Page 29 of Pact with the Alien Devil

IRIA

My boots crunched over the ashy debris as we traced our way back to theStarfall. Velaxis Prime’s night turned the wasteland into a field of shadows, with small fires dotting the distance like artificial stars. The orange glow highlighted Korvan’s profile with each step - the sharp angles of his face, his broad shoulders, the rips in his armor.

Korvan walked beside me, steady and sure despite the wound that had nearly killed him an hour ago. I snuck another look at him. His gray skin was smeared with dirt and dried blood, yet he moved with fluid grace while I limped along, muscles protesting every step.

“We’re almost there,” I said, more to break the silence than anything else.

The words he’d spoken in the heat of the fight replayed in my mind.You’re reckless, infuriating... and I can’t stop thinking about you.I pushed the thought away. Combat does things to people. Makes them say things they don’t mean.

Korvan nodded. “Your ship should be undisturbed. I set proximity alerts before we left.”

“Good thinking.” I slowed my pace as a sharp pain shot through my calf. “Hope the deathtraps weren’t necessary.”

“The deathtraps are my favorite part,” Korvan replied, deadpan.

I snorted, then winced at the unexpected pain from my bruised ribs.

“You’re injured,” he said, turning toward me.

“I’m fine. Just a scratch.” I waved him off, limping forward.

TheStarfallwasn’t far now—its faint silhouette appeared against the horizon, a familiar shape that made my chest ache with relief. But before we could reach it, Korvan raised a hand, signaling me to stop.

“Wait,” he said, his tone sharp. He sniffed the air, his crimson eyes narrowing as he scanned the shadows ahead.

“What is it?” I whispered, instinctively reaching for my blaster.

“Movement,” he answered, almost too quiet to hear. “Something’s tracking us.”

I froze, my heart pounding as I strained to hear whatever he’d picked up. After a moment of silence, I barely caught the faint sound of scraping metal, like claws against a surface. It came from somewhere to our right, just beyond the skeletal remains of a bombed-out vehicle.

“Wildlife?” I asked, though I wasn’t sure if that was better or worse than mercenaries.

“Possibly. Velaxis Prime has scavenger predators—creatures that survive off corpses and scrap.”

“Great,” I muttered. “Just what we need.”

Korvan stepped in front of me, his plasma pistol drawn. “Stay behind me.”

I bristled at the order but didn’t argue. My ribs ached, my calf throbbed, and honestly, if something jumped out of the shadows, I wasn’t sure I’d have the strength to fight it off. So, I stayed close, my blaster ready as we crept forward.

The sound came again, louder this time. Claws on metal. My pulse quickened as I scanned the darkness, every shadow turning into a potential threat.

Then it struck.

A blur of sharp teeth and gray fur lunged from the side, slamming into Korvan and knocking him off balance. He twisted as he fell, one arm coming up to block the creature’s snapping jaws while the other aimed his pistol at its chest.

I fired before he could, the shot catching the scavenger in its side. It shrieked, a horrible, high-pitched sound, and recoiled just enough for Korvan to shove it off him. He rolled to his feet in one smooth motion, his claws extending as the creature lunged again.

This time, his plasma bolt hit dead center, dropping it instantly.

The silence that followed was deafening. My breathing was ragged, my hands shaking as I lowered my blaster. The scavenger lay limp in the dirt, its metallic talons gleaming faintly in the orange glow of distant fires.

“You alright?” Korvan asked, turning to me.

I nodded, though my knees felt weak. “Fine. You?”

He glanced down at his torn armor, his expression unreadable. “It didn’t break the skin.”

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