Vanquisher: The Remnant

Chapter 13

Brightness filled Khrelan's vision as he opened his eyes. He lay face up in the med bay, the sterile white light consuming the entirety of his consciousness. A blurry figure sat by his side, and another stood behind it. Within seconds, the figures became clear, and he could now see Zadra and Vartelm watching over him.

"Hey! Look who's up!" Zadra said excitedly upon noticing that he was awake. She gripped his hand slightly tighter than she had a few seconds earlier. Khrelan didn't say anything. He doubted he could get any words out of his parched throat. His mouth stuck shut, a product of his dry throat. He looked down to his abdomen, which had healed remarkably considering the severity of his injuries. A dull pain sat low in his stomach, and his side ached from where the blast had penetrated.

"Do you need anything now that you're awake?" Vartelm asked. Khrelan still didn't answer verbally, but he nodded and moved his hand to his chin in a w-shape, signalling he needed water. Vartelm stepped over to a counter by his table and picked up a plastic cup. He turned to a nearby sink and let the faucet loose. He then turned back with a full cup of water. Khrelan took the cup into his hands and opened his mouth, the skin on his lips peeling apart slowly. He poured a small stream of the water into his mouth and swished it around a bit, revitalizing his salivation glands. He sat for a moment, taking in the pain and the relief all at once.

"Hey guys. How are you?" Khrelan asked upon taking a breath.

"The question is how are you?" Vartelm countered, displacing the self reflection of the question. Khrelan sat up, and then immediately winced, presumably from the pain of his abdomen moving.

"Other than this pain I'm fine. I'm sure I'll be good to go in a few days," Khrelan replied.

"No, no. The doctor said you'll be out for a while. He wants to make sure nothing else goes wrong before you go back out there," Zadra promulgated softly. Khrelan was obviously displeased by her proposition.

"Really I'm fine. I could take on the entire damn army right now if they were here. I started this mission and I'm going to finish it, whether some doctor says so or not."

Vartelm sighed. He stepped around Zadra and came up to his bunk. He lay a consoling hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, Khrelan. You're not in the shape you need to be to come on this mission. We're leaving tomorrow morning, and you said yourself you wouldn't be good to go for a few more days. Zadra and I think it's in your best interest to stay here."

"Whatever, guys. You obviously can't see that I'm perfectly fine."

"Tell that to the hole in your side," Vartelm sneered.
"It's merely a flesh wound," he said lightly. "Fine, what if I prove to you that I'm able enough to go. Or what if I just sit on a ship and command from a distance."

Neither Zadra nor Vartelm responded. Both of them seemed slightly discontented with Khrelan's persistence. Finally, Zadra gave a light, submissive sigh, "I'll talk to the doc again. If he thinks you'll be strong enough to go, then you can. If not then you stay here. I know it's not what you want, but that's the way it is. Trust me, I really want you to come along with us, but not at the expense of worrying about your injury and your lack of strength."

"Are you calling me a liability?" Khrelan snorted in derision.

"Under the current circumstances, yes," Vartelm retorted. "Now, I'm going to go get some sleep. Zadra you should probably do the same. I'll find the doc and have him check you now that you're awake."

Khrelan stared off into nothingness, a crestfallen visage across his face. He snapped out of it when Zadra let go of his hand. He nodded in agreement, but it was reluctant.

Vartelm gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder and left the med bay to find the doc. Zadra turned to Khrelan after she watched Vartelm depart.

"Look, Khrelan. I didn't mean to call you—"