Page 71 of Game on Askole

“Behind you,” Aunt Tess cried, firing her laser pistol.

I spun around and shot a nauger charging me. Its body disintegrated into a million fireflies. “I’ll keep them back while you move Zoey and Detja.”

“Okay.” Aunt Tess hauled Detja inside and came back for Zoey.

In between killing the monsters, I shifted the hover sleds.

My psychic radar went on red alert. I spotted an obese nauger hanging from the rocky outcrop. Its claws scrambled desperately as it attempted to pull itself up. The sucker was going to fall.

“Look out, Aunt Tess!”

She looked up.

With an ear-shattering screech, it fell.

Aunt Tess’s cry of alarm was abruptly cut off as the nauger landed on top of her.

“If she’s hurt, I’m gonna gut you.”

The nauger sniffed Aunt Tess.

Dammit, she was unconscious. I didn’t dare shoot. I couldn’t risk hitting Aunt Tess. The rubble gave me plenty of ammunition. I threw bricks at the monster.

Smack. Smack. Thunk.The raptor wannabe snarled at me, exposing a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth.

I bared my fangs. “Not impressed.”

The nauger latched on to Aunt Tess’s arm and dragged her behind a sled.

“Smart guy, huh?” I pulled my sword, raised it above my head, and yelled bloody blue murder.

The nauger emitted a loud hissing growl.

“Geez. This is not a competition. C’mon. Attack me.”

The nauger gnawed on Aunt Tess’s arm for a moment, then spat it out.

Thank God, she was wearing a battle suit. “Tastes nasty, doesn’t she? But I taste yummy. Really yummy. Come and get me.” I shouted my battle cry. “Mwah-hah-hah.”

It hissed nastily and lumbered toward me on short stubby legs.

A turtle could outrun Mister Chubbiness. I didn’t have time for this crap. Armageddon loomed. Yelling like a demented banshee, I charged, side-stepped the nauger’s snapping jaws at the last second, and lopped off its head. Blood sprayed all over me. Yuck. Was it my destiny to always look like an extra in a slasher movie? I wiped off my helmet.

Aunt Tess moaned.

I hurried over to her and punched the medical icon on her bracelet. Her shoulder was broken, and she had a concussion. Damn. I was the only one left standing.

Lilkee’s mocking voice filled my head.“Looks like I will rid the galaxy of all the half-breed mates at one time. I will send my father a vid with the gory details.”

That was when I noticed a bright-red drone hovering overhead.“Nope, not gonna happen.”I destroyed it.

“A pathetic primitive like you cannot stop us.”

“Wanna bet?”

“My scientists developed an ultrasonic device that drives the creatures mad. When the naugers are done with you, there won’t be enough left to bury.”

“You’re a dead woman.”

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