Amateur Author

One of the dropships had taken Jaydon, Emma, a number of wounded police officers, and wounded cultists to the cruiser that was in a stationary orbit dozens of kilometers above the planet, where they were received by the sickbay staff. Some agents were rushed into an operating room, the rest, most of them having only minor injuries, were treated in order of urgency.

The doctor was just finishing suturing Jaydon’s fleshwound when Emma was brought in. She had been enabled to wash the gastly make-up off her face, and slip into some alternative clothes, in his case a grey trainingsuit with the letters ILEA written on the back, which stood for Interstellar Law Enforcement Agency.

‘Ah, I see our next patient has arrived,’ the doctor stated friendly, and instructed the nurse to bandage Jaydon’s wound.

‘I’m alright,’ Emma grumbled.

‘I’ll be the judge of that,’ the doctor replied, and instructed her to sit on a chair in the corner of the room. He noticed the fear in her eyes, and tried to comfort her. ‘I’m not going to hurt you.’

Emma was afraid the exam might reveil her secret.

‘It’s alright, Emma. They already know anyway,’ Jaydon said.

This revelation startled Emma. ‘They know? But Nakita said they cancel…’

‘I know,’ he interrupted her. ‘But I made a deal with the police, and the Justice department. Your life for the location of the Brotherhood, and through them, the chance to round up a group of doctors involved in the cloning of sentient beings.’

‘I just want to examine, and treat your face. I am also told there is a transmitter which may be removed,’ the doctor said.

‘Transmitter?’ Emma cried out. ‘Where?’

‘According to Doc somewhere near your bellybutton,’ Jaydon answered. ‘It’s how the Brotherhood tracked you down, and how we found you. I’m sorry I kept it from you.’

‘Why did you keep it from me?’ Emma demanded to know.

‘I didn’t know what the Brotherhood would do to you. I was afraid they if they learned you or others knew about it, they would deactive, and remove it. Considering the effort they put into getting you back, I assumed they would keep it on in case you managed to escape them. They just tracked us down sooner then I thought when we got jumped in our room. I truly am sorry, Emma, but it was calculated risk I took. I hope you understand, and forgive me.’

Emma thought about it and nodded. ‘It saved me,’ she replied. ‘I don’t think I could have made them believe I was the oracle they thought I was for very long. I’m sure the overlord would have killed me as soon as he found out.’

‘Oracle?’ Jaydon asked.

‘Let’s postpone the Q&A for a later time, shall we? I really would like to get started. There are still a few other patients I need to see,’ the doctor stated, and moved a little closer to Emma to take a closer look at her face.

‘Sorry, doctor,’ she appologised.

‘It’s okay,’ he smiled as he looked at the extend of damage to her face, making sure no bones had been broken.

He injected a solution into her bloodstream that would kill the pain, reduce the swelling, and make the contrusions heal quicker. By that time, Jaydon had been bandaged, so the table was clear. Emma layed down on it, and lifted her shirt to expose her belly. It didn’t take the doctor long to find the transmitter.

‘It’s subdermal,’ he explained her. ‘It’s also not protected, so removing it should be a peace of cake. I will use a local anastetic, and remove it right now. I will only require to make a very small cut, so the procedure won’t even leave a scar.’

‘Fine by me,’ Emma replied. ‘Just as long as you get that thing out of me. I don’t need it anymore.’