I crouch down and feel around. Barely under the surface,a flat metal plate connects to a wire. I gently tug the wire, and it pops out of the dirt, leading directly to the dome.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice echoes through the canyon.
Not wanting to make any movements that could make the situation worse, I slowly rise to my full height. The Oo’rahims’ scrawny, diminutive stature makes me an imposing figure. Any sudden movement could be mistaken for a threat, and right now I need to de-escalate and take control.
“I don’t want any trouble.” My eyes dart across the canyon walls. I’m not sure what I’m walking into, but I know Bri well enough to know that if she’s down there and being kept against her will, things are not going well for them.
“How did you find us?” the voice asks.
In these situations, it’s best to give as little information as possible. Especially with the Oo’rahim. They might appear harmless, but the stories of their violent religious tendencies are widely known.
“I crash-landed here a few days ago. I only need some food and water, and I’ll be on my way.”
What I actually need is to get down there and see if they are holding Bri hostage—and it’s a lot easier to walk in than to try and break in.
“Any movement will mean your immediate death.” Heavy metal scrapes through dirt, ratcheting up the suspense.
A short figure, about as high as my chest, in a brown robe emerges from the dome. A bell hanging from their belt dings with every step.
“Who are you?” they ask.
A shaking hand raises a blaster and points it directly at me.
“Just someone unlucky enough to crash here.”
These are critical seconds, so I chose my words carefully. I need to know what is happening underground before I start running my mouth.
“Are you here with the others?” he asks, not moving the blaster away from me.
“No, just me,” I clarify.
What others? Bri?
My pulse races. I don’t respond well to weapons being pointed at me. He’s either going to lower it, or I’ll lower it for him.
As he closes in, he lowers the blaster, yanks my pack off, and wrenches my arms behind my back. Metal cuffs snap tight around my wrists, and when I strain against them, sharp electricity shoots up both arms. He pats down my body, hesitating on the blaster at my ankle.
So much for taking control.
“No weapons,” he says and pulls it from my boot.
It was a long shot, but I was hoping he wouldn’t find it.
“You’ve got a blaster. It’s only fair for me to have one as well.”
“Go.” He pushes me toward the small structure covering the entry to the colony and I lurch, trying to keep my foot in place.
“What are we going to do about this?” I say and nod down at my foot.
“Nothing. It’s an alarm,” he says with a grotesque smile and shoves me again. I follow without protest, down into the underground colony. I’ve got to hunch over to fit through the small door and follow my captor down the stairs.
My ear twitches. He’s lucky I’m restrained because I might have “helped” him down the stairs for that little laugh he had at my expense.
Orb lights dot the walls, guiding our way down into the darkness. The old tech is a holdover from a distant past, when a ball of tightly packed filaments was the only other option apart from an open flame. The temperature cools with every step. It’s a welcome break from the punishing sun, but I won’t be relieved until I know Bri is okay.
“This isn’t necessary. I’m happy to cooperate,” I say.
“Protocol.”
