The Unnamed World by Eilis Flynn

Author:Eilis Flynn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, mystery, science fiction, outer space, new world, space western
Publisher: Eilis Flynn

Chapter Ten

Roamer Or Not?

“Stay here,” Bosaru whispered to Imreen, reaching for his blaster. “Get to the nearest exit as soon as you can, in the opposite direction.”

She gripped his arm. “No. I won’t let you go alone.”

“I’m armed to the teeth, Imreen. But I don’t want to put you in danger while I check out what’s happening.”

“I can protect myself,” she said, her jaw set. She darted out, sprinting toward the source of the altercation.

What the—“Imreen!”

You idiot! Bosaru wanted to say, but he was too busy running, intent on getting ahead of her. He did easily, blocking her. “Get back!” he ordered.

“No!”

Her voice carried through the tunnels, and Bosaru knew she had been heard when the shuffling stopped and started again. They were coming toward them, and there were more than a few. And the shuffling sounded like—

“Roamers,” he said, his blaster pointed in the direction of the noise. “Imreen. Run!”

She shook her head. “I don’t know who it is, but those aren’t roamers. I know the sounds of the roamers, and these—I don’t know who they are.”

“Then get behind me and—“

“I can deal with anything we come across—oh!“

Imreen stumbled, and Bosaru grabbed her arm to keep her upright. “Oh, no,” she moaned when she looked down. “Oh, Daegon.” She turned her face away.

Bosaru looked down, even though he knew what he would see. “You’re sure they’re not roamers,” he said after a minute.

There were two human bodies sprawled on the ground. A quick check confirmed his first impression—their necks had been snapped.

“The sound is wrong,” she insisted.

“Then get out of the way and let me find out—“

The shuffling got louder. Whoever—or whatever—it was, had doubled back.

“Fine,” Bosaru said, gritting his teeth. He handed his weapon to Imreen. “The safety is off. Point it at your opponent. Squeeze the trigger here. And brace yourself against the wall, because the blast can knock you off your feet if you’re not prepared.”

“I know how to use it, but I don’t want it.“

“Humor me. Just point it at whoever’s coming this way while I try this,” he said, dragging out the photon whip from his weapons kit. He hefted it. It felt right. Just in case things got messy, he also had the sati, and the photon sword, though his fencing training was again far in the past.

He looked around. The tunnels were low, compact, just the size for the average Neoti or Vozuan. Bosaru knew that if the shuffling was any indication, the average roamer—if there was such a thing—would be hard put to walk comfortably in these tight quarters. Whoever or whatever these people—if you could call them that—were, they probably weren’t as large as the roamers, but they weren’t that much smaller, either, by the sound of their steps. What were they?

“Brace yourself,” he told Imreen, who was standing, the blaster gripped in both hands.

“You said that,” she said. But she wasn’t looking at him—she was staring into the distance, toward where the shuffling noise was coming, past the crumpled bodies.

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