Page 10

A sharp electronic squeal from the ship's systems yanked me back to the present. I frowned at myself and my momentary mental lapse. This was no time for nostalgia. I needed to focus and to think like the Shadow I was trained to be.

I joined Vyk and Torq at the weapons locker, where the Commander was already distributing blasters and ammunition.

"Here." Vyk thrust a heavy phase rifle toward me, his eyebrow raised slightly in what might have been skepticism.

I accepted the weapon and quickly checked the power cell, firing mechanism, and scope alignment. Vyk's surprise was evident in the slight widening of his eyes, but he made no comment. Let him wonder. The less they knew about my capabilities, the better, even now.

"We could be surrounded already," Torq muttered, securing a curved blade to his utility belt. "If they tracked our approach?—"

"They would have fired on us by now," I countered, moving to a section of the wall that appeared seamless to the untrained eye. Pressing my palm against the glossy black surface, I revealeda hidden compartment housing environmental gear. "If the atmosphere is as cold as Ariana says, we'll need these."

I began distributing the sleek black environmental suits, the fabric shimmering faintly under the emergency lights.

"The suits have built-in cloaking," Vyk observed, holding one up. "Could be useful for moving undetected."

We each unfolded the black fabric, stepping into the suits without further comment. I secured the wristband control, feeling the familiar sensation as the material contracted, molding itself to my body like a second skin. Even though the fabric was thin, I knew it would protect me from the harsh temperatures or environmental toxins.

“The mission remains the same," Vyk growled. "Once we establish the ship’s security, we locate and extract Sasha and Deklyn."

Torq looked up from adjusting his suit. "And once we find them? This ship isn't exactly space-worthy anymore."

A valid question, one I'd been pondering myself. With our engines damaged, evacuation would be problematic at best.

"Ariana and Morgan will stay with the ship," Vyk decided. "Assess the damage, see what can be salvaged. The three of us will proceed to the prison complex."

Part of me wanted to protest, to insist on staying behind with Morgan. But I knew my skills would be more valuable in the field, especially when it came to finding Deklyn. I understood my brother in ways none of the others could, and I could anticipate his moves like no one else.

The sound of urgent footsteps drew our attention as Morgan and Ariana rushed up to us.

“You two will remain here to—" Vyk began.

"I wish we could," Ariana cut him off, her voice strained, "but right now we need to get off this ship before we go down with it."

Confusion rippled through me. "Go down with it? What are you talking about?"

Morgan's hand found my arm, the touch sending an unexpected jolt through me despite the dire circumstances. "We're sinking," she said simply, her eyes holding mine.

I processed the information in an instant, reaching for two more environmental suits and thrusting them toward the women. "Put these on. Now."

They didn't need to be told twice, stepping into the suits with the efficiency of trained Drexian officers, even if they were humans. Vyk was already at the main hatch, overriding the safety protocols to force the exit ramp to lower.

"The sensors must be malfunctioning," he muttered.

The ramp finally descended with a hydraulic hiss, stopping abruptly as it made contact with the ground. I moved to the opening, my breath catching at the sight that greeted us. The ramp had plunged into what appeared to be a marshland, the surface a viscous black liquid that bubbled ominously. The acrid smell that had permeated the ship was stronger now, making my eyes water.

"Grek," Torq muttered beside me. "We landed in an alien swamp.”

As if in confirmation, the ship groaned, the metal hull shuddering as it sank deeper into the mire. Dark liquid began to seep through seams in the lower deck plates, rushing around our boots with alarming speed.

"Grab what you can," Vyk ordered, already loading his arms with weapons and ammunition packs. "We're abandoning ship."

I snatched a medical kit from a wall cabinet, then gathered two survival packs containing rations and water purifiers. I tossed similar packs to Morgan and Ariana before slinging two more over my own shoulder.

Torq was the first down the ramp, moving with surprising grace as he leapt from the edge onto what appeared to be a small island of solid ground. Ariana followed, landing in a crouch as she cleared the gap.

Vyk motioned for Morgan and me to go next, but I saw the hesitation in her stance, the barely perceptible tremor in her hands as she looked at the bubbling swamp below.

Without thinking, I took her hand in mine, the material of our suits preventing my skin from touching hers. I met her eyes as she peered up at me. “On three."