Lost Planet 01 - The Lost Planet by Rachel Searles

moment, his lip curling. “Idiots! Do you know how much energy a single fold uses up in a granny cruiser like this? We’ll be lucky if we last another day!” Shaking his head and muttering in another language, he began to unfasten his space suit.
    Chase looked back at the console, trying and failing to see how much energy the cruiser had left. “Do you know where we are?”
    â€œNot yet.” As he undid the latches on his sleeves, the man glanced around the cabin. His eyes rested on Mina for a moment, but he didn’t say anything.
    â€œWho are you?” asked Parker, squaring his shoulders and brushing a few sweaty strands of hair out of his face. “Did you know we saved your life?”
    The man pulled off the top half of his suit. “My name is Maurus.”
    â€œAnd you’re from Lyolia.”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œWe found you floating next to a wrecked Khatra over Mircona. What happened?” asked Parker.
    Maurus stepped out of the bottom half of his suit and tossed it on the cabin floor beside Mina. Underneath he wore a trim black jumpsuit. “That’s none of your business,” he said, and returned to the pilot’s seat.
    â€œYou’re not from the Fleet. Did you steal the Khatra?” Parker asked.
    Maurus ignored him.
    â€œDid you see what happened to Trucon?” asked Chase. “Do you know what caused it?”
    â€œWill you both shut up?” Maurus ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “I can’t do this if you’re babbling in my ear the whole time.”
    Parker scowled and watched over Maurus’s shoulder with his lips pressed together. Chase tried to watch as well, but the blur of screens, numbers, and maps made no sense to him. He looked back at the vast field of rubble crowding around them, the massive, dark shapes outlined by the light from some distant star.
    â€œClear out,” said Parker, nudging Chase from his seat.
    Chase hastily buckled himself into one of the seats on the back wall as Maurus announced the next fold. With the same brain-sucking feeling, they left the debris field and reappeared in an area of blank, empty space.
    â€œDo you know where we are now?” Chase ventured.
    Maurus didn’t answer.
    â€œDo you know—” Parker began to repeat.
    â€œStill working on that,” snapped Maurus. They sat in tense silence as they waited for Maurus to complete his calculations. “We’re within a five-parsec range of Senica.”
    â€œAlright, let’s go there,” said Parker.
    Maurus pondered the screen for a few more moments. “No. There’s an emergency signal being broadcast. They’re telling all survivors from Trucon to go to Qesaris. The Federation is setting up refugee camps there in the capital.”
    â€œDo we have enough power to make it that far?” Parker asked.
    â€œI can squeeze it out of her.”
    â€œNo.” Parker stood up straighter and crossed his arms. “This is my cruiser, and that means you’re under my command. Go to Senica first and replenish the core.”
    Maurus made one last entry on the console and turned in his seat, regarding Parker with a cool stare. “Your command, is that right?” Behind him, all the screens went black. “I’m not flying into any planetary zone until I know how two Earthan boys ended up piloting a vehicle unattended, with a blitzed android in the cabin. Did you hijack it?”
    â€œNo. It’s my cruiser,” began Parker.
    Maurus arched his eyebrows. “I don’t believe you. What are your names?” He turned around to face Chase.
    â€œHe’s Parker and I’m—”
    â€œThat’s my little brother, Corbin,” interrupted Parker loudly. “Parker and Corbin Mason.” Chase tried not to look surprised and plastered a fake smile on his face.
    Maurus seemed not to have noticed, as he had turned his attention to