Page 19 of Alien's Love Child

"Jesse." Rena's voice cuts through the chaos. "Something's not right here."

More shouts filter through the walls, followed by the thundering of boots on metal grating. Taluk's grip tightens, and for the first time, I notice his hands aren't shaking.

"Hell of a time for you to become a man," I say, finally wrenching free and fleeing from the room.

I sprint down the corridor, heart pounding against my chest. A thunderous crash echoes from around the corner, followed by Davin's distinctive grunt. I round the bend to find him shoulder-deep in the maintenance room door, his blue skin glistening with sweat.

"Someone pushed me in here." He yanks his shoulder back, metal groaning. "Locked the damn door."

"Here." I wedge myself next to him, our bodies pressed together in the narrow space. "On three."

His silver hair brushes my cheek as he nods. "One."

"Two." The door creaks under our combined weight.

"Three!"

We slam forward. The door gives way with a shriek of torn metal, sending us stumbling into the cramped maintenance room.

"Didn't catch the guy who got the drop on me." Davin steadies me with a hand on my waist. "Had to be someone big though."

"Less analyzing, more hunting." I check my weapon. "Xander's in trouble."

A roar shakes the corridor, followed by the distinctive thud of a body hitting metal. We sprint toward the sound, rounding another corner just as a black-suited figure sails through the air.

"Down!" Davin tackles me sideways.

The body crashes into the wall where we'd been standing. Paraxan emerges from the cross-corridor, his fur bristling with rage. Another intruder charges him from behind.

"Par, six o'clock!" I shout.

Paraxan spins, catching the second attacker mid-lunge. His claws rake across their suit as he hurls them into their companion. Both crumple to the deck in a tangle of limbs.

"Thanks for the warning." Paraxan's whiskers twitch.

"Too old, huh?" Davin asks with a hint of mirth.

The intercom crackles. "They're disengaging," Rena's voice cuts through the chaos. "Ship's pulling away."

"What?" My stomach drops. "Already?"

"Clean extraction." Paraxan's whiskers twitch as he sniffs the air. "Professional work."

I sprint toward Xander's quarters, my boots clanging against the metal grating. The door hangs open, room pristine except for an overturned chair. His PerComm lies abandoned on the desk, still displaying whatever he'd been working on.

"Rena, get a trace on that ship." I slam my palm against the doorframe. "Now!"

"Working on—" A violent shudder rocks the ship. "Shit."

"What now?"

"They left us a present." Her voice tightens. "External sensors showing explosive devices attached to our hull. Multiple points."

Davin appears at my shoulder. "How many?"

"Six that I can see. They're rigged to detonate on impact."

"One piece of space debris and..." My throat constricts.

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