Page 47 of Alien Guardian's Vow
The landscape grew more treacherous as we approached the western ruins. The ground here showed the most damage from Hammond's drilling – deep fissures, pools of bubbling liquid, bare rock where vegetation had been stripped away. The air itself tasted wrong, metallic and sharp.
"The scanner's showing dangerous radiation levels ahead," Rivera said, studying the device. "We'll need to circle around to the north."
The detour added precious time to our journey, but we had no choice. Even with my limited senses, I could feel the wrongness of the direct path – a disturbance in the natural energy of the land that made my lifelines ache in warning.
By midday, the western compound had grown from a distant silhouette to a visible structure – a collection of angular buildings surrounded by Hammond's drilling equipment. The sight gave me new strength, pushing back the fog of pain and exhaustion.
"There," I pointed to a ridge overlooking the compound. "We can observe from there before approaching."
Rivera nodded, adjusting our course. The final climb tested the limits of my endurance, each step sending fresh agony through my injured shoulder. Only Rivera's unwavering support kept me moving forward, her strength flowing through our bond when mine faltered.
At the crest, we collapsed into the shelter of a rock outcropping, hidden from view of the compound below. Rivera helped me sit with my back against the stone, then turned her attention to the scanner. Her body was too close. Pressed against the stone beside me, breath steady, eyes sharp. I told myself it was tactical. But the bond hummed between us—and I didn’t move away.
"Heavy security," she murmured, studying the readings. "Motion sensors, armed guards, drone patrols."
I focused on the compound through narrowed eyes, fighting to stay conscious. "We need to find a way in."
"First, you need to rest." She pressed her hand to my forehead, her touch cool against my burning skin. "Your fever's worse."
I couldn't argue. The journey had taken everything I had, leaving me hollow and weak. I felt Rivera's determination harden into resolve through our bond.
"We'll wait until nightfall," she decided. "I'll scout the perimeter, find us a way in."
"Too dangerous alone," I protested.
"More dangerous if you collapse in the open." Her expression softened slightly. "Trust me, Varek. I can do this."
Trust. Such a simple word for such a profound concept. Yet as I looked at her – this human who had fought beside me, supported me, bound herself to me in ways neither one of us fully understood – I found it came easier than expected.
"I trust you," I said simply.
Her markings brightened briefly at my words, and through our bond came a wave of something complex – gratitude, determination, and something deeper I couldn't name.
"Rest," she said again, settling beside me. "We have hours until nightfall. Save your strength for when we need it."
I let my eyes close, surrendering to exhaustion. The pain in my shoulder faded to a dull throb as consciousness slipped away. The last thing I felt was Rivera's presence through our bond – steady, unwavering, a beacon in the darkness pulling me forward.
For her. For our peoples. I would endure.
RIVERA
The path ahead looked like something from my nightmares. A deep ravine cut through the landscape, its walls slick with recent rainwater. Jagged rocks jutted from the bottom like teeth waiting to catch whatever fell. Clouds gathered overhead, dark and threatening.
Varek stood beside me, his breathing labored. The makeshift bandage I'd applied to his burns looked pathetically inadequate against his midnight-blue skin. His lifelines pulsed erratically, dimming then brightening in an uneven rhythm.
"This is the only way forward?" He gestured toward the ravine with his good arm.
I scanned the area with both my eyes and the enhanced perception from my markings. "Unless you want to backtrack five miles and risk running into Hammond's patrols."
"Then we go forward." He straightened his shoulders, hiding a wince.
The first drops of rain hit my face as we began our descent. The path—if you could call it that—zigzagged down the ravine wall. Recent flooding had carved new channels into the rock, making every step treacherous.
"Watch that section." I pointed to a crumbling ledge. "The substrate's unstable."
Varek nodded, his eyes narrowing as he studied the terrain. "You should go first. I'll follow."
"So you can catch me when I fall?" I tried for a light tone.
