Human by C R MacFarlane

Author:C R MacFarlane [MacFarlane, C R]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781775356455
Publisher: Blue Pony Press
Published: 2019-12-28T22:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

KIERAN SLOSHED HIS ARM ANGRILY through the blue healing gel. He was confined to the tank, useless. He’d been out for a couple hours earlier and already his skin was cracked and sore.

Hoepe ran a handheld scanner over him. “Try to calm down. I’m going to have enough to worry about without you developing a cardiac arrhythmia.”

“Sorry,” said Kieran, but it came out like a growl.

Hoepe’s hand paused. “This isn’t my fault, you know.”

“No, I know. I’m sorry.” Kieran sighed. “I just — I need to move. I can’t sit here doing nothing all day.”

Hoepe shrugged. “Your body needs to heal.”

Kieran sighed again, forcing himself to sit still and bring his heart rate down while Hoepe completed his scans.

Hoepe nodded at the read out, satisfied, and turned to leave.

“Wait,” said Kieran.

“I don’t believe more pain medication is the answer.”

“No,” Kieran shook his head. He didn’t need meds, he just needed to feel useful, part of something. “Hey, how are things with you?”

Hoepe glanced around the bridge. It was quiet. Even though they were about to infiltrate another planet, there were no Augments crowded around, pulling on combat gear and preparing for a major confrontation. No, most of them were probably down in the infirmary, helping the other rescued Augments or preparing for the incoming batch. Only a few would go down to the surface, just enough to load the transport that Cordelia provided and sit with them on the way back to the ship.

“The Augments we have rescued so far are stable. But I don’t know how many more we can help. We didn’t find enough supplies at either of the outposts, and Cordelia can only make so much. Understandably, she is reluctant to get too intertwined with their bodies, so the treatment is just enough to keep them alive.”

It occurred to Kieran that Hoepe might feel as useless as he did having as much trouble as he was. He started to say it, but Hoepe blurted out, “I’ve been trying to understand Leove better.”

“Oh?”

Hoepe glanced around the bridge again and then leaned back against the console, facing Kieran. His face had lost its hard calculation, replaced by something very much like sadness. A console light flashed and a sound pinged across the bridge, followed by the announcement of their arrival at the most recent grey dust ball they were visiting. Hoepe’s face hardened again. “I have to go prepare. It will only be a few minutes before they are brought up.” He strode away quickly, leaving Kieran behind, trapped in his blue tank.

He sighed, and watched the display Cordelia kept running for him. An empty UEC base, a prison full of weak, emaciated, and sometimes unconscious Augments. Unbeatable, fierce warriors reduced to nothing by the mere absence of food and water.

The team on the surface moved quickly — Kieran watching through a camera on one of their armoured suits—scooping up the ones who could no longer walk. Then they were on the transport, the rescued Augments’ eyes wide as they stared at the magical walls, too weak to question or protest it.

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