Smoke billowed around the decimated space ships nearby. Both of them looked like they’d been sliced in half horizontally.
“Get down there,” Veta said.
“I am. Be patient.”
“No,” Veta replied as she unhooked her straps and headed for the door.
Wrathin lowered the ship. It felt like it was taking forever for him to reach the surface.
Veta grabbed a blaster, leaving her newly gifted sword from the Emperor on the ship, and pressed the door release.
“Veta!”
She didn’t care. She had to see who it was and make sure she was okay.
Veta hit the ground hard with a roll. She came out of it, blaster, ready for a fight.
Ready to fight for her girl.
Instead, everything was strangely quiet. The air was charged as if the end of a battle just hit. Bodies littered the ground, vague shapes scorched by the blast that decimated the field.
And there, standing in the middle of it all, was aglowingRhimodian.
“What in the fuck?” Veta whispered as she closed in.
There, standing next to him, was Freya, her attention entirely on the glowing Rhimodian.
When the transport crunched into the ground behind her, Veta checked to make sure Wrathin had landed. Not only had he landed, but he was already bounding out the hatch. A few meters into the blast zone, he halted near her.
“What happened?”
“That’s what I would like to know,” Veta said as they strode toward the Rhimodian and Freya.
Their voices must have jarred Freya, for she looked their way.
“Veta!” she cried and darted toward her.
The glowing Rhimodian spun, his eyes so bright they looked like solar flares.
Wrathin skidded to a stop. “Kian?”
He grabbed Veta’s arm just as Freya reached the two of them.
“Are you okay?” Veta asked as she put her hands on Freya’s shoulders, checking her over for injuries.
Freya waved her hand. “I’m fine. Tired, but I’m fine.” She indicated the glowing Rhimodian. “He kept me safe.”
Veta looked closer at the bodies that littered the immediate area. “Charro? There were Charro here?”
Freya nodded. “Hired by the Emperor, or so they claimed. They were working with some Terrans.”
Veta sighed. “I wouldn’t be surprised. The Emperor is up to a lot of tricks right now,” she said as she glanced at Wrathin.
Wrathin patted her arm and took a few steps toward the other Rhimodian. “Stay here.”
“Why?” Freya asked.
Wrathin met her gaze. “That is not programming.” He gestured to Kian.
