Page 121 of Stars in Nova

Sax grabbed his shoulder, holding him back. ‘You’ll get yourself killed, brother. We need a plan, more weapons, and reinforcements. Charging in blind won’t help her.’

Kisan shook him off, his hands clenching into fists. ‘You don’t understand.’

‘I do,’ Sax murmured. ‘I’m telling you, we’ll get her back. Just not like this.’

Kisan kicked a rock, wanting to smash his hand through a boulder. ‘How did theyfokkin’ find us?’

Sax inhaled. ‘It wasn’t anyone’s fault,’ he growled, inspecting one of the damaged disruptor rifles. ‘However, we haven’t tested these firearms under live conditions before. The Corilians discovered our location due to a subtle but catastrophic miscalculation. Despite Sharin’s assurances that the volcanic stone surrounding us blocked most scans, the new weapons we were testing emitted detectable energy signatures. Thesewere unique—an unintended byproduct of the hybrid kinetic technologies—and they disrupted the EMF of the valley. The power pulses aren’t just hitting targets but bouncing back into the environment.’

Kisan frowned, his jaw tightening. ‘You’re saying the Corilians picked up on that?’

Sax nodded grimly. ‘Appears to be the case.

Sharin clapped a hand across her forehead. ‘Fokk, you’re right. Their drones equipped with advanced hyper-spectral sensors have been patrolling the region in search of us. The new weapon signatures must have created a blip in the natural electromagnetic readings, which the UAVs flagged as an anomaly. The signal was subtle, but it might have been enough for the Corilian commanders to dispatch fighters to investigate. If we’re lucky, they didn’t get a full read before the militants arrived. But if they did—’

‘They’ll know how to track us again,’ Kisan finished, his voice heavy.

Sharin, pale and shaken, spoke up. ‘I can tweak the designs. Reduce the emissions. But I’ll require time.’

Sax crossed his arms, his tone sharp. ‘Time we don’t have if they come back with more firepower.’

‘Fokk,’ Kisan growled.

‘Have faith, brother.’

‘How can I? We’ve lost Samira! ‘ Kisan barked.

‘Rider, all today was is a harsh reminder of the stakes. The Corilians are not only relentless but technologically advanced. Capable of exploiting even the slightest mistake. We need to balance innovation with caution, ensuring the weapons don’t put them at greater risk. The fight against the cyborgs isn’t just one of strength—it’s a battle of strategy, precision, and adaptability.

Kisan stared at him, his chest heaving. Finally, he nodded, though the fire in his eyes didn’t dim. ‘We refine our shit, we find her, and we eviscerate every last one of them.’

Sax sucked his teeth, his voice tinged with dark humor. ‘Now you’re speaking my language.’

Tempest of Fury

Kisan descended into the underground city in a fit of rage.

He hurried through the tunnel network, his mind churning like a tempest, his soul waging war against the burning desire to rip Orilia apart to rescue his woman and avenge her kidnapping.

Guilt hit him in waves, too, as did dread, worried about what he would say to Samira’s children and aunt.

How would he explain that Misandra’s amazing niece and those precious children’s mother had been fokkin’ kidnapped by the Corilians?

He burst into the cavern’s main hall, striding past the shell-shocked crowds who had heard all was not well.

Sharin made a few frantic calls via the Vaelorii relay network when they descended into the tunnels.

News spread fast, and Kisan sensed the Vaelorii’s shock as they spoke in hushed tones in small groups. The aftermath of the attack was still fresh in their minds, and the loss of their leader was top of mind.

They noted Sharin’s bowed shoulders, Kisan’s cold eyes, and Sax’s tight expressions, giving them a broad berth.

He let the Chief Engineer and Sax deal with the soldiers, sweeping past the garrison towards the living quarters.

Eyes followed him along the cavern’s corridors until he pushed open the door to Samira’s dwelling, stepping inside to find her aunt seated with the children.

Malik and Liora gazed up at him, their eyes searching his face for answers. Their innocence hit him like a blow, but he steadied his voice.

Sharin had already sent Misandra a message to prepare the kids for Kisan. The older woman’s eyes were crowded with worry and misting with tears as she held Samira’s two most precious ones to her side.

---