Stellar Saviors

sixteenth chapter

      There was a blur of Robreal giving me the moon necklace. Then another of him picking me up, my body feeling limp in his grasp. Still, my hand refused to leave my throat as a new sense of dread washed over me.
      Why did I have to check the body? I've done this to myself. I've seen what happens to those who get the toxic in their blood.
     I can't come back from this.
     Robreal rushed, meeting with the others left of the team outside the cave. They were yelling but I couldn't hear what they were saying. The infection is slow in the bloodstream, it won't be this quick. The numbness just had to be me.
      He took the communication device from one of the humans, the bass of his voice all I could feel.
   My head was so quiet. No Stirling. No Golden One. Just me.
     I won't be conscious if I mutate. It doesn't work like that. This silence won't be remembered, I'll be mindless.
     "Stay awake Marlee," Robreal's voice made it to me as he leaned over. Cradling my body to his chest. My eyes slowly fell to look down at myself.
     A mess. Stains of dark green and blue on both armor and cloth. I could feel the damp on my throat, all down my arms, in my hair. Damned mess.
      Robreal kept talking to me as he ran through the forest. The faint sound of gunfire I could hear, as well as growls nearing. Sound attracts them, I bet the cave drew them in. Unfortunate.
    I felt like I blinked and we were out of the forest, the ships not too far. I saw Ahvertaa and his team waiting at my colonys edge. His face immediately dropping.
    I hate that expression.
    Pity. I don't want it. I knew what I was getting in to when I went on the mission. He said he'd kill me, and he has. Don't feel sorry for a corpse.
     I couldn't hear all of their conversation as I was carried through the familiar city. Something like "doctor", "elders", "stay". Not in that order, but it all sounded jumbled anyways.
     Don't waste supplies on me, I wanted to say but my throat stung too much to speak.
     The rubble of the ground turned to tile when we entered a new building. A smell flamed at my nose, burning my nostrils. It was bad enough it was getting harder to breath. As if my throat was closing. The hand I had closed around the moon pendant felt numb, the other at my throat felt locked onto my skin.
      "Marlee, hey," Ahvertaa's voice made my eyes waver towards him, "good focus on me." He repeated and I felt my back press to something hard. A bed? A table? I couldn't see nor did I notice it a moment ago. Robreal just wasn't carrying me any longer, instead he was bossing humans around.
      They wore blue and green scrubs, busying about with face masks and white covers.
      They brought me to a clinic. These humans would know mutant infection isn't treatable. Maybe that's what Robreal and a doctor were currently arguing about.
      A nurse returned with a tube of green bubbly substance, the doctor yelling something about "Shakall" and "slower".
      Ahvertaa was the one who yelled now. Once at Robreal in their language and one to the doctor to "try".
       I can't be helped, don't try anything. . .

      I woke up with a rush, my body lacking reaction. It took me a second to recall everything. Did I pass out?
      I last remember Ahvertaa pouring a portion of the liquid into my mouth and it's horrible taste. At least my brain didn't feel as woozy. My neck still stung, that's expected though.
     I was propped to sit at a slant in one of the clinic beds. There were five others in the large room, all empty. No other major injuries? That's good. . . besides the ones who died in the cave--
    I felt goosebumps on my skin, a quickening beep coming from a monitor by my bed.
   Calm down, it'll all over now, and maybe we're finally safe.
    I just wish someone was here so I could have an explanation. How wasn't I dying and swelling at the throat right now?
    There was a tempting red button on the inside ftame of the bed. Something about it just screamed "push me". So obviously, I did.
    Nothing happened in the room but a nurse came quickly to the room, pausing at the door for only a moment.
     "Are you alright? Do you need anything," she questioned as she entered the room.
      My voice wasn't cooperating and I could only muster out the word "beacon".  I was trying to ask if any of the beacons were still here. I sure hoped they were. I'd it if they had to report back to First Colony or something.
      The nurse nodded, leaving after promising to get one.
      I didn't like the wait, but I stayed patient. With my head resting on the back cushion, I debated counting the seconds. All I could do was sit, stare, and think.
      A knock at the door grabbed my attention. The last face I saw before I knocked out. He came in and took a seat on the bed beside mine.
    "How do you feel," Ahvertaa asked, I noticed his eyes were dim today. An indication of his own health.
    I parted my lips as if I could speak, but my voice proved much too soundless to do so. Instead I did my best to raise a thumb to the side, warning a quiet chuckle from him.
     "Figure as much, but are you alright," he meant emotionally now. I contemplated it for a moment, rotating my hand left and right now. This time he only provided a sympathetic look. I pointed towards my neck then to the pulse machine, mouthing a "how".
     "Humans did not have the cure for the toxic in your blood- the Shakall however, developed a sort of semi-antidore. Not enough to cute, but enough to stall. They have that to you to help, keep you alive. What comes next- we're still trying to figure out how to help you," he avoided my eyes now, rubbing his wrist.
     They'd kill me if they knew what'll happen to me. But I can't say I'm ready to go yet. Not now after I've finally gained silence.
     I couldn't reply so he continued to speak, "I'll get Robreal to check on you later. He's been back and forth explaining the situation to your people now that it's over. Then also Lightyears had him speaking with the mothership," his hand reached to pat my knee. "He's worried about you, he'll be glad to see you stable. Just rest and he'll come as soon as he can."
     I tried my best to give him a smile, closing my eyes. I heard footsteps retreat out of the room, the door clicking behind him.

     I waited for a while.
     Watching shadows moving outside the door, the air blowing on the curtains, the beep of my heart monitor. I fell asleep at one point, only to wake up to an empty dim room.
    Looking at the only window, no light shined through. Nighttime. So much rest and I still felt weak. I hated it.
    I forced myself to position upright, my back supported by the pillows. My hand raised to smooth along my neck, the feel of sandpaper cover felt under my touch. Bandages, they've never been the most comfortable.
   My attention was drawn to the door, a taller figure now outside. My hopes raised as the knob rattled. In came the familiar Beacon of Rebirth.
    Immediately I could feel my mood lighten. That was dulled at the sight of the bandages wrapped around his shoulder, bruises trailing down his arm.
     He got hurt because of me, because I wanted to question it. The mark will forever be on him while I'll be gone.
    "You should be resting, we dont know if the Shakall's medicine will have any strange symptoms on a human. I am glad to see you awake though," his voice wasn't loud. Or commanding. Or harsh. It was just him being honest and able to relax.nhe walked to my bed and took a knee to the floor.
      "I wanted to apologize," his fingers found their way to wrap around mine, his hand holding mine. What did he have to apologize for? My head tilted to the right, an instinct I'm not sure I can give up. I ignore the sting until I had to turn it straight again.
     "You got hurt, worse than hurt. I let me guard down after the mutant was dead, I didn't think the Golden Ones body could still be used. This happened and I could've prevented it, so I apologize." His hand reached up to brush against my neck, then to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. Why was he blaming himself.
     Since I couldn't talk at the moment, I took hold of his hand at my ear. Pressed it against my cheek and held it there. The blue in his eyes had a small bit of red light, reflecting one of the lights on the monitor. It was different.
      Last time, it was just the light playing ticks. At a rather untimely moment as he was mutilating the mutant. He looked so angry then. Like when he was stomping the Golden One. . .
    There was no anger in his eyes now, I knew this. I know he doesn't hate me, nor do I hate him. That uncertainty is gone now that I have silence.
     "Thank you," he whispered quietly now, pressing a kiss to the back of my hand. His head rested on the bed beside my legs. I could feel the soft caress of his thumb brush over my knuckles.
     If we could just stay like this . . . no more mutants. No more danger. No more uncertainty int what I'm getting myself into. We've always been afraid of the unknown, and now faced with it, it only brings questions.
   Will I die?
   Have I ever thought about dying?
   A few times maybe. At the hands of a mutant, by a pillar, or even by exhaustion. I'm glad it's not my time yet. Yet. How long do I have?
   My hand shifted to nudge Robreal who lifted his head the second I moved.
    "Infection- cure?" All I could mutter. His eyes grew dark as he laid his head back down. Keeping his face turned away from mine. A silence followed.
     Other than the repeat of the monitors beep, it was growing abnoxious.
     "The beacons consulted the elders, and with their admission, they will help you. When you have your strength, we are to take you to the mothership." His voice was quiet.
     My eyes raised to stare at the ceiling, or maybe trying to look beyond it. Past the structure and part the clouds. Just hoping to gain the faintest hint of their 'mothership'. Could I even make it there, and if I did, could they truly help me?