by Gun Brooke
“I know I can’t convince you,” Moon said. “And as things stand, I think Dancer and I’d rather go home.”
“No!” Beaux, who was still standing, walked over to her. “You may look like one of the Empress’s crew dressed in one of our uniforms, but you’re not safe out there. They might figure out you’re not part of ours, and that could get you hurt—or killed.”
“You’re head of the crew and you nearly got killed,” Moon said, knowing the harsh words hit Beaux hard. “They did kill Zac—in uniform. I know my way around and how to survive here. I have the advantage.”
“And you’ll try blasting them off the face of the planet the first chance you get,” Tracks said, not unkindly. “And that might get you killed.”
Moon knew he was at least half right, but she still needed to leave. “Am I your prisoner?” She held her breath, as being forced to stay against her will was close to being a slave.
Beaux opened her mouth to respond, but the wire alarms as well as the Ilienta klaxons interrupted her. The sound pierced Moon’s eardrums, and Dancer gave a growling howl next to her, his fur standing up straight on his back.
“What the hell?” Beaux rushed over to the opening. “Fuck, whatever it is, it’s happening all along the perimeter.” She pulled her sidearm as she turned toward the others. Tossing Moon’s weapon in her direction, she ducked outside. Moon was right behind her, together with Dancer, and she heard the others’ heavy footfalls join them.
Outside, people were running uphill through the camp, some firing their weapons toward the edge of the forest. Moon stopped to look at what had set off the alarm and made everyone panic. At first, she only heard a soft, thundering sound. Beaux stood next to her, receiving a massive rifle from a passing crewman.
Then Moon saw the first one. A colossal brummer broke through the tree line, wires hanging from his neck as he ran straight through one of the tents closest to the perimeter. “We need to go. He’s not alone!” Moon yelled and tugged at Beaux. “It’s an entire flock.”
Beaux paled but yanked her communicator to her lips as she began to run. “All hands, all hands. This is the captain. Head for the shuttles! I repeat, take refuge in the shuttles.”
Moon knew Beaux’s words were law among her crew, but to see them turn as one and head up the mountain to the shelves where the two shuttles stood was still amazing. “Most of them are within reach, but those who aren’t need to scramble up a tree. The brummers can’t climb.” Moon yanked at Beaux’s arm to get her attention.
“Got it.” Beaux relayed the information to the crew, and Moon whipped her head around to look behind her and saw some of the crew heeding the latter orders.
“They’re already in the Ilienta camp,” Tracks called out next to them. “Damn, they’re huge.”
“And fast,” a voice belonging to a young woman said from behind them. “We’re not going to make it to the shuttles.”
“Beaux! Over there!” Moon pointed at the trees that grew between the two camps. “That’s our only chance.” She turned a hard right and hoped the others would follow her. If she managed to move up a few branches, she would be able to pull some of them up. Behind her, she heard as the thumping grew in numbers and, unfathomably, in speed. Around the camp, she heard people scream in terror, and the sounds had eerie echoes from the Ilienta side. Moon didn’t dare turn her head and look behind her, afraid she’d stumble and fall.
Moon reached the trees first and flung her hooks forward with practiced ease. She clung to the trunk of the closest tree and hoisted herself up. Reaching the first branch, she rose to stand on it and looked down at the others.
The young woman was as agile as Moon, and even without hooks, she climbed up the trunk and moved out on a thick branch on the opposite side. This would make it easier. “Hey, you!” Moon called out. “Do what I do.” She straddled the branch and let her body tip over, hooking her legs around it. “Keep close to the trunk and help them up.” Moon reached down and grabbed the hands of a woman who was literally trying to claw her way up the tree. Moon tugged at her, which made it possible for the woman to reach the branch she was hanging from and move up to the next one. Moon shot the young woman on the other side of the trunk a glance and saw she had caught on. As soon as Tracks had made it up to the girl’s branch, he took over and propelled the people up to the branches above him.
Beaux and Veyar were laying down cover fire, holding the brummers back while the crewmen around them found shelter in the trees. “Climb up in the tree,” Beaux shouted to Veyar as she fired into the ground in front of the approaching animals.
“You too!” Veyar yelled back.
“I’ve got you, Captain!” the young woman from earlier shouted from higher up in the tree and began firing.
Moon was still upside down and now extended her hands to Beaux. In the corners of her eyes, she saw Dancer back up against the tree, growling. “Dancer!” she screamed, knowing she wouldn’t have time to help both him and Beaux up. To her right, she saw Tracks preparing to haul Veyar up. Beaux pushed her rifle onto her back and ran the last meters toward the tree. Behind her, two younger, more agile brummers came from the side. “Now, Beaux. Jump!” Moon screamed the words, not sure Beaux heard her. “Hurry!” She saw Beaux leap and grab for her in midair. Ignoring the pain in her palms, Moon closed her hands around Beaux’s wrists. The momentum swung Beaux away from the animals that rushed past her with only half a meter to spare.
At the same time, Veyar let go of his rifle and wrapped one arm around Dancer’s lanky body. Reaching up with his free hand, he jumped and found Tracks ready for him. Two other hands tugged at the skin at the back of Dancer’s neck, helping drag him up.
Moon felt her legs start to lose their grip as Beaux’s body began to swing back, but then other hands were reaching down from the branch above Moon, grabbing at both their uniforms, hauling them up.
“Damn.” Beaux clung to the trunk, having locked her legs around Moon and holding on hard to her collar. “That was close.” She was gasping for air and staring at Moon with wide eyes.
“Far too close.” Moon trembled so hard, she was grateful for Beaux’s grip on her.
“Where’s Dancer?” Beaux asked, looking down at the ground in alarm. “I can’t see him!”
“He’s here,” Tracks said. “Not happy, but not dead either.”
“That friend of yours has more lives than all of us put together.” Tugging at Moon, Beaux shook her gently. “And you saved me again. All of us here in the trees, in fact.”
“We saved each other.” Moon inhaled deeply and tugged at her ponytail. “Do you understand now? I’ve seen them move in packs before, even hunt like that, but never in a herd this big. This is Haven striking back!”
“That doesn’t make sense. There must be some logical explanation.” Beaux looked down again. “We all right here for now?”
“We need to climb higher. If a really large one decides to try, he can reach us here.” Moon sighed at her inability to convince Beaux. She shifted to get a glimpse of Dancer, whom Tracks and Veyar were keeping in place against the trunk on the other side. He had his claws dug into the bark of the tree and looked shell-shocked.
“Listen up,” shouted Tracks, who clearly had been paying attention. “Everyone moves one more branch up. Just don’t fall, all right?”
Soon, they were all perched well out of reach of the brummers, including Dancer, who was now strapped onto Track’s back inside his ammunition harness.
Moon still heard screams from the Ilienta camp, and she shuddered to think of the people who hadn’t made it to safety.
“I know,” Beaux said quietly. “It’s horrible.”
Moon nodded and closed her eyes. “I’m still trying to figure out why the brummers would do this.”
“Perhaps the Ilienta crew scared them, Moon?” the young woman said from where she sat next to Tracks. “I’m Nia.” She gave a little wave.
Moon had to lean sideways to meet Nia’s gaze, and now sh
e frowned, not understanding. “What do you mean?”
“Ilienta’s first team of miners has been drilling halfway down the valley since daybreak.” Nia looked around her. “Several of their miner teams moved out early today. I only heard about it just before the stampede started.”
“They’re already drilling?” Moon whispered and moved to jump off the branch, but Beaux caught the hem of her uniform jacket and held on firmly.
“Don’t even think about it.” Beaux tugged her closer. “If that’s the reason for the animals to attack, or stampede, we’ll find out. Right now, we have to figure out our next step without anyone getting killed in the process. Unless you haven’t paid attention, plenty of stragglers are still down there.”
Frustration filled every cell in Moon’s body, but Beaux was right. She couldn’t do anything if a brummer picked her off as soon as she hit the ground. A quick glance at Dancer where he clung to Tracks’s back helped her remain calm. She couldn’t go anywhere before it was safe to bring her friend down.
“Once the beasts have moved on,” Beaux said, raising her voice, “I want you to round up every single one of our shipmates who is planetside and move them into the shuttles. I want everyone up on the ship. Once the crew is secure, we’ll offer passage to the ones from Ilienta who want off the planet.”
“You’re heading out and leaving the rest of them behind?” Moon interrupted her, pushing Beaux’s hand away.
“No. Not leaving. As I have tried to explain to you, over and over, my company is under contract with Ilienta. I’ll be in orbit with my crew awaiting the completion of their test drills. Once they’re back on board with their samples, we’ll return to Cimerian space. I know some from Ilienta will stay behind and begin building a more permanent base camp for phase two. Now, regarding that part of the operation, I’ll use my opt-out clause. No amount of money is worth working with Ilienta.”
“I think they’ll have problems finding another transportation company.” Tracks huffed. “Dishonest crooks, all of them at the top, if you ask me.”
Moon wasn’t sure how to react to Beaux’s matter-of-fact approach to what Ilienta was up to. Had she misunderstood when she thought Beaux was falling for Haven’s uniqueness? Had it been just a passing curiosity that had evaporated once the precious contract came up?
“I need to go home,” Moon said. “You’ve talked about protecting me. Once you’re back in orbit, I’ll be on my own, so I might as well start now.” For some unfathomable reason, the idea of being alone, not counting Dancer, stabbed her in the chest.
“I did say that anyone who wanted to come with us to the ship is welcome to do so,” Beaux said. “That goes for you too.”
Moon tried to decipher Beaux’s expression. Alarm? Fear? Regret, perhaps? She wasn’t sure. Beaux’s stern persona, and definitely her commanding aura, made her hard to read. Still, something in the darkening of her eyes and the tension around her lips suggested she wasn’t indifferent to Moon’s perceived lack of safety.
“I don’t want to leave Haven. This is my home. It’s where I belong.” Moon looked out between the leaves. “I think it’s safe to climb down now. I’ll be heading home.”
“Wait!” Beaux followed Moon as she began to descend. “You can’t just leave. We have to at least make sure what’s going on.”
“Captain?” Veyar asked as he joined them on the ground. He helped Tracks down and then assisted the man by releasing Dancer from the harness. Dancer bounded over to Moon and placed his front paws on her shoulders. He sniffed her forehead and then let her go and sat down at her side. He kept looking back and forth between Moon and Beaux, clearly wanting them to continue talking. Moon knew she was close to tears, which she hated.
“I know, but to be honest, Moon has a point.” Beaux looked down at Dancer. “And that guy is hardly subtle.”
“He’s one smart fellow,” Tracks said, hoisting his rifle over his shoulder.
“All right.” Beaux rubbed her forehead. “Tracks. Somas. Nia. You’re remaining planetside with me. Veyar, you take our people up to the Empress.”
Veyar nodded, but Moon could tell he was concerned. “Aye, sir.”
Beaux turned her attention toward Moon. “You might just be more stubborn than I am. If you want us to help you get to the bottom of what’s going on with Ilienta, with the animals, and, yes, the strange circumstances regarding the aftermath of the explosion, you have to take the four of us along.”
Moon went rigid. Take them to our tree house? To the escape pod? Her entire being screamed no, but how could she refuse their help? This was about more than her life. This was about Haven, about Dancer and all the other animals. She thought of all the amazing species she’d seen on her hikes. If Ilienta was successful, more like them would come, and soon this world could be barren. So much was at stake, far more than these people could ever dream of, and if Moon had to lose her freedom…well, there were other ways out of that.
“I’ll take you with me, though it’s a long hike.”
“Good. I have a way for us to reach your place quickly.” Beaux rested a hand on Moon’s shoulder and squeezed it gently. “It’ll give us the advantage.”
The warmth of Beaux’s hand made Moon relax marginally. Maybe she could dare take a risk for some additional time with this woman? Her heart thundered at the touch, and she averted her eyes, meeting Dancer’s gaze instead. He hummed at her, his eyes unusually sad. She tugged gently at his left ear and smiled.
Beaux pulled her communicator to her lips. “Captain Lestarion to Ensign Pylo.”
A young male voice responded. “Pylo here, sir.”
“Bring the Rapidfire to the crew camp. Set down in the center. We’ve had an incident, so you don’t need to worry about the tents.”
“Already starting up, sir. ETA in three minutes.”
“Excellent. Lestarion out.” Beaux shifted her attention to Veyar. “I think most of our crew are aboard the shuttles. Better leave now. I’m sending Pylo and his crewmen back in one of the scuttles. We have long-range communicators in the Rapidfire. I expect to hear from you when you’re back on the Empress, and I’ll contact you when we’ve reached Moon’s home.”
“Be careful, sir.” Veyar saluted and then waved to the group of twenty-some crewmembers to join him as he began running toward the shuttles.
Chapter Sixteen
Before they boarded to take off in the Rapidfire, Beaux and her small team walked over to the edge of the Ilienta camp. The mayhem that met them made Beaux change her mind. One shuttle had already departed, and the other was about to. She engaged her communicator. “Lestarion to Veyar. Hold the launch.”
“Sir?” Veyar answered instantly.
“We’ve crossed into the other camp, and they need our help, no matter what. We can’t leave them like this. Bring all the volunteers from your shuttle that you can, and take the wounded back with you. Doc’s on your shuttle, right?”
“She is. Just continue your mission, Captain. We’ve got this.” Veyar, who Beaux relied on most to keep her grounded, clearly agreed.
Not wanting to leave until she saw her crew streaming out of the shuttle to assist the ones that had given them so much grief for months, Beaux stepped into the camp and crouched next to a tall, muscular man. He had horrible gashes left by long claws, and his left arm was nearly severed.
“I see at least twenty more with equally bad wounds,” Tracks said as he pulled the man’s belt from his pants and attached it above the injury. “And several fatalities.”
“Most of the miners seem to have left the camp,” Somas said. “These are maintenance staff.”
The crew from the shuttle, now among the wounded, were clearly shocked. Beaux hated leaving them to deal with this situation, but they needed to learn what was going on and find out what had happened with the mining crews.
“All right. Our crew’s handling this,” Beaux said and turned to the ones she’d selected to join her and Moon. “Let’s go to the Rapidfire.”
The Rapidfire sat in the center of the crew’s camp, where the medical tent once stood. The three men had already fetched the scuttle, and it hovered a few meters off the ground. Beaux nodded and saluted them before gesturing for them to take off into orbit, where they’d dock with the Empress.
After opening the hatch, Beaux motioned for the others to enter. They climbed in, but when it was time for Dancer, the animal stopped and refused to budge.
“Come on, Dancer. It’s all right,” Moon said and came back to the opening. “It’s not dangerous.”
Dancer puffed out his cheeks and gave a “offt” sound.
“Please. We need to do this, little man. And we’re going home.” Moon reached out for him. “Come on. I promise we’ll be fine.”
Beaux took two steps closer to Dancer. “Hey, big guy. We need you, especially Moon, since she’s still not quite okay after the blast. You have my word you’ll be all right.” Feeling utterly idiotic for talking to an animal and knowing full well that her crewmen were looking at her under raised eyebrows, Beaux didn’t take her eyes off Dancer. She carefully placed her hand just behind his neck, massaging lightly. “I’d never lie to you,” she murmured.
Dancer turned his big head and gazed at her, his beautiful, expressive eyes regarding her as if he probed her soul. “Ffs,” he said. “Tch-ffs.” Then he took a few slow steps toward the vessel and climbed aboard. Beaux went with him, her hand still on his back, feeling him tremble. He really was a courageous being.
“Sit here with me, Dancer,” Tracks said, probably feeling that he knew the animal after having had him strapped to his back in the tree. “There’s plenty of room on the floor over here.”
Dancer sauntered over, and Beaux had the feeling he was trying to look more casual than he felt. This type of behavior suggested intelligence on his part, which she had come to accept from this extraordinary animal.