Zorack stopped, catching his breath and being reactionary as his perplexed eyes looked at what should be his ship.
What part did Bash not understand well?
It was enough to activate the ship's camouflage system. it served any vehicle that humans used on that planet. He scratches his head wordlessly at the incredulous looks of his companions.
A boat?
Had Bash decided to turn the ship into a damn boat out of the water?
Still, Spartakus' vision was a blessing from Heaven in a world like this.
Zorack left the portal, followed by Spike, assuring himself that he was in complete control of the situation. It was the captain. His orders were always carried out. Just control ... and maybe discipline.
Naturally, he could deal with two local natives.
With the bad luck of the last few days ...
It was clear that the girl was burning with fever. The immune system defended the organism in contact with the virus of those creatures. He wouldn't need the infirmary's cryogenic machine to know that her white blood cell count would be on fire. What about the unfortunate chip implanted in her arm ...
She would need food. He doubted that Angel was tolerant of their eating habits. Anthropoentomophagy had been providential so that they could survive and replace the need for an organism after the food had become scarce. It was an excellent nutritional source, rich in proteins, amino acids, and minerals and had a high energy value. Pets significantly increased the demand for water and agricultural land, and there was no longer that in Édrin.
He hated it all.
A good big piece of cooked or roasted seasoned meat would be enough and a damn drink! It wasn't too much to ask for a tiring and hellish day.
Ah, hell. Perhaps dehydrated and made into flour he could convince Angel to feed on the supplements. He felt hungry, imagining the protein mixture made from soy and beetle larvae without much courage. What were the chances of getting an excellent meal in that place?
-Where ... -Spike stopped, breathing hard. - You don't have a ship? You know, one... Ah! It is no Enterprise or Millennium Falcon. This is an old bathtub. It's a boat!
Zorack turned in amazement, rolling his eyes. Damn Bash. Spartackus was certainly not a miserable boat.
-As?!
Spike's eyes widened after rubbing them, doubting what he saw ahead.
It was not a ship that would have waited.
-Oh, we're going to die! - The boy groaned disconsolately. - An old boat and ...
-It is considered one of the fastest ships in the Confederation. In hyperspace, it has a speed of 4,815.74 +/- 265.48 light-years/hour. A statistically calculated minimum speed is 4,550.26 light years/hour. - Zorack defended the ship indignantly. - It is a large and spacious ship. What else could you want? The camouflage system presented some problems. Just details, hellish kid.
Spike still doubted.
-We are not talking about the deep blue of the sea. - The boy gestured impatiently. - We are talking about a great nothing without air or light and minus 272 degrees centigrade. This contraption looks like a damn period ship. How do they breathe?
Zorack was grinding the answers.
- Believe me. It is very different from the deep blue of the sea. You were going to suffocate with the foul smell that reminds you of molten metal and fuel.
The captain's anger was growing at alarming levels. Who was the unfortunate boy? Probably Angel's mate. The idea displeased him a lot. There was no other explanation.
- That bathtub wouldn't take off in a million years, Captain.
-This contraption has all the necessary equipment to maintain our lives. - Zorack exploded in a bad mood walking hard.
Except for spare parts for regulators!
He grunted like an animal wounded in his pride. And with any luck, might be able to get them out of there if the temporal probability generator worked. Ultimately, there was always an appeal. A space-time distortion device was kept in his cabin, which should certainly not be in a Confederate captain's cabin. Only it was always necessary to have an alternative escape plan.
-Hang on!
Zorack closed his ears to new complaints. Fury burned in his body. He spent time with a native arguing when all he felt was the desire to give in to instincts. Was it the girl? He studied the worried red-faced face.
-Iron. - his voice was icy.- disable the protection and shield sensors so we can enter.
Discipline failed terribly.
He shouted angrily as he stopped near the gleaming surface of the ship. He would not be held responsible for his actions if someone spoke of security and quarantine protocols with wounded Angel.
-IRON!
Iron was the ship's artificial intelligence that could control everything. Or almost everything. Zorack cursed, even more, when he heard static and noise over the communicator.
-Open the damn door, Scarlet. - snapped furiously. - It is a direct order from your captain and superior. there will be more trouble than you can imagine if you don't open the damn door. Now!
Scarlet knew that when she opened the hatches so that the captain would proceed through the depressurization chamber. Even so, she made a slight protest and was silenced by glacial glances while Max took the first steps.
"How ... how was she hurt?" Scarlet crossed her arms petulantly when she asked.
Max shook his head in resignation. Scarlet wasn't going to make Zorack's life any easier with the little arsonist back in contact with them.
The man stared at her. What did it matter now? All he wanted was the automatic doctor in the ward to find out the state of the girl. Spike's exclamations of astonishment continued indifferently. Regardless of the questions that never ended with Scarlet.
-There are security protocols required by the Confederation. Max!
-Come on, sweetie! Give it a break. The girl ... - Max tried to reason calmly.
-Try to tell me another one I don't know yet, Lieutenant. the captain snapped. "You have obligations on this ship that include fixing the damn temporal probability generator to get us out of this end of the world."
-And how do you expect me to work miracles without pieces ...- Scarlet returned the outraged provocation.
And yet Zorack had not stopped on the way to hear more comments.
The infirmary displayed a variety of equipment entirely different from the rest of the Spartackus. Zorack placed the girl carefully on a large table that was projected from the wall with a deep sigh, as he smoothed her head gently. The fingers impatiently began to play several controls at the same time activating the artificial life support.
All machines began to show signs of life, flashing lights and activating examination equipment. A huge hologram appeared in front of him, showing spots that required care on the weakened body like the injured arm. The implant is a clot. A minor, mild traumatic brain injury showed him more problems than he would have imagined before because of the bio-organic implant that should be neutralized.
He removed a glass tube and the immunization gun from a drawer, paying no attention to anything.
Scarlet stopped him by the arm.
-Hang on! Did you bring a native contaminated by the invader to the ship? You lost all sense. How can ...
Contaminated? Zorack averted his pale face.
-I do not. Not a native, but one of us. The girl has a damn implant on her body with alien technology. She can die if the clot is not removed and furthermore ...
The life support systems started to flash until another glass plate came out on the table, taking over the patient's entire body. The video monitors seemed to come to life by sounding warning alerts. Zorack began to read the first results anxiously.
-I can't believe you did that! - Scarlet revolted.
"It would have been done by any crew member on this ship," the captain assured, knowing with some remorse that it was not quite the truth.
"And didn't the fact that this native was the council's designated companion affect your judgment, Zorack?" Not even the fact that she was before ...
-You better shut up.- The warning left no doubt. No complaints were going to work. - I don't have to discuss my personal life here with you or explain my decisions.
He pressed two or three buttons and sighed with relief. The taut muscles were beginning to relax. A long panel lit up and began to scan. It showed a kaleidoscopic view of lights, showing Angel's upper chest and head. He continued to press the buttons mechanically and the image changed. He could see the blood pumping through the veins and capillaries of the small body, the lungs working and the heart beating. It was not what mattered.
Scarlet's wrath was total.
-You're looking for an immune response in her body.
-Exactly leukocytes. Cellular barriers! Cells are considered the first line of defence, which is neutrophils, macrophages and NK lymphocytes, responsible for encompassing the pathogen and promoting its destruction. I will also inject memory cells, preventing infections by the same microorganism from occurring or, if they do, from being milder.
Zorack was beginning to pick up the surgical protective gloves when preparing the immunization equipment.
-I don't believe you risked us all. - She walked away shocked. wanted to shout there that he couldn't have had the courage to do that to her. The words stuck in her throat.
For two years that smitten and pathetic girl lying there on the stretcher was a ghost in her life. Nothing caught Zorack's attention if it weren't for that girl.
Generally, Zorack was a cool, controlled man.
The strong personality highlighted a character of principles shaped by their society. He was a fan of rules and regulations. Only in moments of intimacy did she see a more relentless Zorack dominating arrogant and vindictive. Slavery had previously left its mark on his temper.
Scarlet in all those years had never seen any trace of emotion in her companion that would overcome rational and impartial thinking. Only now ... Did he care about that native? There was genuine distress in the eyes that darted over the monitors, following the care that the automatic doctor began to initiate, while the girl remained unconscious.
"She was exposed to the virus but has antibodies like all of Édrin's survivors." Zorack breathed a sigh of relief as he assessed the first readings.
-You feel something for that native. -Her comment was low and it wasn't a question. - Are you going to deny to me that you don't feel anything for her? Your damn way with her ...
Zorack looked up at her in shock after administering the immunization. It was an absurd comment. She was part of his people. would have fought for anyone there. Well, maybe in other circumstances.
Liar! You wouldn't even bother!
He shook his head, refusing to hear his conscience.
It was unacceptable. would never feel anything for a creature so primitive that it displayed itself without any modesty. The short clothes weren't sexy at all, either. Curse. He had never before seen so much living skin uncovered from clothes or felt the heat ... He cursed, giving himself over to tiredness and hunger.
Just rest. It was just an effect of the planet's atmosphere.
-I'm tired, Scarlet. - the words did not lie. - I am awake for more than eighteen hours and hungry. All I want is to get some rest. And for a change, Bash miscalculated. We won't have 76 hours. The virus has already penetrated the troposphere. In the stratosphere, we would still have some more time because of the ozone layer.
-Is that it? - she asked with visible doubt.
Zorack took a deep breath.
He hated the heat. A little rest and good nutrition were enough. A good meal of roasted locusts. Maybe even a fermented rice drink with crickets. It was everything a man could wish for after a tiring day.
It was the alternative to what he expected from an excellent meal with fresh meat and a good alcoholic drink.
Still, he sat next to Angel miserably tired.
-Iron. - his voice called the artificial intelligence that commanded the Spartackus. - Guide the automatic doctor to neutralize the implant in her body. The technology that K'Aldriants use on these implants wipes out anyone. This will help to take care of the damn clot before it causes a stroke.
- Sir, in extreme conditions ...
Zorack was no longer listening. It was not the first time he had seen it. Only this time didn't intend to lose the battle. He had learned a lot since then.
-Just obey. I know exactly what I'm doing.
Tired, he leaned his head against the examination table forgotten about the meal.
He hadn't arrived before and had never imagined the possibility of experimenting with her.
He closed his eyes miserably without wanting to remember. Klaus had died like this. After they had put the damn implant on his arm ...
-Come on, react, hellish creature. I know it took me a while. But I am demanding your promise. You will resist and fight it. It will come back to me. react, Angel.