Orillion Space,Tralis

Nedrius stood in the open door, his large form was silhouetted by the light behind, and looked at the chaotic scene in front of him.

His spiralling horns caught the flickering emergency lights and glinted for a moment like gold.

The guards he had trained, who had trusted him, had been cut down. And now he was forced to protect the scum responsible.

The Raghoiri species was better than this, he had dragged their name through the dirt, but he hadn’t had a choice.

‘Nedrius, why?’ Klora asked, disbelieving what she had heard. Was he really working against them?

It was hard for her to accept without explanation. But her hand had frozen inches from the spy’s neck.

‘Kill her!’ The spy, still feeling the presence of death close by, yelled to Nedrius.

Nedrius ignored him.

He addressed Klora instead. She deserved his attention. With a heavy heart he spoke his tale.

The fall of Erasia had precipitated his betrayal and the sabotage of the Damas.

‘There was no choice Klora, my pack elders were taken on Erasia, their safety in exchange for aiding this scum was the bargain.’

‘But you’re Raghoiri, they aren’t betrayers. Even in the face of defeat your people never run.’

Klora’s words hurt him, he didn’t need to be reminded of the lofty standard he had disgraced. ‘Honour and battle defines us, but it is all to protect the clan and our people. That must come first, the pack elders had gone to trade on Erasia and were caught in the invasion. That was when I was contacted.’

He stamped his hoof and his black pelt bristled. The shame he felt at admitting his treachery, and worse - his weakness, was immense.

The Damas shook and Klora stumbled.

The spy considered making a move but, injured as he was, he decided not to risk it.

Klora didn’t notice, she was too busy wondering what was going on with the ship.

The spy gave a small chuckle. ‘Looks like it’s over for you. Nedrius, thank you for your assistance. You aren’t needed anymore.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Klora asked. Then she remembered the other guard the spy had been with. He didn’t mean…

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‘The bridge is ours. The ship will be taken by the Erasians. Surrender now and I’ll spare your life.’

He was in a difficult position, wounded and bleeding, he was threatened by the first officer’s talons at his throat. Despite being victorious in the end, he might still end up paying the ultimate price.

‘Klora…’ Nedrius began but lacked the words to continue. There’s nothing I can say, he thought.

He could see the hurt in Klora’s eyes. The crew of the Damas had loved him, respected him, and he had brought them to disaster.

Nedrius sighed.

‘This isn’t over.’ Klora muttered to herself.

‘Nedrius, we can recover the bridge. You don’t have to die in dishonour. Save the Damas, I’m begging you!’

The spy spat out a mouthful of blood. ‘You idiots, we’ve won.’

Nedrius stirred at Klora’s words.

‘We’ll be surrounded by the Erasians, their boarding parties will secure the crew, this doesn’t have to end in death, Klora.’ Said Nedrius in defeat. He was a broken Raghoiri.

‘You fool. Do you really believe they’ve spared your elders?’ Klora spat the words, ‘Is that how you think the Terrans conquer?’ This wasn’t the security officer she’d been scolded and trained by.

‘They needed them alive, that was our deal.’

‘You, scum,’ Klora spoke to the spy, he shifted uncomfortably, ‘have you people kept them alive? Or were they killed as soon as you had gotten his promise to betray us?’

The spy knew for a face that they were dead. There was no need to keep old and rebellious Raghoiri alive longer than needed.

Raghoiri weren’t known to keep their composure, if he becomes enraged… the spy didn’t want to think about that.

I have to keep him on my side, he decided.

‘Of course, they’re alive.’ He began. ‘Nedrius, she’s trying to manipulate you, you’ve helped us and your elders will be released to you. We’ll even send you back to your home-world.’

Sweat trickled down the back of his neck.

‘Nedrius… I only care about the ship and her crew. You’re still one of us, you need to take responsibility, I only have your best interests at heart.’ Klora suspected Nedrius had been denying the thought that she had said out loud.

Desperate people will convince themselves of anything if it gives them some hope, she thought.

‘What you need to do, is be honest with yourself, do you really believe they're still alive?' she kickd the helpless spy, 'his kind don't work like that and you know that better than me. But, the Damas and the crew can still be saved, will you really send us, the family you have left, to our deaths?’

This bitch, the spy thought.

He twisted his head to look at the hulking Raghoiri, his large hands were clenching and releasing, his chest heaved great lungful’s of air… this wasn’t a good sign for the spy.

Nedrius had been avoiding these thoughts.

Pretending to himself that his elders would be alright, that if he sacrificed his honour and made a deal, he would see them again.

But Klora had forced him to open his eyes and confront the reality.

He stared at the spy with disgust and hate.

The ship might be lost, but he would erase this stain on his honour.

The spy raised his eyes to Nedrius deep brown ones, he saw his death looking back at him.

He wasn’t afraid to die for the cause though. And the bridge was already theirs, if this was how he was going to die, then why not revel in it?

He smiled coldly, ‘She’s right. They’re all dead. The Raghoiri might be obstinate fighters but you’re no schemers, you idiot. Your old elders were slaughtered the moment after you agreed to help, killing the Orillion scum was easy!’

Nedrius staggered as if he’d been struck.

A haze descended before his eyes.

He let loose a roar that echoed down the corridor and made Klora flinch back.

In two strides he was by the side of the spy.

Klora had flapped her wings and kicked off with her legs, she kept her distance from the enraged Raghoiri, as anyone with sense would.

The spy fumbled with his laser knife, igniting the blade, he tried to turn himself in a position to thrust it up into the security officer’s stout flank.

But Nedrius howled again, stretching back his head he roared to the ceiling.

In one powerful movement he slammed down his head, and with his spiraled horns he gored  through the spy’s chest.

The spy twitched and screamed.

The laser knife fell to his side and hissed into the corridor flooring as he died.

His armour crunched and ripped apart under the immense pressure. The silver plate was soon covered in his green blood.

The security officer's horns dripped blood onto the corridor floor.

Nedrius panted, his body shook. As adreniline rushed thorughout his system.

‘Can you think again, Nedri?’ Klora asked him.

Such a loss of control, it had been a long, long time since he had given in to the rage within.

I have shamed myself yet again, he thought. He supposed there was no going back now. He had stained his honour beyond salvation already, and his very living stained it further.

‘There’s another one that I need to kill.’ Nedrius said and began to stride with determination down the hall.

He was going to the bridge.

Klora followed several paces behind. Not looking forward to stepping into the lift with him and not knowing what would happen in the future.

As they walked the ship shook and hummed.

The Damas had entered the Chaos gate! Klora and Nedrius looked at one another in shock.