Chapter Ten
As Maggie faded in and out of twilight sleep, her lashes fluttered open enough to see a man at the foot of her bed. She blinked, but it did help her to focus on his blurry features. It was likely Kanei. After assisting with her first teleportation, he’d visited her every day since, and made some not-so-subtle mentions of a possible match between them. She told him as politely as she could she wasn’t interested in him or any man, Primarian or otherwise. But he was persistent, yet at the same time kind and attentive. Having him near should have brought her comfort, but it didn’t.
She felt edgy, and hot, like she had a high fever. And even though she fought it, not ready to fade into the unconsciousness of sleep again, her eyelids wouldn’t stay open.
Walking down a long, shadowed hall, another man emerged as though from a fog. “Come to me,” he whispered, his hand outstretched in invitation.
“Roth,” she called softly as she moved forward.
“The female keeps asking for the commander,” a muffled male voice said from far off. Searching for the sound, she turned toward it, seeing nothing except hazy darkness.
“It’s the strong analgesics.” This came from a second man, also not known to her. Speaking more clearly, as if standing next to her, he added, “The commander is away on a mission, Maggie, but has been notified of your illness.”
Confused, as to why they would do this when she wasn’t his mate, she turned back to Roth. Now standing in front of her, he smiled, brushing her cheek with his fingertips. “Everything will be all right, purrada. Sleep now.”
She angled her face into his touch. As she did, she suddenly drifted away, her body floating. Calling his name, she reached for him with an outstretched hand, but he was already fading into the murky shadows.
“Stay with me,” she called, yet he slipped further away, and disappeared in the mist.
“I’m not going anywhere.” The stranger’s voice interrupted once more. This time, when she opened her eyes, she saw a bearded man dressed in black and white, standing beside her bed. “I’ll increase the fluids to help the drug-induced haze pass more quickly. Try to sleep some more and when you wake, your mind should be clearer.”
Drug induced.
That explained why for the first time in days, the pain was gone entirely. Instead, she felt numb; but oddly restless. Drifting in and out of the persistent fog, feeling slightly on edge and not knowing why. She heard male voices, and footsteps coming and going, but didn’t have the strength to open her eyes again.
After what seemed like an eternity trapped in the restive haze, she felt something warm lightly brush her temple as a low, velvety voice murmured, “Sleep, little captain, I’m here.”
With the reassurance of those words and his gentle touch, she quieted, and her troubled mind eased. The twitchy edginess instantly began to dissipate, and her body relaxed as coaxing hands eased her into sweet oblivion.
***
Coming abruptly awake, Maggie didn’t move for a moment, taking in the rows of dimmed lights in the ceiling above her. They were unfamiliar, so she raised her head, glancing around to get her bearings. A man was at her bedside holding a tablet, his fingers flying over the screen.
“Back with us, are you?” he asked with a friendly smile. Only his eyes shifted her way as he continued with his task.
“Barely,” she replied, sounding raspy from the dryness of her throat.
“A bit groggy?”
“Yes,” she answered, rubbing her temples. “And I dreamed, but they were mixed with reality. You were in them, I think.”
“I have been with you all night, so that’s possible.”
“Where am I?”
“In my med-bay. I am Jarlan, the lead physic. You were brought in very ill from an abdominal infection.”
“Last night?” Bits and pieces of the formal dinner were returning, as was the memory of the searing pain in her side.
“Yes, when the Primmum brought you in.”
“The who?”
At this, he put down his tablet and leaned over her. With a gentle touch, he began examining her, starting by shining a light in her eyes.
“Can you tell me your name and where you are from?”
“Captain Magda Vohlmer from the Earth ship Odyssey, of the United States Interstellar Forces. Or at least, I used to be. I figured you would know that.”
“I do,” he admitted with a smile. “I was checking to see if you did. You seem rather muddled. Krager, the Primmum Ectus, is the first successor to the Princep. You should have learned that in your orientation curriculum. Or were you too ill to attend?”
She shrugged, not willing to tell him she had only been half listening, more focused on a solution to their current problem than learning about a society and people they planned to leave behind.
“I remember now,” she lied. “I’m a bit fuzzy-headed. Your medicines are potent.”
“Indeed.”
“And I don’t care for the side effects.”
He quirked a brow. “Other than the disorientation, can you tell me what you experienced? We have found our medicines have a varied effect on you Earth females.”
“It wasn’t unlike the opiates we use at home.”
“Opiates?”
“Yes, derived from a flower, we use it as a painkiller. It relieves even severe discomfort quickly, but the trade-off is feeling heavy-limbed and obtunded. It alters the thinking, making one see and hear things that aren’t there.” Like Roth visiting, kissing her temple, and comforting her. It couldn’t have been true because he was away, and if he weren’t, he wouldn’t have cared anyway.
Fortunately, in her delirium, she’d been convinced he did, and as soon as her dream-Roth had come to her, she had finally rested.
“Hallucinations,” the doctor was saying, drawing her back into the discussion. “That is disturbing and not a common response with Primarians. I’ll make a note of it, perhaps if we reduce the dosage or change the medication entirely.” He tapped his finger alongside his chin then made an entry into his tablet. “And your abdomen? Any pain or discomfort? You do recall I performed a procedure to remove the infection?”
“Vaguely. It was my appendix, wasn’t it?”
“According to the medical files we accessed from the computer on your ship, yes. And, Juna, your doctor, was quite an asset. She wasn’t familiar with our techniques or equipment, but her knowledge of your anatomy was what we were lacking. Although it isn’t dissimilar to our own, we don’t have one of those nuisance appendixes.”
Maggie’s hands gingerly touched her belly.
“Are you having distress?” the observant man inquired, closely following her movements.
“No, I was checking for a dressing.”
“There is no need. You are healed.”
Her hand moved beneath her gown, stroking over her skin, finding no incision or scar of any kind. “How is it possible to heal from major surgery so quickly?”
His face showed his surprise. “This was an inordinately long recovery time. An hour is standard, at most half a day. We have healing accelerants that are very effective and rather than lasers, as Juna mentioned, we use… Well, needless to say, our technology has moved well beyond beams of monochromatic light to cure the body. But adjustments need to be made since we are finding your species more, uh, delicate than we are.”
She smiled at his politeness despite the unintended smack of arrogance on his part. “Considering most of you are like giants to us, I suppose we do seem more fragile.”
“Yes, and that is why we have an entire team studying your physiology and responses. Although I regret your sudden illness, what we learned was invaluable.”
“I’m so glad you could use me as your guinea pig.”
His white brows drew together. “I don’t understand the reference.”
“It’s not important,” she replied with a slight wave. “When can I go?”
“Within the hour, when your escort arrives. You should rest and recover; there may be residual dizziness until the drugs have completely passed from your system. I will see you back in three days for a reevaluation. After that, if there are no complications, you will be released to regular activity.”
“It’s a shame you can’t share your technology with our doctors at home; much suffering could be eliminated.”
“I would also like to learn from them. Your physic is very competent, although she admits there are limitations to her expertise, especially when it comes to interspecies compatibility and reproductive health. I suppose with an all-female crew, skill in reproduction was not a priority. Access to your database will save us time and unnecessary trial-and-error research when the females begin conceiving.”
“You Primarians have a very uniform focus.”
He glanced at her. “My apologies for being clinical, but my focus has changed greatly in the past few weeks. As the lead physic, and having the ear of the Princep, I have had time to think of nothing other than the new group of females suddenly thrust into my care. I mean to ensure you are all kept healthy.” He shut off his tablet and tucked it under his arm. “I have other patients to check on.”
“Jarlan.” He stepped to the foot of her bed and peered around the partition. A technician rushed in. “There is an emergency, an accident in the mines.”
“Injuries?”
“Yes,” the flushed and agitated man replied, “but we don’t know how many yet. There was an explosion and a roof collapse. Rescue teams are still digging, searching for survivors.”
“Maker have mercy,” the older man breathed. As an afterthought, he patted Maggie on the arm. “Rest for the next few days, and I will see you at our appointment.” He then hurried out, hammering questions at the man as they went.
She watched them go, wondering if this would affect the escort who was scheduled to take her to her apartment. A mine explosion certainly seemed like an all-hands-on-deck situation.
Left to her own devices for the first time in days, she was unsure what to do first. She sat up, flipped back the warming blanket, and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, intent on doing a bit of snooping. As soon as she stood, a wave of nausea struck. With a hand to her mouth and the other clamped over her stomach, she eased onto the bed once again.
Maggie closed her eyes, inhaling long and slow to settle herself, and decided more sleep was what she needed for the effects of the drugs to clear her still-swimmy head.
Curling onto her side, she settled quietly. It seemed as if only a few seconds had passed when footsteps roused her.
“Mags.”
Instantly alerted by the nickname that only her closest friends used, she lifted her head and stared in surprise at Rebecca, who stood at the foot of her bed, watching her expectantly. Even more shocking was the presence of her three companions: Yolanda, Britha—her communication officer’s twin. Yes, Britta and Britha, what were their parents thinking?—and Eryn, whom she hadn’t seen since before the landing party left for SperoMP13.
“Eryn, thank God,” she breathed as she rolled over and sat up. “I’ve been so worried.”
“I’m good, Mags,” she assured her, with the barest hint of a smile.
Maggie wasn’t convinced. She’d known Eryn for years. Always, her personality was as vibrant as her coppery hair and brilliant blue eyes. Model-gorgeous, she was usually described as radiant and lively, never pale and withdrawn, but that’s what she was now. She also appeared tired, her face drawn. And oddly, although having been mated for weeks, she was unchanged, same eyes and hair, with no visible markings that Maggie could see. Lana and Mai had been distinctly altered, and they both seemed content, with a discernible spark, which they attributed to their mating and transformation.
She saw none of this with Eryn. Something wasn’t adding up.
When Maggie started to say something, though unsure where to begin, Britha stopped her. “We’ll have to catch up later, Captain. We’ve found a way off this testosterone-infested rock and must hurry.”
“What? How?”
“We don’t have time to go into that now,” Rebecca whispered. “Suffice it to say we’ve got inside help. Are you able to walk?”
“Of course.” Her confidence bolstered, she eased her legs over the side, more careful to do it slowly this time. When she stood, she realized she’d spoken too soon. Dizziness swamped her, and as she swayed, she grabbed hold of the closest thing to her, an instrument cart, which, unfortunately, was on wheels. It rolled, and she went with it, metal and plastic hitting the floor with a crash.
Rebecca and Eryn rushed toward her and caught her under the arms. Then, all five of them held their breath, not daring to so much as blink, as they stood statue-still while waiting to be caught.
After a few minutes when no one came rushing in, Maggie murmured, “Maybe I’ll hang onto one of you.”
“Good idea,” Eryn agreed as she dipped her shoulder and wrapped her captain’s arm around her neck. Not an easy feat, since her security chief topped her by half a foot.
“What about clothes?” She plucked at the thin patient gown, similar to what they used in hospitals on Earth. It was stark white and would draw attention like a beacon as she walked down the street.
“We brought you one of their frou-frou dresses,” Yolanda grumbled as she passed it over.
A sound in the hall, like a door banging, had them scattering. Everyone, except Eryn, who was still propping up Maggie, ducked out of sight, but luck was with them for a change, and no one came in.
“Maybe you should go on without me,” Maggie suggested, as much as she hated to. “Their drugs have really knocked me for a loop, and I’ll only slow you down.”
“We’re not leaving you here, Mags,” Eryn stated firmly, her sharp look telling her she wouldn’t even consider it. Even so, Maggie’s concerns were valid considering her hands shook and her legs were barely able to support her as she stripped out of the medical gown and into the long gauzy dress. If not for the steady hand Eryn provided, she would have fallen flat on her face.
“Thank you,” she whispered as her old friend bent to help her with her shoes.
“Becca said they took out your appendix.”
“Yes, last night.”
“But I didn’t see a bandage or incision,” she commented as she stood, and dipped under her arm again.
“It’s the magic of advanced Primarian medicine. The surgeon told me the usual recovery time is only an hour.”
“Holy shit. What about pain?”
Maggie shook her head. “I’m wooly-brained, like with a really bad hangover. That’s it. And hopefully, it will pass soon.”
“We were worried you’d be worse off, fresh out of surgery. On Earth…”
“You would have had to leave me, and I would have been hard-pressed to repopulate the entire planet by myself.” Her attempt at a joke fell flat. “Well, anyway, they have a lot to offer, not only in medical advancements, but also in their technology, and they have some sort of other resource for fuel. We could learn from them. It’s too bad they’re so stubborn and infuriating.”
“Try living with one for two weeks.”
She sheepishly glanced her way, having forgotten that quickly. “Was it that bad?”
Eryn nodded, grimacing as she murmured, “And I didn’t make it any easier.”
“I don’t understand. Lana and Mai seemed genuinely happy, albeit confused by the whole thing, and they both described this overwhelming desire for their mates.”
“They weren’t wrong about that,” Eryn agreed softly.
“You, too? Then why…?”
“Can we not do this now, or ever?” Her voice cracked with emotion, which wasn’t like the tough-as-nails chief at all.
“Okay, still, I’m worried. I hear there’s a sickness when mates part. Are you going to be okay if you leave him?”
“That only happens if a pair bonds. Ram and I didn’t, so I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“But…”
“Maggie, please, we really need to go because I need to get off this planet before he finds me.”
“He’s looking for you?” As she asked, her eyes shot from Eryn to the door, expecting to see a seven-foot-tall angry male storming in.
“I don’t think so, at least not yet.” Her head came up, and Maggie saw what she’d been masking before—fear.
“Eryn, what aren’t you telling me?”
Rebecca stuck her head in the door right then and announced, “We’re all clear,” which effectively halted anything else Eryn would have said. Maggie silently cursed the awful timing, especially when she saw Eryn shut down again. Her face was set, eyes distant as if she’d stuffed all her emotions in a closet and locked it up tight, throwing away the key.
“Eryn, Maggie,” Rebecca urged impatiently. “We’ve got to go, and it needs to be now.”
“We’re ready,” Eryn answered for them both. With her shoulder tucked under Maggie’s arm and a firm grip on her waist, she started them for the door. Maggie was nothing if not determined and tried to lay some groundwork for later. “When this is done, we’ll talk. It sounds like you could use someone to listen.”
“I don’t need to talk.” Her voice was flat, without a hint of inflection. “What I need is to forget.”
Hindsight being what it was, Maggie wished she’d insisted the powers that be staff her with a counselor before departing. After this, one was certainly going to be needed.