Deathstalker 03 - Deathstalker War

going to protect you from harm. It's what we do. Poogie wants to make atonement, for all the humans he killed. And Anything hopes to gain from you or Harker access to the tech necessary to upgrade him into what he thinks he wants to be. You see?
    Simple and open; no secrets. We're only toys, after all."
    The nurses' first-aid center turned out to be one room in the back of the station house. The walls were a pale antiseptic green, but covered with bright, simple paintings designed to calm and reassure the patient. The dolls' medical resources were basic and limited, with hardly any real high tech. Presumably the
    first-aid center had only ever been intended as a brief stopping-off place, before the wealthy patients were lifted offplanet to more advanced facilities.
    Finlay and Evangeline watched from a discreet distance as the nurses eased Julian onto a bed, then ran a scanner over him. He'd stopped coughing by then, but he looked tired and drawn. They'd had to make Poogie wait outside. He'd grown increasingly upset, and the noise was beginning to disturb Julian. Finlay and Evangeline could hear the creature crying quietly outside the closed door.
    The two humans weren't sure how seriously to take that. Even allowing for Poogie's cartoony nature, the grief did seem rather overdone for someone he'd never even met before. Finlay couldn't help remembering that the Friendly Critter had killed people. Maybe people who trusted him then the way he wanted to be trusted now. Evangeline wanted to believe he'd reformed. As far as Finlay was concerned, some crimes, some betrayals of trust, could never be forgiven or forgotten.
    The nurses seemed proficient enough. They were treating Julian like a sick child, but luckily the rogue esper was feeling too tired to resent that. Finlay didn't know what the nurses expected to find that the underground's medical staff might have missed. He'd insisted Julian undergo a full medical examination before this trip, which he'd passed easily. But still Finlay couldn't help worrying. Fond as he was of the young esper, he'd leave him behind in a moment if he looked like being a hindrance to their quest for Harker.
    Evangeline held his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Stop frowning, love. It'll give you wrinkles. I'm sure Julian's in good hands."
    "I don't like the time this is costing us," Finlay said roughly. "The longer we stay here, the more likely a target we become, and the more likely it is that Harker will get word we're looking for him and go to ground."

    "That's not it," said Evangeline. "You're worried about Julian. I can tell."
    "He's a good lad," said Finlay. "Brave, committed, strong. I hate to see him like this."
    Evangeline turned to look at Finlay. "How do you feel about him? You know he worships you, don't you?"
    "Yes. I wish we wouldn't. His god has feet of clay. How do I feel about him? I admire him. He suffered so much in the interrogation cells, but he didn't let it break him. And sometimes… I see in him the younger brother I might have had. You know Julian had an elder brother? Auric?"
    "Yes. He was killed in the Arena."
    "I killed him. As the Masked Gladiator." Evangeline gasped, her eyes widening with shock. Finlay moved a little to stand between her and Julian on his bed.
    "Julian doesn't know. He mustn't ever know. It would tear him apart. In a way, I've become the elder brother I took from him. Only right, I suppose."
    "Finlay…"
    "I know. He'll have to be told someday. But not yet. And certainly not now."
    One of the doll-nurses came over to speak with them, her bright and shining face marred by a worried frown. "We're doing all we can for your friend," she said in a warm, comforting voice that had probably been programmed into her. "But you must understand, we're very limited in what we can do. According to our scanners, Mr. Skye is in very bad shape. He was damaged quite severely sometime back, and needs time to heal, time he clearly hasn't been giving himself."
    Finlay scowled. "How bad was the damage?"
    "Quite extensive. Our scanner shows severe trauma to both kidneys, abdominal wall, genitals, and one lung. Not forgetting the extensive head injury."

    Evangeline put a hand to her mouth. The other hand squeezed Finlay's until it ached. Finlay kept his voice calm.
    "Will he recover?"
    "Given time, and supportive treatment, yes. But we don't have those facilities here. You can speak to him now, if you wish. We've given him a broad spectrum booster shot that will help