Page 123 of The Only Way Out Is Up

I reach a tower of crates, grab the lowest level, and hoist myself up just before Quech arrives. The big man grabs for my legs, but I dance backward as he parallels me. He gets ahead, grabs the edge, and pulls himself up easily, but it gives me a second to run the other way. I have two strong memories competing for prominence—playing keep-away with Somi and a younger Spike, dodging around the firepit back at our homestead; ducking the blades of a thrashing Twisted deep in the tunnels while Star positioned himself for the kill. Both have prepared me well for this; Quech is frowning, already sweating, and I’m barely breathing hard.

Back on the arena floor, Vripiai has pushed Star away from me, back toward the edge of the arena. If Quech’s goal is to keep me from supplying orders, though, he’s going to be disappointed; Vripiai needs his attention more than Star needs mine. The fight between Ky and Gestian has grown more intense, the older man using his size and reach mercilessly, battering at Ky’s defenses without giving her a chance to respond. She’s giving ground, and the way they’ve turned means she’s backing toward the runic fight, though there’s still plenty of room—

Quech’s grin returns. “Vripiai! Take the girl!”

The snake aborts a lunge, leaving Star leaping away and out of position. It snaps around and slithers full speed, shockingly fast for so large a thing, heading for Ky’s back as though this had been their plan all along.

Star, help her!

[Assessment: not fast enough!] Star’s voice is strained. [Prime a BLAST!]

It’s too soon— I cut off, because it’s obvious he’s right, there’s no other way. I reach out and activate one of the weapons in Star’s carapace, tripping its preset timer. Star lets it drop and snags it with his manipulator, passing it smoothly to one of his fighting legs as he turns his run into a spin. He harnesses all his momentum to hurl the melon-sized metal sphere ahead of him in an arc that brings it down between Ky and the rapidly closing snake.

The bomb hits a crate pile in Vripiai’s path, bouncing once before detonating in a bloody crimson fireball. Wood shatters, big chunks of crate erupting into the air while splinters fly everywhere. Both Ky and Gestian throw themselves flat, and Vripiai rears in surprise. That gives Star the seconds he needs to catch up, and he throws himself at the snake from behind. Two of his limbs stab into Vripiai’s body, yellow-orange sparks fountaining out like arterial spray. Vripiai’s tail whips out before Star can get away, clipping his carapace and sending him spinning backward into another crate pile.

Now it’s Quech who has his eyes on the runic fight. I can’t let him keep giving Vripiai orders; Star’s independence is our best advantage. So, against every urging of good sense, I take a quick run-up and leap onto his back, my arms closing around his bull-thick neck.

“You… little… runt!” Quech snarls, staggering forward under my weight. “What… the fuck… do you think you’re doing?”

I’m beginning to question that myself. Fuck me, he’s a big bastard, at least thirty centimeters taller than me; my feet dangle to the middle of his thighs. I tighten my grip, though his neck seems to be lined with stone, and start aiming kicks into the backs of his knees. He gives a pained bellow and spins round, grabbing for me with both hands. His fingers pry at my arms, then dig into my hair. He yanks hard, and I screech in pain. The only thing in easy reach is his ear, so I lean forward and close my teeth on it. I taste hot blood on my tongue, and he screams.

Then the air goes out of me and stars shoot across my vision. Quech has surged backward, crushing me between a crate and his considerable bulk. The back of my head is suddenly screaming, and I feel shooting pains through my ribs. I briefly manage to keep my hold on his neck, but he lurches forward and then does it again. For a second my world goes black. When it clears I’m on the ground, coughing blood onto the flagstones, and Quech is standing over me. He’s swaying slightly, one hand clapped to his torn ear, his breath ragged.

“Stupid little fucker!” he roars, and swings a kick at my midsection. It’s all I can do to roll and take it on my side; pain explodes through me, and I’m pretty sure at least one rib cracks. I try to call for Star, but I can’t focus my thoughts—I don’t know where he is, anyway, or what’s happening—

“You.” Quech glares down at me and raises his oversized boot. “I am going to take my time with—”

Then he leaps backward as steel ribbon slashes through the space above me. Ky vaults over me, still swinging, and Quech has to keep backing up. He looks over his shoulder and ducks around the pile of crates. Ky doesn’t pursue, and instead drops to my side to help me sit up.

“Taj? Taj, say something, that’s a lot of fucking blood!”

“’m not dead yet,” I mutter. I reach around to the back of my head, where my hair is thickly matted with gore. I can feel several deep cuts where my skull met the crate, but at least the bone seems intact. “Be okay. Where’s Star?”

“Somewhere over there. Gestian’s coming.” Ky extends a hand and with her assistance I reach my feet, wobbling only a little. I concentrate through the heartbeat-fast throbs in my head, trying to focus.

Star, report!

[Relief: lost you for a moment.]

Apparently having my brains scrambled will do that. You okay?

[Frustration: Vripiai is fighting to delay. But if I leave it, it will come after you or Ky.]

Which, unfortunately, makes sense if they think Gestian has the upper hand. Just as Vripiai could crush Ky, I wouldn’t last long unarmed against the swordsman.

I glance at Ky. She’s not looking great herself, grimed with smoke from the explosion, a few cuts staining her clothes with blood.

“How committed are you to the whole honorable combat thing?” I ask her.

“Think that’s pretty much out the window,” she says. “You have an idea?”

I nod. Star, can you get Vripiai to chase you?

[Humorous: I don’t think I can get it to stop.]

All right, listen up—

Star leaps aside, and Vripiai slams headfirst into a pile of crates, making almost as much of a mess of them as the BLAST did. The snake surges out of the wreckage immediately, sloughing off broken bits of wood. I run over, keeping a wary eye out for Quech. Ahead of me, Ky has spotted Gestian, and the two are squaring off once again. The swordsman seems untouched by the battle save for a smudge on his cheek.