Page 10 of Torn from the Alien Commander

I steady Tyrxie, who almost stumbles as the ship lurches. Hyanxa or the Captain must be taking evasive actions now that the battle has truly begun. Only victory or death awaits us.

Aiming becomes more difficult as the ship tilts and swerves in random directions. The cold, calculating drones match our shifting course with frightening agility and consistency. Still, we return fire, with frantic frequency, trying to buy as much time as possible. Bullets, rockets, and blasts tear through the void of space, a cosmic dance amidst the backdrop of nothingness.

Our lives flicker, struggling to stay aflame within the nothingness, as time fades before the din of battle.How much longer until we reach Nebia? How long can we last?These questions repeat over and over, like the constant stream of missiles I unleash. Shearing plasma blasts rock the ship, causing unknown damage, while others whiz past, just avoided by our dodging vessel.

Tyrxie gasps next to me, seeing the same thing as I do: the leading Seeker drones now reaching the docking hatch. I grimace, hoping my war brothers can repel them, but I can spare only the faintest moment of concern as our battle rages on.

“Void, we’re halfway!” Hyanxa shouts over the thumping missiles and impacts, her usual fierce tone now laden with worry.

We won’t make it, not like this.

But there’s no untapped strategy, no cunning move left to play. Our situation is dire, with meager resources and warriors. I harden my resolve, trusting in the will of the Gods. They will guide us to victory or honorable deaths. I fire off more missiles into the writhing, endless mass of Seeker drones, their stream edging dangerously close to the docking hatch. My rockets erupt among their number, blasting a few to bits and forcing others spinning backward.

I smile, watching some junked drones being ejected out of the docking hatch, torn to ribbons by Noroth and Logarn’s wrath. My Rush surges within, yearning to join them in glorious battle. Alas, I cannot, as my eyes shift to Tyrxie. Her eyes are focused, her body glistening with concentrated effort, filling my heart with fierce pride.

The ship vibrates from the constant battering of plasma blasts, and from the corner of my eye, I see blue molten streams of arcweave leaking from the hull. Even the reinforced plating cannot withstand this onslaught.

Worse is yet to come as the drones press onward, lacking any self-preservation, driven only by a desire to kill. A small number now swarm the back of the ship, unleashing their cutting limbs. They cut and chop against the hull with frantic, jerking movements. Among the cacophony of zaps, bullets and rockets is now the clanging and banging reverberating through the entire interior.

It’s amazing the ship is still functioning, lumbering onward like an old beast. With desperation, I unload missile after missile into the drones hacking at the ship, risking the proximity of the blasts, judging it worth the risk. Many drones are dislodged but more take their place, an endless tide washing away all life.

“Void, we’re all going to die,” Hyanxa declares in a rushed panic. “Multiple hull breaches in the crew’s quarters and adjacent corridor.”

The Rush leaks from my eyes, my heart pounds in my chest, and I realize my worst fear—I have no option but to repel them. “Hyanxa, take over the missiles. Keep killing the bustards,” I gesture towards Kaanus as I rush towards the door. “Captain, seal the doors and deploy atmospheric fields around the breaches. I will hold them off.”

“I’m coming too,” Tyrxie states, her eyes brokering no argument. If time wasn’t so critical, I would deny her and never put her in harm’s way. But time is more precious than raw Elerium now.

I frown, gazing at Tyrxie’s fierce, determined eyes. “Remember your promise?” I remind her.

“Remember yours,” she retorts, causing us both to smile.

Donning my warvisor, I don’t wait another moment, hoping my sweet bonded female can somehow survive this crumbling situation. I clutch her hand, and together we march down the rumbling corridors. The warvisor overwhelms my senses,revealing the extent of the breaches—the whole rear of the ship is almost overrun by drones.

I reach out to Noroth via the warvisor. “Do you feast with the ancestors, or do you yet crave battle, you big lump of borack arse?” I send with humor, hoping he still lives.

For a moment, no reply comes, and I fear the worst. Then, to my relief, his voice comes through. “Xandor, the cargo hold is lost. We’re executing a fighting retreat outside the mess hall corridor.”

“Excellent brother,” I reply, pleased they both are alive. “Bleed them until you reach the engine room. There, we make our last stand.”

The ship shudders and rocks, forcing me to brace myself and Tyrxie against the corridor. Worry gnaws at me as we continue with haste. I take a steadying breath, squeezing Tyrxie’s hand as my warvisor informs me. “Two drones down this corridor. Stay behind me at all times, understood?” I implore.

Tyrxie gives a solemn nod. Content, I round the corner to witness two large drones hacking and slashing savage rents with their four bladed limbs. I waste no time firing shoots from my arc blaster. It’s molten fury, a reflection of the Rush pulsing through my veins. The blue, searing blasts distort the very air as they crash into the first drone’s shields.

Blue sparks erupt in a blinding flash until the hated drones’ shields buckle. My continual stream of plasma blasts punch through, melting the machine into a blue-gray steaming slop. I smile with satisfaction until the second drone rounds on me. Its red lens shines with ominous intent as it unleashes a plasma blast in our direction.

With a smooth motion, honed from a thousand battles, I catch the blast with my arc shield, which sparks and hisses, absorbing the jarring blow. Then, to my shock, before I can retaliate, a red streaking beam punches straight through the Seeker drone’sshield, penetrating the entire machine, and causing it to collapse in an instant.

Tyrxie stares at her gun with a look of amazement. “Told you it was worth hanging onto,” I jest with a smile.

“It’s incredible,” Tyrxie declares, our eyes meeting briefly. But there’s no time to waste. My warvisor fills my awareness with the location of the surging drones pouring through the hull breaches.

I turn, knowing two more drones are approaching. Before they round the corridor, I’m already firing blasts from my arc blaster. Their plasma shields sparkle and shimmer, absorbing my deadly shots. Still, they spin with frantic jerking movements, carving up the interior in a deafening screeching dance.

They release their own searing plasma bolts, but as the Rush burns within me, stoking my already heightened skills to new heights, time seems to slow. The blue hazy blasts move with languid grace as I catch them with my shield, protecting Tyrxie behind me. Then, like an experienced fighting unit, Tyrxie fires pinpoint accurate shots with her laser pistol, punching straight through the enemies’ shields and disabling them in an instant.

Tyrxie screams as the gangway beneath our feet erupts, sending her and my heart into a panic. Turning in a flash, I see a drone has exploded from below, now between us. “Tyrxie!” I roar, noticing her sprawled on the ground, groaning. In a frantic panic, I pounce onto the orb’s back, raking my arc claws in a murderous fury. Each slash is my savage retribution. The despicable machine’s shield blinks out of existence, absorbing my first strike, and my others rend it to ruined pieces.

I dash to Tyrxie’s side, relieved to see she’s righting herself, just a little dazed. But more drones are coming, spinning around the corner and erupting from the floors. Grabbing Tyrxie’s arm, I race down the corridor, now fighting a desperate runningretreat. The tight corridors are the only thing preventing us from being overrun.

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