“I am and I have my warriors.”
“You do?”
“It would appear your little Paralnyi and his bots have been useful,” I explain. “Dalox also performed a function, although it might make drawing the Ulep further away somewhat harder than before.”
“I have to tell you something…” Maggie says urgently.
“Are you safe?”
“Yes, but…”
“Are Dalox’s warriors still with you?”
“Yes, but…”
“Get some of them over to our ship and bring it to my location. There’s a considerable number of non-Sarkarnii here who need rescuing.”
“Driok!”
“What is it, my sweet mate?”
“Get your scaly butt to the surface, RIGHT NOW!”
I nearly have to rip the comm from my neck given how loudly she shouts. Springing into action, shifting into my Sarkarnii form, I’m followed by my warriors as we ascend through the destruction and chaos I’ve wrought on the Ulep and which would never be enough to stop them.
The Ulep always rise. Our only option is to keep them out.
Above me, there is the whirr of the engines from the remote, and I look up to see it. It dips and then turns before it sets off in a very specific direction. I direct my warriors to fan out, to keep their eyes open for Ulep or anything they might be using as weapons.
So far, it would appear that even if they knew we were coming, they didn’t prepare. This has been easy, too easy.
I keep my eye on the remote as it descends down and down towards a pit dug into the dusty surface of the planetoid.
“Don’t be a dragon!” Maggie shouts in my ear as I peer over the edge of the pit.
In it is a tiny human, who lets out a tremendous screech and then closes her eyes and falls to the ground.
“What did you do?!”
I’m in the pit and scooping her up. She’s cold and smells like death. I carry her out of the strange prison and place her carefully to one side.
“Is she alive?” Maggie whispers.
The female stirs and moans, just as there is the most almighty snarl from above me.
“Lord Driok! Spaceworms!”
MAGGIE
Ithought being able to see everything remotely might make this fight easier. I could be there with Driok and yet not be there. I run my hand over my stomach because being here is for the baby inside me, whilst the rest of me wants to be on the planetoid’s surface with my mate.
And seeing the other woman down there on the planet, in some sort of crazy pit, her face turned upwards, imploring…getting comms back with Driok came at exactly the right moment.
But maybe too late for her.
As for my mate, I watch as he turns, looking over his shoulder, away from the woman, to something I can’t see. Instantly, he folds outwards, becoming his Sarkarnii form and letting rip with a sheet of flame.
“What’s happening?”
