I studied Vance and shoved the thought away, swallowing the bitterness that rose like bile. I would not fail our mate in such a manner. I could not. I would die before I made that kind of mistake again.
“Captain Marz,” Governor Rone’s voice cut through the fog in my head, dragging me back to the present. “Status update.”
I straightened in my seat, the chair creaking beneath me. The synthetic fabric pressed against my back, overly warm despite the cool temperature of the room. I forced my voice to staysteady. “We’ve sustained minor damage to domes seven and eight. Repairs are underway, but the structural integrity of the biodome is at risk if this continues. We’ve had to redistribute resources to keep essential systems operational. Power is fluctuating again in the southern quadrant.” I could still feel the vibration of the last magnetic pulse, a hum that had sunk into the bones of the base itself.
“And still, we have no explanation for these anomalies?” The governor’s tone was sharp, not quite accusatory, but close. There was a dryness to his voice, as if he hadn’t had water in hours. I could sense the worry beneath the question, shared by all of us.
“No, sir,” I replied, the words like gravel in my throat. “The I.C.’s team hasn’t slept.”
“Neither has my mate.” The governor’s displeasure was clear in his sharp tone.
“I’m fine, my love.” Rachel, seated next to him, placed her hand on his arm.
“You are not. None us are. I have contacted Prime Nial and informed him that we may need to evacuate.” The grave admission fell from his lips like a death nell.
Fuck. I hadn’t realized the situation had deteriorated so quickly. “How long do we have?”
Rachel kept her hand on the governor’s arm, as if to calm him. “We don’t know. There’s nothing natural about this weather. I’ve had our analysts and experts working around the clock, but it’s almost like the atmosphere is being tampered with from the outside.” Rachel hesitated, the weight of her next words settling heavily on my shoulders. “We’re starting to consider the possibility that this could be an attack.”
Governor Rone’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes narrowed slightly, the muscles in his jaw tensing. “The Hive,” he muttered, and the word seemed to darken the room, like a cold wind slipping through a cracked window.
No one spoke for a moment. The silence pressed in, thick and suffocating. The Hive had been our enemy for centuries, a destructive power that had coveted our resources, and our people, from the start. The Hive was responsible for the capture, and torture, of every single male on The Colony. They had forced their warped technology into our bodies. Tried to make us one of their own, control our minds and our bodies with nanotech. If they had found a way to manipulate the atmosphere, it wouldn’t be the first time they’d tried unconventional tactics to disrupt our mining operations. The minerals we extracted from this planet were vital to the Coalition Fleet’s transport systems, and if the supply chain broke down, the repercussions would be catastrophic.
“We need to know if we’re dealing with natural phenomena or hostile interference,” the governor continued, his voice low and rough. “Which means we’re going to need eyes on the ground—outside the dome.”
The weight of his words settled heavily over the room, pressing down like the air just before a storm. I could almost taste the metallic tang of the atmosphere on the back of my tongue, a phantom sensation from the thought of stepping outside the dome's protection. A reconnaissance mission into the storm would be perilous. The terrain outside was already hazardous under normal circumstances, with deep chasms, volatile minerals, and unbreathable air. Now, with the erratic plasma storms and electromagnetic surges, it could be a death sentence.
Vance leaned forward, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the table. His voice was steady, but I could see the strain, the pulse pounding at his temple. “I volunteer,” he said, glancing at me. He was our best pilot. If anyone could keep a ship in the air under such volatile conditions, it was him.
Yet, as head of security, I knew this planet. Every rock. Every plateau and cavern. If the Hive were here, the team would need my help to find them.
The words left my mouth before I could even think. “Count me in.” I could feel my pulse thudding in my temples, the taste of battle sharp at the back of my throat. My new bride, Rowan, would not be pleased when she heard the news. The thought of her scolding voice filled my chest with a mix of warmth and guilt. She had warned us both, more than once, about taking unnecessary risks, especially now that were building a life together. But this wasn’t just my life on the line—it was the life of everyone on this planet, including hers.
And maybe, if I was out there in the storm, I could finally atone for what happened to Perro.
Governor Rone raised an eyebrow. “You both sure about this?” His gaze flicked to me, lingered. I saw the lines deepen at the corners of his mouth, the subtle twitch in his cheek. “Captain, I understand you are newly mated. It’s not easy to make a decision like this. You risk much.” He glanced from me to Vance. “I would lecture you, demand one of you remain behind to protect your mate. However…”
“The situation is dire.” I nodded, swallowing against the tightness in my throat. “We understand the risks.” Even as I spoke, the words felt thin, like a brittle layer of ice.
“Lieutenant Vance?”
“I agree. And I do not intend to fail.” Vance’s hands closed into fists on top of the table. “One of us will return to our mate.” It was a vow, nothing less.
Rachel, the Governor’s mate, inspected both of us. As one of the few females on The Colony mated to two Prillon warriors, she understood the necessity of our mission, and the risks. “I don’t know Rowan that well, but I do know Earth girls are tough. Do what you have to do but come back to her. I’m not willing tosacrifice a single life on this planet. If we have to evacuate, we will. Do not do anything stupid or reckless out there.” She turned to study every male seated at the table. “That goes for all of you.”
When she’d glared every male in the room into submission, she turned back to me. “Where is your lovely mate?”
“She’s meeting with the other women in the garden. There’s talk about organizing evacuation efforts and resource rationing if the situation escalates.”
“Excellent. I think I’ll join them. Gentlemen.” Rachel gave us a quick nod and hurried out of the room.
The males around the table exchanged glances. A few chuckled, the sound dry and brittle in the heavy air. Vance’s grin was more of a grimace. “I wonder what kind of mischief they are getting up to,” he said, his voice low. Through the collars I sensed his real question; was our mate worried? Afraid? Did she miss us?
“We need to focus on the mission, make sure we come back to her.” As I said it, my mind was already slipping back, not to Rowan, but to Perro. I could still hear the sound of blaster fire, the way his breath hitched and stopped, leaving a hollow silence in its wake. The empty feeling in my gut when I realized I had failed not just him, but Hunt and Tyran, their mate, Kristin, and every warrior, fighter and warlord on the planet. I should have stopped him, sensed something was wrong. Confronted him. Killed him myself, if that was the only outcome.
Survivor’s guilt, they called it. The doctor told me I couldn’t have saved him, that Hive mind control was too insidious, undetectable, even with the medical teams’ most advanced sensors. But the guilt lingered, gnawing at my insides like a parasite. Every time I thought about Rowan—her bright eyes, her smile—I felt like a fraud. I had promised Perro he would be my second. We had fought side-by-side for years. I had believedhim the best choice to help care for my future mate, trusted him with my life.
I’d been wrong. The Hive had broken his mind, forced him to betray us all. Cost lives, lives I should have saved. But I had trusted him, blinded by the past. I’d ignored the signs. Even now, his voice still echoed in my head, called me a fool. Weak. Blind.
