"Protect." Arr ordered Kay-o, as he stepped out of the cover of the rock to shield the dar-dolf as he went for Jake.
His blaster grew warm in his hand as he ran firing across the small clearing between the rocks, crouched low to make less of a target. Kay-o grabbed hold of Jake's flight suit and dragged him to safety. At that moment, the Drifit stepped out from behind his tree. Arr took a glancing hit from the enemy's burner to his face. The pain was so intense he almost dropped his blaster. Somehow Arr managed to stay up right returning fire and dusting the Drifit. He made it clumsily to the rock with Jake and Kay-o.
Jake didn't see Arr get burned. He was doing his best to help Kay-o drag him to cover. Arr fell to his knees at Jake's side behind the rock. Jake cursed as he tried to stop the blood flowing from his leg. Arr endeavored to get his eyes focused, so he could get the things out of the aid pack at his waist to help Jake.
Jake had his head down and without looking up he growled reprovingly, "You almost got Kay-o killed. What did you think you were doing?"
At that point Jake noticed blood dripping onto his hands from above. He looked up into Arr's face. The kid had a horrible burner gash across his right cheek. The flesh was laid open to the bone. A little more to the left and the burner would have gone right through his head and killed him.
"I'm sorry Jake. I did what I thought was best." His eyes started to puddle up with tears at Jake's reprimand. He was having difficulty speaking. His face was already beginning to swell due to the trauma.
Jake grabbed for the gauze that Arr had finally located in his pack and was about to apply to Jake's leg.
"Gimmie that!" Jake tore it from his hand with a roughness born of anxiety. He pressed it to the kid's face his own wound forgotten for the moment. "Damn it all! What have I gotten us into?"
Arr eased back against the rock beside Jake. He felt like his face had fallen off. He could taste blood and his ears were ringing.
Jake finished bandaging the kid's face, then stanched the flow of blood from his own leg. They'd have to make it back to the pod and the ship before Arr went into shock. He already looked pale and Jake had to admit he'd felt better.
"Think you can give me a hand walking if I keep us on the right track, kid?" Jake asked, more for a test to see if Arr was still conscious. He was lying with his head back against the rock, his eyes closed.
"I think so," Arr answered, as he opened his eyes. The blue cat eye on the right had a circle of blood just under the surface that was growing as Jake looked at it.
Jake grabbed Kay-o's metal harness. "Pull," he ordered. With Kay-o's help he got to his feet. He reached down and took Arr's hand. "Come on, kid. Let's go home."
Chapter 62
Somehow they made it to the pod without being further molested by Drifits. Jake got them back to the ship, but that was where his strength ran out. He lost a lot of blood. Arr managed to stop the bleeding, but not before Jake passed out.
Arr didn't make it back to his own cabin after he took care of Jake. He slid off the edge of Jake's bunk to sit on the floor where he fell into an exhausted painful sleep.
When Jake woke up nine hours later that was where he found him - in a huddled little ball, on the floor beside his bunk. Jake's leg felt like a Tuldavian Swamp Lizard had gotten hold of it, but it didn't even compare with Arr's face when Jake rolled him over to pick him up.
The whole face was disfigured by massive swelling. His right eye was swollen totally shut. The left eye was just a slit. When Jake moved him to the bed he whimpered softly in his sleep and reached for his face. Jake caught his hand soothing him gently.
This kind of injury was beyond anything he could handle. Jake made his way to the bridge. He had the computer locate the St. Mary. She had been moving too and she wasn't far away. Jake set the auto-controls for her coordinates then went to see what he could do to make the two of them more comfortable until they reached help.
Chapter 63
The medical facilities aboard the St. Mary were superior to anything else in the universe. Even so, they almost lost the Henu. By the time Jake and Arr reached the Mother Ship the infection had spread from Arr's face wound throughout his whole body.
Jake refused to leave Arr's side. Margaret had a bed brought in and put it next to Arr's ordering Jake to rest. His leg was not infected and with the wonders of modern medicine it was as good as new in a few days.
One of the first nights, as Jake and Margaret sat vigil by Arr's bedside; Jake told Margaret about his ordeal on the penal planet and his recovery under Arr's care. She had not said, she had told him so, when he brought in a half dead Henu to her for nursing. However, he saw the tears well up in her eyes when she first removed the gauze from his face. Jake was impressed at how hard she labored to save Arr's life and repair his face. He wanted her to understand how he felt about Arr. Why he did not take her sage advice when she gave it. Jake never imagined the kid would get hurt protecting him. It was a factor he had not figured into his equation of keeping Arr safe.
Margaret understood. She saw the pain in Jake's face. She could feel him suffering for what he felt could have been prevented if he possessed the foresight at the time of his original decision.
The two had long quiet talks now about Arr to discuss what would be best for him.
Jake would wait until Arr was fully recovered. Then he would move on. There was no place for him on the St. Mary. Margaret acknowledged this, but added that he could come to visit as often as he liked. She would look forward to his visits as much as Arr.
Margaret explained some of the research she would like to do with Arr's assistance. She talked about the prospect of investigating all Arr could remember of the cultural aspects of the Henu people. If there was enough material perhaps a book could be written to preserve the history of his culture. She wanted to study his language abilities further. She was anxious to see if his skills could be taught or if they were totally inherited. And, there was always the chance he would find a mate. It would be fascinating to see if his offspring inherited his unique talents or if they were dormant genes, unable to pass to the child.
Every so often Margaret would have to curb her enthusiasm. She was gaining an incredible research subject, but Jake was losing so much he couldn't put it in words.
Chapter 64
Arr's recovery was slow however, over the period of perhaps a month, due to Margaret's expert skills; he returned to his old self. Unlike the old wound on his shoulder that Jake nursed years ago, through Margaret's superior healing skills the vicious gash on his face left no scar. He came close to losing his right eye, but she saved that as well. The only evidence that he was ever injured was a red speck in his right eye that Margaret said would fade eventually.
At Margaret's suggestion Jake did not tell Arr he was planning to leave. She said it would be too hard on the Henu. They should wait until he was fully recovered before telling him.
The month of Arr's convalescence was both difficult and exhilarating for Margaret. Jake's passion ran high on his return to her and the news that Arr would recover relieved him of the guilt he felt. He truly loved Margaret and she loved him equally in return. She only wished she could keep him here with her. She envisioned her future life as a series of episodes, loving visits from Jake divided by periods of quiet research with Arr.
Chapter 65
Jake picked a quiet time to say goodbye to Arr.
They all returned to the hospital after dinner out and a trip to the Imaging Chamber, Arr's favorite pastime. With the space so limited on the St. Mary, Arr roomed at the hospital during his convalescence. Jake divided his time between Margaret's and the cruiser.
Jake told Margaret, earlier in the day, that he would make the break tonight. He was getting more restless each day trying to put off parting from Arr. It would have to be tonight. It would have to be final. Oh, maybe much later he could make regular visits as Margaret suggested. But he knew at first it would be too difficult for all of them if he kept dropping in and
out of their lives. He knew down deep too that each time he returned he would want to take Arr with him when he left. No, it was better to make a clean break put an end to this part of his life and move on as he did after his father's death.
"I think I'll get some tea. You two want anything?" Margaret made the excuse in order to leave the two alone to talk. She was feeling shaky herself. After all, she was losing Jake too.
"Coffee, please." Jake smiled conspiringly.
Arr shook his head as he continued to rattle on about the images they'd seen in the chamber. He didn't know it at the time, but it was Jake's farewell gift. Jake gave the operators instructions for some of the true wonders of the universe to duplicate for the three of them. He paid the operators handsomely and gave them enough gold to keep Arr in holographic images for a lifetime. Margaret would tell him about the gift after Jake left.
"I'm going up to the ship tonight, Arr," Jake said, when Arr took a breather from his dissertation on the evening's show. He turned his back on the Henu doing his best to maintain control. "I'm leaving tomorrow."
Arr didn't understand the tone in Jake's voice or his poor choice of words. "Margaret said today that I'm as good as new. I'm ready when you are."
Jake set his jaw and turned to face a task far worse for him then engaging any enemy. "You're not going." He couldn't watch the kid's reaction. He dropped his eyes studying some unseen speck on the floor.
Arr had always felt subordinate to Jake. They were friends, but Jake was the one who knew everything. Jake was the one who gave the orders. Arr obeyed, but he would not obey this one.
"Do you intend to leave me here?" Arr asked scornfully as he studied his companion.
"I've given it a lot of thought. It's for the best." Jake still did not look up.
"No!" Arr sprung to his feet advancing on Jake.
Jake hoped it wouldn't come to this. It was going to be hard enough as it was without a fight too. Jake acted as though he did not hear Arr. He continued with the speech he rehearsed in his head over and over the past few days.
"I've left your share of the gold in a safe deposit box at the Federation Bank in town. Here's the key." He dangled a key on a long chain in front of Arr. When Arr made no move to take it Jake tossed it on the bed. "You're pretty well set for life. Margaret managed to get you accepted as a resident. She found you a real nice place not far from here." Jake was trying to get through the speech before Arr said more. He didn't make it.
"Don't leave me, Jake." Arr begged.
Jake looked into Arr's water rimmed eyes like the first time he left him on the Henu planet. It all came flooding back - all the memories.
Arr didn't understand. All of this was so sudden. All he could think was he must have done something terribly wrong. Maybe it was almost getting Kay-o killed, or maybe Jake decided after all this time that he was too much trouble.
"I know I screwed up on Nulian, but I'll do better. Please don't leave me Jake." Arr pleaded.
"You didn't screw up, Arr." Jake wanted to put his hand on the kid's shoulder and comfort him, but he knew it would only make it worse for them both. "I've just been thinking you'll be safe here."
"I don't want to be safe! I want to be with you," Arr protested.
This wasn't working. More than anything in his life Jake wished he wasn't standing here right now. He was going to have to get tough. The kid was used to taking orders. He'd just make it final.
Margaret returned with the drinks on a tray. As she sat down on the bench outside the door to Arr's room, she could hear every word.
"Well, you can't come. I'm tired of babysitting you. It's been five years and you can't even keep your head down," Jake said, through clenched teeth.
"Please," Arr whispered, as tears rolled down his face.
"And look at you!" Jake hurried on before he lost his resolve. "Crying like a baby. You're a grown man, Arr. Act like one. Don't come where you're not wanted!"
Jake's attack on him was more than Arr could endure; he crumpled before Jake's eyes and ran from the room.
Jake collapsed on the edge of the bed, his hands shaking. He ran his fingers through his rumpled hair then leaned over and cradling his head in his hands.
Margaret came in, sitting down beside him. She put her comforting arms around him. She felt his shoulders shake as he let a deeply buried sob escape.
"Are you going to be all right? Maybe we should talk about this some more. Maybe there's an alternative we haven't explored." She couldn't bear to see him hurting like this.
"No, doctor," Jake said, in a soft voice. "It's best this way. Both patients will live. It will just take a little more recovery time than anticipated." He took her hand at his shoulder and kissed the palm. "I'd better go."
The Calpernia left less than an hour later.
Chapter 66
When Arr did not return to the hospital by the next morning Margaret knew just where to look for him. She headed straight for the Imaging Chamber.
Arr was there as she expected. He had the operators duplicate his home planet. She recognized the image from the night before with Jake and Arr.
"It's lovely here." She sat down by Arr at the base of a tree overlooking the lake.
Arr did not reply. He sat staring into the distance.
"He really loves you Arr." She put her hand gently on his.
"Then why did he leave me?" Arr looked up at her, tears rolling down both cheeks.
"He did what he thought was best."
Chapter 67
Margaret stroked Arr's forehead as he lay on the couch in the corner of her office at the lab. Jake left just over a month ago. The change in the Henu was dramatic and frightening.
Arr was listless and non-communicative. He didn't eat unless directly ordered. He slept very little and when he did sleep it was restless. He often awoke startled, breathing hard.
He never took to the quarters Margaret found him. Instead, he stayed at the hospital or in the Imaging Chamber. He started lying on the couch in her study almost all day long. She found him in the chamber today in the middle of one of Jake's surprise birthday parties that he had the operators conjure up from a drive Jake left behind. He was just sitting staring at Jake's image as it wandered from friend to friend making wise cracks and taking playful jibs from his fellow mercenaries. Margaret begged the Henu to come back to the lab with her. He obeyed reluctantly.
She stroked his long hair. It was no longer shiny. The red/gold luster had gone dull. It felt gummy to the touch. His eyes stared out vacantly at some unseen image. She rose from her position by Arr and went back to sit at her desk.
She had been trying to locate Jake for over a week now. She was very afraid that the Henu would die if he did not return. Jake however, seemed to have disappeared. Margaret was desperate. She didn't know what to do. This was beyond her medical capabilities.
She and Jake did what they thought was best for Arr. They were so terribly wrong. Margaret could not have anticipated this reaction. A human child left behind by its parents might miss them, but given affection by another the child adjusted and continued to grow. Arr's reaction to the loss of Jake was not like a human child's. It was more like the reaction of an animal at the loss of its master. No matter how much Margaret begged, pleaded and tried to explain that Jake was not gone for good, Arr's attitude did not change. If Jake did not want him he did not care if he lived.
Margaret put her reading glasses back on to study the patient's chart in front of her. Arr sighed deeply and closed his eyes. She looked up from her work at him, removing her glasses. She couldn't concentrate. She couldn't be responsible for the death of a whole species. If Arr died it would be her fault. She had to locate Jake.
Chapter 68
For once, Jake didn't feel like fighting. He didn't want to kill anyone except maybe himself. Every time he closed his eyes he saw Arr's shock and pain at being told he was not wanted. There were so many times in the last six weeks that he wanted to turn the cruiser around and go back f
or the boy. But then he'd see Arr as he was on Nulian after the burner blast and he'd regain his resolve. He wished he hadn't needed to be so hard on him, but he knew if he wasn't Arr would follow him. The kid had enough money in that safe deposit box on the St. Mary to buy his own cruiser and he just might have, if Jake hadn't made it final.
The kid would be all right. Margaret was a good woman, one of the best. She'd take care of him. Jake was confident Arr would live a long happy life.
Jake turned off the audio on his communications system. He didn't want any interruptions. He and Kay-o went to the Henu planet after leaving Arr. Jake spent restful times there in the past. He thought it would be a good place to gather his thoughts and decide what direction to pursue next. It was not a wise choice. It was a place too full of memories. Kay-o spent much of the time there searching for Arr. He was confused. The dar-dolf thought for sure Arr must be somewhere close. He was always within the sound of the beasts call for the past five years. Kay-o called, but Arr never answered. After a week on the planet Jake packed up and headed for Outpost #43.
The last five weeks, they had been drifting from Outpost to Outpost. Jake heard about numerous job opportunities. He passed on all of them. His heart just wasn't in it.
Yesterday, Jake checked his sub-space messages for the first time since leaving the St. Mary. The first message was the annual call to his surprise birthday party. He shut the system down again to consider. Half of him wished he could ignore it. The other half thought it might lift his spirits. He headed the cruiser toward Outpost #12.
Chapter 69
"You did what?" Tim bellowed at the top of his voice.
"I left Arr on the St. Mary," Jake said shushing the big man, as he pulled him into an empty adjoining room.
"How long ago?" Tim was more than a little irritated.
"About seven weeks." Jake really didn't want to talk about this. He came here to try to forget, not drag it all up again.
"Why'd you do a fool thing like that?" Tim was badgering him as the other guests were pouring their first drinks and talking among themselves.