CHAPTER 12 #2
“Your care for me is considerable.” His tone was dry as always, so she couldn’t tell if he was trying to be sarcastic or not. Then again, not all species used sarcasm the same as humans. She would have to check. K’kaen or S’kasia might be more reliable sources of information on that front.
“Rest is important. I mean it.”
“I will do my best.” S’samph folded himself across the low-hanging perch, lying on his back, the picture of following her instructions.
“Thank you.” Her heart was doing an unexpected slam against her ribcage, leaving her just a bit breathless. “If you need anything, you can send a comm to the clinic, and I’ll check the messages when I get back there.”
“Don’t forget your sun hat,” he called after her as she started leaving. Heat from the suns wouldn’t scorch her as much as the ferocious blush blooming over her. She kept her gaze downward as she rushed back to grab her hat and stuff it on her head.
“Thank you,” she said again.
“You’re very skilled at taking care of others, but perhaps not yourself.
” S’samph glanced down at her from his reclined position.
Although his words lacked any clear subtext or tone, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sinking in her stomach.
He wasn’t wrong. Eleri took the opportunity to lower the brim of her hat and hurry out with a muttered farewell.
She almost tripped over her kit on her way out and was so distracted trying to get herself organized she didn’t notice S’kasia waiting outside in the shadow of a large tree shading the entryway of S’samph’s home.
“How is my clutch-brother?” she asked.
“He is healing more quickly than I expected.” Eleri waved back toward his dwelling.
“There aren’t any signs of infection, but it will be a week or two yet before the danger is truly gone.
After that, we can assess the need for any physical therapy to help him regain strength in his arm and shoulder. ”
“You will take good care of him, I am sure.” S’kasia walked with her toward the path. “It has not been an easy transition to Laurus for you.” She wasn’t exactly asking. Eleri’s struggles were common enough knowledge around the town.
“I’m settled enough now.” Her previous encounters with the folks in Laurus had made her wary of intentions. Besides, no one survived long on Gaia without a healthy dose of skepticism for other people.
“But you do not have friends.” It wasn’t a question. Eleri adjusted the brim of her hat to shade her from the heat of the sun. Her uncertain status in Laurus wasn’t exactly lost on her.
“Friendship takes time. I hope I will have some friends soon.” She tried to keep her tone upbeat and cheerful but suspected she failed. Reflecting, she realized her time on Laurus thus far had been a lonely one.
S’kasia flicked her tail from side to side in a thoughtful gesture. “We could be friends, I think. I will tell you what really goes on in Laurus if you agree to give my clutch-brother a chance. Even though his frill is torn, and his head is as hard as chronite, he is a good male.”
“I’d like to be your friend.” Eleri’s smile was guileless.
It was easier to dodge the second part of S’kasia’s query than to address it directly.
She didn’t hate S’samph. And she could even admit she was attracted to him.
Besides, he had finally apologized, which went a long way toward softening her heart toward him.
In honesty, Eleri couldn’t remember the last time anyone had ever apologized to her.
Her parents certainly never had, and her own brother would have sooner gnawed off his own foot than admit to any wrongdoing.
“Good. Then you should come visit me after you visit with S’samph. I have many truths to tell you about Laurus. In exchange, you will tell me about yourself and the world you came from.”
Eleri couldn’t hold back her soft laughter. “You and your brother are both very direct.”
“Latil’e believe straight truth is the highest compliment one can pay. Liars will spend a hundred years in the maw of fire before they hatch again.”
“That sounds intense.”
“We hold ourselves to a high moral code. My clutch-brother will never lie to you, and he will never betray you. This is not our way.” The tip of S’kasia’s tail lifted.
“But it is hot for you to be out in the suns like this, and my clutch-brother will fuss if I keep you. I do not have anything to offer today, but come visit my home in a few days, and I will teach you how to brew g’gek.
It’s S’samph’s favorite. Although the stubborn male will never admit it. ”
“Thank you. I’m excited to learn.” As Eleri made her farewells to S’kasia, she started thinking about what she could teach in exchange.
There were several Earth recipes she loved to make when she lived at home, but rustling up the ingredients might be a challenge.
She’d go to the general store and see what was on offer.
As a farming community, most of the ingredients came directly from Laurus’ farmers, but she imagined they might get some other things shipped in from Abwele or even Brasnia Prime.
As she headed back toward the clinic, she tapped the interface button on her wrist and pulled up her credit balance.
She couldn’t afford to eat much, and if she wanted anything left to purchase ingredients and keep a slush fund for emergencies, she’d need to survive off clinic rations until she had a proper income stream.
They were nutritionally balanced, but generally miserable to eat unless you were too ill to know otherwise.
Not to mention her extremely limited supply of clothing.
Aside from the medical scrubs provided by the clinic, a few threadbare shirts, and her IA jumpsuits, she really had almost nothing to wear.
Well, it wasn’t going to be forever. Her mastery of Universal was nearly up to par to pass the written part of the IA examination, and she was systematically filling in her clinical hours.
Aglao predicted she would be ready to pass the exam by the time the flooding season had passed.
All the time indoors would give her an opportunity to study for her exams.
“Eshar, female. Does S’samph know you have fewer credits than an iridescence addict at the end of a memory bender?”
Eleri glanced up to find the other latil’e male she’d met a few times before, K’kaen, peering over from behind her. She stumbled away from him, banging her knee against her medkit as she did.
“Seriously, K’kaen!” Eleri crouched to examine her smarting kneecap. “You should warn someone before you just sneak up on them like that.”
K’kaen’s tail swished. “I did warn you, little human. It isn’t my fault you can’t smell my pheromones as I approach.”
Eleri sighed and picked up her medkit, balancing the heavy container on her hip.
“My credits are none of S’samph’s business.
” The IA had been suspiciously quiet about her incomplete contract, but she suspected it was only a matter of time before they came inquiring.
But she would deal with them when necessary.
For now, the only goal was to finish her training.
“He would be unhappy to know how much you’re struggling. I’m unhappy, and you’re not even my responsibility.”
“I appreciate your concern, but I’m really not struggling.
I have a place to sleep and food to eat, and that’s enough for me.
” She gave a reassuring smile without her teeth showing and tilted her head to the side in the closest approximation of the rising and falling motion of a frill.
She had no idea if she was communicating the correct idea, but the last thing she needed was S’samph on her case about her lack of credits.
They were finally making progress on having a more reasonable relationship, and she didn’t want to ruin things by bringing talk of credits into the balance.
“He should still know. You’re his mate.”
“It’s very kind of you to be concerned, but S’samph and I aren’t mated.
I’m not his responsibility either.” She stopped in front of the clinic.
“Was there anything else?” Eleri tried to read him, tried to parse whether or not he was going to go ahead and tell S’samph anyway.
It seemed likely he would, and Eleri was not looking forward to the conversation with S’samph after he found out.
“Not yet anyway.” K’kaen’s frill rippled. “Be well, Eleri. Stay away from the kyrot male. I suspect violence will follow if you do not.”
Eleri nodded. He was talking about Minio.
The warning wasn’t needed. She had no plans to go anywhere around him or his sister for the time being, but she wasn’t going to avoid him if they happened to encounter each other.
“Thanks, K’kaen.” She started walking away until she remembered her question from earlier. “I have a question for you, actually.”
“Anything I can answer, little human.”
“Do latil’e use sarcasm or irony when they speak?”
The question must have been stranger than she thought because K’kaen’s tail thrashed hard enough to thump against his own spine in what she’d learned was an indicator of amusement.
“We do. It’s considered rude, but I suppose it probably is for most intelligent beings as well.
Don’t let S’samph’s dryness fool you. He can use sarcasm with the best of them. ”
Eleri’s mouth twisted a bit with acknowledgement of the information. “That’s good to know. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. I won’t let S’samph know you’ve discovered his secret.
I want to see his reaction when he realizes you know.
” K’kaen hopped back on his bike and rode a few paces over to the charging blocks.
Eleri hurried back to the clinic, where she discovered a crowd gathered in the clinic atrium.
“Welcome back, Eleri.” Aglao greeted her with their customary bobble up and down. “We have multiple males injured in a machinery accident. Go clean up and get changed into a clean uniform. We’ll learn about removing metal parts from skin and protocol for treating plasma burns."
"Will they be stable in the meantime?" Eleri asked as she began unpacking her medkit and removing her dusty boots in the doorway so that she didn’t track grime through the clinic.
"Yes. I have everything stable, but I want you to learn. These accidents are all too common with the farmers.”
Eleri hurried to change and scrub herself clean of the omnipresent blue dust. It was going to be a long night.
She found herself grateful for the distraction.
Busy with learning the right tools to extract metal particulates and the correct wound care protocol for plasma fuel burns, she found herself with little time to think about either S’samph or her own predicament.