Governed by the Unified Corporate Colonies (UCC), the Beta Hydri star system is centered around a radiant white-yellow class ‘G’ sub-giant star that shines with an intensity three times greater than Sol’s. Orbiting this luminous star is Beta Hydri B, a class ‘Y’ brown dwarf located an astonishing 13,935 light-seconds away, with a mass four times that of Jupiter.
The closest habitable planet is Doutune, a small, rocky world bearing the scars of war like a battered shield. Its surface features the remnants of a once-bustling outpost called Ebonfall Market, where inhabitants fled after a harrowing outbreak of Diphtheria years earlier. Now, the surface port lies in an eerie state of abandonment, a ghost town reclaimed by nature.
In orbit around Doutune, the Constella starport, named Harris Hospital, floated like a solitary sentinel, serving as a lifeline to the sparse inhabitants. Among the few who called this station home was Kai, despite most of his life being spent in the vastness of space. The stigma that shrouded the Beta Hydri system appealed to his hermit-like disposition. Here, solitude thrived. The numerous vacancies at Harris Hospital rendered rent surprisingly affordable, an enticing prospect for someone like him. Although there has been an appealing resurgence of opportunities shared across the news feeds, offering free relocation to Ebonfall Market in an effort to repopulate the surface. Assuming he accepted the constant life support failures, poor maintenance, and hazardous conditions, along with the legal disclaimers that boldly declared, ‘At your own risk,’ at the bottom of every document.
Parri meandered around the Shizukana Kage, its rugged metal frame resting on docking pad 31 like a slumbering beast. The rhythmic clatter of her boots echoed across the vast, cavernous open-air platform, one of many raised terraces nestled inside the enormous, hollowed-out core of Harris Hospital. The station was a spectacle in itself, a tube-shaped interior spanning a staggering 600 meters in length and 548 meters in depth, every inch packed with a sprawling city where the station’s graceful rotation drove the illusion of gravity.
As she rounded the shield generator housing, carefully inspecting the ship’s exterior for signs of wear or damage, her eyes narrowed at the sight of flickering sparks and a faint curl of smoke. Turning her attention to the tablet in her hand, she tapped the corresponding section on the vibrant 3D model displayed on the screen. As she marked the segment in bright red, indicating it as a priority for immediate repairs, she zoomed out to examine the entire ship’s condition, her heart sinking at what she saw.
“That’s a lot of red,” she muttered under her breath. In the bottom right corner of the screen, the estimated repair costs added up to 185,598 credits. Parri let out a heavy sigh, tilting her head back as her arms fell limply at her sides. Knowing Kai had set an unwavering benchmark, a strict mandate never to greenlight a repair bill exceeding 100,000 credits, she felt the tug of impossible choices rearing its ugly head. Whenever she questioned him about the seemingly arbitrary restriction, his responses were always maddeningly vague, laden with half-hearted excuses about needing to ‘save for an emergency.’ His reasoning made no sense. To her, saving credits now by skimping on repairs inevitably led to costly damage later, an emergency in her book.
Turning her gaze back to the tablet, Parri faced the daunting challenge of deciding which repairs could be delayed. Each system required extensive work, and all components were intertwined in a complex web of interdependence. It was a marvel in itself that the ship managed to function at all, given the number of jury-rigged modifications Kai had made, often bypassing critical components he couldn’t afford to replace.
“Cheapskate, credit-pinching old man,” she grumbled, her irritation bleeding into her tone. Mocking, she lowered her voice to imitate her Commander, carrying on a conversation with herself. “Remember, Parri, never more than one hundred thousand credits.” With a flick of her finger, she deselected the repair work needed for the front landing carriage; the ding from her tablet signaled the cost was removed from the total.
Continuing, she mumbled, “Parri, why don’t you make the repair list? Parri, hack into this system because I’m a dumb old man who ain’t good with computers. Parri, use proper radio etiquette because I’m a stubborn old geezer set in my militant ways.” Her eyes darted toward the imposing white building on the far side of the city, her expression hardening. “Parri, do all the work while I lounge comfortably with the enemy in a hospital waiting room.”
Kai shifted uncomfortably in a plush light blue chair that seemed far too luxurious for a hospital setting. The simulated gravity pulled on his bones at only 0.33 g, but it was enough to make his rear go numb. He cast his gaze around the recovery room, deliberately dim to mimic night conditions, as the city lights twinkled through the window, casting soft shadows on the sterile white walls. The space lacked any art or bright colors, while luxurious furniture dominated the room, more fitting for an upscale lounge than a place of healing.
Over his shoulder, he looked out the window at the docking bay below, where hospital staff were pulling a patient out of an ambulance. As his eyes moved upward, gazing at the roofs of upside-down buildings, he noticed patches of verdant parks nestled between the steel forest, creating a striking contrast against the otherwise industrial landscape. His gaze eventually shifted to a medical ship gracefully entering the station through the shield portal leading into deep space, a lone vessel amid the quiet air traffic of the past twenty minutes.
He flipped his wrist and examined the small digital strip under the sleeve of his flight jacket. Toggling through the tabs, he reviewed the mission parameters provided by the Coalition of Fengssxi faction, making a mental note of the completed objectives. His final task was to physically turn in the stolen footage and data before collecting his well-deserved reward.
As time dragged on, he pulled up the recording of the alien attack that the Sonification Analysis Telescope captured earlier. The chaotic video played out on the tiny screen before him, filling the void of time as he copied key details vital for the mission. The faction hadn’t requested the devastating climax that followed; all they needed was proof that the prototype functioned as intended.
Moments later, a rustling sound of plastic sheets broke his concentration, coming from the medical bed to his right. Concealing his illegal data, Kai flicked off the screen and turned his attention to the woman recovering next to him.
Shreya opened her groggy eyes, struggling to focus on the stark reality of her surroundings. The last memory that flooded her mind was the cold, dark void of space as her life faded into obscurity. With a sudden jolt of panic, she raised her arms, expecting her limbs to be shriveled, pasty white, and lifeless from the vacuum of space, but to her surprise, they were vibrant and healthy.
She flipped her forearm over and brushed her fingers against the remnants of deep cuts now stitched up with a pliable, transparent gel that glistened like smooth ice under the light. As her senses sharpened, her eyes drifted to the stark white room, its walls smooth and bare, with sharp, unforgiving corners. Realizing she was in a bed, she peered down at the white sheets draped over her body, the chemical smell filling in the gaps of her memory.
In a rush of urgency, she threw off the sheets and rolled onto her side, grimacing suddenly as pain jolted through her body when she sat upright. Her hand moved to the source of agony radiating from her hip, fingers landing on fresh stitches from a procedure she couldn’t remember.
Meanwhile, Kai sat quietly in the corner, deliberating how best to introduce himself. Honesty was tempting, but Ursaens were well known for their Machiavellian nature, forcing his lips to tighten with indecision. Turning his gaze to the woman, he examined her delicate features and youthful allure, musing that her age was probably between 30 and 34. Although the rejuvenating effects of advanced somatic cell nuclear transfer, a process used in Dynasty cloning, led wealthy individuals in Ursaen society to promote the medical breakthrough as a fountain of youth, rendering Kai’s guess unreliable at best.
The open split of her medical gown gave him a brief view of her back, showing smooth, unblemished skin with a single birthmark low on the left side of her spine. Despite his efforts to stay professional, he was momentarily distracted by a glimpse of lace-trimmed red underwear peeking out from behind the gown. Kai took off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose, trying to distract himself from inappropriate thoughts as he shifted in his seat, attempting to regain feeling in his numb legs.
Shreya rubbed her face vigorously with both hands to dispel the lingering disorientation. As the fog in her mind lifted, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, where the cold linoleum floor sent a shiver through her bare feet. Standing upright, she was struck by a sudden, dizzying sense of gravity. Reminiscent of a tightrope walker, her arms jutted outward for balance, a quick breath through her nose freezing her in place. Ever so slowly, curiosity guided her to the right, where a small advertisement stand rested on the table beside her bed. It was a glossy black dome, minimalist in design, featuring a single emitter that projected a floating blue hologram. Cautiously, she picked up the device, her eyes dancing over the shimmering blue letters that read, ‘Welcome to Harris Hospital.’
She slowly turned to survey her surroundings. The sparsely furnished room felt foreign and uninviting, a far cry from the lavish, curvilinear designs typical of Ursaen architecture. The single blue door, marked by an offset strip of glass, was her only escape route. The pungent smell of antiseptics wafting in the air made her crinkle her nose in discomfort as her gaze fixed on a shadowy figure sitting unnaturally still beneath the window. Startled, she gasped and automatically raised the advertisement dome, brandishing it like a makeshift weapon.
The shadowy figure slowly raised a hand and started to speak, “Hi, glad to see—” Before he could finish, Shreya let out a bloodcurdling scream and frantically hurled the advertisement stand at the stranger. The dome collided with Kai’s forehead, causing his head to snap back violently. In an instant, his body tumbled from the chair and crashed to the floor with a dull thud. “Mother f—” Kai instinctively bit off the curse, letting out a long, sharp breath through clenched teeth. He slammed his palm against the ground while cradling his injured forehead, sounding like an idiot who couldn’t finish a sentence as he censored himself. “Holy… hell… son of… damn it.”
“Who the hell are you? What do y’all want?” Shreya barked, her southern Ursaen accent thickening as she squared off, fists raised, ready for a fight. Instead of responding, the stranger groaned, rubbing his head while making whimpering sounds. “Where’s Den?” she pressed, inching cautiously toward the exit.
With an audible grunt, Kai finally managed to clamber to his feet, swaying slightly as he dabbed the welt on his forehead with two fingers. Blinking away the dizziness that blurred his vision, he stole a glance at the half-robed woman. “Damn, that hurt,” he muttered, his voice laced with irritation, “is that how you greet people in the Ursae Dynasty?” When her eyes darted around the room, searching for another makeshift weapon, Kai quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Whoa, whoa, slow down, Blondie. Let me explain.” With a hand over his chest to show honesty, he explained, “First of all, I apologize for looking creepy. That was entirely my fault. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Taking a tentative step forward, Kai extended his hand as a peace offering. “Let’s start over. My name is Kai Randal.”
Shreya instinctively pulled her elbows closer to her ribs, her posture tightening like a boxer’s. With a snarl tugging at the corners of her lips, she took an aggressive step back.
“Alright, no handshake,” Kai said slowly, retracting his hand with a hint of disappointment. “How about you tell me your name instead? That sounds like a decent way to start a civil conversation.”
“How did I get here?” she growled, her eyes narrowing with distrust.
Kai took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. “Um… well… we rescued you.”
“Rescued me?” Shreya echoed, raising one eyebrow in disbelief.
“Yes, your ship was attacked, and we managed to pull you from the wreckage.”
His explanation was woefully vague, causing a skeptical expression to cross her face as she studied his appearance, trying to gather more clues. He seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties, with thick brown hair cut short on the sides and slicked back on top. His hairstyle resembled that of an ex-military man adjusting to civilian life, not quite weaned off the rigorous grooming standards of his former life. His brown eyes, framed by black square glasses, held a hint of weariness, the type of exhaustion born from years of suppressed memories. He was approximately six feet tall, with a slender build, indicating someone accustomed to the weightlessness of space travel. Over his fitted nanosuit, he wore a green flight jacket with bright orange trim, the fabric noticeably worn. Her suspicions were confirmed when she spotted the iconic patch of the Colonial Navy proudly depicting the celestial rings of the Sol system on his left shoulder. “A Colonial pilot?” Shreya blurted out, bitterness creeping into her voice.
Kai’s confusion was evident as he followed her gaze. “Ah,” he said, tapping his left arm in realization. “Yes, I used to fly for the UCC.”
Stolen story; please report.
Shreya growled, raising her chin defiantly. “Y’all won’t get anything out of me. I’ll never talk.”
“Huh? I don’t want…” he paused, his expression shifting from confusion to amusement. “Oh! You think this is an interrogation? No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. You’re in a hospital. I’m not trying to extract information from you. Simply offering assistance.”
Shreya reached behind her back, her fingers grazing over the door controls. In a frantic rush, she pressed every available button in rapid succession until the door snapped open with a mechanical hiss.
Kai barely had a moment to utter, “Hold on a moment,” before Shreya burst out of the room. Just as she was about to step fully into the hallway, he lunged forward, grabbing her arm urgently as he insisted, “You need to be cleared by a doctor first.” The two halves of the door slid shut, comically squishing Shreya between them like a meat-and-metal sandwich. Kai winced visibly, a sorrowful sucking noise escaping between his teeth. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” The door detected the obstruction and opened promptly, giving Kai a chance to pull her back into the room, spinning her away from the threshold and inadvertently blocking the exit behind him.
Shreya stumbled a few paces but quickly regained her balance. As she spun around, her expression transformed into a fierce glare, her clenched teeth and fingers curling into a tight fist. Locks of golden hair fell across her face as her eyes locked onto Kai with such intensity that he gasped noticeably. Without giving him a moment to explain, she sprang forward, her fist smashing into his jaw with a brutal hook that sounded like a whip crack. Kai’s head snapped to the side as his glasses skewed on his face, barely holding on. Despite his feeble attempt to protect himself, she continued to rain down combo punches, pounding on him like a defenseless pillow.
“Wait… wait… stop—damn it, just stop!” Kai yelled, desperately trying to block the relentless blows. “Honestly, I get it. You’re confused right now, but—gah—I’m not your enemy!”
“You’re Colonial Navy. You’re the enemy,” Shreya shot back. “I can’t trust anything you say!” Slipping in, she delivered a ruthless pair of brutal body shots.
Each blow landed with a dull thud against his ribs, forcing grunts of pain from his lips. “Just give, Oof… give me… Oof… a second to explain,” he gasped, desperately trying to catch his breath.
Shreya paused her assault, repositioning herself so the medical bed acted as a barrier between them. Holding her defensive stance, she snarled, her shoulders heaving with each labored breath. “Alright, fine… explain… if you can.”
“First off,” Kai panted, leaning forward with his hands on his knees, winded like a marathon runner. “Hold on a second.” As he touched his jaw, a flash of pain shot through his face, causing a sharp hiss to escape his lips. “Wow, you hit hard. What the hell did the doctor give you? Crazy pills?” Regaining some composure, he explained, “Um… okay, okay, the story is, I saw the alien attack your big white ship. During the aftermath,”—he winced as he touched his ribs—“ouch… um… sorry, as I was saying, I happened to find you taking a long spacewalk. So naturally, being the helpful person that I am, I rescued you from the carnage and brought you to this hospital for medical attention.”
Shreya slapped her palms against the bed, her scowl deepening. “If you saw the Stygiamite, then why didn’t it attack you?”
“Well,” Kai hesitated, tilting his gaze toward the ceiling in search of an excuse, “we were sort of hidden.”
“Hidden? How?”
“We were kinda running two kay?” he said, his voice rising with childlike innocence as he shrugged his shoulders.
“So you’re a filthy spy!” Shreya exclaimed.
“No, no, no, I’m not a spy,” he stammered. “I’m uh… I’m probably filthy. I’ll agree to that.”
Shreya growled, her patience running out. In a burst of anger, she pushed the medical bed across the floor, trapping him against the wall. “You have one chance to get this right before I start beating the truth out of you.”
“Whoa, whoa, ouch, ouch, you’re crushing my giblets!” he protested, wheezing under the pressure biting into his hip.
She pushed against the bed harder, her eyes narrowing. “Where is Den?”
“Who?”
“The Athena-class ship!” she yelled, her tone brooking no nonsense. “Did you recover the pilot?”
Kai groaned, squirming uncomfortably as he shifted against the bed frame. “We found no one else, I swear. I think the Stygiamite got ‘em.”
Filled with uncontrollable fury, Shreya propelled herself over the bed, her fingers tightening around Kai’s throat like a vice. His eyes widened in sudden panic as he squealed like a girl, gasping for air and frantically tugging on her wrist. Kai managed to pry her hands loose and break away long enough to crawl under the bed. As she dove forward, her hand brushed his back.
Kai rolled out the other side and scurried across the floor like a startled cat. Springing to his feet, he turned on his heels to de-escalate the situation, but Shreya was already in motion, her body a blur as she lunged with a high corkscrew punch. He barely ducked in time, but the sidekick that followed was a brutal surprise. The impact sent him staggering backward, tripping over the overturned chair, and crashing to the floor, where their heated exchange began.
“Alright, that’s it,” he spat through clenched teeth. Climbing back to his feet, his face took on an eerie calm while his voice drawled out the words, “Okay, you’re done. No more playing around.” He jabbed a finger in her direction, his voice rising with authority. “If you swing at me one more time, I’ll—”
Before he could finish, Shreya slammed her fist into his stomach, causing him to double over with a loud, breathy woof. Reacting instinctively, he grabbed her arm and drove his shoulder into her midsection, pushing her backward across the room like the front line of a crowd control team. With a dull thud, Shreya slammed into the far wall, momentarily stunned. Kai shoved his hand against her chest to pin her in place, keeping her at arm’s length. “Stop it. Stop fighting,” he insisted, his voice rising in desperation. “I’m not here to battle it out.”
Shreya’s lips curled into a fierce snarl, and a primal growl escaped her throat as her body tensed, ready to fight to the bitter end. She leaned forward, seeking balance, when an unsettling awareness suddenly washed over her. Her gaze shifted downward as she registered the inappropriate placement of Kai’s hand. His fingers were splayed around her breast like a baseball, leaving her momentarily paralyzed by a mix of shock and fury.
“Well,” Kai chuckled nervously, an embarrassed flush spreading across his cheeks, “that’s awkward.” His mind raced through socially acceptable responses; unfortunately, he chose humor, playfully squeezing as he said, “Honk.”
Shreya’s eyes snapped open wide, fire igniting within as she emitted an appalled gasp. Driven by rage, she quickly sidestepped, bumping her hip into his and wrapping her arm around his waist. In one swift motion, she lifted him off the ground, hip-tossing him onto the floor.
“Oh shh—” was all he could utter before his body collided with the deck, his limbs sprawling out like wet noodles. In the blink of an eye, Shreya pounced on his chest, her legs straddling his ribs. She delivered a punch directly to his forehead with enough force to make his head bounce off the linoleum, leaving a dull ringing sound in his ears.
As the relentless assault continued, Kai cowered behind his forearms, a desperate plea tearing from his throat, “Stop, stop, I’ll talk, I’ll talk!”
She paused, her fist chambered, ready to strike. “Why did you bring me here?” she demanded.
“For medical attention,” he stammered.
“Do you work for the Colonial Navy?”
“I used to, but not anymore. I’m an independent pilot now,” he replied quickly, his breath uneven.
Her gaze narrowed. “So, you have your own ship?”
“Yes, yes. She’s docked on landing pad 31,” Kai admitted, timidly pointing in the general direction while keeping his defenses up.
After a quick look around the room, weighing her options, she issued another threat by raising her fist. “You’re going to take me to the Menkalinan system,” she demanded.
His brow flicked with defiance, having no intention of returning to Dynasty space. “Um… Yeah, sorry, Blondie, that’s not going to happen.”
She struck him again, her fist a blur as it connected with his jaw. “I wasn’t asking,” she spat.
“Okay, okay, wait,” Kai groaned, rubbing the new ache in his teeth. Taking a deep breath, he pretended to submit to her demands, but deflected with an ill-timed joke. “Um… sorry, what was the question?”
Shreya groaned, “I demand that you take me back.”
“Oh, right… Yeah, the answer is still no.” Anticipating her strike this time, he caught her arm mid-swing and rolled her over, pinning her wrist to the floor with surprising ease.
“Get off me!” she yelled, her head thrashing side to side, legs still wrapped around his waist.
“I don’t think so. Not unless you calm down,” Kai replied.
Shreya huffed through her nose. “You are a disgusting filth of a man. Remove your hands at once,” she commanded.
Easing his grip by repositioning his hands to her ribs, he sat upright on his knees. “Listen here, Blondie. I can’t take you back, but maybe we can find you a shuttle or some other form of transportation,” he suggested.
“That will take too long. I need to get back there now,” Shreya insisted, secretly using his willingness to negotiate to wrap her fingers around his wrist.
“Well, sorry, princess, but that’s your only option.”
Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in focus, she sprang into action, shoving his left arm between her legs. In a smooth motion, she brought her thigh over his shoulder, locking her ankle with her knee to form a tight figure-four around his head. As she pulled his free arm across her chest, her legs squeezed around his neck, immobilizing Kai like a mouse in a trap.
“What the hell?” Kai muttered, his lips puckered as her thighs pressed against his face. The harder he fought, the tighter her legs clamped like a boa constrictor. His cheeks turned various shades of suffocating red as darkness crept in from the corners of his vision. The lack of oxygen should have been his top priority, but instead, he found himself acutely aware of the absurdity of how they must look, entangled on the floor. The alluring scent of sandalwood and the softness of her skin against his cheek were an unexpected distraction from the serious predicament at hand.
“Are you going to take me to the Menkalinan system?” Shreya asked again, her tone firm. When Kai muttered incoherently, she eased her legs just enough for him to speak. “What did you say?”
“This is the most foreplay I’ve had in years,” he quipped.
Shreya growled in frustration as her patience snapped. She tightened her choke hold once more, squeezing with such ferocity that his body convulsed and he erupted into a violent coughing fit. Desperate for air, Kai tapped furiously against her thigh, but she showed no mercy, forcing him into submission until his body finally fell limp. Having won the encounter, she push-kicked him away, rolling to her feet with a surge of energy, ready for round two.
Kai collapsed onto the floor, his body splayed out like a starfish, completely still. As he gradually regained consciousness, he suddenly gasped for air, eyes wide with terror. Like drowning under an unseen tide, he drew deep breaths as his entire body felt as if it were covered in electric pins, tingling every nerve.
“Don’t get up,” Shreya commanded. When Kai shook his head, forcing out a cough and waving a limp hand in reluctant submission, she asked, “So you yield then?”
With a pitiful moan, Kai muttered, “You win.”
“Good,” Shreya huffed, slightly lowering her fist. “And you’re taking me to the Menkalinan system?” she asked, seeking confirmation.
Kai rubbed his sore neck, his voice raspy as he managed to whimper out the words, “Sure, why not?”
Shreya briefly shot him a glare, her expression hardening just enough to gauge if he was still willing to fight. Satisfied with his defeat, she turned her attention to the narrow wardrobe nearby, where her white nanosuit hung. “Look away,” she instructed as she reached for the drawstrings of her gown.
Though he had no intention of looking, his natural reactance compelled him to steal a glance. His eyes lifted to see the fabric of Shreya’s medical gown fall away, pooling around her bare feet like the petals of a wilting flower. His eyes widened, and his mouth fell agape as the flickering light through the window cascaded over her naked body like gentle raindrops. When Shreya shot him a sharp, warning glance, he quickly feigned innocence by rubbing his eyebrows.
As he pushed himself up from the floor, the door slid open, and a petite nurse with short, black hair stormed into the room, hands firmly planted on her hips. Her scowl deepened as she surveyed the chaotic scene. “What’s going on here? What’s all that ruckus?”
“Nothing,” Kai replied casually, brushing imaginary dust off his clothes. “Why?”
The nurse flicked her gaze to the disheveled furniture and the bed askew in the corner. Leaning around Kai, she spotted Shreya pushing her legs into the nanosuit. “Are you okay, Ms?”
Shreya corrected smoothly, “It’s Mrs.”
“My apologies, Mrs.” The nurse’s stern gaze returned to Kai, demanding answers. “Care to explain?”
Kai shrugged casually, glancing at the mess in the room. “Not really,” he mumbled.
The nurse gave him a suspicious squint, jumping to conclusions with her crossed arms. “This is a hospital, not a place for conjugal visits.”
Kai’s lips curled into a sneer as he protested, “Hold on a second. Conjugal… what? That’s not what happened here. She… she”—Kai pointed at Shreya—“That woman tried to strangle me.”
Shreya added fuel to the fire, candidly stating, “That idiot grabbed my chest.”
The nurse’s expression turned cold, her disgust visible. “Filthy pervert. Just so you know, we’ll be charging you for any damages we find.”
“Of course,” Kai muttered, rolling his eyes. “Since we’re on the subject, do you have the bill?”
The nurse’s cold stare silently accused Kai of everything wrong in the galaxy as she turned to the display on the wall. “I’ll pull it up,” she muttered, typing in a series of commands as the screen flickered with a message left by the attending physician.
Kai leaned forward, his neck strained as he tried to see over the nurse’s shoulder from afar. “Is there a problem?”
“It’s nothing. The doctor left a note stating we’re allowed to discharge the patient once she can move around the room unattended.”
Kai smirked, casting a sidelong glance at Shreya. “Trust me, she has no problems moving, so what’s the damage?” As the nurse stepped aside, her finger pointing at the display, Kai looked at the balance due of 57,210 credits. Letting out a disheartened grunt, his shoulders sagged as he swiped his wrist past the sensor beneath the screen. The small digital strip on his nanosuit emitted a cheerful chirp as the credits were quickly deducted from his account.
“Do you require security, ma’am?” the nurse inquired, turning her attention to Shreya once more.
“No, I’m pretty sure my fifty-seven thousand paid for her troubles,” Kai interrupted with a sarcastic tone in his voice.
Seeing Shreya shake her head, the nurse turned to leave but paused to issue a final warning at Kai. “Remember, should we find any damage—”
“Yeah, yeah,” Kai interrupted, waving her off dismissively. “You’ll garnish my account or send thugs to cap my knees with a baseball bat. I get it.” He watched the nurse storm out of the room with an irritated huff. As the door slid closed, he quickly pressed his thumb against the control panel, holding it open as he turned to Shreya, who stood at attention with her chin held high and hands clasped in front of her. “Well, come on, Blondie,” he said, feeling like an unenthusiastic bellhop as he gestured toward the hallway. “This way, your royal pompousness.”
Shreya scowled. “You’re very boorish, do you know that?”
Kai scoffed under his breath. “Please, stop flattering me. Are you coming or not?”
With a reluctant sigh, Shreya stepped into the hallway, stubbornly waiting for him to take the lead. As he departed the room, she kept pace a few steps behind, her stern glare burning a hole through the back of his skull.
“So…” Kai began, trying to break the tension. “You’re in a hurry because you’re searching for someone, right?”
“My crew,” she replied curtly.
“Yeah, I assumed that much, but you also mentioned a name, um… what was it? Benny or David?”
“Den,” she clarified.
“Right, I was close. So who is this guy?”
“My husband,” she answered, her voice carrying a mixture of urgency and concern.
“Oh, that poor man,” Kai quipped, feigning sympathy with a teasing smirk. “I feel sorry for him already.”
Shreya’s expression darkened as she grumbled, “You’re a jerk.”
“So I’ve been told,” he shot back, the grin on his face widening as he continued down the corridor.
Question for the Comments: We went from a rescue mission to a full-blown hospital brawl. Kai is trying to be a "helpful independent pilot," but his UCC patches and his awkward sense of humor are clearly making a terrible first impression on Shreya. Do you think Kai deserved that figure-four leg lock, or was Shreya overreacting given that he literally just saved her life?
I am updating every single day until we reach the finale! Hit Follow to see how Parri (aka Sonar) reacts when she finds out Kai is bringing a hostile Ursaen back to the ship.
Rating. Your support keeps this daily run moving toward the 13-chapter finish line!
Who won the "Hospital Brawl"?
