Lost Planet 01 - The Lost Planet by Rachel Searles

for steamgel. You’re going to need a lasobind.” He pulled a bandage from his satchel and pressed it on Parker’s forehead, helping him to his feet. “Come on, kid. You’ve earned yourself a trip to the medical center.”
    Chase kept his head tipped down and didn’t look the soldier in the eyes as they boarded the hovercraft. A practical side of him insisted it was silly to constantly think he might be recognized, but the memory of the soldiers who’d chased them on Mircona was still too fresh in his mind to take any risks. He crouched in the back of the vehicle as they flew into the deep shaft and zipped past rows of docked vehicles, cool air rushing through the open hovercraft.
    Parker glared at him with one eye, pressing the soaked bandage to his head. “Thanks for warning me there was something in the way.”
    Chase gave Parker a pat on the shoulder. “Sorry about that. I guess I was running too fast.” Inside, he fidgeted, wondering how long it would be until they could get away from this soldier and look for Maurus and Mina.
    â€œHey, am I going to have a scar?” Parker asked, raising his voice.
    The medic turned from the front, where he sat beside the Fleet soldier. “No, but you might have a concussion. You’ll have to get a scan.”
    The hovercraft emerged from the portshaft into muted daylight. Chase wasn’t sure how many hours had passed since they’d left Trucon, but based on how exhausted and hungry he felt, it was at least the middle of the night for him. Here on Qesaris, it looked like early morning. They flew into an endless forest of gray buildings and headed around an enormous, circular structure with grand arched entryways. Throngs of people milled in and out of the building, and even from where they flew, Chase saw expressions of shock, grief, anger, resignation—an overall atmosphere of misery and loss. He tried to look for Maurus, but instead his gaze was caught by a sobbing woman clutching the arm of the grim-faced man beside her, while a few feet away an older man with a white beard screamed at the sky. Soldiers in gray uniforms milled through the crowds around them.
    They soared away from the stadium and down a street buzzing with sky traffic, darting between vehicles as they sped ahead. Tall skyscrapers hemmed them in on either side, disappearing into a smoggy haze above. After a few turns and one very long stretch, they pulled up outside a monstrous building. Its exterior was several shades darker than most other buildings, and covered almost the entire block, looming over the street. Half the windows were covered in metal bars.
    The medic jumped off the hovercraft and led them inside the dark building into a lobby packed with confused, angry people. He looked around, shaking his head. “What a mess. Just, uh, get in line here, and someone will come take care of you.”
    â€œGet in line ?” asked Parker. “I could die of a concussion before I get helped.”
    The medic rolled his eyes. “You’ll be fine.” He turned and left, abandoning them in the middle of the chaos.
    A group of soldiers entered the lobby and began weaving through the crowd. Chase lowered his head and tried to casually block his face with his hand. “We need to get out of here,” he said under his breath.
    â€œWhat, you think I’m okay to go?” Parker said loudly, lifting the bandage to reveal the oozing gash on his forehead. “Does it look good to you?”
    Chase winced. “Alright, yeah. You need to get that looked at.”
    â€œThey’re probably only going to make me check in, but if they ask you, don’t try to give your real name this time—you’re still Corbin Mason, and I’m your brother.”
    â€œShouldn’t you change your name too?”
    â€œYou’re right. I’ll be Livingston Mason.”
    â€œLivingston?”
    â€œYou have a better