Regency
Base.
“Captain
Tayte, you will remain inside Tidel 44 and await the arrival of the Legion
of Mercy. You will hand Vall over to them, and they will bring the young
man here. Once you are deemed healthy enough to resume your captain’s chair,
you will head for the Gar Corja system, and the outer border of the Ben Objuria
galaxy. Find where the Objurian crafts that attacked Precorut went and follow
them, but do not, do not, engage them. If they challenge you, back away.
But you will make it very clear you will remain on guard, watching them, and
staying with them until Vall is delivered to Regency Base.
“Reply to
this transmission via regular protocol. You have done an admirable job, Captain
Tayte. Carry on. Regent Byms signing off.”
Chapter Twelve
Insight
It was several
hours later before Killjorn rubbed her burning eyes. It had been a disastrously
long day, and she needed rest. Or else she could make a mistake that could be
fatal for her patients.
She yawned and
walked from her office directly into the medical bay for one last look at the
woman floating in her healing aura. Willis was asleep, which was good. The
Captain had a stubborn streak that made her one of the most successful Nion
captains, but it could also test the most beneficent spirit.
Leaving the
unit, the physician entered the outer room of the bay, when she spotted the
figure sitting still and silent in the far corner. At first, she felt a twinge
of alarm, and her armor briefly flared in the low light. The glow was enough
for her to recognize the young man.
“Vall?”
The figure
lifted his head.
“Were you
asleep over there?”
She crossed the
room and extended a hand down to him. The young man accepted it as he got to
his feet.
“Will.”
Killjorn
instantly understood. “You want to see the Captain one last time before
you retire? I can relate. I did the same thing just a moment ago.”
She re-entered
the inner room and stopped beside Will’s unit. Vall halted beside her and
stared down at the unconscious figure wrapped from head to toe, totally
unrecognizable at first glance. Killjorn watched his reaction, waiting for any
questions he may have. What she heard surprised her.
“My
fault.”
“No. It’s
not your fault,” she softly corrected him. She sat down on the warm plated
floor and patted the spot next to her. Vall obediently joined her, crossing his
long legs in front of him. At this angle, Will’s body floated just above their
heads. When Killjorn propped her elbow on her knee, and her chin in her palm,
she could comfortably watch the Captain sleeping.
“Is
she…hurting?”
“No. Not
now. I have her on meds that are allowing her body to regenerate its skin
without pain.”
Vall never took
his eyes off the figure encased it its blue healing aura. There was no telling
what he might be thinking, but Killjorn figured some of it had to be self-deprecating.
“You know,
she was very lucky it occurred here on the ship.”
Vall bowed his
head. His hands lay still on his lap.
“Did you
know a Nion warship is better equipped to handle stripping than any medical bay
on any Regency-held colony or outpost? Only on Nion, our home planet, could she
find better treatment.”
This time, she
got his attention. He looked at her, as if silently asking her how.
Killjorn smiled
gently. “When we first took to space, we knew the loss of our shields
would be our worst injury, outside of death. So each ship was equipped with
every medical necessity in the event of such an accident.” She waved a
hand around the bay. “I can handle up to four patients at one time, and
take care of them until their skin has regenerated.”
“What if
there are more?” He spoke softly, slowly, as if verbalizing was an effort.
“I can
hospitalize the entire crew, if need be, until more warships arrive to help. Or
until we reach a Regency Base. Of course, if the whole crew, with the exception
of myself, ended up being stripped of
Base.
“Captain
Tayte, you will remain inside Tidel 44 and await the arrival of the Legion
of Mercy. You will hand Vall over to them, and they will bring the young
man here. Once you are deemed healthy enough to resume your captain’s chair,
you will head for the Gar Corja system, and the outer border of the Ben Objuria
galaxy. Find where the Objurian crafts that attacked Precorut went and follow
them, but do not, do not, engage them. If they challenge you, back away.
But you will make it very clear you will remain on guard, watching them, and
staying with them until Vall is delivered to Regency Base.
“Reply to
this transmission via regular protocol. You have done an admirable job, Captain
Tayte. Carry on. Regent Byms signing off.”
Chapter Twelve
Insight
It was several
hours later before Killjorn rubbed her burning eyes. It had been a disastrously
long day, and she needed rest. Or else she could make a mistake that could be
fatal for her patients.
She yawned and
walked from her office directly into the medical bay for one last look at the
woman floating in her healing aura. Willis was asleep, which was good. The
Captain had a stubborn streak that made her one of the most successful Nion
captains, but it could also test the most beneficent spirit.
Leaving the
unit, the physician entered the outer room of the bay, when she spotted the
figure sitting still and silent in the far corner. At first, she felt a twinge
of alarm, and her armor briefly flared in the low light. The glow was enough
for her to recognize the young man.
“Vall?”
The figure
lifted his head.
“Were you
asleep over there?”
She crossed the
room and extended a hand down to him. The young man accepted it as he got to
his feet.
“Will.”
Killjorn
instantly understood. “You want to see the Captain one last time before
you retire? I can relate. I did the same thing just a moment ago.”
She re-entered
the inner room and stopped beside Will’s unit. Vall halted beside her and
stared down at the unconscious figure wrapped from head to toe, totally
unrecognizable at first glance. Killjorn watched his reaction, waiting for any
questions he may have. What she heard surprised her.
“My
fault.”
“No. It’s
not your fault,” she softly corrected him. She sat down on the warm plated
floor and patted the spot next to her. Vall obediently joined her, crossing his
long legs in front of him. At this angle, Will’s body floated just above their
heads. When Killjorn propped her elbow on her knee, and her chin in her palm,
she could comfortably watch the Captain sleeping.
“Is
she…hurting?”
“No. Not
now. I have her on meds that are allowing her body to regenerate its skin
without pain.”
Vall never took
his eyes off the figure encased it its blue healing aura. There was no telling
what he might be thinking, but Killjorn figured some of it had to be self-deprecating.
“You know,
she was very lucky it occurred here on the ship.”
Vall bowed his
head. His hands lay still on his lap.
“Did you
know a Nion warship is better equipped to handle stripping than any medical bay
on any Regency-held colony or outpost? Only on Nion, our home planet, could she
find better treatment.”
This time, she
got his attention. He looked at her, as if silently asking her how.
Killjorn smiled
gently. “When we first took to space, we knew the loss of our shields
would be our worst injury, outside of death. So each ship was equipped with
every medical necessity in the event of such an accident.” She waved a
hand around the bay. “I can handle up to four patients at one time, and
take care of them until their skin has regenerated.”
“What if
there are more?” He spoke softly, slowly, as if verbalizing was an effort.
“I can
hospitalize the entire crew, if need be, until more warships arrive to help. Or
until we reach a Regency Base. Of course, if the whole crew, with the exception
of myself, ended up being stripped of
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