“Stop it. Being here was mostly your idea.” Liam twisted a protein pouch until the brown syrup mixed with the dried meat substitute.

The defense module had food and weapons. Food was edible. Weapons didn’t work, but this side of Neptune they wouldn’t need them. At least that’s what his pop used to say. Before the Triton landing shuttle jettisoned them into space.

“These are all books on guns.” Madison threw it hard enough to shatter the spine. The pages sank slowly until they stuck on the grav plating. Her face twisted into a frown big enough to pop a blackhead.

“Soldiers don’t read about Cult-Girl.” Squeezing the last of the slop down his throat Liam burped louder than necessary. The whole module smelled like stale soldier sweat and ozone.

“The novels are called: Sect-Escape.” Madison narrowed her eyes. “Do you have to eat like that?”

“You’re just mad because your legs are swollen.”

“My thighs are fat… and that’s your fault too.” A scent like gunpowder mingled in the air when Madison pried open another gun locker.

“I told you to wear the vacuum pants when the gravity broke.” Liam switched on the main monitor and tapped the screen. Games.

Madison huffed. “We’d be at Triton Thermal, instead I’m stuck here–with you.”

“Can’t you stop being a bitch for one second Madison.” Liam smashed his fist on the screen when it read Zero Results.

“I’m bored, Liam… I need something to read, Liam.” He tapped the search window once more.

Madison scrunched her face up until it got wet. Here it comes again. “I didn’t know the landing shuttle would detach.”

Liam hated Madison’s play for attention. No games either.

“God, boys are useless. You’re even more—”

One by one in the corner of the weapons bay, green screens flickered to life.

A siren stung Liam’s ears. Madison covered hers.

∞

“There’s a ship on the screen. Maybe they’ve come back to get us.” Liam focused on the closing crosshairs. “It’s red.”

Madison leaned over his shoulder. Her finger tapped the screen—too fast. “Shit.”

“What?”

“That’s a Bireme. A cult ship.” Madison’s face looked dead.

She didn’t say anything.

“They won’t help—?”

“They convert or kill Liam.” Madison switched off the siren. “That’s a targeting laser. We need to do something.”

“Weapons only work when the main shuttle’s attached. That’s what pop said.” Gravy flavoured corn meal began climbing up Liam’s throat.

Gathering the loose pages, Madison read from a single diagram. “Look… here. We can bypass the control. But—”

“But what?”

“It’s next to the fusion chamber. The radiation. It’s too high.”

“Wait here.” Liam darted to the maintenance locker, pulling on an oversized rubber vest.

“Lead vest. Close enough.” He smiled at Madison. She didn’t return it.

“Looks like only half a suit. You’ll be exposed.”

“Look you don’t want to be in the cult. Neither do I.” Liam lifted his eyebrows and touched her shoulder before yanking his hand back quick. “Just tell me what to do.”

Madison’s gaze softened for a second. “You have to turn off the cryogenics, then reconnect them to the module weapons section.”

“It’s dangerous?”

Madison nodded.

“Pop’s taught me about station maintenance. I can do it.”

“Liam?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t want to be branded by the cult.”

∞

Liam kicked the fusion access hatch shut. Sealing himself in. A casket lined with pipes and wires.

“It’s really hot in here.” Laying on his back, Liam inched the decoupling wrench to pipe three.

“Decouple cryo-pipe number two.” Madison shouted over the choppy comms. He’d almost killed them, before he moved his wrench.

The pipe clicked and hissed nearly freezing his fingertips. Air hammered around him. A heartbeat from hell. “Done.”

“You have ten seconds. Move wire twelve to connector four.” Madison tried to make her words sound calm, but they weren’t.

Frost fringed the black lead vest. Even with all his strength the cables wouldn’t move.

“Liam, be careful. You could be electrocuted.”

“I am.”

“Five seconds.”

“As soon as I connect it—” Liam paused. “Madison—be a bitch and kill the cult ship.”

Liam ripped one of the sleeves on the vest. The wire inched towards number four. 

Copper bit into the spurs. Blinding sparks burned his skin.

The module lurched. Gravity quit working and his body smashed into the loose cryo-pipe.

∞

Frostbite blackened Liam’s fingertips when he emerged from the Fusion hatch. His lungs hurt more. One knee bent wrong, dropping him to the floor.

“Your face is all burnt.” Madison applied a salve to his chin.

“The cult ship?”

Madison nodded.

A bruise on Liam’s leg made him limp. “I’ll help you look for some books.”

“Liam?”

“Yeah?”

“You know I still don’t like you, much.” Madison made her lips curl upwards. “You’re too ragged.”

“I know.”