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connecting inside you, Captain—”
    This time, the bulkheads shuddered as well as the deck. An explosion deeper in the airship caused even more shaking than before.
    “Come!” Shu shouted, grabbing one of Maddox’s sleeves. “There’s no more time. You must leave.”
    Maddox allowed her to drag him out of the Visionary’s sanctum. They reentered the chamber where he’d first landed.
    “Run!” Shu shouted. “Follow me!”
    Maddox ran with her as he clutched the bundle. It looked like a parachute. The belly hatch dilated open, and the worst shivering and shuddering so far made both of them stagger toward the opening.
    Shu’s feet stepped upon air. She shrieked and tightened her grip but fell anyway, the force ripping her fingers from Maddox’s sleeve. The jerk and the shivering deck caused Maddox to lose his balance, a sickening feeling overtaking him as he tumbled out of the airship.
     

-6-
     
    As Maddox plummeted from the airship, he noticed several things at once. First, the Spacer vehicle had a similarity to the Dyson sphere saucers in the Builder System. Second, a Star Watch interceptor roared past the airship. Almost immediately, a missile ignited against the Spacer vehicle, blowing away hull armor.
    That had to be the cause of the airship’s repeated, interior shocks.
    Third, Shu 15 was below him, her limbs writhing as a faint shriek drifted upward. Fourth, the airship had lifted considerably since his capture. That gave him a little more time before he hit the ground.
    Maddox had a slit-eyed gaze as wind tore at his face and garments, trying to rip the parachute from his grip. With fierce concentration, he slid his arms and legs through the harness, cinching a belt around his waist.
    By the time he finished, the airship moved away with unbelievable velocity like the fabled UFOs of legend, seeming to defy normal physics. One thing was clear. The Visionary wasn’t going to rescue Shu. If the Provost Marshal were going to live, he would have to do something about it.
    Maddox gauged the distance to Shu and then to the ground. He didn’t have much time left. Without further thought, he swept his arms to his sides, shifted his weight and plunged headfirst, cutting through the air faster than before. He gained on her. Luckily, she had assumed a skydiving posture, slowing her rate of descent.
    Maddox grinned harshly, reveling in the challenge. He could reach her, he—
    He spied a plume from the ground. A rocket, roaring upward. Flames lengthened behind it. The rocket climbed with great velocity, aiming at Shu. Someone on the ground had targeted her. Maddox would like to know why.
    He tilted his feet so his toes pointed at the hidden stars. He had already begun to slow his descent so he wouldn’t crash against her too hard. Now, he realized he had to get to Shu before the missile did. He was risking his life doing this—
    “Balls,” he whispered.
    Maddox slashed through the air like a rapier, concentrating—the rocket had almost reached Shu 15.
    The captain slammed against Shu, grabbing her in a flying tackle. If he’d hit her lower back like that, it might have crippled her. She grunted forcefully, the wind likely knocked out of her, and went limp.
    Maddox grabbed with his arms and wrapped his legs around her lower torso. He aimed them both straight down.
    The rocket zoomed higher than they were and exploded. Shrapnel hissed past. One piece burned against Maddox’s side. Another slammed against him on the bundle. Had it destroyed the parachute?
    Maddox had no idea. He couldn’t worry about it. He hoped the Visionary was even half-right and the Spirit, the Creator, helped him. He was going to need it.
    With perfect body control and strength, Maddox moved them into a skydiving position even as he clutched a limp Provost Marshal. That slowed their rate of descent a little.
    He scanned the nearing ground for a missile launcher. Apparently, so did two interceptors, the planes roaring over the deck,