Page 32 of Hunter's Moon
The Krelaxian thug had recovered and was coming at me again. I grabbed one of his arms and twisted, using the alien’s own bulk against him. He stumbled, off-balance, and I took the opportunity to land a solid kick to his midsection. The thug doubled over, wheezing.
But I’d forgotten about Grax. Pain exploded in my side as he caught me with a glancing blow from an energy whip. I stumbled, my vision blurring.
“Not so tough now, are you?” Grax sneered, readying the whip for another strike.
I braced myself for the impact, but it never came. Instead, I heard a familiar voice cry out.
“Hey, ugly!”
Lina stood there, holding what looked like a piece of broken piping. She’d emerged from her hiding spot and was glaring defiantly at Grax.
“Leave him alone!” she shouted, swinging the makeshift weapon.
Grax turned, momentarily distracted by this new threat. It was all the opening I needed. I lunged forward, tackling Grax to the ground. We rolled across the floor, trading blows. His fists pummeled my ribs, but I gave as good as I got, feeling the satisfying crunch of cartilage as my fist connected with his face.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lina swinging her pipe at the Krelaxian thug, keeping him at bay. Pride swelled in my chest at her bravery, but I couldn’t afford to be distracted.
Grax and I grappled on the floor, each trying to gain the upper hand. I managed to pin one of his arms, but he used his other three to rain blows upon me. My healing was already working to repair the damage, but the pain was still intense.
With a surge of strength, I rolled us over, pinning Grax beneath me. I grabbed his head and slammed it against the floor, once, twice, three times. His eyes rolled back in his head, and finally, mercifully, he went limp.
Panting heavily, I staggered to my feet, my body aching from a dozen different wounds. I turned to see Lina backing away from the Krelaxian thug, her improvised weapon held high.
“Lina, duck!” I shouted.
She dropped to the floor without hesitation, and I charged forward. I tackled the Krelaxian, driving him back into the wall with bone-crushing force. The alien’s head snapped back, connecting with the metal surface with a sickening crack. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.
The only sound was our heavy breathing. I turned to Lina, my eyes scanning her for injuries.
“Are you hurt?” I asked, concerned.
She shook her head, her eyes wide with adrenaline and something else... admiration? “I’m okay. You?”
I nodded, grimacing as my body already began to heal. “I’ll live. That was... impressive, what you did back there.”
Lina managed a shaky smile. “Well, I couldn’t let you have all the fun, could I?”
I chuckled, wincing as the movement aggravated my bruised ribs. “We make a good team.”
The heat of battle was replaced by a different kind of heat, one that smoldered between us like a barely contained inferno. I took a step towards her, drawn by an irresistible force.
But the moment was shattered by the sound of approaching footsteps and voices. Security was coming, no doubt alerted by the commotion.
“We need to go,” I said, grabbing Lina’s hand. “Now.”
My grip on Lina’s hand tightened as I spotted the Mkrani Soko’s docking bay.
“There,” I said, nodding towards my ship. “We’re almost there.”
Lina’s breath grew rough as she struggled to keep up with my pace. “Tharion, I don’t think I can?—”
I scooped her up without breaking stride, cradling her against my chest as I sprinted the final distance to the ship. The familiar sleek, dark-gray hull of the Mkrani Soko had never been so welcome.
“Ship, prepare for immediate takeoff,” I barked as we walked onto the entry ramp.
The ship’s AI responded in its typically calm tone. “Greetings, Captain. I’m afraid the spaceport administration has requested we wait our turn for departure. There are currently seventeen vessels ahead of us in the queue.”
I growled in frustration as I carried Lina up the ramp and into the ship. “Override. There’s no time to wait. Initiate emergency protocols.”