“Nothing yet.”Fyca touched the console, flicking the forevid to infrared.“No heat signature either.”
“We will wait,” Cylo said then glanced at Durok.“Head onto the roof.In case he needs assistance.”
Olin smacked the button that opened the door.Durok swung out and up.
“Nhyht, Koddo, go with him.”Cylo nodded at his males.
They followed while Olin crowded the console.Cylo fired off a message to Zucis, and of course, no reply was forthcoming.
Gritting his teeth, he stomped to the door and swung out, landing on the roof with a thump.Koddo met his gaze from his position guarding the rear of the shuttle.Durok peered up one rock wall, Nhyht the other.
Cylo tapped his O.D.I., summoning the meet point.It was closer to the right.He burst into action and threw himself against the side of the chasm, digging his fingers into gaps to hold himself in place.
“Cylo,” Nhyht called.“Be careful.”
Durok paused beside Cylo, gave him a slow nod, then started to climb.Up they went, taking the time to find grips and footholds.The light brightened the higher up the chasm they traveled and, still, no sign of the Durn.Cylo paused at the bright stream of sunlight across the rock.If he continued upward, he’d be revealed.Meters above him was a platform.Durok hesitated, as well.
“I do not like this,” he said.
“I agree.We do not know what awaits us.”Cylo glanced into the depths of darkness, picking up the clear outline of the shuttle.He wanted to abandon this stupid mission.Now more than ever.
A steady tread approached.He stilled and raised his gaze to the edge of the platform.He released one hand and twisted to unstrap his blaster.Plastering himself to the rock face, he glanced at Durok, who’d drawn his weapon, too.
A face appeared, and the sight of it whooshed air out of Cylo’s lungs.
“My apologies, Operative,” Zucis whispered.He adjusted his carry-all across his chest and shoulder, then leapt over the side.
Cylo hurried to holster his blaster, anticipating that he might need to catch the Durn’s arm.But the male caught ahold of a jutting rock and hit the wall with an ‘oomph.’
“I could not slip out as quickly as I wanted to,” he said, starting his descent.“Nor could I respond to your message.My thanks for waiting for me.”
Cylo grunted but said no more.He hurried past Zucis, needing to reach the kuta before the male did.A glance at Durok conveyed the message to trail the Durn.Durok nodded.The lure of a mission completed flooded Cylo’s limbs with energy, and he touched down.Koddo and Nhyht faced ahead and backward while Cylo gazed upward.The Durn climbed without hindrance in his open-toed footwear.Not an easy task but he did it well.
Moments later, they were in the kuta, the door sealed.
“Flipping,” Fyca called.
Cylo grabbed a strap and gestured to Zucis to do the same.In time, too, for Fyca yanked the nose up and somersaulted the shuttle, rolling them to head back the way they’d come.Cylo hung while the shuttle rotated, his booted feet touching the ceiling a second before the shuttle righted.Fyca strapped to the seat didn’t need to hold onto anything.Their braids whipped, though, showing the movement.
“Heat signatures ahead,” Olin called, once more peering through the forevid.“They are repairing the sensors.”
“Alodon’s balls,” Cylo grumbled.“Drop as low as you can.Let us wait them out.”He activated his O.D.I.and messaged thePhoenix, warning them to anticipate their arrival and who they were escorting.No one spoke, their gazes fixed on the two Yithians glowing blue-green on the forevid.Their nearby shuttle hovered, its single engine glowing red.
It didn’t take long for the repairs to be completed considering the devices had been short-circuited and not destroyed.Fyca didn’t bring them closer to the sensors until there was no doubt the Yithians were out of range.Only then did Cylo and Koddo re-stun the devices before Fyca shot them off-world.
“Anything on the buzz?”Cylo asked Olin, who’d been staring at his O.D.I.since they’d left Yithia and headed toward the orbiting battleshipPhoenix.
“Nothing so far.”
Cylo allowed his shoulders to slump.Thankfully, Zucis did not speak.Cylo had nothing to say to the Durn, nor did he want to inadvertently reveal their Iphara plans.
He gazed at the male, not even bothering to offer a polite smile.“Welcome to thePhoenix,” he finally said, gesturing to the battleship filling the forevid.
Chapter Eight
LeavingtheatmosphereofYithia felt wrong.Where Cylo wanted to be was on an island in the middle of the Knaetian Ocean.He kept his gaze on Zucis, trusting Fyca to steer them true.No one spoke except Fyca announcing their impending docking, the battleshipPhoenixtheir destination.
Impatience twitched his fingers.He gritted his teeth and willed his body to submit to his control.This task was almost complete.He activated his O.D.I.and messaged Jokta, sharing his concerns about Zucis.Caution was advised.
