From the cockpit of her jumpship, Kanmu mouthed words in almost perfect sync with the voices behind her. She'd spent most of this assignment ferrying Cryptarchs from planet to planet, and these scholars always had the same conversations over and over again.

She pantomimed a deep belly laugh right on cue.

Something was wrong this time, though. That laugh didn't sound right. Looking behind her, she realized one of the Cryptarchs was choking—probably on one of those hard candies they always seemed to have. She freed herself from the cockpit and hurried back to them, finding the afflicted scholar doubled over and gasping.

She positioned herself behind him, and time slowed. As her arms wrapped around the form in front of her, she made a fist with one hand and grasped it with the other, trying to pull up into the abdomen.

Don't break the ribs. Hands up higher. Pull up faster. More force. Not that much force! Don't break the ribs! Don't—

And then it was out. A hard candy. Of course. Kanmu laughed, relief coming over her.

Putting a reassuring hand on the recovering Cryptarch's back, she turned back to the front of the ship just in time to see an orange ball of energy soar into view from beyond the horizon. It was headed straight for them.

A sharp inhale as she rushed to the cockpit. They had to leave. There was still tim—

But there wasn't.