Black Sun

Thirty

Styx, Pluto

ADELAIDE

No one sleeps that night, too worried about Petra. They aren't sure if the plague can be transferred between planatial races, so they can't tell if they are all sick, or if the disease is even contractible to them. Adelaide never leaves Petra's side, putting a cool rag on her head, trying to bring her fever down. Her skin is cracked and oozing with blood, and drainage.

Every once in a while, she has a coughing fit, and with the coughing comes blood. Adelaide is getting increasingly worried about Petra, but they aren't sure what to do.

"We cannot go back to any of the planets," Adelaide says.

"No we can't, but we have to do something," Doone says.

"What about someone on Pluto or a moon, or something like that?'

"Well, what about a star witch?"

"Do you know if there are some around here?"

"Maybe on Styx?"

"Why Styx?"

"Well, Styx is known for having several Star Witches, it's their birthplace."

"We can look."

After a bit of thinking and discussing, the group decided to go to Styx, where Rafe says a star which is located. They plan to leave in the morning and make it to the shuttle, where Rafe will fly it. Doone and Rafe drift off to sleep on each other, while Adelaide moves the hair off of Petra's sweaty forehead.

The next morning they locate their ship and head out, Adelaide carrying Petra. The wind isn't blowing as hard this morning, and they are thankful as they hurry to the ship, Adelaide laying Petra down on a cot in the main room, and sits down next to her. Doone and Rafe head to the control room, where Rafe shakily gets them into the air. Adelaide leans back, her hand on Petra's head, and closes her eyes, the movement of the ship rocking her into a light sleep.

They get to Styx a few hours later. Petra has been mumbling in her sleep, things about Earth, and saying her sisters' names. They walk into a small area of Styx where several tents and shacks are located. Some of the signs are in a language none of them know and they look around, trying to decide which will be best to go into. They all see a red den that looks small and cozy. They walk towards it.

The star witch opens the curtains, beckoning them in without a word. She sits Doone down on a cushion and Rafe next to her. She has Adelaide lay Petra on a small futon filled with more cushions, then sits Adelaide next to Petra.

The star witch is old and has frizzy glowing white-gray hair. She has pure white skin, and contrasting deep black eyes, that swim on for miles in her iris'. Her den is filled with different colors of curtains hanging everywhere. She has cushions placed all over the floor, and a small table in the corner with a bowl of water.

She walks over to her table, hunching down, to grab something behind it. She lifts out an old dusty book and starts flipping through pages, murmuring things to herself. Adelaide starts nervously playing with her hair. She finally stops on a page that looks stained with several different types of blood. She murmurs more and then goes to her bowl of water.

Scooping up a handful she walks over to Petra, not a single droplet of water falling from her hand. She pours the water on Petra's head and rubs it in. Petra doesn't wake, and the witch ponders, before finally speaking.

"Do you know what she has?" she asks, speaking with a heavy accent.

"She has Plague Zero, from Earth," Adelaide says.