Tarkus had the Glimmer rocketing upwards through the atmosphere. The ship was buffeted badly, thrown from side to side unpredictably as it shoved its way through the noxious gases. As the flight grew rougher and rougher he did at least ease back the power levels, so Kaira wasn’t worried the ship was about to rip itself apart. Now all she had to worry about was whether there would be a welcoming committee of ships waiting as they left the atmosphere.
The transition was abrupt. One moment they were still being thrown around by the atmosphere, the next the shaking settled down to mild vibrations. After twenty seconds of that they shot out into space, the planet dropping away below them. Tarkus studied his displays intently.
“No one particularly close,” he said. “But it won’t take the
