Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 130947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
“Gotta live one but he’s non-responsive,” the transport tech, who happened to be a Tranq, barked.
“Injuries?” Liv asked briskly, looking down at the new view-chart bracelet she was priming. Once she put it on him it would document all his treatment and meds automatically. It was one piece of technology she wished she could take back to Earth because it completely eliminated any confusion as to what had been done to the patient and when.
The tech shrugged. “None that we can see, actually, but as I said, he’s completely out of it. Word is he piloted a bunch of wounded here in a stolen Scourge ship and then blacked out.”
“He did, did h—” Liv lost her power of speech abruptly when she finally glanced up and got a look at her new patient’s face. Suddenly everything seemed to swim before her eyes and she felt weak. She stumbled and almost fell, only catching herself at the last minute by grabbing the edge of the floating stretcher. It can’t be him. What is he doing here?
“Hey, are you all right?” The transport tech came around the stretcher to take her arm. “I see you in here every time I come. How long have you been on your feet? You must be exhausted.”
She waved him off. “No, it’s not that. I just…” Is it really him? What if I’m so tired I’m hallucinating because I want to see him so much? The male on the stretcher certainly looked like Baird but when she leaned down close to him, she couldn’t smell the warm, spicy scent she’d come to associate with him. And though his eyes were open they weren’t the brilliant gold she remembered—more of a tarnished brass. Was it really Baird or another Beast Kindred who just looked like him? Liv hadn’t realized how much she depended on his scent to recognize him and as exhausted as she was, she didn’t feel like she could trust her eyes alone. She needed a second opinion. “Tech, I need Commander Sylvan here to look at this patient now.” she said, looking up from her examination.
The tech caught the urgency in her tone and went looking for Sylvan at once. He soon returned, dragging him by the arm.
“What’s this about? I was in the middle of a very delicate—Baird!” Sylvan leaned over his half brother’s supine form, his eyes wide with surprise. “How did he get here?”
Liv repeated the transport tech’s story about Baird piloting a stolen ship and then collapsing. “Do you think he’s just in shock?” she asked hopefully.
“I don’t know.” Sylvan leaned down to shine a thin beam of light into Baird’s eyes. “The pupils are responsive but he doesn’t seem to be seeing me.” He looked up at the tech. “You’re sure about what you heard? He actually piloted a ship?”
The tech nodded. “Sure. Some of the other guys said they couldn’t have escaped without him—none of them knew how to fly but him.” He nodded at the silent Baird.
“That’s good, right?” Liv asked anxiously. “I mean, that’s great! He shouldn’t have been able to do that after what the…after what he went through. So he must be still all right—still in there, somewhere.”
“Maybe.” Sylvan looked skeptical. “I’ve never known anyone to withstand a Scourge krik-ka`re. But if anyone is strong enough, it would be Baird. Still…” He broke off shaking his head.
“Still what? What?” Liv demanded.
“He might have been acting on autopilot so to speak. I mean, flying a ship is so ingrained in him that he might not need the parts of his personality that make him the male we know in order to do it.” Sylvan sighed. “I’m sorry, Olivia—I just don’t know.”
“Well I do.” Liv leaned over the stretcher, staring earnestly into the tarnished brass eyes. It seemed as though Baird’s gaze focused on her but she couldn’t be sure. “Baird,” she said softly, stroking his cheek. “Baird, it’s me—your Lilenta. Come back to me—I miss you.” Was there a flicker of recognition in the depths of his eyes? Liv wasn’t sure but it was enough to make her hope.
“Olivia—” Sylvan began but she didn’t want to hear it.
“Sit up.” She tugged at Baird’s arm. To her absolute joy, he did. He moved slowly in strange, jerky motions that reminded her of an old Frankenstein movie, but he did move. Soon he was sitting on the edge of the stretcher with his feet planted on the ground. He was still bare from the waist up, wearing only his black uniform pants and boots, just as he had been the last time she’d seen him, Liv noted. There were also fresh scars on his chest where he must have been pierced by the wires leading to the AllFather’s horrible view screen. “Oh, Baird,” she half whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “What did they do to you?”