Page 21 of Alien Healer's Touch

"You believe he won't detain you?"

"I have a better chance alone." I looked up into his golden eyes. "I'm still his chief medical officer. I have something he needs."

Kavan's jaw set. "The risk?—"

"Believe in my ability to navigate this, Kavan. People are dying, and this is the fastest way to get them help."

The way she looked at me—steady, unafraid—made it harder to let her go. But I knew if I asked her to stay, she wouldn’t be mine in the way that mattered.

A low rumble came from his chest, but he nodded. "Where should I wait?"

"Here. Give me until moonrise. If I'm not back..." I paused.

"I will find you," he said with such quiet certainty that I almost felt sorry for anyone who might stand between us.

I tucked the medicine pouch into my jacket and inhaled deeply. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful," he answered immediately.

I laughed despite everything. "I meant do I look like I've been running through the forest with an alien?"

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "Perhaps slightly disheveled."

"Perfect." I smoothed my hair back. "Wish me luck."

"More than luck," Kavan murmured, touching his palm to my cheek. "Ancestors protect you, now and always."

I walked away, feeling his gaze on my back as I approached the jagged perimeter wall formed from hull plating ripped from theSeraphyne, the heat-scored metal unevenly welded.

A spotlight flared from a precarious lookout fashioned from the ship's long-range sensor dishes, bolted onto a framework of bent girders. It pinned me before I reached the main entrance—a repurposed cargo bay door that ground open with a shriek of stressed metal. I shielded my eyes and called out, "Dr. Carter returning! I have medicine for the sick!"

Voices shouted, the heavy door clanked fully open, and armed security surrounded me before I'd taken three steps onto the packed earth within the compound.

"Stand down. That's an order." Commander Hammond pushed through the circle of guards. His uniform remained impeccable, at odds with the rough-and-ready environment. His eyes moved from my face to the pouch at my hip, his expression mixing relief and suspicion. "I knew you wouldn't return without Nyxari escort," he said, his emphasis on the alien name sharp with accusation. “Even if you’re hiding them.”

My stomach knotted. Martinez must have reported back by now. Did Hammond know Kavan had been with me? Did he know about the fight with the patrol, how Kavan had disabled them? If he knew, this wasn't just suspicion; it was a trap. How much detail had Martinez given? Enough for Hammond to dismiss any denial out of hand?

"I came alone," I said, forcing steadiness into my voice and holding his gaze, praying he couldn't see the lie. "The medicine couldn't wait for proper channels. May I see my patients now?"

Hammond studied me, then nodded curtly. "Phillips, escort Dr. Carter to quarantine. Full decontamination protocols."

Phillips stepped forward, his own uniform looking worn, and guided me toward the medical bay without touching me. I bit my tongue to keep from asking about these "decontamination protocols." Better to appear compliant until I understood what was happening.

The medical bay—hastily converted from a storage hold—reeked of harsh disinfectant attempting to mask the underlying scent of fever sweat. Exposed conduits snaked across the low ceiling. Every cot, some clearly modified from the ship's passenger acceleration couches, held a patient with blue-black veining spreading across their skin. Dr. Frakes hunched over a diagnostic panel that flickered erratically, wires trailing from beneath its dented casing. His lab coat was stained with coffee and what appeared to be blood.

"Christ, Selene," he muttered when he saw me. "Where have you been?"

"Getting this." I pulled out the medicine pouch and began unpacking the components on a nearby metal crate. "We need to prepare an infusion immediately."

Hammond strode in behind me, his polished boots loud on the grated floor. "Dr. Frakes will analyze the compound first."

"With respect, Commander, we don't have time. Roberts and Ackerman look critical." I nodded toward two patients whose veining had spread to their necks.

"Analysis first," Hammond insisted. "We don't know what alien compounds you're bringing into my camp."

I swallowed my frustration and handed a sample to Frakes. "Fine. But prep the infusion kits while you work. We'll need to act quickly once you've verified it's safe."

Hammond's eyes narrowed. "Confident, aren't you?"

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