Male Jumper

"Well? What are you waiting for? It's either her or your testicles." Eye Gouger said. Trembling, Sam raised the weapon and brought it down on Wind Jumper's shoulder. It was a loud slap, but not particularly hard. The echoes she heard made her realize that Eye Gouger was broadcasting it throughout the ship.

"BY OUR ANCESTORS! What kind of a noodle arm are you? And don't aim for her shoulder. You know what we're talking about." Wind jumper looked up at Sam, who was close to tears.

"Go ahead Sam. I can take it." Wind Jumper murmured softly.

He raised his hand again and brought it across her chest. Wind Jumper winced but did not cry out.

"Stupid. Look at the small metal plate. That's the part you need to hit her with." Limb Ripper admonished him.

Sam adjusted his grip and hit again, this time there was a pop with the contact and Wind Jumper stifled a cry through gritted teeth.

"Incompetent." Eye Gouger wrested the weapon from his grip and shoved him away.

"If you want anything done right, a woman has to do it." She said as she approached Wind Jumper.

Over the ship's intercom Male Curtner's voice announced: "Honored sisters, please come to the bridge immediately."

"What's the reason for your summons, male?" Eye Gouger questioned.

"We are being followed." He gestured to the display and enlarged it.

The ship behind them was twice their size and gaining on them fast.

"Is it armed?" Eye Gouger asked.

"Two type 1 phasors, one torpedo launcher, two missile launchers, two point defense phasors." Curtner reported.

"Pirates." Wind Jumper said.

"Can we fight them? Eye Gouger asked.

"Our ship is too weak. I doubt our one gun can even penetrate their shields." Curtner answered.

"Maybe we can get them to board us? Wind Jumper asked.

"This ship's weapons worked before. They'll work one more time." Limb Ripper said fatalistically.

"If they take our cargo, we will be executed. I'd rather die fighting then let them steal it." Eye Gouger said as she pulled her hood over her hair.

"Prepare to fire on my orders. Limb Ripper come with me to the weapons locker." Eye Gouger commanded.

Wind Jumper was too busy listening to the voice of the pirate captain demanding surrender to notice the insult of her exclusion.

"Should we reply?" Curtner asked.

"Wait a few minutes." Wind Jumper answered.

Suddenly there was a clunk sound on both sides of the ship and all on the bridge were thrown in a pile. As they disentangled themselves, Eye Gouger's voice yelled through the loudspeakers. "Fire the ship's weapon."

"Milady, you should go to the corridor outside the gun cupola and open the door to the storage locker there. You will find something very helpful." Curtner urged.

Not really knowing what else to do and hoping there might be a weapon better than her blade, she ran out of the bridge. As she searched the locker, the ship's weapon fired. All she could find were survival bags. Seconds later there was an explosion in the cupola room next to the corridor she was standing and bits of metal blew through the open doorway. There was a loud whoosh sound like a wave hitting the beach. A bulkhead slammed down over the door. Realizing there had been a hull breach she redoubled her fruitless search of the locker. She heard a high pitched whistle coming from the bottom of the bulkhead and understood that a small piece of metal had been wedged in the bottom allowing air to continue to escape. An alarm with a robotic voice warned her to leave the corridor immediately. Frantically she opened a bag to see if there was something inside which lost her the opportunity to leave the corridor before a second bulkhead came down blocking her only escape. Realizing she had very little time left, she crawled into the bag and sealed it. She took a few breaths and everything went black.