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the thick coating of space jelly. “Hey, you’re almost healed!”
    “While your ministrations were very helpful, the truth is that Claktills heal quickly,” the little alien said. “It is one of the things that has allowed our species to survive for so long through so much turmoil.”
    BOOM.
    Suddenly, the entire ship shook. It felt as though the vessel had struck, or been struck by, something very large. This can’t be good, Eris thought nervously.
     

6
    T he ship shook again.
    “What’s going on?” Eris demanded. “Did we hit something?” Thoughts of the Titanic suddenly sprang to her mind. But there aren’t any icebergs in space … well, unless you count comets. She shook her head. Focus!
    “I do not know,” Miguri said, hair spiking in agitation.
    They huddled in the bottom of the cell as several more explosions rocked the ship.
    Captain Hroshk’s furious voice blared over the intercom, “All hands to battle stations. The ship is under attack by an unidentified enemy. Repeat, the ship is under attack. The hull has been compromised. Kill all intruders.”
    “I believe we may be under attack by raiders,” Miguri said, twisting his tail around his midsection in a defensive gesture.
    “Raiders? I don’t like the sound of that.”
    “Yes, that is the most likely cause of the commotion. A typical raiding strategy is to sneak up on a target ship while their guard is down, disable their engines, and then latch onto the hull.”
    Eris tried to imagine what that would look like. In her mind, a wooden pirate ship had its anchor wrapped around a giant blue gum ball.
    “That would explain why it felt like something hit us.” Eris suddenly wished she had some sort of weapon. If they were going to be attacked, she wanted to be able to defend herself.
    Miguri nodded. “Let us only hope the raiders do not try to take the bridge.”
    “Why? Is that bad?”
    “If they take the bridge,” he said grimly, “then Hroshk will self-destruct the ship rather than surrender. It is a matter of honor to the Ssrisk.”
    “Ah. Well, that’s not good.”
    “Indeed.”
    They sat in silence for a few minutes, listening for sounds of battle. Then they heard a series of zwoosh sounds from not far away.
    “What was that ?” Eris asked.
    “That is the sound of strikers being fired.”
    “Strikers?”
    “Remember the gun device you said your planet’s cowboys use? A striker is somewhat similar, but it fires plasma bursts instead of bullets. And it can be used to stun, not only to wound and kill.”
    “How very Star Trek.”
    “Pardon?”
    “Never mind.”
    The sounds of battle continued, raging beyond their field of view. Eris felt helpless, not knowing what was happening. Then there was only silence.
    “Do you think the attackers left?” she asked hopefully.
    “No,” the Claktill proclaimed. “They have probably released paralysis gas into the air vents to render the Ssrisk immobile.”
    “Paralysis gas!”
    “Do not be overly concerned. Since we are not paralyzed, the gas is likely targeted specifically at Ssrisk biology. We should experience only mild symptoms, faintness at the most.” Miguri sighed. “If we survive this, Captain Hroshk will be in a very bad mood. The Ssrisk despise those who avoid a straight fight.”
    “Well, who wouldn’t try to avoid a fight with a Ssrisk, if they had the chance?”
    Miguri smiled faintly. “A fair point.”
    Just as Eris began to believe they might come out of the whole attack unscathed, they heard the sound of footsteps racing toward their cell.
    BOOM.
    The cell door exploded in a shower of sparks, spewing charred bits of blue spongy material at Eris and Miguri. Through the ragged hole came a six-foot-tall male humanoid figure. He was clad in black body armor from neck to toe save for the milky-white lamri glowing on his belt. His head was entirely concealed by a black helmet with a darkly tinted visor. In one hand he held a deadly looking gun—Eris assumed it was