Mask of Steel

My vision was blurry; my legs felt like pudding. I was breathing so hard that my mask couldn't filter the air fast enough and my lungs were shriveled up. I hadn't dared to stop even once to catch my breath or rest since I didn't know how far behind me these assholes were. I carried on like a woman possessed, trudging as fast as I could even though I'd long since past the point of being able to run.

When the landing area finally came into view, I tried to push myself the last few paces. At the same time, I barely managed to recall how to turn off its stealth feature before collapsing.

Critter was already scurrying off the ship in a fit. He must have seen me coming.

"Ast'ni! Ast'ni!" he fussed, scooping me up into his four arms.

"Get—on—ship," I wheezed between desperate gasps of air.

He obliged and hauled me up the loading ramp as if I were a mere child. I shifted until I could force the ship to go back into stealth and all the while, Critter bombarded me with question after question.

"Ast'ni hurt? How get hurt? Master still on hunt? What Ast'ni need?"

I tried to rip my mask off, but my extreme exhaustion was making the necessary fine motor skills impossible. Critter did it for me and held onto it while I continued to gulp down as much air as my lungs could take until I had enough to form better sentences.

"We are under attack," I said, squirming until Critter put me down. "Wolf is captured."

My words elicited a surprised chirp out of him.

"Bad bloods—must get to—bridge." I huffed and puffed, using the wall a support as I tried dragging myself toward my destination.

Critter tried to heave me back up, letting out a few alarmed trills. His busy legs were tapping feverishly as he tried to decide what to do, where to go, torn between helping me and following the orders I was giving.

I flattened my palm against his chest to calm him down and said, "Go send SOS. I must—get some things."

"Who send?" he whined.

There was no precedence for this. No protocol. Wolf had never sat me down and told me what the plan was if we were ever attacked by criminals and I had to go alone. Thankfully, all the training I still remembered from my numbered days in the FBI took over and I did my best to take charge even if inside, all I wanted was for Wolf to show up and tell us what to do.

I needed water, badly, but it would have to wait. I didn't have the luxury to regain my strength. Not yet. Who knew when those assholes were going to show up.

"Where—where is Creature?" I let out a breathless cough.

Instead of answering, Critter turned and let out a high-pitched squeal that made me wince. It grated against my ears in the cramped corridor, making me even dizzier. However, it successfully managed to summon Creature who came skittering around the corner as quickly as he could.

"Distress?" he asked, looking between me and Critter.

"Creature, broadcast a general SOS signal . . . and send one to the last hailed—transmission," I said. "Critter, lock down the ship—so the bad bloods cannot . . . board us." I was still having a hell of a time catching my breath, but I was doing my best to communicate clearly.

Though I expected Creature to ask for an explanation, he didn't hesitate for even a second before heading toward the bridge to follow my command. Critter, however, watched me for a few precious moments.

I said to him, "I am okay. Please go."

He tapped his claws to indicate that he heard me and closed the loading ramp. I thought I'd wandered farther into the ship, but apparently, I'd only dragged myself a few feet away. Then, Critter skittered off into the hot, dark ship. I turned to watch the loading ramp, waiting to make sure no one came in.

Hoping that perhaps Wolf would show up, victorious.

It was more likely that Jackal would show up, though. Once it was finally closed, I sank down to the ground and put my hands on my head. I would have stood up if I could, but my legs were at their limits even with the braces and I didn't think I could stand without first taking a break. I used the time to guzzle what was left in my waterskin.

Once I had recovered enough to breathe normally, I forced myself to stand. My legs shook under my weight, but I walked to the armory. Creature and Critter should be completing their tasks by now, so I had to tend to mine. I had to prepare, I had to be ready for when they came knocking.

My hands trembled as I gathered things I thought I'd need—more clips for my plasma pistol, knives, a chain cuff for a weapon I was trying to learn, and even some more rations. It was equal parts exhaustion and adrenaline that was making my whole body shake, but I worked through it. Then, I pulled the plasma rifle out of its cupboard and set it on the table.

Before I could open its case, though, Critter arrived.

"Ast'ni!" he called, taking up the whole doorway.

"Did Creature send the messages?" I asked him. I removed the plasma rifle from its box.

He indicated in the positive so I asked, "Is the ship secure?" while strapping the rifle to my back, next to my favorite blade.

Quickly, he said "Yes!" and then announced, "They outside."

My heart fell into the soles of my boots. "Who?"

"Bad bloods."

I let out a slew of curses in both English and even a few in Yaut'ja, leaning on the table to thread my fingers through my hair and stare at the metal surface. I knew they would show up at any moment, but I hoped that I would have at least a little more time. Closing my eyes, I took a few steadying breaths of the ship's sterile air and tried to build up the mental fortitude to go and deal with what waited for me out there.

However long I was standing there, it was long enough to cause Critter some concern.

"Ast'ni?" he said in a small voice. "Am unwell?"

Standing up straight, I wiped the moisture away from my eyes and sniffed, then asked him for the mask he was still holding in one hand. "I am well, Critter. Have they made any attempts to contact us?"

His claws clicked in the negative.

After another brief moment I used to steel myself, I said, "Is there anything else?"

Critter shifted around nervously, his antennae drooping. I stared at him until he finally spat out whatever he wanted to say. "Master is with them."

I was out of the room in an instant, pushing past the massive bug alien. Creature was in the hallway, storming around. He moved out of my way, but I was vaguely aware that both he and Critter were trailing after me, looking for direction.

The only problem was . . . I was looking for some fucking direction, too.

There were a few twists and turns, but we eventually made it onto the bridge. I stopped short, then slowly approached the window with my mask still in hand. I had a lot of gear equipped, but there could have been things I missed. Hopefully, I would have time to go back again.

But probably not.

Standing in front of the large viewport—just fucking standing on the goddamn hood of Wolf's ship, was Titan.

"Should have told you to raise the blast shield," I muttered to no one in particular, slowly walking up as close to the window as I dared. I didn't think he could break the glass (shit was meant to withstand space junk hurtling at ridiculous speeds), but I didn't want to take the chance, either.

Because of the way the front of the ship was shaped, he was standing even taller than before and he had to crouch down to get closer to my eye level. Neither one of us would be able to hear each other, so I wasn't sure what his goal was.

A light beep from the computer caught my attention and I glanced at it. Hadn't the slightest idea what it was trying to tell me, though. I should have spent more time asking Wolf how the ship worked.

"Critter, what is it?" I asked, hoping that maybe someone was responding to our call for aid.

"Am hailed," he responded. "Do answer?"

My brows knit together and I looked at Titan. He tapped the side of his mask to indicate that he was trying to talk.

"|Fine,|" I said. Louder, in Yaut'ja, I added, "Yes, answer."

Critter tapped the screen and Titan's voice came through loud and clear with that strange dialect of his. "Hello, Miss Human. You took my boy by surprise, it seems. What other surprises might you be hiding in that tiny body of yours?"

I said nothing, just glowered. Mostly because I was afraid I might accidentally say something salacious.

Titan didn't miss a beat. "I know you must be upset, but this is nothing personal. We have seen you are broadcasting an SOS, though, and we cannot abide. Turn it off or we will be forced to kill Mister Arbiter and abandon this planet. I do not believe any of us wish for that outcome."

Spinning on my heel, I left my position and stood next to Critter in front of the panel. "How do I respond?"

Creature walked up next to us as Critter pointed. I followed his lead and tapped the symbol he was looking at, then looked to him for confirmation. He nodded his head and turned his attention back on Titan.

"Where is he?" I demanded.

"Down here with us. I am not here to negotiate his release if that is your intention. Either cease broadcasting or we have to kill him. Those are the only choices," he responded, his tone so even and cool that it made me hate him more.

I grit my teeth and my nails bit into the palms of my hands. Was there really nothing else to do? Nothing at all? I wracked my brain, but no brilliant ideas came. My mind was too foggy from exhaustion and anger and guilt to think straight.

When I failed to respond in a timely manner, he sighed and said, "We both already know you will stop broadcasting. If you do not, he will die. If you do, he will live to fight another day."

A bead of sweat ran down the side of my face and I tried not to start trembling, but it was hard.

Critter hissed behind me and I felt him move closer to me.

"However," Titan said, "I regret to tell you there is no scenario here in which you live."

Again, Critter hissed. I shushed him and responded. "Not even one?"

Titan chuckled. "We will either cripple your ship, leaving you here to die on this planet; or we will break in and kill you. Of course, you are free to come out here and fight for your life if that is what you wish."

"So there is one scenario in which I live," I retorted.

"You think too highly of yourself. Time is wasting, Miss Human. Cease your broadcast."

I released my finger from the panel and turned to look up at Critter; his antennae were vibrating in a way I'd never seen before. I asked him, "Can he still hear us?"

"No," he assured me.

"Did you send a message to the last hailed frequency as I asked?"

He nodded.

"Did it send successfully?"

Another yes.

My shoulders sagged in relief. Even if I stopped broadcasting, someone was going to get the message, at least. I didn't know who, and I didn't know if they would actually come to help us, but it was better than nothing.

Titan must have thought I was feeling defeated because he said, "That is a good girl, Miss Human. I knew you were smart."

Holy fuck I had never wanted to punch someone in the face more—not even my old boss from the FBI and he was an asshole.

Still and all, I politely asked Critter to stop the SOS from broadcasting. He hesitated somewhat. Long enough to make Creature step up and do it instead, then promptly chide him for not following an order with utmost obedience.

"Leave Critter alone, Creature," I muttered half-heartedly.

After a second, long enough for Titan to confirm that the signal had stopped, he said, "There. That was not a hard decision, was it? Now we do not have to kill Mister Arbiter before his time. So, what will it be for you?"

For me. How did I want to die?

I could die alone on a planet with a crippled ship, living my life out in solitude before I finally kicked the bucket or they came in after me. Or, I could go out fighting and hang on to the hope that maybe, just maybe, I'd be able to take out at least one of them. At least that way I wouldn't have to live the rest of my life with the guilt that I was the piece of shit that had gotten Wolf captured.

There was no other choice.

Waiting patiently, Titan tilted his head to the side. I steeled myself, then put my finger to the panel and said, "I will come out."

He trilled with delight. "Excellent. This will make a fine show."

Without further ado, he closed communications and slid off the front of our ship, disappearing somewhere below. I folded over the panel and held my face in my hands for several seconds, sucking in breath after breath and trying to keep my emotions in check, trying to keep the waterworks at bay.

It had only been maybe a year since my life with Wolf had started and it seemed like it was already nearing its end. I couldn't see any scenario where I got out of this. Where I got both of us out of this.

At least Wolf would stand a chance if they gave him enough time to recover.

Critter leaned over me, brushing my cheeks with his antennae. Creature made a sound kind of like scoffing.

"What small master do?" Critter asked.

I straightened up, forcing Critter to back up a bit, and stared out the window. "I have to go out there. I said I would. I will . . . I will have to fight."

The two in'qua watched me, then were hot on my heels as I made my way around and headed outside. They probably felt as lost as I did, wondering what was going to happen to them after this was all done. Maybe they'd get lucky and these assholes needed some servants. I hated the idea of them being in charge of Critter's well-being, but I wasn't sure I liked the idea of him or Creature being murdered in cold blood, either.

For the longest time, I stood outside the loading bay. I wasn't sure I could actually bring myself to walk out to my certain death, but I knew I didn't want to live in a world without Wolf, and at least this way I could make him proud by dying an honorable death suited for a warrior.

With some measure of dread, I donned my mask then lowered the door and walked down it. My heartbeat keeping time to the roar of blood in my ears—a fitting funeral dirge.

"Ah, and she walks with her head high," Titan's voice greeted me. My steps faltered and my breath hitched. "I can see why you keep her around, Mister Arbiter."

Behind him, forced to his knees and flanked by Lockjaw and Jackal—the latter now sporting a grid-pattern wound on all exposed flesh—was Wolf. Bound, bloodied, and defeated. A new rage bubbled inside me, tinting my vision red and blocking out everything else.

"|You son of a bitch!|" I screeched semi-coherently, charging with little regard for anything but sating my white-hot fury.

Titan chuckled. "Ah, so eager for the end."

He stepped back and fucking Jackal moved up to field my attack with a battle cry of his own. Our wrist blades met as he slashed at me and my arm twanged with the weight of his blow. I was forced to the defensive as he bore down hard and fast, treating his weapon more like a blunt bludgeon than a sharp blade.

I did what I could to parry and block. Some of my anger had abated with the attack as my mind focused on what was going on. I was mad at everything—mad that this had happened, mad that Wolf hadn't been in any shape to fend them off because of me, mad that they'd brought him out to watch me get beat to death in front of him.

Mad that I couldn't try harder, that I couldn't move faster, that I couldn't fight stronger. I was glad for the mask concealing my frustrated, frightened, and angry tears falling down my cheeks.

Jackal sneered. "You have some fight in you. I like that in my prey."

Growling, I tried to force my way onto the offensive, but he kicked me down with the opening I left. I couldn't believe it—I was even sloppier than normal, fueled by emotions instead of my careful training. Wolf must have been so disappointed.

Echoing my own thoughts, Titan spoke to Wolf loud enough for me to hear. "See, that is the thing with humans. You can train them till Cetanu comes for us all, but you cannot train the emotions out of them."

Fuming by this point, at my own ineptitude, mainly, I scrambled to stand and was greeted by a knee on my chest, my wrist with the blade pinned down leaving only my left hand free.

"You still have not shown me why he keeps you around, girl."

An inhuman wail sounded and then Critter slammed into Jackal from out of nowhere, lifting his weight off me and sending him sprawling several feet away. Critter stood over me, his limbs spread, sickle-like claws raised, and gossamer wings flared. Outside the confines of the ship, she stood at his full height of over ten feet and looked quite the sight.

"Critter, stop!" I pleaded, rolling up into a crouch. "We are outnumbered."

He ignored me and scuttled faster than I'd seen him move, catching Jackal further off guard and forcing him to raise his blades as a shield against the flurry of slashes being unleashed upon him.

Lockjaw snarled. "I did not agree to a third wheel!"

The other two seemed surprised and Lockjaw chittered away. "Is that an in'qua? What is it doing attacking? Kar-thur'ghas, this is cheating!"

Titan, however, just rumbled with amusement. "Calm down, Shum. It matters not what tricks she has up her sleeves. In fact, I welcome it. She will only delay the inevitable."

I was up by then, ready to take on one of the other two and try my best to free Wolf, at least, when he finally spoke up. The sound of his voice was enough to calm some of my anger and send a thrill of relief through my chest.

"Do not come any closer!" His voice was rough and weak, but I heard him and, out of instinct mostly, I stopped short. He looked behind me. "Creature, I command you to take her and run."

That was the last thing I wanted. I responded almost as quickly as he spoke and duck just as Creature came to snatch me up. "|I'm not leaving you again, Wolf. With these two, we can win! We can take them and we can|—"

"You cannot win a head-to-head fight," he insisted, pausing to catch his breath. My heart nearly shattered. "Go for now. Creature, do not stop running until you can go no longer."

Again, I dodged him and tried to move in to fight. Critter was still beating down Jackal with unrelenting blows from his claws, hissing and screeching in his insect way and I marveled at just how terrifying he could be when he really wanted to.

Creature was able to gather me up in his four arms while I was distracted but before he could abscond with me, Lockjaw moved to intercept. Wolf, summoning what strength he had, took Lockjaw's legs out by throwing his weight into him and knocking him flat on his stupid face.

Titan and Lockjaw brought Wolf back under control while Jackal tried to get the upper hand on Critter, and then my vision was obscured by the trees that swallowed us up. My mask barely picked up Titan's parting command to his lackeys; "Let her go. You cannot outrun those bugs in the woods. We will—"

There was a flash of light and Critter let out a shrill sound that made my heart skip a beat.

Then it was just the sound of Creature's fast skittering as he cleared every obstacle and maneuvered the uneven terrain as if it were flatlands. I came back to myself and struggled, wiggling and kicking with all my might, but it just made Creature hold me tighter as he fled through the forest at a breakneck pace.

"Let me go! Take me back right now," I demanded, pounding a fist against his exoskeleton. "We can do it, we can fight them and—"

Creature cut me off. "Master gave order. Me follow."

Grinding my teeth together, I shot back, "Then I ORDER you to take me back!"

"No. Small master below Master."

My eyes widened. "Wolf told you—I—No! Wolf said we were equals. He told you, so you have to follow my order! Take me back right now."

He remained silent. Again my anger peaked.

"|You son of a bitch! I know you just don't like me, but this is beyond assholery! Take me back and help me free Wolf and save Critter right this second or I'll|—"

Everything was falling on deaf ears. I'd devolved into shouting English insults at him and I knew perfectly well he couldn't understand even a little bit of it, if any at all. I kept going, too—just because it made me feel better. Spewing such venom at someone who could take it was cathartic, and I spat it at him until I was out of breath and exhausted, hanging limp in his unrelenting grip as he continued to run—and run—and run.