63 Reclaims Hope (20)

Orikan grumbled as he lowered his staff.

Time, which had been flowing backward, began to move again the moment the butt of the staff touched the ground. The lieutenant of the Astral Claws' Third Company spoke words Orikan had heard so often he never wanted to hear them again.

"So, Sage, you mean this Necron traitor can help us get out of this damned place?"

Orikan sighed. As expected, Lufgt Huron froze for a moment after speaking, then immediately drew a bolt pistol from his waist.

Before he could fire, the Astromancer raised his staff across his body. A mild wave of temporal energy struck Huron, slowing the speed at which he drew his weapon by a factor of one hundred.

Even so, Huron only needed twenty seconds to complete the entire sequence of drawing, aiming, and firing. Orikan had already gone through this twenty-two times. He had memorized exactly how long each step took.

"Sage Kaplan—" He turned around. "—your processing power should be enough for you to deduce why I suddenly have a staff in my hands, and why I had no choice but to put Lieutenant Lufgt Huron in such an awkward situation, correct?"

The red-robed figure looked at him for several seconds, then nodded.

Twelve seconds left. Orikan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then, could I ask you to help explain things to him?" he promptly asked.

"I make no promises," Kaplan said. "But this is not your first time reversing time, is it, Astromancer?"

Orikan irritably lowered his staff, then sat upright again and answered sharply, "Yes. But I believe I have found a way to convince this stubborn bastard."

The green light clinging to Huron faded as he finished speaking. The gun was already in his hand, but he did not fire. Instead, he