Space Trippers Book 1: Trippin' by A. Lightbourne Read Free Book Online Page B

Scuttle."

    "I think I could figure a way out." she replied curtly, after all she had designed it. And besides, only half of the shields were operational at the moment.

    Sanic was not to be deterred. “Look,” he continued as they neared the exit, “you know nothing on this ship works and I know nothing on this ship works, so all we need to do is wait until the Captain realizes it and comes crawling to you for help, right? She would have to listen to you then. And if it doesn’t work . . . then, I will help you get your Scuttle craft and make it through the shields. Deal?” he asked seeing her skeptical look.

    “Whatever, but I am out of here before we reach Corseccan space.” she warned, not about to be stuck on this death trap any longer than necessary. She would do just about anything to get her ship back in one piece, aside from dying.

    “Agreed. We will get you off before then. Now,” he said proceeding with her down the hall, “since you are the brain behind this ship perhaps you could help me find my quarters, because I just can’t make any sense out of these papers.” he shrugged pathetically, handing her the small sketchily drawn map he had been carrying.

    The young Engineer took it in her hand, pushing back her dark, shimmering locks before glancing up at him amused as she slowly turned the map over. “Come on.” she laughed at seeing him blush, leading him to the nearest Hydro-lift bay.

    “I am really sorry about your ship.” Sanic said softly, trying to piece together what had happened and what a shock it was to her. “I am also sorry about your loss in your engineering team.” he continued trying to be of some comfort to her. He had meant to get to tell her that in person ever since he had witnessed the accident.

    “Loss?” Valesque queried dazed. Could he mean Dr. Warner? “What loss?” she asked more urgently. Was that what had happened to him? Maybe he wasn’t the one who shot her?

    “The hull worker who was soldering on the upper array arm. The one that fell to his death a few weeks ago. I was watching the work from the Tech-Labs park balcony when it happened. Since then I have wanted to tell you how sorry I was for your loss. And now it seems you have two of them.” the dark-haired boy said, wondering at her confusion.

    “Someone working on the upper array arm?” she puzzled. “I don’t remember anyone on the upper array arm. Oh, wait a minute,” she continued, clutching her side in remembrance, “yes I do. I was on the arm, fixing a wiring short.”

    “You?” he asked unbelievingly. “No, but, this person fell . . . .” he corrected.

    “Yep,” she replied assuredly, “that was me.”

    “Twenty stories?”

    “Oh, yeah,” she agreed completely, nodding her head, somewhat embarrassed, “but it was more like twenty-two. I remember, it felt like a very long fall, at least twenty-two stories.”

    “But, you are alive?!” he exclaimed, nearly pouncing on her in his surprise. “No one could have lived through that! Not twenty-two stories.”

    “You obviously don’t know Virrilians.” Valesque laughed. “We are a very sturdy brood. I will admit, I had never been on a twenty-two storey drop before, and I got a few cracked ribs doing it, but I have survived worse. You would be amazed.”

    “I already am.” he replied, somehow both fearing and respecting her more. “I guess I am going to have to do some research on Virrilians, huh? Since you will be on the crew and all, I like to know the equations I am working with.”

    “Well, I am not crew, and I hopefully won’t be here very long. So I think you can put off studying Virrilians.” she replied optimistically.

    Sanic was silent after this. He was not too thrilled with the prospect of her leaving and was busy contemplating how he could make the Captain see the condition of the ship without appearing insubordinate or mutinous.
    Valesque did not notice his silence for she was busy with thoughts of her