by Lucee Joie
However, I have to put all of my worries and concerns aside for the moment. Instead, I have a life that needs saving.
Marir leads me into the darkness of the building. Apparently, we need to prep to move as soon as possible. This patient may be deathly ill but his life will be in further peril if we remain at our current location.
I pinch my lip between thumb and forefinger as we walk. Our pace is brisk and I can sense the urgency as Marir charges ahead. I quicken my steps, to let her know that I am close behind, that I am capable of moving faster.
The building is familiar to me as we enter. Not because I have been there before but because it reminds me of every nightclub ever. It is bland on the outside and bleak on the inside during daylight hours. I am sure, though, that under the harsh glare of lighting and with the crush of bodies and blare of techno music, it looks awesome at night-time.
For now, though, I follow Marir down dingy corridors that are scuffed with marks on the walls and the smell of damp assaults me.
“He is in here,” Marir says as she pauses at a door. Opening it carefully, she peeks her head through, as though expecting the worst and bracing herself against it with her hesitant entry.
I can smell the threat of death even before I have followed Marir through the doorway. Stepping inside, I can see the dark bump of someone in a makeshift bed. Really, it is just an old sofa, it’s stuffing spilling out in places.
Immediately, I rush towards the person. Already, I have my emergency kit out, the one which was taken from the Prennia before I left. However, I need to assess the damage first.
Peeling back the bedcovers, I ask for Marir to turn on the overhead light. She obliges and I watch as the man grunts in pain once the harsh light hits his face.
His pallor is off and I’m not even sure if that is because of his injuries or his race. The Brux are green in complexion, even under the harsh conditions on board the Leonida, when they bleach out to a greyish hue. However, this man’s coloring is different still. His skin is waxy and clammy to the touch and his antenna hangs down against his forehead.
“What’s his name?” I ask as I continue to assess the situation.
“Bivir,” Marir replies and I lean over the man, making sure that he is looking at me before I speak.
“Bivir, my name is Danika. I am a human who has been trained in medicine. I am not a qualified doctor, though. However, I can perform some minor procedures.”
“You are a Magni…” Bivir replies and I assume he is referring to what his race calls their own nurses. “So beautiful…”
I ignore the last comment and continue to gently poke and prod Bivir. Finally, my assessment is done and I roll back onto my heels as I look over my emergency kit.
“His wound is substantial,” I say as I gather supplies. “Even still, I think I can treat it. My main concern is the festering that is going on. That’s what is creating that smell. I need to cut out any dead skin and thoroughly clean the wound. Once that is done, I can stitch it and we can think about moving him.”
I can hear Marir suck in a deep breath. She expels it in one long shattering sound and I wonder if she will cry.
“Are you sure?” she finally asks and the waver in her voice betrays her true emotion.
“I am fairly confident. There doesn’t seem to be much internal damage that can’t right itself given time. However, I need some sort of drug or medication that will numb the area while I work on him. I only have a small medical kit and it doesn’t really accommodate minor surgery.”
“We have nothing like that here,” Marir says. “Will recreational drugs work, though?”
“Depends on what you have,” I reply. “Anything that will dull his senses will be helpful.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Marir says as she stands and crosses the room.
When she exits, I start to flush out the wound. I try to be as gentle as possible but Bivir still clenches his teeth and hisses every time I touch him.
I watch as the festering yellow pus washes out with each cleaning. There is so much infection here that I worry if I really will be able to save him.
“I have some Umbra,” Marir says as she blusters into the room.
I have no idea what it is or what it does but I take it anyway. “How much is usually given?”
“The whole vial is added to a drink,” Marir replies. “It renders the person drinking it unconscious.”
Ah, so they have date rape drugs here as well. While I am horrified, I am also thankful in this instance. It will be the perfect drug to use to perform the sort of surgery I need to do.
I just hope that Bivir survives the procedure as I am not entirely sure what will happen to me in this foreign land should he die.
I try not to think about the consequences as I encourage Bivir to drink from the cup I offer.
Chapter Two: Bivir
She is like a Magni, one of our celestial beings. Her hair feathers out as she leans across me, tickling my face but I welcome it. I am not sure if she is here to help me or claim me for the afterlife but I really don’t care which one it is because so long as she is there with me, I will be happy.
“How do you feel?” she asks. Her voice is low and I can tell that she is concerned.
My sister bounces in next to her and I can see that her face is lined with worry. She looks haggard, thinner, and I wonder how long I have been out of it.
“Everything hurts, Magni,” I reply.
“My name is Danika,” the woman replies. “I have just patched up your wound and disinfected it. Your sister wants to move out shortly but unless you feel up to it, I won’t allow it.”
Ah, so she is a Shade, not a Magni. However, I continue to think of her as a mythical being rather than a healer. She is too beautiful to be counted among the Nostrals, who are our only healers on this planet.
Or, they were until the Galactic Union took them from us.
Marir pushes in next to me, filling the space between myself and Danika. I want to tell her to move so that I can continue to gaze on the Magni but, instead, I smile at Marir and her face slackens, the worry lines smooth away.
“I was so worried,” Marir says as she takes my hand.
“How long has it been?”
“Four days.”
“Has the emperor retaliated at all?”
“He hasn’t had a chance since he has had his own problems on board the Leonida,” Marir smirks at me before looking towards my Magni. “Danika’s group managed to escape the breeding program and are now on the run from Thahars. So, those small rebellion numbers you were worried about seems to have doubled over the last few days and we now have a serious group forming against the Union.
I breathe a sigh of relief.
Now, maybe we can get our parents back from servitude.
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You can also check out my short read, My Area 51 Alien Prize, which is set in the same universe as the Galactic Union.
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OTHER BOOKS BY LUCEE JOIE
Warrior of the Stars (Galactic Union #1)
My Area 51 Alien Prize
My Cocky Farmer
Bite Me
COMING SOON
Protector of the Stars (Galactic Union #3)
Empress of the Stars (Galactic Union #4)