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“Maybe later. Your side looks worse the more you move around and I know she’ll want to focus on getting you healed.”
I look down and sure enough, I’m bleeding through the fabric. “No wonder it was hurting like a slarka’s bite.”
Nilt looks up at the sky, through the leaves above us. “There’s Quin. He sends he’s bringing back the lighter items found earlier.”
Thank Origins for small fortunes. “Good. I’m looking forward to the replicator’s improvements.”
“So am I.”
We’re quiet, taking each step as it comes. I shove aside the pain and ignore the dizziness when I have to lift my leg over a higher root. Quin lands, walks with us, and says he’s sorry every so often, but like the ache spreading through me, I let apologies pass. Neither one of us can change what I need to do at the moment.
At long last, though it’s not been ages at all, we’re at the cavern’s mouth. Jessica runs up to me, her eyes glazed. I grin because now I know how she felt when we communicated silently around her. “No secrets,” I tease her.
“No, there aren’t any.” She puts an arm around me to support my flagging body. “Just Nilt keeping me updated on your progress.”
“How are you liking them so far? Let me live vicariously, if you don’t mind.”
Jessica chuckles. “I can see why you love them. Nanos are amazing and useful. I like leaving Quin’s fingerprints all over the datalinks on my queries so I don’t look so stupid to the administrators.”
I laugh, then regret doing so when the pain in my side radiates through my torso. Jessica goes ahead of me in the tunnel as Nilt brings up our rear. “I think they have more important tasks. If the rumors are true, there’s an influx of Earthers with nanos at the moment.”
“Not just me, then?”
“Origins, no,” Nilt says. “Look up Tardar Nest, then the numbers on the current abductions.”
“I know the current stats on the abductions, but Tardar Nest? Never heard of it…oh.” She’s quiet, learning of our colony for Sixth worlders back when there were only a few thousand. “So Earther nanos are a recent thing and we don’t even get bionans? That sucks.”
“Most people don’t need them,” Nilt tells her, bringing me a glass of water. “The only reason we know about them is from Cinq.”
I lift the glass before drinking. I didn’t realize how parched I was until now and down it all. “Thanks.”
Jessica takes the container and goes back to the replicator. “You’ll probably need more.”
“You’re not using fetched water?” I ask. “Using replicator water seems overly cautious.”
“The only reason I’m not upset about your injuries is you arrived here on your own feet.” She gives me another drink. “Okay, two reasons. Nilt warned me you were bad.”
“Looks worse than what it is,” I say, gulping another glass. The liquid helps. “I’m good, thank you,” I tell her before taking the glass to the replicator myself.
Or try to. She takes it from my hand. “No, you’re going to rest and start your healing process.”
“You’re not going to undress me and nurse me back to health?” I tease, although sex play seems painful right now.
Jessica shakes her head and I swear her skin seems to turn a little green. “God no. I’m scientific but not medical. I’d pass out when you started bleeding.”
“Never mind, then.” I grin at her laugh, not wanting to chuckle and tear the fabric from my wound again.
Quin comes over. “Lucky for you, I have a little emergency medical knowledge.”
“Plus, the nanos,” Nilt adds.
“Them too.” Quin takes the condiments and empty glass from the tabletop. “Get comfortable so we can bandage up your stun blast.”
I’ve been dreading this, dreading how they’ll have to remove the seared tunic from my melted skin. But, I do as he’s said, wincing as my body strains to get on the table. Jessica helps me with an outstretched hand but doesn’t look at my injury. I ignore the pain and settle in on top of the hard surface.
Jessica pulls off my shoes as Quin approaches with an analgesic syringe spray and a small knife. She takes his wrist. “Don’t you all have scissors?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Quin says, pausing. “What are scissors?”
