Leaves rustled as a drone took position behind her, her inaction giving it an opening.
“Jin, play me some music. Something with a powerful beat,” Kira said, backflipping over the drone as it opened fire. She fell toward the ground as the rest moved in for the kill.
Kira landed in a crouch on one drone, her sword spearing through it. Music blared in her ears as electricity crackled, the sparks illuminating the dark interior of the forest.
Kira ripped her sword free in the next instant, flipping off the drone to place herself between it and Devon.
The rest paused, assessing the new and unexpected threat.
Kira's grip tightened on the sword, her gaze on the drones as they reconfigured.
This was going to hurt. A lot.
Kira bared her teeth. "Bring it."
Between one breath and the next, the drones lit up the forest. Their lasers swam through the air, a merciless storm of fire. Kira's body moved without conscious thought, acting on muscle memory. The blade cut the air as she parried, over and over again, catching and knocking the lasers away from her and Devon.
Patience crouched in the back of her mind. Panic had no place here. She'd do what she could and wait for her opportunity.
Right now, she was pinned down—defenseless—but all she needed was the smallest of windows. That would be when she struck.
Until then, her mission was to survive and protect the man behind her with everything she had. Standing between him and the brunt of the drones’ full attack.
Her movements were sharp. Crisp. Not even a single gesture wasted as the blade spun.
Behind her, Devon stirred.
She caught an energy bolt with the flat of her blade, shouting, "Can you move?"
Devon glanced up, his eyes widening in confusion as he took in the swarm of drones. He fought to push himself upright, fear mixed with stubbornness on his face.
A drone strayed close, breaking formation. Kira lashed out, slashing it in two. The pieces shot apart, striking two other drones. They exploded.
Fierce satisfaction filled Kira at the destruction. More drones lined up, replacing the three she had destroyed.
"Not going to let this be easy, I take it," Kira told them.
That was all right. She was used to no-win situations.
A glance at Devon told her running was out. He'd be lucky if he remained conscious for the next few minutes.
"Get under the tree roots," she ordered. They'd provide a little protection at least, make it so she only had to defend herself and not the both of them.
Devon moved to comply, for once not arguing. Kira struggled with impatience at his slowness, knowing he probably couldn't crawl any faster.
A bolt hit the sword, accompanied by a splintering noise. A large crack ran up the length of wood as the energy she'd deflected finally exceeded the practice blade’s capacity.
Kira cursed, grabbing one broken piece and flinging it into a waiting drone.
Weaponless and out of options, Kira settled into a defensive stance, bracing as she raised her arms to protect her vital spots, ducking behind them like a turtle in a shell.
Energy bolts hammered into her unprotected arms, pain shredding her nerve endings and stealing her breath.
Still, she didn't waver. She didn't fall.
She stood there, and she took it.
"I am Kira Forrest, and I do not break so easily," she told them.
Tough words when it took everything she had to remain standing.
Kira locked her knees, leaning into the laser fire, chanting an old mantra. Embrace the pain. Make it part of you. Yearn for it like you do a good cup of chai on a cold day.
When the body threatened to collapse, sometimes the mind had to step in and give it a swift kick in the ass.
She held on, fire eating away at her arms. Her mind gibbered an endless litany of "it hurts, it hurts, it hurts."
Kira didn't care. She would not fall, not while there was a speck of life in her body.
In that moment, she was no longer standing in a forest on a planet her ancestors had claimed. She was in another place, defenseless young behind her. The drones wore the faces of her enemies—and they were hungry.
Falling meant losing the people she loved. Too much had already been taken from her.
Just when she'd been forced to her knees under the onslaught, she sensed the opportunity she'd been waiting for.
There—a break in the pattern as the drones closed in, intent on the kill. Victory was at hand.
They inched closer and closer, their bolts containing the force of a tank. Still, Kira waited, gathering strength, coiling it deep inside as she waited with the patience of a spider whose victims had neared her web.
Not yet. She'd only get one chance at this.
Now.
Kira sprang, one hand lashing out to catch the first drone. Its electric defenses flared, her hand going numb. She winced but didn't let go, grasping its side and turning its weapon on the rest.
The smell of burned flesh reached her, and still she didn't relent as she took aim at her previous hunters, now the prey.
Drones exploded, short-circuiting in quick order.
The drone in her hand buzzed. Kira heaved it at another, not even pausing to watch the two destroy each other before leaping up to find another prey.
Seconds later, the clearing lay still. Smoke curled along the edges. Drone carcasses littered the ground. Kira panted, unable to drop her guard, waiting for the next attack.
None came.
Her breathing slowed, and she allowed herself to start to believe it was over. By some miracle, she'd managed to win.
The world stilled, the faintest hint of a presence dropping out of the trees where it'd been hiding.
Kira twisted, her hand flashing out as she flung the remains of the sword hilt at the last drone.
A dark shape flew from the side, and an en-blade split the drone in two as her broken practice sword embedded itself into the drone's casing.
Graydon's chest heaved, a feral look in his eyes as he removed his blade from the drone.
"You're late," Kira told him.
Rage flashed across his face before being buried. Graydon straightened, danger rolling off him, carrying an almost tangible kiss of steel.
This was a man very much in touch with his inner monster. The primus she'd faced wasn't anywhere near as terrifying as Graydon as his gaze lingered on the welts dotting every inch of exposed flesh.
Kira was too exhausted to move or even pretend she was in better shape than she was. Every part of her throbbed. Fine tremors shook her hands.
At long last Graydon inhaled, shaking himself slightly before aiming a dangerous smile her way. "I didn't want to take your spotlight."
Kira couldn't even summon the ghost of a grimace to pretend at disdain. She was glad to see him. This fight had been close. Much closer than she wanted to think about. She'd danced along the abyss's edge and barely escaped.
If the pattern hadn't broken, she wasn't sure Graydon would have arrived in time to save anything.
"I look forward to experiencing the form your gratitude takes for saving your ass," Graydon told her, his pleasant expression not touching the darkness in his eyes.
Finn arrived, appearing out of the trees like a ghost. He took in Kira's state, a heavy look dropping over his face. She could practically read his thoughts, feel his self-recrimination that she was hurt on his watch.
"The kids?" she asked.
"Safe. I killed the tala dogs and summoned help for the injured."