Page 23

Story: Lost Companion

Sam said, “We can go out this way.”

“Isn’t the path behind that wall?”

“Yeah.”

“Are we trying to maintain property value?”

Sam grinned. “Hell no.”

“Good. Do you want to take point?”

Sam lumbered the unit to the wall and said, “Don’t mind if I do.”

The ladies took cover while Sam used the pulse guns to make a hole large enough for the mechs. She lumbered through. Twenty women lumbered after her. Pixie was next, and fifteen more. Riley took up the rear with her weapons at the ready.

They thundered out with the mechs going as fast as they could and Riley speaking to Pixie and Sam through the coms. “Okay. Remain calm. The Daughters of Rath are going to look scary and deadly, but as long as we continue at a steady pace, they will leave us alone.”

There was a wall of males who were protesting their sexual outlet getting away. When a few of them stepped forward, Riley fired right in front of them to drive them back.

They approached the shuttle, and Sam said, “Riley, there is a Hmrain circling over this area.”

She had a hot flash. “You don’t say.”

They continued walking, and the men got more agitated, lunging at them to see the women scream, and some cried. In a practised move, they got to the shuttle, and the mechs crouched and turned their backs to the crowd as they guarded the females entering the shuttle, providing the rioters with nothing to grab at but smooth plates and few crevices to get through. The door to the shuttle opened and the girls filed in

Riley felt a thud on her back, and there were hands trying to claw her out of the mech. She ducked and dodged as the other mech pilots got out of their units and into the shuttle. She unclasped her harness and tried to drop away from the grabbing hands, but someone grabbed her ankle and pulled her out of the safety of the mechs.

She screamed and tried to stop the hands pulling at her clothing, but there was tearing, and she heard a roaring in her ears. Her attackers began flying off, and then careful hands were lifting her and cradling her against a familiar chest.

She was shivering and holding tight to him. He kissed her forehead and said, “Found you.”

He carried her into the shuttle, causing some consternation from the ladies, but then the Daughters came in, and soon, the shuttle was lifting off.

Rath was holding her, caressing her hair, and kissing her. “I found you.”

She looked up, and he had a sad expression on his face when he saw her tears. “A minute earlier would have been nice.”

“I had to wait until they took action against you.”

She sniffed and asked, “Why do you smell like blood?”

“My wings are not for decoration.”

“Oh. You need a shower.”

“So do you. We will make it a priority when we get onboard.”

She shivered and tried to cover herself with the shreds of her theatre gown.

“They didn’t press you into service?”

“No. I think they were scared to. The ladies woke me up.”

“So, the last thing you remember?”

“A blueish mist and a hypo to the neck. Then I woke in the same clothing I went down in.”

“That might have saved someone’s life.”