I burst out onto our deck to see my worst fears realized. The hatch, still flashing its warning, swung open. A crowd of Hunters pressed through, intent on exploring whatever had drawn them here.

I drew the knives from the makeshift sheaths and leapt onto the back of the one closest. It fell, and I didn’t even hear its scream, just made my way through the crowd, attacking one, darting behind another, working until they couldn’t afford to ignore me.

I cursed myself. I shouldn't have been so anxious to leave the cargo bay, should have kept exploring until we found better weapons. But the tanks had driven it from my mind.

And now Loree would pay the price.

The Hunters turned to face me, this cluster, at least, content to eradicate the threat to their flank before continuing their explorations.

Good.

Another Hunter fell, and I retreated back, hoping to draw them away from the corridor and Loree.

"Don't tell me that's the best we've got for weapons," Xander tore by me, knocking the closest Hunter away and then fell back so that we fought back to back.

I passed him a knife. “Who's with Nadira?”

“Aedan’s waking up, she sent me to help you. And I'd rather you be mad at me than her.”

“Smart man. We’ve got to get the Hunters away from here. There’s another woman trapped back in that hallway.”

His jaw tightened, and he looked around. “I’ve never argued with a target-rich environment, but this might be taking things too far.”

No point telling him to focus. Xander chattered, but he came through. Nothing to do but ignore it.

“She’s in the first door to the right, past that hatch. I’ll draw them off. You keep them out of that room.”

We tangled with another pair, dispatched them, kept fighting.

“If they’re already in?”

“Disinvite them.”

“Got it, boss.”

He fought forward while I drew the Hunters towards me, further away from the hatch. In an instant, he was gone, blocked out by the mass of black uniforms and domes.

A sharp blow to my spine knocked me off balance, and I staggered against the wall. Stupid. I’d been distracted, and let one get too close.

I pulled my focus back, got my feet back under me, and got to work.

“She said you needed a hand, but you look like you’re doing fine.”

“Shut up, Aedan, and find a weapon.”

“Grabbed one on the way up.”

I glanced over, he’d found a length of metal pipe. “Pulled it from the room with those chambers. Hope it wasn’t important.”

“Not planning to use those things again,” I snapped as a fresh pair attacked us. “Let’s finish this.”

Between the two of us, we cleared the way through to the stateroom. In the end, we boxed the Hunters from both ends of the corridor. If the droids had even been programmed to retreat, they never had the chance.

The bodies in the hall told us how far they’d reached before Xander got to them.

He leaned against the wall of the stateroom, a long cut across his chest.

“Nadira’s going to want to patch that up. Nice to have her work on someone else for a change.”

“Wait till she sees you. You’re not looking so good yourself.”

Huh. Now the surge of adrenaline was fading, I suspected he was right.

Geir and Hakon trotted down the corridor. “Didn’t leave anything for us?”

“Where’s Nadira?” I ground out through clenched teeth. “Do not tell me she was left unguarded. I don’t care if you think she’s scary, I will hurt you worse.”

They blinked. “Quinn is with her. She’s finishing with Lorcan now, and then they’ll come up.”

“Aeden, still got enough juice to check out the rest of the rooms in this corridor with these jokers?”

The three headed off, muttering that things never changed.

“Boss, we have a problem,” Xander started.

“No kidding. This was our refuge, the one place of safety on the ship. And now they know we’re here.”

“Yeah, we’ve had worse days. But that’s not the problem.”

“Oh?”

“The other woman, she’s gone.”

Shit.

“Tear the ship apart. Find her. That woman is an ally.” And I was not going to tell Nadira I’d lost her friend.

The stateroom was a disaster. Xander shook his head, but I knew he wasn’t to blame. The Hunters had gotten here before him.

Heaving the bed back upright, a sniffle caught my attention.

Carefully, I cleared out the rest of the wreckage, until I saw a flash of red hair under the kneehole of the desk.

“Hey, you want to come out of there?”

Loree shook her head. “It’s my fault. I think they traced the distress call to the tablet.”

“It’s not a problem, promise. Come on out.”

She shoved her legs behind her, struggled, and then gave up.

Xander pushed his way past me to sit down on the floor next to her. “Mind if I join you?”

“Hit him if he gets annoying,” I growled. I wasn’t worried, he’d never hurt her. Doc would have strung us up if she’d heard of such nonsense.

“If he brings me my tablet, I might forgive him.”

With that settled, I headed out to check on our security, whatever was left of it.

Aeden stood guard by the closed hatch. “Geir and Hakon are finishing the second sweep. It’s clean.”

“The others should be here now.” Something had happened. What if the attack on the staterooms was a diversion and a second wave of Hunters had headed to the stasis chambers?

The sounds of the security sweep behind us broke into my thoughts.

“Please, go get her.” Aeden waved towards the hall. “We’ll keep things together here. Void knows, we’ve had about all the rest we can take. Just get her, and stop being an asshole.”

I knocked him on the shoulder on the way out. “Good to see you, too.”

* * *

In the stasis room, I stood by the door as Nadira knelt over Lorcan while Quinn hovered behind her. “I think that’s the last of it.” She patted his back. “Hopefully this isn’t the standard procedure for coming out of these things, but we were a little short on time.”

“Man, next time, try not to breathe so much of that crap.” Quinn stepped back quickly from another pile of goo.

Lorcan coughed again. “There’s not going to be a next time, not if I have any say.”

He straightened up and saw me at the door.

“Is the incident clear?”

Nadira jumped up, and in three quick strides I held her.

Quinn helped Lorcan up. “She told me to leave, but figured you’d have something to say about that.”

“Good job.”

Nadira tilted her face to mine, checking for injuries. “You’re okay? Is Loree…”

“She’s fine. Promise. Could use a visit from her doctor, I’ll bet.”

The tension melted from her and she sagged against me. “I didn’t have a comm, I didn’t know what was happening.”

“I know, babe.” My arms tightened around her. “Won’t happen again.”

But I knew it was a lie, even as the words left my mouth.