Star Alliance by Ken Lozito Page A

loud pops, and after that the mutants on this side of the wall stopped trying to climb over. They knew the ones who got over the wall had all died.”
    Zack kept scanning the walls, trying to force a solution into his mind, but he couldn’t think of anything. “We need more information about this place.”
    “What do you mean?” Etanu asked.
    A wave of hunger gathered in the pit of his stomach. He wished he were in the mess hall aboard the Athena, joking and eating with his friends. Katie would be laughing with the others while Efren tried to get her to forget about the geek she was with. Sometimes Kaylan would be with them, but he had often found her on the bridge or in one of the observatories, working away—always working. Zack closed his eyes and thought about the last time he’d seen Kaylan. He had pushed her onto the elevator and locked out the controls. She had slammed her fists on the doors and screamed at him, her beautiful honey-brown eyes wide with shock at what he’d done, but he couldn’t hear here. He thought he was going to die, and he hadn’t wanted her to die with him. She had to live. He knew she would be furious with him for what he’d done, but it was worth it. He remembered the tender feel of her lips when he kissed her, and a small pang settled into his chest.
    “Zack?” Etanu asked.
    Zack swallowed hard. “Sorry, I just got a bit distracted. What I mean is that if we’re going to get out of here, we need to learn all we can about this place. Including all the inhabitants, what they do, when the Xiiginns feed us—anything we could use.”
    Etanu glanced at the walls. “Do you think there’s a way for us to escape?”
    “That’s what I want to find out. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that no place is totally secure. There has to be a way for us to get out of here,” Zack said.
    Etanu regarded him for a moment. “Strength is highly valued among my species.”
    “I’m not strong—” Zack started to say.
    Etanu reached out and grabbed his arm. “I mean up here,” Etanu said, and tapped his head. “I know how to fight, how to survive. Most Nershals can’t see beyond their own strengths, but you’re different. I begin to understand how you survived the rite.”
    A loud gong rang throughout the pit, catching Zack by surprise.
    “We must move quickly, or there will be nothing left for us,” Etanu said, and began to run.
    Zack caught up with the Nershal and matched his pace, but he suspected Etanu was taking it easy on him. The closer they got to where the gong had sounded, the more Zack could hear the other creatures in the pit moving in the same direction. He flinched as the sounds of the mutants came closer to them. Zack saw the edge of the tree line, and Etanu slowed down. They were close to the towering wall of the pit. The edge of the trees was less than fifty yards away, and Etanu signaled for him to stop.  
    Another gong sounded.  
    Large shafts of metal rods burst from the wall, extending outward and forming a large tunnel. Bolts of lightning crackled along the rods, leaping from each one. Zack tried to see what was in the tunnel, but the glare from the lightning bolts kept blocking his vision. Closer to the tunnel entrance, a group of mutants exited the trees across from where he and Etanu were hiding. Some cocked their heads to the side while others sniffed the air.  
    Zack stepped closer to get a better look. As Zack moved, the lead mutant snapped its head in his direction, peering into the brush. The other mutants fanned out on either side of the leader. Each had a long, jagged scar that went from the temple to the base of the skull. Zack froze in place and hardly dared to breathe. The snarling sounds of more mutants grew in intensity until a large roar heralded from deeper in the pit. The silent hunters swung their formation around to face the direction of the roar.
    Etanu eased into place by Zack’s side. “Quiet,” he whispered. “Follow my