by Zara Zenia
Her biographical description explained that she was a native to Kansas and had been raised on a farm, much like myself. Her resume stated that she currently ran her own veterinary hospital right here in Topeka. She specialized in the care of exo-animals.
I promptly picked up the phone and dialed the number on my screen, getting through to her secretary in an instant. I explained the situation with Slith and asked if there was any way that Dr. Rand could come out to the palace ship.
After an excruciating wait on hold for several minutes, the secretary came back on the line and cheerfully announced that Dr. Rand was available to meet me at the palace to dive into immediate emergency care for Slith.
It was a special circumstance, but if she was willing to provide the desperate help and care needed, I was ready to summon her to the palace grounds at once. I raced back down the stairs to the basement where Slith still lay in a pathetic and weak position on the floor. It was so unlike his normal, curious, and muscularly athletic demeanor. I needed to get my pet back, and Dr. Rand was going to be the best way. I would count down the minutes until her arrival, and in the meantime, I would keep Slith as comfortable as possible.
Chapter 2
Rose
To say that I loved animals was quite the understatement. One might say that I bonded with just about any animal out there. I felt a sense of pride in my ability to be an animal whisperer, so to speak.
“Dr. Rand?”
My lanky intern, Marcus, poked his head into surgery room one, where I was currently performing a cataract procedure on an elderly Magulute. The best comparison I could give to a Magulute from a neighboring dwarf planet to an animal here on Earth would be that of a Bassett hound.
The exo-animals had been imported from another dwarf planet a couple of years away by shuttle. They were normally farming animals and produced milk. So, I guess in that sense, you could compare them to a cow, but they looked more like Bassett hounds.
This particularly unlucky Magulute had the same droopy red eyes as a Bassett might. Its floppy ears sagged onto the table. He was blind in both eyes, hence the surgery, of course, and I was hoping to give the poor dear a few more years of sight before he went off into animal heaven (if there were such a thing). I always liked to believe in that kind of magic.
I turned my head to glance at Marcus over my shoulder. I peered over my surgical scope that I used in order to achieve a more precise incision.
“Yes?”
This was a fairly routine procedure for me. I’d studied in exo-livestock veterinary school in Topeka, Kansas, and I was entering my third year with my own practice. I’d used my life savings acquired by hard work on the rolling farm lands spanning my family’s property in rural Kansas. I’d put in the hours and the strenuous labor in order to save up for my dream of owning my own veterinary hospital.
Not everybody got to accomplish their goals by the age of twenty-eight, but I preferred to view myself as humbly grateful. I’d had quite the support system and people rooting for me. I’d loved animals all my life, especially ones from different planets. I loved obtaining new information about their biology and studying their abstract DNA. I also enjoyed comparing them to the regular animals you’d find roaming around on farms that were native to Earth, such as pigs, chickens, and cows.
Don’t get me wrong. I loved watching an adorable pig squeal and roll around in the mud as much as the next farm girl, but I relished in being an advocate and a doctor for exo-livestock.
“You have a fairly important call on the line,” Marcus stated, clearing his throat uncomfortably as if he hated to interrupt me but had been backed into a corner.
I don’t know why he always behaved so timidly around me. I never gave him any reason to fear me, or anyone on my staff, for that matter.
I shot him a warm smile that he would be able to notice through the wrinkles around my eyes above my surgical mask.
“Can it wait about fifteen minutes? I’m almost finished with this procedure.”
I could tell that Marcus was fidgeting anxiously. I was more amused than annoyed. He took a step toward me and nearly knocked over a tray holding gauze and stitches.
“I’m so sorry,” he proclaimed as he instantly caught himself before falling. He pushed his straw-colored hair off his forehead.
I chuckled. “Don’t worry about it.”
Marcus was a bit of a klutz, but he was such a sweet kid that it didn’t bother me. I knew that he was genuinely interested in the work, and I hated to send him home, especially because as an intern, he wasn’t paid a dime to be here.
“The person on the other line seems distraught and panicked. They said they think that their watch-lizard had an intestinal blockage and they can’t get the animal to move.”
I glanced at Marcus. Now, he had my full attention. “A watch-lizard?” I wanted to make sure I had heard him correctly. “But those are Trilyn-native. Was it a prince calling?”
“Yes, Doctor.” Marcus blushed and glanced at the floor.
My gaze floated to Robin. She was my physician’s assistant. She had straight brown hair that she always wore down. She always had a serious expression on her face, and I’m pretty sure she didn’t know the meaning of sarcasm.
Robin had formal medical training too, but her years of servitude and residencies didn’t span as long as mine had. She was still able to perform routine procedures on her own as long as the animal or its condition wasn’t high-risk.
“Do you feel comfortable taking over while I take this call?” I asked her apologetically. Hell would have to freeze over before I told a Trilyn prince I’d call him back. Besides, the cataract surgery was nearly completed at this point.
Robin nodded. Her silky brown hair was shiny under the surgical lamps.
“Yep. I’ve got it, Boss.”
I smiled. Robin would take any opportunity she could to get ahead and solidify her confidence and experience. I had faith in her and she proudly knew it.
“Thanks.” I pulled the blue gloves off my hands, washed them, and yanked the surgical mask down to where it hung around my neck like a necklace.
Then, I breezily wandered to my back office. The little red hold button was blinking on line one. My heart raced in anticipation.
“This is Dr. Rose Rand,” I proclaimed through the speaker. “How can I be of service to you or your pet?”
The voice was deep and masculine. “Hello,” he mumbled scruffily into the receiver. “I have a problem with my watch-lizard. He’s really sick. I think he must have eaten something that he’s having difficulty in digesting.”
I recognized his rambling. He was upset, naturally. It was my job to pull him out of a panic-stricken state of mind and assure him that his beloved watch-lizard would be okay.
“These things are fairly common in watch-lizard breeds,” I mentioned, maybe a little too casually, but I didn’t want to worry him any more than he was.
“Who am I talking to?” Curiosity prickled on the back of my neck. My ears buzzed. I’d always wanted to meet a Trilyn prince.
“This is Prince Darbnix, ruler of the continent Noor on the planet of Trilynia.” His voice was almost commanding and slightly egotistical.
“That is quite a title.” I chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood.
I was met with silence. Crickets might as well have been chirping in the background.
“Anyway, I am able to squeeze in a spot on my calendar today if you want to bring him in for observation and a thorough checkup,” I added.
“I would prefer it if any doctor serving us or the animals on my palace ship might come directly to the palace,” he stated nobly.
“Oh.” I took a step back. I had to admit I was somewhat dazzled by the fact that he was basically summoning me to his ship. The affair sounded so official.
“Are you able to get here quickly? I will send troops to retrieve you and carry you aboard the ship if you are agreeable.”
“Do I have to sign a waiver or anything?”
I snorted, although I didn’t mean to. I was trying to chuckle, but through my nervousness, it came out as more of a snort.
“I just need to know if you are okay with being escorted to my palace in order to care for my wounded watch-lizard.” He was curt and to the point.
“Of course.” I nodded and ran a hand through my carrot-colored braid and locked my steel gray eyes onto the supply kit I reserved for house calls. “I can be ready as soon as ten minutes from now.”
“Wonderful.” His voice went from doomed to gleeful in a matter of seconds.
I hung up the phone and started gathering items I might need for the trip. I didn’t know the size, shape, or age of the lizard, but I would bring my computer and all the medical equipment necessary to care for the foreign animal.
“I have to go on a house call,” I explained to my receptionist, a mousy, thin girl who never spoke unless she was spoken to directly. “I will be back to lock up the office later, but in the meantime, you can reach me on my cell if something urgent comes up.”
“Yes, Dr. Rand,” she said with a smile and a blush as I walked out the door and into the Kansas heat.
A few minutes later, a few men approached me, explaining that they were from the direct guard patrol for Prince Darbnix. We gave our introductions and I followed them with intrigue and bubbling curiosity until we got into the hovercrafts that would lead us to the palace.
“Do I need any special mask or anything?” I asked of one of the guards, who was decked out in special military gear as if he were preparing to walk out onto the battlefield at any moment. I supposed they had to be prepared for anything, even if the Trilyn race was here on a peaceful mission, as they claimed.
“We aren’t going far enough into the sky,” one of them mentioned with boredom. He even went as far as to yawn before strapping himself into his seat.
“Okay,” I mumbled to no one but myself and watched the plains of Kansas become smaller and smaller as we floated into the sky.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t a long trip. In fewer than five minutes, we were shuttled across a breezeway and into the palace grounds. I was officially on foreign soil, and I had exhilaration running through my veins. I didn’t know what I’d be met with, but I was up for the challenge.
“This way,” one of the guards instructed with a swift wave of his hand.
I followed him down a slender hallway until we exited onto a platform containing stairs that only led down.
“Where are we going?” My alarm bells were going off, and I swallowed hard.
“Slith is down in the basement where they keep the food,” the guard explained.
“Oh,” I said softly with an apprehensive nod. “Okay.”
We walked down the steps. The corridor was dimly lit and smelled musty, just like a basement. My footsteps echoed every time I took a step down.
“Through this door,” one of the guards stated dully and pushed open a metal door that looked extremely heavy.
I peeked around the room until I heard someone call from behind me. I tried not to startle as I spun around. There, I gazed into the most handsome pale blue eyes I’d ever seen. They were also sort of green, as if you were staring at your own reflection in a lagoon.
“Dr. Rand, thank you so much for coming. I’m Prince Darbnix.” He gave me a deliciously devious smile that was laced with so much mischief it made my head spin. He towered over me by at least a foot. I didn’t mind it, and I wasn’t intimidated by him at all. His demeanor was much softer than it had been on the phone.
He extended a mocha-colored arm to shake with me. His grip was firm, sturdy, and made me feel safe and protected. His brown hair was short and wavy and suited his facial features in a pleasing way.
“I’m so sorry for how aggressive I might have seemed to you over the phone,” he explained as he beckoned for me to follow him deeper into the basement.
I noticed stockpiles of food, boxes and crates piled up to the ceiling. “It’s no problem,” I whispered through my inspection of the area. “I know you probably just want to get your lizard back to normal.”
“He’s my best friend,” Prince Darbnix admitted with a sheepish look that gave him boyish features.
I smiled. “That’s really sweet.”
“His name is Slith,” he went on. “He’s eight years old. This isn’t the first time he’s eaten something that didn’t agree with his stomach, but it’s the first time we’ve had to call outside sources to assist with his wellbeing.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” I said and patted my trusty medical kit that I clutched in my gloved left hand.
“Thank you again for agreeing to come on such short notice.” He spoke with genuine gratitude and appreciation that warmed my soul.
“You’re very welcome. Where is the little fellow?”
“Over here.” That’s when Darbnix crouched down.
I trailed his movements and saw a scaly, sparkling purple lizard rolled up in a ball of apparent pain on the cold concrete floor.
“Hello,” I crooned to the animal and stroked its back. Its skin was also cool and softer than I’d expected. “It’s okay. We are going to fix you up, I promise.”
Darbnix gave me a glance as if he were studying me for honesty. I gave him a devoted smile. “I have over five years of experience dealing with exo-livestock animals.”
His features relaxed a little. “Your resume was quite impressive in my search.”
“You won’t be disappointed,” I assured him.
He stared at me with a twinkle in his eye, as if he wanted to dish out a private joke for only me to hear. My spine tingled with excitement just being next to such a gorgeous man like him, regardless of which planet he might call home.
I cleared my throat and began moving things out of my medical kit. “I plan to pump his stomach to remove the contents and see what we’ve got going on in there,” I said with a professional demeanor.
“Sounds good to me,” he responded. “Whatever works to get Slith back to normal.”
I inspected Slith. He was a little smaller than a Great Dane, and other than being a lizard, he resembled a large dog.
Every time Slith whimpered or cried out in pain, Darbnix winced as if he, too felt some kind of referred pain from his beloved pet.
“I promise I’ll be gentle and delicate,” I whispered with a kind smile that bounced to Darbnix.
“Thank you,” he said with a flashy, handsome smile. “I trust you.”
I held up a long, circular tube. “This is called a toxin removal device,” I told him. “It’s easier to pronounce than the official term for it,” I added with a chuckle.
Darbnix frowned and then peered up at me with unease. “What exactly does it do?”
I clicked it on. The device made a slight humming noise, which was normal. “It works as basically a suction to expel any contents from the stomach that might be too large and stuck there and unable to move into the bowels,” I explained. I wrinkled my nose studiously as I observed the animal in deep concentration.
“Will it hurt?” Darbnix’s voice was a few decibels higher than before.
I gave him a warm smile. His question was only natural and expected. Many pet owners I encountered had the anxious jitters when it came to having their pets undergo scary-sounding procedures.
I shook my head and frowned. “He might feel a slight discomfort, but hurt? No. He shouldn’t feel very much pain at all, none of significance.”
“Good.” Darbnix smiled. “Can I sit here with him?”
“Absolutely! It will probably make him feel better to know that his master is here to comfort him.”
I moved the stomach suctioning device closer to the lizard. His response was to scowl at me through glassy dark eyes. He stuck his tongue out and slithered it across the air with a threatening hiss.
I didn’t even bat an eye. I was used to dealing with animals just like this who were in distress. It was their natural instinct to ward off predators by appearing menacing.
“It’s okay, little buddy,” I purred. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
In theory, he shouldn’t feel much, only a little pressure, just as I’d advised Darbnix. As long as I concentrated and steered the nozzle in the right direction, the lizard would probably come out of this procedure mostly unscathed. Its discomfort was originating in its visibly swollen belly. The contents to blame for the obstruction were soon to be discovered.
I could tell that Slith was absolutely miserable, and it was in everyone’s best interest to get him back in pristine shape as soon as possible.
I placed the nozzle of the device into the lizard’s mouth, and he clamped down, just as I’d expected and needed in order for this to be a successful mission. After a few seconds, I began to feel the pull and tug as if I were a fisherman holding a rod. I began to pull back on the device, gently as not to cause any internal bruising to the lizard’s esophagus.
Slith hacked, coughed, and retched. It was a grueling process, but after a minute or two, its watery eyes shut and it drifted off into a more comfortable sleep.
“Is he dead?” Darbnix cried out. He thumbed his fingers on Slith’s eyelids and frantically rubbed him with shaking fingers.
“He’s not dead,” I promised. “He passed out from the trauma of the event.”
“I thought you said it wouldn’t hurt him.” Darbnix scanned my eyes with worry.
“It probably didn’t hurt.” I shrugged. “But vomiting is not fun for anyone.” My lips curled into a grin.
Darbnix stared at me and then his lips began to stretch into a smile too. Joy was infectious across the board.
“Well, on the bright side,” I said with a chuckle as I pointed down at the slimy food wrappers in a pile that just shot out like a cannon from Slith’s gut, “he won’t be hungry for a while.”
Darbnix laughed and shook his head. “I will have to do better at keeping an eye on him, I guess.”
