Page 21 of Craze

The splay filters damaging commands. Only the threat of my friends getting eaten by Sevrin’s dogs or beaten by the guards can keep me from misbehaving when I want.

The guard covers me in a long hooded cloak that covers my eyes. It’s something Rochir started doing after I kneed him in the nuts.

He wanted me kept in the dark during transfers.

Rochir integrated me with part of the ship’s research systems after Sevrin left because he is crazy but also right. Icantranslate encoded messages with my splay’s help. I just don’t want to. I won’t willingly help the enemy track down my kind, so I block out any critical pieces I can. Rochir says this new lab willfixme.

I stumble and bump into my guard, covertly dropping a tracking chip into his jacket pocket. It took Shavih months tosteal the parts, unnoticed, and to make the tracking chips while Rochir tried out new upgrades on her arms.

During Sevrin’s last visit, he took Shavih’s upgraded arms, Jeela’s legs, and the spinal enhancement from a woman named Tasha. He said they were for Project Killstar. Then he gave them all heavy basic model augmentations again.

I kept my eyes and my splay. But seeing them in pain, enduring so much just to return to where they started was what broke me down.

Today, I destroy Ravenger III and take as many guards out as I can. Rochir’s got plenty of pain coming, too.

Ahead of me, Shavih and the other women are escorted into the main corridor, leading past rooms I’ve only seen in the starship’s schematics. I’m excited and terrified to see the world outside, but I’m more nervous about my plan. I’ve spent nearly four years stuck on Ravenger III and rehashed my action plan a thousand times. By the wild expressions and jittery behavior of the other women, they feel equal anxiety of the moments to come.

They’re counting on me.

We’re counting on Sevrin’s mutant, cybernetic dogs to home in on the chips based on data I pulled from their experiments that explains why they respond to Sevrin. But we’re also counting on the masses of creatures to insight chaos on the ship.

Rochir grunts repeatedly in lust through an open door to one of his augment labs. As my guard urges me past the doorway, I hear a thump followed by Jeela’s yelp.

“Just because I like Solcrue tongues on my balls more than humans’ does not mean you get to taste my venom, whore.”

I grit my teeth and glance at her under the brim of my hood as we pass.

Jeela’s lying on her side, tears streaking her face. But in the space between Rochir’s scrawny, naked, green ass and hisdropped pants, I see her give me a covert—human—thumbs up with a wink.

Rochir’s crotch is tagged. Ready when you are, Shavih.

As the guards cluster us up in a loading area near the rear ramp, she clutches the hand of the woman behind her, who does the same with the next.

My heart beats faster as anticipation grips me. Nineteen women steal glances at me.

We will be free, or we will die trying.

Shavih gives me a subtle nod.

As the ramp opens, I close my eyes and pull up Ravenger III’s systems.

Pellucid Command: Unlock.

Ravenger III: Cell?

Pellucid Command: All.

Latches switch from green to red down the halls. Doors pop open. My guard turns back, muttering to himself in shock. Growls and snarls echo through the ship from every level.

Camera feeds play in my mind like they are my own thoughts. I do not need to look to know where the augmented garrohs and neoelk charge out and attack the guards. Sevrin’s dogs, the welvirs, have a telltale slurping snarl when they rip into flesh. I savor the cries of the Solcrue guards who finally get a taste of their own torture.

My sisters sprint down the ramp.

Rochir’s shouts pair with gunfire behind me.

My guard leaves to assist him. In his frantic rush, I bump into him and steal his gun.

But before my dirty and haggard friends can set foot on the precious ground, two squads of Hyperion guards fire up at us from the landing pad outside.

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