Simone quickly closed the distance between them and placed her hand over Allison’s. “Allie.” Tears well in her eyes. What had the Gathendiens done to her? “I’m here.”
Frustrated by the glove that kept her from feeling her friend’s flesh, she started to tug at it.
“Simone,” Janwar warned.
Right. She stopped. Allie might be infected with something that could harm Janwar and his crew. And maybe even Simone, since the Gathendiens were trying to manufacture a virus that would work more efficiently on Earthlings than the previous one they'd created.
She patted Allie’s hand. “Everything’s going to be okay. I promise.”
The Yona warrior who’d spoken to them earlier nodded toward the Gathendien he’d killed. “The assistant has a chip in his wrist that will unlock the cells.”
Simone stepped over several bodies to retrieve the sword she’d dropped earlier. When she turned toward the assistant, intending to extricate his chip, her eyebrows flew up.
Janwar stood over him, the assistant’s severed arm in one hand. “I got it.” Crossing to the gate on Allison’s cell, he waved the assistant’s wrist in front of a shiny access pad about the size of a credit card. A clunk sounded, then the gate swung open.
Simone hurried inside and dragged her friend into a hug.
“Is it really you?” Allison whispered, wrapping her arms around Simone. “Are you here, or am I hallucinating?”
“It’s me,” she said, blinking back tears. The younger woman’s hold was so weak. “If you were hallucinating, I doubt I’d be wearing anything this weird.”
A sound that was half-laugh and half-sob escaped Allie. And when she drew back, tears flowed freely down her gaunt cheeks.
“Let’s get you out of here,” Simone said softly. Wrapping an arm around her, she guided Allie out of the cell.
Janwar had already liberated the two Yona soldiers and moved on to the Purveli.
Simone studied the Yona. “You were on the Kandovar.“ She remembered seeing them but didn’t recall interacting with them the way she had with Valok, Ari’k, and some of the others.
They nodded. “You are one of the Earthlings,” one said.
“As is Allison,” the other added. “Did Prince Taelon, his lifemate, and his heir survive?”
“Yes.” She motioned to the armored man releasing the Purveli from his cell. “Janwar rescued them and ferried them safely to Lasara. He’s helping the alliance search for my friends and other survivors.” She thought it best to put that out there in case they recognized him as the infamous and often scorned Akseli pirate.
They shot Janwar a considering look.
“The Gathendiens attacked the Kandovar solely to capture the Earthlings aboard it,“ the taller one said.
“Yes,” she acknowledged. “We realize that now.”
“They opted to capture us, too,” the second added. “Lasarans and other members of the Aldebarian Alliance rely heavily on our protection. The Gathendiens believe eradicating the Yona will weaken alliance nations and reduce the risk of retaliation.”
Janwar joined them and handed Simone his bag. “Would you give them all protective suits while I free the one on the table?”
She glanced over her shoulder, lips tightening as she realized the unconscious male was Purveli. “Of course.” That brought the count to five Purveli males they knew the Gathendiens had snatched, confirming Purvel was definitely on the list of worlds Gathendiens wished to conquer.
Releasing Allie, Simone squatted and dug through the bag.
Allison sank to her knees beside her and clutched one of the katana sheathes that dangled down Simone’s back as though terrified of losing contact with her.
“Here.” Simone held a rectangular packet out to one of the Yona. It didn’t look large enough to contain a suit but had an image of one printed on the outside. “I’m Simone.”
“Vedon,” the taller Yona said as he took it.
“Denu,” the second Yona said.
When they broke the seal on the packet, a white suit that reminded her of a hazmat suit popped out and expanded.
“M’kor,” the Purveli said. Like Allie, he looked skinny, pale, and unwell. “My friend is Luft’a.”
She nodded. “When you’re finished, would you help Janwar get Luft’a into one of these?”
His eyes widened. “Did you say Janwar?”
She smiled. “The one and only.”
Nodding with more enthusiasm, he shook out his suit. “I’ll help him.” He must fall into the category of rebellious young fellows who admired the notorious pirate.
While the others donned their suits, Simone turned to help Allie. “This will probably be way too big on you. Guys out here in space tend to be huge.” She kept her tone light even as her heart broke for her friend.
Allie had to rise to step into the suit and wove on her feet.
Simone did her best to brace her as she tugged the suit up over Allie’s bony form. As expected, it swallowed her, making her appear even more fragile. But the gloves and attached foot coverings were made from material meant to stretch to fit and weren’t too bad. “There’s a button here on the collar that will make a helmet like mine spring up from it. Once you activate it, don’t remove it until we give you the go-ahead. It will provide you with oxygen and protect you from the hostile atmosphere outside. And the men who are helping me need protection from whatever virus you may be carrying. Understand?”
She nodded like a lost child who was so relieved to have been found that she would agree to anything.
“Okay. Activate your helmet.”
Allie raised a trembling hand and fumbled for the button. When the helmet sprang out of her collar and swooped down to close in front, she jumped, eyes flying wide, and gripped Simone in panic.
“It’s okay,” Simone said gently. “It’s supposed to do that.” She forced a grin. “Awesome, isn’t it? Mine has all kinds of fancy tech stuff flickering on the inside. I can’t wait to show it to you later.”
That managed to spark a faint smile.
Heart breaking for her, Simone turned back to the others.
Janwar and M’kor had managed to stuff Luft’a into a suit and activate his helmet, but the Purveli male remained unconscious.
Denu stepped forward. “I can carry him.” Unlike the others, the two Yona warriors appeared to be in good shape, their muscles bulging.
Simone glanced around at their group. They’d gone from two people to seven, and only four of them were in prime fighting condition.
“No need,” Janwar said as he retrieved his bag and looped it over his head again. “I have a lekadis.“ He drew out what looked like a sizable kada and broke off a corner. When he dropped the larger piece, the thing lengthened into a hovering gurney big enough to carry someone Soval’s size.
They swiftly transferred Luft’a to the gurney. When Janwar tapped the corner he still held, a bubble emerged from one side, swept across the prone male, and encased him.
Janwar caught her gaze. “Are you comfortable enough with the map in your helmet to take point so I can cover the rear?” They still needed to check out the other lab.
“No need,” Vedon said. “If you arm us, we’ll cover the rear and eliminate anyone who follows.”