Coral

I'm completely out of breath by the time we end up in a small room reminiscent of a diving bell. Tiny windows show the barren surface of Harbar, dotted with the domes making up the trading station.

"Here." Emilie shoves a mound of folded rubber at me.

"What the hell?"

"Space suit. We need to get into the Golden Orion undetected. We're going to have to go in via one of the ports."

None of that sounds fun in the least.

"But they can detect me…us…can't they?"

Emilie snorts. "I can only think of a handful of species who have such technology and the Habosu are not among them. Sensors can detect the predominant species on a ship, but not individual ones floating around in space."

"Floating around?" My breath hitches as Emilie gets into her suit.

"It won't be for long," she says with a reassuring smile. "I've done it loads."

I'm beginning to wonder how far away my internal description of Emilie as a space pirate rat actually is when the door to the airlock slides open and she has a ray gun in her hand pointing at the door.

"I'm armed," she growls.

I wish I was armed.

"It's me." Drasus pokes his head in through the door and I race over to him, folding myself around his warm, muscular form.

"Emilie says we have to go into space to get to the Sarkarnii ship." I look up at him, in the hope he has another option.

A muscle in his jaw ticks as he takes in the suits and the exit airlock.

"We do," he growls softly. "It's the quickest way there. It'll take too long to find a gyik flyer."

I swear silently under my breath. After all we've been through, the last thing I want is to end up in the vacuum of space, even for a short time, with just a space suit between me and going pop.

Emilie hands me a suit and Drasus helps me into it. He finishes by clipping on a helmet over my head and I feel the suit inflate around me. He gives me the best smile.

"What about you?" I ask, my voice hollow.

He shakes his head, lifting my gloved hand up and pressing it on the glass near my mouth.

"What about you?" I ask again, and this time I sound metallic.

"My scales are so hard, I don't need a suit, just a helmet." Drasus' voice comes directly into my ears, nearly making me jump. He pulls out one which is different to mine, more close fitting around his neck.

Emilie is similarly dressed to me. We both look ridiculous, like marshmallows and I have to swallow down a fit of hysterical giggles. With a nod from Drasus, Emilie presses on a button and the door hisses with escaping atmosphere. He clips a length of rope onto my suit.

"Do not fear, little mate," Drasus croons in my ears. "I've got you and this is going to be fun!"

I don't get a chance to respond with anything other than a scream as we're sucked out of the airlock and Emilie engages a propulsion unit on her back, which looks like a fire extinguisher. She fires herself up towards the ship as just ahead of me, Drasus shifts out his wings. Ice is forming all over his scales, but he shakes it off. I feel it tinkle over my helmet and suit as he rows himself up and up, pulling me behind him, up to the Golden Orion, hovering easily over the barren surface of Harbar.

I'm jerked right and left as Drasus adjusts his course until finally, the stomach-churning ride is over when we're gobbled up again by the ship.

"Never. Never, ever again," I say as I remove the helmet and shrug off the sweaty suit as quickly as I can. There's banging on the door leading into the airlock and as I peer out, I see a whole load of faces I've been dying to see.

"Coral!" Opal throws herself around me like an octopus. "Thank god! We thought you were dead."

"We didn't." Ruby grins at me over Opal's shoulder. "We knew Drasus wouldn't let that happen."

"Do you know what's going on?" Jem asks.

"The Sarkarnii are about to show the galaxy they have returned." I reply

I unpeel Opal and put reassuring hand on Jem's arm before I pull off the weird suit as quickly as possible.

"The Habosu and the Bognarok are in retreat." I explain further, "Drasus and I have got one final surprise for them." I grin.

Drasus lifts off his helmet, his long braid tumbling out, the little neon lights zipping under his skin as he shakes off the final few drips of molten ice.

"I need to get to the Control center," Drasus says, taking my hand. "I have to report to Draco."

Together with my friends, Drasus takes me on a winding way through white and steel corridors until a door slides open and I'm face to face with…space. A huge screen takes up most of one wall, in front of which is ranged a number of Sarkarnii working furiously.

"If you have not found the females by now," Draco intones. "You're never going to find them. Give up and I might just let you live." He's sat in a large chair, one leg slung over the arm, the very epitome of insolence and power.

He spots Amber and beckons her over to him, pulling her onto his knee and putting a finger to his lips.

"If you think to trick us, Sarkarnii," a nasally voice comes over the comm speakers, "you are mistaken. We know where your females are and we will be taking them."

Across the bridge, Drega nods at Draco. He leans back farther in his chair.

"Then come and get them. Find out what the wrath of the Sarkarnii is like," he says in an almost bored tone.

"You will say different when we have them in our grasp," the voice says.

Draco lifts a finger at Drega.

"They're heading towards us," he says, not taking his eyes from his console. "Drasus has released the other ship, so we'll see if they spot it."

"They would take on a fully armed Sarkarnii cruiser?" Draxx barrels through the door and onto the bridge, and he tosses Jem into his arms.

"They would, because they're desperate," Drasus says. "The charges are set. As soon as they're in proximity, I will light up this galaxy with their misdeeds." He tosses a small flat square to Draco.

"Excellent work, warrior," Draco acknowledges as he snatches it out of the air. "Now it is time for these nevvers to pay the price for crossing the Sarkarnii."

Drasus isn't paying any more attention to what is going on around us. Instead he holds my upper arms, gazing at me like he hasn't seen me in decades.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look?" he murmurs.

There are a few titters from my assembled audience.

"Did I tell you how much I want to dance for you?" he continues. "And claim you?"

"You mentioned the dancing." My throat has gone dry. "But not the other thing."

"Then let me tell you now, beautiful mate."

Everyone is watching us. Opal has her hands clasped together and has tears in her eyes.

"We see your escape pod, Sarkarnii!" The nasty voice crackles. "We see your mates. Did you think to trick us?"

"They're turning, both ships," Drega says.

"Are we out of range?" Draxx asks.

"How much explosive did you use?" Daeos is virtually jumping from foot to foot in excitement as Opal wraps an arm around his waist and he is instantly distracted, save for his tail which still lashes behind him.

But then all the Sarkarnii are doing the same, their agitation tangible, save for Draco, Drega, and Drasus.

"We're out of range. Let's hope they go into range."

"How long?" Draco barks at Drega.

"Three, two, one," Drega counts down, his concentration intense. "Now." He nods at Draco, who presses down on the black square.

The Golden Orion trembles slightly.

"On viewer," Draco orders, and the entire wall in front of him comes alive with stars.

In the distance, there are a number of smudges and a burst of debris.

"Situation?"

Drega is silent for what seems like a long time.

"Both ships destroyed," he calls out.

The entire bridge erupts with yells and snarls. Humans are tossed into their mates' arms as the cheering continues.

Drasus strokes a thumb over my cheek. Once again, it's like I'm in a bubble and no matter what else is happening, there's just him and me. Only us. Together, no matter what.

"One seccari with you is all I need," he says. "One secarri after the other, until the end of time."

"I love you, Drasus." I collapse into his arms. "Never let me go."