Page 38 of Star Defenders (My Alien Mates 2)

"At least we can rule out another angle," he said. "That will get us closer to an answer."

I nodded and beckoned to Luuvor to take my blood and Brinley's.

"We'll need a vial of Slek's as well," I said, the precious blood held in my fingertips. "Don't tell me, we have to go back to engineering."

Zarex tapped a finger against his lips while J'avet glared at him.

"The medical equipment is here," Zarex said finally. "Engineer Slek will have to bring himself and a dish here. We'll need some equipment." He crouched and started to look through cupboards. Finally he pulled out a few glass dishes, some beakers and a microscope.

"It has metal on it, but that can't be helped." Zarex looked toward the door. "Where is Engineer Slek? He should be here by now."

I jerked. "You're right. That's odd."

J'avet tapped the comm panel, but got no response. He shook his head. "I'll try engineering. Perhaps he hasn't left yet."

We waited, collective breath held.

Nothing.

"I'll try the bridge." J'avet looked impatient now. "Come in. Captain? Anyone? Any personnel aboardHalcyon, respond."

The silence made my ears ring.

"I guess the comms are down," Brinley said uneasily.

"That could be it," I replied. I hoped to hells that was all it was. "What do we do now?"

"Same as we already planned," Zarex said. "We'll need to take live nanobots out of Danec and test them."

"Have you lost your mind?" J'avet snarled. "Bringing them in here at all would be sheer insanity, but at least if they arrive frozen—"

"What else do you suggest?" Zarex asked pleasantly.

"We get ourselves a few laser guns from the weapons store and fight our way to a pod, then wait for the IF to laserHalcyonout of the sky," J'avet snapped.

"And leave Danec to die?" I asked, furious.

"Better him than all of us," J'avet replied.

"Coward," I hissed.

For a moment, I thought he might hit me, but he growled and turned away instead.

Heart racing, I curled my lip at his back and took a deep breath.

"Doctor Mazic, can we safely remove a nanobot or two from Danec?" I asked.

"Safely?" She looked doubtful. "We can try, but we'll have to stay in the isolation room while we work. Including studying them under the microscope."

I nodded and held up the vials. "Let's do it." My back straight, I grabbed a mask so the gas which lingered in the iso room wouldn't put me to sleep too, and marched to the isolation room door. Mazic and Zarex were right behind me, each with a mask of their own.

"You don't have to come," I said to Zarex.

"Oh, but I want to," he said smoothly.

I glanced past him. J'avet paced across the room and back again, muttering to himself. "If this doesn't work, we'll try your way," I said.

He glared daggers at me. "If that doesn't work, it will probably be too late."

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