Page 81 of Fallen from the Stars

Frowning, Theo swung her attention back to the corridor and exited the elevator. “Nothing to be frightened of here.”

Vasil followed her without hesitation. “As I said, it is not fear.”

“According to the records,” Kane said, “his kind have skin that is particularly sensitive to changes in pressure, current, and temperature. It may be that they are also more sensitive to the electromagnetic fields that always permeate tunnels like this. They are known to instill a vague sense of unease in many organisms, including humans.”

“We just need to check for that part then we’ll be out of here before you know it.” Theo offered Vasil a smile.

He returned the smile. “You know where we are going?”

“Kane does.”

“Left at the first intersecting corridor, right at the next,” said Kane.

Following Kane’s directions, they moved through the tunnels at a brisk pace. But a familiar sensation struck Theo halfway down the second corridor.

She halted abruptly. “Kane?”

“The reactor is straight ahead.” A hint of static crackled through his words. “Though it is shielded, the halorium’s energy fields seem to be leaking very slightly. We won’t get close enough for it to do any harm.”

A tentacle looped around Theo’s waist, drawing her back.

“I will go to the parts room,” Vasil said. “You return to the elevator and await me. Just tell me what I need to look for.”

Theo patted the tentacle before brushing her fingertips over his skin; she’d never tire of its feel. “I’ll be fine. If it was dangerous, Kane would tell me.”

Vasil moved in front of her, leaning his face close and staring into her eyes. “He did not tell you last time, Theo.”

“We didn’t understand what it was then. We do now. He knows what to look out for.”

“Kane, you arecertainshe will come to no harm?”

“I cannot be certain of anything,” Kane replied, eliciting a deep frown from Vasil, “but according to the readings I’m picking up, we will be turning away from the source well before the energy fields are concentrated enough to cause any problems.”

Theo caught Vasil’s face between her hands and brushed her thumbs over his cheeks. “I’ll be fine. If anything happens, I trust you to get me out of here.”

He gently combed the claws of one hand through her hair. “Why take the risk at all?”

“This is your people’s home, right?” she asked, holding his gaze. “That means something, Vasil. I never really had a place to call home, so I know what it feels like to be without one. We’re not just doing this for ourselves, we’re doing it forallthe kraken. I have the resources and the training to find this part and get this fixed before it becomes a serious issue.”

His pupils expanded, darkening his eyes. “Under different circumstances, I would take you this very moment, female.” His fingers flexed for a moment before he lowered his arm and withdrew his tentacle. “Let us go, then. Carefully.”

Theo wiggled her brows and grinned. “I’ll hold you to that later.”

After pecking a quick kiss on his lips, Theo continued down the corridor; Vasil fell into place behind her. The humming in her head strengthened, making her feel slightly off-balance, until they turned into the next tunnel — once they’d rounded the corner, the sensation rapidly diminished.

“Three doors down, on the right,” Kane said. A blue marker appeared in Theo’s vision, set farther down the corridor. The distance on the marker — originally fifteen meters — decreased with each of her steps.

The marker vanished when she reached the door, which was similar in size to the elevator entry. It opened automatically onto impenetrable darkness. Lights flickered to life beyond the doorway, banishing that darkness in flashes and fits until they finally went solid.

The room was large, though its full size was difficult to estimate because of the neat rows of shelves arranged through much of it. Theo and Vasil moved inside. Several large carts with what powered controls were lined up along the walls to the left and right of the doorway, docked at recharging stations.

“All right, Kane,” Theo said, raising her left arm. “Let’s get looking.”

Kane’s orb appeared over her wrist, casting a soft blue glow around it.

Theo walked down one of the aisles, thrumming with excitement as her eyes swept over the containers on the shelves. “Is there an inventory list for this room?”

Her retinal implant displayed part numbers for each of the items Kane scanned, accompanied by superimposed images of the parts inside the various boxes and cases. Her fingers itched to open each one and explore the contents.

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