Page 79 of Ava Stargazer

Vox came close, his amber eyes fiery and intent. He nodded, talking softly and slowly, as if afraid of startling her further. “Okay, Ava. Yes. Let’s go home. Do you want me to carry you?”

She wiped her tears away on her jumpsuit and looked at the silent Yar standing next to them. Even the biologics were subdued and muted around her neck. Ava took a deep breath. She took one last look in the room to say goodbye before stepping away, shaking her head. “No. I want to walk out on my own.”

She walked first, and Vox followed.

“We got the information,”Vox messaged to both Rhutg and Zeed.

Zeed’s reply came back first.“I could not find any other life here, but there are some experiments. Things that were started cycles ago and are still being monitored.”

Vox frowned.“Like what?”

“Biological processes. Some viral formations it looks like they were studying for weaponry. Different genetic coding from various creatures kept here, and frozen samples. I found some of the crystalline compound that I feel in the Yar. I’ll bring some back to study.”

Ava was the one that responded, looking down at her com, which had the same messages Vox received.“But no life?”

Zeed’s message back came swift. “Not that I’m aware of. I am coming back to your location.”

Vox turned around and felt his head ache as he questioned the three Yar he had in his possession. He did so out loud for Ava to hear. “What is still happening here?”

The leftmost Yar said, “We keep the experiments monitored and maintain the facility. We are trying different ways to splice DNA together, then seeing how it reacts to viral weaponry. This place is to remain in backup mode in case it finds a purpose again. We maintain it.”

Vox frowned, knowing what that purpose would be.Viral weaponry.

Zeed came up behind them then, a Yar husk of his own behind him. “Where’s Rhutg?”

Vox looked down at his com and typed.“We are ready to leave.”He balled his hand on the screen, noting how difficult it was to type with the tremors that he wasn't able to fully hold back.

Rhutg messaged back,“I could not disable the feeds. The security system is now active again. We are being recorded roaming the halls. If I were to push more, it would lock down the entire facility and send out an alert.”

Vox considered.“Maybe destroying it is the right decision. This entire place holds atrocities. Zeed found experiments that are designed to take more life.”

He saw Ava and Zeed take in those words before Ava looked up, fire and determination in her gaze. “Yes. This place. Everything here ... it all needs to stop. But how?”

Zeed spoke, slow and heavy. “We wouldn't be able to hide if we destroy the facility. If we do this, others will know that the cover is blown, or at least suspect, regardless of how much we try to make it look natural.”

Vox shook his head, looking at Ava. “I would not be able to live with myself if we did not.”

The com pinged again from Rhutg.“The facility is run on a nuclear reactor. I can disable the sprinklers from here, and we can have them set a fire, which would overload the reactor.”

****

Vox held the broken minds tightly as they left, searching for any hints of data in them that could help as they exited. Fatigue coated his mind as his eyes were fixated on Ava’s retreating form. His worry made him tremble almost as much as the pressure from holding all these minds.

Ava stopped in the area where Rhutg stood, waiting for them. They had each already sent the Yar husks down into the facility to set the fire. Rhutg turned, and they hurried to the maintenance exit when smoke began to unfurl from below. They stepped outside as the fire started to spread, and waited there until the facility locked itself down as a failsafe. Soon the fire would reach the reactor, and everything would be destroyed.It is the least we can do.The facility was being put to rest, along with the atrocities within it.

“I’m glad it’s done,” Ava said, looking back at Cipra. Her form was hunched, but her eyes were clear in the dim light here on this planet. “Feels good that it is over.” She smiled at him, Zeed, and Rhutg. “Thank you. For me and . . . Them.”

Ava continued walking, and Vox’s head ached as he followed. These minds were harder to hold than the Tuxa. They were more complex, particularly with that coating. Vox forced his limbs to move forward. Forced the tremors to still now while action was still needed. He could hold a whole horde of Tuxa back on Torga, and yet the four Yar he’d broken here felt heavier. Or maybe his mind was weaker now, after being extended so often.

Or maybe I’m just tired.He hid the tremor in his hands as he walked behind Ava, keeping the bile in his stomach contained and his eyes on her small form as she walked back toCelestial.Once they were on the Phor ship he could recover.Ava will recover too.Vox pushed himself a bit further, probing as much as he could about the Yar’s masters, the Riolie, and any other contractors, and every buyer who had ever come to visit this soiled place while he still had a thin line of connection to them, deep within the facility.

This place.He knew things from the stars were evil, he had experienced that himself, but this was a different breed of evil. It was slow, and methodical, and without a hint of remorse.But still, he kept sifting through the minds, all the while keeping Ava in his watchful gaze. All the way back to Celestial.And then, back to Xai.

“Too far, Vox,”Rhutg said, his expression blank, his mental touch gentle. Rhutg was never gentle. That was how Vox knew it was serious.“Too far.”

“Yes. But we got what we needed. And look.”Vox fisted his trembling hands at his side. He motioned with his head over to Ava, then winced at how the movement hurt. Her resolve was evident as she dug into the files for the first time.

Celestialhad already taken off, leaving Cipra behind. Even with the Yar now gone, the mood was somber, everyone dispersing to areas to be alone to process events. The gloom from the planet seemed to infect the ship. No one wanted to spend any additional time in that soulless place.

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