"Xyrek, there's no time—" Sloane started, her blaster up high, but then her eyes landed on what I had seen.
"You guys seeing this?" I asked.
"Frygg," Tharaax replied.
"What are they up to?" Noodar's voice was filled with disgust.
All three of the Space Guardians in front of me looked different. Yes, they were all still silver, but one had green hair, and one's skin was… metallic, reminding me of the skin of Pandraxians.
"That is one ugly motherfucker," Tucker announced. "What the hell is that?"
"Looks like a mix between a Pronex and… I don't know what…" Zaarek cursed.
"Alright, the sideshow is over; let's move," Sloane reminded us of the mission and the danger we were still in. Whatever the Ohrurs were cooking up would have to wait to see the light of day, just like the rest of their abominable secrets.
I imagined the others were just as grim-faced as Sloane and I as we moved through the darkened corridors. Without an energy source, the compound was as dark as a Black Abyss. Our comms were the only source of light.
"Check every door," Sloane said just as she readied herself to send a blaster against a door to our left.
"Wait," I warned, "don't shoot."
With the power out, there was a better alternative. I lowered myself to my knees. I didn't need to look over my shoulder to know that Sloane's blaster was focused on the door and whatever was behind it. Whoever had trained her had trained her well.
I put all my weight into it and shoved the door to the left, which was the universal direction of opening. It worked. It was hard and took a moment, but the door moved into the wall. I shone my comm, and Sloane moved her blaster left and right to check the room. She stepped around me, and I followed, rising back up to my full height. She nodded for me to check the left.
We were inside what appeared to be a small apartment: a bed, a table, a sofa.
"No, let me go," a squeal sounded out as Sloane lifted an Ohrur up by the scruff of his neck.
To my right was one more door, probably the bathroom. I pushed it open. "Empty," I announced.
"How many of you are in here?" Sloane shook the obviously frightened Ohrur.
"I… don't know. I don't know. Who are you? What's happening? The lights went out, and I couldn't leave, " the Ohrur wailed.
"He's some kind of scientist," I pointed at his green uniform. The aura coming off him nearly took my breath away. It wasn’t the evilness I encountered with criminals. This was different, almost worse—a total disregard for any lifeforms that weren’t Ohrur and a willingness to terminate them.
"What are you up to in here?" I snarled into his face while Sloane lifted him effortlessly into the air, pressing my hands to my hips to not terminate him on the spot. It took more willpower than I could have ever imagined.
"That is none of your business," the Ohrur replied. His voice was filled with fear as his legs uselessly kicked the air.
"Where are the others?" Sloane wanted to know, shaking him a bit more.
"I don't know. I'm just analyzing data. That's all. I swear. I have nothing to do with what the others are doing. Nothing!" Sweat beaded down his body.
"We don't have time for this," I said.
"You're right." Sloane dropped the Ohrur and shot him.
I took a step back. I had terminated many criminals in my line of work, but this… done by a female?
"What?" She snarled at me, her eyes devoid of emotion.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm fine, let's go."
ALICE
