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“We’ll come with you,” Eden said.
“Sure. So long as you can keep up.” He waited impatiently by the docking ramp for it to open.
Rexx and Daisy followed him out, along with Eden and Blaze.
“We’ll stay here and get to work on assessing the damage to the ship,” Daisy said.
Ash nodded, but he was already striding away with Georgia in his arms. Eden and Blaze followed closely, talking quietly to themselves.
“Hey, take a breath,” Eden said as she touched Ash’s elbow. “We’re here now and can get Georgia the help she needs.”
“I can’t see any kind of hospital or doctor’s surgery,” Ash said. “There must be one around here somewhere.”
“It’ll be here. We’ll help you look,” Blaze said.
Ash stopped at the first place they came to. It was a large, glass-fronted bar with loud music pumping out through the doors. “Go check along the main drag for the hospital. I’ll see what information I can get in here.”
“We’ll let you know when we find it,” Eden said.
Ash marched inside and went straight to the bar. “I need a doctor.”
The bartender, a tall, slender green-skinned alien, stared at him and then looked at Georgia. “What’s wrong with her?”
“That’s what I need to find out. Where’s your hospital?”
“We don’t have one.”
Anger colored his vision red. “You must have somewhere visitors go to get medical treatment.”
“Sure we do. We have a mobile medical unit. It makes visits to different outposts on a regular basis. Can I get you a drink?”
Ash gritted his teeth. If he had a hand free, he’d have slugged this idiot. “Where is it?”
“You’re in luck. It’s right here.” The bartender’s smile was overly bright. “Although you shouldn’t use it.”
“Why not? They have drugs and equipment, don’t they?”
He lifted one shoulder. “Sure. But the guy in charge is a douche. And he over-charges.”
“He can be the biggest asshole in the world, so long as he knows what he’s doing.”
“Oh, he does. In fact, he’s the same type of alien as your girl. He’s human and studied at some posh medical place on Earth. He’s always bragging about it. Not that it did him much good since he ended up here.”
“Where is this medical unit?”
“It’s parked right behind this place.” The bartender pointed over his shoulder. “And the guy who runs it is sitting at that table, downing his third jug of booze. Good luck.”
Ash didn’t hesitate. He strode to the table. “You’re the healer on this planet. I need your assistance.”
The guy blinked up at him and rubbed a hand across his stubbled chin. “We re-open tomorrow. You can make an appointment with my lovely assistant, if you can find her.”
“Tomorrow’s not good enough. Georgia’s dying. I think she’s been poisoned.”
The guy’s gaze sharpened a fraction. “Hey, another human. You don’t see many like us in this bar. What’s she done to herself?”
“We were on Sysal and got attacked. She’s been getting sicker by the minute. You have to do something.”
He shrugged. “Nope. I don’t have to do anything.”