That resonated as the final word, and the crew boarded quickly since nobody seemed willing to argue with Praxys. Helix didn’t agree with the decision, but despite having the power to analyze many potential paths and outcomes, based on their personnel, skills, and resources, he couldn’t come up with a viable solution, little as he liked running away.

But as the doors sealed behind them, Qalu said, “Maybe we can do both.”

Praxys turned to her, interested as always, in her every thought. Truly, Helix disliked this level of engagement, but he kept quiet.

“What did you have in mind?” Praxys asked.

“Though I have little data regarding Ugaru’s sensory capabilities, deep sea creatures generally can perceive light. Some even communicate via bioluminescence. This is outside my sphere of expertise, but couldn’t we lure the creature away from the Vault with a light show? If we make it chase us instead, we might exhaust it, so it seeks an easier food source.”

“It’s probably attacking the facility out of territorial instinct,” Carow said.

Praxys turned to Maglan and Bojak. “Is this actionable?”

“With a little lead time and some tweaks, we could do this,” Maglan answered.

Bojak muttered, “The better question would be, is this advisable? Wasn’t this planet supposed to be devoid of life?”

Carow reacted like that was an actual question, not pointless complaining. “Indeed, they believed so, but sensors cannot penetrate the deepest oceanic trenches. This is fascinating!”

“I might agree with you if we weren’t in grave danger,” Praxys said. “Maglan and Bojak, let’s get this done. If we’re making a heroic move, we need to be quick.”

“Before that monster bashes the Vault to bits,” Bojak mumbled.

The human rushed off behind Maglan before he could get scolded. Praxys regarded Qalu for a long moment and his neck ruff frilled faintly, a Barathi sign of attraction. A raw, unpleasant feeling swelled inside Helix; he’d known that the resistance captain was fascinated by Qalu and not only because of her incredible work.

“Your idea is dangerous, but you didn’t hesitate to suggest it.”

“My life isn’t more valuable than anyone else’s,” she said firmly. “And I wouldn’t feel right about running without even trying to help.”

“Incredible,” Praxys said softly. “Everything I learn about you makes me admire you more. I wonder…would you consider joining my crew permanently? After we deal with Krag, that is. We could do so much good together.”

Qalu glanced at Helix, appearing to gauge his reaction to that offer. Then she said, “Now isn’t the time to discuss such matters.”

“True enough. Let’s revisit the topic after we survive this gauntlet.”