My hologram flickers to life in my own ship. It takes me three point five seconds to ground myself. Then I lock into my ship and do a scan. Four life-forms are in the medic bay, where I left them. Three others are by the landing bay

Materializing in front of them, I assess Orion now standing on his own feet- mostly. Part of him is still leaning against Reverend Shipping. Wayta stands a pace behind them, studying the now closed hull.

"Everyone get to seats and buckle down now," I order. "I'm about to blast us off away from those pirates."

Orion groans at the thought of movement, and almost completely collapses into Shipping.

Wayta goes to his other side and helps to support him as his clone to the cockpit.

While they make that journey, I materialize in front of the med-bay.

Rose is by Silas Shipping's bedside, monitoring his still unconscious state. Killa and Nicholas are both awake and well, their oxygen masks are removed. The former has her head resting on the sealed door like she wants it to open. Nicholas is sitting weakly on the bed, staring at her.

"How can you just sit there?" Killa demands. "They need our help!"

Nicholas shrugs. "Because I'm tired, and if they needed our help so badly, they wouldn't have locked us out."

"We are fine," I say.

Killa starts, and stumbles backward. Nicholas looks down at her in a dejected sort of way, like he meant to catch her, but couldn't move his limbs.

Rose hurries over to right Killa. "What happened?"

"We were boarded," I answer.

Killa sucks in her breath. "I told you they needed us, Nicholas."

Nicholas gestures toward me. "Obviously Alicia Ivy is back here telling us they're all right. Right, Alicia I?"

I make my hologram nod. "Affirmative."

"See?" Nicholas says. "Have more faith in our captain."

"Actually, he was poisoned."

Killa stumbles back a step, and Rose has to steady her again.

"But he's recovering," I add. "He'll be back here after we launch."

Nicholas gestures back at me. "See? All right. They didn't need us because they had..." He frowns. "Who got you out?"

"Reverend Shipping. Now secure yourselves for a blast off." With that, I fade out.

Materializing in the cockpit, I frown at where Orion is sinking into his own seat. Reverend Shipping goes to help him buckle in, but Wayta beats him to it.

"You could have secured yourself on your bed," I tell him.

Orion gives me a defiant look that shines despite the weakness in his face. "You know very well I couldn't."

Shipping gestures for Wayta to take the chair behind Wayta before moving to sit next it.

The moment Shipping is buckled, I begin to activate the blast off. Wayta's eyes widen as she seems to realize what I'm doing. She grabs hold of her chair with both hands just as I initiate our launch.

We spurt into the face, leaving the drifting pirate ship in our blast. I maintain the speed for sixty seconds before slowing to a more energy-efficient speed.

"Um, Alicia Ivy?"

I turn to where Orion has painfully turned in his seat to study me. "Yes, Captain?"

"Why are we slowing? I think it's about time we just get to earth."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Captain."

Orion frowns. "All right, Hal, what do you mean?"

I ignore the name Orion uses for me when I seem to disobey a command and gesture my hologram to the flashing light illuminating glaring letters in the controls.

He follows my gaze and frowns deeper as he reads the words we all learn to despise at one time or another.

Danger: Low Fuel.