“Can I see your face?”
Chloe stood straight and removed her veil before lowering the hood.“Hiya.”
Ra stared.“You almost have her face.”
She pointed at Skylar.“Also almost her face.We are randomly, genetically nearly identical.”
She paused.“Honourable Ra, I require healing that is made awkward by my power signature.I hear that you have such repair devices, and I am requesting that I be allowed to use one of them.”
He nodded.“Of course.Would you like me to help you?”
Skylar said, “I will do it.We are not quite sure what she would do with direct contact with a Hmrain, but it might be violent lust, so I will do a side lift.”
“Yeah, if she tries to put moves on me, I hit her with the stick.Besides.Cousins.Ew.”
She laughed, and Harwin lifted the baby.“Harran, this is a cousin of Mommy’s.She’s crazy, too.”
They all moved together, and Skylar put an arm around Chloe and lifted her down the steps to one of the lower levels.Ra programmed one of the units and said, “I will settle you inside it.This is an assessor unit.The healing unit is over there.”
He smiled and took her staff.She paused.“Oh, here.Take this.It’s for the baby.”Once it was handed off, she swung into the machine.
The tiny wooden rattle with bright colours on the ball looked ridiculous in his grip, but he handed it to Harwin, and she shook it near the baby, who squealed and reached for it.
“That’s a winner.”Harwin chuckled.“See you in a few minutes.”
Ra closed the unit, it sealed, and light moved over her.Chloe nodded off.
* * * *
Skylar looked at therecord of injuries that covered her body, all administered after she had been removed from the station when she handed over the shuttle.“Oh, my god.”
Harwin swallowed.“I see her leg, but what is that other stuff?”
Ra said calmly, “Pinning.It is a torture technique.The person is pinned to the wall with a series of thin rods.It is agony, but it doesn’t kill them, so when you need them to work, you withdraw the pins, and they are free to move, knowing that they will be back on the pins for the smallest infraction.”
Harwin shuddered, and the baby squeaked and waved the rattle.“Who can I kill?”
Ra shook his head.“I am not bringing you to that station, but I might have it destroyed.”
The lit-up spots showed that she had been pierced dozens of times, and yet she still kept her bright mood.It was amazing.
There was a knocking from the inside of the machine, and Chloe’s voice.“Can you be appalled on your own time?”
Harwin chuckled weakly, and Ra opened the assessing unit.Skylar picked her up.“Where are we going?”
Ra directed her, and Chloe was settled in the unit.Skylar paused, “Can she have her clothing on?”
Harwin said, “No.”
Chloe grinned and stretched her arms.“Uppies.”
Skylar laughed and lifted her out, collecting her clothing as Chloe stripped.“You know, I bet Dytura would enjoy assisting.”
Chloe snorted.“Yeah, well, he isn’t here, you are, so do you want me to drape my veil over your horns or do you want to hold it?”
Harwin paused.“Dytura?”
Skylar grinned.“He’s chasing her ship, and she gave her ship to me so I could be her decoy.Shit.I forgot I didn’t tell you.”
