Holy frygg.
The tiny bot had rockets.
I had exactly half a second to process this before Vader slammed into the bot’s chest with the force of a meteor. The impact sent both machines crashing across the floor; metal shrieked as they rolled in a tangle of flailing limbs and spinning saws.
The bot tried to claw its way free, but Vader wasn’t letting go. The little drone whirred furiously, spinning at an impossible speed as tiny welding torches ignited, scorching the bot's exoskeleton.
I barely moved out of the way before sparks and shrapnel went flying.
"Maul’s waiting," Alice called from the side, arms crossed, looking way too entertained by the fight. "Let’s see if Vader can finish the job first."
Vader slammed itself against the bot again, shoving it backward. But the larger machine recovered too fast, its long tail whipping around, slamming into Vader and sending him skidding across the floor.
Vader let out an offended beep.
I could almost hear the tiny drone's rage.
"Frygging hell," I muttered, stepping back as the bot lunged forward again.
Vader spun in place, recalibrating, then charged full speed—this time, with a goddamn blade extending from its chassis. This shouldn’t have been funny. But I couldn’t stop smirking.
"Your bots are insane," I muttered to Alice.
She just grinned. "Yeah? Just wait until I let Maul in."
I leaned back against the wall and thought I might actually enjoy this.
Before either machine could take too much damage, Alice stopped both of them with a command on her comm. She grinned at me, "They'll have your back."
I threw my head back and laughed. My incredible mate had just given me the army I needed.
ALICE
The plan wasto sneak the cleaning drones in with us when the hatch opened. I'd done some research on them and discovered that most cleaning drones looked alike. They might differ in size or color, but nobody should pay Vader and Maul—I know, too muchStar Wars—any mind if they kept to the floor and entered after us. They would go straight to cleaning, fitting in with the others.
I had worried that Xyrek would not allow me to come along, and I didn't want him to be walking into a possible trap on his own, not without backup. So, I had worked diligently on enhancing two drones while simultaneously turning the fighting bot from the training room into a Xenomorph. Again, yes, too much sci-fi TV. But hey, give a girl a break. What else could I have called them? The first one I made ruthless, efficient, and calculated—Vader. Maul, naturally, I programmed to be fast, aggressive, and, yeah, slightly unhinged. It also had several blades in its arsenal.
Honestly, by the time I was done, the fighting bot freakedmethe hell out. If that thing had actually been real, I would have instantly died of a heart attack.
I took a deep breath. Xyrek gave me one more questioning glance, a silent question about whether I wanted to stay behind. I shook my head and squared my shoulders as he opened the hatch.
On the other side stood the human female we’d been communicating with, Hannah. Next to her, hovering close by, was a Space Guardian. By the way he immediately positioned himself in front of Hannah, I gathered it had to be Tharaax.
"Xyrek?" The Space Guardian asked.
Xyrek nodded.
"I'm Tharaax, and this is Hannah. Welcome aboard." He held out his hand, and Xyrek grabbed him by the elbow. Hannah eyed me curiously from behind the towering man. She tried to sneak by him, but he held her back.
"Thrax, it's fine," she protested.
"I'm Alice." I moved forward. Instantly, Xyrek pushed himself in between me and Hannah, which in turn made Tharaax flare.
"Oh, for crying out loud," another human woman entered the cargo hold. She was taller than most women and held herself with a commanding presence. Her flaming red hair was tugged back in a tight ponytail that whipped as she moved straight toward me. "I didn't know you had a mate, too. Welcome. I'm Sloane, the commander of this distrustful gang." She held out her hand.
I moved around Xyrek. Commander? Wow!
"I'm Alice," I said, taking her hand.
