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XYREK

"What about us? There's nothing out here," Vraax complained over the comm, sounding more than unhappy about still being on patrol around Darlam and missing out on all the action.

"We all know a fleet can materialize out of nowhere," Sloane responded. "I need you guys up there, sorry."

Noodar grinned at me. He still looked a little worn around the edges, but he was ready to storm the Ohrur's compound like the rest of us. I wouldn't trade places with Vraax and Raasla for any price in the universe.

"And what exactly are we supposed to do when that armada materializes?" Raasla threw in. It was probably the longest sentence I had ever heard him utter.

"Warn us," Sloane threw back immediately.

"Frygg." Raasla cursed.

"You guys kill some for us," Vraax sounded resigned.

"You got it, brother," Tucker replied.

The two had a complicated relationship. Tucker and Sloane were friends before she met Vraax, and Vraax was understandably wary of Tucker and Sloane's friendship—I would be, too, if Alice had a male friend like that. Tucker didn't waste any opportunity to tease Vraax. Or rile him up, but they’ve worked to build trust and a tentative brotherhood.

"Luph's ship is going to stand out," I warned. It wasn't an Ohrur ship.

"They won't be able to do anything without power," Sloane stated. "We're on our way."

Tharaax pointed at our spectral grid—Alice called it radar—where Luph's ship was now visible as it approached. All four of us held our breaths. Everything that meant anything to us was on that ship. The dot kept moving through the atmosphere. We had no idea where the shield was. I was reasonably sure that if the shield were still intact, it would have activated by now. It would make sense to have the shield above the atmosphere so it could take care of the fallout by burning up the pieces—but being reasonably sure and holding my mate in my arms were two different beasts.

"Let's check our gear," Noodar suggested.

He was right. It was better to be doing something other than staring at the dot on the screen. This didn't stop me from glancing at it while I checked my blasters, but it helped.

We moved to the hatch, still following the ship's progress on our comms.

Alice had cut the power, and Nova and Nock had taken care of the backup system. The Ohrurs knew someone was coming for them, but they had no idea who or what.

"We're here," Sloane announced. "On three. One—Two—Three!"

Tharaax opened the hatch, and we stormed out. Sloane and Tucker joined us from their ship, while the others stayed aboard, watching over us through comms. I prayed to the stars that Alice wouldn't do anything stupid. The only way she could help us was by staying put.

Sloane and Tucker were both trained in combat, but none of the others were.

"I told you to stay back," Sloane hissed.

My head flew over to their ship, expecting to see Alice. I steeled myself to be ready to grab and restrain her if I had to, but to my surprise, it was Nock who Sloane was yelling at.

Nock ignored her, and amazingly quickly, he sprinted over to Zaarek's side. "You promised."

Zaarek sighed and nodded at the holostreamer. Who, as I now noticed, had his earpiece in, streaming what was happening. I only hoped it wasn't live and that he would give us a chance to edit it later if necessary.

"Heads up," Sloane yelled, sending blaster fire toward a building to our left. The gate had just opened, and several heavily armed Space Guardians poured out. None of us were happy about it, but we’d accepted the possibility of having to kill some of our own. Putting the blasters on stun was too great a risk; some species were able to recover from the numbness sooner than others, which would leave us vulnerable to attack. We’d agreed to go in as a lethal team.

The beams of blasters shot through the compounds, Space Guardians went down, and I hardened my emotions. Later , I told myself, I would deal with killing my own people later .

Right now, all that mattered was defeating the enemy, stopping them from whatever evil they were up to, and not letting them get aboard Luph's ship. For Alice , I reminded myself as I shot down another Space Guardian.

"Tharaax, Tucker, left," Sloane's commanding voice rang out, "Noodar, Zaarek, right! Xyrek, you're with me, frontal assault!"

I didn't think; I only followed her orders, relying on the others to keep our backs safe. Sloane's tactic got the enemy into a crossfire that decimated them within seconds. The first wave was down, and my respect for the human female grew, as did my understanding of what she called the chain of command. I fully understood now that we needed one person in charge whom the others listened to.

Tharaax, Tucker, Noodar, and Zaarek were now stationed left and right by the entrance, while Sloane and I were facing in, still from a good distance back. She waved me forward, her eyes trained over her blaster at the entrance.

A strange sound made me glance quickly over my shoulder. I groaned, "Heads up, incoming friendly." I wasn't a hundred percent sold on the friendly part, but I hoped to the stars I was right. I stepped to the side and allowed Xenomorph, Vader, and Maul to pass.

We watched the unlikely trio move toward the entrance. Xenomorph was the first one through and was suddenly engulfed in blaster fire. His body twitched; he slowed but still moved forward, and I shuddered at the thought of the kind of nightmare my mate had created. Glad it seemed to be on our side—for the time being. Still, even as mighty as the machine was, a few paces in, it crumbled to the ground.

"Four hostiles to the left and right of the corridor, three more further down," Alice's voice had never sounded so sweet to me before as it did now, coming over the comm.

"Nice job," Sloane praised, pulling out shock orbs, indicating that I should follow her example. Hidden by the entrance, the other four did the same while Vader and Maul hovered out of sight.

One—Two—Three, Sloane mouthed, and we released the shock orbs simultaneously. Sloane and I threw ourselves to the ground while the others were protected from the following shock wave by the wall behind which they stood. I felt the pulse wave of air rush over my back, and it didn't feel good. It reminded me too much of the last time I died…

"Now!" Sloane was quicker getting back on her feet. I had to run to catch up with her and the others, who were already inside. Vader and Maul veered off, one to the right, one to the left.

"All clear," Alice announced, watching us through the drones.

"Is it safe?" Nock asked from somewhere behind me. I didn't turn. I had no idea where the obnoxious Kred had been hiding during the fight and the shockwave, but he was here now.

Nobody answered him.

In the same groups Sloane had assigned us before we made our way in, Tharaax and Tucker moved down the left corridor, while Noodar and Zaarek moved to the right, and Sloane and I went straight forward.

Alice had been right. Three Space Guardians lay crumpled on the ground ahead of us. Something was different about them, though. I knelt down beside one. "Check the Space Guardians," I said over the comm.

"Xyrek, there's no time—" Sloane started, her blaster up high, but then her eyes landed on what I had seen.

"You guys seeing this?" I asked.

"Frygg," Tharaax replied.

"What are they up to?" Noodar's voice was filled with disgust.

All three of the Space Guardians in front of me looked different. Yes, they were all still silver, but one had green hair, and one's skin was… metallic, reminding me of the skin of Pandraxians.

"That is one ugly motherfucker," Tucker announced. "What the hell is that?"

"Looks like a mix between a Pronex and… I don't know what…" Zaarek cursed.

"Alright, the sideshow is over; let's move," Sloane reminded us of the mission and the danger we were still in. Whatever the Ohrurs were cooking up would have to wait to see the light of day, just like the rest of their abominable secrets.

I imagined the others were just as grim-faced as Sloane and I as we moved through the darkened corridors. Without an energy source, the compound was as dark as a Black Abyss. Our comms were the only source of light.

"Check every door," Sloane said just as she readied herself to send a blaster against a door to our left.

"Wait," I warned, "don't shoot."

With the power out, there was a better alternative. I lowered myself to my knees. I didn't need to look over my shoulder to know that Sloane's blaster was focused on the door and whatever was behind it. Whoever had trained her had trained her well.

I put all my weight into it and shoved the door to the left, which was the universal direction of opening. It worked. It was hard and took a moment, but the door moved into the wall. I shone my comm, and Sloane moved her blaster left and right to check the room. She stepped around me, and I followed, rising back up to my full height. She nodded for me to check the left.

We were inside what appeared to be a small apartment: a bed, a table, a sofa.

"No, let me go," a squeal sounded out as Sloane lifted an Ohrur up by the scruff of his neck.

To my right was one more door, probably the bathroom. I pushed it open. "Empty," I announced.

"How many of you are in here?" Sloane shook the obviously frightened Ohrur.

"I… don't know. I don't know. Who are you? What's happening? The lights went out, and I couldn't leave, " the Ohrur wailed.

"He's some kind of scientist," I pointed at his green uniform. The aura coming off him nearly took my breath away. It wasn’t the evilness I encountered with criminals. This was different, almost worse—a total disregard for any lifeforms that weren’t Ohrur and a willingness to terminate them.

"What are you up to in here?" I snarled into his face while Sloane lifted him effortlessly into the air, pressing my hands to my hips to not terminate him on the spot. It took more willpower than I could have ever imagined.

"That is none of your business," the Ohrur replied. His voice was filled with fear as his legs uselessly kicked the air.

"Where are the others?" Sloane wanted to know, shaking him a bit more.

"I don't know. I'm just analyzing data. That's all. I swear. I have nothing to do with what the others are doing. Nothing!" Sweat beaded down his body.

"We don't have time for this," I said.

"You're right." Sloane dropped the Ohrur and shot him.

I took a step back. I had terminated many criminals in my line of work, but this… done by a female?

"What?" She snarled at me, her eyes devoid of emotion.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine, let's go."