by Rinelle Grey
At least they had a plan.
*****
Kugah watched Nerris and Tyris examine his ship again. So much had changed since the last time they’d been here.
He’d changed so much.
Some of his discomfort at being around this ship had faded. It was a means to an end now, a chance to help Amelie’s people, not a representation of his past.
Would he be so calm, returning to his home planet?
Stupid question, he would be terrified. He was so close to everything he had wanted. A new home, someone who might just care about him, even the possibility of changing his body back to what it had been.
One wrong move, one bit of bad luck, and it could all be over.
He was concerned that Tyris had decided to come with him. He could understand the captain’s reasoning, going alone was too risky. But if anything happened to the captain, then Amelie would be alone here. The weight of the entire ship and its passengers would be on her, and her alone.
He’d just have to make sure nothing went wrong.
The engineer hadn’t made any sound as he walked around the ship, examining the hull damage yet again.
“What do you think, Nerris? Is it possible?” Tyris asked.
Nerris rubbed his chin. “It would be a lot easier if I had someone to help,” he said briefly.
Kugah winced. The engineer had already been old, with the advanced ageing, he looked even older. But he was still going, and so far, he hadn’t had any serious ailments. Hopefully it would stay that way.
Folly certainly wasn’t in any position to help him.
“Kugah gelp,” Kugah said firmly.
Nerris gave him a smile. “I’d appreciate that, lad,” he said honestly. “I’m not as spry as I used to be.”
“I will too, where I can,” Tyris offered. “And I’m sure we can find others. They may not have your skills, but they can lift and carry.”
“That’ll do.” Nerris nodded. “For now, can both of you give me a hand to see if we can figure out how to weld this hull? If we can do that, we stand a chance. If not, we’re out of luck.”
Kugah nodded, as did Tyris. Both of them helped Nerris bring out his equipment. Kugah watched impassively as Nerris used a wand with a flame on the end to cut through the damaged hull, then another one to melt the edges of the pieces to join them together.
After his initial join, Nerris stepped back to examine it. What he saw must have satisfied him, because he nodded. “I think we can do it,” he said. “It won’t be a perfect job, but I should be able to patch it up enough to make it through the wormhole in a couple of days.”
Kugah’s heart froze. Suddenly, it hit him what this really meant.
He was going back. He’d have to walk into the Gokak base where they had turned him into a monster. Where he had killed a man.
He had to face up to all his fears.
Tyris didn’t seem too thrilled either. “Great news,” he said with a tight lipped smile.
“Don’t get your hopes up yet,” Nerris cautioned. “Integrating the two different kinds of technology is going to be a challenge. I’ve never worked on an alien craft before. It may not work.”
“I have every confidence in you,” Tyris said firmly. “I’ve never seen you fail yet.”
“That’s just because you haven’t known me long enough,” Nerris shot back.
“Well, I don’t want to see it this time either,” Tyris said inflexibly.
“I’ll do my best, lad,” Nerris’s voice was quiet, “but I won’t send you out in a ship I’m not confident will not only fly, but will also protect you from radiation from the exotic particles of the wormhole.”
Tyris nodded. “If you feel that it’s not going to be possible, let me know. Otherwise, I’d better get back to work. I have a lot to do before I go.”
Nerris nodded. “I’ll keep you updated.”
Tyris nodded and left the room.
Kugah lingered a little longer, watching Nerris collect together tools and materials. The engineer didn’t seem bothered by his presence. In fact, he barely seemed to notice it, he was so intent on his task.
Nerris’s job, repairing the ship that was so different to anything he’d ever seen before, would be hard, but it would be nothing compared to what Kugah and Tyris would face when they arrived back on his home world.
All this work could be for naught. Returning to his home planet came with a whole parcel of risks. He was pretty sure they could fly in without being stopped, it was getting out again that could be the problem.
He’d encountered no resistance when he’d left. It wasn’t the first time a Ta-Sofana had stolen a ship and attempted to run. The Gokak didn’t even bother trying to stop them. Every single Ta-Sofana who’d tried to run had come back.
Now he would too, despite his best intentions.
But no one had tried to run a second time after they had returned.
Chapter 26
Amelie sat at her workstation, staring at the screen, feeling a little at a lost. If Tyris really could get the code for Kugah’s Metamorphosis Device, then there was a possibility she could actually save everyone. Just as long as they survived long enough for Nerris to repair the ship and Tyris and Kugah to fly out there to get it.
She glanced over to Folly and Kerit, whose health was only a little better, lying in the bed next to her. Amelie suspected that worrying about his fiancée had aged him nearly as much as the radiation from his two trips through the wormhole had. He looked tired and defeated.
Amelie could understand that. Folly was her biggest worry. Now that the radiation chelating had worked, she was confident, barring any unexpected emergency, she could keep everyone else alive until Kugah and Tyris returned with the code for the Metamorphosis Device. But Folly’s whole body was in almost complete shutdown. She was being sustained by the machines she was hooked up to, but for how long?
How long would it take to repair the ship?
Amelie had no idea. Just as she had no idea how long Folly could hang in there.
If only there was something she could do to help her.
But staving off old age and death wasn’t something even the Colonies could do without…
Amelie straightened up, staring at the screen in front of her. It couldn’t be that simple, could it? Her heart pounded in her chest. She didn’t have to cure Folly, only buy some time. Kugah and Tyris would be back long before the side effects could become a problem.
There was something she could do.
And she could make a whole lot of other people more comfortable too.
Amelie turned back to the computer with renewed purpose.
Quickly reviewing the treatments she had researched earlier, it was clear there was only one answer. Artificial telomerase produced from stem cells would allow the telomeres to regenerate themselves. Luckily, she had a small supply, saved from the couple of births that had happened since they’d left the Colonies. There would be plenty to treat Folly, and a few others, like Imyne and Kerit, besides.
Even though she knew this wasn’t a forever cure, it still felt good to be doing something. Anything was better than sitting around watching people die.
Separating out the telomerase took a few hours, but it was late, and no one stirred to interrupt her, not even Camali, who she’d laid in the bassinet someone had brought down from med bay. Thank heavens the baby was so young she was only awake for a short time, since Kugah had gone with Tyris to discuss repairing his ship with Nerris.
Amelie enjoyed the quiet time after the craziness of the last few days. She could focus on her work and lose herself in it. It shut out her fears for the future. For a while, at least.
When she had the small vial of telomerase though, she stared at it. She picked up Camali absently when she began to fuss, and began making her a bottle, her mind racing.
Despite the fact that this treatment would relieve Folly’s suffering and make certain she survived until a more permanent treatment arrived, she stil
l felt nervous about giving the young woman the injection.
All treatments had side effects. She was used to that. But this one had been deemed unusable and unacceptable by the Colonies. She couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable at that thought.
Then she gave herself a shake. Folly was dying. The risk of cancer sometime in the future was minor compared to that fact. And if they could get the Metamorphosis Device working, then she’d be able to fix the problem long before Folly ever felt the effects.
She tucked Camali into the sling and walked slowly across to where Folly and Kerit lay, their beds pushed up against each other.
Kerit looked up and gave her a tired smile. “Hi, Doc. What’s up?” He eyed the vial in her hand, but without much hope.
“Did Tyris mention our plan?” Amelie asked first.
Kerit nodded. “Going to get the code for a genetic engineering machine Kugah has. Do you think it will work?” His voice was dull and lifeless. It was plain he didn’t hold out much hope.
“The Metamorphosis Device. I hope so,” Amelie said quietly. “It’s the best chance we’ve had so far.”
Kerit glanced over at Folly, and his face twisted in pain. “She’s not going to make it though, is she?”
Amelie’s heart constricted at the look on his face. She was glad she had something else to offer him. “That’s why I’m here,” she said quietly. “I have another treatment that should reverse the problems she’s having due to the advanced ageing.”
Kerit frowned. “If you have a treatment, why haven’t you offered it until now?”
Amelie sighed. “It’s not a permanent treatment. The reason I haven’t given it to anyone sooner was because it will increase the risk of developing cancer dramatically.”
“But if Tyris does bring back the code, you can fix that, right?”
For the first time since Amelie had arrived, there was a thread of hope in Kerit’s voice.
Amelie nodded. “Yes.”
“Give it to her then,” Kerit said. He picked up Folly’s hand and squeezed it, even though she didn’t respond.
Not waiting for a second invitation, Amelie sunk the needle into Folly’s arm. “It’ll take a while before we can tell if it’s going to work,” she said.
Kerit just nodded.
“Hey, what did you just give her?” Talah’s strident voice caused Amelie to jump. “Is this some secret cure? Why aren’t you giving it to everyone? Or is this another phony one, from the alien blood? We can all see how well that worked.”
Amelie gritted her teeth, and took a couple of deep breaths before forcing her face into an expression of composure, and turning towards him. “This is a different medication I’m trialling. It’s a stem cell treatment, and it’s only being given to the sickest patients. I’m hoping that we will have a more permanent cure soon.”
Not that Talah was likely to accept genetic engineering from an alien machine any more than a treatment from alien blood.
Her words, perhaps compounded by the distasteful expression on her face, just incensed Talah. “Of course, playing favourites again. You’re happy to offer all of us a treatment from the alien blood, but the real treatment, the one made from stem cells, that you’re only giving to the people you like. While my wife here is suffering.”
His wife certainly had issues. But her mild angina was being handled by medication, and her diabetes by diet. In comparison to Folly…
Amelie looked down at the unconscious woman, then back at Talah and his wife, and for a few moments she could barely speak because of the anger she felt. She took a deep breath, and managed to calm herself before she spoke.
“You’ve already refused the best treatment available to you at the moment. The stem cell treatment has serious side effects, which is why I’m only giving it to anyone who is going to die without it. And it’s useless without removing the radiation first,” she said firmly. “I do, however, still have some of the chelating treatment still available, if you’d like some.”
“I don’t want that crap,” Talah demanded. “Give me that one.”
And before Amelie could move, he snatched at the vial.
Instinctively, Amelie pulled her arms in around Camali, protecting her. Talah’s clumsy movement knocked the vial out of her hand. It dropped to the floor, bounced once, then shattered.
All Amelie could think, as it spilled all over the floor, was that she was glad she had already injected Folly.
Talah’s face went white. “Do you have any more?” he demanded. Before Amelie could react, he lunged towards her, his fingers sinking into her arm.
“Let go of me.” Amelie’s voice was frosty. Even if she’d had more, she certainly wouldn’t have been giving it to him.
“Not until you give me the treatment. I’m sure you can make more.” Talah’s fingers dug into her arms, and his face was close to hers, his breath hot on her face.
She wouldn’t normally consider the man a threat, but right now she was encumbered by Camali in a sling. Any move that would have dealt with him put the baby at risk.
Kerit struggled to his feet, despite being in only marginally better condition than Folly. He was only going to risk hurting himself. Amelie looked around the room, and was relieved to see Tyris was on his way. He must have just finished looking at the ship with Nerris.
Amelie kept her arms crossed over the baby, and didn’t bother to respond.
The growl behind her startled her nearly as much as it startled Talah.
“Let KaGeeGee go.”
Amelie’s heart skipped a beat. Apparently Kugah was back too.
“Or what? Are you going to fight me? Go on then. That’ll get you kicked off this ship right fast. You know they’re all just waiting for you to show your true colours so they’ll have an excuse to get rid of you.”
“That’s enough, Talah,” Tyris said firmly. “Back away now.”
Talah released Amelie’s arm to turn on Tyris. “Oh sure, protect the alien. When I joined your rebellion I thought you were out to protect us. Now I’m realising that you’re only bothered with protecting yourself.”
“Kugah isn’t going to hurt anyone,” Amelie said flatly. “He’s done nothing but help us since he arrived on this ship. You’re the one who keeps causing issues.”
Any understanding she might have felt for Talah’s fear had been destroyed along with the vial. He had no consideration at all for anyone on this ship other than himself.
Talah spun around to her, his hand raised and his eyes flaming. “I don’t have to take this anymore.”
Tyris reacted before Amelie could, stepping forwards and gabbing Talah’s arm, forcing it behind the man’s back in one quick movement.
Talah swung around just as quickly, twisting out of Tyris’s grasp and took a swing at him.
The blow connected with Tyris’s shoulder, pushing him back and off balance. Talah followed, determined to follow up on his advantage.
Amelie wished she could do something to help, but she couldn’t risk it with Camali in her arms.
Instead, she turned to Kugah, who was watching impassively. “Kugah, stop him!”
Kugah stared at her blankly for a moment. Had he even heard what she said? Then it seemed to get through to him, and he turned towards the brawl. By now, Talah had his arms around Tyris’s waist, trying to wrestle him to the ground, while Kerit had actually managed to heave himself out of bed, detaching the heart monitor from his chest, and was feebly trying to pull him off.
Kugah waded in, not even noticing when Talah’s feet kicked out at him. He grabbed the back of Talah’s shirt and lifted him clean into the air.
The look of surprise and fear on Talah’s face improved Amelie’s mood no end.
“Put me down,” Talah spluttered. “You have no right.”
Since Kugah had already set him on his feet as he said the words, they lacked any real punch.
Nor did it appease Talah any. His face twisted in a snarl. “Of course,” he spat at Amelie. “Hide behind your
precious alien. Well one day he isn’t going to be around to protect any of you. Then you and I can sort this out properly.”
“Even if Kugah isn’t around, everyone else here will protect Amelie,” Tyris said firmly. “You stepped over the line, Talah. Threatening anyone is not acceptable on my ship. Threatening the doctor who is trying to keep everyone alive, well that’s inexcusable. Attacking people is just the icing on the cake. I didn’t want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice. If you will agree to accompany me to the brig without opposition, we can sort this out once the emergency has passed.”
Talah gaped at him. “She’s obviously in league with the alien, surely you can see that? Or are you working with them too?”
Tyris ignored his attempt at baiting. “Thanks for your help,” he said to Kugah. “Can you bring him along, and we’ll see him safely locked up.”
*****
Kugah felt very strange, carrying the struggling human down the hallway, knowing he had helped to stop this man’s violence. Tyris following him silently didn’t make him feel any better. He seemed to have no issue with how the incident had been handled.
The man’s flailing limbs didn’t hurt, no matter where they connected with his armour, but the sensation of holding a man captive, without any intention of actually hurting him, was most peculiar.
Even more strange, was how his mind was warring with him. This would never have happened among his people. Even if, by some strange happenstance, someone shouted at someone else, everyone else would just ignore them, and eventually, they would give up.
No one had ever gone so far as hitting someone.
He should be feeling that his people were superior. They’d always insisted that they were more advanced than the animals, who fought and battled. But somehow, that wasn’t how it felt.
What he felt, was an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction. It felt right to stand up and defend Amelie. Tyris’s clear assertion that Talah’s behaviour was unacceptable, felt good too. Picking up the man and removing him from the situation felt gratifying.
He should feel bad, but he didn’t.
