The Last Knight (An Awakening the Lightforged Novel)

Chapter 27: Fallout

We scavenge everything we need, piece by piece if we have to, and bring some salvage we don't need back to the site. The Imaia will investigate from above, but they won't look too closely.

C. 19 days, 30 hours since the assassination of rebel leadership

Uuchantuu sprinted through Wolfden's halls toward the main hangar. She'd left the speeder with Naruuna and Araana outside in one of the depressions and had already told the guards about the wounded and dead. The alarms blared down the stone halls, which meant Luuhuuta and the other pilots had made it back.

Uuchantuu's heart pounded. Sweat made her clothing stick to her skin as she ran. It wasn't from the heat but from the adrenaline rush and subsequent crash after combat. She'd likely have another one of those later today.

Uuchantuu had failed, but the mission wasn't over just yet.

When she burst into the hangar, Uuchantuu found all three transports with their landing gear down, ramps deployed. They hadn't bothered to move to their bays.

Uuchantuu sucked in a ragged breath as she saw Chanuuk and Voranda bearing a covered pallet out of Edendo's transport, and rushed over as Edendo came down the ramp, supporting Jaran.

"Casualties?" she asked, pulling up beside them.

Both frowned at her.

"Induu and Bavlos are dead," Jaran said, wincing. His voice was ragged.

"No talking," Edendo admonished. He turned to Uuchantuu, then nodded toward Jaran. "Pretty sure he cracked a rib getting out of there."

Uuchantuu clenched her fist. "I'm sorry. This shouldn't have happened. I—"

"You kept your head," Jaran said, waving away Edendo when the man glared at him. He winced as he drew another breath. "You were exactly what the team needed. We just..." He trailed off, shrugging, then winced again. "Ow."

Uuchantuu nodded.

I should have been a better leader from the start.

She'd thought their first mission had been a success, had proved that they could do this. It had likely been little more than dumb luck.

"How bad is it with Ironpeak?" she asked, helping support Jaran as they lowered him onto a seat.

The two shared a look. Edendo rested his hand on Jaran's thigh.

"Bad," Edendo said. "Jaran and his team secured a few pieces of equipment and saved a few of the sympathizers that were worried they would be found out when the soldiers came. The base, though..."

He didn't have to say it. Uuchantuu knew they would be in lockdown or evacuating that very moment.

"Go back and help them as soon as you're able. I know Anarak was reluctant about even letting you help us, but tell them that we're willing to take as many refugees as we can hold, and offer whatever help we can in getting everyone out safely."

Edendo nodded. "Thank you."

Uuchantuu nodded back, then looked up, taking in the rest of the hangar. Despite the alarms, it seemed too quiet, too empty for what had happened back at Memfoso.

She rose as Luuhuuta headed for her, but before they'd closed half the distance between them, heated arguing reached Uuchantuu's ears. Turning toward it, she saw Naruuna hurrying toward the hangar, mask still covering her face. Araana stalked after her, face thunderous. Uuchantuu felt cold again when she saw people rushing through the tunnel opening behind them bearing bodies on pallets obscured by thin sheets. As Naruuna and Araana approached, Uuchantuu realized what they were saying and hurried over.