Page 46

With the torch in hand, Payim stepped out to the edge of the hull and leapt down to the rocky ground. His lips pursed as he circled the debris. Someone had definitely been scavenging here. He shook his head. There was no sense exploring the wreckage further; the Jurou Biljana had obviously salvaged the rift drive. What they needed now was to get out of here. He looked up, assessing the situation.

“The chasm doesn’t appear as deep as we thought. I think it’s a trick of the eye with the way the rock pinches in overhead.”

“That’s a relief. ‘Cause it sure felt like we fell forever,” Elena sighed.

Now, how’s our pod?He worked his way between the wreckage and the rock wall.

“Son of ametcor! I don’t think the pod is salvageable,” he angrily grumbled as he held up the light to get a better look and shoved the edge of the stasis pod. “Torment, it’s really stuck.”

He wanted to punch the rock. All of their effort was shot to perdition.

“Um, Payim.”

He stepped out from beneath the wedged pod and looked at her atop the ship hull. Her eyes were wide as she pointed behind him. He turned, slowly extending the arm with the artificial torch and was surprised to see a handful of stasis pods. As he stepped forward, the halo of light revealed it wasn’t just a few, but several dozen pods.

“I don’t want to know. I don’t want to know,” Elena’s voice wavered and she backed up, horror transforming her face.

“Just stay there. Please sit down. I’ll check,” he insisted, worried she’d buckle.

He waited until Elena sat before forging ahead.

Goddess!He grimaced at the decomposed bodies in the damaged pods.

The terrible scene was just like Elena had described. Many of the bodies weren’t even recognizable. She definitely didn’t need to witness this. His steps faltered when he came across an empty unit. As he panned with the light, he spotted more than one.

“Some of these are empty,” he said, unable to keep the shock out of his voice.

“What?!” Elena stood. “That would mean…”

Elena paused as the weight of what it meant settled on her. Whoever had been in those pods had either gotten out or had been taken out by the Jurou Biljana. Sadly, it was probably the latter.

“No, no, no. This is what I feared. I need to see the empty ones.” She started to hyperventilate as she approached the edge of the ship hull.

“Elena, stop!” he barked, quickly sprinting toward her. As short as she was, the drop would definitely injure her.

“Payim, you don’t understand. My whole family was there when I got abducted. I’ve always feared they were down here,” she sobbed.

His brow knit together and he closed the distance, the extent of her fear leveling him. He didn’t have a traditional family, but if he thought any of his friends were here, he’d be frantic right now. Elena sat on the edge of the ship wreckage and he reached up and caressed her leg.

“I understand, beautiful. I don’t think you should come down here. I really don’t want you over there. I will check the empty pods and the ground for whatever might have been left behind. I’ll even check the others.” He squeezed her knee.

Elena’s head was tipped up but he could see the tears she was trying to hold in streaming down her cheeks. Her hand was clasped over her mouth but she still pulled in ragged breaths, her chest heaving. He wished like torment he could alleviate her fear. If hunting for potential evidence gave her respite or the answers she sought, then he would do it.

“I’m going to go look. Please stay here. I don’t want you to break a leg,” he begged, worried she’d try to follow him.

She nodded and he returned to the score of pods, but cast several worried backward glances to assure himself Elena stayed put before he began surveying the area.

“Payim!” Elena called to him, as he was debating rifling through the decaying clothing of the nearest victim, praying he didn’t find evidence of her family.

“Yes.” He glanced back at her.

“Stop.”

His brow furrowed in confusion and concern.

“I’m being selfish. We need to concentrate on getting out of here,” she tugged in a gasping sob. “There’s nothing we can do for the dead and any survivors are…” She shook her head. “Nothing you will find will change who they are or their fate.”

He nodded in understanding, again amazed by Elena.