Chapter 49

The Dialorian soldiers closed in. Ozla prepped her blaster. She ducked and screamed as a laser flashed over her head. She felt the heat on her scalp, but it burned through a Dialorian who was inspecting his own blaster.

"Idiot," was all the others could say.

Elsewhere, the screams and the whistling sound of laser fire reached Relda's ears. She shot a Dialorian and gazed across the booby traps. For a pause, there was calm.

"What is it, Mama?" Bria whispered.

"Ozla's in trouble," Relda said. "Go in after her."

Bria tucked her blaster into its holster and gave a confident nod.

Ozla took a large step backward, eying the Dialorians. Her shoulder brushed a slender blue creature. Ozla buried her blaster in the woman's side and squeezed the trigger. When the woman crumpled to the ground beside her, the rest crowded together and rushed at her.

"Leave her alone," Bria commanded as she entered the suite.