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"Fixed."
“Harper.” I jumped and unfurled my wings in the air. "You can’t do that."
The breeze I created disturbed her hair. She appeared unconcerned by my reaction. "I just did."
"I need that collar."
"You had two doses of the serum. You have time before the feral change has a chance to return."
I didn’t want to risk it with her. "I’m capable of burning down a whole city."
"Aren’t we all sometimes?" She strode over to the system monitors. "Personally, I wouldn’t mind if you made a small, contained fire outside. It’s freezing on this moon."
I returned to the floor, still unable to believe what she did. "Have you ever used the serum on anyone else?"
"Nope, you’re my first test subject." She patted the pockets of her uniform pants. "I really need to sit down and record my observation notes when I get the chance."
"Harper, how can you accept the risk?"
"Everything is risk." She ceased searching for something to write on. "I gave a year of my life towards creating that serum. I honestly don’t know what will happen but I’m hoping for the best result."
I had to wrestle with the uncertainty, too. I stared at the ground where my collar lay broken.
"I trusted you to help us get off the toxic lizard planet. You haven’t disappointed me so far." She held up her finger. "Except for the lizard tail. It was unseasoned, but what can you do when you’re in the field?"
Her odd sense of humor lightened my mood. "I’ll do better next time." A flickering monitor caught my eye. "You got another link to work?"
"This one was never connected. I think whoever was here used it for a work log."
I put my hand on the keyboard. The screen came to life. I recognized the face of the leader of the team of scientists I appointed. His expression was haggard. His face was thin, as though he hadn’t eaten enough in weeks. The screen blinked and flickered as the video played.
"This is the final entry for Moon Settlement R4Z. The drought destroyed the last of the experimental crop. Our distress calls to our home planet for supplies have gone unanswered. Isath refuses to send aid or a ship to return the workers to Racopia."
I gritted my teeth but kept listening.
"We have one last resort before we all fall to the feral change. Those of us who survived will take the remaining pods to the refugee space hub near Planet Zol. Whoever gets this, be warned to stay away from Isath."
The monitor went black as the log entry ended.
I pounded my fist on the table. "He let this happen. Isath let these people starve."
"Varus."
I couldn’t understand why Harper sounded so alarmed. I looked down and saw where a spot on the metal table was red-hot and bending beneath my fist. The imprint of my fist remained when I pulled it away.
Harper’s eyes were wide. I was acting the unbridled beast again.
"I didn’t mean for you to see my anger." I turned away in shame.
"You have every right to be angry." She reached out her hand, stopping inches from touching my arm. She returned her hand to her side. "Isath is cruel."
"Isath needs to be pulled off the throne."
My statement rang out in the building. I heard the echo drift outside.
"We’ll do something about him." This time, she touched my arm. Her touch was life itself, calming my anger and driving the beast away. "Together."
Her resolve was clear. This woman spoke to a part of me unreachable to anyone else. Though my abilities frightened her, she didn’t flee.
