Page 27 of Alien Burn

Adryel nodded. “Fine, thanks.”

Sereya nodded too. She was standing barefoot in a doorway, holding it as though someone might try to force their way through. She loosened her hand.

“I was… I was afraid that something else had happened.”

“You are safe,” Stron said. “We are patrolling the halls to keep all of you from the Galactic Alliance safe.”

“Thank you,” Sereya said.

“And I was escorting Adryel back to her residence.”

Adryel grimaced, but nodded as he gestured down the corridor. They started walking.

Sereya stayed at the door.

“You still don't get to tell me what to do,” Adryel said.

“I believe I just did.”

“I don't like you, Stron.”

“You are certainly challenging, Adryel.”

They went on together. Adryel's shoulders were stiff, and Sereya suspected the conversation was far from finished.

She waited until they were out of sight before closing the door.

No attack. No smoke. No reason for her heart to keep beating so hard.

She leaned against the door and let it slow.

Adryel had looked annoyed, not afraid. She could tell Stron she didn't like him and still let him walk her home. Sereya tried to imagine saying that much to someone so much stronger than herself. Saying it without first working out what it would cost.

She couldn't.

Back in bed, she left the coverlet loose around her feet. The corridor was quiet again.

This time she knew someone was out there.

5

DHOMHES

Dhomhes had been trying the same dead channel for so long that when his comm finally sounded, he reached for it before checking the name.

The freight broker looked back at him.

Of course.

“You left seven messages,” the broker said. “Stop saying that name in them.”

Dhomhes could hear a loader warning signal behind him. “I need the incident record from Kerde. A district, a date. Anything I can use.”

“You won't find anything useful.”

“Then I shall be disappointed. I'm prepared to take that risk.”

“You're not the one taking it.”