𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 || 18+ 𝚢𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚜 𝚡 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝙵𝙼𝙲

┉┈◈†𐐎𐌴𐍀†𐌸-𐍈𐍀𐌴◈┈┉

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"This was found opened in the biolab," Henry said, lifting a container filled with orange liquid to show to everyone in the medical room. "This is the one containing a potent mixture of Olkir root and Heker weed. A small dose, perhaps just under a teaspoon, is enough to paralyze a full grown Daki for an hour."

"Charlie was given barely a drop of it and she was down for three," Tobias said, giving the woman a sympathetic look where she sat on her cot being comforted between Mariah and Stacy.

No one had slept the night before and it showed in their distant expressions and in the slope of their posture. Charlie felt it most keenly, like a devastating weight on her shoulders. Her body took the brunt of what happened, while her mind was still catching up. It was a heavy sort of numbness.

That conversation with Tifi just the other day came floating back to her head. "I feel like nothing more than a rag doll being pulled along for the ride..." A useless rag doll who couldn't help anyone. Couldn't even help herself.

Her own mind attacked itself in the midst of everything. Only a squeeze around her shoulders from the redhead at her side temporarily guided her out of it.

"We need to start locking up our supplies. Preferably with a fingerprint or retina scan," Eli pondered, brows furrowed.

Tura'alel nodded, uncrossing her arms and pushing off the wall she'd been leaning against by the door. "I will take care of it," she said before exiting the room.

"What we need," Malakai butted in with steel behind his words, "is to make the satellite our top priority. We need a heavily armed and informed rescue team."

Tük'hala growled, "You would bring many unknown weapons to our city? Do you threaten us?"

"Maybe we should," Malakai snapped, glowering at the Daki warrior.

Her mate stepped up close to the man, his intimidating height towering over him as they scowled at each other.

"Knock it off!" Stacy barked, an unnatural growl behind her voice that startled most of them. "This isn't the time or the place. Charlie was just assaulted, for fucks sake!"

"I agree with Malakai," Charlie managed to say, her voice a little hoarse. She cleared her throat. "The satellite needs to get done, we need to have contact with Earth. I... I'm gonna be okay."

"Charlie," Mariah muttered with brows furrowed in concern while she rubbed her back soothingly.

"I don't want to think about... me right now. Let's just get to work, move forward, make things happen. Let's just do something. Please."

It was silent for a few lengthy seconds as the room absorbed her words. She was looking down at her lap, but she knew their eyes were on her, full of pity. She hated it.

"Yeah," Mariah started, breaking the silence. "Let's work on the satellite. I'm sure we can make great progress today. Don't you, Eli?"

"Yes, we can get a lot done today. There actually was something I needed your help with, Charlie," Eli said, the corners of his lips lifting in a smile that held more sadness than anything.

Tük'hala was silent, staring at his mate with a mix of feelings that appeared as concern, guilt, and anger. His anger no doubt was directed towards the one who broke her so deeply.

"She will have a meal first. Then I will bring her to the sssatellite with you," he said gently, hiding any displeasure he might have for her doing any work after her ordeal.