The path down was clear, and after seeing the catastrophe of Peaches' lobby, I was hoping that the worst was behind us. The convenience store was one level down from Peaches. It too had access to the docking bays, so that ships could land and resupply more easily. At this hour of night, however, it would be practically empty. I considered stopping just to see if any workers were there, but I had only one objective in mind now. Get to Oblivion.

  Next was Planet Delicious. I ignored that level as well. Could we stock up on burgers and toss them at zombies? Would the overtaken be taken by the delicious food and leave us alone? Probably not, and I wasn't going to try it.

  Steve's Ship & Shop needed space enough to fix ships, so we had to go down seven more flights of stairs before we could exit into the open warehouse of Steve's shop. It wasn't just a repair shop. He ran the "Shop" part of Steve's Ship & Shop from down here. He lived there as well, along with his mother and his dog, Puffy.

  My legs were starting to cramp from all the stairs, and I breathed a sigh of relief when we made it to the door.

  The door was locked.

  Of course it was. This was a private business area. Steve no doubt locked it up at night. I just hoped it wasn't also barricaded.

  "We're trapped!" @weathermagic howled in a panic.

  I briefly thought about @hissyfit. I wanted to be trapped with her right now. But her group had managed to get through. I couldn't be more than five or ten minutes behind. I wondered if they had locked it again behind them, or maybe they had exited at the convenience store or Planet Delicious? It didn't matter now. If we went back up, we'd be fighting our way to the closest exit.

  When in doubt, destruction is the Vanquisher's answer. I blew the locks with a few rounds of my funk20 while @weathermagic paced.

  "It's all right. We're almost there."

  I kicked the door, feeling those aching muscles. "Come on," I muttered to myself, kicking again. This time it wedged open. I cuddled Sango in the crook of my arm and rammed the door with my shoulder, forcing it open.

  "Son of a bitch!" I cursed, entering the warehouse.

  Steve was in a band, The Heart Wrenchers, and they played on Friday nights. I hadn't even realized it was a Friday. The boring weeks at the Pit had lulled me into a stupor. Other than the bar at Peaches, there wasn't much to do on the station but watch Steve's band, and they usually had a pretty good audience.

  Some of the overtaken must have made their way down here, probably an infected person who hadn't turned yet. They would have been excited to have escaped the initial wave of zombies. They would have been relieved to make it down here, frantic in their thinking, rushed. They would have been looking for their friends who had gone down to listen to the music. They would have come here to warn them.

  And then they would have turned.

  The scene in the distance told me all I really needed to know. Overtaken liked to dance to music, but it was a bloody dance, a mosh pit gone carnivorous. The open area in front of me was normally a large waiting area for the repair shop, and that became the stage for performances. The stage was a mess of instruments. The drum kit was toppled, with bloody handprints on the bass drum and one of the symbols that was leaning up against an amplifier in the corner.

  Dozens of dead bodies littered the ground. I wondered if they were lucky they died or if they would have been better off having one of the overtaken spike them with a wire before they were chewed to death. Was it just luck that some died and some turned? Were the overtaken infecting everyone but killing some based on specific genomes or traits? It was impossible to know.

  Someone down here had been able to self-destruct. Evidence of a carnage explosion off to the left of the stage showed a recognizable splatter pattern. I just hoped it wasn't one of ours. I couldn't make out the clothing from our spot by the stairway entrance.

  We were fortunate to arrive for the aftermath instead of the chaos itself. The warehouse was enormous, with plenty of spots to hide, and the overtaken here must have scattered around the open spaces looking for more aiways to infect. It would at least give us a chance to sneak and run.

  But I had just made a racket busting through the door. We needed to move into hiding quickly. The sound would have attracted attention. I pulled @weathermagic with me into the shelter of the service desk, where ship technicians would be stationed and visitors would check in for repairs, just off to our right, while I got my bearings. I hadn't been down here in the last week since Steve and @stardvark hadn't had anything material to report.

  I knew that Oblivion was docked on the solar west end. The Pharaoh was on the south end. Between them was a ship at another repair station, an old Harpy Aviator that was somehow still plugging away, a decent all-around ship for travel, but nothing you'd want in a dogfight. The stairs dropped us in the middle, near the elevator, facing east. Ahead of me and to my left was where the "Shop" was, featuring clothing, supplies, a few weapons, and gear. Perfect for a space pirate. Around a corner and directly behind us would be Steve's dwelling. Oblivion would be beyond that. I considered that lucky because I wanted to check on Steve if possible.

  Not being able to use comms to reach my crew, even to reach Oblivion, was starting to get to me. I wanted desperately to run toward the ship as fast as I could, but until I knew where all the overtaken were, I couldn't risk it.

  "Stay close," I said to @weathermagic, not that I needed to convince her. "We're going to head around the corner. Stay quiet. Can you fire a gun?"

  I held the shh500 out for her. It was better than nothing. I considered keeping it and trying to pick off a few overtaken from hiding, but I didn't trust myself not to draw attention to us. We would just be sneaking this time. No killing from the shadows.

  "No," she insisted, but she took the pistol anyway. I would too.

  I peeked out from behind the counter, scanning visually, then with Puppy Eyes, then with radar, then with sonar, then with thermal.

  There was too much distortion in the warehouse, and I wondered if the overtaken could interfere with more than just comms. If so, it was a brilliant design, intended to keep your enemy isolated and uninformed.

  I moved forward, across the empty area to the wall, stepping carefully on the cool cement floor. I rounded the corner, looking for the next place to hide away. Workbenches would have to do for now. I spied supply cabinets and large machinery as well.

  Behind me, I heard footsteps, the type that were anything but quiet and discrete. Some of the overtaken were making their way to the stairwell. I had no doubt that soon more would come pouring out from upstairs as well.

  Steve had a chicken coup inside a high-fenced area. It looked out of place in a warehouse full of machinery, but he had no doubt tried to make his residence comfortable over the last 67 years that he'd been here. I didn't see any chickens as we worked our way closer toward the solar west side. We could hide there momentarily. The fencing had been torn open, but the sounds and sights told me we would be alone. We could duck behind the chicken coup.

  I was wrong.

  Because @hissyfit, @stardvark, and @dragonlotus were there, along with an aiways who introduced herself as @mechanica.

  The latter was Steve's mother, whom I knew liked to knit. In true aiways fashion, she looked more like Steve's sister than his mother. As I thought about it, she was probably my age or younger, all things considered. @mechanica was a muscular woman with curly brown hair, green eyes, and freckles. She had foregone pajamas and was wearing brown overalls and a long-sleeved black shirt.

  "You made it," I whispered in relief to my companions. I nodded at @mechanica. "Hey, Mama."

  "Only Steven calls me Mama," she corrected with a scowl. "It's @mechanica to you, or Anica to my friends." Her phrasing did not escape me. We weren't well acquainted.

  "What's going on here, @mechanica?" I asked.

  "Steven and some others are over yonder, by that big Harpy Aviator. Another group's up on the north, chased away during the show. Few pockets here and there, but everybody's hiding."

  "My crew?"

  "Some with Steve. Some over that way, I think." @mechanica pointed over to the northwest. So, we were scattered, just like the overtaken, cowering in one place or another.

  Someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was @hissyfit. "I told you we'd be trapped," she whispered with a crooked smile. "And now here we are?"

  I shrugged. "Anyone make it to the ships?"

  "Dunno," @mechanica said. "I do know someone tried to get on that fucking ship of yours, but it wouldn't let them in."

  Ew. I hadn't thought about that. Oblivion was particular about guests, and that was my fault.

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  "They screamed a lot and got ripped to pieces, bringing a whole bunch of zombies to the area, leaving my boy trapped over by that Harpy."

  I didn't know how to respond to that. "At least Steve's okay."

  "For now he is, but what're you gonna do about it?"

  The easiest thing to do would be to cause a distraction and then run for it. That meant someone would need to either cause the distraction or be the distraction. Sadly, I knew that person would be me. I had a grappling hook. I could fire it up toward the beams in the ceiling to launch myself away and out of trouble. I was the only one who could, so I took control of the situation.

  "@hissyfit, take Sango." I released the pillowcase and undid the loop around my wrist. I handed him over to her, staring at her blue eyes, making sure she understood the seriousness of the situation. "Do you solemnly swear to do your best to keep my kitty safe?"

  @hissyfit leaned in close and whispered in my ear.

  "I'll keep your kitty safe, @kittyboy," she said with a trill of her tongue against my ear, raising the hairs on my arms and legs. "But my kitty will need some attention later. It purrs and rumbles," she breathed.

  I gazed blankly at her eyes as she pulled away. She came close again, touching my nose with hers. I could feel her breath, still scented with a hint of tequila from the evening. We shared a look of understanding. Off we go to die. She licked my nose and stepped back with a mischievous giggle, holding Sango carefully, feeling the weight of the pillowcase in her hands.

  "I'll cause a distraction. When they start following me, run for it." They nodded, one by one, no one arguing. They knew this was the only real plan. "Now listen," I added. "This is important. @stardvark has to make it to Oblivion. He's maybe the only one the ship will open up for. You have to get him there. Understood?"

  "We got it," said @dragonlotus. From the sound of her voice, I suspected she was mildly offended that I wasn't sure if Oblivion would open for her. It probably would, but probably wasn't good enough.

  "Show time," I announced.

  And then I crouched and took off, speeding through the opening in the fence. My plan was just to run, to get away from the chicken coup. Then I'd start blasting and hollering. Easy.

  But I ran away from the chicken coup and into the chickens. I mean, the zombies.

  They were coming from the direction of the stairs and elevator. No doubt the growls following me during our journey down to Steve's were now flooding into the warehouse. Why didn't I close the door? I hate it when people don't close the door!

  There was no time like the present to see if I could grapple my way to freedom. I shot the grappling hook up toward the ceiling and missed everything. I yelled (to distract the zombies, you know) and retracted the hook. I couldn't go back solar east toward the zombies, and there was a wall blocking me from heading north, so I turned south in the direction of The Pharaoh.

  I fired my funk20 as I turned and ran. The shot felled a few of the zombies leading the horde, but I knew they would be back on their feet soon. That was the best I could do from about 45 paces away with this ammo.

  "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I screamed, and I frantically scrambled toward the big machines.

  My commotion did the trick, and the overtaken followed after me. I turned to watch the others fly out of the chicken coup, making sure they had a clear path, and then I fired my shotgun in the air again, yelling, "Come and get me!"

  I didn't want to lead them toward The Pharaoh either, so when the next opportunity came, I turned and headed east, trying to make a loop. Off in the distance, I caught my first glimpse of The Pharaoh. It was back to its majestic blue and gold, sparkling, clandestine, and hopefully ready to fly.

  I thought my plan was working. I pulled the zombies streaming out of the stairwell toward me, a good hundred of them at least. It was terrifying. But then a scream from behind me caught my ear. I stopped in my tracks and fired my grappling hook straight up. This time I connected. I had plenty of time. The horde chasing me was still 15 paces behind when I pulled myself up toward the ceiling, giving me an exceptional view of the warehouse.

  The first thing I noticed, because it was impossible to miss from this height, was Oblivion. My beastly murder ship had been retrofitted with two large cylindrical units on the sides toward the back of the ship. To a novice, they appeared to be engines, but I knew exactly what they were.

  What the fuck have you done, @stardvark? I thought, staring at it while I dangled from the ceiling. The yowling zombies directly below me faded from thought.

  So that was the surprise. @stardvark had taken Graviton's weapons, the binocular ends of the ship that created gravitational force, and attached them to Oblivion. The Starhawks were going to be pissed! Had we really damaged their starship so badly that the best option was to scrap it for parts?

  I'd ask later, but for now, my beauty of a ship was even more magnificent.

  Another yell broke my stupor, and I took my eyes away from Oblivion to locate the source of the shouting. If Oblivion was the epitome of awe and wonder, what I saw next was the opposite.

  @hissyfit and company were about to be overrun by another group of overtaken that must have come from the direction of Oblivion. They were trying to get to the Harpy Aviator, the ship between The Pharaoh and Oblivion, where I saw Steve, @crazysnake, @bitchfrog, and a few other survivors waving to them from atop one of the Harpy's wings.

  But they weren't waving for @hissyfit and the others to join them. They were waving to warn them off. I could see why. A swarm of zombies was below the Harpy. My friends were running headfirst into an onslaught.

  And I realized there was nothing I could do about it. I fired a shot below me in anger. Then another, taking out maybe a dozen of them after four shots. Then I clumsily reloaded, hanging in the air above them. I hadn't even made a noticeable dent in the swarm.

  "Fuck this," I cursed, and I started swinging. When I had enough momentum, I detached the grappling hook, falling toward the middle ring of zombies. There was no way I'd be able to completely clear them, but I wasn't planning to land among them. I fired my grappling hook as I fell, catching another beam and pulling myself up.

  I repeated the process, keeping an even forward swing. I latched on, swung forward, detached, and latched on again, making my way as quickly as I could toward @hissyfit, @stardvark, and the others.

  The first to fall was @dragonlotus. @stardvark had been out in front, running toward Oblivion. When they spotted the zombies ahead of them, @dragonlotus threw herself forward, pushing @stardvark back between her and @mechanica. @hissyfit had her snark15 out and was trying her best to gun down the overtaken pursuing them from behind, but her weapon had little effect. There were simply too many of them.

  While @dragonlotus dove headfirst into the zombies in front of them, the others turned, trying to run at an angle back toward Oblivion. I didn't see what happened to @dragonlotus. She disappeared as dozens of zombies swarmed over and around her. Engineers must not be able to self-destruct, I thought to myself sadly, hoping she had a quick death or a quick turn.

  As I swung closer, I saw Steve, @crazysnake, and @bitchfrog use the distraction of @dragonlotus to make their run for it. They pushed hastily toward The Pharaoh, with a path now clear for them. I saw Steve's dog, Puffy, with them, its tail wagging excitedly as it followed along.

  I was almost close enough to drop to the ground. Two or three more swings.

  An overtaken in a ship technician's uniform launched itself at @hissyfit, grabbing at her legs, while another reached wildly for her arms, instead pulling at the pillowcase and ripping it open. Sango spilled to the floor. My little kitty, terrified and soon to be surrounded.

  "Sango!" I screamed. I dropped, launched the grappling hook, and rose once more up into the air.

  @hissyfit looked up at me as she ran. Another overtaken latched onto her leg. She struggled to break free, pulling herself from its grip, but it slowed her down too much. @stardvark and @mechanica ran forward, making it away from the group that was now salivating and wailing as they dug into @hissyfit. Her last effort was to scoop Sango off the ground. She tossed him with her remaining force toward @stardvark and @mechanica, and then she face-planted into the cement floor.

  I wish I could say @hissyfit knocked herself unconscious. Some days I tell myself that was true, that I had imagined the rest. But if I had been wondering how loud she could scream, I didn't need to wonder any longer. Her cries echoed the loudest of all through the spacious machine shop, reverberating off the floors and ceiling where I watched helplessly.

  I thought everyone was done for but me at that point. A small group of overtaken had broken off after Steve, @crazysnake, and @bitchfrog now. I could only hope they had enough time to get the ship open, to get inside safely.

  But then the doors to Oblivion opened up, and I swear something changed in the atmosphere.

  Out from the ship rode two glorious warbirds. They were made of iron black metal with orange highlights along the edges. I couldn't tell if they were birds or velociraptors. Weapons were mounted on their heads and wings. They burst forward out of Oblivion and into the battle.

  Atop them rode @zerogstar and @auroraloon.

  Rufus and Doofus, my loyal flamingos, were flamingos no more. They were battle-ready machines, fierce, quick, and powerful.

  They sped toward @stardvark, @mechanica, @weathermagic, and baby Sango. My kitty had the good sense to run away from the zombies. But none of them would have made it if not for @auroraloon and @zerogstar.

  They rode in with their wings out. The wings cut through overtaken, lopping off heads, arms, anything that came into contact with the sharp-bladed wings of Rufus and Doofus as they sped into the horde. The arrival of the warbirds gave @stardvark and @mechanica a clear path out. @weathermagic could have joined them, but instead was trying to pick up Sango as the zombies closed in again.

  @zerogstar looped around her and Sango, riding in circles to keep the zombies at bay, while @auroraloon leapt from her warbird to the ground, scooped up Sango, and in a flash was back atop her bird and away again.

  @zerogstar made another arc, and then she hoisted @weathermagic up onto the back of the warbird with her. The two warbirds flowed gracefully along the ground, maneuvering back to protect @stardvark and @mechanica as they ran toward Oblivion.

  They were going to make it!

  But @auroraloon wasn't done yet. Being the warrior she was, she peeled off from the group suddenly. She held Sango tight and sped off toward The Pharaoh.

  On that side of the shop, Steve was fighting to buy the others time. He had his guitar with him. He urged the others toward The Pharaoh, bringing up the back. He swung his electric guitar as a weapon, bashing the closest zombie and then winding up to meet the next across the face.

  @crazysnake and @bitchfrog were approaching the landing bay door. Steve was trying to give them the time they needed. Another aiways I didn't know joined him, stabbing one of the zombies in the eye with a drumstick.

  The last moments seemed to happen all at once. @awesomedog had been inside The Pharaoh. He opened the door, reaching out and pulling in @crazysnake and @bitchfrog. Steve broke his guitar smashing another of the overtaken. Defenseless, he backed away toward The Pharaoh. His drummer was tackled to the ground and almost took Steve with him as he fell. Steve ran. The drummer scrambled to his feet and ran after him. The zombies were faster.

  But @auroraloon and her warbird were the fastest. She blasted through just beyond the reach of Steve and his drummer, between them and the zombies, chopping heads off, bringing the bird up off the ground and around in a tight arc, and then through the line of zombies again, leaving them bleeding and convulsing on the ground.

  She looked up to the ceiling as I made my last swing. We couldn't see each other's eyes, and yet we could feel each other's gaze. She looked down at the bundle of Sango in her arms as she straddled the warbird, then back at me.

  I dropped down and swung right through the doorway into Oblivion, the hatch closing automatically behind me.

  We were safe. How many of us? I wasn't sure.

  Now I just hoped that the ship was ready to fly. From within the ship, I could finally use the comm system.

  kittyboy: "Hey, Oblivion. Let's get out of here. Fly to the roof of the Pit. There may be survivors up there."

  I was exhausted. I just wanted to sleep. But first things first. I knew there might be more people alive out there.

  Oblivion: "Oh, I see. I don't get to kill ANY of the zombies!"