Page 94 of Akur

“More will come.” Blood bubbled at the corners of the Tasqal’s mouth. “The bay will be swarming soon. Leave while…while you can.”

Constance turned back to Akur.Leave?

The word echoed, strange and hollow in her mind. She’d never considered leaving without him. Not once in all their struggle had she imagined walking away alone. They were supposed to escape together, find freedom together. Ever since he jumped in the void after her shuttle, the future had always been “we,” never “I.”

Her gaze fixed on Akur’s still form. No. She wasn’t leaving—not without him. She didn’t care if it was stupid or impossible or if the entire Tasqal army was bearing down on them. She wouldn’t abandon him here, wouldn’t leave him to be desecrated by the ones who had hunted them.

Staggering to her feet, she grabbed his shoulders and pulled. Muscles screaming in protest, but his massive frame barely moved. Sweat mixed with tears on her face as she tried again.

“Leave him!” The Tasqal wheezed. “Save yourself.”

Funny, Akur would have said the same thing. He’d said it before, many times. Just how many times had he tried to sacrifice himself for her? The least she could do was take his body away from this place.

She could bring him to a place where his soul could find peace.

“I won’t leave him here for them to…” Her breaths came hard and fast. “Help me. Please.”

She didn’t think he would. After all, there must be a limit to his generosity. But as she tugged and pulled, she heard a shuffling movement. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the Tasqal push himself up agonizingly slowly. Blood seemed to swell from a wound in his side, soaking his robes some more as he stumbled toward her.

“You humans,” he muttered, making his way over. He seemed annoyed. Angry even, but as he reached her side, together they grabbed Akur’s shoulders. Every movement was torture, but inch by inch, they dragged the Shum’ai’s body across the gore-slicked floor.

“We’re almost there,” Constance gasped. “Just…a little…farther.”

The ramp seemed impossibly steep. With the ship off the ground, thrusters still fighting for it to rise, there was a gap between the floor and the ship that forced them to lift his body completely. Somehow, they did it. With another grunt, the Tasqal helped her up, too.

They heaved Akur’s body next. She pulled while the Tasqal pushed, both of them trembling with exhaustion. Her arms felt like lead, her legs threatening to give out. But she wouldn’t let go. Couldn’t let go.

Finally, they got him inside. Constance collapsed beside his still form, her chest heaving. The Tasqal collapsed to the floor below.

“Thank you,” Constance said. She couldn’t see him now, his body practically hidden by the ramp. “You’ve proven you’re not all bad. Your people—there’s hope.”

The Tasqal made a gurgling sound. “The orb,” he whispered. “Must be destroyed. Save…both our peoples.”

She nodded, even though he might not have been able to see it.

“Come with me,” she suddenly said. “You don’t have to die here, too.”

The Tasqal made another gurgling sound. “There is more to do here.”

Sounds came up through the open lift. Shouts that sounded like an army of Hedgeruds coming.

“Go!” The Tasqal shouted. “Divert energy to the rear thrusters. It should wrench you free.”

“Computer!” Leaving Akur lying on the ground tore at her as she hurried to the controls. “Close ramp! Divert all power to rear thrusters!”

The ramp began rising with that agonizing slowness. Through the narrowing gap, she caught a final glimpse of the Tasqal’s blood-soaked robes before the metal sealed with a hiss.

“POWER DIVERTED. WARNING: STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AT RISK.”

The ship screamed. There was no other word for it. Metal groaned and twisted, the hull vibrating so violently she thought it might tear apart. Warning lights flashed across every console, bathing the cargo hold in pulses of angry red and blue.

“WARNING: STRESS LEVELS CRITICAL.”

Something snapped overhead as the ship suddenly lurched forward before righting itself and turning vertical. Another tremendous groan of protest from the ship. The deck plates beneath her feet began buckling. Just when she thought the hull would rupture, there was a final, terrible shriek of metal—and they broke free.

“Come on,” she whispered. “Come on!”

The sudden acceleration threw her backward. She slammed into Akur’s body, the impact driving the air from her lungs. As she gasped for breath, a massive cloud of dust billowed up from below where the ship had been anchored.

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