Page 75 of Ava Stargazer

There was no gunfire.

No resistance.

Nothing.

Her feet just stepped through the service entrance onto a worn metal loading area, scrape lines gouged in it from many cycles of packages being wheeled in and out.

The facility had an air of despondency that clung to it, adding to the feeling of neglect the rusted bolts and chipped paint halls gave as they walked along a maintenance shaft. The air was breathable inside the facility, if not a bit too high in nitrogen to breathe comfortably.It smells . . . Like decay.Gravity also was lighter here, and Ava thought there might be magnetic stabilizers applied throughout to keep it consistent.

She scuffed her foot on the floor as she walked in, testing the difference in her step on this planet. It was a slight bigger bounce here than on either the ship or Xai. Ava had a gut reaction, feeling the gravity difference as an unsettling familiarity. Ava looked down and concentrated on her feet, mentally checking out for a moment as she just listened to her footsteps and focused on putting one in front of the other on the metal floor. She exaggerated her booted steps so they echoed in the hall, along with the steps of Vox, Zeed, and Rhutg. She already missed being barefoot.

They made halting progress, all three of the males leading the way, each lit up to take note of everything in the facility. When they reached the central section, it splintered off into many segments. Ava only vaguely remembered the area, but she did know the way still. Her com on her arm kept track of their direction, helping her.

We were always in the westmost region.She pointed down a section that led lower, where the flickering lighting was dimmer. “That direction. I can’t say why, but...”

She frowned as she put her hand on the walkway, feeling the same sort of anxiety the unpainted Phor halls had given her notso long ago. Her hands touched a bit of rust piled up.These walls are not well taken care of, though.

Rhutg eyed the passages. “I feel minds down here still. More guards. How long until the security measures come back online?”

Vox cleared his throat as he tilted his head. “Not long. But the inside appears to only have video feeds active.” He shook his head. “This mind I have claimed, other than destroying the cameras completely, he does not know how to turn the feeds off, or how to obscure them.”

Rhutg nodded. “Give him to me. I will walk to where they keep the feeds and recordings and do what I can. I want the video records of this place anyway, and the security data.”

She saw Zeed move forward in the direction Rhutg had indicated as still having life. “Since we are pressed for time and only have a minimal crew to worry about, there is little risk in splitting up to cover more ground. There is only this way in and out of the area. I want to see, not through their minds, but my own eyes, what is still happening here.” He breathed deep, looking around in sorrow. “I can almost feel the pain of those who lived here before.”

Rhutg nodded, spinning his com. “These communicators still work in here, but I think our telepathy might be strained if we go too far. Give it an eighth of a cycle? Check in if need be.”

Zeed nodded before walking ahead, glancing back once at Ava and Vox as he did so. “Message and I will come.”

Rhutg adjusted his buckles. “As will I.”

“Be careful.” Ava said as they walked off. Ava followed Vox down the tunnel she indicated, on edge, tugging on her hair as they went. Being here was doing all sorts of weird things to her mind.Just breathe. Just walk.Her mind kept giving her flashbacks almost, visions of when she walked the halls as a much smaller version of herself. She felt the texture of thememories on her mind. She knew these walls, deep inside. She was in a state of adrenaline now, pushing so hard she felt almost numb.

Ava watched, transfixed, as Vox continued walking ahead, scanning every corner before ushering her forward, his bluish head and amber eyes taking on an eerie hue in the yellow lighting. They stopped, in unison, at a doorway.

“Why did we stop?” she whispered, looking at the worn metal.

Vox shook his head and said to her internally,“There is another Yar in there. I’ve nudged it away. Let’s try to enter.”

The door was not locked, but it did creak, loud in the dark, quiet hallway, as they entered.Oh no . . .Ava felt as if it were a siren instead of just rusty hinges, and her stomach clenched in fear as Vox tried to open it fast now that he knew how loud going slow was.

It didn’t matter.

A rush of movement erupted next to her. Before Ava could register what was happening, Vox had surged forward, his footsteps a heavy pounding down the hall.

The Yar managed to screech, “Intruder!” before he was dangling in Vox’s hands. Ava saw terror in the Yar’s expression as she got closer.

“Oh.” Ava realized that one of the Yar had charged toward them, then eyed the baton at his side, remembering.When they used that ... it hurt. So much.

Ava looked to Vox, but it was not the Vox Ava knew as she saw him glare into the Yar’s face.Vox . . .A startled flash of fear went through her as she was reminded of the battle on the Phor ship, with his quick movements and angry eyes. A few seconds later, the life went out of the alien in front of them, a blank look replacing the terror.Just like the Tuxa husks.

Vox put him in front of Ava, breathing heavily. “I wanted to avoid this but ... he is broken. Ask this creature now and he willanswer. Truthfully. I do not know which questions to ask, and his memory is too long to piece through without prompting.”

Ava gulped, pushing down her shock at all of this happening so fast, then looked hesitantly at the creature, not even wanting to make eye contact. “Do you remember me? Others that look like me?”

The Yar answered, his blank stare matching the blank tone in his reedy voice. “You, no. Others like you, yes.”

Ava walked up to him excitedly, tripping over her own feet in her haste.This one knows?“Where are all of them? The Humans?”

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