A dutiful, ace soldier from Mars faces a dilemma. She can accept an offer from an infuriating gen-eng man from Venus, grab her loyal cat + dig up her inner rebel and maybe become the first human to explore the Galaxy. OR she can keep flying security...
Time Stamp: 31st of the 3rd month, year 2696 CE, 21:20
Location Stamp: Infirmary on the space cruiseliner Solar Wind, home port Mars, owned by the Stellar Cruises Inc., in orbit around planet Jupiter, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy
***
The infirmary looked as white, clean and 'inviting' as the sterile surfaces could make a room. Just before Lola deposited me on the vacant bed, my anti-sickness meds either ran out or reacted violently with the stims, so I expressed my gratitude by vomiting all over her. After my gut stopped contracting, I could only stare in horror. Couldn't even wipe my mouth clean.
"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry, L'."
Lola squeaked politely, attempted to cleanse her fuzz with a wet napkin, and fled the infirmary the moment the nurse arrived.
It was for the best, because my stomach convulsions grew into full-on seizures. In the brief moment between the two spasms, my head banged against the headrest. The nurse's shriek came from outer space. The code-something announcement echoed it, just as faintly. The restraints caught me around my wrists, ankles and chest. Warm liquid slithered down my arm while the nurse wrestled with the IV. Through the haze of sickness, I focused on a hyper-realistic view of a cleaner-droid spinning in slow motion on the floor.
A second or a century later, Dr. Ross—the ship's medical officer—arrived, screaming that the meds had no effect. His voice shattered my world into unintelligible fragments, as the new wave of convulsions rolled through me.
I wanted my body to move again, but not like that. Be careful of what you wish for, I thought. I was too exhausted to laugh.
"Here. I believe this will stop her from seizing. Five cc's." The voice was Mikado's. Even when I squinted, he looked distorted, but I saw a tube of toxic green liquid in his hands. The criminal scientist came bearing gifts.
Dr. Ross squinted at the vial suspiciously. I couldn't blame him. Dressed in a white coat over the lining of a space suit, Mikado was the very image of a poisoner.
The appearances weren't what bothered Dr. Ross. He had a different ax to grind. "Dr. Mikado, forgive me for asking.... But is 'Doctor' in your name a medical designation?"
Dr. Mikado smiled thinly before answering a question with a question. "Have you ever seen a Venusian drone this far away from his beloved Fatherland?"
"Those eyes! So, the tale is true, and you are—"
Mikado interrupted his ramblings with a sharp look. "Yes. The Morning Star Corporation bred me on Venus. I'm your typical Venusian drone, except for a minor defect. I'm not as dumb as this cork."
He unstoppered his elixir and offered the cork for Dr. Ross' inspection. Ross took it, as if it was relevant.
"I spent years researching near-human physiology before I was confident I had altered myself enough to survive the trip from Venus to Mars," Mikado said. "Hence, the medical degree was the easiest one for me to earn after my flight."
Dr. Ross finally took his eyes off the cork. "I see."
"Wonderful. Now, Doctor, unless you want Ms. Gorelko to destroy your infirmary with her thrashing, please, inject 5 cc."
"N-n-no," I said through chattering teeth.
"I invoke the right to save life," Dr. Ross said and injected the toxic green into my IV.
The two doctors stared on while I stopped convulsing, slumped back, sore all over, and cranky. Okay, so this concoction didn't kill me. It even did me some good. But Mikado was going to murder me, I just knew it.
He didn't waste time in setting his heinous plans into motion.
"Dr. Ross, I hope you've checked my credentials by now and they're satisfactory," he said. "Given how busy you are with preparing the immunisations for the return trip, I volunteer to put our brave trooper back on her feet."
"No." This feeble protest was the best I could do to thwart the evil genius. "Dr. Ross, I beg you. Don't leave me alone... with him."
"Ms. Gorelko is still delirious after her trials," Mikado commented matter-of-factly. "The effects of the paralytics reacted adversely with the muscle stims. I know how to fix it."
"He's gonna kill me!"
Over my near-dead body, Dr. Ross exchanged something incomprehensible and medical with Mikado, nodded his approval and left. He trusted Mikado's word over mine, because I didn't have University degrees. Damn the cliquey academicians!
My fate was in my numb hands now. I opened the dialogue with a grunt. "Step back from my IV, Mikado."
"You are being unreasonable, Ms. Gorelko," he chided. "Meds already flow through your veins as plentiful as blood. What's a few more drops?"
"If you kill me—" I let the rest of the threat hang in the air.
"What happens then?" Mikado asked in a genuinely curious tone. "Do expostulate, because the consequences are not completely intuitive."
I could have vowed to reach him from beyond the grave, but I scowled instead. Let him squirm.
His only reaction to my glare was a slight widening of his pupilless eyes. "I'm waiting, Ms. Gorelko."
"Your game is over, Mikado. The modified bludgeons are a dead give-away," I said. "You created them. Don't deny it. You are afraid that I—"
Mikado's pale eyes actually rounded, but it had nothing to do with my accusations. The sound of heavy footfalls closed in on the infirmary.
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