Ria's Visions (Hearts of ICARUS Book 6)

by Laura Jo Phillips

  When she was satisfied the wound was clean, she patted it dry with a sterile pad, then held another pad to the wound for a minute. When she pulled it away, she glanced at it quickly, then tossed it in the waste receptacle.

  “That did it,” she said as she reached for the steri-lamp.

  “No more bleeding?” Ria asked.

  “No more bleeding,” Dr. Jula confirmed. After using the steri-lamp to kill any bacteria, she reached for a tube of wound sealant. The entire procedure took less than ten minutes, which Ria was grateful for since it hadn’t been the least bit comfortable.

  “Don’t touch that for half an hour, and don’t rub it, scratch it, or put pressure on it for a couple of days. I’ll give you some bandages to cover it with when you sleep.”

  “Thank you Dr. Jula,” Ria said, sliding off the stool. She grabbed a clean towel from a stack on the counter and used it to pat at the damp fur on Star’s face and around her ears. “I’m glad you had that blanket on you, otherwise you’d be soaked and uncomfortable, particularly on the side you’re lying on.”

  “I’m glad, too, Ria, and again I thank you for your care. I owe you much.”

  “You owe me nothing, Star. I helped because I wanted to. It was my choice.” Star didn’t say anything to that, but Ria felt how startled she was.

  “How’s the arm, Ria?” Dr. Jula asked as she began tapping at buttons on the med panel. “Are you in pain?”

  “Not much. How long will it be before the cubs are born?”

  “From the frequency of Star’s labor pains, I’d guess within the next one to two hours,” Dr. Jula replied, looking up to watch the scanner lower itself from the ceiling. “We’ll know more in just a minute.”

  “What is that?” Star asked nervously.

  “It’s a scanner,” Dr. Jula replied. “It’ll pass over your body without touching you, but I need you to try to remain as still as you can. When it’s finished, I’ll have an image on this screen that will show me exactly what your injury is, and also what position the cubs are in.”

  “You will see inside my body?”

  “Yes,” Dr. Jula replied. “Don’t worry though, it won’t harm you or the cubs. Have you ever given birth before, Star?”

  “No, this is the first time. Is there a problem?”

  “I don’t think so, but the scan isn’t finished yet. Can you tell me how big cubs usually are when they’re born?”

  “They are too small?”

  Dr. Jula turned to look at Star and smiled gently while patting one enormous paw. “Star, you’re only the second Brun we’ve ever found, and the first female. I ask these questions because we know nothing at all about your reproductive cycle or gestation period. I’m just trying to gather information before the cubs are actually here. The more I know, the better I can determine if there’s a problem and figure out how to treat it.”

  “I apologize, Dr. Jula. I’m nervous.”

  “I don’t blame you one bit and you’ve no reason to apologize.” Dr. Jula turned back to the vid screen. “Ah, here,” she said, smiling again as she pointed at the screen. “There are your cubs, Star. Can you see?”

  “Yes,” Star said with a note of wonder in her voice. “Two.”

  “Is it normal to have two?”

  “It is more usual to have four. But there has been little food, and I have had to go long periods without eating. I am lucky there are even two of them.”

  “I noticed you’re very underweight,” Dr. Jula said. “That’s easily addressed, but it wouldn’t be good for you to eat right now. Between the medications I’ll be giving you, and the labor, I’m afraid a full stomach will make you feel sick and that’s the last thing you need. I’d like to give you an intravenous solution of glucose, protein, vitamins and minerals, though. You need the nourishment and the hydration, and it won’t make you feel sick.”

  “I do not understand what you mean, Dr. Jula.”

  Dr. Jula hadn’t missed the connection between Ria and the Brun. No one had. She thought it was the best thing to happen to Ria in a long while and thought it should be encouraged of both their sakes.

  “Ria, maybe you can explain it to her better than I can. Would you mind?”

  “Of course not,” Ria replied. She turned to Star. “Dr. Jula wants to put a special type of needle in one of your veins, then attach a tube to it. Then she’ll be able to feed a liquid directly into your body that contains concentrated nutrients that your body is lacking because you haven’t eaten in so long. It’ll help restore your strength and energy, and begin healing the damages caused by starvation.

  “Putting the needle in hurts a little, and it can be uncomfortable when you try to move with it, but you really need this, Star. For yourself and your cubs, I ask that you please agree to this.”

  “I do not understand all you’ve said, Ria, but I don’t need to. That you ask me to do this is enough. Yes, please do this, Dr. Jula. I do not mind pain.”

  “Good,” Dr. Jula said with obvious relief. She turned to speak with Corin, who hurried away to fetch whatever she’d asked him for. “Star, can you tell me how big cubs usually are?”

  “I do not know how to tell you that.”

  Dr. Jula held up one of her hands. “Bigger than my hand?”

  “Yes,” Star said.

  “Bigger than both hands together?” Dr. Jula asked, putting her other hand fingertip to fingertip with the first.

  “That’s closer,” Star said. “Not so long, but a little wider.”

  “Your cubs are smaller than that,” Dr. Jula said. “But, they appear healthy, and labor is progressing normally. If they become distressed, or have difficulty moving through the birth canal, we’ll help them along.”

  “How will you help them?”

  “If necessary, I’ll make an incision in your abdomen and remove them through that. You wouldn’t feel it, and you’ll heal, but I’d rather not interfere if I can help it.”

  Star’s heart sped up at the thought of having her belly cut open. That was a death wound. She looked at Ria, hoping she could explain this to her, too.

  “There’s no reason to be afraid, Star,” Ria said soothingly, sensing Star’s fear. “It’s not like it sounds. It would only be a small cut, just enough to lift the cubs out, then she’d close it, like she closed the wound on my chin. Dr. Jula will only do it if your cubs’ lives are in danger, and if it comes to that, I’ll stay right here with you the whole time.”

  “Thank you, Ria,” Star said, much relieved. She turned back to the doctor. “I ask that you do whatever you must to save the lives of my cubs, Dr. Jula. They are all that is left of my mate, and my pack. I do not care about pain. I care only that they live.”

  Dr. Jula nodded. “I understand, Star.”

  Star turned her attention back to Ria. “Ria, I have no right to ask more of you, but I feel a connection with you, and I trust you.”

  “I feel the connection too, Star,” Ria said, sensing Star’s worry and hope. “Please ask whatever you want. If I can give it, I will.”

  “If I am called to hunt with the Cloud People,” she paused, hesitating.

  “Go on, Star,” Ria said gently. “You can ask me anything.”

  “I ask if you will be my pack, Ria. And if you will care for my cubs in my absence. Love them and be their pack for them. It is a lot to ask, I know this.”

  “I’d love to be your pack, Star,” Ria said, stunned that Star would trust her so much. “And I’m honored that you would trust me to care for your cubs. I’ll love and protect them always, no matter what, and that holds whether something bad happens to you or not.”

  “Thank you,” Star said, the knot of fear and tension easing within her. “Thank you more than I can ever say.”

  “Don’t worry, Star,” Dr. Jula said, surprised to find her eyes stinging. “I’ll do everything in my power to save you and your cubs.”

  Corin approached Dr. Jula with a syringe on a tray. She picked up the syringe, checked it carefully then
turned to face Star while Corin hurried back into the next room. “I’m going to insert this needle near your hip. You’ll feel just a quick pinch, then the pain in your hip and leg should begin to ease enough for you to relax. If it doesn’t, let me know and I’ll add more.”

  Once again Star looked up at Ria who remained at her side, soothing her with the gentle petting. She didn’t know why she trusted Ria so much, but thought it might be because she could feel Ria’s emotions. As though she were pack. Star tilted her head slightly as she considered that. Ria had told her there was no obligation, and that was only true between pack mates. And she’d just promised to be her cubs’ pack, no matter what.

  Yes, she decided. That explains much. The Cloud People must have chosen Ria to be her pack, to aid her in caring for and raising her cubs since there were no Brun left. The idea brought Star a measure of peace she hadn’t felt since her pack was killed, leaving her utterly alone with cubs on the way.

  She felt the pinch Dr. Jula mentioned, and was surprised that it hurt less than she’d expected. A few short moments after that the pain in her hip and leg began to fade, just as Dr. Jula said it would. Star’s panting slowed, and she lowered her head to rest her chin on the medi-cot with a relieved sigh.

  “Feel better?” Dr. Jula asked, watching Star’s vitals carefully.

  “Yes, very much better Dr. Jula. Thank you.”

  “Excellent,” Dr. Jula replied. “This will wear off in time, so I want you to tell me the moment you begin to feel pain again, Star. Promise please.”

  “I promise, Dr. Jula.”

  “Good girl,” Dr. Jula said, eyeing the tray Corin brought in next. She walked over to it, then nodded her approval. “Medi-cots generally handle these things automatically for humanoids, but as you’re not humanoid, I’ll have to do this manually,” she said, inspecting one of Star’s forelegs. “I’ll place the IV needle here,” she said, selecting a promising site.

  The procedure was quick and, again, not anywhere near as painful as Star expected. She watched the fluid as it wound through the clear tube and into her leg, wondering how it could contain all that Ria had said. She knew that there were many mysterious things that humans and Doftles could do that were beyond her understanding. Even if she hadn’t known that, she wouldn’t have doubted Ria’s word anyway.

  “Now, let’s see to your arm, Ria,” Dr. Jula said.

  “How long will it take?”

  “Not long.”

  “I mean, is there enough time before Star gives birth?”

  “There is unless you continue to argue with me.”

  Ria sighed and unzipped her jacket. It was very wet, so she had trouble getting it off of her good arm, but shook her head at Corin’s offer of help. Even though she knew him, and trusted him to some extent, her nerves were about shot for the day.

  She eventually got the sleeve off of her good arm, then carefully worked it down her injured arm, hissing softly once or twice at the unavoidable pain. Once it was off she saw Corin carrying a stool over for her to sit on. He put it close to the medi-cot, near Star’s head, then took her wet jacket to hang up somewhere.

  “Thank you, Corin,” she said before climbing onto the stool.

  Dr. Jula frowned at the blood soaked front of Ria’s shirt. “Corin, grab a clean scrub shirt for Ria, please.”

  “Already did, Doctor. It’s beside the annealer in the next room.”

  “Thank you,” she said before gently pulling the sleeve of Ria’s t-shirt up to her shoulder, baring her upper arm. She went still. “Didn’t you say your arm was injured in a fall?”

  “Yes, I was trying to lead Admiral Thorn back to where Star was and I tripped over a tree root. That’s what I think it was, anyway. I didn’t actually see it. It was raining and everything was getting cold, so I couldn’t see much. That’s when I cut my chin too.”

  “Why is it then that you have a bruise in the shape of a hand encircling your arm?” Declan Dracon-Bat growled. Ria jerked her head around so fast it was only Dr. Jula’s hand on her shoulder keeping her from spinning off onto the floor. She hadn’t even heard the door open.

  “He thought I was too close to being in the open and grabbed me,” she said once she’d regained a measure of calm. “He was a little rough but as much as the man hates me, I’m surprised he bothered. He didn’t break my arm, though, if that's what you're thinking.”

  “He hates you?” Declan growled. “Why do you say this?”

  “Because he does,” Ria said, her voice calm and matter-of-fact. “They all do.”

  “Why?”

  “They saw the mission vids from the Leaper. You can hardly blame them, Declan.”

  Declan turned to face Talon, whose eyes were fixed on the hand shaped bruise that covered most of Ria’s upper arm. Before he could say anything, a deep roar of anger and despair tore through the air.

  “Tee,” Talon said, turning around and vanishing through the door with Declan at his side.

  “Why is Tee so upset?” Dr. Jula asked as she used a portable scanner to check the bone in Ria’s arm.

  “I don’t even know who Tee is.”

  “He’s the youngest of the Katre male-set,” Dr. Jula said, frowning at the scanner screen. “There’s a clear break in the humerus,” she said, knowing full well that Ria’s pain was much worse than she’d admitted. “It’s a clean break, but the humerus is a large bone, so it’s going to hurt like nekon to set.”

  “No pain meds, Dr. Jula.”

  “Why not?” Dr. Jula asked in surprise.

  “Because I’m so tired that anything you give me will knock me out, and I told Star I’d be here when the cubs are born.”

  “All right, but only if you agree to come into the next room so I can use the big annealer. It’ll heal the bone much more quickly than the hand unit. And you can change out of that shirt.”

  “It’s that bad, huh?”

  “Yes, it really is.”

  “I guess I’m glad I can’t see it then. Corin, please let me know if Star needs me.”

  “Don’t worry Ria, I will.”

  “Thank you. I’ll be right back, Star.”

  “In that case, I’ll wait right here for you.”

  Ria smiled tiredly at Star’s joke as she climbed off the stool and let Dr. Jula guide her out of the room.

  ***

  After telling Corin to take a stretcher to the landing bay, Tee remembered seeing Ria’s cane on the floor in Transport. He took the stairs to Deck 3 where Transport was located. Not seeing the cane where it’d been earlier, he looked around before spotting it wedged under the edge of the control console. It must have gotten stepped on when Declan and Vari transported over since, when he pulled it out, he saw that it was broken.

  He went back to the infirmary and attempted to get the med fabricator to create a new one. After several long and frustrating minutes, he concluded that the med fabricator was a useless hunk of asteroid rubble and left the infirmary without shredding the thing the way his impatient, inner katrenca wanted.

  He left the infirmary and started for the elevator, then turned around and went the other way to comms at the end of the corridor. He contacted the Bihotza’s infirmary and asked the med-tech to make a new cane for Ria and have it transported to the Hilgaria. Relieved to have finally completed what he’d thought would be a simple task, he leaned back in the chair and smiled.

  He checked the time and stood up, hoping Thorn’s ship hadn’t arrived yet. Once again a thrill of excitement ran through him at the thought of seeing Ria. He stepped into the corridor in time to see Corin closing the infirmary doors after following Dr. Jula, Ria, and a stretcher carrying the Brun inside.

  Frustration rose, but he tried to console himself with having caught a brief glimpse of Ria, proving to himself that she was at least safely onboard. He debated going into the infirmary before deciding it would be rude to interrupt just so he could see her.

  He wondered where Declan, Talon, and Thorn were, considered heading
down to the landing bay, then remembered Thorn’s mission cam. An entire vid filled with images of Ria sounded like something he would enjoy watching. Surely the device had uploaded the recording by now.

  He turned back into comms and sat down in front of a vid terminal to log in. A few moments later he had the upload and leaned forward eagerly to watch it.

  ***

  After receiving one furious look from Talon through the cockpit window, Thorn had no doubts that his brother had seen the mission vid. He wasn’t surprised that Talon was upset with him. He’d expected that. He was surprised, however, at the depth of Talon’s anger. If he knew his brother, (and he did) he’d conclude that Talon was riding close to the edge of a blood rage.

  After hearing Declan describe the injury on Ria’s chin to Dr. Jula, along with how much she’d already bled, Thorn’s shame at not caring for the woman quadrupled. There was no excuse for that, and it didn't matter whether she was their berezi or not. Ria’s repeated attempts to convince Declan to take her to the Bihotza convinced Thorn that she’d never accept him and his brothers as her Rami. It was completely his fault, and his scars had nothing to do with it.

  All things considered, Thorn decided it might be best if he remained in the cockpit for the time being. While he waited, he tried to understand the intensity of Talon’s anger.

  It was true that he hadn’t been very nice to Ria, and he was ashamed of some of the things he’d said to her. But she’d specifically told him she didn't have any injuries. That meant there was no way for Talon to know about them before he saw her, so that couldn't be the reason for his anger.

  Yes, he should have checked them, and yes, he should have watched over her more carefully. But he hadn’t actually said the worst of the things he’d been thinking, so they weren't on the vid. The things he had said weren’t really that bad. Were they?

  As soon as everyone left the landing bay, Thorn reached for the vid terminal on the console and pulled up his mission vid. The screen wasn’t very big, but it was big enough that he had no real trouble seeing it. After the first couple of minutes, he wished he couldn’t see it at all.