{Enki | Tumu’s Sanctum}
“Thanks, Caedes,” Pablo said as the two lifted another crate of Earth nacres. Before the others considered fighting with a human army, Pablo figured it was best to test these puppies. “This makes three.”
The bald Icarus humphed, as Pablo had expected him to reply, and helped open the crate.
Twenty-One wandered over after tearing sheets into rags. “So you test them for Tritan tampering?”
“Like how they tampered with the sleeping King?” Miy asked as she set another IV bag of Aegis blood for Triss.
Gathering a handful of nacres to test, Lynn answered with a smile at Pablo, “That’s right. It was Tumu’s idea, too. If he can’t trust his people, then…”
Right. How was there any hope for the rest of them? Pablo collected a few samples as well. “We’re checking their nacre banks for the operating system and memory, searching the code for any initiatives outside normal perimeters.”
“I’ll pretend to care about the technical stuff while I fend for my comatose friend who you’re all praying delivers a healthy baby you can steal once she dies.” Miy always sounded so… bitter to Pablo.
Bethany looked up from sorting Aegis blood and nutrient bags. Twenty-One, Pablo, Caedes, and Lynn exchanged a look. The massive Icarus shrugged and approached the sour Lyrik. His presence was a gentle one, despite how he came by knowing them. So Miy hardly paid him any attention as he took a fresh rag and wiped away the perspiration from Triss’ forehead.
The pregnant woman was a nightmare to behold. Dark bruises marred her already black complexion under her eyes, the hollows of her cheeks, and randomly across her body. The swollen belly took on an abnormal shape. Cubed rather than rounded. Occasionally, the cube pulsed and pressed along the corners and sides like the baby wanted to escape its prison. Her lips stayed dry despite hydration drips. Her vitals were erratic and implied a substantial amount of pain.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Miy was right, though. Korac, Pehton, and Sagan were less than sympathetic toward Triss’ condition. As her physician, Pablo retained some objectivity, but frankly, it hurt to see a patient go through this. No matter who they were or how they lived their life.
Almost as if she followed his exact train of thought, Miy murmured without looking at him, “I’m sorry, Dr. Suarez. I know you try. I wasn’t being fair. The rest of you can go straight to the Wrong Side of Eternity for all I care.”
“All of us?” Twenty-One asked with a curious lilt.
She sighed, heavy with frustration. “Well, no. Not you. You were one of their prisoners, and now they’ve brainwashed you into one of them.”
“What about those of us who weren’t prisoners?” That was the most words Pablo had heard from Caedes at once.
Across the way, it even made Lynn raise her brow at him.
Miy let her hand, IV bag and all, fall to her lap with a defeated sigh. “What can I say? I haven’t had what I consider decent sex in six million years. I lost one sister, and now I’m looking at losing another. Not long from now, I’d say. Honestly, I just feel like being a bitch.”
Twenty-One stared at her long enough to raise Pablo’s curiosity. After another heartbeat, the big man stepped over to Miy and whispered in her ear.
Pablo blushed from what he could hear of it and found the crate on his table very interesting.
Lynn looked away sharply, focusing all of her attention on the samples and the terminal used to access them.
Bethany appeared oblivious.
Caedes chuffed and went about his work, but Pablo noticed the small smile on his face.
None of them met each other’s eyes as Miy set the bag to drip and left the room with Twenty-One, who politely nodded as they let themselves out.
Lynn sat down beside Pablo and muttered incredulously, “Time and place, people.”
He almost laughed in her face. Of all the people… “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” It showed in her smile. “Now, let’s save the worlds. Again.”
No Tantamounts this time, thanks very much.