ANDROMA
THE GIANT SWUNG.
Andi ducked, and his fist whizzed past her head, punching into the metal wall instead.
It dented outward with a screeching whine.
“Come on, you bastard,” Andi growled.
She moved backward, easing out of the bridge, her too-large Xen Pterran suit hampering her movements slightly.
The giant followed. Andi could see Breck’s splayed form behind him, Gilly kneeling over her and Dex on the floor.
“You think you can steal my ship?” the giant growled as he stalked toward Andi.
She shrugged as she stopped in the center of the catwalk. “I’ve done it before.”
The giant loosed a chuckle. “Not today, little girl.”
Then he was at her again, bounding forward in two heavy strides that shook the metal beneath her feet.
Andi whirled her swords, then thrust forward with one jab, two jabs, three. The blades crackled and sang with each thrust. But each time, the swords rebounded off the giant’s wrists as he blocked her, his bulletproof skin proving strong enough to ward off even a scratch.
Damned New Vedans. Andi’s mind seethed as she dropped to her knee, allowing another swinging fist to soar past her before rising again.
He was strong, but he was slow.
And if she could just figure out how to disable him, perhaps make him lose his balance and topple over...
The giant gripped the catwalk railing and tore a piece away, the metal screaming in protest.
“I like sword fights,” he growled.
Then he swung.
Andi lifted her swords in an X. Sparks flew as her blades met his makeshift weapon. She managed to shove him back, barely giving herself enough space to adjust her swords, take a half step back and swing again.
The giant blocked her and advanced.
On and on they swung. Andi’s body took over, on autopilot.
Left sword, right sword. Block.
Thrust.
Drop to a knee, avoid a hit.
Rise back up, advance.
All the while, the giant’s bulletproof skin warded off her attacks.
Andi’s arms began to tremble as the giant pressed her backward, closer and closer to the end of the catwalk.
“Let us take the damned ship!” she yelled over the clash of metal.
“My soldiers will come back soon,” the giant growled. “Then you will die.”
He thrust the piece of railing at her.
It sang as it cracked against the wall just beside Andi’s head.
She was running out of steam, running out of options. Guns didn’t work, her best fighters were unconscious or helpless or, in the case of Lon, actually dying in the cargo bay below.
A hit made contact.
Andi screamed as one of her swords fell from her hand. It tumbled over the railing, where it landed beside Valen, the electricity fizzling out.
“Run, Andi!” Valen cried.
She hefted her remaining sword with both hands and swung.
The giant lifted his palms and gripped the blade. The electric currents made his body seize and shake, but he remained standing.
Slowly, eyes boring into Andi’s, he pulled the sword from her grip.
He tossed it over the railing to join its mate.
“Run!” Valen screamed again.
Andi’s breath hitched in her throat. She’d never lost a fight, not like this, not like...
BOOM!
Andi looked up just in time to see an explosion of red light barreling toward her from the still-open entry door. It rocketed through the air, a red swarm of death.
Blood sprayed against her face as the New Vedan warrior erupted into vapor. She blinked, hot blood dripping down her cheeks as she tried to figure out what had just happened.
Where the giant once stood, only his torn bit of metal railing remained.
Andi gasped and dropped to her knees.
Gilly appeared from the bridge, her mouth hanging open. “What in the actual hell just happened?”
Andi pointed over the catwalk railing. Down below, a whine of gears sounded as the entry door shut.
Standing before the door, with a giant, still-smoking launcher resting on his shoulder, was Alfie. He set down a wriggling sack. With a loud yowl, a fuzzy, horned creature emerged.
“Havoc!” Gilly shrieked happily.
Andi still stood motionless, staring down at the AI.
“Hello, Androma Racella,” Alfie said. “It seems we found you right on time. How can I further assist you in this mission?”
“Program this ship to get us the hell out of here.”
Moments later, the ship’s engines blazed as it shot through the planet’s atmosphere en route to Arcardius.