"I'm sorry, Katy, Adam thought. I've failed you. ​

     Tindriss rose to her full height, chest out, shoulders back, proud, regal. 

     She smiled. 

     "I do so love this," she said. "I loved it that you beat on me just now because I knew that, in the end, it would be to no avail. I've had entirely planetary systems use every soldier and fire every weapon they had, just as you did, yet, in the end, I destroyed every last one of them. That's what I do. That's who I am. And you thought you could take me down?"

     "No," Adam muttered in reply. "No, not really. I'd only hoped I could take you out. I..." 

     Tindriss took a step forward, two. With her third step, Adam had to take a step back. He stumbled as he did. He felt so damned weary. 

     "And now it's my turn," Tindriss said. 

CONTINUE