Page 40 of Alien Guardian's Vow

Another structural groan, louder than before, echoed through the chamber. A section of ceiling visibly sagged, threatening imminent collapse.

"We need to move," I said, pushing away from the console. "Now."

Rivera nodded, her focus instantly shifting to practical matters. "The emergency exit panel I found earlier—it's our best bet." She pointed across the chamber to a recessed section of wall. "It should lead to maintenance tunnels that bypass the worst of the collapses."

I took a step forward and nearly fell as pain shot through my body. Rivera was at my side instantly, slipping under my arm to support my weight.

"I can walk," I protested.

"Sure you can," she replied, not releasing me. "Just not very well at the moment."

Her small frame proved surprisingly strong as we waded through the rising water toward the panel. Each step sent jolts of agony up my spine, but I forced myself forward. The exit represented our only chance.

At the panel, Rivera pulled out her scanner, running it across the damaged surface. "Panel's fried, but the energy lock seems intact." She guided my hand to a specific point. "Needs a direct lifeline signature pulse, Varek, right...there."

I placed my palm against the cold metal and channeled energy through my lifelines. Golden light spilled from beneath my skin, flowing into the ancient mechanism. The effort cost me, each pulse of energy intensifying the burn of my wound. Sweat trickled down the back of my neck as I maintained the connection.

With a grinding protest, the panel slid aside, revealing a dark, narrow tunnel beyond.

Rivera looked up at me, her face illuminated by the glow of my lifelines. "Ready?"

I nodded grimly, not trusting myself to speak through the pain. The tunnel represented unknown dangers, but it was our only path forward.

"Lead the way, Rivera," I managed, the use of her name still new on my tongue.

She stepped into the darkness first, the silver markings along her collarbone providing faint illumination. I followed, hunched to accommodate the low ceiling, each movement carefully measured to minimize the agony in my shoulder.

The weight of our decision pressed on me with each step. We were abandoning the control room, the temporary stability we'd fought for. But we were moving toward the true solution, however dangerous the path might be.

As the tunnel closed around us, I found myself grateful for Rivera's presence ahead of me. Her practical mind, her quick adaptability—these qualities had proven invaluable time and again. Where once I'd seen only a reckless human, I now recognized a partner worthy of respect.

The bond between us pulsated with her concern for my injury, her determination to succeed in our mission. I sent back wordless reassurance, though I knew she could feel the truth of my pain. No room for pride now. No room for anything but survival and duty.

The tunnel stretched before us, dark and unknown. But we moved forward together, step by painful step, toward Hammond, toward Claire, toward the only chance of saving both our peoples.

RIVERA

Islammed the emergency exit door panel as a deep groan echoed through the control room behind us. Metal screamed against metal, ancient gears grinding as the massive door sealed our only escape route. The timing couldn't have been closer - chunks of ceiling crashed down exactly where we'd stood seconds before, visible through the narrowing gap before the door slid completely shut.

"That was too damn close," I muttered, my voice unnaturally loud in the sudden quiet of the tunnel.

The emergency exit tunnel stretched ahead, sloping steeply upward into darkness. My handheld light cut a weak beam through the thick, dust-filled air. The smell hit me immediately - damp stone, metallic tang of ancient wiring, and the sharp bite of ozone that made my nose wrinkle. Water dripped somewhere in the darkness, each drop echoing against the stone walls.

Varek's fungal light cast a faint, pulsing blue glow that barely illuminated his face. Too faint. The light reflected his weakened state, its usual steady radiance now flickering erratically like a candle in a draft. His breathing came shallow and labored, each inhale a conscious effort.

"You still with me?" I asked, sweeping my light across the tunnel walls, checking for structural weaknesses.

"I am... functional," Varek replied, his usual commanding tone reduced to something tight and strained.

"Right. Functional." I snorted. "Let's get moving before 'functional' becomes 'unconscious.'"

I took point, scanning for hazards with each step. My markings tingled along my collarbone, responding to the energy fluctuations in the tunnel. A section of ceiling sagged dangerously to our left. Loose rocks scattered the path ahead. Damaged conduits sparked erratically along the walls, sending brief flashes of blue-white light dancing across the stone.

Varek followed behind me, one hand braced against the tunnel wall for support. His steps came heavy, uneven. Each time his foot dragged against the stone, my stomach clenched tighter.

I glanced back, catching the tight line of his jaw, the unnatural brightness in his eyes. Fever. The bond between us pulsated with his pain, a steady pulse of heat and sharp edges that mirrored my own rising anxiety.

"Easy, Varek. Almost there. Just a bit further," I said, slowing my pace to match his.

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