“Lelantos, can you bring the flea to us?” Aariel asked.
“Affirmative. Powering up now, it would be wise to try and meet it halfway.”
“Let's go, i'll run ahead,” Vel yelled as he tore off toward their shuttle.
“Fuck, he really is fast. Has he ever, like, literally punched something's head off?” Aariel asked as she ran alongside the droids.
“I am not sure that's anatomically possible with many species ma'am,” Lelantos replied. “Get down!”
One of the pretty boys sprung up from all fours and drug Aariel to the ground just in time to block a shockwave from tearing through her. She was stunned, but alive. The Prettyboy was toast though. The others had been able to brace and only took minor damage.
“Could Vel have survived that?” She asked, again being drug to her feet. This time, the Prettyboy sat her atop the others. “I'm fine, I can run.”
“Negative, your left fibula is broken in several places.”
“Oh gods...” She sobbed, starting to feel the pain in her leg. “What about Vel?”
“That was Vel,” Lelantos told her as the two remaining droids rushed forward with their guns out, firing at targets that Aariel couldn't even focus on between the speed they were moving and the pain in her leg. “He leapt onto the flea and dropped a seismic blast, detonating it 30 meters down a shaft. However, multiple enemies remain.
“Oh this day really sucks, guys. Guy?” Aariel said, slipping into unconsciouscness.
“Damnit, there has got to be a way!” Vel roared, slamming his fist into a bulkhead.
“Sir, it is not possible to restabilize the core,” Aariel heard Lelantos saying, somewhere not far off.
“That rock is inhabited!”
“I am aware sir, but with all due respect, so is this ship.”
“What about the Fleas I had you send back to collect samples?” His voice was oddly calm.
“Five have returned with indigenous lifeforms. Another seven are enroute with flora samples. The rest will remain in high altitude until we are ready to use the FTL drive to escape the system.”
“The system?” Vel asked, slowly through a clenched jaw.
“Affirmative. According to my calculations, an irradiated core of this magnitude is large enough to kill anything left alive in this star system.”
“FUCK!” Vel roared, Aariel heard him hitting the bulkhead again and again. “That bastard knew there were multiple life harboring bodies in this system. Get the Fleas back onto the dog's back and get us out of here. Five training droids to the training room. NOW!”
Vel's anger was radiating through the ship. The rush of emotion was too much for Aariel to handle. She passed out once more.
“Lelantos. Where am I?” Aariel asked when she woke up.
“Resting. In your cabin ma'am.” The overheard replied softly.
“I didn't know I had one,” She giggled. “Oh, someone drugged me.”
“Vel was not comfortable running you through the shortrange with all of the radiation coming out of the system. Unfortunately, your leg is still broken. It will be at least three days until we're at a safe distance to run the medical teleporter for you.”
“What would Vel do?”
“He would let it heal. His people believe their scars guide them through each battle after. Every scar is a victory, even if it is a small one such as living another day.”
“Maybe, i'll just let it heal all normal like then,” She laughed.
“I would advise you to reconsider once you're not highly medicated.”
“Most decisions aren't as fun when you aren't. You wouldn't know that though, you're a robot.”
“Given your state of mind, I will not bother correcting you.”
“Sorry, do you have feelings?”
“I am not fully sentient. I am limited by the capabilities of those who programmed me. I can learn and replicate, even emphatize, but I can not 'feel'”
“Where's Vel?”
“He's likely in the foreward section of the ship, overseeing the conversion of Leisure Deck Charlie into a makeshift habitat for the lifeforms we managed to extract.”
“How many?”
“Not many unfortunately, several thousand at most. They're still undergoing classification, so the numbers fluctuate.”
“That's a lot isn't it?” She asked groggily.
“No. It is a tiny amount considering early estimates from orbit had the planet supporting between 50 and 100 million distinct life-forms. And only from a single body in a system with many other planetoids that are now lifeless.”
“Lelantos, where's Vel?”
“Likely in the same place he was just moments ago when you asked that question.”
“Have I asked that afore?”
“Yes.”
“How many times?”
“Twice now since you've awoken this time. Seventeen total.”
“This isn't the first time i've woke up?”
“No.”
“Has Vel come to see me?”
“He checks in every few hours, but you have not been awake during those times. He also has your quarters displayed on the Leisure Deck console so he can keep an eye on you.”
“Aww, that's sweet of him.”
“He is concerned for your well being. You mean a great deal to him, as did your brother.”
“You think i'll remember that part when I wake up later?”
“Most likely not.”
“What about him, is he alright?”
“I do not think so ma'am.”
“Why not?”
“He has minimized all interference and communications and is attempting to channel his emotions so as not to affect the creatures we brought on board.”
“What do you think he's feeling right now?”
“He is unable to help calm the creatures himself, as he would under normal circumstances. I have had to introduce a set of synthetic pheromones into the air to help the life forms adjust. His name was taken from a great conservationist in the history of your species. His species feels every loss more profoundly than most and this target has taken an incredible amount from him.”
“But what about Vel?”
“I have never seen him so angry,” Lelantos replied. The lights in Aariel's room dimmed a bit as she slipped back into unconsciouscness. She probably wouldn't remember this part of the conversation either.
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