Chapter 28
The countdown reached zero. The Wanderer’s jump engines flung it into jump space. Jess checked the ship’s sensors and saw that the Shadow Beam had jumped at the same moment and was cruising along a parallel path in jump space.
“Twenty-nine hours to Daspal,” he said, breaking the silence.
“Twenty-nine hours to decide what to do about the prisoners in the hold,” Elizabeth replied.
“No. We need to decide that now. You heard Sal describe what these journeys can be like. She only scratched the surface. There’s far worse that can happen.”
A shudder ran down Jess’s spine as memories of his lonely journey surfaced once again.
“You know my vote,” Sal said. “We free them. Right now.”
“I agree,” Ali said firmly.
Elizabeth sighed heavily. “I have to agree too, but we need t
