captured with the weapon. Tak’sinii technology did not belong in the hands of those untrained and unsanctioned to use it.
Snarling, the guardian’s muscles coiled as he leaped from rock to rock until the perfect place was discovered—a crevice within which the eminit could be safely lodged. Once the weapon was concealed, the a’sankh ran a wide, confusing path before dropping once more among the lower rocks. The colony rose just within sight when the sharp scent of the offworlders sprung up. They were there, waiting to spring their trap.
Teeth bared in a sharp grin, he, Rhyst Emat’teln, a’sankh of the Fa’teln san’mordan, did not show mercy nor break his stride. Powerful legs carried him over the rocks that concealed him in a high-speed leap. White-ringed eyes widened with horror, and panicked shouts filled the air as he landed among them. His four arms lashed out, long claws splitting from his fingertips to slash at any within his reach. Blood flowed from the carefully executed strikes. Minor wounds, meant to confuse.
Painful projectiles skidded across his thick hide. They did not pierce his skin, but the pain was still considerable. Gritting his teeth, he snarled, tail flicking in warning as he sized up his foes. What sort of beings used projectiles? Barbaric!
He rounded on one who lifted a large weapon. The concussion deafened him for an instant as the flare of a net snapped around him. His tail came up and nearly succeeded in flicking it away when two more nets landed on him, dropping him flat against the pale gray rocks. He raised his hands to rip them away, but didn’t have a chance.
The sound of voices filled his ears, a commanding one rising above them. Blue electricity arched over the nets, and a bellow of pain forced its way out of him. His skin felt as if it were set ablaze, attempting to split free of him. Agony coursed through him, but it was only a shadow of what he had endured in the incarnation pod to gain his a’sankh evolutionary form.
A hard, garbled voice spoke over him, and Rhyst was vaguely aware of the offworlder speaking into a communication device on its wrist. It was the last thing he saw as the electricity pulsed through his body until, finally, a blissful darkness descended. Part of him gratefully retreated into it, away from the pain.
In the darkness, his agony faded into the barest of shadows so that the bite of triumph from his success rose to the fore. He smiled.
Chapter 9
“Code 249-12B. Emergency intake of a highly aggressive specimen. All lab staff report to your posts immediately!”
Charlie shot up in her bed. She had just gotten off her shift a few hours ago and collapsed into her bed as soon as she returned to her room. Rubbing at one eye, she checked the time on her comm.
She hadn’t been asleep for more than twenty minutes. What could be that big of an emergency?
Groaning, she threw her legs over the side of the bed. If she went through the trouble of getting up, redressing, and going all the way down to the lab, they better not turn her away and send her back home. That was what had happened during the last emergency drill, and she wasn’t looking forward to a repeat of the experience. Especially not after the day she had. She had spent the second part of her shift deep cleaning one of the specimen cages that recently lost its inhabitant to a horrible illness that it had puking up blood and leaving feces everywhere. It took all she was worth to convince herself to leave the warm comfort of her bedding.
Her comm beeped. Accepting the transmission as she pulled on her pants, she was only marginally surprised to see Erik’s face on the screen.
“Did you get the alert?” He was out of breath, his hair sticking up in a terrible case of bedhead, and appeared to be running.
She frowned curiously. “Yeah, I’m getting dressed now.”
“Good. We’re going to need everyone on their toes. Orders from the top to have all essential team members responsible for care and security. This a big one, Charlie. Perhaps a career maker. Hurry!”
“On my way,” she replied as she shoved on her boots and stumbled out the door.
She was halfway to the door when a siren wailed in the building, a red light in the hallway blinking in time with the sound. Their sector head’s voice blared through her comm.