by Elin Wyn
“This is so convenient,” Vidia marveled as she stepped through. “I’ll never want to travel another way.”
As we walked back into the Aurora, I didn’t let go of her hand as we walked back to her cabin.
“The first cure strike will take place tomorrow,” I told her. “It’s going to be a big day.”
She nodded solemnly. “Seraphe and the others will be working through the night, making sure things are prepared on their end.”
“It’ll be a busy rest of the day for us both,” I added, still reluctant to leave her.
She leaned forward, slightly lifting on her toes, face upturned to mine. “You better get some rest when you can.”
Cupping her cheek, I stooped down, brushing my lips over hers, the burst of sweetness sparking my blood.
“You, too.”
10
Vidia
“Are you sure you can convince them?” Evie asked as we hurried through the corridors to get to the docking bay before the cure strike team was ready to leave.
Leena blazed a trail ahead of us. No one wanted to get in her way when she had that look of determination on her face.
“I’ve already talked to Rouhr about it once,” I explained. “He knows how I feel, and I warned him that I’m going to bring it up again. I think telling him your concerns will win him over.”
I still wanted to participate in the cure strikes, as did Evie and Leena. Jeneva and Mariella were just fine with staying on the ground, while Amira preferred to work with Fen and the Gateway.
I hadn’t stopped thinking about Rouhr since he’d walked me to my cabin. When he touched me in Glymna I was surprised, but also, somehow, not surprised. When he kissed me, it’d felt like coming home.
As natural as every other part of our relationship, like something that was always supposed to happen.
But still a spice, the element of the unknown. All adding up to a puzzle I wanted to solve.
For the first time since the Xathi arrived, I wished there was less work to be done. I wanted to spend more time with Rouhr outside work, to see if there really was something there.
It took great effort to put those thoughts aside for the time being. I couldn’t forget about matters at hand just because I’d acknowledged that I had a crush.
I was a grown woman. I should be beyond crushes. And yet, here I was.
“Looks like they’re getting ready to take off.” I pointed to the far end of the docking bay where the strike teams gathered. I couldn’t see Rouhr from where I was, but I was sure he was there.
“Come to see us off, ladies?” Rouhr asked when we approached the strike teams. I paused, caught off guard by his choice of words.
“What do you mean ‘us’?”
I looked him over. He was fully suited up in tactical gear and armed to the teeth.
“I’ve sat in my office for too long. I’d rather be out with my crew, making a difference.”
I smiled, though I couldn’t help but feel worried.
“That’s very admirable of you,” I said. “But we didn’t come just to wish you luck.”
“I knew it.” Rouhr gave me a sly grin. “You still want to go up in one of the air units. I almost believed you weren’t going to bring it up again.”
“You know me better than that.” I smirked. “But this time, it’s not just about me wanting things to go my own way. Evie has some concerns you should be aware of before you decide who’s going up in the air units.”
I nodded to Evie, so she could take it from here.
“I know an airborne cure sounds simple enough,” she started. I could tell she was still intimidated by Rouhr, despite how patiently he listened. “But there’s a lot more to it than pulling the tab and throwing it out of an air transport.”
“My crew is very good at following directions,” Rouhr said kindly.
“I’m sure they are,” Evie replied. “But I’ve seen their field notes. Leena and I are going to need to know exactly how the gas disperses, how quickly it settles, what adjustments need to be made to the cannisters.” She raised her chin. “I don’t think they’re able to take the notes we’ll need in a format we’ll be able to use, in order to optimize for the next strike.”
Rouhr hesitated, while I tried to hold back my smile.
“I’m sure you can give them a sufficient overview.”
I could hear the doubt in his voice.
“Not if you want to complete the first cure strike today,” Evie told him. She swallowed hard. “And I know you’ve got a schedule you want to keep.”
Rouhr considered his options for a few moments before letting out a sigh of defeat. “Very well.”
“You’re making the right decision.” I rested my hand on his shoulder. “This is the greatest medical discovery of Evie’s career. She deserves to be there to see if it works.”
“That’s true,” Rouhr admitted, but I could tell he still wasn’t happy with the idea.
“Besides,” I added as worry gnawed at my stomach, “with the three of us up in the air, more of your crew will be on the ground to watch your back.”
“You’re worried about me?” Rouhr laughed. “I’ve been doing this for a very long time, Vidia.” He tilted my chin up to meet my eyes. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“I only worry because I care.” I shrugged, looking away. Whatever this was between us, it couldn’t be now. Couldn’t be here.
Except it was.
“So do I,” his voice was soft. “That’s one of the reasons I was so against you going up in the air units. Also, you’re incapable of taking orders.”
“I like that you care so much.” I smiled, ignoring that last bit. “Not just about me but about everyone. I think that’s what makes you a great general.”
“Others would beg to differ.”
“Others are stupid.” I tossed my head for dramatic effect to make him laugh. It worked.
“Come on,” he urged. “If you insist on being part of dangerous missions, let’s get you some gear, and I’ll need to make a few reassignments.”
Since I was going to be in an air unit, out of combat range, I only needed a comm to stay in contact with Evie, Leena, and the ground teams. I also took a pair of vision goggles to see better from a distance. Evie and Leena were given the same.
Rouhr walked me over to a small transport unit. It was sleek and streamlined, built for speed and agility. There was a seat for the pilot and another single seat behind it.
“D’val will be your pilot.” Rouhr gestured to a tall K’ver with a serious expression. He then turned to speak to him.
“You are to keep her as far from the line of fire as possible. Once you reach the camp, deploy the cure and observe its effects from a distance. Once the ground teams receive the signal to move in, you are to return here.”
“What?” I blurted. “But what if something happens?”
Rouhr turned his attention back to me.
“You’re going to be kept out of harm’s way whether you like it or not.” His voice was stern, a determined gleam in his eyes.
“Fine,” I grumbled.
Rouhr only laughed as he walked back to join the ground teams.
As soon as he was out of earshot, I leaned toward D’val, the pilot. “What are my chances of getting you to disregard his orders?”
“Your dedication is admirable. But I’m not disobeying the general.”
“Well, at least I tried.” I shrugged.
“Why are you so determined to go against him?” D’val asked as he performed his final external checks on the unit. There was no aggression in his voice, just genuine curiosity.
“It’s not that I wish to go against Rouhr. But when I feel like I could be of more help, I don’t like being stopped.”
D’val laughed.
“I think that’s something all of us can relate to. I’m not happy about leaving my general on the ground, either. But he knows what he’s doing. He’s proved that time and time again.”
“Then
why do I have to constantly cajole him into the smartest option?”
D’val took my hand to help me into the back seat before climbing in himself.
“You realize no one else is able to make him change his mind, right? I think he has a soft spot for you. But that’s none of my business.” He focused on his controls. “You should test your comm before we head out.”
I fiddled with the switches until I was able to hear the others.
“Can you hear me, Evie?”
“Yes,” Evie replied. “Can you hear me, Leena?”
“Affirmative,” Leena chirped.
“I think we’re all set,” I said to D’val.
He nodded and fired up the air unit. We lifted off the deck and flew out of the docking bay.
I could see the craft carrying Leena and Evie on either side of me. I peered over the side. Below, Fen and Amira worked to open a rift for us to pass through.
I’d already lost sight of Rouhr.
I knew he was capable in combat, but the thought of him directly in harm’s way, like he would soon be, made me uneasy. Maybe this was what he felt every time I tried to get involved.
A light flashing on my comm captured my attention. I pressed the corresponding button.
“Vidia, do you read me?” Rouhr’s warm voice wrapped around me.
“Yes.”
“Good. Be safe. I’ll meet up with you as soon as I can.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “You’re the one who needs to be safe.”
He laughed, and we clicked back to the main comm line.
D’val steered us through the rift. I looked down at the hybrid camp.
Camp wasn’t the right term to describe what I saw. There were no shelters, no fires…nothing one would expect to see. There was only a large round pen filled with hybrids, surrounded by Xathi guards as they circled, their unceasing jerky movements catching at my heart.
The Xathi shrieked when they spotted us, the hybrids began to howl. I clutched one of the pressurized canisters in my hand, waiting for Evie’s signal.
D’val lowered us slowly until we were even with Evie’s unit. Leena’s unit followed suit.
“Pull the tab and drop them as straight as you can,” Evie reminded us.
I pulled the tab on the canister and dropped it through the chute of the air unit.
A faint trail of pink vapor marked its journey down. I saw Evie and Leena’s canisters falling, too. When they hit the ground, billowing clouds of pink vapor were released.
I put on my vision goggles and adjusted them until I could get a better view.
“Can anyone see anything?” I asked into the comm.
“Yes, the hybrids are responding!” Evie shrieked with excitement. “Start recording, notate everything you can see!”
“Try to get a better viewpoint,” I urged D’val. He slowly shifted the transport unit until I was able to see more.
Soon, a percentage of the hybrids no longer acted rabid. More and more stood still, holding their heads and looking confused.
The crystal formations on their bodies were slowly changing, too. It was like they were being drained of color and energy, like the queen’s influence was being forced out of their bodies.
“Call in the ground teams!” Evie instructed.
I switched back to Rouhr’s frequency.
“It’s working!”
“We’re going in. I’ll see you soon.”
His end of the line went silent, and I held my breath.
11
Rouhr
As my team and I moved toward the camp, I kept an eye on the sky to make sure the air units returned to the Aurora. Two of them did almost immediately, but one lingered. I was certain it was Vidia, trying to watch as much as she could before D’val turned around.
I didn’t have to tune into the comm to imagine her negotiating with him, pleading with him to stay, so she could keep an eye on everything.
There was a reason why I assigned D’val to be her pilot. He was more stubborn than she was, and loyal to a fault.
Vidia would never be able to sway him from my orders.
But she’d try.
Sure enough, eventually the lingering air unit turned around and disappeared, the rift closing behind them.
The Xathi hadn’t noticed us yet. Their attention was focused on the pink vapor clouds and the hybrids.
One of the hybrids standing close to the edge of the pen ran its hands up and down its sides, like it was confused by its own body. It clawed at the crystal coating until a chunk broke loose. From where I stood, I could see a sliver of pale human skin.
It was only a matter of time before the Xathi figured out what the pink smoke was doing to their captives.
As soon as they did, I knew slaughter would start.
“Tu’ver, get the Xathi’s attention,” I instructed.
Tu’ver lifted his sniper rifle and shot the nearest Xathi clean through one of its leg joints. It shrieked and stumbled. The others scuttled over to it.
Tu’ver fired again, purposefully missing the vulnerable leg joints and striking a Xathi right between the eyes.
It spotted us in the instant before it died, and now all of them knew we were here.
There were ten in total, all Hunters. They shoved through the dazed hybrids and scrambled over the pen fence to get to us.
Those on my team who excelled in hand-to-hand combat dove at them.
I moved carefully, waiting until a distracted Xathi gave me the perfect chance to shoot out his legs.
One of the Xathi spun, flinging its rock-solid body in my direction.
I dodged, but not fast enough. The impact temporarily knocked the breath out of me.
I recovered quickly, but I suppose sitting at a desk for so long had made me a bit rusty.
Vidia would never let me hear the end of this.
Skrell.
I was still flat on my back when the Xathi leaped at me once more. I activated the blade attachment of my blaster and shoved it through the weak spot where the Xathi’s head met its body. It shrieked and writhed as I pushed the blade deeper.
Some of my team took advantage of its immobilized state and took out its legs, then Axtin delivered the fatal blow to its head with his hammer.
Once I found my rhythm again, the Xathi were no match for us. It was strange to admit, but being back on the battlefield felt good.
Great, even. It’d been too long.
It took us less than ten minutes to cut down the Xathi.
I was sure the Xathi queen had been watching us through the eyes of her now-deceased minions.
She’d send more guards to the remaining camps. We’d have to prepare accordingly; today’s easy victory wouldn’t be repeated.
But for now, I’d take it.
Most of the pink smoke had dissipated. I made a mental note of the time, sure that Leena and Evie would want the information.
The humans closest to where the canisters had dropped looked the most normal. I could see that most of them had already undergone some degree of physical change. The ground inside the pen was littered with discarded chunks of crystal.
A shriek got my attention. A group of humans that still looked entirely hybrid were circling a cluster of humans that could barely stand, let alone defend themselves.
“Get in there,” I ordered my team.
We leaped over the fence.
I launched a chunk of discarded crystal at the unaffected hybrids. One of them dashed for me. I subdued it and pinned it to the ground with my weapon across its neck.
“Can you hear me?” I demanded as it thrashed beneath me. “Do you understand me?”
It only continued to shriek and writhe. I looked into its eyes. There was nothing left of the human it once was.
With a heavy sigh, I reached forward and snapped its neck as quickly as I could.
Skrell and twice skrell. This would be the part of the report I didn’t want to share with the women. I didn’t want to see the brightn
ess of Vidia’s eyes dim.
But she deserved the truth. They all did.
After examining the dead hybrid, it was easy to differentiate it from the humans susceptible to the curse. The hybrid crystal formations were still bright. Not glowing, exactly, but alive somehow.
On the other hand, the crystals that covered the humans were dull, almost gray in color, and crumbling. I didn’t expect it to take long for the humans to be free of their crystal shells once they were in Glymna.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t do more for you,” I whispered and got to my feet. “Some are too far gone for the cure to work,” I announced. “Find them and keep them away from the recovering humans.”
As my team set to work on accomplishing the task, I looked around the pen. Hundreds of humans had been kept here for who knew how long.
I didn’t know if hybrids had to eat, but humans certainly did. Their bodies were weak. Many of them had sunk to the ground.
I approached several bodies, thinking they were dead, but they were just in a deep sleep.
Those who were still awake watched me with wary gazes. I was glad we’d worn holo-disguises. I don’t know how the humans would’ve reacted to our natural forms.
I wished Vidia was here. She’d know exactly how to comfort them.
“You have nothing to fear now,” I spoke loudly and clearly.
Some of the humans flinched at the sound of my voice. I lowered my voice before I continued speaking. “We’re here to help. There’s nothing to be afraid of now.”
Those nearest to me nodded. I hoped they understood.
My attention was pulled from the humans when Sakev jogged up to me.
“We’ve neutralized the last of the unaffected hybrids.”
“How many were there?” I asked.
“Only about thirty or so. Not a bad percentage when it’s all considered.”
By my estimation, there were at least five hundred people in the pen. No, thirty wasn’t bad at all. I bet Dr. Parr would be thrilled by her cure’s success rate.
“We need to get these people out of here.” I sighed. “They need food, water, and shelter.”
“We’ll work on getting those who can walk up and moving.” Sakev nodded before jogging off again.