Galactic Gale

Chapter Thirty-Five (Part One)

The Krome Federation 

Nona was only aware Traen's hold on her arm.

She knew she had hit the ground, yet she failed to feel the impact of her body with the station's wet surface. Her vision blurred. She blinked furiously until she could make out Traen beside her. Nothing else seemed to matter.

"Stay down," he told her. He stood and checked the cracked remains of Un-Takin's platform with her blaster raised in his hands.

Ignoring his warning – or his orders, as Traen no doubt would have corrected her – Nona scrambled to her knees and forced her body to straighten. Around them the platform was a mess of ship remains, broken guards, and an assortment of soldiers in white uniforms and blue vests.

"I didn't order these," Nona managed to grunt. "Just who did Leh call?"

Traen wrapped an arm around her and forced her back. They ducked behind what Nona guessed had been part of a smaller vessel in her private guard party. He didn't lower the blaster as he turned to her.

Although his expression betrayed nothing more than confusion, Traen's eyes reflected his sorrow.

Nona swallowed but her words caught in her throat as he checked her up and down, scanning her for any signs of the slightest of injuries. She was not sure what she would have said anyway. Sorry felt like an understatement and there was no time for an explanation.

He pushed his hair back from his face. Blood ran down his cheek from a cut which no doubt could have been avoided if he had prioritised his own wellbeing over hers.

Once again, he had gotten hurt because of her. She couldn't help but think the cycle Traen had declared they were locked in was not about saving each other, but rather about her dragging him into trouble. He didn't deserve this, which meant she likely did not deserve him.

A scream shattered the still. Nona grabbed Traen and he helped her steal a glance around their cover to investigate the sound.

Not far from where they were hiding, Leh sat with her knees pulled high, her head wrapped in her arms and fingers curled tightly into her hair. She was sobbing random words between her loud cries.

"Get down." Traen tried to push Nona back to safety as one of the soldiers in white and blue appeared. She fought against him. latching onto his shoulders, and Traen was forced to stop his insistence to avoid attracting attention.

The solider advanced on Leh. He stood over her and pointed a crooked sword at her neck. "What's wrong with you? Get up. Get up and come over here." He pressed a button on his radio, but before he could make his call, a bolt struck his chest.

Nona dropped to her knees and Traen pushed the hot blaster into her hands. She sucked in breath after breath, her head thumping thanks to a new wave of pain.

"I'm going to get Leh," Traen said. "Stay here. Don't move. If you see any of those people, shoot them or hide." He placed a hand on her cheek. "Nona? Nona – listen."

A weak nod was all she could manage.

As his footsteps faded, Nona finally realised he had left her alone. Just as he should have done in the beginning, he had left her for a cause more worthy of his efforts – a cause that didn't use him, and that didn't hurt him.

Helping people was Traen's best talent. He had saved Nona when there had been no one else, and now he would save Leh.

Something caught in Nona's throat. She gasped quietly. Hadn't she come here to help? Hadn't she dragged Traen, Leh, Wedjank and her guards across the Noric Region in the hopes of helping her city?