my seat press into my back.

"Novi, what are you doing?" Flynt asked.

"I shouldn't have to keep running," she muttered.

"Um," I said. "You'd be leaving, not running."