Page 82 of Aria's Ascension

Before they could argue, she stood and rounded the corner, gun up and ready to fire, knowing they’d follow.

Aria blockedout the people screaming at her, pounding on the glass walls of their cages, and the myriad of alien animals roaring and howling.

She moved methodically, creeping through the seemingly endless rows of enclosures, completely focused on ensuring there were no bad guys hiding in there.

When she reached the back wall of the hold, she paused next to a door and yelled out, “Clear!”

Waiting, she listened for her men to call back, unsure if they’d heard her over the cacophony.

Her shoulders tightened with worry when they didn’t respond immediately, but then she heard Tirox’s voice bellowing, “Clear!”

Kix was next, followed by Rellik.

One by one, they joined her by the door.

“We have to—” Rellik started, staring at the masses of imprisoned beings she hadn’t let herself look at, but she cut him off.

“We have to clear the ship.”

He jerked his head around, the look on his handsome face somewhere between outraged and appalled.

She gave him calm eyes in return, but quickly explained. “There could be enemies in there waiting to ambush us or set the ship to self-destruct. It does no good to free those people if they die in a fiery explosion right afterward. Besides, we don’t know if they’re victims. They could be violent criminals.”

Understanding dawned and he grimaced. “My apologies,sarasha. I… I just,”

“I know.” Reaching out, she set a hand on his arm for just a moment before turning back to the door. “Kix?”

The door opened to an elevator, recognizable even though it was oblong-shaped instead of a box. Unlike the arena, there was a single button on the inner wall instead of a control pad, telling her there was likely only one other level. Or maybe you pressed it multiple times to go to different levels.

Only one way to find out.

Once everyone was inside, she pressed the button once, then motioned for them to crouch down. There was no space on either side of the door for them to conceal themselves from anyone who might be waiting when they arrived, so the next best thing was to duck down. People automatically aimed at chest height. Staying low meant they’d have to readjust their aim which gave Aria the split second she’d need to shoot them first.

No more than a handful of seconds passed before the door opened to show what was obviously a flight deck. After a quick scan, she got to her feet and inched out, checking both sides before aiming back at the bodies littering the floor.

She counted seven fish-looking beings dressed in shiny, silver bodysuits that covered everything from their flipper-like feet to their weirdly long necks. They appeared dead, their bodies twisted into unnatural poses and covered in what she assumed was blood, but she signalled her men to check while she kept her gun up just in case.

“Lifeless,” Tirox announced after he’d checked the last.

Blowing out a breath, she relaxed. “It looks like they all died on impact. Kix, make sure this thing isn’t going to explode on us, please. And see if you can figure out if it’s still operable. And how to fly it, if it is.”

He gave her a wry look. “Should I also discover if it can solve theGhulliar Theorem?”

Smirking, she shrugged. “If you’d like.”

He huffed and grumbled under his breath.

Serious again, she said, “I’d like to take it back to the arena, if possible. You never know when you might find yourself in need of a spaceship. This may end up saving our asses if we find this planet inhospitable after we liberate all the slaves.”

“I will do as you ask, my treasure. Yet, I cannot offer guarantees.”

“Just do what you can, babe. That’s all I ask. Tirox, Rellik, let’s return to the hold and—”

“I might need Rellik,aessa. He has proved to be quite knowledgeable about the technology here. His help might speed the process of discovery,” Kix interrupted.

Glancing at him, she saw something in his expression that told her he wanted Rellik to stay for more than just helping him figure out the ship. Trusting his judgement, even if she didn’t understand it, she nodded. She and Tirox could handle questioning the people in the hold.

“Be careful,” she ordered, going up on tiptoe to kiss him.

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