"Ready."
Chapter Thirteen
Mac sat next to Paul holding his hand as Luol explained to him, in Zaludian, what he was doing and why, and what he would feel. After a tense nod from Paul, Luol put the educator on him. For a moment, Paul's grip tightened around Mac's hand, and then it relaxed.
"He is now in a deep sleep," Luol told her. "It will be several hours before he wakes."
"I'll stay with Paul so you can see to Craig and Blag if you tell me what I need to watch for."
"Agitation mostly. It means he is fighting the information the educator is trying to give him."
"Why would that happen?" she asked giving Paul a concerned look.
"We don't know for sure, but believe it is either because the educator has somehow triggered a bad memory, or the chemical composition of the recipient's brain is just unable to absorb what it is receiving. While it's rare, it can cause permanent harm if not corrected."
"Oh, so maybe you should stay here, and I'll sit with Craig and Blag."
"You would not understand the readings the units are giving you and would be unable to adjust them," Luol told her quietly.
"I'm sorry, Luol." She looked up at him, her eyes full of regret.
"For what?"
"For demanding that you treat so many at the same time. I didn't realize the risks..."
"But you were right, Mackenzie," he told her kindly. "Your people need to be able to understand what is happening. If I expected there to be any problems, I would have refused. And it is truth that even General Rayner has no power to sway me when it comes to what is best for those I treat."
"Really? Not even the most feared and powerful General Rayner?" She'd learned that from the educator.
"General Rayner is feared and powerful for a reason, but he is also honorable and would never intentionally harm one under his care."
"You truly believe that?"
"Yes."
Mac was silent for a moment, watching Paul lying there so peacefully. "I need to thank you, Luol."
"For what?" he asked frowning at her.
"Nikhil told me that you asked your Ashe to obtain and send coverings for me on the next supply ship."
Luol gave her a warm smile. "That was no hardship for her. My Maysa loves to go shopping, especially for young females."
"I'm a young female?" she asked raising an eyebrow at him. She knew for a Kaliszian, a young female referred to one under the age of eighteen, who was not yet considered fully mature. "I don't think Nikhil sees me that way."
Luol's cheeks started to flush. "It was the only way I could describe your size to Maysa. I did not mean to infer..."
"I was just teasing you, Luol," she said smiling at him. "I take it your females are larger than me."
"When they reach their maturity, yes, but before that, they come in different sizes."
"One being mine."
"Yes. Maysa and I only have male offspring, so she was very excited to spend my credits on something other than 'boring male coverings', as she refers to them. "
"Still, it was such short notice and..." Mac trailed off. Why hadn't she realized? Nikhil had told her some of their females would offer their friendship to males for extra food or credits. Of course, he would have to pay for her coverings. How much she didn't know. Could he afford them? That was something else she didn't know and then she had gone and asked for more.
"Mackenzie, is something wrong?" Luol asked.
"I... nothing. I just realized there was something I need to talk to Nikhil about. So you think Paul will be okay with me watching him?"
"Yes. Now I need to check on Craig and Blag."
"Alright. Oh, and don't forget to check to see if Blag's family has been contacted."
"I won't."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Luol frowned at the readings the deep-repair unit was giving him for the human called Craig. While the repair unit was replenishing the same nutrients as it had in Mackenzie, his weren't nearly as depleted as hers, and his weight loss didn't seem as extreme. Why was that, if they had all experienced the same things up until she was discovered? Making a few adjustments, he turned his attention to Blag's unit.
"How much longer?" Blag asked as he watched Luol.
"You are doing well," Luol told him absently.
"That's not what I asked!" Blag fired back.
"Another hour."
"Where is Mackenzie?" Blag demanded.
"She's in the other room sitting with her friend." Luol saw Blag’s gaze searching behind him.
"They are a strange species," Blag finally muttered.
"Did you ever interact with them in the mine?"