protect.

It was oft impossible to see in this storm and it seemed to be thickening. Or that could have been Kora's imagination playing tricks on her. She wondered, for a brief moment, what kind of chances this Miner's Danger ship had in beating them, in overtaking them.

Miner's Danger was huge.

Perhaps the better question was: what were the odds Kora could stop the pirates?

These were experienced pirates, had been around, according to legend, according to Ricky—who was dead. Kora couldn't get past that.

As she piloted the small rowboat, Scarlet seated behind her, she pictured Ricky taking that bullet through the throat. Pictured Jeff getting jettisoned from the deck and into that void.

To his death.

She'd lost two crewmates.

She'd barely known them, but it was unacceptable—she'd never lost a mate. Chills ran through her and she throttled forward, faster now, through the shifting sands. The sands whipped their hair around. She was sure that, after this, even after many baths, she'd be finding sand in places on her body for weeks.

That's when she saw the red glows backlighting the sands, the sparks, and heard the noises accompanying the sight. Cannon fire. Lots of it. They were trying to sink The Ginger Star. Which made Kora's blood boil.

They descended towards Miner's Danger, having wrapped around to the opposite side. Kora flew them by the mast, but they couldn't make out the man who'd been standing at half.

They could see a man at the helm.

No one else on the deck.

Kora threw the rudder up and to one side, swooshing them down towards the man at the helm of Miner's Danger, coming in fast. Now Scarlet would have to prove her skill.

Just as Kora thought it, Scarlet shot—the sound from the rifle booming in their space. Kora saw the man's head explode, blood carried away by the sands and the wind. The man's body collapsing onto the deck.

*****

TJ made it to the kitchen. The ship was shaking side to side, but he felt somewhat safe in here. He leaned over the kitchen sink and threw up, picturing Ricky and Jeff. He'd known them for years. They'd been friends. Not great friends, but still. Ricky had a family.

The storm was outside this kitchen, outside these walls.

TJ felt that Kora and Scarlet could handle things.

He knew Scarlet was capable. And Kora seemed capable.

But then he heard cannonballs firing into The Ginger Star. One cannonball came through the kitchen wall, flew right past his head, barely missing, sending splinters into the space around him.

TJ hit the deck, covering his head with his hands.

Unsure of their chances.

As they flew skywards, the sand took on a lighter texture, the suns breaking through.

And then, just like that, they broke through the top of the sandstorm, into the open sky. The suns were so hot and white that Alex had to blink her eyes against them.

Leveling them out, Alex stopped boosting.

And they hovered there, taking in deep breaths. The storm was loud beneath them, but since they'd just come from the inside of it, it felt quiet and calm up here.

The board was sputtering less. Perhaps it wasn't going to break after all.

The polarity was thin here. She could feel it. It was enough to keep them suspended—it wouldn't be enough to hold up a ship the weight of The Ginger Star.

Felix was spitting dirt out of his mouth. Alex took the sleeve off her face and ran her hands through her hair, shaking out sand.

"We're home free," said Felix, sarcastic as always.

It was very likely they were going to die up here—rather, down there. Alex looked into the storm. She didn't want to die like this.

Plus, it didn't make any sense.

Did it?

Alex thought about what the Voice had told her in the prison.

This couldn't be the end.

Which meant—

"We have to go back into the storm," said Alex.

It took Felix a moment to register what she'd said. He shook his head in exclamation. "What! Are you crazy? This board has plenty of gas, right? We can stay here until the storm passes through."

"How long will that take?"

"I don't know," said Felix. "I don't know anything about sandstorms. And neither do you. We just got out of it; we shouldn't go back into it."

"We have to help Kora and Scarlet," said Alex. "That's the whole reason we're here in the first place. You believe in destiny, right?"

"No," he said.

"Then why do you like me?" Alex asked.

His face began turning red. Alex smiled.

"What are you talking about?" Felix said.

"If you don't believe in destiny, then why live? If there is no reason you're here, no greater purpose, then what's the point?"

"Why were you in prison?" Felix asked.

"Just admit it. You like me."

"Do you like me?" Felix asked.

"No, but I'm flattered you like me."

Felix smiled. "Fine. I like you. You're an interesting person."

"I know."

"But that has nothing to do with anything."

"If we die, I figure you're a nice person to kiss for a final kiss."

"But you just said you don't like—"

She stopped Felix there, kissing him on the lips.

"Now, let's find our ship," said Alex.

Before Felix could object, Alex aimed them into the storm diagonally.

"You're crazy!" yelled Felix as they entered the thick sands once more.

"Not that crazy," Alex said.

Then the storm swallowed them. Alex had the motor revved up to half-speed, barreling through the darkness. The sands whooshing past and around. There was an odd feeling of serenity. Descending at half-speed, using gravity to fall in conjunction with forward thrusts, falling through a sandstorm. Yes, Alex realized there was something magical about it. She also realized that the trip to the top of the storm had been somewhat a waste of time.

She didn't care.

That was the past.

This was the present.

Alex only looked forward in life. Never backwards.

It was time to do her job.

To protect Kora.