RED KNIGHT
a STAR FRONTIERS Novel
by Layne K. Saltern
"I'm all right," I mumbled.
His observation was keen. "You're not all right."
"I'm all right."
"No, you're not all right."
I looked away.
"Are you going to vomit again?"
"I just. . .I'm not thinking clearly. My head is all black and heavy inside." I wasn't sure if he could understand my mumbling.
"The accident that weakened you has also drained much of the fluid from your body. This has affected your brain. That's why your head is unclear, and you find it hard to concentrate. Here, I got this for you." He put in my hands a crystal cylinder of clear liquid. "You need to get your moisture back. Just sip it. Don't drink it all at once."
I sipped it dry.
"What would you think about washing up a little?" Admiral Zhelk's blood was still on my hands and face.
I stood up like a zombie, and I took two steps.
"No," said Voar with a correcting pseudopod. His smile was warm enough to evaporate my embarassment. "The shower is this way."
The warm water felt good. It cleansed every member of my body, washing me clean as a baby.
"You'll need to wear this." Voar had gone to the trouble of finding my militia uniform. "Your other clothing has too much blood on it."
The uniform fit me perfectly, just like it had before.
Voar walked alongside me, supporting me in my weakened state. "Now that you're cleaned up, I think you need to lie down a while."
We entered my room.
I sat down on my bed and clumsily took my pillow. Voar snatched it from my hands, laid me down and carefully placed the pillow beneath my head.
"Try to sleep," he whispered, and silently he vanished, outing the light and closing the door.
I slumbered without thought or movement.
I sensed the door open. Voar's soft Dralasite hands placed a cold, wet cloth on my forehead. The door closed again.
I slept.
My chronocom told me it was morning, the morning of the sixth conference day.
I walked out to find Voar.