Rift Breaker by Tristan Michael Savage Page A

over her shoulder. Her belt was heavier, with a few extra ammo clips.
    â€˜I take no chances,’ she said. ‘We are a long way from anywhere and I plan to get back to civilisation.’
    She crossed to the terminal door. Once she passed, Tazman turned to Milton with a big smile and thrust his pelvis forward, gesturing his sudden arousal at the thought of a lady with so many weapons.
    Luylla pulled the release levers. A hiss of vapour expelled and she opened the door. The transparent walkway appeared behind the dispersing mist. A circular silver door waited down the other end of the tube. Milton went to the mouth and looked up at the looming black spines. With a hesitant first step, he made his way along the uneven surface. Tazman jogged up and walked beside him, gaping at their destination. Luylla maintained a safe following distance.
    Black spikes reached from the massive object, running close, too close, to the foggy wall of the walkway. Milton had second thoughts. But he forced those cowardly ponderings from hismind; he wasn’t leaving until he found out what that guy on Lubric was on about.
    Getting closer to the spines, the path darkened. The green space at Milton’s feet disappeared behind the black of the structure and shadow swallowed him. The round silver surface before them twisted open, unleashing a flood of light. Milton paused and glanced back, past the armed Luylla to the distant entrance, wondering again if it was too late. Luylla stopped and eyed him curiously. He breathed deep. There was nowhere else to go.
    He winced against the light and pushed on through the entrance. It looked more like a cave than a space vessel. The smooth white floor reflected everything. The wall was made of jagged and uneven crystals. Silver door-size panels of various shapes were evenly spaced along it. With a hiss, a diamond-shaped one on the right slid open.
    â€˜I say ladies first,’ said Tazman. Luylla flicked her pistol holster open and slid her palm to the butt of her gun, ‘or not,’ he added.
    They walked through and found themselves in a wide, hollowed out passage. The ceiling was about five times higher than Milton. As they walked, Milton noticed that, when looked at from different angles, the walls changed colour.
    Another door, tall and thin, opened at the passage end. Beyond was complete darkness. On entering, Milton felt a soft breeze. He stepped forward a few paces, leaving Tazman and Luylla at the entrance.
    Light suddenly rose. Milton blinked. Then he saw them. A group of tall figures stood in a surrounding arc, all the same size and shape as the being that defended Milton and Tazman on Lubric. There were five of them. Their hoods were lowered revealing large narrow skulls with patterns of bony ridges over the top. They had smooth, grey, featureless faces and slender cheekbones and all looked at him with large mirrored eyes. Their black, draping robes reached to the floor.
    The middle one stepped forward.
    â€˜Welcome,’ it said.
    It was him, Reelai. Milton recognised the voice. Reelai extended his open palms in a gesture that might have meant friendship. His hands were narrow with long fingers.
    â€˜We are thankful you came,’ he said. ‘We hope you are not disorientated after all you have endured.’ As he spoke, the skin around his cheekbones and eyes flexed, appearing to light with expression.
    Luylla and Tazman stepped into the room. Reelai acknowledged them with a look. ‘Welcome to the safe haven.’
    One by one, from the outside in, the other four beings glided forth with no visible leg movement, forming a perfectly spaced line, and filed out of the room. Luylla took a step back and fingered her guns as they passed.
    â€˜You have no need for weapons here,’ snapped Reelai, staring her down.
    Reelai waved his upturned palm. The room darkened.A square on the ceiling pulsed to a steady glow. A depiction of the ruined Orisurrection appeared, an image