Defenders of Earth (Book 2 of the Keepers Trilogy)

Chapter 18

As soon as I pull on the gown-which reminds me all too much of the one I was forced to wear on Marix-I stick my head out the door and inform the doctor I'm ready.

"Okay. Do you need to void before we begin? It will be a long time while you're in the machine."

I must've stared a little too blankly because the doctor sighs and rephrases. "Do you need to pee?"

I shake my head. "Nope. I'm ready. Stick me in."

The doctor tilts his head. "Well... Like I said before, I have examine you first before we 'stick you in.'" The doctor makes air quotes.

I forgot about that. I hop up on the table and cross my legs. "So, what now?"

"I'm going to ask you some questions like a normal doctor's visit," he answers, flipping open his clipboard. "You are Calypso Everett?"

"The one and only."

"Okay. What's your actual last name, from..." He rechecks his clipboard. "Azera?"

"Oh. It's Hel'trakah."

"Interesting. Calypso Hel'trakah."

"Actually, it's Calypso Marilyn Deimet Scala Hel'trakah," I correct him. "Traditional middle names involve your mother and two grandmothers' names."

"Fascinating. Moving on... Were you on any medication there?"

"Nope."

"Drugs?"

"Nope."

"Did you smoke? Drink?"

"Cigarettes don't exist there, and nope."

And on and on and on. It seems like my whole lifestyle is questioned. I feel really bad for humans for this questioning. Then again, it might be the same way on Azera. I've only been treated by James, not by an Azeran.

Finally, the doctor says, "Last three questions."

"Good," I say.

"They're a bit embarrassing, but I have to ask."

I groan. "Come on..."

"Have you ever had sex?"

I blink a couple times before I lower my head into my hands. "Why must you ask that?"

"Laws. Have you?" He repeats, curiosity creeping into his voice. "I've no idea how that's viewed on Azera, but guessing by your reaction, it's not much different from here."

"No, I've never had sex. And not until I get married."

"Okay. Are you pregnant?"

"I never had sex!" I screech.

"I know, but laws say I have to ask," the doctor says patiently.

"Damn your laws. Last question?"

"Last date of your menstrual cycle."

"My what now?"

"Okay, more embarrassing questions. Have you heard of a period?"

Yes. And that was an awkward conversation. Emily had to explain it to me when I first got here, and I learned a lot of uncomfortable words. "Azerans don't get them."

"Oh?" The doctor raises his eyebrows.

I could explain Azeran birds and bees to him, but I just say, "It's complicated."

The doctor nods. "O-kay, time for the physical exam. I'm going to take your vitals first."

"Vitals?"

"Temp, blood pressure, pulse..." the doctor picks up my wrist and presses his fingers into it on my thumb side. And moves his fingers around. "Where's your veins?"

"Under my skin."

The doctor presses his lips together. "Where under your skin?"

I press my fingers into the middle of my wrist, a couple inches below my hand. "About here."

I never realized how different I am from humans until now. I have to tell the doctor every way to check my vitals, what was normal, what was not, etc. Then I have to tell him that what might be considered abnormal for humans is normal for Azerans, because of how concerned he seemed about everything.

"Doctor, I think I know my own body," I snap at one point.

"You know, I just wanna make sure," he retorts. "If everything's alright, I'll escort you to the scanner."

Wondering if I'm in too deep, I slide off the bed and follow the doctor.

So apparently, my backyard is a hotspot for dimension jumping aliens.

That's how they knew about Callie. They must've watched our house since this thing landed.

There's no proof to that thought, but my instinct tells me it's true.

Miraculously, I manage to not gasp or shriek or make any noise through my mouth. Rather, I attempt to take a step into the room, and my foot gets caught on the doorframe, sending me to the floor. My hand collides with a metal trash can, making a loud CLANG.

Oh, good job, Mark, I tell myself as the scientists both drop their clipboards-i can hear them clatter against the tile. Way to go. Nicely done.

One of them stoops down and drags me to my knees by the armpits. I find myself facing a bearded man who, surprisingly, looks at me with concern, not anger for snooping.

"You alright? That sounded like a hard fall," he says kindly, brushing off my shoulders. I nod and backpedal, pushing myself onto my feet. I keep my eyes on the creature the whole time.

"Whu-what is that?" I ask. "Th-th-that thing?"

The scientist glances over his shoulder at his colleague. "Kid, maybe you should go find your parents. Don't go poking around no more, okay?"

I nod again and practically sprint out of the room. But I don't go find Mom and Dad. Rather, I go track down Callie.

I go to the big room first. Someone there knows where Callie is, I reason.

As it turns out, I don't need to go there. Down one of the hallways I see her and the doctor. "Callie!" I shout, running to her. "Callie, they've got one."

"A one what?" she asks. "One Azeran?"

"No, no, no, one of the other kinds. The Tura-whatever. They have one. I think it's dead."

"Young man," the doctor begins. "You should not be-"

I blow him off. "They found it in the same spot I found you. Callie, you gotta come with me, they won't answer my questions." Well, I didn't ask many, but I'm pretty sure they won't answer anyways.

"Callie, we must proceed with the exam-where are you going?"

"I'm gonna get dressed," Callie calls as she runs down the hall. "Then I want answers. Mark?"

I run after Callie, who ducks into one of the rooms. A minute later, she emerges dressed. I grab her hand and lead her to the room. The door is shut, but voices issue from the room. Two of the voices are the scientists. But there's a third, a slightly gravelly voice.

Beside me, Callie freezes. "That's a Turamese. But you said it-it was dead."