Page 19 of Alien Guardian's Vow
"Great. Just great."
I studied the grid, looking for a pattern. There wasn't one – the system was damaged, cycling randomly through different configurations. No way to predict when or where the next beam would appear.
Behind the grid, I could see a heavy security door, partially open. If I could get through, it would put me on the direct path to the central chamber.
I knelt beside an access panel near the grid's power source. The cover came off easily, revealing a mess of circuits and power conduits. My markings flared brighter as I reached toward it, responding to the energy flowing through the system.
"Let's see what we're working with here."
The security system drew power from a primary conduit, with a backup system ready to engage if the main one failed. Standard redundancy. But there was a third connection – something feeding diagnostic data back to a central system that probably hadn't functioned in centuries.
If I rerouted the diagnostic feed to create a power loop...
I pulled a thin metal tool from my pocket and carefully separated the diagnostic cable from its connector. The laser grid flickered but remained active. Sweat trickled down my temples as I spliced the cable into the primary power circuit, creating a feedback loop.
The grid flickered more rapidly, the pattern of beams becoming even more chaotic.
"Come on," I muttered. "Overload already."
A spark jumped from the circuit board, singeing my fingertips. I jerked back as more sparks followed, the system protesting the impossible power configuration I'd created.
With a loud pop and the smell of burning insulation, the grid failed completely. The lasers disappeared.
I didn't waste time celebrating. The bypass wouldn't last long – the backup system would kick in soon. I sprinted through the deactivated grid toward the partially open door.
Just as I reached it, a warning alarm sounded. Red lights flashed along the corridor walls. The door began to close automatically.
I dove through the narrowing gap, my jacket catching on the edge. A sharp tug freed me just as the door slammed shut behind me, cutting off a piece of my sleeve.
"That was too close," I gasped, heart pounding.
Behind the door, I heard the laser grid reactivate, followed by a series of electrical pops and a small explosion. My bypass had caused more damage than intended. Hopefully it wouldn't trigger a cascade failure through other systems.
I allowed myself a moment of pride. Problem solved, no alien warrior required. I'd navigated the hazard using my brain instead of brute force.
"See? Don't need a giant alien babysitter after all," I said aloud, as if Varek could hear me.
The momentary satisfaction faded quickly. I was still alone in a failing ancient facility, with no clear way out and no backup. The corridor ahead stretched into darkness, silent except for the distant sound of machinery grinding to a halt.
After navigating two more junctions and a partially collapsed section of corridor, I found myself in a small alcove that might have once been a monitoring station. The space offered a temporary reprieve – no obvious hazards, and the structure seemed more stable than the areas I'd passed through.
I sank down against the wall, stretching my legs out in front of me. My knee throbbed where I'd banged it crawling through the collapsed section, and a scrape on my palm stung when I flexed my hand.
The relative quiet pressed in around me – just the soft drip of water and the occasional distant groan of shifting metal. My own breathing sounded too loud in the stillness.
I closed my eyes, trying to sense any trace of the connection with Varek. Nothing. Just the usual chatter of my markings responding to the ambient energy in the ruins. The emptiness left me unsettled, like missing a limb I hadn't known I had until it was gone.
The memory of Varek tackling me away from falling rocks played through my mind. His body covering mine, shielding me without hesitation. The way he'd caught me when I jumped across that chasm, his hands strong and sure. How he'd positioned himself between me and the energy storm, taking the brunt of it himself.
"Damn it," I muttered, annoyed at the direction of my thoughts.
I didn't want to need him. Didn't want to miss his presence. But I did.
The bond flare when we'd touched – that moment of connection when his lifelines and my markings had synchronized – still confused me. The heat that had rushed through my body hadn't felt like simple proximity or danger response. It had felt like... recognition. Like something clicking into place.
Is the bond influencing how I feel? Or is it just... him?
I shook my head, trying to clear it. These thoughts weren't helping my situation.
