With the glider, we head to the hangar, and from there, further into the station. Into a part unknown to me. But honestly, every part looks the same to me. There's nothing to help me orient myself. The only difference here is that we're walking through a glass corridor, where I can only see a sea of stars. The huge sandy-colored planet is nowhere to be seen.
Nevertheless, the sight is so impressive that I pause for a moment in awe. Through the reflection in the glass, I steal a quick glance at Gasard. There's a smirk on his lips as he looks at me.
After a while of standing here, Gasard calls for us to move on.
The room he leads me to is completely different from Mak's. It's much larger, four times larger even, and there are several tables here with all sorts of apparatus, materials, and tools on them. There are even larger machines in the room. I wonder what they're used for for a moment.
"It's a bit chaotic," Gasard calls out. My gaze wanders curiously around the room. "The regular quarters are a bit smaller than mine," he explains to me. He reaches for the bracelet on his arm and opens it, as he did before.
My gaze shifts questioningly to him.
"You're not thinking of running away, are you?" He smiles at me, to which I only shake my head. Aside from not knowing how to get from one place to another here without getting lost, I would surely never succeed.
Gasard places the bracelet on one of the tables, then continues speaking. "There used to be several quarters here, but since my lab is nearby, and my previous one was a bit too small for me, I expanded this one."
He goes to one of the walls, and I follow him. As I already know from Mak's room, a door opens, leading to the bathroom. Among other things, there's a large tub there.
Gasard fills the tub with water, although I don't see how. My gaze wanders from one wall to another, taking in the whole room.
"If you need anything, just let me know," Gasard smiles at me.
Before leaving the room, Gasard also lays out a towel for me.
The water in the tub is pleasantly warm, really relaxing.
I submerge under the water. For a moment, I enjoy it until I resurface and lean against the edge.
What was that earlier? I wonder. What was that kiss for?
Was Moriphos' reaction only because he wanted to protect me? And how is he doing? I'm also troubled by thoughts because I helped Mak. If I had known, I wouldn't have helped him. But Mak had also said what he would have done if I had refused.
I step out of the tub, grab the towel.
Another question troubles me. How is my mother? Whether Mak kept his promise? Whether he can help her? I can't quite believe it.
Slowly, I dry my body.
Tears well up in my eyes as the images resurface.
I wrap the towel around my body and lean against the metal wall.
How much I wish it were just a dream. None of this would be real.
No matter how much I love Moriphos or Gasard, I wish everything were back to how it was a few days ago.
I sink to the floor, pulling my knees to my chest. I just can't stop the hot tears.
By now, I'd give anything for everything to be as it was before. Not so I can get out of here, but so my parents are okay.
Suddenly, the door opens. Gasard enters, his gaze shifting to me. He looks at me full of pity.
"Poor girl," he whispers softly. He crouches down to me, his hand gently stroking my head. "Because of your mother?"
I manage only a nod.
"I heard about what happened to her."
At his words, I start crying even more.
Gasard moves his hand under my chin and lifts my head so I'm looking at him. There's an encouraging smile on his lips, which initially confuses me. His other hand wipes away a few tears.
"Wait a few days," he says. I only look at him questioningly, wanting to lower my gaze to the floor again, not understanding how he can smile, but he stops me. "Torsos said he'll take care of it. He ordered the guards there not to touch her."
Hope rises within me.
"In a few days, you'll be able to see her again."
I jump into Gasard's arms. If he says so, it surely can't be a lie.
More tears roll down my cheeks, but this time not from sorrow, but because I'm so happy about his words.
Gasard gently and comfortingly strokes my back. "You'll see her again soon, and she'll surely be better."
"Thank you," I whisper happily.
Suddenly, Gasard releases me from his embrace. I look at him curiously.
"Janine, please get ready." I nod. "If you were accommodated somewhere here, I would take you with me." My gaze becomes even more curious. "There are wandering traders in the station today," he explains to me. "Traders who travel from planet to planet and acquire goods everywhere, which they trade or sell. Sometimes there are interesting things among them."
I can imagine that, and my curiosity grows.
Gasard stands up.
I wipe away my tears with my hand. As my gaze wanders down to me, I blush immediately. I'm standing here in front of him, only clad in a towel, which only now makes me uncomfortable. When my gaze returns to Gasard, I see his gaze on me. He smiles at how much I'm blushing, which makes me even more uncomfortable.
"You took so long that I got worried, that's why I came in," Gasard explains to me before he wants to leave the bathroom. But he only reaches the door when an image is projected into the air.
Gasard raises his arm to get a better look at the image.
It's Mak. He seems agitated, his gaze filled with panic.
"What's wrong?" Gasard inquires. Confused and concerned, he looks at the projection.
"You always have some antidotes lying around," Mak inquires.
Gasard nods, his expression becoming more concerned. "Tell me what's going on first," he urges Mak.
"One of the traders brought his kids," Mak begins. He's totally frantic. "I offered the little one some food and drink. One of the kids accepted the offer and collapsed."
The redhead looks at Mak in shock. "Take it to my room!" he ordered, then the projection fades away. Gasard steps out of the bathroom.
I quickly put on my clothes, then I follow him.
What's going on there, I wonder.
Gasard is in the process of retrieving a few vials from a sort of cupboard. When he notices me, he instructs me to sit down.
I immediately follow his instruction.
Gasard places a few of the vials on a table, then he sits down beside me.
"And what do I do with you now?" Gasard asks, smiling kindly at me again. "I'll take you back later, but for now, it's important to take care of the child."
"Are you a doctor too?" I inquire curiously.
Gasard shakes his head. "I have some medical knowledge, but that's about it." He winks at me before saying the next thing. "The guy keeps mistaking me for the infirmary all the time."
After a while, the door opens and Mak enters. He's quite out of breath, carrying a little blonde girl in his arms, whom I estimate to be about six years old.
"You do realize there are people here who have more knowledge of this than I do," Gasard reminds him.
Mak places the girl on the bed, then he collapses exhausted on the floor. "I think you're more qualified than they are," he opines.
Gasard stands up and approaches the girl. "Do you at least have a suspicion?" He examines the child.
The dark-haired man is back in his black uniform. He shrugs. "Poison," he calls out to Gasard.
Gasard turns to Mak, shaking his head. "I meant, what kind of poison it is."
Mak shrugs again. "How should I know?" Only now does he notice me. He comes over to me and settles down beside me on a chair. "What are you doing here anyway?" he asks me.
My gaze has been solely on the girl, to whom Gasard is now giving something to drink from one of the vials he has laid out. "She was supposed to help me earlier," he answers Mak.
I just keep looking worriedly at the girl, hoping Gasard can help her.
Mak's gaze shifts back to the child. "Do you think she'll be okay again?" he inquires, his voice sounding quite concerned now.
"What did you actually give her?" Gasard asks, his hand gently stroking the child's head.
"Water and part of my ration," Mak replies.
"As stingy as you are, I could have guessed that," Gasard sighs.
"Hey," Mak protests.
But Gasard doesn't let him continue. "First, take the girl to the infirmary, all we can do is wait, and then bring me the rest, I want to see if I'm right."
Mak nods, then he goes to the girl, picks her up in his arms, and leaves the room with her.
Mak is a mystery to me. Sometimes he's the biggest idiot, then he seems so kind.
Maybe he's made some enemies. But perhaps the poison is meant for someone entirely different.