"Shit, stay down, Karl!" Ryker snapped. His voice cut through the tight air of the workspace.
Karl froze on the cot, his hand halfway to lifting himself. He nodded and dropped back without a word. Iora gave him a brief, steadying glance, then turned away and grabbed a cloth, wiping down the table with sharp, stiff motions.
Ryn picked up a broken scanner and started fiddling with it, the lenses of his goggles catching the low light as he kept one eye on the door.
Ryker walked to the entrance, his shoulders squared. He pulled it open and stepped out. The door slammed shut behind him.
Iora leaned toward Ryn, her voice low. "Who do you think it is?"
Her eyes flicked to the tarp covering their gear, then back to him.
Ryn shrugged, twisting a wire in his fingers. "Could be anyone. Scavenger. Trader. Just… not more heat."
"After yesterday?" she muttered. "We're already hanging by threads."
