Klaz

KLAZ

T he pirates advanced, their metallic limbs gleaming in the emergency lighting. The cyborg hounds snarled, ready to pounce, while the assassin twirled his energy blades menacingly. I assessed our situation in a heartbeat. We were outgunned and outnumbered. The passengers cowered behind us, their fear coiling at my back.

My gaze darted around, searching for an advantage. There - a control panel near the bulkhead. A plan formed in my mind.

I glanced at Cinta, who had just snatched up a fallen crew member's shock baton. I ducked my head, bringing my lips close to her neck. "When I give the signal, hit that panel with your shock baton. Full charge."

She nodded, her eyes fierce with determination. The scent of her adrenaline mixed with a whiff of floral perfume, oddly intoxicating even in this dire moment.

I stepped forward again, drawing the pirates’ attention. “Looking for a fight? I’ll give you one.”

Their leader, a hulking brute with a cybernetic eye, laughed. “Bold words for a dead man.”

I bared my teeth in a feral grin. “We’ll see who’s dead.”

I launched myself at them, my speed catching them off guard. My fist connected with the leader’s jaw, and he staggered back under the impact.

Two more pirates rushed me. I ducked under a wild swing, sweeping the legs out from one while driving my elbow into the gut of the other. The thrill of combat surged through me, awakening old instincts.

“Now!” I shouted to Cinta.

She sprang into action, driving her shock baton into the control panel. Sparks flew as electricity arced across the circuits. Alarms blared, and emergency bulkheads slammed down with a thunderous boom, separating them from our little group.

I grabbed Cinta’s hand, pulling her close as chaos erupted. “This way!”

We herded the terrified passengers through a maintenance hatch, the sounds of enraged pirates fading behind the thick metal doors. The narrow corridor beyond was dimly lit, lined with pipes and conduits.

“Keep moving,” I urged, taking point as we raced through the bowels of the ship.

From a distance, I picked up distant shouts and the clang of metal on metal. They were in pursuit, trying to circumvent the bulkheads.

“Left here,” I whispered, guiding our group down a service passage.

We pressed ourselves against the wall as heavy footsteps echoed nearby. I held my breath, acutely aware of Cinta’s warmth pressed against me in the cramped space. Her heartbeat thundered in my ears, matching the frantic rhythm of my own.

The footsteps faded. I let out a slow breath, nodding to Cinta. We continued our frantic escape, twisting through a maze of corridors.

“There!” Cinta pointed to a large door ahead. “Cargo bay. We can hide in there.”

We ushered the passengers inside, finding ourselves in a cavernous space filled with shipping containers and crates.

“Spread out,” I ordered. “Find cover and stay quiet.”

Cinta and I worked in tandem, directing people to various hiding spots. Her fingers brushed mine as we lifted a crate, and I caught her wide eyed gaze. What was this? And why did I have to find her now of all times?

As the last passenger was concealed, I pulled Cinta behind a stack of containers. We crouched in the shadows, our bodies close in the tight space.

“Not bad for a con artist,” I murmured.

She flashed a wry smile. “I’m full of surprises.”

And I wanted to discover every one of those surprises. The thought startled me, and I pushed it away. Now wasn’t the time for such distractions.

The cargo bay fell into an uneasy silence. I strained to hear, picking up the faintest sounds of movement beyond the doors. Cinta’s breath tickled my neck as we huddled close behind the crates. Her warmth against my side stirred feelings I’d long thought buried.

A metallic whirring and clicking grew louder. The cyborg pirates were near.

Cinta’s eyes met mine, a silent question in them. I shook my head minutely, warning her to stay still.

The cargo bay doors screeched open. Heavy footsteps echoed through the cavernous space. I counted at least three sets, maybe four.

“Search every corner,” a gravelly voice commanded. “The passengers couldn’t have gone far.”

Cinta and I pressed ourselves deeper into the shadows. Her heart raced, matching my own pulse. The urge to protect her, to keep her safe, surged through me with surprising intensity.

A pirate stomped past our hiding spot, close enough that I could have reached out and touched his cybernetic leg. I held my breath, every muscle coiled and ready to spring if we were discovered.

“Nothing here,” one of them called out after what felt like an eternity.

“Keep looking,” the leader growled. “They’re here somewhere.”

More footsteps. More searching. I silently willed the other passengers to remain hidden and quiet.

A muffled whimper from across the bay made my blood run cold.

“Did you hear that?” A pirate’s excited voice rang out.

“Over there!” Another answered.

I risked a glance around the edge of our crate. A Lyrikan male was curled up in terror, his long white hair a tangled mess, ornate robes crumpled all around him.

The pirates converged on his location.

Cinta tugged on my arm, her eyes wide. I knew what she was thinking – we had to do something.

But before we could move, the Lyrikan stumbled out from his hiding place, hands raised.

Time slowed as the passenger stumbled into view, The pirates’ weapons whirred to life, their cybernetic targeting systems locking onto the Lyrikan’s quivering form.

“Nice to have someone volunteer to be an example of what will happen to you all if you don’t comply.” The pirate leader sneered at his prey.

“Wait!” the Lyrikan cried, his voice cracking. “I can pay you! I have?—”

His words were lost in a hail of laser fire. The acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air as the man’s body crumpled to the ground, smoke rising from the charred holes in his ornate robes.

My jaw clenched. Another death on my conscience.

“Found one,” a pirate sneered. “Search the rest of this bay. They can’t hide forever.”

Cinta’s fingers dug into my arm, her breath quickening. I met her gaze, seeing my own grim determination reflected there. We were out of options.

“Get ready,” I whispered, my lips barely moving.

She nodded, gripping her shock baton tighter.

I surveyed our surroundings, formulating a plan. The cargo bay’s layout offered some cover, but we were ultimately trapped. The only way out was through the pirates.

“Stay behind me,” I ordered, my protective instincts surging. “I’ll draw their fire. You take out as many as you can with that baton.”

Cinta’s eyes flashed with defiance. “I can handle myself, big guy.”

This was ridiculous. Even now, her spirit captivated me.

“I don’t doubt it,” I replied. “But I’m not losing you today.”

Something softened in her expression, and the chaos around us faded away. Then reality crashed back as a pirate’s heavy footsteps approached our hiding spot.

I sprang into action, years of combat training taking over, the satisfying crunch of metal against bone reverberating through my knuckles. He staggered back, giving me the opening I needed.

I charged forward, placing myself between the pirates and the other passengers. Cinta flanked me, her shock baton crackling with energy.

“Well, well,” the lead pirate drawled, his cybernetic eye gleaming. “Looks like we found ourselves a hero.”

The bark of my sudden laugh startled even me. “You’d be luckier if you had.”

The pirates attacked en masse, a blur of metal limbs and glowing weapons. I ducked under a swinging cybernetic arm, driving my elbow into the pirate’s gut. Another came at me from the side, but I was faster.

Cinta moved with surprising grace, her shock baton finding weak points in the pirates’ armor. The air filled with the smell of ozone and the sound of short-circuiting implants.

A laser blast grazed my arm, searing through fabric and skin. I hissed in pain but pushed through it, years of battlefield experience taking over.

“!” Cinta called out, worry lacing her voice.

“I’m fine,” I growled, taking down another pirate with a well-placed strike to the neck. “Focus on staying alive.”

The fight raged on, a brutal dance of flesh against metal. My muscles burned with exertion, but I refused to yield. Too many lives depended on us.

A particularly large pirate charged at me, his cybernetic arms whirring with lethal intent. I braced for impact, ready to use his momentum against him.

Suddenly, Cinta was there, her shock baton finding a gap in his armor. The pirate convulsed as electricity coursed through his systems, then collapsed in a smoking heap.

Our eyes met over his fallen form, and for a second I saw past her carefully constructed facade to the fierce, determined woman beneath.

“Nice move,” I said, surprised.

A cocky grin spread across her face. “Told you I could handle myself.”

The remaining pirates regrouped, their weapons trained on us. We stood back-to-back, a united front against the onslaught.

“Any brilliant plans?” Cinta asked, her breath coming in short gasps.

I scanned the room, looking for any advantage. “Working on it.”

The lead pirate stepped forward, his cybernetic eye whirring as it focused on us. “Surrender now, and we might let some of you live.”

I felt Cinta tense behind me. “Like hell,” she spat.

Pride swelled in my chest at her defiance. I shifted my stance, ready for another round. “You heard the lady,” I growled. “Come and get us.”