Before Bart could respond, Vira appeared in the doorway. “What’s going on?”
“A baby frien, I think.” Pallo shook his head. “I’ve had my shots so I’m probably fine. Bart?”
“I got them last week.” Bart shuddered. “But why did we pass out?”
“That happens, especially with the really young babies. Unconsciousness isn’t uncommon after a bite.” Pallo massaged his temples.
Bart shuddered. “How do they move so quickly? I didn’t even see it.”
“That’s a good question.” Vira stared at Fee.
She lifted her hands up. “Don’t look at me. I tried to help them.”
“She did.” Bart shook his shoulders, as if trying to dislodge the horror of the situation. “She didn’t even run when she could have.”
“And why is that?” Vira asked.
“I considered it,” Fee said with a shrug. “But that thing is out there. I saw it run for the door, and I did not want to follow it out.”
Pallo looked at Vira. “You didn’t see anything?” he asked.
Vira glanced behind her. “No. I came from the—” She shook her head, as if cutting herself off. “What happened to the lens?”
“Whatever it was was in the conduits,” Pallo said. “It pushed the lens out. Probably attracted by the cool air in here.”
Vira moved to where the lens lay on the ground and looked up at the hole in the wall. “So it’s small.”
“Baby friens are thin, but they’re long. And their venom is actually worse than the adults. It’s no joke.” Pallo was rubbing his head again. “I need to go to the med bay. I hit my head when I fell.”
“I should probably get checked, too.” Bart rubbed his neck, and winced.
“And you escaped unscathed,” Vira said, narrowing her eyes at Fee.
“I’m not responsible for the biting habits of the baby frien population,” Fee told her. “And I’m very glad I didn’t get bitten, because as far as I know, the anti venom doesn’t work on me.”
It looked like Vira hadn’t considered that. She waved her hand at Bart. “Help me take Fiona to the build center, then you can go to the med bay.”
Bart shot her a look, lips together. “Fine. Let’s go.” He made a come here gesture with his hand, and Fee hopped down off the bench.
He didn’t restrain her, he just put a hand on her shoulder and let her walk out of the room.
“Where are the restraints?” Vira asked, voice sharp.
“I don’t have them with me. I came to see why the lens was out, not to restrain her.” Bart sent her a bland look over his shoulder.
Vira heaved out an irritated breath and followed, and Pallo trailed behind her.
It looked as if the med bay was to the left of the main entrance, because when they came to the foyer with the water station, Pallo kept going.
There were cups on the floor again.
Fee hid her smile and then Bart opened the door and a blast of heat hit her.
She blinked, almost stumbling as her body tried to adjust after the cool of the passageway.
Vira pushed past them, leading the way, and they followed her around the edge of the amphitheater to a small building to one side.
They were walking on a path around the frame, but closer in, set into the ground, were the lifts, staggered all around the circumference, six in total.
