Page 30 of Klaz

Klaz grunted, a sound that might have been amusement. “I’m beginning to see that.”

We worked in companionable silence for a while, the familiar rhythm of problem-solving easing some of the tension between us. I found myself stealing glances at Klaz, admiring the way his muscles flexed as he worked, the determined set of his jaw.

“Hand me that therin capacitor,” Klaz said, breaking me out of my reverie.

I passed him the tool, our fingers brushing. A spark shot through me at the contact, and I saw Klaz’s eyes widen slightly.

Then Klaz cleared his throat and turned away, his focus returning to the console with almost painful intensity.

I bit back a sigh and returned to my own task. Whatever was happening between us, it was clear Klaz wasn’t ready to acknowledge it.

Suddenly, the lights around us flickered. A high-pitched whine filled the air, and the console in front of Klaz began to spark.

“What the—” I started, but Klaz was already moving.

He grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the malfunctioning equipment. “Power surge,” he growled. “We need to get out of here. Now.”

I dug my heels in, resisting Klaz’s pull. “Wait! Our supplies—we can’t leave them behind. We’ll freeze to death out there just as surely as we’ll die in here!”

Klaz’s eyes darted between me and the sparking console, indecision warring on his face. The whine of overloading circuits grew louder, more insistent.

“I’ll get the supplies,” Klaz snarled. “You need to get outside. Now.”

“No way,” I shot back, grabbing his arm. “We go together or not at all.”

For a split second, I saw something flicker across Klaz’s face. Then his expression hardened, and before I could react, he scooped me up in his arms.

The world blurred around me as Klaz moved. I’d never seen anyone – human or alien – move so fast. My stomach lurched, and I barely had time to process what was happening before we reached the nearest airlock.

“Klaz, wait—” I started, but my words were cut short as he unceremoniously tossed me through the open airlock door.

I stumbled, nearly falling face-first onto the icy ground outside. The biting cold ripped at me, stealing the breath from my lungs. I spun around, my heart pounding, just in time to see Klaz slam the airlock shut.

“No!” I screamed, pounding on the door. But it was useless. He was gone, back inside the doomed station.

I stood there, shaking and in shock, my mind reeling from the sudden turn of events. The icy wind whipped around me, cutting through my thin clothing like knives. But the physical discomfort was nothing compared to the fear gripping my heart.

What if Klaz didn’t make it out? What if I’d just watched him sacrifice himself for me?

A low rumble shook the ground beneath my feet. I stumbled back, watching in horror as explosions began to tear through one edge of the station. Flames licked at the windows, and smoke billowed into the frigid air.

“Klaz!” I screamed, my words lost in the howling wind. “Klaz, get out of there!”

But there was no sign of him. The explosions grew more intense, each one sending a fresh wave of terror through me. I paced in front of the airlock, torn between the instinct to run for safety and the desperate need to see Klaz emerge unharmed.

Anger at myself bubbled up, hot and bitter. Why had I mentioned the supplies? We could have found a way to survive without them. Now Klaz might die because of my stupid suggestion.

The seconds stretched into an eternity. I hugged myself tightly, trying to conserve what little warmth I had left. My teeth chattered, and my feet started to go numb. But I couldn’t leave. I wouldn’t.

Just as despair began to overwhelm me, the airlock burst open. Klaz exploded out of the opening, carrying a makeshift pack fashioned from a blanket. Relief flooded through me, so intense it made me dizzy.

Without thinking, I threw myself at him. My frozen lips met his, and I poured all my fear and relief into that desperate kiss. For a moment, Klaz seemed stunned. Then his arms wrapped around me, pulling me tight against his chest.

We stood like that for several heartbeats, clinging to each other as the station continued to burn behind us. I breathed in his scent, reveling in the solid warmth of him. He was alive. We both were.

Finally, Klaz pulled back slightly. His gaze searched my face, an unreadable emotion flickering in their depths. Then, without a word, he reached into the makeshift pack and pulled out a heavy coat.

Klaz gently wrapped the heavy coat around my shoulders. The warmth enveloped me, but the worry gnawing at my insides didn’t leave.