Argurma Monster (The Argurma Chronicles #2)

Chapter 13

Beverly shrieked as she clung to Talech’s bulky frame, grateful for the metal limbs that were currently caging her in as he raced from the med unit to the safety of their quarters. Every jolt of the ship made him sway, and yet he was surefooted enough to not break stride as he raced for the security of the inner ship. The groan of the metal walls around them was terrifying, as if the ship were slowly dying all around them with every boom vibrating through its structure. Every shudder and moan from the ship made her pulse hammer with terror.

“We’re okay. Zoreth said that this would happen. It’s normal. Just baby asteroids,” Beverly whispered quietly to herself.

Talech rumbled and purred with agreement despite the tension in his large body as he bounded down the hall with her in his arms, his heavy footfall drowned out by the sounds of the ship. Garanga suddenly rocked violently with a loud blast that blew out a port as they passed in a burst of sparks. The ship weaved erratically, nearly sending Talech off his feet as he ducked through the door of their room. Hissing quietly, he began to grab every pillow and small cushion he could find and tucked them between Beverly and the metal frame of his arching limbs closed around her. Besides padding the unforgiving metal, they also pushed her firmly against his chest so that she could feel the rapid beat of his own heart as he dropped into the same chair they had occupied during takeoff. His head tipped up, and Beverly followed his gaze to the comm system as a rush of static came through, followed by the clipped voice of Garanga’s AI.

“Warning. Overdrive systems have sustained critical damage. Fires have been contained in sections two, three, and seven. Sections have been locked down for repair. The engine compartment in section one has sustained critical damage and is locked down for repair. Steering failure is imminent. Massive system-wide failure is imminent. Life support failure is—”

Garanga’s AI cut off beneath a sharp growl from Zoreth on the overhead comms. “We are under attack and have sustained critical damage. An Argurma patrol ship was waiting just inside the belt that our sensors failed to pick up,” he growled with a vehement curse that didn’t translate. “We are nearly through the field, but we are going down. Prepare for an emergency landing. Talech, secure Beverly now !”

With a forceful grunt, Talech initiated the straps of the chair and Beverly felt the familiar slither of the straps as they slid over her thighs, pinning her legs to his as other straps slipped between them, anchoring him fully to the chair. His mandibles flared, and she looked up as he raised an arm to his limbs and flicked a claw at a specific spot in each joint in his spinal limbs before curling his arms once more around her. Her heart stuttered as he met her eyes grimly.

“Beverly is secured,” he growled up to the comm. Drawing her closer, he pressed his brow against hers, his curved horns brushing the sides of her face as his voice dropped to a soft whisper in her ears. “I have you, anastha. No harm will come to you. Never.”

Blinking back tears, she nodded and held tightly to him as Zoreth’s voice hissed over them.

“Acknowledged.” He let out a breath that crackled in a hiss of static. “Sensors have located a habitable planet. Coordinates are set. We have just exited the asteroid field and are on course.” The static rose again, briefly drowning out his words before receding just enough to hear him again. “Systems are going down one by one. Prepare for impact. Comms will—”

His voice was lost in another rush of static before the comms cut out completely, leaving them in silence except for the angry groan of Garanga .

That terrible sound seemed to last forever, the temperature within the cabin dropping by alarming degrees, until the groan became a roar of metal vibrating as if something were closing the ship within a tight fist. The temperature shot up, getting warmer and warmer as the ship continued to quake all around them. Beverly could feel the prick of Talech’s claws against her skin as he held her to him tightly, his heart galloping within his chest following the near bursting pace of hers. Her mouth opened and she screamed at the mounting pressure within the room, and then the entire ship seemed to blast apart with a terrible shriek of metal and a shock that sent her spiraling into darkness.

The darkness receded slowly. Beverly didn’t know how long she had been lost within its hold. It had felt like an eternity before she gradually became aware of the scent of hot metal, debris, and the cool, musky scent of something that smelled like soil after a rain. Talech’s heart continued to beat reassuringly beneath her cheek, but his arms were slack where they were wrapped around her despite the rigid hold of his spinal limbs still caging her in against him. Craning her head up, she peered at the relaxed lines of his face. Blood flowed freely from a cut on his cheek where something had grazed him, and she frowned at it. No doubt it was the reason he was still unconscious. For how long, she had no idea. She turned to take in as much of their surroundings as she could see within her limited view.

Their cabin had been completely destroyed. It made her heart ache to see it. Although none of them occupied the room to do anything other than sleep together in the same bed, it had still represented safety and a sense of belonging. All of that was gone as she noted the crumpled and torn metal walls. A large gap halfway up one wall revealed a dark purple sky pinkening with the rise of dawn. The light was faint, and the clear sky of the distant horizon rapidly gave way to a blanket of clouds that crept in their direction.

Water dropped on her face, and then again, making her angle her head toward the ceiling—a ceiling that was no longer there. There was nothing but dark clouds sprawling over them. Beverly shivered against Talech as she suddenly understood the implications of all that she was seeing. The cabins were in the center of the ship, the most protected spot in the entirety of the ship. Garanga had literally been ripped apart. That meant—

“Zoreth?” she croaked. Surely he was there somewhere in the wreckage—perhaps already looking for them. The flight deck would have even better protection... wouldn’t it? It had to. He had to be okay. He was out there, possibly searching for the wreckage of their cabin. When no response came, she screamed his name, feeling her voice shred painfully in her throat. “ Zoreth! ”

Beneath her, Talech hissed and groaned, and Beverly’s eyes snapped over to his face in relief as she reached up and smoothed her hands over his cheeks. Tears of relief streamed down her face as she felt the hesitant touch of his vibrissae against her fingers and the back of her hands.

“Talech?” His eyes fluttered, and she gasped a little with happiness. “That’s it. Wake up for me.”

“Beverly,” he rumbled in a faintly slurred voice, a tiny sigh escaping from between his lips as if he too were relieved that she was there. His arms tightened, crushing her to him as his purr kicked up and vibrated through him.

“Yes, it’s me,” she whispered as she dropped her cheek against his chest. “Thank fuck we survived. I don’t even know how. The ship is destroyed, Talech. Zoreth—” Her voice broke, unable to speak of the worry gripping her.

“Must be found,” Talech finished with a decisive click of his mandibles.

She blinked up at him and pressed her lips together as she nodded. The male grunted, lowering his head to run his mandibles gently through her hair briefly as his vibrissae dropped to brush against her cheeks. He unwound an arm from around her, his clawed fingers reaching for the spidery metal limbs holding her in place. Whatever he had done to lock them in place he undid with clever flicks of his fingers, moving from one limb to the next. They gradually eased from around her, pillows falling away as Talech hissed softly, pain racing briefly across his face before his features settled once more to a stoic firmness as he too peered around them.

Beverly ran her hands along his shoulders, as close to his spine as she could reach, her lips twisting with concern. “Are you okay?”

His eyes dropped to her, and the corner of his mouth hitched as the blue glow of his eyes warmed. “I am well, anastha. The torn flesh will heal.” His smile fell as he studied their surroundings, his mandibles parting as he scented the air. “The wreckage is spread far,” he grumbled as he heaved himself—and Beverly as she was still clasped firmly in his arms—from the chair.

Held tightly in his arms, Beverly eyed the wreckage of their cabin as Talech’s spinal limbs reached high to the torn edges of the ceiling and the claws split to grasp the metal. They shifted, adjusting like a spider walking on the threads of its web as he pushed off from the wall and limberly climbed out. He growled unhappily at the light patter of rain on them, but Beverly gaped at the sight stretched out before as she blinked the water from her eyes. Steaming parts of the ship were littered across the remains of what appeared to have once been a city. Several small structures were flattened and had caught fire from the parts of the broken ship falling through the atmosphere, the flames sputtering in the drizzle. She shivered as the wind rose, causing scraps and loose wire to slap and metal to clang lightly against the structures to which they were attached.

Everything appeared quiet, as if death had long settled over the city, and she had to wonder if this was what the cities of Earth looked like. How was it that she had escaped one dying world only to crash on another? Surely the gods had to hate her.

Worse, the wreckage itself seemed to span for miles. How were they ever going to find Zoreth in all of that?