Valeri spoke as if she knew a different Reginald. The father of her childhood had found time to nourish his daughter's curious mind. He had taught her to love and honor his choice in careers. That was definitely not the man Ohber saw in the lab. Somewhere along the way, he had changed. The Reginald that tormented the aliens was angry and appeared to hold a grudge against all other species. He no longer cared about the purity of the science he had shown Valeri. He just wanted results, good or bad, and he wanted them quickly.
Ohber needed to soothe his mind. If his body was to heal, he must remove all negative thoughts from his head. He took several deep; cleansing breathes and let his mind wander back to the beauty of Milisaria. As he imagined a cool green sea, the image of Valeri popped into the picture. She was swimming ashore and then stood, allowing the sparkling water to flow off of her pale skin. She glowed in the soft light of the four moons. She tossed her head, and droplets of water dampened his warm skin.
Frustrated by his thoughts, Ohber changed the scene. He saw himself standing in the marshes, practicing his swordplay. He dearly missed the feel of a heavy sword in his hand. It was almost as if he had lost an extension of his arm. Others practiced on each side of him. He could see Nabvan instructing a very young warrior. Perhaps, it was a beginner. He let his mind reach out to his other side, and there was Valeri once again. She was dressed in armor, her hair flying in the wind. She wore the face of a warrior princess, fighting for those who could not do so for themselves. The sight brought a yearning to Ohber's heart. One he had never felt before. He knew it would be best to wipe the picture from his mind. However, he could not. It was too beautiful, and it soothed his soul. Ohber fell asleep and dreamed of Valeri on Milisaria.
Ohber was not able to speak with Valeri in the lab the following day. The scientists were all present. She took orders from each one and did her duty without expression. Her kind smile was missing as she bent over him. They made her open one of the almost healed lesions and take a sample of the fluid beneath. A single tear slid from her eye as she saw him wince. She hurried to cover the newly opened wound with salve and to hide her face from the scientists. Ohber tried to get her to look him in the eyes, but she either would not or could not.
Ohber was asked to stand. That surprised him. In all the years he had been here, this was only the second time he had been allowed off the gurney. Valeri was given orders to test his strength. She led him to a set of large weights at the back of the room. Thinking they were alone, Ohber started to speak. Valeri shook her head to let him know there was someone else present. Reginald appeared at his shoulder. The man began, "Since we can't use you in the next technical experiment, we shall at least see if you are as strong as you used to be. Lift the smallest weight first and then keep moving to heavier ones. Valeri, please record the results. If he struggles with one, we will push him to try harder. I am sure he will try to make us think he is weak. I know I would try to trick my captor."
For Valeri's sake, Ohber did his best. He lifted the first weight easily. The second pulled his skin tight and tore open some lesions. The third was a struggle. It scared him to know that he used to lift it without effort. He managed to raise it, though it fell hard when he tried to set it on the floor. The largest one was impossible. His damaged muscles refused to lift it. Reginald scoffed, but Valeri stopped him. She pointed to Ohber's trembling arms and the broken blood vessels that were visible through his skin. She spoke up, "He is not pretending. He should not have lifted the last one, yet he did so that you would not say he was tricking us."
Reginald replied, "Fine, but I think you are too soft on these creatures. You treat them like pets. You need to toughen up. I'm sure you will at some point. Send him back to the gurney and let's try the Voltuni."
Ohber could not help but see the sadness on Valeri's face. She no longer saw her father through a little girl's adoring eyes. He knew it further saddened her to realize her father did not see her as his little darling, but as an employee. Ohber barely made it back to the gurney. His legs were strained and weak. If he ever made it back to Milisaria, his days of being a Milisarian Knight were over. All the medicines in the universe could not give him back the body he had when the spaceship landed on Earth. He would heal to an extent and would still be seen as superhuman to most species. Yet, he could never match the strength of a true knight again.
