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.She'd lost so much blood.How much could a human lose and still live?The minutes passed slowly, each one like an eternity, and then, in the darkest hour before the dawn, heheard the faint whir of a ship.Looking up, he saw Pergith's spacecraft break through the clouds to hover directly overhead.Thebottom hatch opened; a moment later, a transporter beam carried Micah and Lainey up into the ship."Zermicazyne!" Pergith entered the transporter room, his arms outstretched in welcome, until he sawMicah's burden."Tjete," he swore softly, "who have you got there?""Her name is Lainey St.John, and she's badly hurt.""It is against regulations to bring an earthling on board an exploratory vessel," Pergith said."I could losemy commission."Page 108 Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html"Your commission be damned," Micah said curtly, and before Pergith could argue or ask any morequestions, Micah swept past him, carrying Lainey down to the hospital deck.A doctor and two medic assistants, both dressed in light gray jumpsuits, looked up as Micah burst intothe room and placed Lainey on one of the examining tables."She's dying," he said, choking on the words."Do something.""You do not look so good yourself," Pergith remarked, entering the room behind Micah."Maybe youshould climb up on the other table?""Lainey first," Micah insisted."We will take care of her," the doctor said, pulling on a pair of sterile gloves.His gaze swept overMicah, noting the dried blood on his left arm and right shoulder."Do not worry, commander.Rathe, takeCommander Zermicazyne into the other room and look after his injuries.""I am all right," Micah said, not wanting to leave Lainey's side."I am the commander of this ship," Pergith said firmly, "and you will do as Doctor Corda has ordered."Clasping his hands behind his back, Pergith fixed his gaze on the doctor's face."I want him to have acomplete examination.""Pergith!""Head to foot," Pergith said.He glanced back at Micah."I will be in my quarters when you are through,Commander."Micah glared at his old friend, but there was nothing to do but obey.He wasn't on Earth now.Technically, he was on Xanthian soil, and Pergith was in command.He glanced over his shoulder as he followed the medic out of the room.Lainey's face was as pale as thethin white cloth that had been placed over her.Her hair, as black as the crystals of Maddorriah, onlyemphasized her lack of color.But it was the dark crimson stain on her chest that held his gaze.She hadbeen badly hurt, and it was all his fault.Following the medic into the next room, Micah striped off his clothing and stretched out on the examtable, feeling its built-in warmth relax him until he was hardly conscious of the dull ache in his arm andshoulder.He closed his eyes as the medic quickly and expertly washed the wounds with warm water laced with asoothing antiseptic, sprayed his arm and shoulder with a pungent disinfectant, and neatly stitched thewounds.When that was done, the medic applied the lazerpad which would accelerate healing andeliminate scarring.With the injuries taken care of, the medic subjected Micah to an in-depth physical examination,pronouncing him in remarkably good health in spite of the blood he had lost."I will make my report to Commander Pergith," the medic said."You should report here for a recheckwhen the stitches disappear."Page 109 Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlMicah nodded as he hopped off the table, his only thought to see how Lainey was."You will find a clean uniform in the closet," the medic said as he took his leave.Minutes later, dressed in a regulation Fleet uniform, Micah returned to the main operating room.Fearcoiled around his heart as he entered the compartment, which was ominously silent.Lainey rested on along white table, covered by a dark green, temperature-controlled blanket.The doctor stood beside thetable, his face grave as he listened to her heartbeat.He glanced up as Micah entered the room."How is she?""Not good," the doctor replied."There has been considerable blood lost.The wound itself is not fatal,but& " The doctor shook his head."Her prospects for survival are not favorable at this time.""What does that mean, exactly?""She needs blood.Human blood, but of course, we have none on board.""Take mine."The doctor shook his head."No.""Why not?""We have never mixed our blood with this species.""Just do it.""Very well, but I will not be responsible for the consequences to the earthling or to you, Commander."Micah nodded impatiently."Just get on with it.""This is most irregular," the doctor muttered, but he quickly performed the necessary preliminaries, andin a matter of minutes, Micah's blood was mingling with Lainey's.He stared at the narrow tube that carried the blood from his veins to hers.On Earth, his blood hadappeared to be brown, but now it was again a dark, dark red.Please, just let her live.The silent prayer repeated itself in his mind over and over again as he watchedthe life-giving force trickle into Lainey's veins.But would it be life-giving, he wondered, or would his ownblood poison her system, robbing her of the last breath of life?He was light-headed when the procedure was finished, but he refused to leave her again.The doctor cleared his throat."I believe Commander Pergith expects you in his quarters.""He can wait."The doctor and the medic exchanged disapproving glances.To disobey one's superior on board shipwas akin to mutiny.Page 110 Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlExasperated and obviously confused by Micah's devotion to an Earth woman, or perhaps to anywoman, the doctor brought Micah a chair, insisting that he sit down before he fell down.With a sigh, Micah did as he was told.For the first time in his life, he didn't care about obeying orders,didn't care about the rules and regulations that had always governed his life.He wasn't leaving Lainey'sside until& he swallowed the lump in his throat& until he knew she was better or dead.Time passed unnoticed as he sat beside her, her hand, so cold and limp, clutched in his, his gaze lockedon her face.Gradually, the color returned to her cheeks, her hand grew warm, and then, with a sigh, sheopened her eyes."Lainey?"She turned toward the sound of his voice.And then a faint smile touched her lips."Micah," she murmured drowsily, "I had the strangest dream& " She frowned, her words tapering off asshe took in her surroundings."Where are we?"His hand squeezed hers."We're on board a spacecraft [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.She'd lost so much blood.How much could a human lose and still live?The minutes passed slowly, each one like an eternity, and then, in the darkest hour before the dawn, heheard the faint whir of a ship.Looking up, he saw Pergith's spacecraft break through the clouds to hover directly overhead.Thebottom hatch opened; a moment later, a transporter beam carried Micah and Lainey up into the ship."Zermicazyne!" Pergith entered the transporter room, his arms outstretched in welcome, until he sawMicah's burden."Tjete," he swore softly, "who have you got there?""Her name is Lainey St.John, and she's badly hurt.""It is against regulations to bring an earthling on board an exploratory vessel," Pergith said."I could losemy commission."Page 108 Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html"Your commission be damned," Micah said curtly, and before Pergith could argue or ask any morequestions, Micah swept past him, carrying Lainey down to the hospital deck.A doctor and two medic assistants, both dressed in light gray jumpsuits, looked up as Micah burst intothe room and placed Lainey on one of the examining tables."She's dying," he said, choking on the words."Do something.""You do not look so good yourself," Pergith remarked, entering the room behind Micah."Maybe youshould climb up on the other table?""Lainey first," Micah insisted."We will take care of her," the doctor said, pulling on a pair of sterile gloves.His gaze swept overMicah, noting the dried blood on his left arm and right shoulder."Do not worry, commander.Rathe, takeCommander Zermicazyne into the other room and look after his injuries.""I am all right," Micah said, not wanting to leave Lainey's side."I am the commander of this ship," Pergith said firmly, "and you will do as Doctor Corda has ordered."Clasping his hands behind his back, Pergith fixed his gaze on the doctor's face."I want him to have acomplete examination.""Pergith!""Head to foot," Pergith said.He glanced back at Micah."I will be in my quarters when you are through,Commander."Micah glared at his old friend, but there was nothing to do but obey.He wasn't on Earth now.Technically, he was on Xanthian soil, and Pergith was in command.He glanced over his shoulder as he followed the medic out of the room.Lainey's face was as pale as thethin white cloth that had been placed over her.Her hair, as black as the crystals of Maddorriah, onlyemphasized her lack of color.But it was the dark crimson stain on her chest that held his gaze.She hadbeen badly hurt, and it was all his fault.Following the medic into the next room, Micah striped off his clothing and stretched out on the examtable, feeling its built-in warmth relax him until he was hardly conscious of the dull ache in his arm andshoulder.He closed his eyes as the medic quickly and expertly washed the wounds with warm water laced with asoothing antiseptic, sprayed his arm and shoulder with a pungent disinfectant, and neatly stitched thewounds.When that was done, the medic applied the lazerpad which would accelerate healing andeliminate scarring.With the injuries taken care of, the medic subjected Micah to an in-depth physical examination,pronouncing him in remarkably good health in spite of the blood he had lost."I will make my report to Commander Pergith," the medic said."You should report here for a recheckwhen the stitches disappear."Page 109 Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlMicah nodded as he hopped off the table, his only thought to see how Lainey was."You will find a clean uniform in the closet," the medic said as he took his leave.Minutes later, dressed in a regulation Fleet uniform, Micah returned to the main operating room.Fearcoiled around his heart as he entered the compartment, which was ominously silent.Lainey rested on along white table, covered by a dark green, temperature-controlled blanket.The doctor stood beside thetable, his face grave as he listened to her heartbeat.He glanced up as Micah entered the room."How is she?""Not good," the doctor replied."There has been considerable blood lost.The wound itself is not fatal,but& " The doctor shook his head."Her prospects for survival are not favorable at this time.""What does that mean, exactly?""She needs blood.Human blood, but of course, we have none on board.""Take mine."The doctor shook his head."No.""Why not?""We have never mixed our blood with this species.""Just do it.""Very well, but I will not be responsible for the consequences to the earthling or to you, Commander."Micah nodded impatiently."Just get on with it.""This is most irregular," the doctor muttered, but he quickly performed the necessary preliminaries, andin a matter of minutes, Micah's blood was mingling with Lainey's.He stared at the narrow tube that carried the blood from his veins to hers.On Earth, his blood hadappeared to be brown, but now it was again a dark, dark red.Please, just let her live.The silent prayer repeated itself in his mind over and over again as he watchedthe life-giving force trickle into Lainey's veins.But would it be life-giving, he wondered, or would his ownblood poison her system, robbing her of the last breath of life?He was light-headed when the procedure was finished, but he refused to leave her again.The doctor cleared his throat."I believe Commander Pergith expects you in his quarters.""He can wait."The doctor and the medic exchanged disapproving glances.To disobey one's superior on board shipwas akin to mutiny.Page 110 Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlExasperated and obviously confused by Micah's devotion to an Earth woman, or perhaps to anywoman, the doctor brought Micah a chair, insisting that he sit down before he fell down.With a sigh, Micah did as he was told.For the first time in his life, he didn't care about obeying orders,didn't care about the rules and regulations that had always governed his life.He wasn't leaving Lainey'sside until& he swallowed the lump in his throat& until he knew she was better or dead.Time passed unnoticed as he sat beside her, her hand, so cold and limp, clutched in his, his gaze lockedon her face.Gradually, the color returned to her cheeks, her hand grew warm, and then, with a sigh, sheopened her eyes."Lainey?"She turned toward the sound of his voice.And then a faint smile touched her lips."Micah," she murmured drowsily, "I had the strangest dream& " She frowned, her words tapering off asshe took in her surroundings."Where are we?"His hand squeezed hers."We're on board a spacecraft [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]