Chapter 7 #2
I fire. The volt gun's low setting glances off her shoulder and she staggers, those six legs momentarily tangling. But it only slows her for a second. She shakes it off with an angry rattle of her spines and keeps coming.
I throw myself sideways, and her claws rake the air where my chest was a heartbeat before. I hit the ground and roll, coming up with my weapon raised. My thumb finds the dial and cranks it to maximum as she wheels around for another pass.
"Cody!" A'Vanti's voice cuts through the chaos.
I look up to see her moving along the far wall, circling around behind the keth'ra with something in her hands. She is holding one of the emergency flare rods. Where did she find that?
The keth'ra whirls toward the new movement, spines flaring again.
"Hey!" I shout, waving my arms. "Over here!"
Those shiny black eyes snap back to me. Good. Keep her guessing.
A'Vanti moves closer, her steps careful and deliberate. "Cody, when I light the flare, move right. Let's drive her toward the window, that's where her offspring went."
I like this plan. We're not trying to hurt the creature. We need to give her an escape route toward her baby.
The keth'ra's head swings back and forth between us, that rattling sound growing more agitated. She takes a step toward me, then hesitates, swinging back toward A'Vanti.
"Now!" A'Vanti cracks the flare to life.
Red light bursts through the hangar, harsh and chemical-bright. The keth'ra screams and recoils, her spines flattening along her back as she scrambles away from the sudden illumination.
At D'Rett's command, the rest of the group spreads into a line across the open bay doors, volt guns raised and dialed up. They fire together, bright blue bolts sizzling on the stone floor, cutting off any retreat back into the desert the way she came.
I send a shot at her feet, driving her toward the broken window. The only safe path is out the window, following her offspring's scent.
The keth'ra's head swings toward me, her shoulders hunching as if she is gathering strength. I send another shot before she can commit to a charge. She shrieks and bolts for the window, dark scales gleaming in the flare light.
Then she's gone, her rattling cry fading into the desert as she goes to find her offspring.
Silence falls over the hangar.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, my heart still hammering. The adrenaline is still singing through my system, making my hands shake slightly as I holster my weapon.
"Is everyone okay?" L'Tarne's voice breaks the silence.
L'Zaen is already at Ally's side, his hands running over her arms and shoulders as he checks her for wounds. She's pale but unharmed, waving off his concern even as she leans into him.
A few feet away, D'Rett and L'Tarne have converged on Chelsea, both of them fussing over her despite her protests.
"That was so cool!" Chelsea announces, her voice carrying through the terminal.
"Did you see the size of that thing? And those scales?
Absolutely incredible." She bats away L'Tarne's hands as he tries to examine a scrape on her elbow.
"But I hope I never see one that close ever again.
Once is plenty. Once is more than plenty. "
Around us, people are holstering weapons and letting out shaky laughs. But I'm already moving toward A'Vanti.
"You okay?" I ask, scanning her for injuries. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine." She's still holding the flare, smoke curling from its tip. She crosses to the broken window and tosses it onto the sand outside, where it continues to sputter and burn. "That should discourage her from coming back."
"Quick thinking with the flare," I say. "When did you even have time to grab that?"
"There was an emergency kit mounted on the pillar I ducked behind." She shrugs.
"Lucky for all of us – and the keth'ra – you keep your head in a crisis."
Her smile widens slightly, and heat sparks in me.
D'Rett approaches, his expression thoughtful. "Impressive coordination, both of you. That could have ended much worse."
"The keth'ra wasn't trying to hurt anyone," A'Vanti says. "I think she was only being protective of her young. Once we gave her an escape route that led toward her juvenile's scent trail, her instincts took over."
"Still." D'Rett claps a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. "You put yourself between that thing and Chelsea." His voice is rough. "I owe you one, Goober."
I shrug, uncomfortable with the praise. "Just doing what needed to be done."
But when I glance at A'Vanti, she's watching me with an expression that brings heat to my ears.
L'Zaen clears his throat, pulling the group's collective attention his way. "Perhaps we should deploy the cleaning bots before any other wildlife decides to investigate. And maybe seal those broken windows as a temporary measure."
That breaks the spell. Everyone gets moving again, the crisis over and the work ahead calling.
L'Zaen pulls out his tablet, fingers moving across the screen. "Deploying cleaning bots," he announces, loud enough for the group to hear. "Stand clear of the cargo hold."
A moment later, a swarm of small maintenance bots emerges from the transport. They're not much to look at. They're basically simple spherical units with extending appendages, but they get to work immediately, spreading out through the terminal.
"Once they've finished here, I'll direct them to the barracks. Once we get the barracks usable, we can sleep there," L'Zaen says, watching the bots disperse. "However, until we have electricity and running water, we'll keep our quarters on the transport ship."
No one argues. The ship might be cramped, but at least it has working temperature control, electricity, and plumbing.
With that handled, L'Zaen calls everyone together for a quick briefing.
We gather in a rough circle near the main entrance, about thirty of us in total.
We're a mix of Cerasteans and humans, scientists and engineers and support staff.
The weight of what we're about to attempt hangs in the air between us.
Rehabilitating an entire planet is no small task, even with all the help from robots.
"Our top priorities are power and water," L'Zaen begins, his voice carrying easily across the group. "Everything else depends on those two systems being operational. Once we have electricity and clean water flowing, the rest becomes manageable."
He pulls up a holographic map from his tablet, and the capital city blooms into existence between us, rendered in blue light.
I can see the major structures marked. I can easily pick out the governmental buildings, the infrastructure hubs, the residential districts that wait, empty and silent, for inhabitants to return.
"D'Rett, Healer L'Varen, and I will remain here at base to coordinate operations," L'Zaen continues, gesturing to the central hub on the map.
"We'll serve as ground control. Our job will be monitoring weather patterns, tracking team movements, and maintaining communications across all groups.
D'Rett will manage logistics and security.
L'Varen will oversee the medical station. "
Healer L'Varen inclines his head in acknowledgment.
He's a quiet, lean male with pale bronze scales and steady hands.
He has the kind of stillness that speaks of patience rather than passivity.
I've seen him in the medbay during the journey, but we've never talked much.
Cerastean healers operate somewhere between doctor and scientist, and L'Varen carries both roles with an understated competence that makes you trust him on instinct.
"I will work to set up a functional triage station set up within the hour," L'Varen says, his voice low and measured.
"I'm sending a list of symptoms to be aware of for heat exposure and dehydration to everyone's tablets.
Also, be careful entering unstable structures.
I'd like to minimize the possibility of injuries.
And I need volunteers to help me clear a space nearby to set up my equipment. "
L'Zaen nods approvingly, then shifts the display.
"Team one will head to the power plant." He gestures to a structure on the outskirts of the city on the map.
It is a sprawling complex that provides electricity to the entire capital region.
"Ally will lead the engineering effort, with L'Tav, Dr. Reyes, and the rest of my team. L'Tarne, you'll pilot."
L'Tarne dips his chin. "Understood."
"Team two will tackle the water systems." L'Zaen shifts the holographic display, highlighting a different facility. "Dr. Petrova, you'll lead that effort. A'Vanti, the Chancellor has requested you assist with the initial assessment."
Dr. Zoya Petrova steps forward slightly.
She's a compact woman in her early thirties with long blonde hair pulled back in a practical braid and kind brown eyes that contrast with her no-nonsense demeanor.
I've played cards with her a few times in the rec room during the journey.
She's brilliant and focused, with a dry wit that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.
"We'll need to assess the filtration systems, check for contamination, and verify the distribution network is intact," she says crisply.
"I'll fly them." The words are out of my mouth before I've fully processed the decision to speak. Everyone turns to look at me, and I feel heat creep up the back of my neck. But I don't take it back.
"The water plant," I clarify, keeping my voice steady. "I can pilot the shuttle for Dr. Petrova's team."
L'Zaen's gaze flicks between A'Vanti and me. His expression turns knowing and amused. But all he says is, "Very well."