The air in the kitchen was thick with the scent of singed spices and the heavy, metallic smell of ionized air. Zeven braced his feet against the cold tile, his claws extended and carving deep grooves into the floor. His lungs burned, the exertion of holding the defensive barrier against the explosive force of the rocket leaving his chest feeling tight and hollow. He could see Rey standing in the broken breach of the wall, the silhouette of his brother framed by the flickering, chaotic light of the hall. Rey was a statue of lethal intent, his internal servos whining as he prepared to fire again.
"Stop this, Rey!" Zeven roared, his voice raspy and strained. "You are not a machine! Do not let them do this to you!"
Rey did not respond. The crimson light in his eyes flared, a harsh and artifi
