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“Anyone who needs it, we’ll get it to them. I’ll keep you informed. The poison is slow acting, so anyone who’s come into contact with it, will have a couple of weeks before it becomes terminal.”
Nilad nodded. “Let me know if there’s anything we can do to help.”
“Thanks. Just let me know if you get more beast attacks, or find any more of these canisters.” Dallin hurried back into the main part of the ship and into the docking bay.
He entered the shuttle and activated the chemical composition analyzer. After carefully extracting several drops of the poison from one canister, he placed it in the machine and set it to work. Then Dallin opened a comm link and contacted the Apocalypse.
Cleo appeared on the screen. She looked like she’d aged five years since the last time he’d seen her.
“I’ve got news,” he said.
Her dull, tired eyes widened. “You’ve found the poison source?”
“I have. The Siblet pumped it through the air filtration system in parts of the waystation. I’ve got the canisters and am running the contents through the analyzer.”
Cleo let out a huge sigh. “That’s the best news. Can you analyze the trace remains of the poison from your location, or do you need to link in with us?”
“I’m already on it. I brought a kit with me. I have everything I need to find out what’s in it.”
“Your timing is perfect. The crew is going down fast, and we’re still a couple of hours out from you.”
“Now I’ve got the poison source, it’ll only take me a few hours to create an antidote.”
“Then I won’t delay you for too long.” Cleo’s lips pursed. “Although you should know, I’ve heard from Sloane. She’s not happy with you.”
Dallin winced. “I removed her from the waystation for her own good. We hadn’t been here long, and she’d already had a confrontation with a group of drunk aliens, almost been mauled by some mutant beasts, and then kidnapped and taken to a brothel.”
“That’s not quite the story Sloane told me.” Cleo shook her head. “Dallin, you need to talk to her.”
“We talk every day.”
“You can’t keep shutting her out. I picked Sloane to be your partner for several good reasons. I matched your profiles because I knew you were right for each other.”
“She is good for me. I don’t offer her anything, though.”
“That’s not true. You could offer her plenty if you saw her as an actual partner, rather than using her as your lab assistant and keeping her at arms’ length. Sloane was hired because she’s smart, dedicated, and the most loyal person I’ve ever met. She’s just what you need in a partner.”
“I know all of that.”
“Do you? You’re abusing her kindness, and you treat Sloane like you don’t want her around most of the time.”
Dallin frowned. He didn’t mean to do that, but he had good reasons to keep her away from him.
“Dallin, you’re risking everything by keeping Sloane shut out.”
“I’m not risking her. If she’s not around me, she won’t get hurt.”
“Is that so? If I find her a new Apexian partner and start sending her out on missions every week, you’d have no problem with that? You’d happily stay in the lab and lose Sloane?”
He growled. “That’s not what I meant. I just... it’s better if I’m not around her. You know the reasons why.”
“If that’s what you truly believe, then you need to tell Sloane that. She’s the sweetest person I know, and she’s always got your back, but if you abuse that trust too many times, she’ll be lost to you forever.”
Dallin swallowed his anger. “She should have a different partner.”
Cleo hissed air between her teeth. “I’m not just talking about her as your work partner on the Apocalypse. You’ve screwed up big time, and she might not forgive you. Sloane doesn’t have a bottomless pit of forgiveness.”
He looked away. “I need to get on with this poison analysis. Once you get here, I should have something useful for you and the crew.”
