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  She'd once almost single-handedly fought off a hive of Beltine in defense of an entire squad of barely trained recruits and since then taken out more hive ships than he'd seen destroyed before in his entire service. On top of that, people were following in her wake, learning from her and the people she'd already spent time training. The human race finally had protectors amongst them again, and she was by far the most lethal, the most adept, and the person he most wanted by his side when facing the unknown.

  There was definitely no denying it any longer. Xander had fallen for her, for her confidence, her resilience, and her commitment to protecting others with the power the universe had graced her with. And for the easy way she appeared to bear it all when he knew she felt every unnecessary death. More than once he'd seen her shed tears for the living hives she'd had to rip apart to save others. She cared, and she cared so much it drove her onward. But a part of him worried, worried that if she didn't find some kind of strong base, she was going to burn out, to push herself so far she broke.

  By the time these thoughts had finished running through his head, he was suited up and Matt was clipping Drew's helmet on, her suit the first to be donned. He didn't doubt that the Adamanta clips and buttons that had been added to hers made all the difference. She was one of the few people who could get into a suit entirely unaided.

  Once more he found himself marveling at her talent and how the military had allowed her every suggestion and wish she made, at least until the last month or so. Breaking up with Simon had changed everything.

  Snapping back to the present, Xander grabbed his laser rifle and slung it in place.

  “Right. Drew, stay close. Matt, keep an eye out for unfriendlies and watch our six.”

  “Yes, sir,” Matt said as Drew nodded and lifted a small device in his hands. It was mostly a box with a screen on it, a row of little buttons along the bottom edge. Xander knew it would help pinpoint the life signs they'd found from the skies, but little else. Understanding it was what Drew was for.

  Xander strode out first, his eyes taking in the desolate atmosphere and noticing a small cave-like opening in the ground several hundred meters ahead. It made sense that whatever life form was on this planet would be sheltering inside. There was no shine of any kind of space-worthy vessel, however.

  Cautiously he moved forward, pleased to note two sets of Matt's eyes go whizzing past, closer to the entrance and any possible danger. He didn't doubt that more would be in the skies in other directions, ensuring no one snuck up on them from another angle. Scouting and watching their six at the same time as protecting them was something he'd have needed a whole team for before Matt. Again, he shook his head, realizing he'd already begun to take her talent for granted.

  For several minutes they moved slowly closer, nothing happening but the occasional gust of wind blowing brown dust in the air and Drew studying the device he held as little green dots flashed up on the screen ahead somewhere. They weren't alone, but whoever was out there didn't appear to want to show themselves.

  As they reached the mouth of the cave, they caught up with both sets of Matt's Adamanta cameras, hovering either side of the entrance.

  “It's pitch black in there, and I can't jump between infrared-set cameras and normal ones without giving myself one heck of a migraine,” she said, looking apologetic.

  “Okay, leave one set near the entrance, a few meters in, and send out a couple ahead. I'm sure Tyra and Trey can keep the crossing back to our Lady clear.” Xander waited for her to nod before taking the first step into the cave, flicking a small torch on as he did. He just caught a glimpse of Matt's cameras as they zoomed off ahead again.

  A moment later he felt her place a hand on his shoulder.

  “It's easier if I don't try and see a view where the torch light it either. I'll let you guide me for a bit,” she said, closing her eyes. He grunted an assent and carried on forward at a slow pace, letting her arm stay outstretched but comfortably on his shoulder.

  Twice she squeezed until he slowed and gave her a moment to navigate over the uneven floor.

  “This way,” Drew said, when they came to an opening with three different twisting corridors off it. “At least, I think they're this way.”

  “No, this way, I think,” Matt replied, letting go of Xander and pulling up another pair of eyes to hover directly in front of her. She followed them down the smaller tunnel on the right. Xander felt his cheeks twitch up at her inventive way of seeing down a corridor in the dark, her infrared cameras mere inches in front of her own face.

  For a moment Drew didn't respond, his body lit up by Xander's small torch as he turned slowly on the spot, his device held out in front of him. It took long enough Xander grew concerned.

  “Don't go too far, Matt,” Xander called as he turned back in the direction she'd gone, but the small beam of his torch showed him an empty tunnel. He growled. “Drew, come.”

  “Yes, sir.” The techie sounded apologetic as his footsteps fell in behind Xander.

  As he picked up the pace, Xander felt his heart rate increase and a knot form in his stomach. Matt might be the most capable person on his team, but that didn't mean he wanted her out of his sight for even a fraction of a second. Anything might happen, and he'd never forgive himself if he wasn't there to protect her when he might be needed.

  “She's not too far up ahead now,” Drew whispered from just over Xander's shoulder. “But she's not alone.”

  “How, not alone?” Xander replied, his voice low and angrier than he meant it to be.

  “One dot with her, but more converging on the same spot. Several more.”

  Xander threw what was left of his caution out the window and sprinted around the next few corners, sweeping the beam of light back and forth as he searched for the adventurous and highly irritating woman he was meant to be supervising.

  He came to a halt as he found her, crouched down beside a small rocky outcrop. As his light fixed on her she held up a hand and glared at him, blinking against the beam. Immediately he lowered it to a spot on the ground between them, but not before he'd seen the small creature in front of her. A gray furred bipedal creature had shrunk back into a small opening, reacting in a similar manner as her to the sudden brightness.

  “Careful, sir. I think he's frightened.” She turned back to the creature and held out her hand so he could see the food bar she had unwrapped and offered the little thing. A small bite had already been taken from the corner, the side of the mouth matching the size of its jaw.

  While they watched it slowly ease forward and take another bite, Drew tapped Xander on the shoulder and then pointed past his face to several dark shapes also appearing in the natural cavern from a second and third entrance. They were larger gray-furred aliens, a couple of them showing muscular bodies beneath the fur.

  “Matt?” Xander said, just loud enough to get her attention. She looked back at him again, raising her eyebrows as he tilted his head towards the new arrivals. Slowly she turned herself around, taking in the extra aliens one by one.

  “Right,” she said, easing herself back a little from the young one. “Perhaps we should back off a little and just introduce ourselves.”

  “Go slowly.” Xander kept switching his focus between her and the rest of the adult aliens, ready to rush to her defense if it was needed, but it seemed the younger creature had other ideas. As Matt backed up, it came forward, eagerly eating more of the snack she still held in an outward hand, until it was so bold it reached out a paw and touched her face.

  She stopped again and let it feel her skin, her body perfectly motionless. Xander didn't dare breathe, knowing this was possibly the most important moment in meeting a new species.

  Suddenly the alien let out a happy sounding chattering noise and scurried away towards one of the older creatures. It took the elder’s paw and tugged it forward, evidently wanting to bring it towards Matt. They all moved forward with it, the child's innocence breaking the tension.

  Matt sat down an
d pulled out the other snack bar she'd stowed.

  “Drew, you got any more of those?” Xander asked as he copied the aliens’ movements and slowly crept forward to join Matt where she sat. It looked like they were going to be sharing an impromptu picnic. More food seemed like a good idea.

  Chapter 6

  A grin spread across Matt's face as they finally made progress communicating with the new alien race. She was still sat on the floor of the same cave, the child now sitting on her lap, munching away at its second snack bar. Drew had pulled yet another piece of tech from yet another pocket on his suit and found a language both races could understand.

  It was a less used dialect of the Salisoid race, one Matt even knew some of as there had been a Salisoid scientist stationed on her parents’ research base for a few years. The creatures they'd just encountered were allies of the Salisoid. Not only did it give them a way to communicate, it gave them mutual friends.

  “Where should I begin, Colonel?” Matt asked. “I don't want to come across as hostile. It's just the one stranded family.”

  “No, definitely don't be hostile.” Xander looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing. “Tell them we're worried about a friend of ours who’s gone missing. And ask them if they've seen him. Let’s give them a chance to tell their story without pressure.”

  Matt nodded, trying to ignore her sweaty palms and the tension in her shoulders. She didn't want to screw this up.

  Although the device Drew had could translate the English she spoke into Salisoid, she decided to use it herself, merely asking Drew to fill in any words she didn't know as she went. It took a little while to finish her question, but the adults in the group immediately looked to each other and shuffled in an uncomfortable-like manner. At least, Matt could only assume they were uncomfortable.

  One then looked at her.

  “Come,” it said in a deep, almost purring voice. “We show you.”

  As one, all the aliens rose to their feet, causing Matt to scramble up, the suit she was wearing making the maneuver less than graceful. Everyone followed, including the child, as the alien who'd spoken was motioning with a fur-covered paw for them to follow.

  Xander’s torchlight lit the way until they reached an area of the cave network with a strip of some kind of lighting. It was evidently this race's way to light things, some kind of luminescent liquid in a thin tentacle-like tube. The light was dim and pulsed slowly as something inside the tube moved about, almost in a wave-like fashion, but it was strangely calming and gentle. Instantly, Matt decided she liked it.

  They followed the aliens for several minutes until they reached a wider cavern that held several bed-like rectangles and more equipment. Several strips of the lighting fibers ran around and through the makeshift bedroom. Right at the back was the body of a human. He was almost perfectly still, with the exception of his chest, which rose and fell with slow labored breaths.

  “The atmosphere won't be doing him any good,” Drew said, rushing over. Matt just gulped, having no idea what to do.

  “Tyra, Trey,” Xander called into his comm system. “Can you guys hear me?”

  “Yup,” came Tyra's usual chirpy voice back, although static marred the otherwise happy tones. “What do you need, boss?”

  “We've got a very sick man here. Probably our missing security. Help Trey get into a suit and load him up with the spare and a health monitoring device.”

  “Right away, boss.”

  Matt finally moved over to Drew as he crouched beside the man, listening to his breathing and taking a pulse. As she did, she noticed the aliens all backed up, none of them daring to look at her. Beside the make-shift bed were several bowls, each with a different food in, and near those what looked like cups, again each with a different liquid.

  “You were trying to help? Keep him alive?” she asked, looking to the elder creature who'd led them there.

  “Yes, but nothing worked. Can you fix him?”

  “I hope so.”

  “Matt,” Xander interrupted, his voice sounding more firm than before. “I think you need to find out what happened and why they took him.”

  She gulped but nodded. This was going to be a delicate process.

  Over the next few minutes she slowly formed questions, teasing information out of what appeared to be a frightened set of creatures.

  “We thought he was from the ship that attacked,” the creature replied, his voice sounding more high-pitched and almost like a whimper compared to the purr-like sound from before.

  “You were attacked?”

  “Yes, several cycles ago. A large ship, dark brown, with many small winged pods saw us and attacked. Shot our large ship. We escaped in our smaller ground vessel, but they managed to hit our engine before we could get away. We crashed here and have been trying to make repairs.”

  “So you cannot leave this planet at all?” Matt asked, puzzled. They'd definitely seen an alien vessel fly off this planet to the drones and disable them. Once more, there was awkward-looking shuffling.

  “Our small escape ship is fixed now, but it cannot fly more than a few hours in space. We need to fix our main ship.”

  Matt nodded, letting the creature continue. For now she'd reserve judgment. The only large ship with many pods she could think of was a hive. It sounded like the Beltine were in the area, and that meant they had bigger problems than this small family.

  Before they could say any more, however, Trey arrived, a secondary suit and the device Xander wanted in his arms.

  Immediately the Colonel and Matt rushed to get the equipment over to the sick man. Matt helped Drew lift the man's limp torso enough to get the helmet on and the air circulating around his face right away. It wasn't the conventional way to put the suit on and required one of them to keep holding the poor man's head and neck up, but it would help him the quickest.

  While Matt cradled the man's head in her lap and supported his neck with her hands, Drew and Trey worked together to slide the rest of the suit on from the bottom until they could connect the two pieces. Already the man's breathing seemed to shallow out and his chest rose and fell more easily. Matt just hoped it was enough and they'd got to him in time. With what little information they'd been given by everyone involved, they had no idea how long he'd have been breathing the atmosphere after his original breathing apparatus had run out of air.

  As soon as he was suited up and the helmet locked in place, Trey attached the health monitor to one arm and Drew took over, pressing buttons and hooking it up to one of the many devices on his own suit.

  “We ought to get him back to the research facility ASAP, boss.” Drew looked at the Colonel expectantly. Xander nodded and stepped forward to help Trey pull the extendable, fold-out stretcher from the med kit.

  “Matt, keep going with your conversation while we get this guy back to the ship. I don't want to leave you here, but you need to find out what you can before we all head back to the research base.” Xander gave her a very pointed look, making it clear she didn't have much time.

  Taking a deep breath, she got up again and went back to the aliens, now all standing in a huddle on one side of the room.

  “We're going to take him back to our base nearby to be treated.”

  “We hope he will live,” the alien said, the purring sound back.

  “Me too. But I need to know more. Was the ship you saw this sort of shape?” Matt asked, using her hands to mimic the shape of a Beltine hive. Immediately the creature nodded.

  “And did it shoot at our ship with small bolts of light that are this color?” Once more she used her hands to give them a visual, pointing at a patch on her jacket the right colour, but this time the creature just looked puzzled.

  “The large ship didn't shoot at all. Just the smaller ones. But they were a similar color, yes.”

  “Right,” she said as Xander and Drew carried the stretcher out, leaving Trey, no doubt, to act as her protector if the aliens suddenly turned hostile. She tried to ignore him as she
continued her conversation with the creature. She still needed more information. “Did the larger ship move at all?”

  “No. It was in decaying orbit around a planet, as if it was injured. We came closer to offer assistance.”

  This made Matt's eyebrows raise further. A Beltine hive that was crippled wouldn't be as much of a challenge to take on.

  “Sounds like a Beltine hive, but I ccan’t be completely sure until we see it for ourselves.”

  “Can you help us?” the creature suddenly said, a hint of the earlier high-pitched whimper in its voice.

  “Help you, how?”

  “Our ship. We don't dare go back to it while the hive, as you called it, is still there.”

  “It's still there?”

  The creature nodded, its eyes wide as it studied her.

  “I'll suggest it to my superiors. The hive is a ship of our enemies. We have been fighting their race for many years now. They do not know how to live peacefully with any other race, and we have chosen to fight back.”

  “If we had known this we would never have approached them, but we need to get back to our kind. Our ship was carrying important cargo.”

  Matt nodded, her brain already formulating a plan, but she knew she needed Xander to sign off on it.

  “I want to help you, but I can't do it alone.”

  “Matt, time to go,” Xander said over the comms. Trey evidently heard it, too, and was making his way to her side as if he wouldn't allow her to delay. She frowned and tried to focus on using the right words.

  “Our race values friendship with others. For now the Beltine are a common enemy. It would encourage my people to help if they knew it would begin a friendship between our races. One where we can meet again, under better circumstances, and work together to keep us all safe in future.”

  The words weren't quite the right ones, her Salisoid letting her down, but it seemed to get the message across.

  “This sounds useful. I can speak for my race in saying we would be grateful if you aided us.”