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My wristport dinged with coordinates that, when overlaid with the data gained from regular patrols, positioned us on the eastern edge of the wastelands. That meant the entrance to their hibernaculum was likely on the opposite side of the Starry Volcano from where Ginger and I had been trapped.
Although trapped no longer seemed like a fitting description. Only one morning of waking with her in my arms had been enough for me to understand the draw of a life companion. Andeven though we’d only been apart for one rotation, her absence carved a hollow space in my rib cage.
A group of eager faces approached me, most of them too young.
“Sisip has commanded me to lead this team for the duration of the siege.” A group of hoverbikes mobilized to the west, and two more teams jogged through town, splitting somewhere on the main street. “I’m JayJay, former elite guard on Yagras, tasked with protecting my home from hellsna.” Some of the worry faded from their eyes. “Who here has played traegon?”
Freckles dotted the light brown skin of the male in front of me. His features came from a combination of races I couldn’t quite pin down, but the sharp teeth were Boola. “I’m Hill, Protector JayJay. My traegon team made it to the Intergalactic Gamers Championship last annum.”
A Drack youth with broad shoulders and midnight-purple scales elbowed another Drack to his left. “I kick my sibling’s ass in that game nearly every night.”
Hot-tempered, untrained Drack youth—just what I needed. But their ability to breathe fire would come in handy in a fight against the fleshy worms. Though, they both looked too young to have gained their wings or to produce much more than smoke.
Interrupting their argument, I asked, “Can either of you fly or produce fire?”
“No, Protector,” they mumbled, their heads dipped in embarrassment.
A young Boola shuffled his feet. “I’m D’unter, sir. I’ve never played traegon, but I’ve seen it played many times.” Then he thrust his chin up as if he had something to prove.
“You’ve never played traegon, D’unter?” The young Dracks exclaimed, scales glinting.
“That’s enough Efred and Saluda!” D’irk clacked his sharp-edged teeth back and forth at the Dracks before turning to me. “Your plan, Protector JayJay?”
I leaned in. “Ready to play a match with a giant blanting worm?” Five heads nodded back at me as the plan formed. “D’irk will take point. He’s second-in-command. If I should fall, or you can’t reach me, report to him. If the goddess Sola is in our favor, the beasts will remain together.” The imagery from my wristport displayed the terrain mapped to date.
I trailed my finger through the wasteland ruins to the flashing red dot. “D’irk will act as bait, luring them here, where you will be waiting, D’unter.”
D’unter thrust his chin up again as my gaze met his.
“D’irk will hide and turn off his hoverbike, and you will take his place, drawing the big veiny bastard to Saluda. Efred, you’re next, and Hill, you will bring them to me.”
D’irk already had one leg slung over his hovee, ready for action. He made eye contact with each of the young enforcers. “We’re bait. Timing is essential. You must remain silent until the very last moment and then explode on your hoverbikes with as much noise as possible and lure them to the next bait.”
“Questions?” I scanned the team’s young faces. When none of them spoke, I dismissed them. “Take your positions. May the goddess Sola find you safe passage.” I closed my eyes for a moment.Please don’t let me lose anybody this rotation.
Debris shot through the air from the downdraft of six hovees, and my team was off. I barely knew the males beyond D’irk, but I felt like an elite guard again. The protector title was one of respect, and that my team deemed me worthy of it fed my starved pride. Each young face became a brother.
The need to take action and prevent the beasts from destroying my new community and friends pulsed in my veins.With a conviction so deep it rattled my bones, I promised myself the hellsna would never threaten Ginger again.
Cold air skimmed my head as I scanned the Starry Volcano in the distance, trying to judge where their entrance might be. D’irk’s com came through the disk behind my ear, loud and clear. “D’irk here. D’unter’s engaged. Saluda, be ready.”
With the first stage complete, I loosened my grip on my steering bar and landed near a cluster of large volcanic rocks. The blue snow was hard and crunchy where I paced, but soon, my boot punched through to the soft slush below.
“Stage two complete,” D’unter gasped as he caught his breath. “Saluda engaged. Efred, be ready.”
I pulled my drink container from my gear bag, hoping the other teams were in place. Who knew when I’d have another quiet moment? The dorat popped her head out and climbed onto my shoulder. Immediately, my racing heart calmed as she settled. Her bushy tail wrapped around the back of my neck. Mid-battle, I was composed and controlled, but all this waiting around turned me inside out.
“Are you ready to tangle?” I spoke quietly to the dorat, stroking her spine. Her murky eyes were so expressive it was as if she replied, ‘I know more about hellsna than you could learn in a lifetime,’ and ‘Why is your heart jittering like a hive of buzzy insects?’
“Well then, as long as one of us is certain.” My deep rumble penetrated the silence.
The next message came in over the com. “Saluda clear. Efred engaged. Hill, be ready.” Saluda had completed his segment. The halfway mark neared.
“It won’t be long now, little thing.” I placed her in my lap, where she melted into the color of my brown pants and the silver of the hovee. A long drink of water moistened my dry mouth before I returned the container and sealed my gear bag.
The hellsna’s screams grew closer.
One steady finger hovered over the ignition button as my mind cleared of everything but the mission.
