Her Alien Protector: A Sci-fi Romance

Part 42

We don't really have any control over where the ship is positioned. Unfortunately, no matter how much I turn the turret, I can't see how it is possible. "The two ships are locked together and too close. From this distance any shot I take risks hitting both ships."

Ava taps the base of the laser turret. "Is this removable?"

"Yes."

Next, Ava taps at the turret encasement. "And this?"

Technically, everything around us can drop, which is why Tarak gave me this station. "Yes."

"Open it."

"It is not that easy..." It's a lie. I could easily shed everything around us, but Ava would be unprotected. I could never live with myself if Ava gets hurt.

When the Hydra fighter drags the Phoenix Borealis closer to the edge, Ava bangs on the walls of our enclosure and her voice sounds desperate. "Please, Rigel. Those humans will probably die. We need to help them."

I will do anything Ava asks of me, so... "First, press that blue button to release the laser gun. Do that and secure it to yourself."

Ava pops it out and puts the strap of the laser gun over her head.

"Good. In a moment, I am going to give a count-off for dropping the turret walls. Make sure to hook yourself to me, and I will hold onto you, too," I say, preemptively wrapping my arm around her waist.

I tap the communicator to the helm. "Ava and I will deploy in 3–"

Tarak roars. "I am the ship's commander, I forbid–"

Kayla's voice pipes into our turret. "It's too risky! Don't–"

"2, 1, deploy," I say, turning the key.

Our protective encasement drops. My wings are tucked against me as we are in free fall, plummeting. Ava's feet hook around my legs.

Lightning bolts streak overhead in the dark clouds and gusts of wind pummel us. The rahoni swoops in the air around us.

"Oh no," says Ava, pointing at the Phoenix Borealis with the fighter talon still enmeshed in its hull, the little ship teetering on the edge of the drop-off.

"Get ready," I say, holding Ava so that she has a clear shot.

Ava swings out her arm with the laser gun, blasting the Hydra fighter. The fighter opens its talon, freeing the smaller ship. Victory!

Is it? My pulse races when the massive weaponry turns, aiming at us.

Evasive maneuvers it is then. I fly away from where the weapons might aim. Ava curls and bends with me, and we spin through the air. Laser balls burst around us.

Ava whoops. She swings the laser gun, pelting the fighter.

The Hydra fighter is leaking dark smoke so one of Ava's shots must have hit its mark. Like a dying beast, it slowly descends into the pit.

Passengers from the Phoenix Borealis evacuate, running away from their ship.

Ava's eyes are on the Hydra fighter. "Put me down. We can't let them get away."

I do not come from a line of fighters, but I understand this situation for what it is. If the ship full of scourges survives, they will hunt the humans down.

I drop to the ground, my hands tight around her waist. This is the best angle position to shoot.

"Rigel, let me go."

I don't like that we have antagonized the Hydra fighter, nor that we are so exposed that the Hydra fighter can easily shoot at us.

So, letting her go...

"Rigel," she says, her hand on mine.

It's scary.

She's right, though. It is the easiest way to take several shots and maneuver. I let her go. Already, she is running and aiming the weapon.

It is hard to watch Ava, out in the open and exposed. I want to pick her up and fly her away from here.

"Help them," she says, indicating the people evacuating the Phoenix Borealis.

I go to the fleeing humans. Some are trying to carry bags of food. I throw a sack over my shoulder and carry it from the ship, keeping my eyes fixed on Ava.

Pride wells inside me as I watch her. Ava, the human once beaten by a scourge, is taking her stand. Her feet are firmly planted a few feet apart, and she fires shot after shot.

A high-pitch hum comes from the sinking Hydra fighter. Flying around the Hydra fighter and Ava is the little rahoni, flashing its red belly.

The significance of the animal's skin color suddenly hits me.

Danger.

What is the little animal seeing that we are not? The most likely thing is that danger is still likely to come from the ship, which means she should not stand so close. I drop the food bag to the ground and race to Ava.

"Ava, come," I say, reaching for her.

Ava sidesteps me. "A few more shots."

Everything, from the Hydra fighter's high-pitched whine to the peeping rahoni, feels wrong. Like a guardian, my wings are wide, and I stand near her. I will let her take the shot, but I am ready to swoop in and snap her up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see it. From the Hydra fighter, a hole opens in the hull, and out shoots a stick. It flies like an arrow straight at Ava.

No more waiting! There is barely any time left, so I fly at Ava, pushing her away from the ledge.

She falls onto the ground and looks up at me with an expression of surprise. Her face contorts to one of fear and—

A metal claw hits me, locking onto me, squeezing me with such force that it feels as if my hips might shatter. Pain floods me. The metal claw yanks me. I fall backward, my back and wings slamming onto the hull of the Hydra fighter.

Ava peers over the ledge. Her eyes are wide and terrified.

The claw is still locked around my waist. It lifts me, holding me upright. Suddenly, it rushes toward the large rock, slamming my backside against the rock. The claw pulls me a few feet in front of the rock and then with full force, smacks me against it. Repeatedly the cruel claw slams me against the rock. Something moist and wet is on my backside and my wings feel like they are on fire. The rahoni darts in the air around me, flashing its belly a bright red.

I want to tell the rahoni I understand its warning, but with the way the claw is battering me, I can't muster the energy to lift my head, let alone speak.

I knew death was a possibility when I went into combat. What I did not predict was that the Hydra fighter would use a metal claw to smash and batter and slowly drag my life force from me. Only now do I realize this was one of the most likely actions. A Hydra fighter will always choose to dominate another, even if it will also die with me.

The Hydra fighter might think it won, but that is not quite the truth. Ava and the humans who are important to her aboard the Firefly and the Phoenix Borealis will survive, so technically, I won.

The rahoni is frantically squeaking. I glance up at the animal. Wow, I must have taken a shot to the head, because the redness of the rahoni has multiplied into hundreds of red spots.

I think someone is calling my name. I struggle to turn toward the sad-sounding voice, but the sky grows black with red spots.

Consciousness slips from me, and everything goes dark.