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.
The crowd split. Half cornered Ozla. Half overwhelmed Bria. She moved her blaster in a semicircle, shooting all the way. Ozla copied Bria's technique. Dialorians fell dead left and right.
There was one, though. His breathing was weak, and his knees had already buckled under him. He fired on the way down, and Bria felt the burning in her bicep. She stumbled back and cried out.
"Someone's injured," Noah said.
"Tayla, Asia, Noah, Shilah, Klea," Relda said. "You've trained for those traps. Hurry now."
"No need," Ty pointed out, gesturing to the carrier that Hunley had taken. "Klea, Tayla, Asia, come with me. Noah, Shilah, take the tramcar. Meet at the prison suite."