Page 32 of Sy

He moved closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over the maps spread across the table. His expression softened. “Humans are more fragile than us. One wrong move in those caves…”

“More fragile?” She turned to face him. “I’ve been caving since I was sixteen. I’ve mapped unexplored systems, taught advanced techniques to professionals, and led rescue operations.” Her voice grew stronger with each word, carrying across the hall. A few nearby workers paused in their tasks, watching the exchange. “This isn’t about being human or Izaean. This is about experience, and I have it in spades.”

His jaw tightened. “Ashley?—”

“No.” She cut him off, jabbing a finger toward the maps. “Those kids are down there somewhere. Every minute we waste arguing is another minute they’re lost and scared. I’m going, Sy. This isn’t up for debate.”

He stepped closer, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to maintain eye contact. His voice dropped lower. “I can see how you’re favoring that leg. If something happens down there?—”

“It’s a scratch,” she snapped, her patience wearing thin. “My leg isn’t falling off. I can walk, I can climb, and more importantly, I know what the hell I’m doing.”

She reached out to put a hand on his arm. “I get that you’re worried. Honestly, I do… but those caves could be treacherous, and you need someone who knows how to navigate them safely.”

The muscles in his jaw worked as he studied her face. Then he sighed. “You’re not going to back down on this. Are you?”

“Not a chance.” She allowed a small smile to curve her lips. “So instead of arguing about it, let’s just get on with it. Shall we?”

“Carter!” she called out, and one of the technicians organizing supplies near the hall’s eastern wall peeled off and headed their way. “We need the caving kit from stores. The full setup… ropes, harnesses, the works.” The young man nodded sharply and disappeared through one of the arched doorways quickly.

She turned back to the central table where Michelle sat, her broken leg propped up on a chair, carefully wrapped in a splint. The engineer had been watching the exchange with Sy in amusement.

“I need you to take point while I’m gone,” she said, looking directly at the other woman. “Engineering needs a steady hand, especially with the damage from the quake.”

Michelle grinned, the skin around her eyes crinkling at the corners. “You mean you need someone to make sure these overeager idiots don’t blow anything up while you’re playing cave explorer?” She adjusted her position, wincing slightly as she moved her leg.

Ashley’s stomach twisted with guilt. “Michelle, I?—”

“Don’t you dare.” Michelle snatched a rolled bandage from the medical supplies scattered across the table and threw it at Ashley’s chest. The projectile bounced off and rolled across the floor, drawing a sharp look from Zeke as he worked on another injured worker nearby. Not too far from Michelle, she noted. “My leg is broken, not my head. I’m perfectly capable of giving orders from a chair.”

The knot in Ashley’s chest loosened slightly. “There’s a lot to manage. The damage reports alone?—”

“Which I helped write,” Michelle cut in, her voice firm. She gestured to the papers beside her. “I know every system, every weakness, every priority. And in case you’ve forgotten, I was running engineering teams while you were still learning to spell ‘electromagnetic pulse.’”

A laugh bubbled up despite her concerns. Trust Michelle to put things in perspective. Behind them, Carter returned with the caving equipment, the metal carabiners clinking together as he set the kit down.

“Besides, I have help,” Michelle continued, a softer smile playing across her face as Zeke checked her splint. Like it could have come undone in the five minutes Michelle had been sitting there.

“Alright,” she conceded. “But I want hourly updates on the repair progress, and if anything major?—”

“Goes wrong, I’ll handle it.” Michelle nodded. “Now go find those kids before I throw something heavier than a bandage at you.”

“Alright, alright, I’m going!” She laughed, turning to where Carter had laid out the caving equipment.

She knelt beside the kit, methodically checking each piece. Her hands moved with practiced efficiency, muscle memory from countless expeditions taking over as she sorted through carabiners, examined the ropes for wear, and tested the backup lights.

She stood, adjusting the straps of her pack across her shoulders and checking the fit of her harness one final time. The weight of the gear was familiar, grounding. This, at least, was something she knew. Something she was good at. Her leg twinged as she shifted her weight, but she ignored it.

Sy appeared at her side, an Izaean version of her own kit slung over his shoulder. It was the first time she’d seen him in cold-weather gear, but the fabric stretched over the heavymuscles of his chest and arms, doing nothing at all to conceal how well he was built. Then they were ready and heading for the door.

Kraath watched them approach from the basement entrance. “Time is of the essence,” he reminded them. “This way.” His voice echoed off the garrison’s stone walls as he led them down the corridor toward a heavy wooden door. As he pulled it open, the hinges groaned, revealing a narrow stone staircase that disappeared into darkness. “Watch your step. These stairs haven’t seen much use in recent years.”

She flicked on her headlamp, the beam cutting through the gloom. The air flowing up from below carried the musty scent of abandoned spaces, dirt, and wet stone.

They started down in silence, their footsteps echoing in the confined space. The temperature dropped with each step, the air growing heavier, thicker somehow. Her injured leg protested the downward motion, but she ignored it. It was just a scratch. She’d had worse. The walls pressed in closer as they descended, the rough-hewn stone glistening with moisture in the beam of her light.

Halfway down, the staircase curved sharply. Her boot hit a patch of slick stone, and the world tilted. Her heart lurched as her balance wavered, the weight of her pack threatening to pull her backward. Before she could react, Kraath’s hand shot out, reaching for her arm.

“Careful—” he started.

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