Page 10 of Klaz
I exhaled, relief flooding through me. As I turned, I caught Klaz’s eye. The Vinduthi’s expression was unreadable, but I swore I saw a glimmer of... was that approval?
A jolt rocked the ship, nearly knocking me off my feet. Klaz steadied me, his strong hands on my shoulders sending an unexpected thrill through my body.
“Nice work,” he rumbled, his breath hot against my ear. “Now let’s go.”
We pushed forward, the corridors now a sea of chaos. Passengers ran in all directions, some frozen in terror, others shoving wildly to reach the escape pods. I watched in horror as a young Xarian child was nearly trampled underfoot.
Without thinking, I darted forward, scooping the child into my arms. Its tentacles wrapped around me, trembling with fear.
“It’s okay, little one,” I murmured. “We’ll find your family.”
Klaz’s commanding voice boomed over the pandemonium. “Everyone, stay calm and move in an orderly fashion! Follow the lighted pathways to the escape pods!”
To my astonishment, some people began to listen. Klaz’s presence seemed to cut through the panic, his military bearing providing an anchor of stability in the storm of fear.
Something hit my gut. Pride? Admiration? This wasn’t the time to figure it out.
“This way!” I called out, gesturing to a trio of lost-looking Fanaith. “Follow the big guy, he knows what he’s doing!”
A Xarian woman with shimmering scales suddenly pushed through the crowd, her eyes wild with panic. "Lira!" she cried, spotting the child in my arms.
"Special delivery," I said, managing a small smile as I handed over the squirming kid. The mother clutched her child tightly, relief written all over her face.
"Glad I could help," I added softly, before turning back to guide more passengers to some hope of safety.
As we moved through the corridors, I fell into an easy rhythm with Klaz. He provided the authoritative presence, while I used every trick in my playbook to cajole, charm, and reassure the panicked passengers.
“Your valuables will be safe in the vault,” I lied smoothly. “But your lives are irreplaceable. This way, please!”
We reached a junction where the crowd had bottlenecked. Klaz’s eyes narrowed, assessing the situation in an instant.
“Up there,” he said, pointing to a maintenance hatch. “We can bypass this section.”
I nodded, already moving. “I’ll go first, guide people through.”
Klaz boosted me up effortlessly, his strong hands on my waist. I ignored the flutter in my stomach as I clambered into the narrow passage.
“Okay, folks!” I called out, projecting confidence I didn’t entirely feel. “VIP shortcut, right this way!”
As passengers began filtering through, I caught Klaz’s eye again. There was definitely something there – respect, maybe even a tiny bit of admiration.
I wasn’t just looking out for myself. And it felt... good.
Another violent shake rocked the ship. I stumbled, nearly losing my footing. Klaz’s hand shot out, steadying me once more.
“Careful,” he growled, his gaze intense. “I’m not losing you now.”
The possessiveness in his voice sent a wave of heat straight to my core. I opened my mouth, a witty retort on the tip of my tongue, when a deafening explosion rocked the entire corridor.
Through the smoke and debris burst a swarm of pirates. I shuddered.
These weren’t your run-of-the-mill thugs – they were a motley crew of cybernetically enhanced horrors.
The leader, a towering Volek with mechanical tentacles writhing from his lower face, brandished a plasma cannon where his right arm should have been. Behind him, a pair of what I could only describe as cyborg hounds snarled, their eyes glowing an eerie red. A lithe figure, more machine than organic, slithered through the air on anti-grav units, wielding twin energy blades.
Adrenaline surged through my system. Years of surviving on the streets kicked in, and I found myself cataloging escape routes, potential weapons, anything that might give us an edge.
But before I could act, Klaz was in motion.