“When I was in the building, I heard the Xakul ship approach and figured I’d better get out of there. There had to have been one on the ground already, guarding the command post. I didn’t see him, but he must have spotted me as I left the building.” She gasped in pain as she shifted slightly, and then continued. “I thought I had time to escape because the ship had only just landed.”
Grunting in satisfaction as the wound knitted and the blood flow slowed, he switched off the medi-scanner and began applying a thick antiseptic cream. “What happened after that?”
“He shot at me as I ran.”
Zac paused, meeting her amber eyes with his. “The Xakul don't injure people and let them run away.”
“No, they don't.” She shuddered. “Thankfully, there was only one, and I finished him.”
“Good.”
Neither spoke in the silence that followed, while Zac finished dressing Laila's wound.
“Those medi-scanners are amazing,” Laila said.
Zac simply nodded in agreement. He’d taken Taurean technology for granted until his own injuries had occurred. He’d never take medi-scanners for granted again.
“So,” she continued, “what happened to you?”
“When I got these, you mean?” He asked, waving his hand towards the scarring on his face.
“Yes.”
Zac shifted back onto his heels, finishing dressing Laila’s shoulder as he thought about the answer. He packed the medical supplies away, his movements efficient. “I was conscious for a while. After a plasma charge hit me.”
Laila flinched at Zac’s words. A plasma charge was usually lethal in close quarters, the liquid explosive covering sizeable areas quickly and causing catastrophic damage.
“I found T’arq alive, but badly wounded, and used the medi-scanner on him first, and then on a couple of others from our team.”
His movements stopped, and he looked at her, head tilted to one side. “How much do you know about how the technology works?”
“Not much, really.” She admitted.
“Well, it works by accelerating your natural healing. You can’t make something out of nothing, right? And the process is exhausting. It’s pretty normal to sleep for hours afterwards. Even a small handheld field scanner can have that effect.” He looked up to meet Laila’s eyes, surprised at how easy it was to talk about this with her.
“I am feeling tired,” she admitted.
“That would be the healing process. The scanner doesn’t have an infinite charge, either. So by the time I got to my own injuries, there was nothing left. It took longer than I expected for us to be rescued.”
“I imagine they did everything they could, Zac,” she whispered. “I’m guessing you are lucky to be alive.”
“That’s what they told me,” he said, watching as Laila’s eyes drifted shut. “Though I didn’t feel lucky… until…” the words, even unsaid, feeling strange to the hulking warrior.
She mumbled, eyes closed. “I don’t think I can stay awake much longer. T’arq had better get back soon. I don’t want to die here.”
Zac met her eyes. “You won’t. We’ll make it out of here.” His words were firm as he held her shoulders in a gentle grip. “I promise,” he said, pulling her close to his chest and tucking her head under his chin. “Now get some sleep.”
