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“Krux!” Ror’k swore. “We missed it since we didn’t think to look for it.”
“We all did,” one of the hunters on the communication from Earth said glumly.
A fast-growing splotch of red on Jask’l’s screen caught my attention.
“The damage is growing,” I said, pointing to the blinking lights that were spreading across the screen.
“What the krux?” Yam’r stared at the screen. The damage had spread to claim his workshop. “All my work!”
He got up and raced toward the door.
“Wait!” Ror’k warned, wiser from his many years of experience. “Don’t rush in headlong. Gather your weapons andwear protective gear. If Sam is correct, the blast may have filled the area with spores.”
Sam was usually correct. That, I had to admit, was true.
“I will join you in case there are scourge,” I offered. I’d been feeling useless since my rescue, and I wanted to do something to help.
As Ror’k took several more shots at the abomination hurtling toward Earth, I rushed over to the armory to suit up. As per Ror’k’s suggestion, I strapped on one of the specialized masks we used whenever we entered a scourge nest to burn it from the inside out. Since we only entered the nests after we had finally gotten the scourge down to a manageable number, a process that sometimes took years, it was usually a joyous occasion, even though many of our fatalities occurred then too.
I met Yam’r at the door to the corridor that led to his workshop.
It wasn’t long before we saw the white strands crawling all over the walls, ceiling, and floors of the ship. The stench of the fungus filled the air. It was growing much faster than I’d ever seen. The strands snaked over every surface, claiming everything it touched.
I only knew one way to take care of the fungus, and that was to burn it. Standing side by side with the other hunter, we lifted our fire cannons and aimed them at the white fingers of death as they spread toward us.
The ship, like our shuttles, was mostly fireproof, and as long as we aimed at the wall and not at the equipment or the internal workings of the ship, we would be safe.
The tendrils met their match in the licking flames, and shrank back. We were winning.
“Yam’r. Kan’n.” Ror’k’s voice came authoritatively from the speakers overhead. “Abort mission. Get to the escape pods, now!”
Escape pods? “No!” I exclaimed, nauseated by the idea of defeat. “We can’t let it have the ship!”
“We have no choice. The other shot hit close to our life support systems. Not only has life support been shut down, the ship is also venting oxygen very quickly. In about fifteen earth minutes, there will not be enough oxygen to support life on the ship. We need to abandon ship. Now!”
Krux!
I didn’t need to ask why we couldn’t take whatever shuttles were in working condition. I was currently in the hallway leading to the docking bay, and it was blocked by the mycelium. It pulsed on the wall like it was alive.
Not bothering to change out of our protective gear, we headed toward the escape pods. When we got there, Ror’k was already there waiting for us.
“Where is Sam? Has she already gotten in a pod?”
Ror’k looked grim. “No. She is with Jask’l. They are attempting to sever the ship’s connection to its weapons, so that they cannot be turned against us or Earth in the future.”
Krux! Why did she have to be heroic too?
“Go!” I said to the older hunter. “I will help them.”
I didn’t know how I could help, but I did know I wasn’t leaving without that annoying, beautiful human who made my chest purr.
Chapter 9: Sam
“I’m not leaving without Pip!” I yelled as I struggled against Jask’l, managing to slip out of my hoodie and run down the hall toward the repair bay.
The larger hunter ran after me, but my desperation had given me a sudden burst of energy, and I was light on my feet. I slapped my hand on the panel and ordered the door to lock behind me. Then I shoved Jask’l’s cart of tools in front of the door. It wouldn’t hold him off for long, but it would give me a few extra seconds to get to Pip.
“He’s just a machine!” Jask’l yelled through the door. “He won’t feel any physical pain.”
