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I wake to the softest sensation I’ve ever felt against my body.

Gravity doesn’t seem right. I push up in the plush pile of blankets, no memory of how I got here. The world spins. Up isn’t where it usually is. It’s all around me, beneath me, then somewhere overhead. I squeeze my eyes shut and brace my aching head, trying to tack down my senses.

A cabinet blinks beside me. “Zariah, may I suggest some pain meds and water?”

I crawl through the blanket pile to the cabinet. It opens at my touch. Inside, I find an array of standard medications and a supply of water. After I down the meds and half of a bottle, I feel a little better.

“You have been processing a lot of Elix’s serum and have had significant blood loss in recent days,” MONA remarks. “You are dehydrated.”

“Where is Elix?”

“He went to search the wreckage for parts.”

“How bad is it?” I push myself up, see my breath fog the air, and sink back into the blankets.

“He wishes you to stay in the cockpit as it is warmest in here.”

“I wouldn’t call it warm,” I say.

“This planet’s average temperature is fifty-two degrees below freezing by Fahrenheit standards. You won’t survive outside. You are not adapted. You must stay here.”

It makes me wonder how anything survived here, let alone a whole species. “The damage, MONA?”

“Tail section needs repair before flight capabilities are restored. Life Support is down.”

“What about a space suit? Those are rated for colder temps.”

“You are too weak for traveling the landscape alone.”

“Are you telling me no?” I ask in disbelief.

“My purpose it to protect the lives of my caretaker, his crew, and his patients.”

There has to be a way to outsmart this AI. As I sit and think, I look at the swirl of blankets around me and realize Elix has built me a nest. The little heater whirring beside me is comforting and touches my heart. But all of it means nothing if I don’t have him with me.

“MONA, your objective is for the preservation of life, yes?”

“Correct.”

“And what if Elix’s life is in danger outside? How do you help him when you are stuck here with the ship?”

“I would leave if I could, but I can’t.”

“But I can,” I say. “He is out there alone. No one is watching his back.”

“I am not permitted to break this rule.”

“Sometimes, we have to break rules to help those who need and deserve it because an exception has not yet been made for said rule,” I counter. My father was a pro at exceptions. It was how he lived his life.

“What if you are hurt, too? Then I have failed my prime objective by allowing both of you to be hurt or killed. Elix is familiar with this planet. You are not.”

“That’s a fair point. But I am familiar with being in unpredictable places. I take my ship into remote regions few have ever seen to pick up cargo and deliver it to places just as remote. I can handle the risk. The probability is what’s important.”

“I am certain he accounted for this. Elix knows a lot about you.”

I wonder how far he’s followed me and what all he knows. And that makes me think about my ship and hope it is still undisturbed.

Opening my wristband, I slide open the tab for my ship and consider tapping Connect. But if I do, my signal can be traced. If anyone is hovering, waiting for signals, that’s how they’ll find it. My backup hope is that no one wants a clunker of an outdated StarBuster.

“MONA, what kinds of creatures are on this planet that might hurt Elix?”

“Omenotau, hellacyna—”

I stop him. “Okay. You are aware of the threats. Can you scan for them?”

“Yes. There are many in the local area.”

“Enough to pose a risk to Elix?”

“Yes.”

“And what are the odds of him surviving with backup?”

My hope is that MONA will say twice as likely. Instead, it gives me a 1.5. “What am I? Chopped liver?”

“I don’t know this saying. But you are half his size, power, and knowledge and are barely familiar with the terrain. You are still healing. I felt that was a generous assessment.”

“Whatever. It’s still better than him by himself. Agreed?”

The door to the cockpit unlatches. “We do this on my terms, Zariah.”

Yes! I get up. “Just tell me what to do.”

MONA directs me to the medbay first, where I’m told to sit on a bed. An arm swivels out of a wall with a needle in its claws. It taps my neck then returns to the wall and comes out with a second. “Stimulant shot plus a nutrient booster.”

A cabinet flashes. I get down and open it, feeling better already. Inside is a medical kit. I grab it. “What’s next?”

MONA directs me to climb into the armored gear Elix stores in his closet and then don a space repair suit with a large glass helmet and life support inside. The helmet links to MONA’s network, so we can chat in my suit.

Then it recommends a smaller Hatchetgun that sends three bullets in a line instead of seven, like Elix’s Haxgun. “It should kick less and be easier for your fragile frame to fire.”

“Ouch?” I say.

“Are you hurt?”

“Only my pride,” I mutter as I clip the final weapon MONA recommends. It’s an iceblade enclosed inside a handle. I attach it to my belt. “Are you sure I’m not too weak for this, too?”

“You should be able to carry it. Wielding it may be a matter of concern. But I do not have enough data regarding these weapons for a creature of your size.”

I lower the ramp. “How far has he gone now?”

“Two miles on foot.”

I sling the medical kit across my body and walk down the ramp. MONA closes it behind me.

“Zariah, may I ask a question?” MONA asks in my helmet.

I trudge through the soft snow, sinking in up to my shins if I don’t stay in Elix’s path. My breath rasps in my helmet. “Sure.”

“Why did you sign up for the race if you want Elix?”

“That’s a sensitive topic.” Really, I just don’t want to answer him.

“I apologize. I am just trying to understand. I protect life, yet I do not comprehend emotion. But emotion is often what drives most humans. He has not contacted you despite the clear evidence that he wants you as his mate. I do not understand why you do not choose one another over all other things.”

“Sometimes life asks things of us that makes what we want not matter.”

“But why do anything you don’t care about? Why not go after what you love, not what you don’t? Life is so short for mortal creatures. I do not see the point in not fulfilling your main objective.”

“Because our MO is not love, it is survival.”

“What is survival that love is not?”

MONA’s words bother me as I hike through the wreckage trail to Elix’s position. I find him in the distance, tying something to his pack.

Seeing him out here, alive, gives me more strength. I hike faster toward him, hoping I can carry parts and share his burden after all he has done for me.

“Zariah.” MONA’s warning tone fills my helmet, along with translucent schematics of large four-legged blobs.

I stop. “What am I looking at?”

“Omenotau. They are twice Elix’s size. It will take three shots to kill them, or you’ll have to stab them through the core. You should turn back.”

“I’m going to help Elix.”

“There are thirty-five.”

I slow and look around at the snow. The shapes illuminate in my helmet even though I can barely see any movement on my own. “Either you’re lying, or they have amazing camouflage.”

“I am MONA. I cannot lie.”

Shit. I draw the gun and point it toward the closest creature as I make my way to Elix’s position.

“The moment you fire, they will run toward you,” MONA says.

“Can you call Elix?” I can see five headed straight for his position.

“He is not responding.”

Fear he’s injured has me running toward him. The Omenotau follow.

On approach, my helmet flashes red.

“Behind you, to the right.” I turn and see the snow move. I fire three times at the targeted area. A creature slumps, deep green blood coating its fur. It snarls at me and doesn’t die, but it backs away.

Then another approaches. And another, until I’ve nearly emptied my magazine. My arms tremble as I fire and stumble toward Elix. He’s still fifty paces away.

He hauls the pack onto his shoulders and fires his Haxgun, clearing his path. One charges at him as he runs.

“Zariah.” MONA points me to the target.

“You have a lot of faith in my aim,” I mutter as I direct my gun in the recommended direction, steady it with my free hand, and fire.

Elix jolts and looks back as he runs toward me. In my distraction, an omenotau has gone airborne, heading for me.

“Iceblade, Zariah!” Elix calls out.

I scramble to grab the handle, but the creature’s paws plant on my shoulders and throw me back into the snow. The weight is immense, its breath hot. Its teeth drip with saliva.

“Poison venom! Open the—”

My gloved hands are clumsy, but I point the handle up and open the blade. The omenotau arches backward and rolls to the side. Its green eyes darken. Blood drips down the iceblade and freezes in seconds.

I scramble up and look down at the beautiful beast, its white fur drifting in the wind, its body motionless, and feel a terrible sadness fill me.

The others from the pack leave, including the injured.

“Zariah.” Elix hustles up to me, no helmet or face covering, just a parka keeping the snow off of his head. “Nice job.”

“It probably just wanted food.”

“Yeah,” he says. “They are hungry. So are we. This is how survival works, Sha’opqui.”