as he tried to get to EJ. He fought them, roaring, and easily threw the Horguts across the bay. Nokx turned back to the transfer arm to see whether the rest of the crew was coming back, but the arm had been torn loose as the approaching ships attacked.
He hoped, sincerely, that Harzt and Wyzak made it safely back to the Sraibur or at least their survival suits kept them alive long enough for Izyk to retrieve them.
He didn’t have time to mourn or ponder, since he still had to fight to make it out of the loading bay. He searched for EJ’s scent, catching a tantalizing whisper of it the moment he reached the corridor just outside the bay, though the smell of laser blasters filled the air. Nokx roared and threw one of the Horgut out of his way, falling into the wall as the gen ship jostled again and more alarms boomed into the small space. Lasers zinged through the air and he ducked, trying to find cover in a small alcove with comms equipment. He picked up a few devices, then grunted as something smacked into his chest—hard.
Nokx looked down and found his scales blackened and fractured, one or two out of place, and pain radiated from the wound to all of his limbs. He took a knee as he tried to absorb the impact of the blaster’s direct hit. He didn’t have time to spare, though, since guards closed in. There was no telling what they would do if they caught him. He didn’t plan to find out. The noise of their comms signaled their approach, and when they got close enough, Nokx leapt out to attack.
Their stunners hit him at least twice more before he cracked skulls together and most of the guards fell in silence, never to rise again. Nokx looked around for the Slasu, wanting to question the little bastard about what he’d meant about the Earthers, but found no sign. Pounding boots and more alerts gave away approaching troops, just as the alarm lights flashed in the loading bay as someone else prepared to board the Hollbrd. Nokx muttered curses and limped to the closest hiding spot, some kind of engineering and equipment closet that promised very little rest and no real help since it only had one entrance.
He staggered in and fell immediately after closing the door and barring it. At least he’d have some warning if the Horguts came after him. Nokx swallowed a groan and pressed against his chest to try and relieve the pain of the wound. And he still had no idea where EJ was, where they’d taken her or what they planned to do with her. He needed to find her and apologize. If they had to die, then at least they’d die together.
He didn’t think he could live without her.
“You stupid male,” someone muttered, and for a long moment, Nokx was certain he’d hallucinated her.
Then soft feet hit the floor next to him and small, cool hands flipped aside his robes to evaluate the wound in his chest. He forced his eyes open and stared, certain he dreamed. EJ had just dropped from the ceiling to land next to him, carrying blasters and comms gear and other gadgets he’d never seen before. Her lips thinned until they nearly disappeared as she knelt next to him. When she moved away, his hand shot out to catch her wrist. “Please don’t go.”
“I have to get the med pack,” she said, impatient, and pulled away far too easily despite that he tried to keep her close.
He felt her retreat like another physical blow, a wound that would never heal. Nokx gritted his teeth and dug his heels into the floor as pain radiated more strongly from his chest to the wound on his leg and then up to his arm. Horgut bastards had charged their blasters to a killing range and power, which was stupid when fighting on a ship. It guaranteed maximum damage to the internal structures of the ship and would kill virtually all species that might be on it. It was just dumb luck and good scales that he’d survived three shots.
Well, it would be dumb luck if he survived, which didn’t feel likely as more boots pounded by the door and shouting matched the noise.
EJ returned to his side, though her attention went to the door. “We have to get out of here, and fast. The Slasu will be here soon, and they’ll