He was nearing exhaustion as he flew and blasted in self-defense. “I cannot believe what I am seeing,” Djanet said as she watched Rich’s valiant one-man battle. She had witnessed Rich’s bravery once before, but this was on a whole new level. She’d never seen anyone try anything like it. “I have to go out there,” she announced as she began to leave the cockpit. “Djanet! No!” Old-timer shouted. “It’s suicide!” “He’s right, Djanet,” James concurred as he gently grabbed her arm to stop her. She roughly pulled it away. “I’d rather die out there with him than in here, watching.” She stormed out of the room and toward an exit. “James,” Thel said with pleading eyes that urged him to do something to stop Djanet. “Let her go, James,” the A.I. asserted in James’s head. “You know you need her out there. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.”
