She rushed to his side toassess the extent of his injuries. “It’s my leg!” Kennedy screamed.“It’s on fire!”
Initially, she couldn’t seethe problem – then she noticed three or four pin-prick holes in hisright pant-leg. Decker tore the material open; it shredded easily,weakened from the exposure to the peerazu’s saliva. She found theflesh underneath burnt and raw, with the redness spreading rapidly.For the second time that day, she pulled her med-kit out of herpack to see what she could do.
By that time, Kay, who hadbeen left to guard Moira, arrived on the scene with the girl meresteps behind him. Not bothering to greet them, Deck stuck a painpatch on Con’s leg and was glad that he soon fell unconscious –whether from the pain or the meds, she wasn’t sure. She startedunraveling a chilled burn wrap which would sterilize and soothe thewound.
Moira stopped gawking inhorror long enough to ask, “Can I help?”
Decker thrust her wristlight into Moira’s hand. “Hold this light – keep it on his leg.”When she did as directed, Deck murmured, “That’s good.” More tosteady her own nerves, than to inform Finnegan, she explained, “Assoon as I have this on him, I’ll carry him back to theAurora. The med facilityis excellent and Doctor Uddin is there.” She worked in silenceuntil the light moved a few inches. Without looking up, sheordered, “No, move it back to where you had it.” Naiche sighed whenthe girl didn’t respond but kept working away in the shadows –until she heard Kay emit a low growl. Deck looked up to find thatthey were completely surrounded by Featay.
Chapter 8
The Heartof a Hurricane
“We held it in our hearts in the pouringrain
We made it through the heart of ahurricane
We tore it apart and put it togetheragain”
Bruce Springsteen, ‘Don't Look Back’
Decker nearly started tolaugh, on the edge of hysteria, when at that moment, Lindstromattempted to hail them. She ignored her comm-link and put aprotective hand on Con’s unconscious body. Naiche used her mostmenacing tone to warn, “I am taking my friend to our ship. If youtry to stop me – I will kill you all. I swear I will.” Everyonefroze in place and Decker was praying she’d managed to bluff theminto backing off. In her heart, she wasn’t entirely sure it was abluff – if these people interfered with her helping Con, Naichewasn’t sure what depths of madness she might be drivento.
Suddenly one of the Feataymoved towards her and Deck started calculating whether she shouldgo for her pistol or just rush the individual, knowing Kay wouldjump right in. Before she’d could decide, she noticed the Feataywas holding out a small wooden bowl, motioning for Decker to takeit. “What is this?”
The Featay startedchirping, and Decker heard, “Is for help of peerazu damage. Spreadagainst damage for help.”
Her head spinning, she wastrying to decide whether or not to trust these people, when frombehind the main group she recognized a small limping figure, nowwearing a much better cast on their leg. The child moved closer andpiped up, “We hurt not – we share help. As help you share atme.”
Once again, the Featayadult thrust the bowl at Decker, explaining, “We mark much thesesame damage among Featay. Leckmahelp when use made directly. It grips wellthe….”
That last word hadn’ttranslated at all, but Decker got the gist. She took the bowl andquickly scanned the contents to ensure nothing present was harmfulto humans, all the while hoping the Featay weren’t insulted by heractions. The data indicated it was wholly benign, so she moved thecooling wrap aside and spread the dark brown paste liberally onCon’s leg. The Featay who’d given her the medicine said, “Come. Wemake ready a bed to him. It is far not. Come – comfort more he willkeep with we.”
Still feeling somewhatdazed, Decker allowed the Featay to help her carry Con’sunconscious form to their nearby village, with Moira and Kaytrailing close behind. On the way, Decker decided she’d betterinform Lindstrom of their situation. She hailed him, started theconversation with a short apology for the delay, and then launchedinto the tale.
The Featay village,consisting of a cluster of low-slung stone houses arranged in atriple semi-circle, was located on a nearby plateau. The settlementwas surrounded by strong walls with two massive iron gates. In oneof the larger homes, was the room they’d designated for Kennedy. Itwas warm and inviting, if somewhat low-ceilinged, which made senseconsidering that the Featay seemed to top out at a little overfive-feet tall. They’d actually had to push two beds together inorder to comfortably accommodate Con’s six-foot-one-inch height.Deck was sitting beside him now, in a rough-hewn wooden chair, hermed-scanner on continuous monitoring mode. The therapeutic pastethe Featay provided had worked wonders; the swelling was going downand his pain was greatly lessened.
Immediately after settlingin, Decker had again contacted Lindstrom via comm-link to describetheir present situation. She’d assured their CO that there was noneed for him, or even Dr. Uddin, to pay a visit to the village. TheFeatay had confirmed Betang’s hunch that tremors presaged thepresence of peerazu, and they were still being plagued by regulartremors. Therefore, in Deck’s estimation, the danger was too great– even with Kapoor and Quan as escorts. Lindstrom finally agreedafter she’d relayed Con’s med-scan to Uddin, and the doctor hadpronounced that Con was doing well, and a transfer could wait untilmorning.
With the more officialbusiness over, Deck was using her hand scanner to send a video feedof Con to Aqila and was on the comm with her discussing hiscondition. Kennedy had woken long enough to mumble some assurancesto his wife but had now fallen back to sleep.
“You know, if you want,”Deck offered, “I could come to the Aurora and escort youhere.”
“No, that’s okay. Justbeing able to talk to Con and see him was
