"Attention all passengers. This is your co-pilot speaking."
I normally didn't listen to generic inflight announcements. But the 'co-pilot' comment caught my attention. I stopped listening to the Klexa child next to me and focused.
"We are going to make an unscheduled stop to refuel and do a routine check of the tanks. It's nothing to worry about. Please remain in your seats and remain calm."
The second the announcement ended, I got up to get my bag down.
"What are you doing now?" the Klexa child asked.
"Taking inventory. That's always the first thing you do when you're in an emergency situation. It's a good refresher to know what all you have to work with," I answered.
He laughed. "We're not in an emergency situation. The Pilot just said we were making a fuel stop."
"No he didn't. Because our pilot is a Faetatia. The Faereis of Tatia cannot lie. Our copilot is a Crobo, and they have no such qualms. I suspect we've been boarded. By who and for what, I don't know. I do know that once we land, we're screwed."
"Screwed?"
"It means game over. We loose. Whatever they have planned, we have to figure it out and stop it before we land."
I dropped everything back into my purse.
"Stay here."
"Wait, you can't leave me!" he insisted.
"Kid, I was charged with smuggling you off Nbirea and get you to your family on Myrphu. I don't get paid until you get to Myrphu, so you are gonna sit right here and wait while I make sure this ship doesn't stop prematurely."
I left, my purse slung across my back. I moved quietly, keeping my face hidden. Humans aren't allowed on Hoppers like this because we have a tendency to draw attention. That's exactly why I use them.
I easily made my way to the back of the plane. Step one was discovering whether or not we really did have a fuel problem. I knelt down and pulled out a multitool. I quickly had the panel open and I slipped down into the hole.
I snuck around the engine room quietly. If there wasn't a problem, then there's no need to frighten the engineer.
I stopped, ducking into the shadows by a very hot part of the engine, to hide from the voices I heard. I adjusted my translator until I found the language they were speaking.
"How many beings are unaccounted for?"
They were doing a count of passengers. They expected resistance. I pulled out a small mirror and used it to glance at the being speaking. Malsnar. Why is it when pirates attack, there's always a Malsnar? It brings such a bad name to the species.
I pulled out the cuffs I wrapped my fist around it. I moved quickly. I tried to be quiet, but quick mattered more. I surprised the Malsnar and knocked it out before it could call for help. I saw the engineer, unconscious, possibly dead. I kept going through the engine. I encountered four more pirates, and knocked them all out as I went.
Now that I know the engines are fine, it's time to get to the pilots. I entered the vent system and traveled to the cargo area. From there, I found the electrical wires that ran to the control panel. It was tight. I started stripping clothes, and packing as many items into my underlayer as possible. Once I was set, I crawled into the mess.
To call it claustrophobic was being generous. It felt like tangling with a multiarmed Trappant. I slowly made my way up. The wires were all I could see, but I knew they only went one place.
I finally reached the panel. The wires separated enough for me to wiggle out. I went up, until I was able to stand. The metal was weak here, the pilots' closet. I took my multitool and punched holes into it. I used my fist as a hammer to drag the tool down to make large gashes in the metal. I shoved my way through it, scraping myself on the metal as I went.
I opened the closet to four energy weapons pointed right at me. I held my hands out to my side, the multitool loose in my hand.
"A human?" one pirate squeaked.
The pilot was tied and gagged, but the copilot was still flying with another weapon pointed at him. I studied the pirates.
"What are you doing here?" another demanded.
"Just doing a job. My job doesn't involve an unsanctioned stop though," I answered.
I saw the flash of a beacon as one pirate shifted.
"What job are you guys on?" I asked.
Everyone was tense and silent. And then the pirate who had the beacon pulled it out. He activated it, and I saw the Klexa child I was here to escort.
"We're here to bring this insurgent to justice," he answered. "I trust we can both accomplish our goals without killing each other?"
They were here to kill the kid, and I'm here to escort him home. They will kill me once they find out.
I relaxed and let the multitool drop to the ground. I slowly reached my arms up. I was grabbing the pins in my hair.
"Don't move human," the leader snapped.
"No worries," I answered, pulling my hands back forward.
"What's your job?" he demanded.
I gestured towards my necklace chain. He nodded. I pulled out the silver container that held the beacon. I took a slow breath and held it as I cracked it open and pulled it out. I offered it to him, palm open.
He reached forward to take it, and activated it. He saw the child.
"You're escorting our insurgent?" He was surprised.
I said nothing. Holding my breath was more important.
One pirate closest too me shook his head. He lowered his weapon to hold his head. Then he collapsed.
The other four all held their weapons on me.
"What did you do?" the leader demanded.
The next closest was feeling the effects. I shrugged.
The next collapsed as well. Three left. One of those lunged for me. I dodged their attacks until the remaining three pirates dropped. And then the pilot collapsed. I capped the gas back in my necklace and went to the panel to flush fresh oxygen through the room. I gasped, taking in several deep breaths.
"You saved us. Thank you," the copilot said.
"I'm doing a job, that's it."
"I'm sorry."
I stopped moving and watched the Crobo's head. "Why?"
"You're human, this is a Hopper. The Law states I must report you."
"I'm sorry too."
I kicked the energy weapon on the ground into the back of the chair. It impaled the copilot. I picked up another energy weapon and killed the unconscious pirates, and the pilot. Then I went back the way I came, dropping back into the cargo hold. I redressed and traveled back to the engines, and then up into the basic cabins.
I found the Klexa child where I left him.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Engines are fine, so I don't know what they're doing." The lie was easy. No reason to worry the kid.
The few pirates I'd left alive in the engine room failed to hail their friends, and panicked. They burst into the cockpit, and saw the carnage. They knew there was an assassin on board, but they didn't know who. They gave up immediately and another pilot was found.
We landed safely on Myrphu.
