Page 27 of Hunted By the Dragon Alien

They all took a moment to eat in silence. Takkian savored each bite, feeling the weight of their circumstances shift with every swallow. Sevas was right—it was better than the foul rations doled out to the fighters in the arena. It tasted good because theychoseto eat this. It wasn’t forced on them. And when they were done, they wouldn’t be herded back to a cell.

As they finished, Ulo glanced around, a hint of worry etching his brow. “What happens if they find us?”

“Then we do what we’ve done so far,” Takkian replied, trying to keep his voice steady. “We fight. We survive. But let’s avoid unnecessary risks. We need to steer clear of confrontations, if possible.”

“Exactly,” Sevas added, stealing a glance towards the front, where Bruil fiddled with the controls as he ate. “Takkian’s right, but you’ll be home before long. Don’t worry about us, Ulo.”

Before Takkian could respond, Bruil turned in his seat, his sharp yellow eyes intense. “We’ll be entering the planet’s atmosphere soon. Brace yourselves. It’ll be bumpy, and I can’t say how well this ship will handle the turbulence.”

“Understood,” Takkian said, still feeling the weight of responsibility settling over him. He sensed the stress. The faint hum of the ship turned into a rush of sounds as they descended. He turned his attention back to Sevas, who looked like she was ready to be done with all things bumpy and turbulent.

“Hang in there,” he whispered, leaning in closer.

The ship dove into the swirling, vivid layers of the gas giant’s atmosphere. Outside the viewport, the darkness of space gave way to a kaleidoscope of turbulent, shifting clouds. Streaks of gold, crimson, and violet coiled and twisted like living flames, broken only by flashes of electrical storms crackling through the dense layers. The deep hum of the ship’s engines shifted, vibrating with a strained urgency as Bruil adjusted their flight path.

“Hold on!” Bruil barked. The ship jolted violently, and everyone grabbed something to secure themselves, even though everyone but Ulo was strapped in. The only reason he wasn’t was because he was too big for any of the seats or straps.

Sevas gripped her seat’s armrests. Her knuckles strained against the metal as the ship shuddered under the atmospheric pressure. “Is it supposed to feel like we’re being shaken apart?” she asked, her voice rising above the growl of the engines.

Bruil didn’t look back. “That’s normal. It will stabilize.”

As he promised, the turbulence eased. The violent shaking subsided under Bruil’s steady hands. The ship came to a stop in the dense atmosphere, shrouded in thick clouds of swirling gas. The colors outside the viewport shifted from wild chaos to a muted palette of deep amber and blue-gray hues, like an endless ocean of smoke. The rhythmic thrum of the ship softened.

“We’re good,” Bruil announced, exhaling deeply as he turned back and eyed his passengers. “Thrusters are shut down, and all but essential systems are in standby. We’re holding steady.”

Sevas let out a shaky breath. Her grip on the seat loosened and Takkian watched her peer around Bruil’s head to gaze out the viewport. Outside, the ship appeared to be cloaked in a colorful, swirling abyss. “We’re…drifting?” she asked, her voice quieter now. “And we’re hidden?”

“We are,” Bruil confirmed, leaning back in his seat. “The ship is suspended in the gas layers. We’re invisible to most scanning systems. It’d take a lucky break for anyone to find us here.”

Takkian stretched. His muscles were tight andfek, he was tired. The moment of calm, floating in the thick gas clouds, felt surreal after the chaos they had endured. They were safe. Hidden, for now.

Bruil finished locking the systems, giving a slow nod of approval as he leaned back in his seat. “According to the ship layout, there are four small staterooms in the upper deck. We should break off and rest.”

“Agreed,” Takkian said. He unclipped himself and pushed out of the seat and tied the blanket around his waist, then turned to check on Sevas. She released herself from the straps as well and gave him a small, tired smile.

“I’ll stay here,” Ulo rumbled, his voice soft yet firm. “I’m too big for those small quarters. I’ll sleep in the main cabin. It’s spacious enough.” He gestured to a spot near the replicator. “Right here looks good.”

Takkian placed a hand on Ulo’s rocky shoulder. “Shout if you hear or see anything, but get some rest, too. You’ve earned it.”

Ulo nodded and settled as well as he could, wedging his massive form between the wall and a set of seats. He looked at ease, finally, which gave Takkian some measure of relief.

Bruil stood and stretched, yawning audibly. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be in a room.” He gave a pointed look to Takkian and Sevas. “Make sure yourest. No use for all our planning if you’re both dead on your feet.”

Takkian smirked faintly as the older Zaruxian pushed off and floated to the ladder leading to the upper level.

“Well,” Sevas said, brushing her hair back and stepping closer to Takkian, her voice light but laced with exhaustion, “I guess we should head up, too.”

“I guess we should,” he replied, floating to the upper opening. Up there, a short, narrow corridor held four doors. He saw Bruil shut the door to the farthest one. “Which one do you want?” he asked Sevas.

Her gaze was dark and soft. “Whichever one you’re in.”

Her words thudded through him. “Sevas, you don’t have to—”

“I won’t be parted from you, Takkian.” Her hand was soft on his arm. “Unless you want to be alone.”

He braced them both against the closest door. Handles ran the length of the corridor from the ceiling and he braced them both with one hand and slid an arm around her waist with the other. “No. I don’t.”

“Then any room is fine,” she said, not breaking eye contact.

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