Cinta

CINTA

T he alarms blared, shattering the elegant atmosphere of the promenade. My heart leapt into my throat as a crisp, automated voice cut through the chaos:

“Attention all passengers. This is not a drill. We are under attack by hostile forces. Please proceed calmly to your designated safety pods while our security team takes care of this inconvenience. Crew members will guide you. Do not attempt to return to your cabins. I repeat, this is not a drill.”

Panicked screams erupted around us. The serene starscape beyond the viewing windows erupted in flashes of weapons fire.

Were these just warning shots? A display of force to get the ship’s security team to stand down quickly?

Or was each laser blast carefully calculated to take down a part of the ship’s systems?

My mind raced, years of survival instincts kicking into overdrive.

“Time to move,” Klaz growled, his powerful hand wrapping around my upper arm.

I nodded, allowing him to guide me through the growing throng of terrified passengers. The crowd surged towards the exit, a mass of bodies all driven by primal fear.

If it was this bad here, with just a small group of the passengers, how bad was the chaos in the rest of the ship?

Where was the security team, anyway? Were they so complacent by the Empyrean Explorer’s status that they’d been caught off guard?

“Wait!” A shrill voice cut through the din. “My jewelry! I can’t leave it behind!”

What now?

A huddle of Kolluskians blocked the main corridor.

“Please,” a crew member pleaded, “you must evacuate immediately!”

“Not without our things! We have to get back to our cabins!” One of the Kolluskians, an elderly female, clutched a bejeweled necklace to her chest.

Frustration made me want to scream. Here I was, usually the one taking advantage of rich idiots like this, and now their stubbornness threatened my own skin. But as I watched the panic spreading, an idea sparked.

I broke free from Klaz’s grip and approached the Kulluskians, donning my most convincing smile.

“Darlings,” I cooed, affecting an air of aristocratic authority. “There’s no need to fret. Didn’t you hear about the special vault?”

The Kolluskians turned to me, confusion momentarily replacing fear on their reptilian features.

“What vault?” The elderly female demanded.

I leaned in conspiratorially. “Why, the emergency vault, of course. It’s a standard feature on luxury liners like this. Everything you’ve put in the safe in your cabin has been automatically moved. There’s a secure storage area right next to the escape pods, specifically designed to protect valuables during, shall we say, unexpected events. “

The Kolluskians exchanged glances, their grip on their precious baubles loosening ever so slightly.

“But... but the crew didn’t mention...” One stammered.

I waved a dismissive hand. “Oh please, they can’t advertise it openly. Think of the insurance liability! But I assure you, your treasures will be quite safe. Now, shall we?”

I gestured towards the exit, hoping. Were they going to call my bluff?

Then, slowly, they began to move.

“Well... I suppose...” The elderly female muttered, allowing herself to be guided forward by a crew member.

I exhaled, relief flooding through me. As I turned, I caught Klaz’s eye. The Vinduthi’s expression was unreadable, but I swore I saw a glimmer of... was that approval?

A jolt rocked the ship, nearly knocking me off my feet. Klaz steadied me, his strong hands on my shoulders sending an unexpected thrill through my body.

“Nice work,” he rumbled, his breath hot against my ear. “Now let’s go.”

We pushed forward, the corridors now a sea of chaos. Passengers ran in all directions, some frozen in terror, others shoving wildly to reach the escape pods. I watched in horror as a young Xarian child was nearly trampled underfoot.

Without thinking, I darted forward, scooping the child into my arms. Its tentacles wrapped around me, trembling with fear.

“It’s okay, little one,” I murmured. “We’ll find your family.”

Klaz’s commanding voice boomed over the pandemonium. “Everyone, stay calm and move in an orderly fashion! Follow the lighted pathways to the escape pods!”

To my astonishment, some people began to listen. Klaz’s presence seemed to cut through the panic, his military bearing providing an anchor of stability in the storm of fear.

Something hit my gut. Pride? Admiration? This wasn’t the time to figure it out.

“This way!” I called out, gesturing to a trio of lost-looking Fanaith. “Follow the big guy, he knows what he’s doing!”

A Xarian woman with shimmering scales suddenly pushed through the crowd, her eyes wild with panic. "Lira!" she cried, spotting the child in my arms.

"Special delivery," I said, managing a small smile as I handed over the squirming kid. The mother clutched her child tightly, relief written all over her face.

"Glad I could help," I added softly, before turning back to guide more passengers to some hope of safety.

As we moved through the corridors, I fell into an easy rhythm with Klaz. He provided the authoritative presence, while I used every trick in my playbook to cajole, charm, and reassure the panicked passengers.

“Your valuables will be safe in the vault,” I lied smoothly. “But your lives are irreplaceable. This way, please!”

We reached a junction where the crowd had bottlenecked. Klaz’s eyes narrowed, assessing the situation in an instant.

“Up there,” he said, pointing to a maintenance hatch. “We can bypass this section.”

I nodded, already moving. “I’ll go first, guide people through.”

Klaz boosted me up effortlessly, his strong hands on my waist. I ignored the flutter in my stomach as I clambered into the narrow passage.

“Okay, folks!” I called out, projecting confidence I didn’t entirely feel. “VIP shortcut, right this way!”

As passengers began filtering through, I caught Klaz’s eye again. There was definitely something there – respect, maybe even a tiny bit of admiration.

I wasn’t just looking out for myself. And it felt... good.

Another violent shake rocked the ship. I stumbled, nearly losing my footing. Klaz’s hand shot out, steadying me once more.

“Careful,” he growled, his gaze intense. “I’m not losing you now.”

The possessiveness in his voice sent a wave of heat straight to my core. I opened my mouth, a witty retort on the tip of my tongue, when a deafening explosion rocked the entire corridor.

Through the smoke and debris burst a swarm of pirates. I shuddered.

These weren’t your run-of-the-mill thugs – they were a motley crew of cybernetically enhanced horrors.

The leader, a towering Volek with mechanical tentacles writhing from his lower face, brandished a plasma cannon where his right arm should have been. Behind him, a pair of what I could only describe as cyborg hounds snarled, their eyes glowing an eerie red. A lithe figure, more machine than organic, slithered through the air on anti-grav units, wielding twin energy blades.

Adrenaline surged through my system. Years of surviving on the streets kicked in, and I found myself cataloging escape routes, potential weapons, anything that might give us an edge.

But before I could act, Klaz was in motion.

He moved with a speed I’d never seen before, not even in the most outlandish holovids. One moment he was beside me; the next he was in the thick of the pirate group. His fist connected with the Voleks leader’s face with a sickening crunch, sending the alien stumbling backward.

The cyborg hounds lunged, but Klaz was ready. He sidestepped one, using its momentum to hurl it into its companion. They collided with a shower of sparks and yelps. The Vinduthi’s movements were fluid, almost beautiful in their deadly precision.

The second pirate swooped in, energy blades humming. Klaz ducked under the first swing, the blade passing so close I swore I could smell ozone. He caught the assassin’s wrist on the backswing, twisting it with inhuman strength. The blade clattered to the floor.

“, move!” Klaz roared, never taking his eyes off his opponents.

I snapped out of my awe-struck daze, realizing I’d been standing there like an idiot. Cursing under my breath, I scanned the corridor for anything I could use. My eyes landed on a fallen crew member’s shock baton. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.

As I dove for the weapon, I heard Klaz grunt in pain. I whirled to see the Volek leader had recovered, his plasma cannon glowing ominously. Klaz had managed to deflect the blast, but angry burns scored his forearm.

“You’ll pay for that,” Klaz snarled, his voice low and dangerous.

I gripped the shock baton, my palms sweaty. This... this was way out of my league. Still, I’d be damned if I was going to let Klaz face these monsters alone.