Shadowkill

##

The lock’s inner door gaped open, the cracks around it clogged with ancient crud. Kikun lifted Autumn Rose over the rim, helped her negotiate the crumpled flooring as they moved toward a heavy metal plug with three tube caps lined in a row across it. He hauled her to the one on the left end, cycled it open, and tossed her in.

As she passed from the argrav field into the.00 something gravity of the tube, she lost traction, caught hold of a tugline, and began hauling herself along the tube. Behind her she heard the soft whine as the cap irised shut, then the line jerked repeatedly as Kikun started after her.

She eased into the pilot’s seat with a sigh of relief, picked her leg up and set it in place and with automatic skill locked the crashweb about her. Having forgotten him again, she twitched as Kikun slid into the co-seat. “One of these days you’ll give someone a heart attack, Kuna.”

“Oh, no.”

“You seeing any snags ahead?”

“Nothing focused. Be careful, but move as fast as you can.”

“Right.”