The next day saw Zen in Kiera’s care. Her infection was gone but her wound would not close. It was still very open although not as gaping as the first day. It was healing slowly. Too slowly for one of Zen’s health and age.

“You’ll probably have to laser it closed,” said Kiera as she swiped antiseptic swabs over the tender flesh. Zen grimaced and held on to Stephan’s hand harder. Once again he had been the closest one to her when Kiera had decided to check her wound.

“Is there anything that can be done in the meantime?,” he asked, crystal blue eyes staring at Zen.

“Not much. Keep resting the wound and don’t exert yourself. The decoagulant poison should be gone in a week. After that normal healing should kick in but infections are possible til then.”

Zen sighed and nodded. “I have to keep a low profile. That should help with not over-exerting myself.”

“Bedrest is best,” said Kiera as she moved to a counter and took out the antiseptic cream.

Zen groaned but nodded.

Isaias who had remained silent by the door nodded. “ Zen, maybe once we’re at Camelo’s we should laser it shut and be rid of any complications that could occur from it,” he said glaring at how close the pirate was to his sister again.

“For once I agree with the gangster. You should laser it shut,” said Stephan letting his hand trail to the beginning of the wound and linger slightly above, touching her.

Zen blushed and Isaias growled. “Hands off, pirate!”

Zen squeezed his hand as Kiera dabbed antiseptic cream over the wound. Stephan had moved his hand to trail her unusually free hair. Isaias looked ready to jump up and hit him, but a slight brush from Marco’s fingers stopped him. Isaias’s eyes widened slightly and he turned to him.

“Come and help me reload our guns. We’re out of that tech spot and they have a bunny for guns. We have to be prepared for anything,” said Marco. Isaias glared at Stephan once more before leaving with Marco. Stephan watched the angry obstacle leave. Who knew that Marco would actually help me out?

He turned to Zen who was looking slightly pale from her daily checkups. It was obvious the news about lasers disturbed her. He swept her hair from her face to gaze into her eyes.

“You don’t have to, you know-laser it I mean,” he said rubbing her cheek gently.

She sighed. “It would be the best thing and I’m sure Carmelo would provide the funds. Besides, I don’t want to be a burden and right now that’s what I’m becoming,” she said, sitting up and letting go of his hand. They were face to face now. If Isaias could see them now he’d start a fight to separate them. Zen blushed.

“You aren’t a burden Zen. You took those hits because of Edline and I’m truly grateful. It would have been her death if you hadn’t protected her.”

“I should have been able to avoid this,” she pointed to her wound. “I’m an experienced fighter. I should have blocked better. I could have avoided her sword the second time at least!”

Stephan brought his other hand to her face.

“Look at me Zen.”

She did and was caught in his gaze.

“She was a gravity elemental, almost as rare as Val. You did the best you could with my sister in the way and knives. You were up against something you’ve never fought before and I think you did a damn good job.” Stephan brushed her cheek with his fingers making her blush at his actions and words, “ You survived and if anyone wants to say anything about it then they better be ready for me and the crew to back you up not to mention our brothers. Everyone was hurt in their fights. The only reason you aren’t better is the de-coagulation poison running through your veins right now, otherwise, you’d be healed as well. Now cheer up. I’m sure Edline wants her drawing teacher to show her more techniques before you leave.”

Zen laughed. “She still needs work with light and shadow but I can show her some other moves if she’s bored of that,” she said.

Stephan grinned but kept his gaze on her. His hands tilted her face to him and he leaned closer. Zen stopped breathing. Their lips were a few inches apart.

“Zen! Can you teach me to draw now?” asked Edline who was sparking lightly.

Not one to be deterred, Stephan kissed Zen’s cheek and whispered a later, retreating from the room. Zen exhaled and turned to the mischievous eyes of the ten-year-old girl.

“You did that on purpose didn’t you?” she said sighing.

Edline grinned and pointed to herself. “Me?”

“Yes, little spark, you. Did Isaias send you?”

Eline nodded and Zen sighed. Couldn’t she escape him for a few minutes? She had been this close to her first kiss. It would have been memorable. It would have been…

“Can we practice something other than light and shadows?” pouted Edline and Zen smirked.

“Did you do what I told you to?”

“Yes, but it came out lopsided again.”

Zen smiled. “That’s what I’m going to teach you today then. How to use measurements and rulers.”

####

On the last day of their flight, Zen was lounging on one couch watching as Marek guided Val’s abilities through a metal piece. He was lying on Val’s lap, his silver eyes glowing while Val held the fragile metal piece in his big hands and was covering it in a silver glow.

“A little to the left, Val,” said Marek

Val nodded and the silver glow shifted to the left. She wasn’t the only one staring. Marco had put down his political thriller and was watching. Isaias was cleaning his gun and staring at the wall, silent for once. Edline was drawing on one of the sofas while Kiera was busy in the med room although her tuneless humming could be heard from the hall. Stephan was flying and Zen wondered how close Puerto Nuevo was to them now.

“Feel that inconsistency, Val? That’s the problem with this piece thanks to our captain’s disappearing act. Extricate the part and insert the new part. Thank goodness we have spares for this piece,” Marek said rolling his eyes.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

“I remember the captain apologizing for that,” Val murmured as Skin perched on his shoulders

“That’s only if he doesn’t do it again,” muttered Marek as he reached up to trail his hand up Skin’s spine. The scaly lizard licked his fingers and Zen shivered. Despite having pet the thing, it still gave her the willies. It was a three-foot iguana. It disappeared leaving a silver bandana. Correction, a disappearing three-foot iguana.

Marco chuckled on his spot by Isaias catching his attention. Isaias raised his eyebrow and Marco pointed to Zen and Skin. Smirking Isaias grabbed the iguana and settled it in his lap discarding his gun and making Zen shoot up and squeal. She groaned and put a hand on her wound. When she pulled it away it was stained red. Isaias saw her hand and his eyes widened.

“Zen! I’m so sorry! I didn’t think…”

“It’s fine Isaias. Kiera will...whoa!”

“Come on,” said Stephan as he lifted Zen and carried her to Kiera. Isaias was too worried to get on his case of getting too close to Zen. He placed Skin down giving it a pat on its head and walked to the med room. Marco followed him. Edline watched teary eyed but there were already too many people near Kiera as it was. Marek and Val watched the progression before turning back to the metal piece. If they didn’t fix the star generator while the hyperdrive was out, they’d never fix it and then the hyperdrive wouldn’t work right...again.

Kiera met them in the room and tsked as Zen showed her the bleeding wound. She wiped the blood and inspected the wound then sighed.

“These are biodegradable staples. Due to the time of her wound, they are degrading. The antiseptic wipes haven’t helped in the degrading of them. I’m going to sew her closed and then restaple her. I should have done it the first time but I figured the staples would be enough with our technology.”

“Sewing is in the past,” said Isaias looking a little green.

“It should be but with this anticoagulation poison it’d be safer,” said Kiera.

“Just knock me out for the procedures,” muttered Zen.

“I have enough to knock you down for one procedure, said Kiera, and Zen groaned.

“What’s worse sewing or stapling?,” asked Marco.

“I’d say stapling from her screams last time but last time she didn’t have a needle in her skin,” said Isaias.

“Thanks for the reminder, Isaias,” muttered Zen as she struggled to sit up on the med bed. Stephan placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Zen grumbled but stayed still. She could feel the blood dripping down her side and knew any move would only worsen it.

“I’ll take the sedative for the stapling,” she said looking straight at Stephan who had pulled up a seat and was holding her hand again. Zen was relieved. As much as she loved her brother, she didn’t think he could stand seeing her stitched and stapled again.

Stephan grinned. “We’re making this a habit.”

“What?”

“This,” he said, squeezing her hand.

“Oh.” She squeezed back gently then harder when Kiera swiped the blood away and began swiping the entire wound down with alcohol swabs.

“I’m undoing your old staples now,” she said as her arm transformed into the stapling gun and she began to pull out staples. Zen gasped as her wound, the little that had closed, stretched.

“Good, it held. I’m going to flush the wound of any infection and then I’ll sew it closed.”

Zen felt water run down her wound. Kiera did a fine job and found no infection. Then her finger transformed into a big needle and Zen gulped.

“I need you to stay as still as possible for this,” Kiera said as she threaded the thread through the needle and then leaned down. “Take a deep breath.”

“I can’t watch this. Stay strong hermanita. I’ll be back soon,” said Isaias as he high-tailed it out of there. Marco shook his head but followed after him.

“Wuss,” muttered Stephan as he watched the needle pierce through Zen’s skin and winced. She squealed but laid still and let Kiera sew her up. Each time the needle pierced her she let out a choked cry and squeezed Stephan’s hand. It took an hour for Kiera to get the whole wound and tie it off. Zen was drained by then and barely conscious. Kiera prepared the sedative and injected it into her. Soon she was asleep and Kiera commenced the stapling again. This gained her hoarse cries but not much else. Zen was drained from everything. Through it all, she had never let go of Stephan’s hand. Stephan brushed a few strands of hair from Zen’s forehead before bending over and kissing it gently.

“She’s brave. She isn’t like…”

“I’d rather forget her Kiera. She...isn’t worth mentioning.”

“Whatever, Stephan, but remember you remain tied to her, and as long as you do Zen is out of your reach.”

Stephan sighed, gazing at Zen’s face and tracing her cheekbone with his finger. “I know that Kiera. Is it so wrong to want something for me? After all, I’ve been through? Is it?”

“No, but is it fair to Zen if you are still tied by old traditions to someone else?”

Stephan closed his eyes and sighed, backing away. “No, it's not. You’re right. Zen wouldn’t like being second best even though I’d never see her that way.”

Kiera nodded and watched as Stephan untangled their hands and left the room. It was for the best. As long as he kept ties with that snake he wasn’t free. She hated reminding him but someone had to. The Yuka weren’t to be messed with.

###

Stephan sat in his pilot chair chatting with Marek when a click was heard.

“You are entering Puerto Nuevo aerial space, please stand down and report the reason you wish to enter.”

Stephan smirked. “This is the SMVK on official galactic orders. I’m sending those to the spaceport now,” he said, downloading the code for the GC’s orders into the spaceport ahead.

“All checks out Captain Marquez. You may land on airstrip 55.”

“Thanks,” was all he said as the comm went blank. He turned to Marek. “Tell the others we are landing. I’m guessing they might want to tell the Don about this,” he said.

“Probably. Is Zen still out?”

“Yeah, Marek. It was pretty hard on her,” said Stephan.

“She was sewn back together, An archaic method. That had to hurt,” said Marek

“She didn’t have anesthetic either,” said Stephan.

Marek’s eyes widened. “Damn.”

“Go.”

“Alright already. Geez. I’m leaving. Remember to pull gently on the landing gear or it’ll get stuck...again.”

Stephan nodded steering the ship and aligning it to the tarmac below.

Marek met Isaias and Marco in the med room.

“We’re about to land. You might want to give a heads-up to that guy on where we are,” he said.

“Which is?” muttered Isaias.

Marek rolled his eyes. “Airstrip 55. The visitor’s airstrip.”

“How the heck would I know that?” said Isaias.

“Whatever. Just a heads up. Use it or don’t,” said Marek leaving back towards the cockpit.

Marco brushed his fingers over his hand and Isaias eyed him.

“He’s right you know. We should call him or at least leave a message,” he said.

“What if he’s still tapped? Asked Isaias turning to watch Zen sleep off the anesthetic.

“He’ll just cut me off like last time but at least he’ll know the call was made from here.”

“So would everyone else. Our best bet would be to sneak into Carmelo’s compound. It would be safer.”

“Provided we don’t get tackled down by enforcers on the night watch. Besides I don’t think your sister is up to sneaking around tonight,” he said gazing at Zen’s sleeping face.

Isaias sighed. “Fine, we’ll do it your way.”

Both swayed a bit as the ship finally landed.