A swath of open ground lay before them. In their retreat, the HOVA and Mzisoh had sortied beyond the ridge. The cliff side plunged into a valley, a slow, undulating roller coaster. Beyond it, a series of ridges cut through hills raised in the background like tantalizing fruit. No doubt all of the terrain had been hollowed out with tunnels and secret caves, but the steep slope would leave them exposed the entire way down. Not instinct. Not a sense. Barely a vibe, but something was off. Hackles on her neck straightened. Already they felt the effects of the broiling box terrain. Sweat elevated Fela’s body temp to 45°C, still within reasonable parameters for HOVA. While 39°C was the normal temperature for a typical human, only at around 110°C would a member of the HOVA Brigade begin to feel the effects of overheating. Throbbing temples. Light-headedness. Nausea. Increased heart rate. She hoped the Mzisoh were equally adapted to their planet’s clime, or this would be a short trek.

“I’m on point,” Fela said before a CO/IN soldier leapt up behind her, picked her up by her carapace, and tossed her over the ridge.

Fela struck one of the crags below, her navsuit taking the brunt of the impact. Slowly, she staggered to her feet. Above her, the Hellfighters had opened fire. Soon the CO/IN rained through the air. Its body, heavy and lifeless before it hit the ground, thudded next to her. Several CO/IN soldiers climbed the cliff side. The HOVA took to the edge, firing at them. The CO/INs moved quickly, some scampering up the side while others provided cover fire. Realizing they provided cover for her. They held the higher ground, though it was a barely defensible cloister of jagged stones. She stared up at them, willing her body to move, but her limbs refused to cooperate.

Maulana’s voice berated her. “Fight for your …

“ … sisters!”

Fela stared out the window. A cloudy gray sky served as the backdrop of scattered leafless trees. Their threadbare branches swayed in the stiff breeze, scourging its unseen enemy.

“You can’t learn by watching!” Maulana yelled at her. His raised voice was all she knew of him once she entered the leadership school for the HOVA. He interned as Command, no longer her brother. Barely a glint of recognition in his eyes, much less any hint of favoritism. She was just another gbeto needing to prove herself to him. “You have to get out there and do it.”