Chapter 10 #2
“But Krashe… Not all technology is bad. That holographic picture frame in your mom’s chest is harmless, so are the datapads.
They contain knowledge and knowledge is important if you don’t want history to repeat itself.
How much of the knowledge on there did you learn from your mother?
And how much did your Clan learn? Do they really know what happened, or are they just terrified for no reason? ”
He curled his lips at me in a snarl, which I took to mean that I should shut up now. This was a really sore subject. I suppose I shouldn’t poke the bear when I was reliant on him to take me to safety but I still couldn’t resist asking one last question. “This Thunder Rock Clan, are they blue Naga?”
We came to an abrupt stop and I heard a soft susurrating noise coming from behind Krashe’s wide shoulders.
He angled his head down toward me and his eyes seemed to glow a brighter red than normal as he glared.
“How did you know that?” And now we were back to being suspicious of each other, great! Good job pissing off my one ally.
I shrugged my shoulders and wished really badly for my wheelchair to retreat to.
If only I could be mobile on my own, this wouldn’t feel so awkward.
It wouldn’t feel so much like I was walking a tightrope when navigating conversations like this with him.
I’d have a way to retreat, or at least move on my own, instead of being stuck up close, right in his arms.
“They were there at the shuttle wreck first. Pulling me and the other girls out of the stasis pods and to safety when the wreck started to sink.” Krashe’s firm, nubbed eyebrows climbed up, which was impressive, considering how rigid they were.
“Then your Clan attacked and I was separated from the rest. One really big blue guy and Kalani went into the river, and I was left behind on the river bank.”
I flashed back to that moment with a shiver, and it drew Kiwi down from Krashe’s shoulder.
He made some soft cooing noises and curled up against my chest. Spreading his wings as if he was hugging me.
That was so darn cute, but I realized that Krashe wasn’t to be outdone by the little dragon.
He raised me in his arms and nuzzled his face against my temple and hair, “This Kalani, you worry for her?”
Yeah, I did, but it felt more like I was mourning her.
There was just no way she had made it, or that blue Naga.
There had been so many spears and arrows thudding into the water.
They had to be Swiss cheese after that. I still nodded.
How could I explain to him that I’d only known that girl for all of thirty minutes, and it still felt like she was one of my biggest role models?
She’d just had so much confidence and so much beauty shining out of those eyes.
It was her that was making me feel like I had to live to the very best of my ability right now.
It was her that made me feel like I couldn’t give up, because she’d promised me I’d be alright. I had to make that true somehow.
I felt better after that nuzzle and hug though, and it made me realize that while Krashe and I didn’t see eye to eye on certain things. He did care for me and that was a good base to start from. He was talking out of ignorance, but that could be fixed, and that was going to be my goal.
“So where are we going?” I asked, waiting quietly.
If I could choose, I would want to look for the other girls, but right now they were with the blue Naga, the friendly ones, they were safe.
It could wait while I figured this thing out with Krashe.
It kind of felt nice to know that it was just the two of us for now, three if I counted Kiwi.
“I know a place where we might be able to find something that could help you walk again,” Krashe said casually. He seemed completely unaware that he’d just dropped a nuke on me, my mind struggling to comprehend what he was even saying. Walk again? What? No way.
On Earth, it had been an option. Surgical repairs could be done with a lab-grown spinal cord, or chips could be implanted to bridge the break.
That kind of repair work cost a lot of money though, and my family hadn’t been able to afford it.
It would be utterly crazy to think that such technology could exist on this planet.
But as the thought sunk in I realized it wasn’t as insane as one might think, the Naga had once been able to build spaceships after all, so why not spinal repair devices?
“Krashe, do you realize what you are saying? Wouldn’t that be technology?
Isn’t that against your rules?” Why was I poking that damn bear again?
Here he was offering me a miracle on a golden platter and I was going to talk him into changing his mind?
I was crazy! I might have adapted to my injury, I hadn’t been unhappy exactly, and I had learned just how strong my mind and my will were thanks to it.
That didn’t mean I wouldn’t grab onto the chance to walk again with both hands if I could.
It was silent for quite some time, Krashe had picked up his speed again, zigzagging his long, sinuous body through the tunnels.
I still couldn’t tell how he knew which way to go but he never hesitated at any of the crossings we happened on, steadily moving in the direction he wanted to go.
I felt completely turned around at this point and everything looked exactly the same.
“It is technology that heals… That can’t be bad, can it?
” he finally offered thoughtfully. “It will make you safer on Serant, it is a dangerous planet. My Clan,” he paused and took a deep breath as if what he was about to say came from a difficult place.
“If you were Naga, they still would have rejected you, because of your injury.”
I shuddered and felt a little sick to my stomach hearing that, but I wasn’t all that surprised.
In my eyes, I had an extra handicap to overcome, but I was still fully functional and capable.
To a primitive and rather zealous Clan like Krashe’s, I was probably a weak link they didn’t think they could afford.
I wanted to bare my teeth and snarl at that, I wasn’t weak, I was strong, and I was useful.
Then doubt struck me, as paralyzing as the injury from the car wreck.
I was being lugged around in Krashe’s arms, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with him if he put me down, even though I was strong enough to use my arms to cross a distance without my braces or wheelchair.
With my wheelchair though? I was sure I would have kept his pace.
“That just makes them assholes,” I said, and I was happy when that made Krashe huff out a laugh. I wanted to know more about this place he was taking me, but my mind was still spinning with the option, struggling to allow myself to hope that something like that could be true.
“It does,” he agreed, “I know you are perfect just like this.” And I lost a little more of myself to the Warlord right there.