Page 67 of Made For The Alien Warrior

At the very last second, Tiegan moved like lightening. He spun on his feet, as graceful as a ballerina in motion, and grabbed her zapten by the back of the neck.

Symphony’s forward momentum quickly flipped in the opposite direction. He flung her backward, causing her to crash into the ground. Her spikes dug up the dirt, raising the scent of mud and clay to her nose.

She growled, pushing herself up, but Tiegan did not allow her to rise. He jumped on to her zapten and delivered a swift punch that made her head fly back in the protective shell. More blows came at her side, legs, and chest.

Symphony lifted her hands, raising the exoskeleton’s also in a play to ward him off. But it didn’t work. He was too overpowering and every move she made to gain the tactical advantage was blocked by a superior fighting technique.

Dazed, she caught her breath and then slanted him a nasty eye. “Fine. I got your point.”

“Neh. You did not.” Tiegan climbed off her, his chest heaving and a blazing scowl crossing his face. “Why did you keep fighting?”

“Was I supposed to just lie there and let you pummel me?” Her head flopped back and she stared at the bright, alien sky. Sweat slipped beneath her tunic. The exoskeleton felt hard and uncomfortable against her back.

Though no part of her was harmed thanks to the protective husk, she could not say the same for her pride. Tiegan had not gone easy on her.The jerk.

She lurched up to a sitting position and glared at him. “Are you sure you’re really interested in me? Because it didn’t feel that way when you were punching my exoskeleton’s lights out.”

“Had I given my full strength to the fight, I would have tried to tear you out of the exoskeleton. This is the tactical decision of any Plutonian who knows how much force the zapten can take.”

“You’re such a saint.” She wiped the sweat on her brow with the back of her hand.

“I wanted to make sure you would not be hurt inside the exoskeleton.” He stepped over her, his face almost on top of the slats. “Is there much damage?”

She shoved him away, huffing.

Tiegan offered his hand. “Do not be vexed, Sim-pony.”

“I am ‘vexed’,” she snapped. “Extremely vexed.”

Tiegan blinked nervously. “Do you not fight on equal footing on earth?”

“This is not about equality.” She smacked the back of her hand against her open palm.

“Then…” Before he could speak another word, the Healer emerged from the caves and plodded toward them. “Tiegan, you have not left on your mission yet?”

“Neh.” He gestured to Sim-pony. “I wanted her to have some experience in the zapten in case we meet anything unexpected on our journey.”

“A sensible idea.”

The zapten’s torso peeled back, opening a doorway for Sim-pony to step down. Tiegan watched her and she knew he noticed how heavily she was sweating. Her mind crowded with his remorse.

Shouldhe have handled her with more care? Probably. But what good would that do if she met any unsavory beasts in the future? Treating her like a delicate flower wouldn’t prepare her for harsh realities.

Besides, Symphony still wasn’t sure if the light that brought her, Adhi and Ginger to this planet was a force of good or evil.

She’d forgive him for going hard on her, but she wasn’t going to forget that he’d made preparations for Leel.

Sim-pony strode right past Tiegan without glancing his way. Moving in front of the Healer, she asked, “How is Ginger? Did her conditions stabilize?”

“She has returned to her original state and has yet to open her eyes.”

“What of Clavas? Has he had any updates on the fourth landing point.”

His lips turning down, the Healer sighed. “It is strange indeed, but Clavas is not answering his comms.”

“Perhaps he is pre-occupied with handling the human.”

“Indeed. These human females are very stubborn. Especially when they have just landed. You should know, Tiegan.” The Healer smiled at him. “Given the reception you received from both Sim-pony and Leel.”