Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 130947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
“Bebo,” she called again, trying to push away the negative thoughts. “Here, boy.”
Slowly, reluctantly, the little zithcher made his way over to where she was sitting. After their first disastrous meeting they had called an uneasy truce but this was the first time Liv had ever actually tried to make friends with him. I didn’t like him and not just because he scared me. It was because he was alien, strange, frightening. Like the idea of giving up everything I knew to stay here with Baird. Carefully she reached out a hand and scratched the little teddy bear creature between his ears, just as she’d seen Baird do. Bebo’s bright blue fur was feathery and soft and after a moment he closed his large eyes and began to make contented humming sounds in the back of his throat.
“You’re not such a scary guy after all, are you?” Liv murmured, still scratching. “I’m sorry I didn’t take the time to get to know you before…when Baird was here.”
At the mention of his master’s name, the little animal opened his eyes and made a mournful questioning sound.
“I know.” Liv felt tears rise to her eyes again. “I miss him too. But he’ll be back. And then…then…well, I don’t know how I’ll help him but I will. I swear I will.” To her surprise, Bebo climbed up in the couch and then, with an inquiring look as if to make sure he was welcome, into her lap. Liv stroked him, letting her tears drop on his soft fur. Like everything else about the Kindred way of life, she’d refused to see the good in Baird’s pet until it was too late. Too late…too late…
A sudden rapping at the door to the suite startled her out of her mournful reverie. Carefully, she put Bebo back down on the floor and went to the door, dusting his feathery blue fur off her fingers. She really hoped it wasn’t Jillian—gossiping and girl talk were about the last thing she needed right now.
Her heart started pounding when she saw Sylvan standing there. “What?” she blurted. “Is it Baird? But it hasn’t been three days yet. I don’t—”
“That is not the reason I am here.” Sylvan looked mildly troubled which was as close to really upset as a cool and collected Tranq Kindred could get. He frowned at Liv. “You are some kind of medic on Earth, correct?”
“I’m a nurse, yes. Why?”
“There was a raid on the station we have on the far side of your moon and the influx of wounded is staggering. We need every pair of trained hands we can get.”
“I want to help but I don’t know anything about your medical technology,” Liv reminded him. “Or what kind of meds the Kindred can use. Or—”
“You can help with the triage at least and I’ll do my best to answer any questions as we go. Come on.” Sylvan grabbed her hand.
“Wait!” Liv looked at him fearfully. “How is this going to affect Baird? Will…will the Scourge still give him back?”
Sylvan looked grim. “I’m sorry Olivia but I don’t know. There’s nothing we can do for him now, though. We have wounded to care for and the longer we wait the more will die. Will you help me?”
Liv felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice cubes into her belly but she nodded anyway. “I’ll do my best even though I don’t know your techniques.”
“You can consider this on the job training.” Sylvan pulled her out the door.
So began the most frantic two days of Liv’s life. It was like nursing school all over again but in fast forward and there was no room for mistakes. Previously she’d only seen the leisure side of the Kindred ship. Now she saw the business side and their main business was war. The large med station where Sylvan had her working was constantly busy, the flow of patients in and out as steady as clockwork.
Liv was run off her feet as she assisted in various operations and learned the alien medical technology. Luckily, the Kindred anatomy was basically humanoid so it wasn’t like she was starting from scratch. And she was doing what she loved best—helping to save lives. If it hadn’t been for the constant worry at the back of her head for Baird, she would have been completely content. But no matter how busy she got or how frantic the pace, she couldn’t forget—didn’t want to forget—what he was going through and that she might not ever see him again. Still, she was grateful for the distraction. Even with Bebo to keep her company she knew she would have gone crazy cooped up in the suite with nothing to do but agonize over the situation.
It was at the end of the second day, or maybe the wee hours of the third, Liv had lost count, that a new patient was pushed in front of her. Or maybe floated was a better word since the Kindred used anti-grav technology in their stretchers.