Page 26 of The Alien Warrior's Vow

Nine

Lans

The night slippedthrough his fingers like sand. Lans wanted to take hold of it and keep it in his grip. He wanted to capture the night, so it could never escape. So the dawn would not arrive.

Because the dawn brought unknown calamities.

The dawn meant Eema’s life would be at risk.

Lans expanded the holo he was studying. The graphics floated in the air all around him, glowing softly and providing light in the heavy darkness.

A shuffling sound made his head snap to the left.

The silhouette of the Heronas caught his eye.

“Chozo.” Lans grunted.

“Have you been up all night?”

Lans did not bother answering.

Chozo’s soft footsteps waded closer. His green face came into view. “What is this?”

“Do you know anything of zaptens, Chozo?”

“Only what I’ve seen of yours.” He lifted one boneless shoulder. “We have no access to the Plutonian’s neural connector technology.”

Lans sighed. “Eema unlocked a new ability in Helix.”

“What did she do?” Chozo’s eyes were wide behind the mask.

“She increased the zapten’s speed function with her thoughts.”

“I… don’t understand.”

He whirled toward the Heronas. “She was behind me one moment and she… blinked in front of me. The zapten moved faster than I could see.”

Chozo’s jaw dropped. “How did she do that?”

“That is what I am trying to figure out.” Lans studied the Plutonian writing hovering on the walls.

“Perhaps,” Chozo said quietly, “that is simply an excuse.”

“What do you speak of?” Lans asked, only half listening.

“Perhaps you are trying to distract yourself from worrying too much about Eema.”

His fingers paused on the holos. “Why would I worry about that frustrating human?”

“Maybe because you li—”

The door opened at that moment.

Korben strode in, wearing a firm frown. “You also could not sleep?”

“Terros.” Lans nodded in greeting.

“The others begin to stir.” Korben stared into his eyes. “Do you think we are doing the right thing?”

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