The Challenge (43 page)

While Tessa understood that he didn’t want his family to be seen as taking advantage of their new wealth and that he didn’t like risking the shuttle’s return to Rian, she recalled that precious new life in Miri’s womb, risking itself before it had even been born to save her. Her connection to the child ran strong and deep, as it did to every member of the healing circle.

She’d finally found a place where she belonged, with a family that had proven their love for her by risking their lives to save her. Their belief in her made her determined to train harder, to win the Challenge for both Earth and Rystan and prove herself worthy. In a few days she and Kahn would leave for her to take the Challenge, but already she looked forward to returning here. She thought of this family as home.

Now as she headed with Kahn to the meeting, surrounded by family and friends, she was stunned to see many women had adopted the fashion of wearing traditional dresses over leggings. Shaloma and Helera walked in front of Kahn and Tessa, escorted by Xander, Mogan, and Nasser. Tessa glanced back at Miri and Etru who strolled behind them, her belly so large she would undoubtedly go into labor soon.

To avoid being overheard, Tessa spoke softly to Kahn. “I’m worried about Miri.”

“She’ll be fine.”

“Dora says she’ll have that baby today or tomorrow—”

Kahn sighed. “Dora isn’t a doctor or clairvoyant.”

“She has the knowledge of hundreds of physicians from many worlds. If she says Miri is about to have that baby boy, then I believe her. Besides, she was rubbing the small of her back this morning.”

“She always—”

“Purple Alert. We’re under attack. Under attack.” Dora’s voice sounded the alarm. Everyone in the crowded corridor on the way to the meeting froze.

Tessa ignored the fear galloping up her throat and went into full combat mode. “Dora, report.”

Dora on Rystan remained in constant communication with the duplicate Dora on the spaceship as well as the Dora in the shuttle. With her onboard sensors, she could interpret the data and give a clear picture of what was going on around them.

“Endekian spaceships have broken orbit. Enemy weapons and navigational systems are locked on Rian.”

Kahn cursed and ordered his men to take full defensive positions. He sent the women and children to the safest places inside Rian.

Tessa didn’t hesitate. “Dora, put full counter measures into effect.”

“Compliance.”

From space, Dora would defend them to the best of her ability. She would also monitor the ongoing situation and send the shuttle down to the planet if evacuation became necessary.

Kahn didn’t question Tessa. Instead he issued firm, controlled orders of his own, and men scrambled to obey. “Etru, Mogan, you’re with me. Zical, Nasser, take the south corridor. Xander, stay with the women.”

But before the men could take up positions, something blasted the cave. The glow lights flickered, but did not go out. Dirt rained from the ceiling. The floor rocked and cracked. A woman screamed. Behind them, Miri gasped softly.

“What’s wrong?” Etru asked. “Are you hurt?”

“My water broke.”

“I’ll take her home,” Etru told them.

“No,” Kahn countered. “Take her to the rear cave. Do it now. Do it fast. Dora, send the shuttle.”

Tessa nodded agreement. Shaloma placed an arm around Miri’s shoulder. Xander took the point with Helera right behind him. Tessa brought up the rear, and the men guarded the side entrances and exits to the corridor. They advanced as a group, making good time.

“Dora, what’s our status?” Kahn asked.

“Endekians are attacking with overwhelming forces. This is not a mere raid. This is an all out invasion. According to my calculations, Rystani warriors are outnumbered ten to one.”

“Inform all the villages,” Kahn ordered.

“Dora,” Tessa watched Miri stagger and suspected she might be in full labor already. “How much time do we have?”

“Maybe an hour.”

Helera dropped back, and she and Shaloma helped Miri advance with null-grav. From the grim expression on Miri’s face, she was in considerable pain. She bit her bottom lip and groaned, but didn’t demand that they slow down.

“Endekians are attacking from the air and the ground. Brace for incoming missiles.”

They had mere seconds to grab one another and jam up against a wall. A boom, followed by shock waves made the floor tremble. Walls cracked and tumbled. One end of the corridor caved in, but Kahn and a few of his men dug out survivors who seemed more stunned than injured.

Before the dust settled, Dora again reported. “Endekians are attacking the primary entrance in overwhelming numbers.”

“Does that change your estimate on how long we have?” Tessa asked again, already urging the others to keep moving.

“Rian will be overrun within ten minutes. Endekians are currently breaking through multiple entrances. Casualties are heavy. Destruction to the city center where the missile dropped is severe. The hydroponics are up and running, but the water supply is limited due to a cave in.”

As the ceiling above their heads exploded and collapsed, Tessa opened her mouth to call Kahn back from his flanking position. But he was too far away and too busy fighting encroaching Endekians to help. The stone ceiling was falling.

With a desperate psi lunge, Tessa sped forward, shoving Miri, Shaloma and Helera into Xander to avoid the falling stone from overhead. The four of them toppled, but Tessa had no time to see if they were okay.

Endekians dropped from the opening above their heads. Tessa spun to face them, arms up, wrists cocked, her weight balanced on the balls of her feet. Five to one, not good odds, but then Kahn had trained her, and he was one of the best.

She gave the attackers no time to see through the dust. With a hammer blow to the temple, she killed the first Endekian before he blinked away the dust or had raised his stunner. She took out a second man with a knife hand slice to the neck. A third Endekian seized Tessa to use her as a shield. His mistake. She let him spin her right into him. Then simultaneously jamming her elbow into his chest, breaking ribs, and sweeping his knees out from under him, she put him out of commission. Not fast enough.

Two Endekians had grabbed Miri. Shaloma was down. Not moving. Kahn and Etru were trying to plug the hole in the corridor and prevent more of the enemy from swarming inside to give the women time to escape.

When Xander poked his head out of a mass of fallen bodies, Tessa screamed at him, even as she kept fighting. “Get Helera and Shaloma out.”

Oh, God
. The Endekians were using null-grav to hold Miri in front of them as a shield. No way could Kahn or Etru fire their stunners around her. In fact, they didn’t yet know the problem, their backs were to Miri as they faced down the corridor, trying to stop a platoon of Endekian invaders.

Stunner shots beamed through the corridor, the laser lights chipping stone and sizzling too close for comfort. They had to get out of here. Fast.

But Tessa wouldn’t leave Miri. The Endekians had floated her up over the debris and bodies on the floor, out of Tessa’s reach. Despair and frustration peaked inside her. Gathering every cell of fear, Tessa screamed through her psi, launched herself into the air for the first time, her null-grav kicking in—too hard, too fast. But she used the momentum to slam one Endekian into the ceiling. His head smacked rock with a resounding crunch. He wouldn’t be coming back for more.

The second man had his arm around Miri’s throat. Likely, she couldn’t breathe, but still let out a shout.

At her scream, Kahn and Etru turned, saw the problem, but more Endekians poured into the hallway. Tessa needed one second of surprise, a distraction to take out the Endekian holding Miri. She turned her suit transparent.

The Endekian goggled. Her naked body was the last thing he ever saw before she shoved his nose straight into his brain.

“You didn’t see that,” Tessa told Xander as she gently floated Miri down the corridor, toward the shuttle and away from the Endekians.

“See what?” Xander helped Miri on the other side and together with Shaloma and Helera, they advanced, the men covering their flanks.

“We have been overrun on several fronts.” Dora reported. “Rystani men are falling back, giving time for the women and children to escape through bolt holes and to hide.”

“Options?” Tessa snapped.

“You are too far from the bolt holes. There’s only one chance,” Dora warned. “Get out. Run for the shuttle.”

They rounded two more corners. This area seemed clear of intruders.

“Go.” Kahn waved Tessa toward Zical who had cleared the final path to the shuttle. “Get them out of here.”

Tessa knew Kahn meant to stay behind. He wouldn’t want to leave his people or abandon them in a time of need. But sometimes the better choice was a full retreat so one could live to return and battle another day. She’d prayed this moment would never arrive and now that it had, she didn’t feel prepared.

Tessa handed Miri to Xander and Mogan in the shuttle, then covered Shaloma and Helera as the women also took shelter inside. Etru and Nasser went next. Only Zical and Kahn remained and as she expected, Kahn urged her into the shuttle without taking one step toward it himself.

“Come with me,” she demanded.

His eyes sad and full of regret, he shook his head. “I can’t. Etru and Zical will bring you to the Challenge. My people need me.”

“I need you.” She flung her arms around Kahn’s neck, used all her psi to merge with his, and then opened her emotions to him. She let him feel full force what losing him would do to her, how she would surely lose the Challenge without him there.

He didn’t go down without a struggle. He tried to raise his psi shields, but she’d gotten past his defenses.

“Please, Kahn. You can do more good for your world by living than dying. I don’t want to lose you, and I need you to train me for the Challenge.”