Chapter 5: Master of Repairing
"You all have thirty seconds to decide," the man's voice came through the microphone. "Twenty-nine, twenty-eight..."
The death countdown began, and the screams in the cabin grew louder as despair spread across everyone's faces.
As the time dwindled, Yuka was about to forcefully break through the cabin door and head straight for the cockpit when she heard a faint voice beside her, "I... I can."
Yuka turned her head.
The boy next to her had a flushed face, his voice barely audible, "I can do it." Trembling, he stood up and walked to the junction between Cabin 3 and Cabin 2. He was knocked down by the chaotic crowd, struggling a few times before managing to get back on his feet.
"Seven, six... Looks like we have a volunteer," the man, observing through the monitors, saw the flushing boy and burst into laughter, telling someone beside him, "Go bring that kid here."
The crowd suddenly quietened down.
They looked at him with hopeful eyes, some crying tears of gratitude. The tattooed man wiped his face and threatened the boy, "You better be able to fix their ship—"
"I can too."
Yuka stood up, interrupting the tattooed man.
The pirates in the cockpit were taken aback. "Fine, bring them both over."