Page 14 of Pact with the Alien Devil

“Do I?”

“Your jaw tenses. The horns at your temples catch the light differently when you’re on alert.”

I’d never realized anyone paid such close attention to my mannerisms. It was both impressive and unsettling.

The ship dropped out of hyperspace with a slight shudder, and the vast emptiness of real space replaced the blue tunnel. Before us loomed the mining outpost – a bloated, industrial monstrosity floating against the backdrop of stars. Metal spires jutted at odd angles, punctuated by extraction towers and processing plants. The station hung in orbit around a small, uninhabitable planet whose reddish glow cast the entire structure in an eerie light.

“Charming place,” Iria remarked. “Let me guess – ‘abandoned’ means ‘full of surprises,’ doesn’t it?”

“Stay close and don’t let your guard down,” I replied. “Surprises tend to be lethal, out here.”

As Iria guided theStarfalltoward the main bay, I conducted visual scans of the exterior. Scorch marks marred the metal hull around several airlocks. Evidence of past violence. The outpost had been officially evacuated five years ago after the primary ore deposits were depleted, but such places rarely remained truly empty in border territories.

“No signals,” Iria noted. “No comms traffic, no warning beacons. But someone’s left the lights on.” She pointed to a distant section where faint illumination glowed from within.

“Minimal power for essential systems,” I said, but something didn’t fit. The pattern of active sections was too strategic. “Dock at the secondary bay instead of the main entrance.”

She raised an eyebrow but complied without question. “Expecting company?”

“Just being cautious.”

TheStarfallglided into the smaller port with only minor adjustments. Iria powered down the engines but left the critical systems running – a smuggler’s habit. Always ready for a quick escape.

“Should I stay with the ship?” she asked.

“No. I need you with me.” The words came out before I’d fully analyzed them. Tactically, having her guard our exit point made sense. But I wanted her where I could see her. Protect her.

We armed ourselves – my Vinduthi plasma rifle and sidearm, her blaster pistol. I noticed she also slipped a small vibro-blade into her boot. Smart.

The airlock cycled open to reveal the docking bay. The smell hit me first – stale air, metal corrosion, and the faint tang of burned circuitry. My enhanced senses picked up subtler notes beneath: recent passage. Human sweat. Gun oil.

“Someone’s been here,” I murmured.

The bay itself told a story of hasty abandonment. Broken crates lay scattered across the floor. A loading mech stood frozen mid-task, its power cells long dead. Dust covered most surfaces, but not evenly.

I crouched to examine a pattern of footprints that cut through the grime. “Recent. Multiple individuals. Military-grade boots.”

“Not miners coming back for leftover equipment, then,” Iria observed. Her hand rested on her blaster, eyes constantly scanning our surroundings.

“No. Something else.”

We moved through the bay toward the main corridor, our footsteps creating the only sound in the vast space. The overhead lights flickered weakly, creating elongated shadows that danced and shifted as we passed.

“Which way?” Iria whispered.

“Level four, storage section C.”

I took point, moving with the silent precision drilled into me through years of combat training. Iria followed close behind, matching my pace.

The corridor narrowed as we progressed, the ceiling lowering. The walls bore the marks of the outpost’s industrial past – pipes running along joints, exposed wiring, instructional signage faded almost to illegibility. Most of the side doors were sealed shut, though some had been forced open, the contents of the rooms beyond long since looted.

At an intersection, I paused, listening. Through the silence came the soft hum of active power conduits. This section shouldn’t have power. Someone had redirected energy flow.

“What is it?” Iria asked.

“We’re not alone.”

Her eyes darted to the shadows ahead. “Black Spikes?”

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