Arno floated with his back against the railing, clutching his shoulder.

“Captain, are you okay?”

“Argh… I wrenched my arm when I grabbed the rail, but I think I’m all right. How are the others? Are you hurt?”

“I’m okay. Three casualties, for sure: Myers, Mbana and…, and the Commander.”

“Shit.”

“I’m alive,” called Fuentes, the navigator. She assisted the engineering officer. “Warring, here is injured, but Ying bought it.”

“I’ll be fine, Cap’n,” said the engineer.

“Okay, try to raise the engine room. I need a report of how bad things are. Fuentes, can you do Ying’s job? We’re blind and I want to know what’s happening.”

“Aye, Captain,” she said as she pushed herself back toward the sensor console.

“Pavlovich, can you replace Myers at helm?”

“I… I’m only rated for shuttles.”

Arno frowned. “Tactical experience?”

“Yes, sir… in simulators, at least.”

“Okay, I only need one hand to operate the helm. You take Mbana’s station.”

“Aye, Captain.”

“Report from engineering deck,” said Warring. “We took heavy damage to engines two and four, but one and three are still capable of putting out full thrust. Do you want to re- route the power to environmental?”

“No, not yet. We might need it to get out of here,” Arno replied from the pilot’s station. “Where are the bogies, Fuentes?”

“Um, all are still on our tail and closing. It looks like they left Argosy behind to come after us.”

“Which tells me we’re in better shape than them,” said Arno. “I think they decided they want us in one piece.”

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