A trip to Kla’pre’neth would have to wait until after the Bonding. First, we’d have to get clearance to go there, preferably with a team. We could request a scout be sent on ahead, though, to ascertain if we were on the right track or not before committing to a full scale operation to ferret out any humans there. I said as much and Miljack agreed.
After thanking the Adept for his efforts, we took our leave, Miljack taking a quick detour to go request a scout to check out the subterranean city to see if there were any signs of illicit human habitation. After that, we all joined Kelly’s extended family for last meal, discovering that the deputies were all being housed there now as well. Kelly informed his men privately of what we’d discovered and found several volunteers who wished to go with us to Kla’pre’neth to bring in anyone we found there, as well as storm their old offices and kick out the usurpers, and arrest both Ackroyd and Jepp. I understood the sentiment, but practicality meant that they would have to remain behind for the city part at the very least, to prevent them from becoming confused with who we were looking to roust, if our suspicions were correct.
“I just don’t see why we have to wait,” Kelly protested. He hadn’t taken the news well when I explained to him the need to delay going. He’d wanted us to leave at first dark, to postpone our Bonding until our return.
“If there is a large group of humans illegally occupying the city, we need a team of Hunters, not just me and you. Not to mention, the smuggling and possible illegal occupation operation was not my assignment, but Miljack’s, so I can’t simply decide to go.”
He sighed, a look of frustration crossing his face. “And they want us Bonded for all the political reasons, so they won’t give you clearance until after our ceremony.”
“That’s if they allow me to at all.”
“But they should! The cases have to be linked! Unknown omegas were killed, none of them missing from the registered populace,” he argued. “Plus Roe’s murder and the piloris leaf, probably grown on that illegally cleared agricultural land.”
“Which Miljack was looking into but was sidetracked by what happened with us,” I reminded him. “He didn’t get to identify the crop specifically.”
“Fuck!” he shouted, punching the wall. “Goddammit! That hurt!” He cradled his hand to his chest.
“Let me see.” The wall was undamaged, but the same could not be said of his hand. The knuckles were split in two places and his hand was already beginning to swell. “Come on, we need to take you downstairs to the medic.”
“It just needs wrapping and a bit of ice.”
“We need to make sure nothing is broken.”
He wiggled his fingers, wincing as he did so. They didn’t move very much.
“Yeah, okay,” he replied, deflated. “They’re going to think I’m stupid for hitting a wall.”
“You have to admit it probably wasn’t your best idea,” I teased as I led him out of our rooms, trying to lighten the mood. “But, I can guarantee the medic won’t be judgemental at all. In fact, it won’t say a word.”
“It? Is it a robot or something?”
“Yes.”
I took him into the medical room downstairs, which was located by the dining hall at the far end of the entrance hall.
“That actually looks pretty scary,” Kelly said, his face looking dubious. “All those arms and trays of stuff…” He shivered.
I laughed. “That’s in case it needs to conduct minor surgery. Sometimes there are accidents during sword practice.”
His eyes grew impossibly wide at this admission. “I bet. Um, I’m sure it’s just really, really bruised. I can soak it in some cold water and then wrap it. A couple mild painkillers would be okay though.”
I shook my head at his discomfiture. “Come sit,” I ordered my recalcitrant Intended. “You trust me, don’t you?”
“You, yes. That thing, no. What if it malfunctions and decides it needs to remove my spleen or something. Besides, is it even programmed to work on humans?”
“I’m pretty sure it can figure out what your hand needs.” I gave him my best pleading look. “You know I wouldn’t suggest anything that would cause you harm, surely?”
“Fine.” He sighed dramatically, but I was happy to take it as he gingerly perched on the end of the bed. I switched the medic on and translated as it asked what the problem was and to place his hand on the scanner at the side of the bed.
“It says you’ve sprained your hand in addition to the lacerations on your skin. Keep your hand still as it’s about to repair the damage.”
“What?” he asked.
“It’ll hurt a little bit and feel warm, don’t be alarmed.”
He watched wide-eyed as one robotic arm picked up a small regen unit and activated it, pressing it gently against his skin.
“Ow! It feels prickly, not just hot.”
“It’s the nanos going in.”
His eyes widened even more. “I know that term. I’ve heard it in some of those old vids Richard loves to watch, the ones with spaceships and shit. Those are like microscopic robots, right?”
“Yes. Don’t worry, they are constructed of organic matter and once done, will deactivate and be absorbed by your body.”
He relaxed. “That’s pretty cool. Richard will be sorry he missed this.”
My shoulders shook. “I’m sure he’ll be enthralled to hear all about how you punched the wall and was healed by our nanos.”
“He really will be,” Kelly replied seriously.
“Okay, they’re in, but you need to keep your hand still for several minutes while they work.”
He reached up with his free hand to cup my cheek. “You realize it wasn’t you I was mad at, right? I just want this all to be over and us moving on to the rest of our life together.”
I felt a great weight lift from me then. Some part of me had wondered if his wanting to postpone the ceremony was his way of moving it off indefinitely. I could understand a change of heart, despite the pain it would have left me in. We’d been through a lifetime of trouble together it seemed, but in reality, we’d only known each other a short span of time.
“Me, too,” I said, leaning into his touch.
“I really would like to go on the underground city mission, though. It sounds incredible and one day soon, it will be gone, without a trace.”
“We can visit many of the old places via the XP Enviros,” I informed him. That gave me an idea, actually. I’d wondered what to do about us doing something special together immediately after the ceremony, but before the next phase of our work. A short visit to one of the Enviros would be just the thing, I decided.
“XP Enviro?” he asked, his nose scrunching up.
“How about I reserve us some time in one and we can go after the ceremony? Just you and me?” I offered.
“Okay, why not? And you say it’ll give virtual tours of old places?”
“It will be as if we’re there,” I promised.
“Is this like a holodeck?” he asked me, and I shrugged, not knowing what that was. “Never mind, I’ll wait and see. Some surprises are fun, right?”
The medic uttered final instructions and powered down.
“What did it say?” he asked.
“It said the nanos are finished and that your hand may remain slightly tender for a short while.”
He flexed his hand. “Just a tiny bit sore. That’s amazing! We sure could use some of these back home.”
“If things go well, I’m sure there will be a lot of changes coming and some of these being made available will be among them.”
He drew me in for a kiss.