The wind lashed Nikki's cheeks as they raced into Glenberry's suburbs. Now that she had a handle for the bike's controls they were making good time and she wanted this time on the bike done quickly. Celeste chattered in her ear all the long ride across town. She chattered about Audrey. Wasn't it impressive how bold Audrey was, standing up to a stranger twice her size? Wasn't it inspiring how she asserted herself so boldly?

"And your friend is most inventive with her language! When she feared I would harm you, she threatened to assault me with her eating utensils in such graphic detail! When I next need to intimidate an informant I will be sure to borrow some of her expressions!"

Audrey this, Audrey that. Even over the bike's engine Nikki could hear her teeth grind. This news better be legit or you are so going down, Belrose. Stopping for a traffic light, she double-checked the Twitter update that had sent them running:

MadameButterfly /at/Q-T-3.14
Whoa, code blue! Some scary looking dog got into my neighbor's house on Sawmill Road! #WhoYaGonnaCall? #MonsterDog #SrsTweetNotaSexJoke

The stupidity of some humans made Nikki shake her head. Bad enough they mentioned their IRL address, but the tweet even included a picture of the bungalow with its house number for all to see. It was like they were inviting people to show up and rob them!

Number or not, the house was a dead giveaway thanks to the small crowd fretting about on the front lawn. A mother and father raving anxiously with a pack of neighbours, a small girl howling off to the side. She caught snippets of the conversations.

" – just barged through the back door and went after us!"

" – probably still locked in there."

" – paramedics! Where are the paramedics?"

Nikki parked her bike and jogged up to the crowd to gather intel. "Hey, what's going on? You guys call the cops yet?"

"Yeah, those two tried going in." One of the neighbours jerked a thumb at the pair of terrified police cadets huddled on the lawn. "Fat lot of good they were." Like Kyu, both girls were young and pretty, sporting fair skin and flowing hair suited for fashion models, not beat cops. One was lying on the grass and howling through tears while her partner wrapped a bandage gauze around her slashed leg.

"Deep breaths, Ginger. They said back up's on the wa-"

"Back up? What're they gonna do, Cicely, pheromone it to death? Bacchus' backside, I'm a relationship manager not a monster wrangler! I didn't sign up for this shit! Tell Trixie I am done! I am -" she fixed a dirty glare. "What're you staring at, four-eyes?"

Nikki averted her gaze. Why do they keep sending rookies to these huge crime scenes? Panic frothed over the crowd of neighbours, divided between comforting the shaken parents and trying to help the injured officers, and Nikki could feel the jitters infecting her as well. All these people hurt or panicked; where to begin?

At her side, Celeste appraised the crowd – the nattering parents, the useless officers – and she stormed around them all to get to the heart of the problem, kneeling before the sobbing girl they'd forgotten.

"Are you hurt, child?"

"Toby! The bad doggie's gonna get Toby!" She was barely five years old and wailing to the sky. "I wa-wan' my Toby!"

"Shh." Celeste patted the girl's head and let her sob into her chest until she calmed. Nikki remembered Tiffany saying something about 'getting on a child's level' as the best way to address them. "Who is Toby?"

"My kitty." Celeste looked to Nikki for clarification.

"A cat. It's a domesticated animal."

Celeste nodded and addressed the girl. "Child, have your parents told you the stories of the Koru-Shikai?" The girl was clueless but Celeste had her attention.

"The Koru-Shikai, the -" she searched for an easier translation, "- the Night Wraith. It is a creature from ancient fables told across the Corvalis system. The Night Wraith is a being of shadow: teeth like knives, twisted horns and eyes that glow yellow like the stars. Legends say that the Night Wraith listens for the prayers of young children who have been wronged. That it visits the wicked in their sleep and spirits them away. Once the Night Wraith is loosed, it hunts its victims to the grave."

Celeste placed an arm on the child's shoulder. "Has Toby been a good kitty?"

The girl nodded, and then gasped as Celeste lifted her cap to reveal her horns.

"Then I will bring him back to you."

Celeste fixed her disguise and marched to the father. "Have all humans been evacuated from the premises?" Her phrasing weirded him out but the authority of her voice didn't give him room to argue.

"Well, yeah, my family's all out here. It's just my daughter's cat that we missed."

Celeste nodded. "Take the crowd and move everyone across the street. I will need security clearance to access your dwelling."

"She wants your house keys," Nikki clarified.

"What's going on here? Are you people from animal control?"

Then he and the entire crowd drew back as Celeste reached into her bag and removed her folded-up rifle, snapping it to full length like an umbrella.

"I am the exterminator."

Nikki followed Celeste through the back door, quietly and with the laser rifle leading the party. She moved and stopped on the Norai's signals, keeping ever so cautious even though their prey was anything but subtle. Vicious barking exploded from the basement, followed by the yowl of a distressed cat and the clatter of glass.

Celeste had a second hummingbird remote that she flew down the stairs as an advance scout, piloting it directly with her keyboard glove and displaying its camera sightlines from her wrist-mounded projector. The basement's impressive home theatre lay in ruins: a cracked big-screen TV, chewed up leather couches; the handiwork of a feral animal. A whip of motion came from the DVD bookcases. Celeste adjusted the camera and centered on the garduk, every bit as hideous as Nikki remembered with its see-through skin and its steak knife teeth twisted in a bloody grin. The alien monster prowled and pawed at the bookcases while, at the top, a growling puffball of a cat hissed and spat at its predator.

"Guess they're not much for climbing," Nikki mused. Pity the garduk didn't realize this. It clawed and leapt at the shelves for a purchase and, though its paws failed to hook in, its weight was enough to get the unit wobbling and crashing to the ground. At the last minute, Toby leapt to the adjacent shelf, scrambling to drag its fat bottom to safety. Only two shelves remained upright. Just watching the video standoff got Nikki shuddering.

"It learns quickly," Celeste noted. "I believe Audrey would declare it a clever son of a bitch."

Nikki's scrunched her face like she'd gagged on a mouthful of worms.

"That was a jest," Celeste explained.

"Don't. Just don't. You sound wrong saying that."

Celeste quirked an eyebrow. "Have I angered you?"

"Me? Oh, I'm fine. I mean, sorry for not being spectacular or incredible like Audrey."

"Nicole, I am –" but then the garduk toppled another bookcase, leaving their lost cat on its final ledge. Celeste stripped off her gloves and handed them over. "Remain here. I will deal with this."

I bet you'd take Audrey with you, Nikki sulked. "You're not gonna splatter it all over the floor, are you?"

"No," Celeste replied, dialing down the humming gun to a soft 'stun' setting. "I want this one intact."

"Be care-" but then Celeste gave the signal for silence and inched down the stairs, shutting the door behind her. Nikki balked at the indignity of being left out until she remembered the glove.

If I can't get in on the action, at least I can watch!

Wearing Celeste's oversized glove made her look like a kid trying on mom's clothes, but she quickly found the keys needed to rotate the hovering drone, backing it up for a nice wide shot: on one end, the stupid, slobbering garduk clawing at the bookshelves; on the other, Celeste creeping down the final step and locking the beast in her sights. The hunter adjusted her scope, steadied her weapon and took a deep breath. She and Nikki exhaled in unison.

A bolt of plasma struck the garduk off its feet, knocking it across the floor and behind a torn-up couch. Celeste paused, listened for its winded breathing, and then marched across the room to finish the job. Game over, bitch, Nikki fist-pumped.

With an angry roar, the garduk leapt over the couch and tackled Celeste to the ground.

Nikki yelped and her fingers jerked at the keyboard, spinning the camera wildly. Cries and snarls erupted from below but she couldn't see what was happening! God dammit, crappy cameras even screw up real life! Nikki mashed at the keys until she got a proper angle, and what she saw turned her pale.

Celeste was pinned against the floor, her rifle held two-handed like a combat staff and jammed between the garduk's snarling jaws. It took all her strength to fight back the press of teeth and all the while the monster's claws were sinking into her shoulders and scratching at her legs.

Oh god, what do I do? "The remote!" Maybe she could zoom in close, distract it! "Hey, over here! Come get me!" The garduk's translucent flesh magnified in and out as she drove around its head like a horsefly. She even took a page from Cogni's book and rammed the flying camera into the dog-monster's skull.

Furious at the tiny metal mosquito, the garduk snapped its jaws at Nikki's screen. The image fizzled out. From downstairs came an alien roar, the sharp thwack of metal smacking flesh and a canine yelp. Then quiet.

"Celeste?" Nikki mashed at the keyboard but the remote wouldn't respond. "Celeste, are you okay?" She scanned the kitchen for a weapon, grabbed a rolling pin and tore open the basement door. "Celeste, I'm coming!"

Dark. She hadn't realized the basement lights were off; the remote must have been set for night vision. She had just enough light from the staircase to see outlines of the winded combatants: Celeste, panting on her back, the garduk whinnying on its side; her rifle and several knocked-out fangs between them.

The stairs creaked under Nikki's weight. The garduk's nostrils twitched and its broken, bloody jaws honed in on the human at the stairs. It leapt and Nikki found herself back on the beach, staring into an abyss of teeth and tongue.

Then the lunging jaws snap-stopped and slammed to the ground. Nikki and the garduk turned to stare at its hind leg, snatched up in a blue fist that had shot out from the shadows. A monster with twisted horns and yellow eyes loomed over the beast.

"Not her," it snarled, eyes dark and furious. "Not ever."

Once a fierce predator, the garduk now whimpered like a terrified pup, clawing and scrabbling at the floor as the Night Wraith reeled it in into the shadows like a fish on a hook, yanking it into the air and squeezing hands around its neck. Nikki hid her eyes, but her ears heard it all: the clenching of powerful muscles, the choking and gagging of a desperate animal, and then the sharp crack of bones.

When her eyes opened and noticed the light switch, electric bulbs drove away the monsters. The garduk's body lay limp on the floor and Celeste was curled up against the wall, her berserker rage traded for tired panting.

"Celeste, are you –"

"Medical kit," the Norai grunted. Her sweater had been clawed up around her stomach and three parallel slashes raked into her flesh. Only surface cuts, but enough to begin seeping dark blood. Nikki raced to deliver her knapsack and the hunter wasted no time gathering her tools: A strip of metal to clamp between her teeth, a medical laser to burn each wound shut.

Nikki could feel her heart beating in her throat. She hadn't lifted a finger in battle but tremors still ran up her arms. And there was Celeste, casually cauterizing her own wounds like she was tying her shoelaces.

Audrey would get her a bottle of booze for disinfectant. Heck, even Tiffany could help out with first aid. This made twice she'd been save by the hunter. She needed to do something useful. "I'll get the cat," she offered.

The gray puffball was huddled in a corner, where it hissed and raised its hackles as Nikki knelt and offered her palm. "Hey guy, it's oka-HEY!"

Nikki jerked back her fingers, gaping at the red marks dug by cat claws. "What the heck, I'm trying to –"

To help? Well three big cheers for you, Nic-hoe! You can't even get a dumb cat to like you; no wonder she likes Audrey more than you!

She had to be brave. Celeste had just snapped the neck of a wild animal like it was nothing. She couldn't break down over a little cut; she couldn't let her eyes well up. She couldn't -

The sobbing came quick and hard. A scratch; a god-damn scratch broke her and now she was crying and curling in a ball like a soft and whiny pre-schooler! She really was pathetic!

But for some bizarre reason, Celeste didn't ignore her in disgust. She could hear the alien scooting across the floor and sitting at her side; heard her tear a strip from her sleeve and felt the unexpected warmth of a hand grabbing her own to wrap a makeshift tourniquet around her fingers.

"You need to apply pressure," Celeste instructed, calm and in the moment.

Nikki wrenched her hand free. "I can't do this. You were right, I shouldn't be here! I'm just going to screw everything up and drag you down!"

She expected Celeste to slap her across the face, give her an 'I told you so' and walk away forever. Instead, Nikki felt a powerful arm caressing her shoulders, then pulling her back and off-balance until she rested gently against the alien's body. Celeste nestled Nikki's head against her shoulder, inviting her to cry.

"The first hunt always shakes us."

So warm. Celeste's arm around her shoulder felt so powerful and secure, like nothing in the world could shake her. She didn't deserve this.

"I lied to you," Nikki whimpered. "I'm not a government ambassador. I don't work for any special agencies or know anything about aliens."

Celeste nodded. "I suspected as much." Nikki looked into her golden eyes that somehow found a way to smile through the pain.

"So why didn't you call me out on my bullshit?"

"I've used your tactic far too often to criticize it. Not all the galaxy is as admiring of bounty hunters as you humans. There's a reason I'm called the Night Wraith and not the Ashito Tai – the Blessed Savior."

"Besides that," she added, suddenly avoiding eye contact, "I was curious about you."

Curious? Probably just a novelty, she reasoned. What interest did a puny human barista hold for a bounty hunter who'd journeyed across the stars? Nikki let the comment slide and they sat a while longer. Then Celeste's curiosity prompted her on.

"How did you access Rondarr's ship without government documentation?"

So Nikki told her about the favour she'd called in, the last-minute disguise she'd thrown together and once more she found a way to make the alien laugh.

"You are a resourceful woman, to accomplish all that on your own."

"I'm nobody," Nikki refuted. "I serve drinks at a crappy café and I can't even do that right."

"You are observant," Celeste countered. "Calm when under pressure. Aboard my ship you found a means for us to communicate. When we lost our quarry you accessed your human networks to continue the hunt." She pointed to the chewed remains of her camera bird. "When I found myself overwhelmed, you provided the distraction I needed to escape the beast. You are capable of so much, Nicole. Never belittle yourself."

"I guess..." Darn it, now she was starting to smile. Cuddling up against Celeste felt so reassuring and right, like she had slipped into a blissful bubble bath and could shed all of her worries. I have such a crush on you.

"Crush?"

Oh god, had she said that aloud? Nikki stuttered about for a course correction but Celeste's only reaction was to chuckle at her strange flailing.

"Rest assured, I'm in no discomfort from your grip."

Ah. Right. Non-literal expressions. Saved by the bell, Nic-hoe. "Maybe we should get going."

But before she could rise, Celeste's fingers slipped around her wrist and tugged her close. Heat spread through Nikki's cheeks. What the -?

The older woman traced her fingers over Nikki's tiny digits, and though the touch electrified her brain, her muscles went limp as putty. Easy clay for Celeste to mold into a fist. "Always present your fist when you approach a strange animal. Better to take a blow on your knuckles than your digits."

Oh. Yeah, the cat. Nikki received a little push forward - Try again. Taking a deep breath, she knelt and offered her closed fist for Toby to sniff. The cat growled, but then took a cautious whiff of her skin, and then rubbed its head over Nikki's hand, purring affection.

"I did it!"

The smile Celeste gave was like sunshine after a long night. Nikki ducked her head sheepishly and pretended she hadn't glimpsed the hunter hissing and baring her teeth to terrify the uppity cat into submission. Her stomach fidgeted restlessly, hungry for that smile to continue.

When Nikki stepped out of the house with the cat curled to her chest, she exited into a hero's welcome. Much to her discomfort, the parents and neighbours crowded around, peppering her with pats on the back and excited questions. In the ensuing chaos, her cat ward squirmed from her grip, bounding across the lawn and into his little owner's arms.

"Toby!"

Then Celeste exited and her slam of the door killed the festivities. One arm dragged a knapsack with her protruding gun, the other hefted a black body bag over her shoulder. Each onlooker fell silent and backed from her path like a repulsed magnet, instinctively knowing not to cross her.

Everyone except for the injured police cadet, embarrassed and furious that a civilian had stolen her thunder. She pushed aside her fretting partner and limped over to confront Celeste.

"Where do you think you're going? Put that down, that's official police evidence!"

Celeste turned slowly, bringing her near six-foot frame to bear on the pixie-sized rookie. The alien's clothes were still tattered, her scars on full display and her eyes beamed out a look of simmering irritation, the kind of glare an exhausted mother gave when being nattered at by young children. Do you really want to try my patience?

Hit with the full blast of Celeste's glower, the girl whimpered.

"Or, I mean, you could hold onto it, I guess."

The rookie hobbled away fast as a marathon runner, while her more level-headed partner tiptoed through the crowd and offered Nikki a pat on the back and a winning smile.

"We appreciate the back up."

Like Kyu, her touch lingered awkwardly. Nikki excused herself from her admirers to help Celeste secure the bag on the vespa's storage rack.

"So they'll pay you for the body?"

"Three thousand datari for exterminating an invasive species outside its ecosystem. As proof, heads or torsos are preferred."

Nikki spared a glance at the police cadets, now grandstanding at the assembled neighbours and telling them to "move along, all clear" like this was their victory. Another arrow in Anton's 'no conspiracies' quiver. These Barbie doll bimbos couldn't manipulate their way out of a paper bag!

"I'm guessing you don't get a lot of thanks for your work."

Celeste gave another 'I'm used to it' shrug. "Among the Confederacy races, there are many stories extolling the brutal deeds of the Koru-Shikai, praising them for the justice only they could deliver. The stories all end in the same manner: once a Night Wraith has accomplished its bidding it is driven away, cast back to the shadows."

Didn't that tune sound familiar? Hey, Nikki, wanna partner up on this project? Hey, Nic-hoe, you're smart; help me with this math question! Then, Um, excuse me, who gave you permission to sit with us? The losers' table is thataway.

"Assholes." She was beginning to understand why Audrey's praise and attention had meant so much to the hunter.

"We should depart," Celeste informed her. "Three garduk still remain."

"Yeah, just a second. Just gotta check my phone." Nikki turned her back and put her impromptu plan into motion. It wasn't fair, the way Celeste gave so much and got so little in return. She deserved more. To make that happen, maybe she had to call upon a Night Wraith of her own.

=Hey Audrey, Celeste wants to hang out tonight. Text me your plans.=

The reply was instantaneous, as though the she-devil had been hovering over the phone to pounce.

=F-k yah! We gonna par-T hRd 2night!= Mephistopheles wasted no time drawing stray souls into her web.

"You are smiling," Celeste observed as she tucked away her phone and straddled the bike.

"Just got a good feeling about tonight," Nikki replied, gunning the engine and steering them into the city core. In the vespa's rear-view mirror, a little girl ran to the curb, squeezing a helpless cat to her chest and waving them off with all her might.

"Thanks for saving Toby, scary lady!"

Tilting the mirror ever so slightly, Nikki confirmed that Celeste was smiling too.