Blink: Phantom (Book 3)

28

The sensation of not quite existing washed over her for a fraction of a second, and then they were in another part of the ship. Together they dropped about six inches before hitting the deck.

Amber took the impact and held Farrier upright as they landed. Then she opened her eyes, to find a long empty corridor stretching away into the distance. She looked back over her shoulder but no guards waited for them. A shudder of relief passed through her. They'd both come through the transit safe and sound.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly. Farrier nodded and with reluctant slowness released her vice-like grip. Amber took hold of her Compac once more, ready for any unwanted arrivals.

A twinge in the back of her mind signalled Hekket's transport from the rear compartment. She glanced back to see him emerge from the shimmering bend in space-time, cannon aimed as he scanned left and right. When he spotted them his grim expression softened and he padded forward.

"You both okay?"

Amber nodded. "We're good."

"Stay behind me," he told them. Then he started walking, quickly and quietly down the passage toward the ship's shuttle bay. Tugging Farrier gently along behind her, Amber followed. Two turns later they reached a double set of doors with thick white letters emblazoned overhead reading HANGER BAY.

After letting Hekket move forward to check the passage, she crept up behind him as he examined the control panel. A moment later he pressed the release and the two slabs came apart with the hiss of metal on metal. He glanced back once and beckoned. Amber raised her cannon and edged into the room after him.

For a ship this size its shuttle bay was comparatively small; a half-barrel shaped chamber barely one hundred meters from end to end. A series of flat disc lights illuminated six of the heavily modified Bulldog shuttles below, their boarding ramps lowered and ready. In front of them built into the hull were the maws of six corresponding launch tubes. Keeping Farrier behind her, Amber moved up alongside Hekket, her eyes searching the bay for any sign of life. She saw nothing – no guards, and none of the other operatives.

"You can fly one of these, right?" Hekket murmured.

"Of course I can." She gave Farrier a reassuring nod, hoping she looked as confident as she felt. The girl still looked terrified, shooting furtive glances left and right as they moved towards the closest shuttle.

Amber and Hekket moved up side by side with their companion, cannons aimed into the dim interior of the empty shuttle. Low level standby lights revealed the geometric corridor leading into the body of the ship, through the small cargo hold and up into a passenger compartment. Eight seats ran up and down each side of the claustrophobic space and she felt Farrier grip her arm like a vice as they continued on.

At the end of the passenger hold was the open door to the cockpit, revealing the innocently bleeping pilot controls beyond. Amber paused, gently easing Farrier's grip from her arm.

"It's okay," she said softly. "We'll get you out of here." Then she stepped past Hekket and sat down in the pilot seat, scrutinizing the controls as quickly as she could. Thankfully the layout wasn't far removed from the standard navy design; there were a couple of toggles whose purpose remained a mystery to her, but the main flight controls looked good.

"What do you think?" Hekket asked from the doorway.

She frowned. "I can fly it, but there's a landing lock engaged. I'll need to override it."

"Can you do that?"

"Watch me." Her fingers rattled over the controls, determination gripping her as she began routing the docking protocols away from the main ship to bypass its landing-lock. Again the security measures seemed almost token, as though the builders of the vessel never expected anyone to make it this far. It was, Amber supposed, a reasonable assumption. Without the gift her and her companions possessed no-one would have boarded this vessel.