The Strength of Endurance

by R. L. Blalock

  I suppose I could just slash my way through everything. Would that help?

  Ass.

  You’re an ass, the beast shot back.

  A giggle slipped past my lips.

  So what exactly is the plan for this place? I could hear Kuna’s tail swishing slowly back and forth across the deck.

  These are all weapons. Once we unlatch it, we’ll be better able to defend ourselves from the wild.

  What does that mean for us and the other bonded? Kuna’s question hung in the air.

  I rubbed the back of my neck as I thought. I don’t know. I think we’ll be needed. We’re still better at fighting the wild. We’re faster and more capable.

  Maybe, Kuna muttered noncommittally.

  I punched in the last code to unlock the final clamp. “All done here,” I spoke into my comms band.

  “The pilots are ready as well. Separation in five…four…”

  I scampered through the floor and pulled myself back into the bay.

  “Three…two…”

  We made the connection, becoming one in an instant.

  “One.”

  The room rumbled as the shuttles lifted, separating the bay from the rest of the Endurance. The room swayed back and forth, causing us to slide across the floor. Weapons rolled across the floor with us. Rifles and rail guns tumbled past us. In one corner, a mech toppled over, crashing to the deck. We flexed our claws, digging them into the deck.

  Wonk! Thunk!

  The room shook violently.

  What was that? Kuna asked.

  Nothing good.

  Wonk! Thunk!

  The whole room shifted sideways. Weapons rolled across the floor. Mechs screeched in protest as metal ground on metal.

  We need to get out of here. We were already moving before I could even finish the thought. Our claws dug into the deck as we fought our way toward the door. Rail guns bounced off our massive paws as they slid between our legs.

  Wonk! Thunk!

  The entire room dropped. A mech slammed into our shoulder, ricocheting off and smashing across the far wall. Our shoulder throbbed as we continued to climb.

  The shredded edges of the door cut into our skin again as we emerged into the sunlight. The room hung vertically as the last three shuttles struggled to keep it in the air. Three more hovered uselessly, broken cables trailing underneath them.

  The section rocked as one of the remaining shuttles dipped wildly. Without another thought, we leaped. The fall to the Endurance was far. We bounded off a grav pump and rolled, coming to a stop as we slammed into a joist.

  Then we were up again. The entire room was sideways as it hung from the last few cables. The shuttles’ engines whined as they struggled to keep up with the load.

  Suddenly, smoke started pouring from one of the shuttles. It spun in place as it tried to keep aloft, but it was no use. The shuttle plummeted and smashed into the side of the hanging weapons bay. A giant plume of smoke and fire engulfed the wreckage.

  The whole thing is going to be smashed to bits. Our heart thundered in our ears.

  The cable dropped from one of the shuttles. The last shuttle began to sink as the weapons bay pulled it down. We scampered backward as it loomed over us.

  Oh, no. Kuna’s words sent a chill down our spine.

  The last shuttle managed to unhook its cable. The weapons bay plummeted back to the ground.

  We turned and ran, leaping over struts and clamps as fast as we could. The shadow engulfed us. Any second, the weapons bay would flatten us against the Endurance and end it all.

  Our vision narrowed as we focused on the wall. We’d have to scale it before we could escape.

  We leaped. Our claws dug into the metal wall as we scrambled up the side. We were moving fast. Almost to the top. We pulled ourselves up and over, breaking into an all-out sprint across the outer hull of the Endurance.

  A terrible rending screeched behind us as the weapons bay smashed into the Endurance. The ship shuddered under the impact. The shock wave threw us off our feet. We rolled end over end across the hull as debris sprayed past us.

  The hull curved, and we began to slide downward. The ground was still so far down. We desperately twisted around, flexing our claws and digging them into the metal. Abruptly, we stopped falling, the force almost yanking our legs out of their sockets.

  We panted hard, resting against the ship. Glancing upwards, we could see smoke and flames rising from the remnants of the weapons bay.

  Stars. We had done all of this for nothing.

  Do you suppose anything will be salvageable? Kuna asked hopefully.

  I let out a long sigh as we started to descend. There’s no telling but probably not.

  Tyze was sprinting toward us at full tilt as we hit the ground. His stout red body streaked forward like a tank. The others followed in his wake. The big creature’s chest split open, spilling out Brinden. We separated as well, and in less than a second, I was standing on the ground, back in my own body.

  “Are you all right?” Brinden gasped.

  I ran my hand down Kuna’s side. The scratches were bloody but superficial. My own sides ached. “Kuna will need a quick run with a hover-doc, but we’ll be fine.”

  Brinden pulled me into a tight hug. The gesture took me off-guard, and I tensed. After a moment, I allowed myself to relax into Brinden’s embrace, hugging him back.

  “Man, that was terrifying.” Ilex broke the silence.

  “You’re telling me,” I said dryly.

  “Yeah,” Reegan chimed in. “All we could do was watch. It was awful!”

  “We’re glad you’re okay.” Brinden released me and stepped back.

  I blew out a long breath. “It wasn’t exactly fun.” I ran a hand through my hair, amazed as always that it wasn’t tacky or tangled from being inside Kuna’s heart. “Let’s just hope that something is still salvageable.”

  “I doubt it.” Deron crossed his arms. “More than likely, the entire cache is gone.”

  I nodded. He was probably right.

  “Hopefully, one of the other weapons bays is still intact.”

  CHAPTER 4

  It’s not that bad, Kuna whined.

  I nibbled on my lip and glanced back at his cuts. They would heal on their own, though then they would probably scar. And then it would take some time for them to heal.

  The hover-doc will help.

  I hate those annoying little machines, he grumbled.

  Plus, we can talk with Adley again.

  Hmmmmm. Kuna rolled the thought around. Or we could just talk to her and not worry about the hover-doc.

  I rolled my eyes. Let’s go. I had to admit I was nervous. After our last encounter with the doctors, I was not looking forward to another.

  The doctors glanced up as the large bay doors rolled open.

  “How can we help you?” The lead doctor looked us over.

  “I want to speak with Adley.”

  “She isn’t here right now.” The man frowned. “I can help you.”

  “No. You can’t.”

  His scowl deepened at my words.

  “We’ll wait while you fetch her.”

  “You don’t have—”

  “Oh, but I do.” I sneered, tired of the doctor’s condescension. “Doctor Adley and I have an agreement in regards to testing of the Chroin and Chroin bonded. I won’t speak with anyone else. Now, go get her, or I’m leaving.” I folded my arms across my chest, planting myself in place to wait. For a moment, the doctor stared at me. I stared back, daring him to say something.

  The doctor motioned another over to him, and they whispered together. After a moment, the other doctor scampered off.

  Kuna lay down with a bored yawn. His lips peeled back to reveal his long, sharp teeth as the doctor watched his every move.

  Kuna’s chuckle filled my mind. Your species is so funny. You like to pretend you are much stronger than you are.

  The doctor’s movements were stiff as he continued about his business.
Though he tried to act at ease, he never turned his back on Kuna.

  As doctor Adley entered the bay, Kuna leaped up, causing the other doctors to jump back.

  Another chuckle filled my mind. Delightful.

  I couldn’t help but smile as well.

  “Laure.” Doctor Adley rushed over and shook my hand. “So good to see you again.” A big smile was plastered across her face as she greeted me warmly. “And welcome back, Kuna.” She inclined her head to him, and the Chroin returned the gesture.

  “Nice to see you again, as well.” I looked the doctor up and down. The woman was acting as though we were old friends, when she had tried to run us into the ground the last time we had met.

  “Please, follow me.” Doctor Adley swept her hand toward a connected bay.

  Once we were inside, she closed the door behind us. I tensed. Every muscle in my body screamed that it was a trap.

  The doctor let out a long breath. “I am sorry I didn’t get to speak to you sooner. I was glad to hear you were all right after the incident the other day.”

  My brow furrowed. That had not been what I expected her to say.

  “Thank you,” I said slowly.

  Doctor Adley wrung her hands together. “I want to say that I’m sorry…f-f-for the other day. For what I did to you. It was not acceptable.” She stared at the ground as she spoke.

  I looked to Kuna, but he did not give me any indication of what he was thinking. “We appreciate the apology, Doctor. Thank you.”

  “There’s more!” She finally looked up. “I didn’t want to. None of the doctors really did. They were just…following orders. The orders to put you through such rigorous tests came from higher up. I just…I couldn’t stand it anymore. It wasn’t right.”

  “Who?”

  The doctor shook her head. “I don’t know. I didn’t see them. I overheard Doctor Zeigler, the head doctor, talking with someone over the comms before you came in.”

  You don’t suppose it’s Parsons again, do you? Kuna asked.

  No. I let out a long sigh. I don’t think he would do something like that. The weapons cache was destroyed. That leaves the colony defenseless. I don’t think he hates us enough to put everyone else in danger.

  Are you sure?

  No.

  “Laure?”

  I snapped back to the outside world. Adley stared at me with concern.

  “Sorry—sometimes I get a little wrapped up in talking with Kuna.”

  Doctor Adley’s eyes lit up. “I want to explore the telepathic connection a bit more. I-I-If you’ll let me, that is—” She cut herself off. “Another time, though. Back to the matter at hand. Do you have any idea who might want you dead?”

  “Who doesn’t dislike the bonded?”

  “No.” Doctor Adley shook her head. “Not all of the bonded. You.”

  I drew back in surprise. “Me?”

  Parsons. Kuna hissed the word like a curse.

  “Yes.” The doctor pulled at the hem of her coat as she nodded. “Don’t get me wrong. I’ve heard the whispers. Many colonists aren’t happy about the Chroin in our midst, but the orders were specifically about you. Who wants you dead?”

  “A few I know of specifically.” I wasn’t ready to call Parsons out to this woman. “But I’m sure there are others I don’t know about.”

  “I’m sure there are.”

  “So why are you telling me all this?” I crossed my arms across my chest. “What made you change your mind?”

  Adley ran her hands through her hair before throwing them up in the air. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. I don’t want to know this. I don’t know what to do about it. The tests weren’t right. They were going to kill you. There were other ways we could have done things. I want to study you and the Chroin, but I certainly don’t want to kill anyone.” The doctor was working herself into a frenzy. She stopped mid-stride and spun on me. “But I owed you.”

  “You owed me?” I felt like a parrot.

  “That first night the Chroin came. The night you were bonded. You saved me.” Doctor Adley’s shoulders slumped. “You cut down a Chroin that was chasing me as I tried to get back to the Endurance. I would’ve been dead if you hadn’t.”

  I stared blankly at the doctor. I couldn’t remember her. I could hardly remember anything from that night. My brain had been on autopilot as I reacted to the attack of the wild Chroin, and the bonding had wiped out a bit of the surrounding memories as well.

  “And the night the Chroin came back, I saw you fighting them through a gash. I was huddled in the bay with hundreds of others. The Chroin would have gotten in if it weren’t for you. Both of you.” The doctor sucked in a breath to steady herself. “We are all in this together. You fought for us, even when we didn’t want you. I would be twice dead without you, so I figured it was time that I learned my lesson.”

  My throat was tight as I tried to respond. “Thank you.”

  Doctor Adley gave me a weak smile. “It’s the least I could do.”

  I rapidly blinked away the tears. “We’ll have to figure out what to do from here. Thank you for the warning.”

  The doctor blew out a long breath. “Right. I’ll keep my eyes open, but I don’t think Doctor Zeigler is going to be very open with me anymore.” Suddenly, the doctor’s eyes widened. “Oh my god, we’ve been sitting here chatting and haven’t done a thing about Kuna.”

  The aches and pains that I had forgotten about came flooding back.

  I told you it really is fine.

  Shush. Get fixed up. You’ll feel better. I carefully ran my hand along his leg, noting how his paws were torn up around his claws.

  Doctor Adley returned with the hover-doc. “You poor thing, you should have spoken up.” She released the tiny machine into the air.

  As if I could talk. Kuna snorted, leaning away as the machine buzzed around his head.

  Don’t tell me you can’t make your wishes known.

  Yes, but your species can be so dim-witted, Kuna huffed. It would be nice to be able to communicate without a translator.

  What? Am I not good enough for you? I asked in mock indignation. I guess I’m just another one of the dimwits.

  You’re just one of the better dimwits. Kuna’s lips turned upward in what could almost pass as a smirk.

  I smacked his leg. I’ll set the hover-doc on you.

  The little monster does not stand a chance against me. Kuna gave a halfhearted snap at the hover-doc.

  “Laure!”

  I abruptly turned toward Doctor Adley.

  “You two are just so fascinating.” Her eyes had lit up again. “You two were talking again?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about? What does Kuna like to talk about?” Doctor Adley grabbed a holopad off the desk, her fingers poised to take notes.

  “Nothing much.” I shrugged. “He’s kind of an ass.”

  You’re an ass, Kuna snarked back.

  “Really?” The doctor seemed disappointed.

  “He’s still learning. We seem very odd to him. The Chroin are ruled by the strongest—at least in the herds. He is confused about how we structure ourselves.”

  Doctor Adley’s fingers moved furiously across the holopad’s screen. “I see. That makes sense that an animal would need time to adjust to a different societal structure.” She nodded absently.

  “He does say something witty every now and then.” I shrugged.

  I am incredibly witty. Kuna sat down, wrapping his tail around himself and doing his best to look regal.

  A giggle escaped my lips, and Doctor Adley’s head snapped up. “Have you been talking to Kuna while we have been talking?”

  “Yeah. He’s not courteous enough to shut up while others are talking.” I smirked at Kuna.

  You are a terrible translator.

  Doctor Adley sighed wistfully. “He sounds like a real character.”

  I am fabulous.

  You’re okay, I guess.

  Kuna’s tail lashed out, kn
ocking me forward.

  “Ass,” I muttered, pushing myself up.

  Sorry. Kuna inclined his head toward me. That was a bit more than I expected.

  “Are you all right?” Doctor Adley’s eyes were wide.

  “Yeah, the dumb brute doesn’t always know his own strength.”

  Ass, Kuna hissed.

  “All righty, well…” The doctor turned back to her computer as she collected herself. “In other news, some of the test results have come back, and they are quite interesting.” She swiped through a couple screens before settling on one.

  “Oh?”

  “Well, for starters, the Chroin aren’t entirely organic. They are more like a cybernetic mesh—and a good one at that.”

  I looked over the doctor’s shoulder at the screen. On display was the 3D image the hover-doc had taken of Kuna and his insides. Doctor Adley swiped at the screen, slicing the image in half. At first, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. The organs were like nothing I had ever seen.

  “I don’t know what everything does.” The doctor picked at her nails as she looked at the image. “I don’t even know what most of it does. Except this.” She stabbed a finger at the large orb.

  The huge black orb that encased me wasn’t entirely spherical. It was shaped more like an egg, with the end protruding further back in Kuna’s chest. From the end, hundreds of tiny veins broke off, worming their way into every part of his body.

  “That is clearly a heart,” Doctor Adley continued, “but not a heart like our heart. It’s more like a pathway, like veins. Nothing is pumped or forcibly moved down the pathway. It’s all moved by nanobots.”

  “Nanobots?”

  “Uh-hm.” The doctor’s brow furrowed as she stared harder at the picture. “They essentially act like our blood cells except all wrapped in one neat package. Nutrient transport, energy providers, defenders—the nanobots take care of everything.”

  “So what kind of nutrients does Kuna utilize?”

  The Chroin had not eaten anything since our bonding—at least not that I had seen. He must eat something, though.

  “Sunlight. Kuna specifically needs sunlight and water.”

  I blinked at the doctor for a long moment. “That’s it?”

  “Yes!” Her eyebrow rose in excitement for a moment before her brow furrowed once more. “Fascinating, isn’t it? I’m still studying the other Chroins’ skin scrapings, but they derive their energy from chlorophyll. In Kuna’s case, retinol chlorophyll.”