Page 8 of Akur

“I’ll go,” Meredith whispered, and for a second, she wondered where this woman was drawing her bravery from. She was already bleeding, no doubt badly hurt.

“No,” she blocked Meredith with an arm. “I’llgo.”

Leaving them pressed against the side of the corridor, she crept forward, holding her breath as she strained her ears for any sound.

Nothing.

This was too good to be true.

She was right at the door when she paused, gripping the shock rod and lifting it before her as she used a foot to slide the door open wider.

It was a control room, and there was no one inside.

Jerking her chin, she beckoned Meredith over as she entered.

Gently, they lowered the silent woman to the floor just inside the doorway before closing the door behind them. Constance sagged against it for a moment, pulse thundering in her ears.

Catching her breath, she took in the space. It was cramped, filled with panels of blinking lights and strange symbols. Consoles and monitors lined every surface, displaying incomprehensible readouts. She swallowed hard.

“Any chance you can fly an alien spaceship?” Her gaze slid to Meredith’s, whose eyes were busy roving over the controls.

Meredith let out a weak, rasping chuckle, then winced as the motion aggravated her injuries. “Sure, just let me check the manual first.”

But this must be a secondary control room. No way this was the bridge for the vessel she’d seen from the ground. The ship they were on was a colossal beast.

“Maybe this room controls communications?” Meredith whispered, clearly thinking the same thing. “Do you think we could send a message?”

Constance bit her lip. It was a good plan. If they didn’t make it farther than this, a distress signal would be their best bet. But neither of them could read the alien symbols. The translators embedded behind their ears didn’t work with text.

Shaking her head, she locked eyes with Meredith. “We should keep moving.” Something tightened in her gut. They shouldn’t have stopped. “We can’t do anything here.”

Meredith nodded, wincing as she reached for the unresponsive female. They both had their arms supporting the woman when a roar echoed far down the corridor behind the door. “Find them!”

“Oh shit,” Meredith whispered, one leg buckling as she gripped her belly and winced.

No. No. No, no, no. They needed more time.

Her heart skipped a beat as her gaze shot behind her. There was no exit in here. Only the single door they’d entered through. Unless she could turn the consoles at their backs into turrets, they were sitting ducks.

“Shit.” Supporting the unresponsive woman, she hurried back to the door, but the footfalls that echoed down the hall stopped her in her tracks. Her heart seized as she glanced back at Meredith. What now?

Meredith grunted and nodded sharply. They’d known it wouldn’t be easy. Far from a stroll in the park. Getting off this ship was going to be a test for their very survival. If they wanted freedom, they’d have to fight.

Constance nodded back, hand tightening on the shock rod still in her grasp just as the door slid open. Two hulking gator-guards crammed into the doorway, yellow eyes glowing.

“Found them,” one spoke into a communicator on his arm.

“Qrakking pests,” the other hissed.

“Back off.” Constance’s jaw clenched as she took a step back, forcing Meredith and the other woman to step back with her. “Stay the fuck away from us!”

The guard grunted, a snarl on his lips revealing darkened teeth. “Risky, little jekin…” He hissed. “Where we come from, females know when to remain quiet.”

The other grunted. “They will be quiet soon enough.”

She didn’t know why. Why the rage swelling within her suddenly peaked like a rising inferno swelling to the head of a volcano.

“You know what?” She spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m so damntiredof you pieces offilth.”

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