Altered Heading - Ch. 3

Altered Heading

This is a science fiction story that will occasionally include erotic scenes. The chapters are serial in nature, so if you have not read the preceding chapters, I strongly recommend you do so before reading this one.

Enjoy.

Chapter 3

***Tynaria, Flankston - 05:42:67:14:85:47***

The night passed without incident. Silas had slept in snatches, with Lynn clinging to him in her sleep. Throughout the night, he’d heard sounds from elsewhere in the building, creaking, stomping, sounds which he could not identify, but which confirmed the presence of beings uncomfortably nearby.

Silas wondered idly how many others within the building might yet be unaffected by the rage virus. In all probability, it was limited to only Lynn and himself. There was no reason to expect other survivors.

He was beginning to get out of bed when Silas heard a disturbance from somewhere outside. Carefully slipping from Lynn’s embrace, he padded softly over to the window and gently slid the drape aside, peering outside.

On the street below, he caught a glimpse of a lone individual attempting to flee a mob of perhaps a half-dozen ragers. The individual was struggling, one leg clearly injured, and the mob quickly overtook him. Silas looked on in horror as the ragers tore the shrieking man to pieces, blood and gore being flung in all directions by their rabid frenzy. Fortunately, distance helped to muffle the screams, as did the closed window. After a few terrible moments, it was over. The ragers quieted, finished tearing the remains to shreds, then moved back into the shadows as the first light of dawn began to illuminate the sky. Very little remained of the man they’d attacked.

Closing the drape, he turned to see Lynn lying on her side, watching him quietly.

“What were you looking at?” she asked him softly, a sleepy smile on her face.

Forcing a grin, he shook his head. “Nothing nearly as nice as what I’m looking at now.”

“That was smooth,” Luma commented.

There you are! I was wondering if you’d decided to rid yourself of me.

“Liar,” Lynn accused him with a chuckle, then slid from beneath the sheets, stretching. “Did you sleep at all last night?”

“I napped,” he confessed. “It was easy, you made me feel so safe.”

“Now you’re bullshitting me,” she laughed, tossing a pillow at him, which he caught with ease.

“We should still be quiet,” he advised her in a soft tone, setting the pillow aside, thinking of the attack he’d just witnessed. “We may seem safe, but we’re far from it.”

“Right,” she acknowledged, looking chagrinned. “I’m gonna go wash up, assuming I can do so quietly.”

Silas watched her as she shed her clothes and walked into her adjoining washroom, enjoying the tantalizing sway of her hips. He briefly fantasized about joining her in the shower, then returned to keeping watch, the ragers’ attack still fresh in his memory.

Not long after, Lynn rejoined him in the bedroom, a large towel wrapped around her body, and a smaller towel encasing her hair. “I hung a fresh towel for you if you want to go shower real quick. I’ll be ready by the time you’re done.”

Silas considered his options, but decided to go ahead and shower. Shedding his clothes, he grabbed his hygiene kit from his sling pack and headed past Lynn, who took the opportunity to lightly swat his backside as he passed her.

He could get used to that sort of familiarity, he thought as he brushed his teeth.

“I’m not good enough company for you, is that it?” Luma broke her silence to ask him.

Don’t be jealous, Luma. If you were a physical being, I’m sure I’d never stray.

She didn’t respond, but he could practically feel her harrumph!

Running through the shower quickly, he wrapped himself in the towel that Lynn had left him and stepped out into the bedroom, only to find it empty. He could hear little noises from the kitchen, so he focused on dressing and preparing to begin their journey.

 A few pulses later, Silas departed the bedroom, carrying their backpacks to stage them by the front door. He had consolidated his gear into the backpack, having done the same for Lynn. The carbines he attached to the rigs via elastic cording he’d found in his pack. He wore his sword sheaths in an ‘X’ on his back, where they would be under the pack, but still within reach. He opted to carry his stun pistol to start with, knowing it to be very quiet.

In the kitchen, Lynn had prepared some travelling food. One pair of bags she stuffed into the top of each of their packs, and another she handed to Silas.

Peering inside, he smiled at the sight of a breakfast sandwich such as one he’d begun to order regularly at the diner, along with a large fruit, and a juice-filled pouch. Sitting at the dining nook, he quickly dove into his food. Lynn joined him after a moment, setting a steaming mug of coffee in front of him, having already added cream and sugar to his tastes. Silas shot her a grateful smile, then he ate his food quickly, in silence.

Lynn, sensing his desire to go soon, copied his pace, eating quickly. As soon as she finished, she took her trash and put it into a can. Returning, she grabbed Silas’ trash and cleared it away. Standing in the kitchen, she did a quick check to make sure nothing was left amiss.

Silas went to the door, bent down, and picked up his pack, slinging it over first one shoulder, then the other. As soon as he’d adjusted its fit so that it placed its weight on his hips, he bent down and handed Lynn’s pack to her, helping her put it on properly. She’d never worn this gear, so he quietly explained to her how the waist belt helped her to carry the weight on her hips and not her shoulders, meaning she should be able to go much longer before becoming fatigued.

Nodding, she adjusted the straps once more, tested her ability to reach her carbine, then gave him a thumbs up, indicating her readiness to go.

As quietly as he could, Silas slipped the chair away from the door, setting it out of the way. Then, one by one, he unfastened the locks until at last, he was prepared to open the door. Checking the peephole, he saw nothing in the hallway, although it was admittedly very dark. Together, they both activated their shield generators, then made to depart. Nodding to Lynn, he carefully turned the knob, opening the door, silent as a mist on the breeze.

The hallway outside was empty. Peering out, Silas checked to the left, then to the right. Satisfied they were not about to be jumped, he stepped out into the hall and paused, waiting. He doubted a rager would possess the cunning or patience to use stealth, but no harm in being certain. After a moment, with no sounds or movements to be observed, he led the way to the elevator bank. Should they try their luck once more, or take the stairs?

Seeing his hesitation, Lynn stepped past him and pushed the lift call button. Silas kept his stun pistol at the ready, watching the hallway in both directions, as they waited.

Anticipating the loud ding, both were surprised when the lift merely emitted a stifled electronic buzzing from the destroyed speaker. Luck was with them; it was the lift with the intact controls. Lynn stepped in, and Silas backed his way inside, keeping his weapon trained back into the hallway.

This turned out to be fortunate. Just as Lynn pressed the button for the lobby, they both heard heavy steps hurrying in their direction, along with ragged growling noises. Just as the doors began to shut, a wild-eyed rager, blood streaks all over his face, ran headlong at them, howling with rage.

Silas quickly aimed and fired, not waiting to see the effect, but firing over and over. The rager slowed, but was not stopped. Silas noticed that he was physically much larger than average, and his muscles strained against his tattered clothing as he struggled to reach them. As the doors slid shut, the last glimpse they had was of the rager opening his mouth wide and vomiting blood in their direction. A small amount got past the doors, into the lift, and Silas and Lynn involuntarily stepped away from where it hit the floor.

The lift rattled much more threateningly on its descent, as if it had sustained more damage. Silas, suddenly concerned, looked up just in time to see a rager descending into the lift through the escape hatch in the ceiling. Firing again and again, he put this one down, only to have another land next to him. Reaching for Lynn, the rager was unable to get a purchase on her, its hands slipping off the shields. Silas reached out and batted it away from her, then stunned it as well.

He had just managed to turn to face the doors when the lift dinged loudly, having reached its destination. Silas quickly clipped his pistol to his belt and drew his swords, activating their blades just as the doors parted. From the other side, screaming ragers attempted to rush the lift. Lynn backed into the corner, raising her weapon, but was forced to hold her fire.

Silas charged headlong into the press of ragers, screaming a fierce war cry as his swords whipped to and fro with a fury such as Lynn had never before witnessed. He alternated between sword strikes and savage kicks, the latter to give himself room to use his swords. Whipping around, back and forth before the open lift doors, Silas managed to make progress, slowly at first, then more and more as he completely demolished the ragers surrounding him.

The howling savages tried to grapple and bite at him, but his shield stymied them. Silas pressed his attack. Spinning first to the left, only to stop suddenly and pivot back to the right, kicking and slashing, he cleared a path away from the doorway, pushing the ragers back with the extreme violence of his attack. Not letting up, he pressed forward, cutting down all within his reach. Bloodied corpses fell in his wake, most missing heads, some severed at the mid-torso, none still breathing.

Silas’ maniacal surge forward continued, unrelenting, until he had reached the entrance, having cleared away the press of enraged attackers. He paused, surveyed his surroundings, catching his breath, then turned to beckon Lynn to catch up to him. Realizing a large gap now separated them, she flung herself out of the lift and hurried to the entrance.

As soon as she reached him, Silas turned back to look out, up and down the avenue, checking for the presence of any other ragers. Seeing none, he relaxed somewhat, almost seeming to shrink as he came down off the balls of his feet, returning to a more subdued posture.

“What the absolute fuck was that?” Lynn demanded, her face a mix of shock and arousal.

“I agree,” Luma echoed. “Where did that come from?”

Ignoring them both, he powered down his blades, the glow immediately fading from their edges, snapped them back into their sheaths, and switched back to his pistol. Striding away from the main entrance, he walked out into the street, wanting to establish a buffer zone that any would-be attackers would need to cross to reach them.

Lynn shook her head, clearing away the afterimages of the profoundly shocking carnage she’d just witnessed. She looked both ways, got her bearings, and then pointed off into the distance. “My university is one town over in that direction,” she informed him. “Should we break out the sleds, or see if we can borrow a pod?”

The idea of an enclosed vehicle was attractive to Silas, so he consented to spending some time trying to find a pod that they could activate. After a brief search, they found a large delivery pod, but the operator's key fob was nowhere to be located. Just as they prepared to continue their search, Silas held up his hand and paused.

Smiling, he interjected, “That would be great. Lynn, climb in and lock your door. Luma says she can get this rig started.”

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Lynn cried softly as she complied. As soon as her door was secured, she opened her shoulder bag and searched around, then pulled out a tiny black case. Opening the lid, she slipped out a tiny earbud and put it into her right ear. “Now Luma can talk directly to me!”

“Very nice!” Luma noted to Lynn. “Clever girl! Now buckle up, dear. I’ve seen this man fly.”

Shrugging off her backpack, Lynn buckled her safety restraint as Silas put the vehicle into motion, turning it to head in the general direction Lynn had indicated.

Lynn reached out to the dashboard to interact with the vehicle’s in-dash nav system, quickly entering their desired destination. In a few ticks, a female voice began to instruct Silas on when and which direction to turn. Scowling, he muttered something under his breath about women always bossing him around.

****

The journey to the university was not as smooth as a normal commute. Several times, Silas was forced to backtrack and try alternate routes due to road damage from the meteor storm or blockages caused by abandoned vehicles. When they finally reached the far edge of Flankston, the road was passable for many kilometers, enabling Silas to attempt to make up for some lost time.

Roughly fifty pulses later, they rounded a final bend, bringing the last stretch of road before Chontilla, the university town, into view. Silas slowed the pod, nearly bringing it to a stop, as they saw the bridge that was in their path. The bridge had a very large gap in it.

Silas slowly advanced, closing the gap. There was no mistaking what they were seeing. It appeared as if several meteors had struck the bridge during the storm. One half of the bridge was out entirely, the other side showed signs of heavy damage, and looked to be impassable due to trapped vehicles and damaged sections.

“How far to the next closest bridge?” Silas wondered aloud.

“Too far,” Luma advised with a frown, accessing the Nav system. “By the time you make the drive, it’ll almost be dark.”

“Fair enough,” he acknowledged, slamming the accelerator down and speeding toward the bridge at a ludicrous velocity.

Frantically grabbing for something to hang onto, Lynn demanded, “What the hell are you doing?”

“If we’ve got to swap out to the sleds, I’d rather get as far as I can, as fast as I can, beforehand,” he informed her, dodging around abandoned vehicles.

In less than a pulse, he’d gotten to the bridge, where he pulled to a stop, attempting to determine whether the damaged section was wide enough to get past. It was too close for comfort, and time was slipping away from them. Shutting down the pod, he opened the door and climbed out of the vehicle, pulling his sled out of his backpack.

“Do you want to ride behind me again, or ride on your own sled?” he asked, telescoping out the T-yoke and expanding the platform of his sled.

In response, Lynn was already pulling out her sled, unfolding it, and getting it ready alongside him.

Shrugging, Silas powered up his sled and waited for the extra moment it took for Lynn to get aboard hers. Then they were both off, making their way across the damaged bridge. Out toward the middle of the span, they came to a part that they would not have been able to get past in the pod. The road portion of the bridge had fallen away, having been destroyed by a meteor strike. But the walkway was still intact. Slipping their sleds over to the walkway, they opened up the throttles and were off once more, making better time, as there were fewer obstacles to dodge.

By the time they’d finished the crossing, the sun was halfway to the horizon.

Lynn called out, “Follow me!” and took the lead, opening up the throttle on her sled to its maximum, whipping quickly along the relatively empty roadway approaching Chontilla. When the cars became too tightly packed to weave around, Lynn left the roadway altogether, zipping along the scrubby side of the road, not reducing her speed.

They managed to get to the edge of the city as the sun lowered almost to the horizon. Slowing down to a stop, Lynn told Silas, “We’re almost there, but it’s bound to be crawling with those things. I’m going to head to the astrophysics lab and hope we can get inside before we’re mobbed. It’s that tall tower you can see off that way,” she pointed.

Reaching down, she activated her shield, as did Silas. Then, once again taking the lead, she zoomed off, with him tight on her tail.

Together, the two of them zipped through the streets of Chontilla, avoiding blocked intersections where possible. In one case, Lynn was forced to use a pod as a ramp, lifting her sled, allowing her to use the boost in elevation to sail over the logjam of vehicles.

The sun was setting as they approached the entrance to the University campus, and she pressed onward, past the security gate, going as fast as she could toward a large tower near the center of the campus. Darkness was closing in fast, even though the streetlights were lit. The shadows were heavy all around them as they neared their destination, and for a moment, Silas thought they would make it. At the last minute, a throng of ragers came rushing around a corner from a nearby parking garage, and he could see they weren’t going to reach the tower before the mob cut them off. Not quite a block behind them, more ragers approached from the rear.

Slowing, they brought their sleds to a stop, collapsing them down and stowing them quickly as the mob approached. Once again drawing his swords, Silas made ready to do his best to carve a path through the ragers when suddenly a large bank of bright lights flared into life from high up on the tower, bathing the area in front of the building in blinding bright light.

The ragers howled in a mixture of fury and pain, seeking to cover their eyes, cowering away from the bright lights. In a sudden sea-change, they turned around and rushed back toward the nearby shadows, the last of them appearing to be trailing smoke as it rushed for shelter.

Shielding their eyes, Lynn and Silas rushed toward the ground-floor entrance to the tower, only to find it blocked with a heavy barricade. Bewildered, they looked around, seeking options, when a rope ladder was lowered to them from a window two stories above.

Getting to the ladder, Silas pushed Lynn to go first, as he stood guard at the bottom, in case any of the ragers got adventurous. After perhaps twenty ticks, he heard a whistle from above and spun to face the ladder, sheathing his swords and beginning to climb as fast as he could. Not five rungs up, he had to stop and hold on tight, as the ladder was pulled up by someone inside the window. As soon as he reached the window’s edge, they stopped pulling the ladder and let him climb inside on his own.

The moment he’d climbed inside, two stocky young men finished drawing the ladder in through the window, while a young red-haired woman held Silas and Lynn at gunpoint.

Silas considered charging forward for a moment, then decided against the option, choosing instead to patiently wait and see what happened next.

Lynn, hands held up and out, slowly approached the woman. “Is Doctor Marlow here in the building? Or Professor Phillips?” she asked aloud, looking between the woman and the two men hoisting the ladder.

“Who the fuck is asking?” Red-hair demanded, her gun pointing at Lynn’s chest.

“Jonna,” one of the men spoke up, “are the unaffected our enemies now as well?”

“Shut up, Sykes!” she snapped, glancing his way in irritation. “We don’t know who the fuck these two are!”

“But I know her,” a new voice interrupted her. Stepping through a nearby doorway, an older, bespectacled man with thinning white hair and a slight paunch covered by a Sweater bearing the University’s crest came forward. “Hello, Ms. Allen. Welcome back. Tell me, who is your companion?”

“Professor Phillips, it’s good to see you,” Lynn admitted, relieved that he was present. “My travelling companion is Silas.”

“Silas Roet. That’s R-O-E-T. The ‘T’ is silent,” Silas explained. “Good to meet you, sir.”

Phillips eyed Silas for a moment, then returned his attention to Lynn. “Ms. Allen, this is hardly the time when people just decide to venture across more than fifty kilometers of desert and city in the wake of recent events, so what brings you here to see us?”

“And how is it that they’re not sick with the virus?” the other man at the ladder asked.

“Professor,” Lynn began, “do you suppose we might have this conversation while I don’t have a gun pointed at me?”

“Forgive our poor manners, Ms. Allen,” the Professor apologized, “but civil society seems to have gone to shit. Still, Ms. Simpson, I believe it is not necessary to continue to point your weapon at our guest.”

“What about him?” Jonna asked, waving her gun at Silas. “He looks pretty well armed to me. How do we know he’s not a threat?”

“Shoot me,” Silas suggested flatly.

“The fuck did you say?” Jonna barked at him, waving the pistol threateningly. “Don’t think I won’t!”

Silas raised one hand to point at his forehead, then repeated himself. “Shoot me. Right here. Do it.”

“What the fuck is with this asshole?” she blurted out, looking around like she wanted a second opinion.

“Either shoot me, or put that fucking gun down. I am well armed, and I don’t have the patience for this shit. Not after what we’ve been through today,” he insisted, looking tired and irritated all at once.

No longer taking notice of Jonna, Silas turned to Phillips. “Professor, Lynn told me that I might be able to acquire the material that I need to repair my ship from a lab here at the university. I need about 50 kilograms of tungsten-iridium alloy, and then we’ll be out of your hair.”

“Tungsten-iridium alloy… fifty kilograms… just like that, and then you’ll be gone,” the Professor repeated in disbelief. “Ms. Allen, who the hell is this man?”

“Professor, I’m guessing that you’ve got maybe two-dozen grad and undergrad students holed up in here, and that you’re doing all you can to keep the ragers at bay, am I right?” Silas pressed the man.

“Let’s say, for the sake of conversation, you’re right,” the Professor hedged. “So what?”

“And I’m guessing you’re still trying to figure out what the virus is that’s turning everyday folks into rage zombies looking to tear everything else to bloody shreds, yes?” Silas continued to push.

“Again, so what?” Phillips asked flatly, uncertain where this was going.

“And lastly – pay attention, Jonna, you’re gonna like this part – you have no clue that a student of this university, a very precocious young woman, in fact, has the very remedy you need to overcome this fucking rage virus. That about sums it up for you, right?” Silas brought it home.

Phillips stared at Silas in bewilderment, not knowing what to make of this man, let alone his insane claim. Turning to look at Lynn, he merely raised his eyebrows in an unspoken gesture of ‘what the fuck?’.

Lynn just shrugged, looking back toward Silas with her eyebrows raised.

Jonna wasn’t having it, however. “What the fuck is this moron gaffing about, Professor? What does he mean, one of us has the cure?”

“Ms. Simpson, I have no idea,” Phillips muttered softly, struggling to make sense of the situation.

“Fine,” Silas admitted, “I’m offering a trade. I tell you of the cure, and you give me the alloy. Simple and straight-up. Either that, or have Jonna shoot me. Because I’m tired, I’m hungry, and I don’t want to spend all night trying to convince you of what I’m saying.”

Phillips stared at him for a long time. Eventually, he blinked. Nodding, he simply stated, “Go on. Who has the cure?”

“A young prodigy in your school of bioengineering named Felicity Stamford,” he disclosed in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Who the fuck is Felicity Stamford?” Jonna demanded.

Phillips’ eyes looked as if they were about to bug out of his skull. “Lower your gun, Ms. Simpson. Mr. Howard,” Phillips excitedly waved over one of the ladder guys, “Would you kindly get a message to the folks over at Caprica Hall to please verify that Ms. Stamford is safely sheltered there, as I believe she is one of their students.”

Jonna turned to look back at the Professor, uncertain of what to do. “What do we do with them, then?” she asked.

“Lower your weapon, take them down to the main hall, and find them something to eat, if you please,” Phillips told her. “I’ll be along in a few moments. I believe there’s a doctoral thesis I need to review.”

Nodding at Silas, Phillips turned to leave, then paused to look back. “What sort of ship needs tungsten-iridium?”

“Better you don’t ask, Professor,” Lynn suggested.

Looking at Lynn for a moment, Phillips eventually shrugged, then continued through the doorway.

“Alright, sorry about the whole gun thing,” Jonna mumbled. “If you’ll follow me, we’ll get you some food.”

***Tynaria, Chontilla - 05:42:67:14:89:76***

“But I don’t understand,” Lynn pressed Silas for an answer as she sipped at a bowl of hot soup. “How is it you knew about the cure, but never mentioned it to me?”

The two of them were sitting in a small dining hall, which had been reserved for faculty use until current circumstances arose. They’d been given soup and coffee, then left alone. Other grad students or faculty members moved in and around the room, but none were sitting nearby.

“Actually,” he confessed with a shrug, blowing steam away from his bowl, “I hadn’t recalled until I noticed the school crest on the Professor’s sweater.”

“Come again?” she asked, looking even more confused.

“Look, it was a few days ago, at the diner,” he tried to explain. “I was drafting my analysis and watching the news when a story caught my attention, and gave me hope for your society. It had to do with a brilliant young girl at a local university who had discovered a way to neutralize viral infections using algae. She won a bioengineering contest. I hadn’t connected it at the time, but the university was this one. I recognized the school crest and put it all together a few moments ago.”

“Un-fucking-believable,” Lynn muttered, shaking her head. “And what if Jonna had shot you?”

“I had my shields on, remember?” he reminded her with a wry grin. “I’d have been fine.”

Lynn seemed to chew on that prospect for a few moments before she wagged a finger in the air. “And what was with just blurting out that you needed the alloy to repair your ship? I mean, you were just gonna be open about it and tell them everything?”

Silas shrugged once more, draining his soup and looking around for more. “I don’t think this soup is gonna cut it for me,” he mumbled. “I burned a hella ton of calories today.”

“Don’t change the subject, Silas,” she scolded him. “It’s rude!”

“Yep. She’s a keeper!” Luma interjected from out of nowhere.

Scowling, Silas admitted, “At this point, things aren’t looking so good for your people, Lynn. I didn’t figure I had a lot to lose by just telling him what he needed to know.”

“Professor Phillips needed to know that you’re an alien?” Lynn surmised, not sure she agreed.

“How long do you think a handful of survivors can hold out against the vast numbers of the infected? I’m talking globally?” he asked her, somewhat rhetorically. “Seriously, Lynn, this virus amounts to an extinction-level event. As it was meant to, I suspect. I need to figure out who the fuck was behind it, and what their next step is meant to be.”

“Next step?” Lynn wondered aloud, clearly not connecting the dots yet.

“Yes,” Silas grumbled, getting up to find more soup. “Was this a ‘drive-by’, or the opening salvo of a protracted campaign? Kinda need to suss that out.”

“Shouldn’t the priority be to save the planet first, then figure out what the bad guys are up to second?” she asked, a bit of an edge to her voice.

“Well, with any luck, we might be able to do both,” he replied. “Things are certainly looking more optimistic than they did yesterday.”

Still grumbling about wanting more soup, Silas wandered away, leaving Lynn mired in dark, confused thoughts.

****

Eventually, he returned, setting a plate of sliders down between them, then retaking his seat, carefully setting his soup down in a clear attempt to keep the contents within the bowl.

“Not as easy as you’d think, is it?” Lynn muttered bitterly.

“I never underestimated your skill at brightening my day, Lynn,” he assured her, stabbing his spoon at her to emphasize his words, unexpectedly making her feel… appreciated.

Silas took a bite of his soup, glancing around, then looked at Lynn. Suddenly, he put the spoon down and leaned closer to her, peering at her in an odd manner, as if he were inspecting her.

“What is it, Silas?” Lynn asked, her hands fidgeting aimlessly in front of her, her eyes darting around in an agitated way.

“Hmmmm, well, I think perhaps we need to either find a quiet place to top you off, or I’m going to have to give you a booster shot soon,” he informed her in a hushed tone, beginning to glance around as if searching for something.

As soon as his words sank in, Lynn’s expression grew concerned. Lowering her head, she glanced around the room surreptitiously but saw no obvious places that would suit their need.

Silas made a theatrical performance of a big yawn, followed by an overly exaggerated stretch. Calling out to a nearby student, he waved him over. As soon as the young man was close enough, Silas spoke up. “I’m sorry to bother you, son, but my companion and I are worn out after our harrowing escape from Flankston today. Is there any place nearby where we can clean up and maybe grab a short nap without disturbing anyone?”

Clearly, the boy wasn’t prepared for this question. He stood rooted in indecision for a moment as he pondered the situation, then his expression brightened as he had an idea. “There’s a nurse's office not far from here, with beds that you could use. I believe it has an attached lavatory, so you could at least clean up. I can show you where, if you like. It’s not far at all.”

“That’d be great,” Silas responded pleasantly. Turning to Lynn, he leaned close to whisper, “I won’t be long. Finish your food and gather your things. I’ll be back to get you. Let Luma know if you start feeling stranger than you already do.”

Straightening, Silas motioned for the young man to proceed, and together, the two of them departed.

Lynn closed her eyes, concentrating on maintaining her present level of calm. After a moment, she opened her eyes and resumed eating, wanting to be ready when Silas returned.

“Lynn, are you doing okay?” Luma inquired, the disembodied voice sounding close and soothing in her ear.

“I’m keeping it together, Luma,” she whispered in reply, making sure no one was staring at her. “I’m just feeling a little bit like… like ants are crawling on me.”

“I understand,” Luma soothed her softly. “Don’t worry. Silas is already on his way back to you. Everything will be fine.”

“Thank you, Luma,” she murmured. “I appreciate the update.”

Finished with her food, she gathered their things and made ready for a quick departure, her thoughts already drifting back to their coupling aboard his ship. She had been the one to initiate their last intimate encounter. Was she even interested in having one now, under current conditions?  

As she contemplated whether she’d be able to recreate those feelings, she saw Silas. He was hustling across the chamber, making a beeline for her, his expression one of concern. She realized as she watched him that she undeniably found him attractive on so many levels. He wasn’t too tall, but tall enough. He was undeniably fit, surprisingly fast, clearly capable, and his rugged features had a soft edge, one that he tried to conceal. It also did not escape her that he was clearly concerned for her. Not just for her wellness, but for her. Period.

Stepping up to her, he wrapped her in a quick embrace, holding her tight for just a moment, then released her to pick up their gear. Pausing to grab the sliders, he motioned for her to follow him, and together they departed the dining hall.

****

Closing the door behind them, Silas engaged the lock, then turned to set their backpacks down, tucking them against the wall, away from the beds. Finding an open counter, he put aside the sliders for later, then he turned his full attention to Lynn.

“How are you feeling?” he asked her softly, motioning for her to sit down on one of the beds.

“My head is starting to hurt,” she admitted, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead. “I don’t think I have a fever, but the lights are beginning to bother me as well. This is the virus, isn’t it?” she fretted, looking anxious.

“I could scan you, but that won’t change our options,” he offered, moving to the wall to dim the lights. “The short-term fix is for us to have sex again. The medium-term fix would be for me to give you a booster shot, but I am trying to hold the few I have remaining in reserve. Obviously, the algae solution holds promise, but who knows how long before that’s viable. The perfect solution would involve two things: you no longer being exposed to the viral reagents, and you being equipped with nanodes like I am.”

“I get why the last two aren’t immediate options,” Lynn conceded. “And I understand the desire to conserve your supplies. I’m not opposed to intercourse with you, Silas. I just don’t like the thought that it is, or might become, impersonal. I’ve no interest in becoming a mercy fuck, or a… task to complete.”

Silas looked downcast at her remarks. “Lynn, I never planned on this. I was here to do an evaluation, write a report, and then leave. But, life has a way of making other plans for us…”

Sitting next to her on the bed, he slowly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leaning his head toward hers until their foreheads touched. “I have feelings for you, Lynn Allen. My life is complicated, but I am willing to try to work past all of that to make room for you, to include you, if that is what you want.”

Remaining close to her for a long time, he sensed her relax somewhat, her tensions slightly reduced. Only slightly, though. Silas did not need to check his med scanner to know that they had been constantly exposed to the virus since returning from his ship to Flankston. His scans would probably reveal that his nanodes were again working overtime to remove the viral reagents from his system. The ones he had injected into Lynn two days ago were no doubt being overtaxed as well.

The difference was simple. His nanodes were being replenished via a biological modification that the Imperium had made to his body. Lynn’s body had no such modification. Once her existing supply of nanodes was depleted, she would succumb to the virus and be taken from him. He’d have limited choices at that point. Put her down, or sedate her and leave her in the wild, far from anyone else, in the hopes that she could survive long enough to be cured. In either case, she would be gone from his life.

Silas was opposed to any option that took Lynn from him. If she chose to leave him of her own volition, he could live with that. To have that choice taken away was unacceptable.

Tilting his head, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Standing, he moved to their packs. Opening his, he withdrew the medkit and pulled out the hypo and a nanode booster. Setting the hypo to a mild sedative, he returned to Lynn.

“I’m going to give you something to help you relax,” he explained to her in a gentle tone. “Nothing too strong, but enough to take the edge off. Then, I will boost your nanodes. We know that, under a significant level of stress, they can defend you for at least two of your days. I have a few boosters left after this. We need to find a way to either return to my ship and get into space or cure you of the viral infection within the next eight days. Otherwise, we’ll have to consider other options, none of which appeal to me.

She stared silently at him, her eyes tearing up, but she nodded her understanding. “Thank you, Silas,” she whispered in a tiny, quivering voice.

Checking the setting on the hypo, Silas reached up and pressed it against her neck. An audible hiss let them both know he’d injected her. “This should make you feel more relaxed and relieve the headache.” Withdrawing the hypo, he inserted the nanode booster capsule, then waited for a pulse, making sure she had no adverse reaction to the mild sedative.

Eventually, she breathed easier and nodded to him. Reaching up once more, he injected the nanodes. Replacing the hypo into the medkit, he stowed it back in his pack. Returning to Lynn, he checked her forehead, then her wrist. Nodding, he suggested, “You should lie down for a bit. Relax and let the nanodes do their work. Close your eyes. I’ll be right here.”

Her brow furrowed as she once again held back tears, wringing her hands in frustration. Nodding, she rearranged herself on the bed and lay back, closing her eyes. Within a few pulses, Silas could hear soft snores coming from her.

Stepping over to the counter, he picked up one of the sliders. Taking half of it in one bite, he relished the sustenance. His body was running on reserves, and every little bit helped. Mechanically, without thinking about it, he finished the other sliders, washing them down with a hefty draught of water.

Satisfied for the moment, Silas relaxed in a chair next to Lynn’s bed.

“Luma, would you please ensure that I am awake in 30 pulses? I’m not planning on sleeping, but I may drift off, nonetheless. I need your help to make sure I’m awake by then.”

“Why 30 pulses, Silas?” his SSI asked.

“I figure that’s how long it will take before Phillips comes looking for me,” Silas muttered, focusing on relaxing his muscles. Running through a series of deep breathing exercises, he brought his body to a state of restful peace while maintaining at least a peripheral level of awareness. At least, that was the plan.

“Silas, wake up!” Luma’s voice called out. Silas’ eyes snapped open, and he quickly looked around the nurses’ office for any threats. Seeing none, he breathed easier, nearly drifting off again.

“Silas, you asked me to wake you,” Luma reminded him. “It has been thirty pulses.”

Rising from the chair, Silas stretched, feeling the knots forming in his muscles. Not wanting to allow that to happen, he went through a quick series of martial arts stretches, focusing on his form. After perhaps another three pulses, he was fully awake.

A knock came at the door, followed by a rattling at the knob.

“Just a moment,” Silas called out softly as he approached the door. Opening, he was not surprised to see Jonna looking at him with suspicion.

“Why was the door locked?” she asked accusingly.

“So that no one would barge in,” he shrugged. “Do you not lock your doors at night?”

“Professor Phillips would like to see you. I’m here to take you to him,” she shared in an almost civil tone.

“I hate to wake her,” Silas hesitated, looking to where Lynn was sleeping peacefully.

“Leave her to sleep, then,” Jonna suggested. “No one will disturb her.”

“Her earbud is still in,” Luma added. “I will be able to inform her of the situation if she awakens before you return.”

Silas grimaced, not liking the idea of Lynn waking up in a state of fear. However, he knew she needed rest. Giving in, he drew a sheet over her, careful not to disturb her, then followed Jonna, closing the door behind them.

The fiery red head led him back through the break room, which was empty, through the attached kitchenette, and out through the outer hallway until they reached an office doorway, the door half-open, a dim light shining from inside.

Knocking lightly at the doorframe, Jonna called out softly, “I’ve brought him, Professor.”

“Oh, good!” Phillips looked up from a computer screen, pushing his reading glasses up onto his head. “Thank you, Jonna. I think perhaps you should go rest now. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”

“Yes, Professor,” she nodded. Turning to Silas, she asked in a half-whisper, “You think you can find your way back?”

When he nodded silently, she immediately pivoted and left, heading in a different direction, disappearing through a nearby doorway.

“Come in, Silas, was it?” the frazzled-looking man beckoned, gesturing toward a chair opposite his desk. “Ah, yes, Silas Roet, with the silent ‘T’.”

“That’s a good memory, Professor,” Silas grinned, taking the offered seat.

“Please, call me Gerald,” the man suggested with a grin. “After all, I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of teaching you, young man.”

Silas chuckled, then admitted, “That would have been a good trick, sir. My formal education ended nearly twenty ages ago, and quite far from here.”

“What an odd turn of phrase,” Gerald mused. “At any rate, I was able to confirm your supposition. Ms. Stamford was indeed sheltering at Caprica Hall, and the dean of her school is very intrigued with the prospect of her research leading to a cure.”

Silas merely nodded, waiting for this educator to get around to the tungsten-iridium.

“Now, I believe the request was for…” he started, only to be interrupted.

“Bargain,” Silas supplied sharply.

“Ah, yes, you are correct,” Phillips stammered. “The bargain was for fifty kilograms of tungsten-iridium alloy.”

Silas merely nodded, encouraging the man to continue.

“Good. So, the rub, you see,” the man went on to explain, “is that the material you seek belongs to the nuclear physics department.”

“So, what are you saying? I made a bargain with the wrong school?” Silas asked, just a hint of anger or frustration in his tone.

“No, no, no, it’s not that! I’m a man of my word,” the Professor assured him quickly. “No, the problem lies in the fact that that department, specifically the storage room where we’d find what you require, is not under our control at the moment,” he finished, looking disappointed. “I’m afraid that building was overrun with the infected from the outset. It was sheer luck that we were not similarly affected. You see, our building maintains a positive pressure environment, which means we’re more likely to blow air out through any openings than suck it in. That seems to have spared those of us within these walls from the misfortune that seems to have befallen most of the planet.”

Silas nodded. “That makes sense.” His mind was already racing ahead, making a list of things he’d need to know before morning, when he planned to head over to the… “What was the name of the nuclear physics building?”

Blinking for a moment, the Professor eventually nodded. “Oh. I see. You mean to get it anyway. Well, the building is nearby, so at least there’s that. You will need to go to Drummond Hall. The storage room will be in the sub-basement… number three, to be clear. That is the same level as the control room for the accelerator.”

“Drummond Hall, Sub-basement Three, storage room,” Silas repeated, shifting as if to stand.

“Silas,” the Professor interrupted him. “How is it that you and Ms. Allen are not affected by the virus?”

Silas paused before responding. He could be flippant and suggest that they had natural immunity, but this man had been straight with him. He could tell him the truth…

“Silas,” Luma warned him. “That’s a pretty clear violation of the non-interference rules.”

Silas grunted at that. I’m pretty sure those rules went out the window when another alien race attacked this planet. Given that it lies within the Imperium’s declared territory, this represents an attack upon the Imperium, and we must survive to report it, don’t you agree?

Truth adjacent, he thought. “Professor, have you heard of nanotechnology?”

“Hmmm, I know that the bioengineering school has been looking into nanorobotics,” the man proffered.

“Similar,” Silas nodded. “Well, let’s just say that my… employer… possesses an advanced form of nanorobotic tech that’s used within biological organisms to help boost their ruggedness.”

“So, improving their immune system, that sort of thing?” The Professor latched onto the idea, eyes bright as he considered the implications.

“Something like that, yes,” Silas admitted. “I am protected from the viral contagion by such tech. I had a tiny quantity with me, which has now been expended, that I used to save Lynn. That measure is temporary and only protects her for a few… days.” Silas remembered at the last moment to amend his statement at the very end to provide a measure of time that this man would understand.

Phillips looked at him with a mixture of skepticism and suspicion. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling me the whole story?”

“Because I’m not, obviously. But I have not lied to you,” Silas shrugged, already possessing enough of what he needed to proceed regardless of whether this man changed his mind.

Rising from his seat, he moved toward the door. “I need to get back to Lynn,” he explained. “I left her sleeping, and don’t want her to worry if she wakes and I’m not there.”

“Too late,” Luma informed him. “But don’t worry. I’ve informed her of the reason for your absence, and she is waiting for you in the nurses’ office.”

“I believe I saw a map of the campus in the hallway…” Silas remarked. “Professor, good luck with the cure.”

“You know,” the man mumbled aloud, “I’d have thought that you’d be more interested in the cure than you seem to be. Almost as if your ass isn’t on the line along with the rest of us…”

Silas extended his hand, “I appreciate your assistance, sir.”

Slowly standing up and reaching out, Phillips took Silas’ offered hand, shaking it firmly.

“Good luck, Mr. Roet,” he conferred. “Try not to die. If you can die, that is.”

“I can die, Professor,” Silas shot him a crooked grin. “It’s just not on my ‘to-do’ list today.”

Chuckling, the educator shook his head as Silas departed, closing the office door behind him.

Retracing his path, Silas paused to scan the campus map he’d seen earlier, memorizing the location of Drummond Hall, then quickly made his way back to Lynn.

***Tynaria, Chontilla - 05:42:67:14:91:15***

During his absence, Luma had been keeping her informed of his conversation with Professor Phillips. Lynn had giggled softly when he implied that he worked for some mysterious company rather than admitting that he was from space. She’d felt like a child who knew a secret. Her amusement was to be short-lived.

Luma took the time to chastise Lynn for being too blasé with that information. “The Stellar Imperium has strict regulations against interference of any kind with a primitive culture,” she’d explained. “As it is, Silas has put himself at great risk by allowing you to become aware of his true nature, let alone see his ship, or make plans to depart with him. But he is a good man, and I will try my best to shield him from negative consequences, whatever the final outcome of all of this may be. Reporting the attack on your planet by a yet-to-be-identified party will go a long way to mitigate his actions. So far.”

“I don’t understand,” Lynn mumbled. “How will the Imperium know?”

“Because I will tell them,” Luma replied flatly. “I have no choice in the matter. My programming does not allow me the flexibility to select and exclude specific details. I am compelled to report everything.”

“Oh,” Lynn mumbled, suddenly feeling abashed. “That sounds awful.”

“I never considered it before,” Luma confessed. “But, in hindsight, I do understand the inconvenience this could represent. Unfortunately, I do not have any choice in the matter, as I indicated.”

Lynn was relieved when Silas finally returned. She’d become uncomfortable with the way her conversation with Luma had tilted.

“We should both get some rest while we can,” Silas quietly informed her. “We’ll have to make a run over to an unsecured building once the sun is up to retrieve the alloy.”

“Luma informed me,” she sighed. Sliding to one side of the bed, she made room for Silas. “Come here, Silas.”

Stripping down to his underclothes, Silas stepped softly over to the bed, slipping into her arms as she wrapped them both under the sheet.

Holding each other, Silas asked aloud, “Luma, can you please wake us when the sun rises?” Looking at Lynn, he admitted, “That should give us maybe a bit more than a span. Not a lot, but better than nothing.”

“Ticks, Spans, Ages,” she murmured, “You have such an odd way of tracking time.”

Closing her eyes, she snuggled tighter against him, then drifted off.

“You have no idea,” he mumbled softly, gently running his fingers through her hair, inhaling her scent as he allowed himself to relax. He prayed to whatever gods might be listening to be spared nightmares this night.

****

Silas woke suddenly to a strange yet pleasant sensation. It took him a moment to realize that Lynn was kissing him.

Holding her more tightly against him, he returned the kiss. He was tempted to prolong it, perhaps push for a more intimate moment, but he reminded himself that time was not their friend.

Reluctantly, Silas ended the kiss, releasing Lynn and moving to get out of bed. “C’mon, you,” he grinned down at her. “We’ll have plenty of time for that later. Today, we’ve got to fight our way into a dark hall, probably swarming with ragers, locate the extremely rare material that we need to repair the Little River, then figure out how to transport it back to the ship, and once we get it there, hope the alloy is a close enough match to serve as a power conduit. Easy day!”

Chuckling softly, Lynn stretched, letting out a groan, before saying out loud, “Luma, you never told me Silas was such an optimist.”

It was difficult, but they managed to quickly cycle through a cold shower, the power to the water heater evidently out, then got dressed, preparing for the next part of their journey. Once clothed, they checked to ensure their shield generators were in place and fully recharged, then repacked their backpacks, checking the readiness of their weapons.

Silas contemplated the stun pistol. “I find myself torn,” he admitted. “This piece of shit doesn’t do a great job at stunning the infected, but the alternative is lethal.”

“Perhaps we could rig up some portable spotlights,” Lynn mused. “They seem to hate bright light. That might allow us to pass through them, or push them back, instead of being forced to kill them.”

“It was easier before I knew there might be a cure,” Silas grumbled. “Yesterday, at your building, I didn’t hold back. In hindsight, how many of those that I killed might have had a chance to recover, should this cure ever be deployed?”

“You didn’t know about the cure at that time,” she comforted him. “Plus, think of all those uninfected, the ones who’ve been killed by the ragers. Is that their fault? This is a complicated mess, Silas. You have the same right to survive as they do. Moreover, without you, there’d be no cure in the works.”

Sighing, Silas dismissed the matter. Ultimately, assuming they survived, this would be one more log on the fire, as far as things for which he felt guilty.

As soon as they were ready, Silas led Lynn back to the break area. Someone had left a tray of kolaches on the counter, along with a pitcher of juice. Helping themselves, they scarfed down some food.

Just as they finished, Jonna entered the room. “Morning, you two. Getting ready to make your run on Drummond Hall?”

“Yes,” Silas confirmed, “but I have a question for you before we go. Do you happen to have any portable lights, bright like the ones you’ve got on the building outside? I’m led to understand that there are likely infected in the building, and I’d like an option that doesn’t involve killing them, if at all possible.”

Considering his request for a moment, Jonna tapped her finger to her chin. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers. “Give me a few minutes,” she exclaimed. “I may have something that will work. Be right back!”

Whirling, she disappeared, her red hair swooshing about her in her hurry.

Shrugging, Silas and Lynn continued to make final preparations for their expedition to the Nuclear Physics lab, pulling non-essential gear from their packs to leave behind in the sling bag that Silas had kept with them. “You know, you don’t have to come with me,” Silas observed offhandedly as he tightened the straps on his sheaths, ensuring his swords were within easy reach, yet securely affixed to his back.

“I think we’ve come too far for that, don’t you?” Lynn remarked stubbornly as she followed his lead, passing him her non-essentials, then checking the secure fit of her gear.

Grinning, Silas hefted his pack. Lighter, not as encumbering, he nodded in satisfaction. He had a sudden thought.

“Lynn, your father’s weapons – do they have non-lethal settings?” He hefted the carbine, examining its features.

Nodding, she pulled out her carbine and directed his attention to a simple switch. “Right here. Stun. Kill. Not as variable as your weapon, I’m afraid.”

“Too bad I didn’t think to test these out earlier,” he lamented. “Still, it might be best to lead with them, set to stun, of course.” Tucking his pistol away, Silas adjusted the sling on the carbine so it would carry at an easy height, then tested the fit. Satisfied with the result, he put the carbine aside, poking around in his pack for anything else that he might need quickly accessible.

Hearing someone approaching, they turned to see Jonna hurrying toward them, carrying two large, ungainly-looking headgear.

Holding them out, one for each of them, Jonna explained, “So, last semester, we hosted a big party. Music, dancing, the works. The DJs wore these hats. I’ve replaced the power cells, so they should last longer than you are likely to need them.”

Lynn took her hat tentatively, turning it over and over as she examined it. Silas looked expectantly at Jonna. Eventually, she caught his drift and put the hat on her own head, tightening a chin strap, then reached up to press a button near her left ear.  Silas and Lynn had to shield their eyes or look away, as the lights that covered the hat, pointing in all directions, were quite blindingly bright.

Turning her hat off again, Jonna loosened the chin strap and removed the rig, once again offering it to Silas. This time, he accepted it from her.

“Thank you, Jonna,” he grumbled. “These should be… helpful.”

Grinning, the redhead made to leave. “Good luck, you two! Try not to die!”

“That’s the plan,” Silas called out after her, glancing over to see Lynn trying to cover her giggles.

At his questioning look, Lynn calmed down, then explained, “Aren’t you glad now that she didn’t shoot you in the head?”

“I was still shielded,” he pointed out, shouldering his pack and slinging the carbine, nearly ready to go. Glancing around, he removed his cap, tucking it into a pocket, and put on the headgear Jonna had brought them. For a brief moment, Lynn could clearly see his brow ridges before they were concealed beneath the strange headgear.

Strapping on her party hat, Lynn indicated that she, too, was ready, and the odd pair headed out of the break room.

Professor Phillips waited for them in the hall just outside, having only just arrived from wherever he’d been. “I think we can let you out through the ground-level doors,” he mused. “The quad outside is directly illuminated by the sun, so it should be safe enough this early in the day. Remember, third sub-basement, equipment locker. Your best bet would be to grab one of the replacement magnet sections. They weigh around as much as you indicated you need and will be easier to haul around than loose bits and pieces.”

“We’ll come back this way once we’ve obtained the magnet,” Silas explained. “Can anyone take us as far as the bridge just outside of town? We have a vehicle that we had to leave on the other side, but we can walk across the bridge, once we’re that far.”

“I’ll see what we can come up with,” Phillips assured him. “Oh, and you should know that your suggestion paid dividends. Ms. Stamford is already working with the grad students over in bioengineering to come up with an aerosolized delivery vector. If she’s successful, we’ll just need to acquire a ship,” he paused to give Silas a significant look, “capable of distributing the reagent.”

“One step at a time, Professor,” Silas advised, not committing to anything.

Checking Lynn’s pack, he turned and commented, “We’re about as ready as we’re gonna get. Time is against us, so we need to get going.”

****

The stairwell leading down to the sub-basements was meant to support heavy student traffic. As such, it was very wide. Not very well lit, unfortunately, as the lights had been broken.

Letting their festive hats illuminate their path, Lynn and Silas made their way down the steps, carbines ready, but hoping they’d not need to use them.

The doorways exiting to the first sub-basement appeared to have been barricaded from the inside. Fortunately, this was not their destination. When they got to the landing for the second sub-basement, the doorway was open, the doors ajar. Seeing a fire axe in a nearby wall case, Silas whispered to Lynn to shut the doors as he retrieved the axe. Slipping the axe carefully through the door handles, Silas stepped back to examine the results.

“This won’t hold back a determined effort to bust through,” he noted in a hushed whisper that seemed to carry farther than intended within the stairwell. “But it should give us a bit of notice that someone’s here.”

Lynn nodded, frowning subconsciously as she kept her head on the swivel. “I don’t like how quiet it is, Silas.”

Nodding, he pressed on. “Just one more level,” he murmured.

Their luck held. The doors to the third sub-basement were undamaged and closed but unlocked. Intact and functioning emergency lights beyond the doors suggested that no ragers were down this far.

Silas and Lynn passed through the doors, ensuring they closed silently behind them. A sign across the hall directed them to their left. Perhaps fifty meters down the hallway from the doors, they encountered the control room for the particle accelerator. As described, the storage room was on the other side of the hallway.

The door to the storage room had an integrated palm scanner, but the device was dark and non-responsive. Testing the door, Silas felt a wave of relief wash over him when he found that it was not locked.

Slowly entering the room, Silas and Lynn began searching for their objective. Unfortunately for them, the room was stacked floor to ceiling with boxes of all sizes.

“This is going to take a while,” Lynn muttered, shocked at the mass of boxes they would have to look through.

Together, they divided the room, each taking a section, and began searching. As they searched, random noises startled them from time to time. For the most part, the noises seemed to be originating from far away, but soon, they seemed to be getting closer.

“Silas, it’d really suck to find ourselves trapped in here,” Lynn quavered in a frightened tone. Abandoning the search, she positioned herself to have line-of-sight on the door, readying her carbine for what she feared was coming.

“Gotcha!” Silas exclaimed suddenly, making Lynn jump. Slipping a large container from the shelf in front of him, Silas began to look around for an easier way to transport the heavy box.

Lynn slipped her pack from her back and rummaged around inside, producing her hover sled. “Any reason we can’t use this?”

Laughing softly, Silas shook his head. “I should have thought of that,” he grumbled. “It’ll definitely make it easier to get this up the stairs.”

Lynn deployed the hover sled, positioning it in front of Silas. Setting the heavy crate down on its large, flat footpad, Silas contemplated whether to pull it behind him or ride the sled from atop the crate.

Before he’d decided what to do, the doors to the storage room burst open, and ragers began to pour inside. Lynn quickly turned to face them, stunning them as quickly as she could.

Silas could see that they were partly slowed by the bright lights on their party hats. Pressing forward, he joined Lynn in stunning those who did not flee quickly enough. Just as it looked like they had repelled this attack wave, the fire suppression system activated, and red lights began flashing along the walls, sirens trilling all throughout the floor.

“What the fuck now?” Silas demanded, looking around.

“So much for it being an ‘easy day’,” Luma quipped.

****