Through the limbs of the Hunters dragging me down, I saw Nadira fall.

Red filled my vision, tunneling, until all I could see was her struggling under the Hunter.

With a roar, I ripped the enemy from me, whipping one into another, cracking their domes until they shattered.

They didn't matter.

She was the only thing that was important.

I fought my way to her side, backhanding Hunters that dared to cross my path and block my vision of her.

My Nadira, with her gentle hands and strong spirit. She should never have been brought into a fight, never have had to see the violence that we lived with.

When I reached where I had seen her last, she was gone. I shouted for her, then saw one pale hand protruding from under a Hunter’s corpse.

I hurled the limp form off her and she sat up, choking for air.

She clutched the laser scalpel with her other hand, and, upon a closer look, the dome of the Hunter who had covered her had been neatly pierced. The smell of cooked flesh wafting out turned my stomach.

I gathered her up.

“Are you alright?” I patted over her limbs, checking for injury, desperate to reassure myself she was here, alive, wouldn't join the ghosts who haunted me.

“I'm fine.” She leaned into my chest and I held her close. I could feel her heartbeat, strong through her body. It may as well be my heartbeat now.

Nadira wiggled out of my arms and headed into the room. My brothers had finished the last bits of the battle and looked as battered as I felt.

A fast, professional triage, with wound sealant and painkillers applied despite our grumbling.

I watched, waited until she came back to treat me.

“I’m never letting you out of the secured area again.”

“Yes, you will.”

Sigh. She was right, but for now, I was going to pretend that as soon as this was done, I could tie her to the bed. And…

“We’ll talk about it later.”

“Later would be fine.” The knowing look in her eyes made me wonder if she was remembering the last time we’d ‘talked’ about this. “But first, let’s take care of why I’m here.”

* * *

Hakon kept an eye on the terminated Hunters while Geir inspected the auxiliary control room.

“All clear.”

“Fine. Aeden, go with Hakon, I want a headshot in or on every one of those bastards. No surprises. When you’re done, check with Loree. See if there are any more heat clusters on her screens.”

He headed out, and I returned to watching over Nadira while she worked.

She examined the pink and gray form that covered the control panels. “Look here,” she pointed, pulling on thin translucent gloves. “I think this was the original point of… Void, I don’t even know what to call this. Infection?”

A larger mass perched behind the center of the panel, almost as if standing guard. Thick ropes of flesh draped from it, encasing the terminal, spreading along the top and down the sides.

“I’m going to start back here, see if I can tell what’s connected where.”

Carefully she began peeling back the layers from midway up the mass. It all looked the same to me. “Quinn, we’ve started. Let me know if you see any changes on your end.”

“Acknowledged.”

Nadira shrieked, and I drew my blaster as, with a start, she jumped back.

“No, don’t fire!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Everything. Everything is wrong.” She gagged, then regained her composure. “Look.”

The peeled flesh revealed a dark layer, but it didn’t make sense.

“Look again. It’s fabric. I think from a uniform.”

Now that she’d said it, I could see it clearly. The same black fabric the Hunters wore.

“How did it get in there?”

“Other way around, I think.” She took a deep breath, resumed her work. “I suspect it really was an infection, but deliberate.”

Xander peered around me. “What does that even mean?”

“I can’t tell, but I think this was a human. Assigned to come in here, work the controls. Did he volunteer? Was he even aware he’d been infected, changed?” She shrugged, cut away more tissue. “I don’t know. Looking at his metamorphosis, I hope he didn’t know what was coming.”

“If this General Melchior took over the ship, he’d have sent one of his own to secure this place. Someone he trusted.” I stepped back, mind reeling. “Hell of a way to pay for loyalty.”

“Whether he knew or not, it doesn’t much matter. Either way, I need to follow the tendons and ligaments down, extract them from the controls so Hakon can install the box.”

The work was slow, painstaking, but bit by bit the console was revealed.

Finally she stood up, stretched her back. “Hakon, is this enough to work with?”

He didn’t seem to notice the piles of meat carved away, just examined the panel. “Should be. Maybe a little more clearance over here?”

They conferred, cleaning tendrils from the interior of the controls for another hour, until Hakon decreed it done.

“Let’s get that cube.”

Nadira pulled the small machine from her pouch. “Do you really think it’ll block their attempts to take the ship back?”

“Hey,” Loree crackled. “I’m still listening!”

Hakon grunted. “Should. Probably.”

“Hey!”

* * *

When we got back to the secure area, all any of us wanted to do was den up, sleep, and let our bodies handle the damage.

Apparently, having a doctor on missions with us meant that wasn't happening.

“Debriefing in the medbay, everybody.” I tried not to grumble. We made it in, destroyed the Hunters’ lair, and took control of the ship. All without losses.

I thought of Erich, the others, lying cold and still in that charnelhouse.

All right. The day had had good points. Nadira examined Hakon’s back.

It had been a good day.

"I can't believe your kidneys aren’t damaged after that blow," Nadira said, switching off the scanner.

“I’d prescribe bedrest for all of you for a week, but I know that won't happen.”

She started towards Geir, who backed away into a wall. "I'm fine."

"I'm sure. Seriously, this is scarier than the Hunters?"

Scowling he took Hakon’s place on the examination table.

"See, just a few scratches that I missed before. We’ll get them sealed up in no time. Even with your enhanced systems, it doesn't hurt to be sure.”

Geir scrambled away and Nadira continued her work.

"Hakon, how long until we know if we've got controls back?" I asked.

“Quinn and I will start running diagnostics as soon as we…," he stopped at Nadira’s fixed gaze.

"Have some rest." he finished lamely.

She perched herself on the edge of her examining table, and I strode to her side.

"Are you hurt, when that bastard grabbed you, did he break anything?”

"No, silly, it’s just that up here I have a better chance of looking at you guys without straining my neck." She bit her lip. "What do you want to do about the others?"

Her words made no sense. I looked around to the rest of the pack, but it was clear they didn't have any idea what she was talking about, either.

"We could do some sort of funeral, or service, I don't know what traditions you guys have."

Oh.

"Hadn't thought of anything. We know more than most people that we're just meat."

She frowned, eyes flashing. "You might be meat, and created deliberately, but there's a spark in there, too. Something that makes you different from the slabs of flesh I just carved through in the control room.” Her voice softened. “And the funeral isn't for them, but to close the door for you.”

"Then we'll leave it open until we’ve finished avenging them."

A murmur of agreement ran through the room.

Nadira leaned into me, then straightened up. "Wait a minute. Where Xander?" She closed her eyes and shook her head in frustration. "Why do I even ask? Ronan, would you call him in here?”

I stepped aside, triggered the comm. Listened.

"He asked if you’ll come in there."

Nadira put a hand on her hip. "Really? He doesn't need a house call. Just a little more patching up. I refuse to have any treatments given immediately after a fight be the final say. I want him on the monitors.”

I slid my hand down her back, remembering an overheard conversation.

“Loree's asking for you. She says it's time.”