My whole body hurts, that's the first thing I notice when I wake up, and it clearly shows me that everything wasn't just a terrible nightmare. But I'm glad that it all ended early enough and Gasard came to rescue me.
Who knows if I would still be alive otherwise.
Slowly, I open my eyes and perceive a strange room where I find myself. It's only illuminated by a faint light shining from the ceiling. I'm lying in a soft bed, with bandages around my ribs and head. When I tilt my head slightly to the side, I groan in pain.
Next to my bed, there's a chair and a small table.
Despite the pain, I try to sit up, even though it's very difficult for me. But as I'm just about to prop myself up, a young woman enters the room, immediately stopping me.
"Please, stay lying down," she says to me. "You should rest and stay still, at least until the fractures have healed a bit."
"Fractures?" I inquire.
She nods. "Your nose is broken, along with a few ribs. Additionally, you've suffered a concussion, and the wound on your head had to be stitched. But don't worry, everything will be fine."
Well, if that's all! A sigh escapes my lips at her casual tone. She talks about it as if it were a minor injury. Something that doesn't sound minor to me.
But she's right about lying still, I have to admit, even though it will surely be difficult for me to comply with her request. It's going to be a boring time for sure.
"Do you have any pain?" she asks me.
I reply with a yes, prompting her to step beside my bed.
It's like in Maks's room. A control panel is projected into the air, and after pressing a few buttons, a compartment opens in the wall. Only medical equipment and vials are inside.
She takes one of the vials and fills a small elongated device with its contents. Some sort of syringe. I notice it as she presses it to my arm. A barely noticeable prick, and it's all over.
"That should make it more comfortable," she says with a smile before closing everything again. "I'll check on you later."
With those words, she leaves my room.
Although the pain diminishes, I remain alone here for a while. A long and boring time.
It's only when seemingly several hours— at least it seems that way to me— have passed that someone enters my room again.
This time, it's Gasard, followed by a slightly smaller and delicate redhead with an equally interesting red iris as his.
"Hey Janine, I heard what happened to you!" she exclaims. She pushes past Gasard and practically jumps to my bed. "Poor thing!"
Gasard's gaze is skeptical as it rests on the delicate woman, whose hands now gently pat my bandaged head.
"But now you're here, nothing can happen to you!" There's a kind smile on her lips, while Gasard just shakes his head. For whatever reason. It surprises me, though.
Her gaze shifts to the man still standing in the doorway. Accusingly, Kaia looks at him as she says, "If he had taken better care of you, it wouldn't have happened. After all, he's always hanging around there."
"Don't blame me, blame the one who put them in there!" he retorts.
"I can't!" she says in a small voice.
Gasard steps up to Kaia, standing in front of her. "Besides, you know perfectly well who's been boasting here, he's already making sure nothing happens to you!" he says angrily. "Plus, there's Otscharsan, who was so kind to give me some work to do." Kaias's gaze sulks at the rough tone he uses. "Why do you always make my life difficult and not theirs?"
"I can't!" she repeats in a small voice. "I can't scold them!"
I look at her curiously. Why does she shout at Gasard but doesn't want to do the same with the others? I wonder.
With Torsos, I can imagine the reason very well. After all, he's the one in charge here, and they're probably both very close friends with him. As for Mak and Otscharsan, I've already noticed that they're definitely friends with Gasard.
I also wonder why Gasard saved me and not Mak. Plus, there's the stupid comment in prison. But Mak will surely come to visit me, I can ask him then.
"Always picking on me, poor guy!" Gasard sighs.
"You're partly to blame!" She turns her gaze away, offended. A reaction that makes me automatically laugh. Which I regret immediately as a pain shoots through my ribs.
"Poor thing!" Kaia pats my head again, with a kind smile on her lips.
Gasard looks puzzled at the delicate Kaia. "My love, it's great that you're at least sparing the poor girl for now," he says with a sigh. "But stop it! Otherwise, she'll get a completely wrong impression of you."
"Maybe you have the wrong impression of me," she retorts, offended. She doesn't even look at him.
"I most certainly don't!" he sighs.
I have to stifle a giggle. I don't know what's going on between them, but I find it funny anyway. The only thing I can't hold back is a grin.
"Since you look so cheerful, it seems you're doing okay," he says. A smile forms on his lips.
"Take a look at her, she doesn't look well at all!" Kaia exclaims energetically, glaring at Gasard angrily and accusingly. "If you had taken better care of her, she would surely be doing better now." Gasard tries to protest, but Kaia doesn't let him. "And if I could have taken her into my room, she would have had a better start here on the station than this."
"Until you get bored and treat the poor girl just as badly as everyone else!" Gasard retorts, rolling his eyes in annoyance.
"Certainly not!" Kaia exclaims, clearly sulking.
"Where am I actually?" I inquire with the two. Everything looks the same here, even the rooms. The only thing that confuses me is the cabinet from which the woman took the pain medication earlier.
"You're here in the infirmary," Gasard answers me, his hand passing over my head as he continues speaking. "I've instructed the ladies to take extra good care of you."
"And if they don't, they'll deal with me!" Kaia shouts loudly.
"My dear, control yourself!" Gasard orders her. "You still have permission to enter the infirmary. I know it's pretty crazy to trust you this much." Kaia shoots him an angry look. "As long as nobody complains about you, it can stay that way."
She looks at him silently and angrily.
"You know what Torsos suggested!" Gasard says. While Kaia seems to sulk, I listen curiously to his words. "If you cause any trouble, I'll lock you in your room until he returns to the station."
Kaia continues to sulk, but I look at him questioningly. What does he mean by that?
Gasard seems to understand as he sees my curious expression and starts to smile. "Torsos won't be in the station for a while, so I'll take charge here," he explains to me.
"So soon after the poisoning incident?" I ask, sounding slightly incredulous. I can't understand why someone like Torsos would leave the station after such a situation. But maybe the culprit has already been found.
"I understand it must seem strange to you, but not much changes from our normal routine," he explains to me, and I listen intently. "I have just as much authority over everything as Torsos, since we grew up like brothers. If Torsos gives an order that I think is nonsense, I can even revoke it. Although there is usually a long discussion afterwards." He winks at me on the last part.
"And Kaia," I inquire curiously.
"She does whatever she feels like, whether she's allowed to or not," he explains to me.
"If it were up to you two, I'd be very obedient and would immediately obey every command. I'd just prance around in a dress all the time. In other words, I'd be just as boring as those ladies serving you." Kaia snorts, showing how little she thinks of it.
"That would be nice for sure." Gasard nods in agreement.
"And if it were up to Torsos alone, I would also have to worship you as the greatest guy in the universe," she says, not looking particularly thrilled.
"Yeah, you better not!" Gasard chimes in, grinning at her. "No one wants a fury like you voluntarily!"
Kaia turns away from him in a huff. "As if I could ever be interested in such a bore like you."
"At least there's one thing we agree on. Now we just need someone specific to accept it."
Again, I wonder what's going on between them. Kaia and Gasard, as far as I understand, also grew up together. But it doesn't seem like their relationship is as close as the one between Gasard and Torsos.
Why is that? I wonder.
After a while, Gasard bids me farewell as he still has a lot to do. Kaia, on the other hand, keeps me company for a while, but Gasard only allows it with the promise not to stress me too much.
We talk for a while longer. Occasionally, Kaia disappears, only to return shortly after with food and drink.
Only when I start to feel tired does the young woman bid me goodbye and turn off the light before leaving the room.
I lay awake for a while longer. My thoughts are on what happened today. But eventually, my eyes close from exhaustion, and I fall asleep.