Mother of Stars

Rage - Connor

Thump.

My head shot off the ground. I blinked the sleep away from my eyes and gazed out into the storm outside the tunnel. Perhaps the sound was just my imagination. I'd experienced that phenomenon a couple times in my life when I was just about to drift off to sleep.

Neila was still where I left her after she'd put herself back into a coma. I checked her health status. She had a few bruises that were in the process of healing, and thankfully the radioactivity of this place hadn't caused any issues.

I lay my head on the floor. Just before my eyes fell shut, a claw grabbed the edge of the floor of the terminal. I groggily got into a defensive stance. Fighting was the last thing I wanted to do right now, but whatever creature had found our hideout wasn't going to give up after making it this far.

Another claw joined the first, followed by a lizard-like head, leathery wings, and a label reading "Griff".

I relaxed, easing back onto all fours. "Oh, it's you."

He hoisted the rest of himself into the tunnel and lay still as though he were exhausted. I knew that was impossible with how our bodies functioned. He shook his wings vigorously as he folded them, spraying sand on the walls. "Goddamn storm."

"How'd you find me?" I asked, noting that the jets on his suit were still flaring slightly from recent use.

He used a wall for support as he stood. "Just give me a moment. Flying through that storm was disorienting as hell."

"You're telling me." I chuckled.

Griff stood there for a moment cradling his neck. He twisted sharply and there was an audible crack, followed by his sigh of relief.

I eyed one of his wings which was bent backward at a weird angle. "Did you get attacked by a dinosaur too?"

He glanced at his broken wing. "No, I just hit the ground at over a hundred miles an hour."

I winced. I might've disliked him, but I still had empathy. "Well, you can rest here for the night."

"No," he stated sharply, standing as tall as he could without hitting his head on the top of the tunnel. "We have to move. Now."

"Why?" I narrowed my eyes. "We're not allowed a good night's rest to recharge?"

"Because we can't afford to lose any more time." He pointed an accusing finger at me. "While you're having your beauty sleep, the Defect is out there working relentlessly. It might've claimed to be on our side, but if we're too far behind, it might decide we're the enemy instead."

I looked at Neila. His words made sense, and I hated that they did.

"Fine." I sighed and picked Neila off the floor. Holding her close to my chest, I approached. I didn't try to mask my irritation. "And how are we supposed to travel at any meaningful speed? The storm's only gotten worse since we arrived."

Griff turned away and gazed up into the sandstorm. "These winds are tough, but I can get us above the storm if we climb steep enough."

"And what, you're just going to carry me?" I looked at him awkwardly.

He snapped his head toward me. "You got any other ideas, genius?"

I shook my head. There was no point in starting another argument.

He gestured with a wing at Neila. "You might want to wake her up for this."

I laid my hand on her head. "Eh, long story, but that's not gonna happen anytime soon."