I come to lying on the ground. I can actively hear myself wheezing as I breathe. Something is broken, I’m not in any shape to figure out what it is. Next to me is Draven, he’s dead. He let a scientist kill him because he was arrogant. I know that one has to sting. If Marshall was right about there being an afterlife, I hope he kicks Draven’s ass when he gets there. If not, I hope we can find some grubs to feed him too. I wiggle my toes, my fingers, turn my neck in the other direction. No paralysis, that’s good. Just internal bleeding. I wonder what kind of healing techniques I can learn from the Revrell lab.

I inch myself forward, just enough to reach a stair rail. It takes a lot to roll over to my stomach, and I need to rest after. It takes even more to use the rail to pull myself up. As I gather myself and give my head a moment to stop spinning, I contemplate even going outside. My body is reaching its limits, it may already be breaking limits. No, I need to see how it ends.

Bit by bit, meter by meter, I drag my way towards the ship’s exit. I forgot I crashed the rover into the ship. Struggling through one door isn’t fun. Falling onto my face, trying to exit the other door is worse. There’re people inside the ship. I think they want to see if the ship will fly. I don’t recognize any of them. A young woman tries to hold me on the ground. When she realizes I’m not staying down she helps me to my feet. I stumble forward, making my way down the ramp. Looking for the people I know, the ones I came here to save. I didn’t see them earlier, I hope they’re okay.

Outside there’s rain, I barely keep my footing trying to make it down the ramp. The rain may be good for something, it’s cold, helping to keep me awake. There’re a few soldiers from the federation, tied up, handcuffs, and whatever people can get. I’m not sure if they’re about to be executed or what, but I can’t focus on that right now.

Something slams into me from the side, I lost my balance and fall into the mud as someone hugs me tightly, arms around my neck. I’m just glad Aaimina found me before I passed out. She’s suffocating me but I hug her back, so glad to embrace her again.

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“I’m so glad you’re okay, I couldn’t bare the thought of losing you,” I force the words out.

“Niko, let the man have some air,” Thore calls out.

“Niko? I thought you were Aaimina,” I respond trying to sit up.

Thore and Niko each offer me a hand to help me get up. “You’re not happy to see me,” Niko asks.

“I’m always happy to see you, just be happier if Aaimina was here.”

“Always happy to see me? Don’t forget you said that when I don’t leave you alone,” he hugs me again.

“Are you on sunshine?”

“I’m walking on sunshine, we just survived the fight of our lives, I deserve it.”

“Got anymore,” I ask. Niko removes one of the balls from his pocket and gives it to me. I quickly swallow it, hopefully it helps with the pain. “Where’s Aaimina,” I ask.

The two look at each other, then away from me before Thore speaks. “She didn’t want to see you. Said she couldn’t see you right now?”

“If she’s not around, there’s nothing for me. I need to go find her.”

“She’ll come around, for now you’re needed.”

“For what? I’m about to die here. Am I supposed to put on a show?”

Thore laughs, “those little balls of sunshine work fast. You’re needed because we’re deciding if we should take the ship or not.”

“I wrecked that thing, it’s not going anywhere, at least not any time soon. I’m going to find Aaimina.” I fall to the ground again, I guess Thore had been holding me up. “Aaimina, I can’t find you. Come to me, I need you.”

Almost on cue, she pops up. “Look at you,” she’s got tears in her eyes.

“Don’t cry,” I reach up to her face. “I’m going to be okay now that you’re here.”

“This is all my fault,” she clutches my hand.

“Did you send an army to kill us,” Niko asks?

“Come along, give them time,” Thore drags Niko away.

“I want to see if they kiss,” he calls as he’s being led away.

“We’re going to kiss,” I yell back at him.

“Giver her the tongue,” Niko shouts causing Thore to lift him off the ground and walk faster.

“I’m going to give you the tongue,” I look at Aaimina. “Sorry, he gave me drugs.”

“You can give me the tongue,” she laughs and takes a seat next to me in the grass.