Kat prayed that the Zantharians who had responded were not enemy soldiers in disguise. Two men rushed to her side, another two pulling the human away and holding him back from the action.
“I’ve got it frozen with my energy, but my reserves are running out!”
One of the Zantharian soldiers gasped. “Major Ontarii!”
“That’s not your commander, kid,” she heard Jeffrey say. “He’s been replaced. Now help your lieutenant hold the charge on him.”
Kat could see that both soldiers were charged up and ready with their bioelectricity. One extended his hand, his arm flashing white.
“Wait!” she ordered. “No full blast!”
“But it’s protocol,” he replied. “Take out the enemy before he can escape.”
“Not this one,” she contradicted. “We’re taking it prisoner.”
“The risk is too great,” the other soldier said, his arm extending, fully powered as well.
“I’m in command of the ship,” she said, summoning all the authority she could and filling her voice with it. “I’m giving you a direct order. You are to hit it with a medium grade current, just enough to keep it destabilized. We’re not going to destroy this one.”
“He’s a danger to our race,” the second soldier said.
“Not knowing what the enemy is planning is the real danger,” she argued. “It’s clear that they know how to get past our defenses, how to fake the energy exchange. It’s time for protocol to change.”
She could see that her words were having an effect. “Obey my order,” she said, her voice firm. “I want a current on him. Mine is almost depleted.”
The soldier closest to her nodded, holding his arm steady.
Kat breathed a sigh of relief, but tensed up again when she realized the energy transfer would be delicate. Too little current, and the Hareema might escape. Too much, and they’d blast their prisoner to bits.
“On three,” she said, nodding at the soldier. “Remember, a medium current only. Ready?”
The soldier nodded.
Kat counted, realizing that her energy was almost at its limit. “One. Two. THREE!”
Her electricity faded just as she shouted, but in that second the new current hit the Hareema. The thing with the major’s face screeched, and she saw its form continue to melt and reform, melt and reform.
“Good,” she said, slumping back against the table.
“Kat!” Jeffrey yelled, struggling against the soldiers’ holds. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she said shortly. She turned to the remaining three soldiers. “I want you to keep him under rotating current until we figure out what’s going on. You four are to stay here. I’ll send reinforcements to guard the door.”
“What about the human?” one of the men asked.
“He comes with me.”
“Begging your pardon for questioning an order, lieutenant, but how do we know he isn’t dangerous?”
Kat frowned. “He’s the one who convinced me Major Ontarii was a Hareema plant.”
The man nodded, and the soldiers released Jeffrey. He stumbled a little, then gave her a smile. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “Likewise.”
Kat headed for the door. “Time to find out where the flagship is headed.”
