Companion

Chapter Nine

Hi guys, another chapter. In which we finally find out the mystery of what happens to Kara! Thank you to both Moku_Sui and Lola for your reviews :D

Rhace Kara wakes in an unfamiliar room. He tries to sit up, only to feel a disconcerting pressure in the side of his chest. He looks down. The area of pain is covered by a surgical patch.

The last thing he remembers is a small explosion. Shrapnel piercing his side. Pain. Castis screaming. Castis trying to carry him.

"Ah you're awake."

The voice belongs to a small reptilian creature. A Polygoylian. He must be on a Chimeran ship.

"Castis?" Rhace slurs, tongue heavy in his mouth.

"What?"

The Polygoylian has some sort of hand-held scanner. He waves it over Rhace then consults the screen.

"Your vitals are looking good. Though try not to move, the surgery was quite intensive."

"Surgery?" Rhace croaks.

The Polygoylian gives him a somewhat condescending look.

"For the severe wound in your chest, of course. You're lucky we found you when we did. Your stasis pod had just lost power."

Rhace tries to process this. But he is too distracted by one question.

"Where is Castis?"

The Polygoylian frowns,

"There was only you onboard."

Confusion courses through Rhace's body.

"That can't be!"

He attempts to sit up again. This time the pressure burns and he cries out.

"Stop that!" the Polygoylian squawks, "Do you want to undo all the good doctor's work. Lie back down."

Rhace remains upright, gritting through the pain.

"You don't understand. My companion was on that ship."

"I'm telling you there was no one else," the Polygoylian glares, "If you can't calm down, I'll be forced to give you a sedative."

"Don't you dare come near me," Rhace snarls, "I need to find Castis, I have to..."

Pain and desperation bring him to tears. How could he have disappeared off the ship? Who could have taken him?

There is a hiss of the door and heavy footsteps. Rhace can't see clearly through the tears. What blur he can make out is large.

"Why is the patient sniveling Kaster?" a deep voice growls.

"I'm sorry Doctor," the Polygoylian squeaks, "He's upset about his companion. Apparently he was supposed to be on the ship."

"There was no one else," the so-called Doctor rumbles, "Zjor's team searched the entire vessel. He was the only inhabitant."

Rhace scrubs at his eyes. Suddenly he's confronted by the sight of four fierce black eyes in a skeletal face.

A Huth.

Rhace knows the species only by reputation. They are reported to be the best surgeons in the galaxy.

"Lie back," the Doctor growls, "I don't want you tearing any of the stitching."

Rhace complies, more intimidated by the towering Doctor than his aide. The Huth snatches the scanner from the Polygoylian and eyes the results.

"Can you at least tell me where I am?" he says.

The Doctor merely grunts. It is the Polygoylian who answers.

"Our ship is called Paxia."

"Chimeran?"

Polygoylian glances at the Doctor almost cautiously. Two of the Huth's eyes flick upwards.

"Tell him Kaster. He'll hear it from Zjor anyway."

"It was a Chimeran ship," Kaster answers Rhace, "But now we are independent."

"Independent?"

"The ship was once called Bonebreaker. It transported prisoners to the correctional facility on Tyber. A mutiny broke out on route. The prisoners seized control of the ship. They renamed it Paxia, declaring independence from the Chimeran regime."

"And the Chimeran guard detail?"

"Zjor, our leader, gave them a choice. Join the Paxians or death."

Rhace doesn't ask how many chose the latter.

"Are you former crew or prisoners?"

"I was a servant to the former Commander. Daras."

"Prisoner," the Huth says, "Unapproved scientific experimentation."

A shiver runs down Rhace's spine. His life has been saved by a criminal scientist. He watches the Huth uneasily as he turns off the scanner..

"The results seem positive. But you must rest. A pain stabilizer will help you sleep. Zjor will see you as soon as you're able."

"See me?"

"To discuss your integration," the Huth says with something of a sneer, "Into our community."

"Integration?" Rhace echoes, "I don't want to join your community. I need to find Castis."

"You don't have much of a choice I'm afraid."

The Huth is now leaning over him.

"You owe us your life. You must repay that debt with service..."

He presses the end of a small cylinder into Rhace's arm. Rhace feels the sharp prick of a needle.

"Or," the Huth whispers, "I can make use of your corpse."

Rhace looks at him in horror. He wants to push him away, try to escape. But a heaviness has started spreading over his body. His vision starts to dull.

The Doctor's administered a sedative, not pain relief.

Castis, Rhace thinks as he slips into unconsciousness, why did you leave me?