What if neither of them is no longer alive?
“Rune, I don’t—I can’t make that kind of choice right now. I just need to make sure Claire is okay.”
“I want to help you find your sister, but to what avail, if I know you’ll both be victim to what lies ahead on that forsaken planet? You could both be safe here, that I will promise you.”
“Rune…” I breathe, I don’t really know what else to say.
Ahead of us, Jex illuminates the passageway with beams of soft light that stream from the top of his faceplate. My eyes dart back and forth between the shadows of the strange men standing in front of me, and drop my shoulders. “It’s been days and I don’t even know if she’s still alive. What I do know is that she’s not going to make it much longer without me.” Tears fill my eyes and I try to wipe them quickly away. “That’s all I’m concerned with right now, getting back to Claire.”
“I will get you there, female,” Jex’s tone is cold and hard. I try to meet the black eyes of his armor but the light shines in my way. “For now, can we reach a place of certain safety here on this vessel so we can make a plan as to what to do next? The desperate words between the both of you is a great annoyance to the rest of us.”
I think I hate him a little. Desperate? Of course I’m desperate! I’ve been taken up into an alien space can against my will, stripped bare, and everyone who depends on me is still on Earth. Most likely alone.
“Fine, whatever,” I say, pushing through all of them to take the lead through the tunnel. “Just keep shining your alien beacon in front of us and let’s all shut the hell up. The quicker we get to the core, the quicker we can make a plan for me to get off this crazy, testosterone-filled garbage can.”
“Agreed,” Jex grunts, moving behind me. “Let’s push on.”
I walk a few steps ahead of them, my shadow stretching out before me, long and sharp. Jesus, they all must be getting a great view of my backside. This is insane. I need clothes now. Not only am I still freezing and shivering, I’m on full view for a bunch of alien virgins. And I can hear them clearly whispering about it.
I have no idea how long we walk, but I can gauge the duration by the aches in my feet and shins. I’m sore and tired and getting very cranky. They’re all wearing armor that helps rejuvenate their muscles and I just feel like I ran a marathon then decided to climb a mountain when I was finished. I just want to sit for a minute, or maybe a few thousand minutes. And I’m starving. I don’t think any of them eat up here. I need my own armor and I need it soon. The passage turns with a sharp right and slopes down into a dimly lit area where an abrupt surge of warm air meets my skin. The heat feels amazing and makes a soft sigh slip out of my mouth.
Suddenly, people are surrounding us.
I gasp and fall back, stumbling and losing my footing. Rune lurches in front of me and holds his arms out to protect me. “Get back,” he grinds. As I steady my balance and peer over his shoulder all I find are bare faces and horror-filled eyes. My mind can’t process what I’m seeing at first. It doesn’t make sense. Half-armored Caelum, maybe a half dozen of them, and some of them—oh my God—some of them look like women and children.
One older female stands in front; her hair is so blonde it’s almost white, cascading over her shoulder in a long, tangled braid. She has pale, paper-thin skin and narrowed angry eyes. One of her hands extends toward me, the tips of her alloy fingers glowing amber with the heat from her weapon. My heart screams in my chest.Okay, so thisis how I’m going to die. This is it. I’m never going to be able to help Claire. Who is she? Where the hell did they come from?
I pull my arms up to block my face and yelp out a cry, becausethatwill save me from instant disintegration.
Armored gloves raise up behind me. They too, glow red with whatever weapon is pulled to the ready. “Stand down,” Rune shouts. “By the direct order of General Rune, drop your arms.”
The blonde woman before me tilts her head an inch but her weapons still point toward my head. “Who are you?” she asks.
“Kate. I’m Kate.”
“Why have you no armor on?” a woman standing just to the right of her asks.
“Trust me, I wouldn’t be naked if I could find some freaking clothes on this piece of flying scrap metal.”
Rune slips in front of me holding his arm out, targeting the blonde.
“No, Rune. Wait,” I say, stopping him. I hold my hand to his chest and flatten my palm over it. “I told you my name,” I say to the woman. “What is yours?”
“Sarah,” she says.
“Finally,” I smile. “A normal name. Are you a Caelum or are you from Earth?”
Her eyes dart between mine and Rune’s but she doesn’t answer me.
I swallow hard; my throat is dry and cracked and exhaustion is beginning to press heavily on my shoulders. “I’m not a Caelum. I’m…” I glance quickly at Rune; his face is full of fury and rage. I circle my hand gently over his skin. “What did you all call me when we first met, a grounder?”
The woman’s face hardens and her nose flares. “There are no such beings. And General Rune is dead.”
“She’s not lying,” Rune says, touching his hand to mine. “She is of the Earth, from before our forefathers left and IamGeneral Rune.”
“Well then,” she says, cocking her head the other way. “It will be my pleasure to extinguish you all.”
Then an explosion of fire and light blasts from her fingertips.
