Page 14

She started to correct Anela, but realized she was right. Irul had found her. From her perspective, she was probably the pet.

For the rest of the night, her friends kept her busy and engaged. Gabriella whispered to her at one point that if she needed a break, to let her know. She was grateful, but since Miranda hopped the first flight to Earth, along with Emily and Zoranna, there were only six of them left.

She’d neglected them while she worked in her lab, but now she had an opportunity to catch up, and she would make the most of it.

Besides, it was better than sitting alone, worried sick for Calyx.

Calyx coughed and spat out the thick wad of congealing blood dislodged from his lung. His nanites, helpful as ever, informed him that one of his cracked ribs had splintered further with that cough.

Droscal’s “abandoned” trove of Scozid tech turned out to be a manned outpost well past the Denchui border.

He’d decided to go ahead with the test. They didn’t need to enter the atmosphere, just deliver the torpedoes. The weapon itself did the rest.

He and his team watched from a safe distance as the tuppu worked as intended. The missile broke apart after entering the small moon’s atmosphere; the cylinder activating and atomizing the compound; the mist coating the surface and rendering Scozid tech inoperable.

The team rejoiced and turned for home. In sight of the border, a Scozid ship appeared and hit them with an unknown weapon. A bright green substance coated the exterior of their ship and Calyx recognized it immediately.

He scanned for the nearest barren rock big enough to land the ship. They barely made it in time.

Even though their own technology was not integrated with a biological component, he knew the substance would make its way to the interior and attack the warriors directly.

If any of it touched their skin, it would turn them to dust as easily as the plant back on Dunia Prime.

They were ill-equipped for an emergency landing on a surface with no atmosphere. There were six in his team, including him, and only three extravehicular suits.

Three suits that would only sustain them for half a cycle.

Once on the surface, his team worked to do what they could to shore the ship’s interior against the compound. It wasn’t much, and it wouldn’t be enough. Their emergency message to headquarters was acknowledged, the elders assuring them they would mobilize immediately.

They thought the wait would be the worst of their problems. Then the Scozid ship landed a shuttle on the same moon.

The battle raged until both ship’s weaponry was disabled.

Then the fight continued on the surface.

Three Ka’atari against a full complement of Scozid.

It wasn’t a fair fight. To preserve the lives of the three still aboard the ship, and give time for the rescue ship to arrive, Calyx and the two teammates fighting alongside him surrendered.

They were drugged, beaten, and put into a cage while their Scozid captors decided how best to get off the barren moon. The shuttle was disabled, and any ship landing on the surface was vulnerable to both their own biology killing weapon and the tuppu.

Calyx was in relatively good shape. The Azar chosen for his team had fought until the Scozid injected him with something that sent him to the ground. He remained knocked out, but was otherwise unharmed. Renjik, a Rucieth Calyx had served with for years, was most injured.

Calyx held his hands around the other warrior’s bicep as tightly as he could manage. The Scozid had taken a particular interest in the warrior’s natural armor, using various implements to test it until they landed on one that sliced through it, nearly severing the arm.

Several smaller cuts adorned the warrior’s chest and face.

They would scar, but they were not life-threatening the way the arm was.

He needed to find something to act as a tourniquet, but they’d been stripped naked.

The only thing left to them that might work was a length of the Azar’s long hair, but he was reluctant to take it without consent.

He’d be forced to, if the warrior didn’t wake up soon.

Calyx kneeled on the cold metal floor, ignoring the pain in his side and sending more nanites to his fingers to maintain his grip on Renjik’s bicep.

The Rucieth was barely conscious, flickers of awareness in his dark eyes as Calyx tried to stanch the worst of the bleeding.

Something about the Scozid’s last slash had corroded the edge of his natural armor. It gave Calyx a sick, hollow feeling.

“I’m not letting you die,” Calyx said softly. Near the front of the cage, the unconscious Azar still lay on his side, unmoving except for the faintest rise of breath. “We just need a…” He exhaled sharply. “Anything.”

Renjik’s lip twitched. “I’d kill… for one… of your nanite-laced… wrappings,” he managed, voice raspy.

Calyx’s nanites flared. Renjik was bleeding out. He couldn’t wait any longer. Stretching one arm as far as possible, he reached for the Azar. A quick, hard yank separated a single lock from the warrior’s thick head of hair.

The Azar didn’t stir. Calyx ruthlessly pushed guilt aside.

Renjik’s life was draining away. He twisted the thick, black strands around Renjik’s upper arm.

With a grunt, he pulled it tight and secured it.

Renjik swore under his breath, but slumped in relief as the flow of blood slowed. “Thanks,” he rasped.

Calyx exhaled. “Not done yet.”

Renjik’s eyes slipped shut again. Calyx slumped in relief. It was best he stay unconscious. For a moment, Calyx let guilt, shame, and anger wash over him. He’d led this mission to test the distribution system for the tuppu. And it had worked—until the Scozid showed up and fired back.

Razili’s compound neutralized theirs. As soon as they returned, he’d work on a portable system that each warrior could carry.

If they’d had enough on board, they could have rendered what covered the ship inert, and none of this would have happened.

He almost jumped at a soft groan behind him. The Azar warrior stirred, fingers twitching. “Stars,” he mumbled. Then, more vehemently, “What the hell is that smell?”

Calyx stifled a laugh of relief. “Good to see you awake.” He shifted closer to the Azar. “Renjik’s lost a lot of blood.”

The Azar blinked and winced as he sat up. Calyx saw scorching cuts across his shoulder. “I remember… we got jumped by half a dozen Scozid.” He exhaled. “I see we lost.”

“Temporarily,” Calyx said, injecting more confidence than he felt. He nodded at the hair tourniquet. “I owe you a rebraiding. Sorry for—”

“War is war and hair will regrow.”

“Thank you for understanding.” Calyx looked through the bars, but the Scozid were still absent. “I’m sorry, my nanites were damaged, and I don’t remember your name.”

The Azar nodded. He grunted as he stood and stretched his muscles. “Traik.”

Calyx nodded. “Let’s work on getting out of here, Traik.”

“Do you have a plan?”

Calyx shook his head. “No good ones. We’re naked and weaponless on a moon with no atmosphere.

The Scozid have been absent since they threw us in here, but I’ve heard them communicating.

Presumably, they won’t risk landing another vessel on the moon until they are sure they have neutralized the tuppu. "

The Azar frowned. “And your nanites?”

“Functional, but only seventy-five percent.” Calyx gestured to the cuts crossing the Trelxak lines near his shoulder. “They can’t patch the code. I risk a meltdown if I push them into override.”

A thoughtful grunt. “We can’t wait for rescue, can we?”

“No. They’re on their way, but might not make it in time.” Calyx’s gaze lingered on Renjik. “He can’t survive much longer.”

The Azar grinned and stretched his neck. “Then we find a way out or die trying.”

Calyx managed a half-smile. “Agreed.”