Shrapnel, Bria realized. The empty encounter vehicle was preparing shrapnel.
Bria roared. She seized Pala Eydis and roughly folded the soft human before pressing Eydis hard to her armored chest. She turned her back to the entranceway and crouched down into a ball.
Bria’s visor went black, defensive shields dropping over her face. The shockwave hit her before the sound did. It flung her forwards. She slammed down on the ground, landed on her forearms, and slid across the rough floor, the armor on her knees and elbows throwing bright sparks as they scraped over the stone. Her suit whined in a range of tones, screeching a dozen warnings. After a long moment of stunned dullness, her awareness focused, and a sharp pain shot up from behind her left knee.
Bria rolled off of Eydis, rele
