“For safety precautions, I cannot tell you its exact location, but I can tell you it’s in the Briog Sector. Arachnid likes to keep things under wraps, until we know who we can trust. The galaxy isn’t what it used to be.”

“It’s still a shitshow,” Andi said with a grumble.

Klarisa barked out a laugh in agreement.

“How do we know you’re not lying about the Underground?” Lon asked, speaking up for the first time. Dex had come to realize that Lon never asked questions until he’d ascertained a certain amount of information. He was very much a listener in that respect.

“Who’s this?” Klarisa asked Dex.

Lon spoke for himself before Dex could answer. “Lon Mette, a Sentinel hailing from Adhira. Nice to make your acquaintance,” he said formally. The backpack slung over his shoulder howled furiously.

“Adhiran Sentinels never leave their posts,” Klarisa said, eyeing the backpack as Lon shushed it. “Must have been a hell of a choice, leaving your planet behind.”

Lon nodded, his eyes downcast. “There’s nothing left there for me now.”

“And you?” Klarisa asked, looking back toward Andi.

When Andi simply glared at her, Dex rolled his eyes and said, “Klarisa, meet Androma Racella.”

Klarisa’s eyes widened. Dex smiled, knowing that Andi’s name would give the woman a reason to respect her. A reason to want them to join this so-called Underground led by the red-armored soldier from the feeds.

“The Bloody Baroness,” Klarisa said, her tone changing as she looked back at Andi, angling her chin high. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Andi smirked. “I can’t say the same about you, unfortunately. So tell us, why should we trust you? Seems all too convenient that you found us, and of all the people in the galaxy, Dex just happened to know one of you. And you’re supposedly Unaffected, working for the one man in the galaxy who might be able to fight back against Nor.”

“I don’t argue with fate, Baroness,” Klarisa said. “And by the looks of you three, you’ll likely be captured the moment you get within a rifle scope’s view of any domed city. There are Guardians,” she continued, glancing at Dex. “A whole legion of them, manning the outskirts of each dome. All of them loyal to Nor’s cause.”

“Silver veins?” Dex asked.

Klarisa nodded.

“I don’t suppose you’ve got a way around that?”

The woman smiled. “The Underground has its ways. We’re not without specialists in...certain areas.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lon asked.