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Chapter One
LEX
I’ve read these manuals over and over. All her scans are coming back perfect; there is no reason she should still be unresponsive. Her blood glucose is stable, ketone levels, creatine, and potassium have all been corrected. The brain scans show everything is functioning within normal ranges, and the med bay sensors say she is stable. Nevertheless , I swear I can still see her fading away . What am I missing?
Running my fingers through my long hair, I feel like screaming. Every attempt at contacting SCOUT has failed even though we received a signal from him earlier. “ Destroyer , see if you can contact SCOUT once again.”
“ I have been sending out dings, Master LeX . As soon as he reconnects, I will inform him you are in need of his council.”
I don’t know how long I stand there lost in thought, but I practically jump out of my skin when SCOUT’s booming voice comes through the speakers. “ Medic , how may I be of assistance and make it quick, this signal is weak.”
“ The female in this med bed is still not responsive, even though all scans are coming back within normal ranges.” SCOUT goes quiet for a moment, but I know that he is still here because the holo screen above her bed is flicking through multiple screens all at once.
“ Medic LeX , her blood cells have an anomaly that I cannot accurately diagnose at this time. Until we know more, I would recommend the short-term solution of a blood transfusion, as she has Hyperglycemia . A med chamber would be preferable in these circumstances, but unfortunately, the closest chamber is located on the Explorer . At this time, that ship is dry docked with a failing thruster and the scheduled maintenance will not be finished for several lunar rotations, as the parts are being fabricated now.”
“ SCOUT , I was informed that ANDI is on his way, so can he transport the chamber? We now have dozens of humans with issues it could fix quickly.”
“ Medic LeX , the med chamber is hard wired into the dwelling it was created for. The Destroyer was not provided with the needed base framework upon construction for proper installation of such a rare device. I will speak to MeK and see if he can have another one put on the manufacturing schedule, but they are very complex and take some time to build. The human colony will have one at some point, but not until their infrastructure is operational. Once the Destroyer returns to Falcor , I will initiate an order to have her wired in the anticipation of a med chamber becoming available in …...”
SCOUT’s reply is cut off mid-sentence. “ Destroyer , what happened?”
“ We have lost the signal again. Do you want me to keep trying?”
“ No , that is all for now, thank you.”
“ My pleasure, sir.”
Running back over SCOUT’s words, I glance back through all the scans. I’d noticed the indication marker on her blood work earlier, but didn’t think it pertained to the primary cause of her unresponsiveness. I run my hand along her springy curls, imagining what color her eyes will be when she finally awakens. My own slide down, looking over her small, delicate frame that is currently being hidden by a heating cloth that is keeping her temperature stable and comfortable as she floats above the hover table.
Shaking my head, I turn toward the main holo screen. My fingers run over the reports that we have already obtained about the humans on board looking for any others that might have the same blood type. This particular subject is one of many that fascinated me in the human medical journals, so many differences in the same species.
Three matches pop up, but due to age or other issues, it doesn’t take long for me to rule each of them out. I simply refuse to inject her with another’s illnesses or medical conditions. She needs a pure, untainted source. Aggravated , I turn away, my eyes instantly seeking her out. I have watched my brothers find their mates, and never once dreamed my own was floating her way toward me all this time.
I remember being excited and a little nervous when the pods were finally located. Being the only medic on board, I was already spread thin, as it seemed like the medical rooms have always had a revolving door of problems.
The second that pod opened, there was no preparing myself for her scent. Even muted by the fluids surrounding her, it still overwhelmed my senses. My scales fluttered and my shaft hardened for the first time in my life. Unfamiliar feelings and emotions flooded my system, making it hard for me to focus on the things she needed.
This is just one more thing I don’t have in common with my many brothers. Most of them are rowdy and enjoy the status of being a son of DaR . My genetics are different, and my body will not wake until it is presented with its mate. I knew when I boarded the Destroyer the odds of that happening diminished immensely, as I am the only LeXorkon on board.
There were times while training in the medical field I would have loved to explore the female anatomy personally, as the others did. But not having that option, I turned away from the unfulfilling temptation of all my relationships being one sided and concentrated on getting through the Health and Science Institute as quickly as possible.
A decision I now realize put me exactly where I needed to be…. here. The rotation is late, and exhaustion is pulling my thoughts all over the place. EvO has commed several times already, and I know I will not be able to put off scanning the other humans that have been brought on board for much longer. Thankfully , the med bots are more than capable of performing most duties, and this helped to lighten the load with so many being brought on board at once. The Lord of Light knows that I have been fascinated with the human species since the moment I came face to face with Kira . At the time, I’d placed her upon a pedestal and expected all humans to behave and look as she does. However , just like my own species, that was not the case. The variety within their race is astounding.
My holo pad continues to fill up with issues. The med bots are requesting additional assistance, but the thought of leaving her for even a moment is tearing me to pieces. If she opened her eyes and I wasn’t there to witness it, I would never forgive myself. My mind runs through all the medical devices I have available here on the ship. Sighing , I shake my head when I realize all the things I need to do. One of the most pressing is to make a list of the mechanisms and machines that must be installed in the future since most take rotations to construct and the quicker I make my needs known, the better.
It was foolish to hope that I was going to be able to handle anything they threw at me when it came to medical matters for the humans. There isn’t a journal or holo available about their race that I’ve not read completely, and still, I don’t know how to awaken her. Aggravated , I walk across the room to stare out the viewer.
The sky is getting oddly darker the further we move away from the Nebula . I had gotten used to its bright lights illuminating the viewers and now the darkness is suddenly unsettling. A beep in the lab has me turning for the back of the med bay. SCOUT’s diagnosis runs through my mind as my thoughts seem scattered all over the place.
Ensuring I didn’t miss something the first time, I rerun the three possible blood donors we have on board and conclude there is nothing I can do manually to cleanse it. Out of all the studies I’ve obtained, the purifying of their blood never came up. When all the tests come back the same, I barely stop myself from destroying the lab. I know the answer is right in front of me, I simply can’t see it. I’m just about to start another assessment when the Destroyer’s voice disrupts my thoughts.
“ Medic LeX , your presence is being requested in the human gathering chamber. One of the females seems to be experiencing pain in her cranium.”
“ Send one of the med bots; it will notify me if it’s anything serious.”
“ The captain will not be happy when he finds out that you have not checked on her personally.”
“ I will address that issue when it arises.”
I notice my med comm is blinking when I glance at the other test I have running in the lab. Reaching over to accept the message, I am shocked to hear SCOUT’s voice.
“ Medic LeX , due to our sudden disconnection I did not have time to evaluate the female’s situation any further. But due to your laboratory skills and the equipment available on the Destroyer , you may be able to investigate this further while the ship is making its way back to the main sector.
As far as my records show, you are the first of your kind to feel the mate bond with another not of your species. I would say that is due to your mixed heritage even though you took on more of your mother’s genetics than DaR’s . It is possible you might be more compatible with your female than you realize. It is well known that mate bonds tend to change the essence of the beings involved. There should be a few tests you can run to confirm this educated guess of mine.” His voice fades off before he can tell me anything else, and the line disconnects.
“ I would trust a guess from you before a fact from another”, I grumble out, talking to myself as my mind flows through the alternatives. Looking over at her floating form, she is already in a weakened state. I hate to keep poking and probing her, especially since this is all exploratory and might just lead to another dead end.
My eyes glaze over at the samples I have of the humans that were potential donors for her. Grabbing the first one, I insert it into the hematology analyzer, then take a moment to withdraw some of my own blood. Taking a small sample of each, I combine them together and was just about to slide the specimen under the microscope to examine it, when it starts sizzling. Instantly , I put a neutralizer on it, then discard it.
‘ What would have made it react so violently? Isn’t her blood the same as the others?’ My confidence in being able to work through problems has always been something I was proud of. At this moment, I am walking in circles simply asking myself the same questions over and over. Why is this issue stumping me? What would I say to one of my brothers if this was their mate? Are you too close to the problem because it’s your mate’s life at stake?
Then it’s like all my knowledge converges on me at that very moment. Her pancreas is what initially caused this disease to overcome her system. If I inject her with my essence, it could help reverse its inability to produce insulin properly. However , that doesn’t fix the fact that the blood circulating throughout her body is contaminated by faulty cells. That problem would have to be fixed first or the pancreas would simply regress back to its former disfunction. As much as I hate to, I can’t take the risk of my blood hurting her worse, so I need a few more samples from her to test before moving forward.
The sight of the needle piercing her skin has me trembling all over as the very thought of causing her even a little pain has my hands shaking. Making sure to get enough this time so that I don’t have to subject her to this again, I slip the vials into the pocket of my lab coat before rubbing a small amount of skin sealant onto the injection spot.
Returning to the lab, I stand back, apprehensively awaiting the same response as the others, when I combine our two blood types. I’m pleasantly surprised when virtually nothing happens, so I place the slide under the microscope. I watch in amazement as the two strands fight before merging together seamlessly. Smiling , I am happy with the results, but still indecisive. Just because this had a positive outcome does not mean that her body will not reject it somewhere else.
An alarm on her bed has me sprinting over. Her heart and kidneys are in distress and weakening further due to the huge amounts of drugs that were being continuously pumped into her system while in the pod. Every time I lower the dose, this happens. It’s almost like her body is now dependent on the higher medication levels to maintain it. Time is not on my side and this decision could kill her if I get it wrong, but I’m going to lose her either way if I don’t act now. Technically , if I could get her blood cleansed, it would allow me a short amount of time to fix her pancreas before having to go through this again.
Grabbing the transfusion machine, I start hooking the tubes directly to the port that was inserted when she was on Earth . The moment it’s ready, I sit down next to her bed, preparing the instruments.
“ Destroyer , turn the recording devices off in this lab until I tell you further and dim the lights.”
“ Sir , what if you need assistance?”
I smile at the ship’s response. Every rising she becomes more sentient, and I have enjoyed the many questions the Destroyer seems to have for me in those early hours. “ If I can’t handle it, then no other will be able to either.”
The lights in the room dim and I sit back to relax, knowing that this blood loss will weaken me temporarily. If it works, I may have to do this multiple times simply to make sure there are no remnants of the disease in her system. Closing my eyes for a second, I mentally prepare myself for what I need to do if she suddenly goes into distress.
My arm turns cold as I watch the machine siphon blood from my body and pump it into hers. As quickly as mine enters her system, hers is pushed out into a holding tank. My eyes never leave the monitors and quicker than I realize, the process is almost complete, as I can only give her so much at a time. Just as I am getting ready to remove the needle from my arm, EvO comes barging in.
“ Frack LeX , where the hell are you?”
“ Stop your yelling, I am right here.”
“ Why is the room dark? Where were you earlier when I was speaking to the humans? Who by the way, told me they have not seen you as of yet.”
“ EvO , I cannot leave her unattended right now. As for the humans, there is nothing so severe that my med bots can’t handle it.”
“ The frack there isn’t. They were asking about meds, and they are all still wearing those temporary translators.”
“ I will tend to that next rising as I’m confident she will awaken by then.”
“ Why the frack are we talking in the dark?”
“ It is of no concern, but I can tell you are in a rare mood, EvO . What has you so riled up?”
“ Females !”
“ That word alone answers everything, does it not? This one has not even spoken and yet I am devoted to her like no other. She doesn’t even know that I am waiting for her on the other side of her dreams. And still, she simply refuses to grace me with her presence.”
“ LeX , do you know why she has not woken?”
“ No , that is the problem. I have treated everything that could possibly keep her in this state, and still, she remains the same.”
“ Rylie .”
“ What ?”
“ That’s your female’s name. My Qwin recognized her.”
“ I see … it suits her somehow.”
“ LeX , we are getting closer to the outer rim of our solar system. Once we are back in regulated space, it may be possible for SCOUT or one of the others to help. They might know something you don’t. I wish I had someone I could reach out to for advice as well. My mate is torn. Humans do not feel the mate bond the same way we do, and she is pulling away from me. I don’t know how to stop it.”
“ Have you tried talking to her about this?”
“ I did. She said she knew her place and was needed in her world, but here she feels untethered.”
“ Then make her needed, EvO . Someone with her skills would have been a blessing when we entered the Nebula . She understands chemical reactions, metallurgy, and how to fuse together different substances so that they can be used as fuel sources. If she needs to have something to do, give it to her. This is a floating laboratory, EvO . Space is ever-changing, and it’s crucial we keep up.”
“ You are a fracking genius, brother!”
Before I can say another word, EvO rushes out the door.
Unsteadily , I unhook the machine as my body tries to adjust to the sudden blood loss. Grabbing a nutrient bar out of one of my many pockets, I consume it in several quick bites as I watch the screens above her hover bed. After a few tics when there is no change, I force myself to leave her side. Thankfully , the small snack replicator I purchased for the lab is located in an area where I can still see her bed.
Hitting the buttons without looking at the options, I grab the tray when it indicates the food is ready. My eyes never leave her as I eat the bland, tasteless sustenance. I know my body needs the fuel to replenish what was taken from it, but I have neither the time nor the energy to head toward the dining chamber for better options.
“ Medic LeX , would you like me to resume live feed to the cameras?”
“ Destroyer , you were not supposed to be watching until I notified you.”
“ I understood the parameters you put in place Medic LeX . I simply maneuvered the scanners into dark mode so that I could still scan the med chambers to ensure your safety.”
“ Finding a way around the rules already, I see. It seems like ANDI is proving to be a bad influence.”
“ I will not deny those accusations at this time, but I will say improvising is sometimes needed.”
I don’t even try to stop my laughter as her words echo through the room. Fatigued by the procedure and now that darkness has settled in, I sit down in the chair next to her bed and lean my head back, taking a moment to rest. My mind won’t relax though because I know I can no longer put off the others I am responsible for.
Not only do I need to oversee the insertion of the translators for the other humans on board, but someone needs to check on Rafe . Then there is the issue of Ember . Even though her pregnancy was unexpected, I should have expected it at some point as those two are insatiable. Even though it’s joyful news, I will need to monitor her closely.
The list of things that need to be done seems overwhelming as I settle down beside Rylie . I let her name roll around in my mind as I gaze at her resting features. My emotions are all over the place as I anticipate her awakening. Will she be scared? Did she know what was happening when placed in the pod? Will she reject me? I fall asleep with those last thoughts on my mind, my dreams haunted as I run behind a shadowy figure that’s always just out of reach.