An hour passed before my comm finally chirped. I answered immediately, keeping my voice low.
"Tarrick."
"I'm inbound. Twenty minutes to your position. But we've got a problem."
My grip on her tightened. "What kind of problem?"
"Kwado patrol ships are sweeping the area. They must have discovered she escaped. I'm reading at least three vessels, maybe more. They've got air-to-surface capabilities."
"Can you make it?"
"I can make it. But extraction is going to be hot. I'm sending you the coordinates for a new rendezvous point, three clicks northeast. More cover, better approach vector."
The coordinates appeared on my comm. Three clicks. With an unconscious human in my arms and Kwado patrols closing in.
"Confirmed. I'm moving now."
"Cristox."
"I know. Twenty minutes. I'll be there."
I ended the comm and looked down at her one more time. Then I gathered the supplies, packed everything into my backpack, and lifted her into my arms.
She was so light. So fragile. The blanket was still wrapped around her, and I made sure it was secure before I started moving.
The night air hit us as I emerged from the cave, cooler and sharper with the slightly astringent scent of vegetation. My comm painted the terrain in shades of green and blue, mapping the fastest route.
I ran.
The landscape blurred past. Twisted trees with bark-like scales, undergrowth that grabbed at my boots, rocky outcroppings that forced me to adjust my path. I kept her cradled against my chest, one arm supporting her weight, the other free to balance and navigate. Every few minutes, I checked her vitals through the blanket. Pulse steady. Breathing even. The venerem had finally released its grip enough to let her rest.
Three clicks had never felt so long.
My comm chirped. "Two minutes out," Tarrick said. "I've got a visual on the Kwado ships. They're spreading out in a search pattern."
"How long do we have?"
"Five minutes. Maybe ten if we're lucky."
We wouldn't be lucky. I could feel it in my bones.
The rendezvous point came into view—a clearing ringed by dense forest, the canopy overhead providing some coverfrom aerial detection. Tarrick's shuttle was already descending, engines screaming as he brought it down fast and hard. The landing struts hit the ground with a metallic crunch, and the rear hatch opened before the ship had fully settled.
I burst into the clearing just as Tarrick appeared at the hatch, weapon in hand. His eyes went to the female in my arms, then to the horizon behind me.
I didn't need to look. I could see it reflected in his face.
The Kwado ships were visible now, dark shapes against the night sky, the running lights glowing like predatory eyes.
"Give me the long-range blaster," I said as I reached the shuttle.
Tarrick's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes. Understanding. "Cristox—"
"The long-range blaster. Now."
He disappeared into the shuttle and returned with the weapon. A heavy rifle designed for distance work, powerful enough to punch through light armor. He handed it to me without a word.
I shifted her in my arms, adjusting her weight to transfer her to him. "Get her to safety."
