Truehearts & The Escape From Pirate Moon by Jake Macklem (ebook audio reader TXT) 📕

extended, Cam squeezed two shots. The first hit the Zontra in his right shoulder, the second in the left, about a foot away. As Cam slid to a stop, he saw the Zontra drop his pistol, stumble, and fall to the deck.

Cam redirected his attention to the captain. They had their weapons leveled on each other. “I bet you’re not left-handed either,” Cam said.

  31: Ace

Ace turned to intercept the captain but T’toli blocked her path, Ace felt a momentary desire to run. Damn it. Didn’t we beat you?

The O’rix unleashed a barrage of talon attacks, her nails sharpened to deadly points. Ace leaned back but one talon caught her cheek, slicing a wide cut down to the bone.

“I’m gonna kill you slow!” T’toli hissed through her pointed teeth. Ace ducked under what appeared to be a wild swing and took a wicked knee to the chest, knocking her to her back. T’toli lunged on top of her, straddling her, pinning her shoulders. “I’m going to enjoy this,” the O’rix purred, her eyes gleaming, saliva dripping from her fanged smile. “I’ve never eaten a STAR.”

Ace’s anger spiked and she headbutted T’toli in her snout, breaking them apart. They gained their feet and squared off. With incredible speed, Ace threw a collection of punches at T’toli’s face and throat—but nothing connected.

The O’rix slammed her knee into Ace’s midsection flipping the STAR onto the ground. T’toli stomped Ace’s side. The white-hot pain of cracked ribs rippled through Ace’s body. I hate broken ribs. Ace knew she was done. I can’t believe I lost. I never lose.

T’toli stepped onto Ace’s chest and gloated, “After I eat you, I’ll try a little taste of hat-wearing, man-meat.”

Ace could not breathe. His wife and boys are going to lose him because I’m not good enough.

Everything quieted as her vision went dark, like the black of space, infinite and forever. I’m not going to win this fight. I should just stay here. It’s calm in the black. Peaceful. At the edge of oblivion, Ace waited for death. I’m sorry Mick, I’m not good enough. Cam is gonna die. His boys and his wife are never going to see him again.

Ace grimaced, forcing the darkness away. No. I won’t let that happen. I accepted I was dead long ago. But not Cam. All he does is the right thing. Even if he has to risk his life or his chance of seeing his family again. I’m not going to let him die. He’s going home to his family. And so am I, Mick.

T’toli went for the kill, putting everything into a skull-crushing kick. Ace’s eye’s snapped open. She blocked the kick with her left arm and it broke with a sickening crack. Howling in rage, she twisted her body and kipped up to a standing position. Recovering, T’toli tried a backhand—Ace easily dodged.

“Hussy.” Ace drove an uppercut into T’toli’s face, lifting her off the ground and knocking her out cold, sprawled across the deck.

Spinning, she saw Cam rush from behind his cover and scoop up T’toli’s laser as the Zontra and the captain shot wildly. The captain swung his plasma pistol to get a bead on him.

Cowboy! Sprinting toward them, she realized she was too far away. She would never be able to close the distance before the firing started.

Clearing the first strut, she saw Cam’s rifle on the deck. I got you, Cowboy! She jumped forward, hands extended, grabbing the gun and tucking into a shoulder roll. Her momentum carried her to a standing position; she rested the rifle in the nook of her elbow. The pain—and unwillingness of her arm to do what she wanted—made her unsure of her aim. Cam and the captain stared into each other’s weapons.

“I bet you’re not left-handed either,” Cam said.

Ace shouted. “This is over unless you want to die. You can’t take us both!” The way he stood, so steady, even with his hand blown off, Ace knew Remy was high on something. Probably a juicer. It made her nervous. He might go down shooting.

The captain twitched, then tossed his pistol. “Who the hell are you?” he asked.

“Shaw. Camron Shaw. That there is Ace Hart.” Cam winked at Ace.

“Ace and Camron. A pathetic pair of ragged spacers. You think you won.”

“We did win.” Cam glared and rose to his feet.

“Sure you did,” the Captain sneered. “It’s a small Verse. I’ll be seeing you around.”

“Not if I see you first,” Cam smirked.

Ace lowered her gun. “Alright, seriously…” She shook her head. “Enough with the snappy one-liners.” The captain and Cam continued to stare at each other. “Look, I’m trying to be a better People. Not killing you is kind of a big deal for me for so… Get off my ship before I change my mind.”

  32: Remy

As the dust and dirt flew into the air, Remy squinted and watched the Javelin lift off. Getha and T’toli stood on either side of him, both nursing their wounds. He struggled to understand how two people defeated his entire crew and stole his ship. And his hand. My hand is still somewhere on that ship. This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.

A barking sound echoed across the plateau. The trio spun around to see a Tree-knocker rising on its hind legs, using its tail for balance. It extended its jaw and throat with each forceful bark.

Getha stepped toward the creature. “What is it doing?” When he got no response, he looked around and realized he was the only one there; Remy and T’toli had run for the cave. Getha’s black eyes bulged as he focused on the large lizard. It took one step forward. Then another.

At the screams and sounds of ripping meat, Remy winced and looked back over his shoulder. Sorry, Getha. You should