After maybe an hour, the loudspeakers crackled to life. "Attention," the soothing voice of the AI said, "we are facing an attack from our southern border of the ship. Everyone, please assume your positions."
Amira looked up at the sound of the speaker. She immediately got up and grabbed her things, going to the southern side.
Derek followed her, setting down his book. Their attack response was a simple one; Amira and Derek would control the guns along the side of the ship while the crew worked to navigate their retreat to the nearest warpgate; unless initiated, the attacks of the Silver Lotus were entirely defensive. Derek started working with the controls, calibrating their defense and directing the warning shots.
A large trade ship was approaching them steadily. Amira would have been on the ship long enough to recognize their pursuit; they had recognized the ship as a pirating one and sought the bounty on each of their heads.
"They're in pursuit already," Derek said, distracted by his console. "I figure we'll try and scare them away."
"Releasing the first shot in three... two... one..." The blast rocked the ship, sailing through the empty space around them towards the trade ship.
The trading ship was hit and it fell back from the sheer force of the shot. Somewhere else in the ship, Alex and Stephanie triggered the engine, and the Silver Lotus reared up before shooting forward.
He laughed slightly, looking over at her. "Nice thing about zero-gravity; it's pretty difficult for something to be knocked off a trajectory."
They would feel as they were pulled into a warpgate, feeling stuck in time as they were sucked forward.
About 15 minutes later, they made it through, and Derek relaxed next to her, his muscles still tense. "Ugh."
