Objective Consequence (Book Two of the Subjective Justice series)

Chapter Eleven: Out of the Fire into the Furnace (Unedited)

"Surrender, Six, we have you surrounded!" A crackling voice called above the bubbling lava.

Akio gripped her pistol tighter. Surrounded didn't mean defeated. Rolling forward on her shoulder, she came into a crouch and returned fire to seven assailants on her left. Each hit went through the guards chests'. Their red and grey, stony bodies fell into the lava behind them with a splash.

Diving forward, Akio dodged the next onslaught of laser fire. Starshit! If she had her other arm, they would've already been on their way out. Where the stars did Indra go? The sound that Fluffy made a few moments before screamed that she was in trouble, but Akio couldn't just thrown caution to the lava and leap around in the open. If she did that, it guaranteed her demise. Indra was a fighter, she'd be okay. . . Hopefully.

When Akio got up to return fire to those on her right, she froze. One of the guards wrapped an arm around Indra's throat, holding her in front of them like a shield. It was clear from her lack of life that Indra was unconscious. Starshit.

"What did you do? You bastard!" Akio cried, staying in place. She knew that if she moved, it would endanger her girlfriend. There was only one chance for this. Messing that up would guarantee their capture or worse, death.

The guard shrugged. "Just splashed a little lava, wasn't actually intending to hurt her." It was clear this fellow was on the younger side from the way that his lava outweighed the stone on his body. "I forgot that not everyone swims in it like we do."

Or at least, Akio thought he was. She couldn't remember if more stone meant older or if more lava meant older. "What do you intend to do to us?"

A large, towering, Lavarkin stepped out of the shadow of a volcano. They almost matched it in height and stature. Akio craned her neck backwards, observing the carved symbols on the being's bicep. This was the one in charge. Not just of the guards, but of the entire sector.

Great. Just wonderful.

The ground trembled with each step they took. Akio planted her feet into the ground to keep from falling over and holstered her gun. Those that had fallen in the lava got back out, new lava swirling around the hole that had been made by the laser. That—was not expected. Was there no way to take them out? Wait. Water. If Akio dosed them in water they'd turn to no more than stone statues, or at least, she theorized that's what would happen. She had no starshitted clue.

"Six." The leader squatted down, but still remained well over seven feet, perhaps eight. "I do not appreciate you corrupting those in my care and swaying them to steal things for you and the vigilantes." Growling, they reached out, wrapping their large hand around Akio's torso and lifting her into the air.

Akio grimaced as the hot stone burned her skin beneath her clothes. It was like grabbing a cookie pan without an oven mit, except, it was giving you a full body hug. "Corrupting wouldn't be the word I'd use. They are simply helping those they know are doing the right thing."

They clenched their hand painfully tight around Akio. "It's not the right thing when it will bring the destruction of the commander's against us and everything we love. All it takes is one, even if I don't support them, doing things for you and we're all condemned. Do you understand the gravity of what you are doing? You used to be a weapon for them. I'd think you'd realize just how one-sided this fight is. Your group doesn't stand a chance, just like we wouldn't stand a chance."

"We only don't stand a chance because we haven't united with others. With more troops, weaponry, and supplies, I'd say we have a ten percent chance of winning," Akio stated cooly. "And if we don't, we've still done damage and showed the rest of the galaxy that standing up for what is right, no matter the cost, is a worthy cause to die for."