Chapter 18

Relda and her crew had cleared roughly four asteroids. Time sped up from there. From one of the pathways, an orb appeared. Relda's vision shook. She floored the accelerator. Ozla enabled the energy shield.

Relda manipulated the controls, and the transport dipped lower into their gap pathway. The path took a sharp turn, and Relda followed it. As the orb gained on them, Relda dialed up her speed, lowered the transport, and let an asteroid conceal them with its underside. The orb also gained velocity. When Relda took shelter under the asteroid, it collided with the asteroid top side. The hiding place for the transport crumbled under the orb.

"Mama!" Bria screamed. "Look out!"

"The shield is on," Klea explained, adding an eye roll.

Shield or not, Relda accelerated as the orb came inches from her.

"Sorry about the eye roll," Klea said, patting Bria on the back. "We are safe.

"At least, for now." Asia added, gazing through one of the cabin windows.