A shiny object struck the beast in the rump, then exploded in a bright flash that made the air tremble.

The explosion startled the sifter, but it did little harm. Their thick skin could handle heat pressure easily. Three-sixteen knew from a previous encounter that even bullets served only as an irritant to the creatures. But this was Two-ten’s first time seeing a sifter in person. He held another charge in his hand, ready to throw, but his courage flagged when the beast's ugly maw turned.

Its whiskers moved like tentacles, whipping through the air, searching for the source of the blast.

Three-sixteen realized then that it probably couldn’t see very well. He wondered how it hunted its prey, if it would notice if he got to his feet and ran to the end of the ramp. It wasn’t polished, but the blast spear’s silver shaft stood out like a beacon against the rough stone walls.

Three-sixteen didn't know if he’d be fast enough to save Two-ten, but he had to try.

He forced himself to his feet and sprinted.

A feral roar preceded the whip of a lashing tentacle, barely missing Three-sixteen’s heel. In an instant the beast was upon him. Its teeth tore through a stone pillar, crushing rocks like paper as the thing lunged forward.

Three-sixteen pushed himself faster.

He reached the spear, pulling it free of its housing as he turned back.

The massive sifter head was a mere few feet from Three-sixteen's face, rows of sharp death opened before him.

Three-sixteen felt the air sucked from his lungs. The heat of the beast's breath was only outmatched by the intense stench, but he knew the moment it would strike was nearly upon him.

Three-sixteen raised the spear pulling back for a throw, then he lowered it again.

An armored boot slammed into the creature’s jaw. With graceful elegance magistrate Vianni flipped in the air, bringing down a conjured hammer as she spun.

The force of the blow caused the sifter's jaw to snap shut. It shook its head as it stumbled backwards.

Vianni landed a few feet from Three-sixteen, her long golden hair whipping through the air as she spun her hammer like an extension of her body.

“Run, boy. You’re in the way.” Her voice was both calm and powerful, like a deep river that could sweep you away without warning.

Three-sixteen didn't need to be told twice.

He hurried up the ramp to safety, being sure to keep an eye on the scene below. He watched Vianni glide through the air like a missile trained on the sifter. The beast's claws came up and her hammer smashed through them. With a yelp, the sifter pulled back. Whipping left, the right, its long whiskers chased after the magistrate. She continued, her assault unfaltering. With a swing of her giant hammer Vienna pushed the sifter through a support pillar. The stone bridge above began to crumble.

As a group struck the ground Three-sixteen noticed that Two-ten hadn’t fled. He stood like a statue beneath the bridge that might fall at any moment.

Three-sixteen saw the beast turn towards the boy, saw the beast leap towards him.

Three-sixteen raised the spear. He couldn’t let Two-ten die. Not if he could help it. Three-sixteen aimed as best he could, he pressed the little red button to arm the spears charge, then he slung the weapon with all his might.

The spear shot through the air, leaving a bright white trail behind.

Three-sixteen held his breath as he watched the spear race towards its target. He didn’t expect it to hit, but it did. The spear burrowed into the sifters shoulder, exploding with a spray of blood and flesh.

The blast force threw the creature off balance and as it rolled through the air, Vianni appeared before it.

She held her hammer high, then brought it down with a crash that sent waves rippling through the ground. Another bridge support collapsed with the tremors, sending rubble falling over the pit.

The sifter was dead, but now the bridge was falling.

Three-sixteen called out to the boy, but he was too far away. Three-sixteen ran, but he knew he wouldn’t make it in time.

The boy would be dead.

The first large boulder crashed down, and Three-sixteen watched as the boy vanished beneath it.

It was done.

Three-sixteen sighed as he turned away. It was time to take count and move on.

Two miners crawled out from under an overturned mine cart. Another, an older man, sat slumped against the wall. He clutched his side, where dark fluid oozed between his fingers.

The old man said, “The boy… He saved me. That dumb boy saved my life.”

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“Who authorized sonar in this pit?” Magistrate Vianni asked, her voice echoing through the pit.

Three-sixteen didn’t know, he wasn’t even aware it was being used. Only a fool would set sonar in a pit this deep. The resonance would draw creatures like a sifter every time, and if they were lucky, maybe two or three.

Three-sixteen had seen it happen enough times and it didn't end well for anyone. Sonar was only to be used on the surface or to determine where a pit should be blasted out. Occasionally it could be used in tunnels, but even that was a risk most experienced miners would never take.

Magistrate Vianni strode up the ramp with the same elegant grace she displayed when fighting the beast. She wasn’t wearing her armor now and she looked a bit less intimidating, though her black uniform was still adorned with silver pins.In her left hand she held what remained of a sonar machine and in her right she held a gun.

It was clear punishment would be swift, but the miners had suffered enough. Maybe Three-sixteen could convince her to show mercy.

He looked at the man holding his side, and the miners sitting beneath the mine cart. Then he looked at the spot where the boy had been crushed.

“It wasn’t authorized ma’am, but I can explain what happened. These miners have nothing to do with it. It was just a misunderstanding, if you give me a few moments to clean it up—”

Magistrate Vianni laughed as she stepped towards him.

He wanted to back away, but he knew that would be a fatal mistake. She was a magistrate. Her power was absolute. He could only hold his breath and pray she had a merciful heart.

As she stood before him he saw her eyes were deep brown, like pools of water reflecting the night sky. Her golden hair was like silk, and her skin was flawless, as if her face had been carved from marble. Every detail of her appearance was the peak of perfection but her heart was as rotten as any other magistrate. He knew from the way she smiled at him as she pressed the muzzle of the gun to his head and asked, “Do you think you can do my job better than me?”

Three-sixteen tried not to tremble as he whispered, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Interrupting my fight, trying to steal my kill, now you want me to wait while you, what? Investigate? You are a miner. A useless waste of life that should do as instructed and nothing else. Truly, your impudence knows no bounds.”

Three-sixteen didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t sure there was anything he could say that wouldn’t result in a bullet through his skull.

The magistrate turned to the miners who were still cowering beneath the overturned mine cart. She said, “Does anyone else believe they can do my job? Do any of you believe yourselves equal to a magistrate.”

She took the time to meet each of their eyes.

Three-sixteen thought she would shoot them, but she only smiled. Then she turned back to him, still pressing the muzzle of her gun against his forehead. “Looks like you’re the only one, number…”

He raised his wrist so she could read his arm.

“…ah, Three-sixteen. The new supervisor.”

The way she enunciated the word was almost hostile. Like it was an insult to call him supervisor.

He didn't understand what she meant, but he nodded.

Magistrate Vianni looked down into his eyes and her lips spread into a warm smile. “You know the rules here, yes?”

Three-sixteen nodded.

“But whoever used that,” Three-sixteen cautiously gestured toward the broken sonar device, “they’re probably dead now.”

“And you think that absolves you of responsibility?”

Three-sixteen felt his stomach twist, but he had to stand up for the men. If he didn't, they would all be punished, and even if he was lucky enough to survive, he would spend the rest of his life wishing he hadn’t. “No, I just—”

“You allowed this to be used in your pit. That makes you responsible for every death here, every destroyed and wasted crystal, every minute of lost production. You’re to blame for it all.”

Three-sixteen had to bite his tongue to keep from turning the accusations around. It was her tardiness and magistrate Luck’s absence that allowed the creature to chew through half the crew. Vianni single handedly brought down a bridge on the new kid Three-sixteen tried to save. And besides it was their pit to manage, he was only a glorified trainer. How could he be blamed for their dereliction of duty?

Three-sixteen forced back his frustration. He knew there was no defense for him. She was right. He was the supervisor.

As if reading his mind, Magistrate Vianni said, “You're the supervisor, and that's why you will be the one to deliver the punishment.” She lowered her gun, turning it around and holding it out for Three-sixteen to take.

He hesitated. Three-sixteen had seen enough death for one day. He’d lost all but three miners and now she expected him to kill another?

“Well, go on then. Didn’t you want to be the magistrate on duty?”

He didn’t, but Three-sixteen slowly took the gun anyway. It was heavier than he thought it would be and as he looked down at it, he realized it would be easy to simply point the weapon and fire a round through Vianni's chest. Easy enough now, but what would he do when a whole team of magistrates descended—or if she activated her privilege.

He couldn’t kill her. It would doom everyone.

She smiled, gesturing for him to turn towards the miners.

They were too afraid to move. They stared up at him with pleading eyes, but they knew begging would do them no good.

“So, which of you is responsible?” The magistrate asked with a voice like honey.

Such cruelty shouldn’t have sounded so sweet. Three-sixteen felt sick. His stomach clenched and his heart ached. He wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.

Magistrate Vianni pressed him. “Three-sixteen, I believe you know these miners better than I. You tell me, which do you think is responsible?”

Three-sixteen shook his head, trying to say he didn't know, but no sound came out.

She grabbed his arm, holding it up to point the gun at the old man. “Was it him? Or perhaps it was…” she moved his arm towards a girl, one of the two who’d hid under the cart. “I bet it was her. She must have known to hide because she planned the whole thing.”

Three-sixteen tried to pull away, but Vianni only laughed and held the gun firmly, forcing him to point it at the girl.

He didn't know what to say or do.

“Well, if you don’t know—”

Three bangs sounded in rapid succession, each followed by a burst of red mist and the sound of flesh tearing.

Three-sixteen felt his stomach flip and bile rose up in his throat as the smell of blood and death filled his lungs. He hadn’t pulled the trigger. Vianni’s hand was still over his, but she hadn’t squeezed at all either.

“What are you doing Vi?” Magistrate Luck boomed as he descended beside them. “Even we have rules, you know.”

“Oh, come on. I was just having fun.” Magistrate Vianni whined. She let go of the gun and stepped away from Three-sixteen.

It wasn’t until her hand released his that Three-sixteen realized he was shaking. The gun slipped through his fingers and struck the ground. He didn't hear it hit the stones. His ears rang as he stared down at the pool of blood spreading beneath the corpses of the miners. Each had a hole between their eyes.

Three-sixteen had failed. He couldn’t protect even one of the miners he was charged to supervise.

Magistrate Luck picked up Vianni’s gun and handed it back to her. “Whatever, get this cleaned up. Nyvlano’s doing inspections today.”

“Well that’s not good. You just killed the last of our crew.”

Luck turned to Three-sixteen then said, “No, looks like we still have one left.”