<Ryann?>
She wanted to tell Keelin to keep quiet. She needed to concentrate.
<Is everything okay?>
The girl wasn’t going to let her be.
<I’m not alone.>
<What’s it doing?> There was no hesitation. Keelin knew about the creature.
<Watching me.>
She reached out with her lattice, focusing on the trace. She tasted its interest, and also its hunger, and sensed the struggle between the two. And it responded to her probing, pushing back.
At the same time, she pushed into Cathal. His lattice still repelled her, but now there was a spark from deep within, and she felt energy flowing. She sensed…not a normal sussuration, but something similar, and it reached out. Through her.
The creature pushed through Ryann too. As if she were nothing but a conduit.
Ryann focused tight, cutting out Keelin, and directed her energy towards the creature.
<Who were you?> she asked.
Then the lights flickered again, and the brief moment of dark pulled her back into the cabin. Or maybe it was the way the creature jerked.
The yellow glow returned, and the creature settled down.
Ryann’s body tingled, and her head throbbed. Pushing like this, especially into the unknown, was always a struggle. She needed a moment to recover. She could do without interruptions.
<You having issues with power, Nyle?> she asked.
<Been doing that since we took off. I’m doing my best.>
<Appreciate it. Keelin, you able to help him?>
<I’ll do what I can, but…What do you want to do, Ryann?>
How could Ryann respond to that? There was no way she could tell the girl that she intended to throw both herself and the creature from the craft.
<Not sure,> she sussed. <Just keep the power flowing. As long as we’ve got sol, we’re safe.>
But Ryann didn’t believe that now. At the landing pad, the creatures had pushed into the light. In the confined space of this cabin, the creature could easily strike out. It might even manage that while still covered with the blanket.
Ryann glanced at the pile of torches in the corner. Maybe if she could shine one up under the blanket, she’d have a chance. If she was quick.
But she’d never be quick enough. The creature would be on her before she’d even thumbed the controls.
The door to the bridge slid open, and Brice stepped through, followed by Keelin. The door sealed behind them.
<What the hell are you doing?> The words came out before Ryann could stop them.
<Brice has an idea.> Keelin sussed. Her wide eyes never left the blanket.
<No. Whatever it is. Get out. I’ll deal with this.>
<He thinks he can pull the blanket off.>
<No!>
The creature was fast. Even if Brice managed to pull the blanket, the creature would attack. In such a small space, those claws could reach both Brice and Keelin.
She couldn’t allow any more suffering. She had to protect her crew.
<I won’t allow it. Get back to the bridge.>
But it was too late. The blanket swayed as the creature turned towards the door.
The whole cabin stank. Rotten meat, decay and blood. Brice kept his lips firmly closed, and still it stuck to the back of his throat.
Ryann was where Brice had left her, sat next to Cathal. She had one hand under the blanket and the other raised in the air. Not to ward off the creature, but with her palm towards Brice and Keelin.
But he wasn’t going anywhere. He wasn’t going to let that thing win.
It was facing him now. He could tell by the way the blanket moved, and by the bulge as it raised an arm. Almost like it, too, was telling them to get back.
He wasn’t going to accept that from Ryann, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let some monster order him around.
Brice took a step forward. He told himself the tremble in his legs was from being cold and wet. His hand fell to his waist, and brushed against his lash. Useless, he knew, and he moved his hand further round. His fingers curled round the handle of a knife. He swallowed. The back of his neck itched.
The creature came a half-step closer. Brice caught a muffled hiss, and foul air washed over him.
Keelin shuffled to the side, and the blanket moved, as if the creature was watching her. She trembled, and took another step away from the door, her back against the wall.
Brice forced himself to side-step in the opposite direction. He didn’t want to leave Keelin so exposed, but what else could he do? Even if he stood directly in front of her, the creature could reach whoever it wanted. There was nothing he could do except remove the blanket.
And the only way he’d get close enough was if the creature was distracted.
His fingers twitched, no longer balled into fists. He stretched them, and pictured how they’d grab the crease in the blanket, up near the monster’s head.
Ryann hadn’t moved her body, but her head twitched, and Brice knew she was sussing.
The light flickered again. Brice swallowed, his throat dry.
The creature inched closer to Keelin, and she froze. A gasp escaped her mouth before she slammed her lips tight. Her brow glistened with sweat.
Brice stepped forward and brought his arm up.
And the blanket twitched. It spun as the door to the bridge slid open.
“What the hell are these things?”
Nyle stood in the open doorway, lash held high.
The lights flickered, then dimmed. Everything turned grey, and Brice saw the blanket rise up as the creature stretched.
“Nyle, get back and sort these damned lights out!” Brice said through clenched teeth.
The top of the blanket leaned in, and the creature sniffed.
“They killed Osker!”
Brice had no time to yell a warning as Nyle squeezed the trigger. The blanket rippled where the bolt of energy struck it.
But it didn’t move backwards. Instead, it rose higher. Brice took the scene in, even though it only lasted a fraction of a second. Dark feet emerged from the shadows, toes ending in hardened tips that curled over. Muscle rippled in the creature’s ankles.
Nyle screamed, and raised his lash again. Keelin yelled a half-strangled “No!”, and
