A small lumpy blob of silver appeared in the med bay. It grew rger until it occupied the open space between the exam beds and the hidden closet where the bathtub was tucked away as Inta stepped out of 4-D space carrying the rescue party and Diana.

  Inta poured off the group and formed her usual five-and-a-half-foot self, then swiftly helped Will carry the unconscious brunette to the closest exam bed and immediately began tending to her.

  Diana was battered and bruised; cerations covered her body, some deep and some superficial, evidence of cw marks that had tried to rend her flesh. Dried, blood-covered patches of her scalp where clumps of hair had been pulled out. The overpowering smell of seared flesh still wafting off the hastily cauterized stump of her limbs, blood seeping from the cracked and burnt ends. Perhaps the cruelest injury suffered was her torn and bloody vagina, evidence of her prolonged sexual assault at the hands of the beast, prodded into action by the zealots, now dead and buried deep inside the mountain on the pnet below.

  Diana bored for breath, struggling for each shallow, wheezing lung full, so Inta began there. She produced an oxygen mask from under the exam bed and tenderly brushed the hair from her face before securing the mask over her nose and mouth.

  Two more Inta’s appeared and assisted the first as they attended to their patient. One Inta began carefully washing Diana’s naked body while another fetched a container of saline from a storage cupboard and hung it on a hook over the bed. The third Inta gingerly applied a thick white salve on the burnt ends of Diana’s limb stumps, then protected the ends with a thin silver covering that flowed from her palms.

  June clung tight to Artona with one arm around her waist while holding her other hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes, watching Inta care for the critically injured girl. Artona put a big arm around June’s shoulders, comforting her with a stoic look on her face. Ben stood on the other side of June rubbing her back, while Will stood apart, arms crossed in front of him, a quiet anger building, directed to those who would do such a thing to an innocent like Diana, as he watched Inta care for the sweet and innocent hostess.

  One of the Inta’s stepped over to them while her other two instances continued their work. Taking a soft hold of June’s hands, Inta looked into her eyes. “June, honey, are you up to piloting? It’s getting more dangerous in orbit; we should leave and get back to Penrose as soon as we can.”

  June tried shaking off her sorrowful look and repcing it with one of determination, but she was only partly successful. “Sure thing. I’ll head up to the bridge and get us out of here.”

  Inta smiled softly at her and nodded. “I just let Captain Hall and the rest of the Bordan ships know our status. They are waiting for us just outside the asteroid field.”

  June nodded in acknowledgment, and then Inta looked at Ben, Artona, and Will. “Why don’t you go with her. I’ll take all the weapons back to the armory.” They had been watching Inta work, a silent vigil, and forgot they were still armed from their excursion.

  “Okay,” Artona said. “Do you need help putting these away?” She nodded, seeing that this was the kind of after-action procedure that would calm Artona.

  “That would be nice, thank you,” Inta said with a small smile.

  Ben and June handed their weapons to Artona and Inta. “We’ll be on the bridge; if you need help with anything let us know,” Will said, as he handed Inta his weapons.

  “I will,” Inta said, passing the weapons to Artona. Then, she pulled Will into a tight hug. “Diana will pull through; you all saved her,” she told him, knowing he needed to hear it.

  He smiled gratefully, gave Inta a final squeeze, and then went to join June and Ben on the bridge.

  Artona followed Inta to the armory, insisting that she carry all the weapons. They spent a few quiet minutes wiping down and cleaning the rifles and side arms before racking them with the others lining the wall, and as they put away the st of them, Artona jerked her head to face Inta.

  “Fuck!” She excimed. “We forgot the shuttle on the surface!”

  Inta put a hand on her forearm reassuringly. “Nope, I dispced it back to the hangar just after we returned, but...” Inta wrinkled her nose.

  Artona raised one eyebrow. “But, what?”

  Inta looked up at Artona sheepishly. “I think June’s going to upset; it took quite a beating.”

  Artona furrowed her brows. “I have a hard time believing that June could get angry with you over anything,” she said, putting a rge furry arm around Inta’s silver shoulders. “Show me how bad it is.” Inta nodded, then they took the lift down to the hangar.

  They stepped out of the lift and walked down the short corridor past the open door of the Grove’s living quarters on their way to the hangar. Frase, newly emerged from her Seeding and wildly curious about the people now connected to the Grove, saw Artona and Inta walk past the open door to their Quarters, jumped up from her lounge chair, and ran out into the hallway to catch up to the pair.

  Squeezing in between the two, wrapping two arms around each of their waists, she asked, “Whatcha doing?”

  Pleasantly surprised, Artona looked down at the waifish Toparian Maiden. “We’re inspecting the damage to the shuttle from the rescue.”

  Frase’s eyes went wide, and her mouth opened into a big ‘O’. “Is Diana okay? How is she?” concern etched on her expressive face.

  “Diana went through a lot, but she’s safe now, recovering in the med bay,” Inta replied, “We’re heading back to Penrose Station so she can be properly treated by their medical staff.”

  “Can’t you just mend her like you did Will?” Frase asked, one hand tracing Artona’s silver patterned fur as she gazed at her own unmarked skin. Larce and Frase had been as thick as thieves since Frase re-emerged, and Larce caught her up with everything that had happened while she had been Seeding with Fi’balmsa.

  “I wish I could, but it’s not that simple,” Inta told Frase as they walked. “Will had been Bonded to me for some time so I already had his imprint.” Inta paused with a pained look on her face, looking defeated. “Diana and I don’t share that kind of connection, so I am unable to mend her body the same way.”

  Frase realized the unintentional pain she caused Inta and hugged her tighter, “I’m so sorry, Inta. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “If it wasn’t for Inta, Diana wouldn’t have survived,” Artona chimed in, trying to reassure the silver girl. Inta gave a small smile at Artona’s efforts, but it was clear she felt immense guilt at putting Diana in this position in the first pce.

  Arriving in the hangar, Artona quickly changed the subject. “Holy Shit!” she said, seeing the shuttle for the first time since being back aboard. Inta was right; it had taken quite a beating. The nding legs were missing, the lower two rear fins were badly bent at extreme angles, and the third top fin was completely torn off and missing. The hull was crumpled almost ft in sections, and the entire surface was badly dented and charred by extreme heat. “Yup, better not let June see this. It’ll break her heart that one of her toys got broken.”

  Inta smirked, appreciating the usually stoic Urarc’s attempt at levity. “It’s not so bad; I can fix it.” Inta’s face soured again, the sadness returning. “But I need to focus on mending another broken little bird first.”

  ****

  When June arrived on the bridge, sweat was beaded on Thea’s brow as she actively piloted the Nestia to avoid the barrage of asteroids hurtling past the Nestia as they plunged into the pnet's gravity well. Inta stood at her side with a soft, reassuring hand on Thea’s back as she leaned forward at the controls in deep concentration. With her augmented eye, June could see the soft glow of energy flowing from Inta, lending Thea what strength she could.

  June walked up to Thea’s other side and asked, “We’re ready to leave; do you want me to take over?”

  Thea nodded gratefully at being relieved of piloting duty, “Yeah, if you don’t mind. I’ve been at this for hours, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep it up. It’s taking everything I’ve got to keep us from being pummeled.”

  With swift, coordinated movements, Thea slid off the seat and stood up in one direction while June slid in and dropped into the seat behind her, seamlessly taking control of the Nestia’s evasive maneuvering.

  “Alright kids, say goodbye, ‘cause we ain’t going back,” June cracked, steering the Nestia out of orbit.

  Inta stood watching the fiery apocalypse roll across the surface of the pnet she once called home and prison. As the Nestia’s nose turned away, the hellscape drifted from view.

  A complex mixture of emotions streamed through her: the deep sorrow of loss, endless lonely and darkest despair, but also the heat of passions re-ignited and the glow of newfound love. It seemed to her at that moment that this was a fitting punctuation, signally the end of that part of her story, the purest of clean stes. There would be no returning to this pce or the darkness that was her only companion during those long eons. She would move forward in love and light.

  The short journey out of the system was as rough as the one into it, even with June’s impressive piloting skills. She wove the Nestia nimbly about, avoiding most of the chaotic asteroids, heading in the general direction of the Bordan task group, who were waiting just outside the asteroids in the surrounding nebu. They emerged from the asteroid field intact, if slightly battered.

  As soon as they were free of the danger of collision and were at the nebu's edges, Captain Hall hailed them from the lead ship, the Palisade.

  “Greeting Nestia; what do you have to report?” He asked, the tone of his voice saying he expected the worst.

  “We successfully found and recovered Ms. Davis, though she was tortured and severely injured. She is stable for the moment, but needs immediate medical attention,” June summarized for Captain Hall.

  “Did you see anything or anyone while we made the rescue?” Will asked.

  “Nothing. We’ve spread out patrolling at the edge of the nebu, watching. No one came, no one left. Not even a whisper on the sensors,” Captain Hall responded.

  “Odd,” June said under her breath, then cleared her throat. “We need to get underway immediately, Captain. Can you instruct your ships to rendezvous with us outside the nebu where we entered? We’ll leave for Penrose as soon as we’ve regrouped.”

  On-screen, Captain Hall turned to speak with a comms officer for a moment as the Nestia crew watched. Turning his attention back to the viewscreen, he said, “All ships have confirmed their orders; we’re ready to go.”

  The Nestia took point with the Palisade a short distance behind as they rushed out of the nebu for the rendezvous point.

  Will crossed his arms and shook his head in disbelief as he thought about recent events. “I can’t believe a bunch of zealots went through the effort of digging out the guts of a mountain, just to torture someone they kidnapped, then die at the bottom of their hole as a fiery apocalypse buried them alive. Those tunnels were no small feat; they must have started digging as soon as we left Bordan for Centrailia. We’re talking to hundreds of people, maybe even a thousand to pull something like this off.” Will huffed, perplexed. “None of it makes sense.”

  Artona scratched her chin thoughtfully. “When you are at war with an enemy whose strength and numbers are unknown, it is not an uncommon tactic to engage in a minor skirmish, to assess your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses before committing further resources.”

  “What could they have learned and reported?” Will continued. “They all died in the end. And I didn’t see any Q-net terminals they could have used to communicate.”

  “We can communicate over distances undetected, but could an outsider spot it?” Inta said.

  “The mad woman spoke to the granite seat like she expected it to respond,” Ben added. “And I saw that there was something inid into it, a gem or something. It was unusual.”

  “I wish I had gotten a better look,” Inta said. “I would have been able to tell if there was something more to it.”

  “You were focused on what was important; helping Diana,” June said, taking Inta’s hand and comforting the silver girl. “You did more than enough.” Inta smiled in gratitude to June’s kind words.

  Inta took a deep breath and then sighed, once again grateful to be surrounded by such wonderful and caring people. They were always ready to jump into the fray and help those who needed it, and someone in the med bay truly needed them.

  With the comms still open between the two ships, Captain Hall spoke and broke Inta’s reverie. “All but one ship has formed up behind us; the st one should join us before we make the rendezvous point.”

  “Good,” June said. “As soon as we clear the nebu, we’ll head for Penrose as quickly as possible.”

  “Understood,” Captain Hall replied. “I’ll inform the other captains to make for Penrose at top speed. Hopefully we won’t fall too far behind the Nestia on our way back.”

  Will cocked a single raised eyebrow at him. “What do you mean by that, Captain?”

  Captain Hall chuckled. “You will need to be far more circumspect if you intend to keep the Nestia’s capabilities to yourself. Every naval officer at Penrose, down to the lowliest ensign, has been talking non stop about your sprint from Centrailia. They all want to know how you managed a run like that. You could win top prize in any regatta you entered if you wanted. Let’s just say you’ve earned a following.”

  June was simultaneously pleased and concerned by the notoriety. “We wouldn’t normally run as hard as we did,” then gncing up at Inta standing behind her.

  “I’m fairly certain we’ve overextended ourselves and the ship won’t be capable of ‘feats of daring do’ for quite some time.” Inta said, grinning at the Captain. “Who knows, maybe we can turn our new found notoriety to our favor.”

  “Being known as a fast freighter would make it easier to get choice runs that align with pces we need to investigate,” Will said, considering the commercial possibilities. Even though most of their day-to-day necessities were taken care of by Inta and the Nestia, docking, port fees, and other expenses would undoubtedly pop up, and they needed to make sure they had a steady stream of income to cover their costs. The search for Inta’s people would undoubtedly be expensive.

  ****

  The st Bordan naval ship rejoined the little task group just as they exited the nebu. They turned the bows of their ships toward Bordan space, and then Captain Hall called over one st time. “All right folks, looks like we’re ready to go. Noticed you needed a running start st time, so we’ll go and jump to FTL ahead of you. See you back at Penrose. Hall, out.”

  In a quick series of bright fshes, the Bordan task group leaped away, and then June punched the gravity drive and accelerated the Nestia to FTL shortly behind them.

  To everyone aboard the Nestia, the three-day trip back to Penrose seemed immeasurably longer than that. They all took turns keeping vigil over Diana when they weren’t on the bridge, making meals, or taking a break to get some exercise in Artona’s make-shift gym in the hangar. While the others rotated in and out of the med bay, Inta was a constant presence, monitoring every heartbeat, every breath Diana took, caring for her, and keeping a solemn vigil over the unconscious girl.

  After Will relieved her on the bridge, June came down to the med bay on the second day of their trip. She stopped as she was about to enter and just stood there in the doorway, watching Inta with Diana for a few moments.

  Diana was covered in a light, white bnket pulled up to her neck to keep her warm. The outline of her body was clearly visible through the bnket, and there was a noticeable ck of form where her limbs should have been.

  Inta held a wet cloth and gently washed Diana’s sleeping face, which, for the moment, reflected the peace of unbothered dreams, a rarity since her rescue.

  With her augmented eye, June could see Diana’s aura. It was faint and weak, shattered and torn into a thousand pieces, evidence of the extreme trauma of her experience. As Inta washed Diana’s skin, June also saw that Inta bathed her in a tiny, continuous stream of energy and, ever so carefully, piece by small piece, found and joined parts of her aura belonging together with tiny threads from the energy she poured into the broken girl. Inta finished melding two small pieces of Diana’s aura together and saw June watching her. She gave her a small smile before returning to her work.

  Not for the first time, June wished that Diana and Inta had had more time during their first meeting; they surely would have developed a closer connection, and Inta would now be able to pour more energy into her than the meager trickle she could only give.

  June came and sat on the bed next to Diana as Inta patiently did her work. Watching Inta, she thought about her own brush with death and how Inta had poured all but her st spark of energy into Will and her.

  “Why don’t you Bond with her, then heal her properly?” June asked, her concern for Diana loud in her quiet question. “There’s only so much that Doctors at Penrose will be able to do for her.”

  Inta gave June a sad smile, shaking her head. “I desperately wish I could, but that’s not how the Bond works. It is the joining of two into one, a state accepted willingly by both individuals; each reaching out for the other. Diana can’t consent, and can’t open herself fully to me. If I were to force it, it would be a weak shadow of a connection, and her will would forever be subordinate to mine, even though it may not be what I intended.”

  June watched Inta’s face as some dark memory surfaced, reflected in her expression. Inta’s eyes softened, then she continued, “We are Givers, and both must willingly give themselves to the other.” A sad but loving expression crossed Inta’s face once more as she continued to sponge-bathe her sleeping charge, resting on the exam bed.

  Seeing there was little she could do to help Inta, June hopped off the bed she was sitting on, walked around Diana’s bed, and kissed Inta softly on the cheek. “Let me know if I can help in anyway,” she said, hugging the silver girl from behind.

  Inta smiled and nodded, then returned her focus to the unconscious girl. June left her to work on mending a broken spirit, looking back only once from the doorway before leaving.

  The rest of the trip went by too slowly for the urgency they felt. An instance of Inta never left Diana’s side, working over her tirelessly and seeing to it that she was as comfortable as possible. Still, even so, no one could rex, knowing Inta’s careful attention was the only thing sustaining Diana in her fragile state.

  Not soon enough for the Nestia’s crew, they were decelerating from FTL at the edge of Bordan space.

  They were once again greeted by Bordan traffic control. “Ship Nestia, this is Bordan Traffic Control. We’ve been expecting you.”

  “Thanks, Traffic Control,” June responded urgently. “We are returning with a badly injured passenger and request emergency medical responders waiting for us as soon as we dock.”

  “They’re already on stand-by, Nestia. We’re clearing a ne for you now. Proceed on flight path provided and dock at slip B1. The medics will take the injured from there.”

  “Roger, Control. Flight path received. Proceeding.” June flew the Nestia to Penrose station, ignoring all port speeds along the cleared path Traffic Control provided. She brought the Nestia up to dock smoothly, and when the cargo bay doors opened, Will and Ben found several med techs waiting, carrying med kits and towing a gurney.

  They ushered the med techs up to the medical bay, where everyone else had gathered around Diana. The crew stood back and silently watched as the techs went to work.

  The other produced a small tablet that sprang to life, dispying several sweeping, squiggly lines, one after another, as the other tech pulled small devices out of their bags and, after squeezing a small dab of gooey adhesive to the backs of each, pced them on both sides of Diana’s head, over her temples, and on several pces on her torso.

  Inspecting the silver caps on the stumps on Diana’s limbs, the techs gave each other a quizzical look and then gnced in Inta’s direction. “Your handy work?” One of them asked her.

  Inta nodded. “I did everything I could think of; is she going to be alright?” she asked nervously.

  “She’s stable, but looks like she has a couple of broken ribs and some internal bleeding.” The tech drew her lips in a tight line. “Other than her amputations, she was severely… abused, wasn’t she?” she asked with tact. Inta nodded, tears forming in her eyes.

  The tech pced a hand on Inta’s forearm. “We’re going to take real good care of her, okay?”

  Inta wiped a tear away with the back of her hand. “Thank you,” she said softly, barely a whisper.

  The techs reviewed the tablet readings and agreed that she was stable enough to move. Then, they positioned the gurney close to the bed.

  They checked the intravenous drip Inta had been administering and were satisfied it was properly pced. They removed the bag from the hook over the bed and connected it to the gurney. Then, sliding their hands under Diana’s limp and passive form, gently lifted her from the examination bed and pced her on the gurney.

  The anti-grav pods of the gurney barely registered the additional weight of the injured girl, weighing even less now, without limbs.

  Straps were pulled across her body, and when they were tightened to keep her from sliding around or falling off, a look of distant pain crossed Diana’s face, her heart rate spiked, and her breathing became rapid and shallow.

  “Not too tight!” Inta said urgently, pushing past the med techs to loosen their straps slightly, thinking how closely it resembled the straps that held her to the stone table. “She’s… she’s been through a lot,” she said, still fighting back tears. Inta caressed Diana’s face softly, and her heart rate slowed, and her breathing steadied.

  One of the techs pced her hand on Inta’s shoulder. “She’s ready for transport. We’re going to take her to the infirmary now, okay? I promise, they’ll do everything they can to help her.”

  Inta nodded and stepped back. The med techs pced their bags on the gurney’s empty end and carefully guided it out of the medical bay, with one tech at the head of the gurney and the other at the foot.

  Inta stayed close to Diana and the techs, followed by the rest of the crew, as they brought her out into the station to the small ambunce, waiting just outside the Nestia’s airlock. After lifting the gurney up and in, they locked it into pce so it would not shift. A tech climbed into the driver’s seat, and the other sat on a small bench next to the gurney so she could continue monitoring Diana’s condition.

  Inta was about to climb into the back ambunce after them when the tech in the back held up her hand to stop her. “I’m really sorry, you can’t come with us. You can meet us at the infirmary, though,” she said, her face full of sympathy.

  With an iron expression that broached no discussion, Inta said, “You WILL NOT keep me from her side.”

  Seeing the determination on Inta’s face, the tech quickly relented with a sigh. “Alright. Sit over there,” she gestured to the small bench on the other side of the gurney. “Just don’t touch anything.”

  Inta hopped in and looked back at the others standing just outside the airlock. “Don’t worry, Inta. Everything will be fine,” June said with more conviction than she had felt. “We’ll follow you and be there shortly.”

  Inta smiled softly and nodded. Then she nodded to the tech, indicating she was ready to go. The tech reached over and closed the ambunce doors, and the Nestia crew watched as it sped down the long corridor, heading to the station’s central hub and the infirmary.

  The crew stepped out of the cargo bay door and into the corridor of the station’s arm, watching the small ambunce roll off into the distance. Pedestrians stepped aside at the sound of its siren to let them pass.

  “Okay, let’s get going, it’s going to take us a bit for all of us to catch up,” June said, turning to the group.

  Will looked at the crowd their family had become; June and Ben stood ready to head off in a dead sprint, Thea and Artona just behind them, Be’tule at Artona’s side. De’noke and Larce stood just inside the cargo bay door, peeking out. He smiled. “Yeah, let’s go.”

  “I’ll walk you there; I didn’t get to do any people watching from the back of the ambunce,” said another instance of Inta as she squeezed past De’noke and Larce, giving each a kiss on the cheek as she did so.

  ****

  Walking through the station, the crew of the Nestia drew stares and gawkers as they passed. Bordan wasn’t exactly a gactic backwater, but the eclectic mix that was the crew would have probably drawn looks even at Centrailia. Inta caught their eyes as they passed, smiling, and the onlookers couldn’t help but smile in return.

  They reached the central hub, and Will looked for the nearest directory to find the direction they needed to take. “The infirmary’s that way, Love,” Inta said, pointing left, knowing precisely where her other instance was.

  The nine of them crowded into a single car on the small tram and rode it a few stops down, then got off when they saw the rge sign for the infirmary. Crossing the small pza, they saw an ambunce parked in front of a rge, sliding gss door, which wooshed open as they approached to enter. Inside, the reception area of the infirmary had a medium-sized reception desk manned by a single nurse to the immediate left as they walked in. A sitting area with several rows of seats across from it was on the other side of the room. At the back of the room was a rge set of double doors, presumably heading deeper into the infirmary, which was fnked on the right by a bubbling fountain, about the size of a rge bathtub but with a shallow basin.

  They trooped into the reception area, which was mostly empty except for a woman and a small boy with tears in his eyes, who apparently had fallen and twisted an ankle. The mother and son watched the group of newcomers with curiosity.

  June approached the nurse sitting behind the reception desk, everyone close behind her. The nurse sat at the desk, wearing a crisp white uniform, her auburn hair done up in a tight bun, looking professional. The pretty young nurse’s eyes widened at the group suddenly assembled before her.

  “Hello Nurse…” June looked at the nametag on her crisp, white uniform, “Emily, we’re here to see Diana Davis. She was just brought in. We’re friends; we’d like to see her, please.”

  Nurse Emily’s gaze swept over the crowd assembled, pausing on Inta, eyes narrowing slightly like she recognized her, then nodded. “Just one moment, please,” she said, then typed into the terminal on her desk. After a moment, she looked up. “They’re still doing intake examinations. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait here,” she said, gesturing to the sitting area.

  June’s expression soured, but Inta touched her arm, letting her know it would be okay. “That’s fine, thank you. My sister is already with her and will let us know how things are going.” Nurse Emily nodded, her unspoken question answered.

  “I’ll let you know as soon as Ms. Davis is ready for visitors,” Nurse Emily said, but the look on her face said that she was unsure how long that would be, given the state the patient arrived in.

  “Thank you so much, Emily,” Inta said, June catching the sparkle in Inta’s eyes. “I know she’s in good hands.” The young nurse smiled back at her as a slight blush crept up her face.

  They turned to go to the sitting area, and giggling softly, June whispered into Inta’s ear. “Simply insatiable.” Even Thea, not Bonded to Inta, felt the echoes of desire roll off the silver girl and smiled.

  The crew sat in the waiting area, occupying half of the avaible seats in the small waiting area, even though the Toparians were kneeling comfortably on the floor.

  A short time ter, the boy and his mother were called to be seen, and then the waiting area was empty save for them.

  As they waited, June and Ben chatted quietly with the others about the st time they were at Penrose, and Inta sat wedged snugly between June and Artona, listening.

  While they conversed, Inta looked into the faces of her loved ones gathered here, and she felt their warmth and caring wash over her, a balm for her soul. She smiled, her eyes beginning to well up with small tears. She loved them all so much. They hardly knew Diana, and they’d already done so much for her simply because Inta cared for her, and they felt it was the right thing to do.

  Inta’s smile dimmed; she knew that Diana’s recovery was going to be a long road, but she cared for her and felt responsible. ‘How could she allow Diana to suffer because of her?’ She asked herself for the thousandth time.

  Will felt, rather than saw, Inta’s inner turmoil, and leaned forward in his seat, reached across, and took Inta’s hand in his. “So how are things going?” he asked, knowing there was zero chance the doctors would be able to pry Inta’s other instance from Diana’s side.

  “They’ve just finished hooking up the monitors, and the doctors are discussing how to treat her… amputations.” Inta looked downcast as she mentioned the result of the terrible choice she was forced to make. A pained look crossed her face, and she began to sniffle. “They say they’re going to need to remove the cauterized portions of whats left so that… so that they can heal over properly.” Both June and Artona hugged Inta tight as small sobs escaped her lips, and she leaned into them gratefully.

  ****

  As the crew comforted Inta as they all sat in the waiting room, her other instance argued with the doctors obstinately.

  “Miss, I understand you care a great deal about Ms. Davis.” Inta scowled at Dr. Tate, the young resident physician, who addressed her. “You’ve done remarkably well keeping her stabilized and getting her here, but I have to ask you to leave her to our care now. I promise we’ll take good care of her and do everything within our power to help her recover,” he said in a soft tone intended to comfort her. “We’ll be bringing her into surgery shortly, so you’ll have to stay behind. I’ll need you to go to the waiting room while we take care of her.”

  Inta looked him dead in the eyes, steadfast. “Dr. Tate, I appreciate the sentiment, and I know you’ll do what you can for Diana, but where she goes, I go.” Then she narrowed her eyes. “There aren’t enough orderlies in this hospital or this entire quadrant to remove me from her side.”

  The way Inta held herself in that moment, Tate felt the sudden impression of trying to budge a mountain.

  “Mark, It’s fine; she can stay,” Dr. Dorsey, the head surgeon, said, coming up behind the attending resident and pcing a hand on his shoulder. She was an older woman in her te fifties, tall and imposing but wiry built. Her short blond hair, now mostly gray, was pulled back in a tight ponytail.

  Tate relented and slumped his shoulders in defeat for a moment before squaring them again. “Well then Miss, you’ll need a set of scrubs to change into, but promise me you’ll stay out of the way and let us work while we help Ms. Davis.”

  “ I will, Dr. Tate, and thank you for understanding,” Inta told him.

  “I’ll go ask a nurse to find some scrubs in your size.” Dorsey nodded her head to Tate as he left the room, heading to the nurse’s station. She then turned to Inta after Tate was gone. “Miss Inta, is it?”

  “Just Inta, please,” she responded.

  “Inta, then. He’s a good doctor, Tate. Young, a little head strong, but a good doctor,” she smiled and took Inta’s hands in hers. “I’m performing the surgery myself; Ms. Davis has shown herself to be quite resilient, enduring as much as she has and being in as good shape as she is, given everything she’s been through. We’ll pull her through this, I swear it.”

  Inta felt comforted by the older woman’s words and allowed herself a small smile. “Thank you, Doctor. That means a lot to me.”

  Dorsey patted her hand. “I need to make sure the O.R. is prepped and then scrub in. The nurses will bring Ms. Davis,” then looked to Inta with a small smile in her eyes, “and you, in shortly.” Then she paused a moment. “This surgery will be intense to watch; are you sure you’ll be okay?” Genuine concern for Inta was written on her face.

  “I’ll be okay,” Inta said, then continued after a heartbeat, “I was the one who… removed her destroyed limbs to stop the spread of the disease.”

  Slightly surprised, Dorsey’s eyes shone with new respect. “I see. You’re very brave and a true friend. Ms. Davis is lucky to have you, " she said as she turned to leave the room. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Then she left, leaving Inta alone with Diana. The only sound in the room was the rhythmic beeping from the medical equipment monitoring Diana’s condition.

  Inta walked over to the bedside and softly caressed Diana’s serene face, still unconscious.

  ****

  The surgery sted twelve hours, the doctors working hard to give what remained of Diana’s limbs the best chance at a healthy recovery. Inta stood in the corner, wearing the surgical scrubs provided by Dr. Tate, a silent sentinel, continuing to stream as much energy to Diana as she was able to receive.

  When the surgery was complete, they brought Diana back to her room, settled her into her bed, and after an hour or so of checking on her condition, finally left to let her rest. Inta sat on the bedside chair and tirelessly continued her own treatment, pouring energy into Diana and gently knitting her fractured aura together. Inta sat beside Diana long after the doctors left and the nurses returned to their station.

  ****

  Early the next morning, the crew of the Nestia dozed in the waiting area in the Penrose infirmary, slumped over where they sat. A couple of them, like Will and Be’tule, slept deeply, snoring loudly, while others, like June and Artona, dozed lightly, June leaning against Inta with Artona’s rge furry arm wrapping them both up. De’noke, the more tree-like of the two present Toparians, dozed upright as he kneeled, and Larce y with her head in his p.

  Inta shifted slightly, which woke June from her light slumber. “How’s everything going?” June asked sleepily.

  “Diana’s surgery went well. They brought her back to her room about an hour ago, and now she’s resting peacefully,” Inta reported.

  “Can we see her?” June sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

  “Not yet. The doctors want her to rest.” Inta shifted in her seat again so she could put an arm around June, Artona’s massively muscled arm still around them both. “I don’t know how long it will be before she regains consciousness; it may be some time.”

  June nodded slowly. “However long it takes, we’ll be here for her,” June replied. Inta smiled.

  They sat cuddling for another fifteen minutes or so. As the station woke, the traffic outside, visible through the front gss door, began picking up. Will stirred and stretched with a big yawn, then slowly stood and crossed the distance to give Inta and June a peck on the cheek.

  “Any news?” he asked.

  “Surgery went well, Diana’s resting in her room,” Inta said.

  The front doors opened, and several orderlies, nurses, and doctors streamed in to begin their shifts. “They’ll wake soon,” Will said, nodding to the forms of the sleeping crew scattered across the waiting room. “I’m going to go find some coffee for everyone. Be back shortly.”

  As he headed out, he greeted a couple of nurses arriving, one in particur he recognized from the reception desk the previous day. “Nurse Emily, good morning!” Will excimed brightly.

  “Good Morning, Mr. Foucault. Heading out?” she asked.

  “Off to find some coffee for the troops. Can I get you anything?” Will offered.

  “That’s very kind, but we’re not supposed to accept gifts from patients.” Emily declined politely with a smile.

  Will nodded. “Okay, then. I’ll see you in a little bit,” he said, then headed towards the station’s market area in search of coffee.

  One by one, the crew stirred and inquired on Diana’s status as they woke. Patiently, Inta repeated to each of them that Diana was recovering and that they would still need to wait to see her. De’noke was the st to wake, and as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, Will returned, carrying a load of pastries and drinks.

  “Morning all. I stopped by Diana’s shop for coffee, and the manager wouldn’t let me leave without taking half of the pastries behind the counter,” he said, holding up a big bag overflowing with goodies. “We’ve got muffins, scones, and coffee rolls, all with his thanks for bringing Diana home.”

  Will handed out coffee and tea to everyone and let them pick through the assorted pastries for whatever tickled their fancy. Gncing up, he noticed Nurse Emily had taken up her post behind the reception desk.

  He walked over to the reception desk with some warm beverages and what remained of the mountain of pastries. “Good morning again. So what’ll it be, coffee,” he asked, indicating one set of cups, “or tea?” holding the other set up.

  “No, thank you, I really can’t…” she began to object but Will cut her off.

  “It’s really nothing, just a coffee; please, I insist,” he said, pcing the remaining drinks on her desk so she could choose.

  “Well, there’s really no harm, I guess,” she said, smiling as she accepted a cup of coffee.

  “Cream? Sugar?” Will offered.

  “Bck is fine, thank you,” Emily replied, smiling, taking a sip of the still-hot beverage.

  She sipped the coffee gratefully and closed her eyes slightly, savoring the fvor and warming sensation as it went down. “It's good; a lot better than the coffee from the cafeteria, thank you.” She took another sip, sighed, then set the cup on her desk.

  Looking up at Will, she asked, “So what do you folks do when you're not rescuing damsels in distress?”

  “Well, among other things, we hold a private contract with Peirault Shipping for expedited freight services. Oh, which reminds me, we have a shipment of medical supplies for the station, presumably for you all here in the infirmary. Who might I speak with about the delivery? The only contact I was given was a general,’Procurement Department’,” Will asked, remembering their original purpose for coming back to Penrose.

  “That would be Ms. Devens’ department,” Emily said, her spine unconsciously straightening at mentioning her name. “Let me give her a call now and you can speak with her.”

  “Great, thanks!” Will said, eager to complete the delivery so they could focus on Diana without worry. A few minutes ter, a short, older woman with jet-bck, shoulder-length hair entered the reception area and walked towards Emily. She carried herself with poise and purpose as if the very ws of nature would bend around her.

  “Mr. Foucault, I presume,” she said, extending her hand.

  “Yes, Hi. Please call me Will,” he replied, shaking her extended hand. Her grip was firm, and she looked into his eyes, sizing him up.

  “I wasn’t expecting the delivery for another three days,” Devens said, releasing his hand and staring at him expectantly.

  “We caught a tail wind, plus we had other urgent business that required all the haste we could muster,” Will answered, feeling very much cross-examined.

  “Ah yes, Ms. Davis. Quite a remarkable story. Rushing halfway across the quadrant for a rescue, and a delivery, it would seem,” she said with a slightly incredulous tone, like she expected there was more to the story than what she was being told.

  “Yup, that’s us, specializing in package delivery and heroine rescues,” he joked under her withering gaze. “We’re berthed at slip B1. We can offload any time you’d like.”

  Devens squinted at Will, then seemed to rex slightly. “Very good. I’ll make the arrangements to take delivery ter today. Will that be sufficient enough time for your crew to be ready?”

  “That would be perfect. We don’t have any immediate pns and pn on staying at Penrose while Diana, Ms. Davis, recovers,” Will replied, giving the stern woman a friendly smile.

  She nodded. “Good. I’m a busy woman, so you’ll have to excuse me,” she said, and without another word, spun on her heels and strode off, like the infirmary wouldn’t be able to function without her attention to every detail, probably not far from the truth.

  During the entire exchange, Will looked at Emily, who had been fastidiously entering data into her terminal, pointedly keeping busy with her head down, not wanting to draw Devens’ ire. “She’s a little intimidating, huh,” Will said with a smirk.

  “Oh, you have no idea,” Emily replied, a smile blooming on her face once Devens had disappeared into the interior of the infirmary. “She’s ruthlessly efficient but fair. I’m sure this pce would fall apart without her.”

  “I’m sure,” Will replied. “Sure I can’t interest you in a scone? We have more than we could hope to eat, even if one of us is an Urarc.”

  “Thank you, I’m good, really,” Emily said, a wide, genuine smile on her face. “But if you want, you can set them out here, on the corner of the desk for anyone who wants them.”

  “Perfect, thanks. I’d hate to see them go to waste.” He went to the sitting area and retrieved the rge bag of pastries that Artona and the others had managed to put a sizable dent into. Inta gnced at Will, to Emily at the reception desk, then back to Will, and wiggled her eyebrows, mischief sparkling in her eyes.

  He ughed aloud, “Behave, you,” then bent down to kiss the silver girl.

  As he approached the reception desk with the remaining pastries, Emily quickly put her head down, trying to make it seem like she hadn’t been watching the group with intense interest.

  Will emptied the bag of pastries onto a ptter Nurse Emily fetched from the nearby cafeteria and arranged them neatly. “Thank you, Mr. Foucault; I’m sure everyone will enjoy these,” she said, smiling at Will as she returned to her seat.

  “You’re more than welcome. And please, call me Will.”

  “Thank you, Will,” she said, quickly looking back to the work waiting on her terminal, trying to hide her slight blush.

  Will returned to the sitting area, and June and Inta met his gaze, eyeing him expectantly. Will caught the hint of subtle hunger in Inta’s eyes. He ughed softly, knowing precisely what she was thinking. “Insatiable,” he whispered to her softly.

  Within minutes of taking his seat in the waiting area with the rest of the crew, Several burly men came in from a truck parked just outside the door. They went to the reception desk and spoke briefly with nurse Emily. She looked over to where the crew was sitting in the waiting area and pointed, directing the men towards the crew.

  The one man, evidently chief of this little crew, spoke as the men approached. “I understand you have a shipment of supplies for the infirmary on your ship,” he said, squaring his shoulders and trying to project authority, but he was otherwise non-confrontational.

  “Yes, that’s correct,” Will said.

  Artona shifted her muscled bulk slightly in her seat and huffed slightly without looking up, drawing their attention. The spokesman paused and cleared his throat before continuing, slightly more contrite. “Ms. Devens asked us to go offload the delivery from your ship,” he said. Then Artona shifted again, taking up a slightly more rexed posture, slouching with both arms spread wide along the backs of the seats.

  “Oh, wonderful!” Inta said, standing up and inserting herself into the conversation, taking a small step towards the three delivery men. “You strapping men should have no problem handling the cargo,” she said with a dazzling smile. They smiled back, instantly charmed by the beautiful silver girl before them. “We’re at slip B1; there’s a couple of crew members waiting who can help you load up.”

  She shot them another radiant smile, and they replied with a “thank you, ma’am. " Then they went on their way, scratching their heads at the roller coaster ride of emotions; first, they were afraid they were going to have their arms ripped off by an angry Urarc, then sure they were in for a pleasant surprise at the hands of a very pleasing woman.

  “Are you pnning what I think you’re pnning?” June asked, recognizing Inta’s devious expression.

  “So what if I’m pnning a little ‘thank you’ for those three, can you bme me? They look so delectable.” Inta said, licking her lips as they climbed into their open cab cargo hauler.

  “Recent events must have taken a lot out of you; you’re more randy than usual. Which is saying something,” Ben said with a smirk.

  “Indeed,” De’noke added. “Right now she’s putting the Brothers and Frase, ahem, through their paces.” Both he and Larce blushed, partly from the conversation and partly from the activities they were tangentially participating in over their psychic link with the rest of the Grove.

  That elicited a round of chuckles and giggles from the crew occupying the waiting room.

  After everyone had their ugh, June’s expression grew serious, and she leaned close to Inta. “The rescue was hard on you, wasn’t it? Losing that part of yourself?” June asked, referring to the instance that Inta sacrificed so everyone could escape.

  Inta nodded softly. “It wasn’t just that, though it’s a big part of my up tick in ‘appetite’. Seeing Diana suffer because of me, was just…” Inta struggled to get the words out, choked up, so June and Artona simply squeezed her in a hug between them.

  “It wasn’t your fault, and you didn’t do this to her,” June consoled Inta, who was now crying quietly.

  “I swear to you, we will find the ones responsible, and when we do, they will pay,” Artona growled.

  Inta smiled, her tears drying. “Thank you,” she said, hugging June and Artona in return. “And the rest of you, too,” she said to her family surrounding her, choking up again with emotion.

  “We love you, Inta. There’s nothing we wouldn’t do for you.” Will said to her, smiling, accompanied by a chorus of agreement, nodding heads, and smiling faces.

  “And if you need a good ‘topping off’, I think I know a few people willing and eager to help,” Ben said, smiling suggestively.

  “Definitely, but ter,” Inta replied, shooting him a hungry look.

  ****

  After the first two nights of the crew keeping vigil in the waiting room, Inta reported no change in Diana’s condition other than she was beginning to sleep less fitfully. They decided to take rotating shifts in the waiting room so that Diana would be surrounded by friendly faces when she woke and could see visitors. Of course, Inta never left her bedside, not needing sleep; she continued to trickle as much psychic energy into the convalescing woman as she could accept in her weakened state.

  In the following days, she convinced the nurses to let her care for her in whatever small way she could. The nurses tended to her bandaged stumps, checking on them regurly, while they allowed Inta to wash her face and brush her hair. Inta offered to help with the other less gmorous but necessary items of bedridden patient care, but they wouldn’t allow it, saying that she was already doing the most important job, giving Diana a reason to return to them.

  ****

  Nearly two weeks passed, and Inta filled the time by reading the local news from the Q-net to Diana and telling her about the comings and goings of the rest of the crew and all who visited them.

  Inta told Diana that Commander Michaels had stopped by the infirmary and chatted with them in the waiting room. He was surprised and relieved to hear that she was resting comfortably and recovering. “He has a rough exterior, but he’s a softy on the inside,” Inta confided to the sleeping Diana.

  She told Diana how little Tera was spellbound when she met De’noke and the Toparians when she, Sarah, and Jeremy were invited to dinner aboard the Nestia.

  “... and then little Tara looks up and says, ‘Thank-you Mr. Tree’. It was absolutely precious. She called him that for the rest of the night. He brought her down to the Grove’s quarters and showed her where the Seeds had been pnted. You should have seen her little face light up when De’noke expined that soon they would grow into children like her. Then she asked, ‘just like the baby in Momma’s belly?’ De’noke ughed so hard at that. He said, ‘yes, just like that.’ They hung out together, tiny Tera and tall De’noke, sitting under the Mothers’ branches until she passed out. He’s good with kids, all the Toparians are, really. Then…”

  Inta stopped speaking, immediately aware that Diana had started shifting in her bed. Groggily, Diana turned her head and opened her eyes weakly, spying Inta’s silver form sitting close by.

  “In.. Inta?” Diana asked in a hoarse rasp. “Inta, where are we?”

  Inta’s eyes were suddenly filled with joyful tears. “We’re in the infirmary on Penrose Station. Welcome back, My Sweet.” she said, brushing Diana’s cheek gently.

  “I… I had such a horrible nightmare. I was… I was…” Diana, still foggy, struggled to form the words. Then concern bloomed on her face, quickly growing to panic. “Inta, I can’t move my hands. I can’t feel them at all, I… oh, they hurt Inta, oh god, they hurt so much,” she cried as her pulse quickened and her remembered pain presented itself as phantom limbs. “They hurt so bad, Inta, make it stop, make it stop!”

  Diana’s panic rose quickly, and soon she was inconsoble, wailing and thrashing on the bed, swinging her limb stumps wildly. Beside herself with worry, Inta didn’t know what to do.

  She saw the button to call the nurses, but as she watched Diana writhe on the bed, she noticed that the light blue and green aura surrounding her body turned an angry and jagged red, forming an outline of limbs that were no longer there.

  Inta made a snap decision to try and soothe Diana. She reached out with a ribbon of energy to where the smooth blue-green of Diana’s aura met the sharp and angur red outlines of her former left arm and bathed the point where they joined. The aura line around her stump constricted and narrowed, then separated the red ghost limb aura from the rest of Diana’s blue-green aura.

  Diana let out a momentary sigh of relief before the pain of her other phantom limbs surged again, overwhelming her. Inta did the same for Diana’s right arm and then her phantom legs until all four red, jagged auras had been separated and slowly faded from view.

  When the st of the red auras had fully disappeared, Diana rexed again but then sobbed loudly. “It was real, all of it. It was all real. Oh Inta…” she wailed.

  Inta pulled the bed covers off Diana, then lifted her off the bed into a tight embrace, her hospital gown fpping open in the back.

  “It’ll be okay, Honey. I’m here, you’re safe,” she told her over and over, holding her tight, and Diana rested her head in the crook of Inta’s neck, sorely wishing she could wrap her arms around her and hug Inta in return.

  Diana’s sobbing ebbed to a soft sniffling within Inta’s warm embrace. “Inta, what am I going to do? I’m going to lose my apartment, I can’t work, I can’t even draw…” The intensity of her crying picked up again but held in comforting arms, she didn’t return to sobbing.

  “I’m going to take care of you, my poor, sweet thing. We’ll figure something out. I’m never leaving you again.” Inta said, her blue eyes glowing fiercely.

  For the first time in a long while, Diana smiled and gave a little ugh, broken by small gasps of her fleeing despair. “Really? You mean it?” Diana asked, pressing her face hard into Inta’s silver neck.

  “Nothing in this universe will take me away from you.” It seemed the world shifted with the conviction of Inta’s statement, and Diana allowed Inta’s words to wash over her like a healing salve.

  “Okay, Inta. Where you go, I’ll go.” Diana said in a small but certain voice.

  “And where you go, I’ll go.” Inta echoed her words like a solemn vow.

  ****

  The nurses at their station on Diana’s floor couldn’t stop the flood of people rushing up to the room, down the hall, and to the right. Diana y in her bed, Inta sat in the chair next to her, and the entire room was full of the well-wishing crew, standing shoulder to shoulder in the small room.

  One by one, they shuffled around to allow each to pce a kiss on her cheek, give her words of encouragement, and let her know how gd they were to see her awake again. Even though she hardly knew half of them, their flood of warmth and compassion warmed her weary heart.

  “Thank you all so much; I owe all of you so much. You risked everything to save me; I’m afraid I’ll never be able to repay what you’ve done for me,” Diana said to those assembled with a light heart and a tear in her eye.

  “Just get healthy and strong again; that’ll be payment enough,” June said, beaming.

  They chatted with Diana as she asked them how they all came to know one another and ended up here. They regaled her with each of their stories for several hours until the nurses arrived in force and procimed that visiting hours were over and that they would need to come back tomorrow so Diana and the other patients in the wing could get some rest.

  Groans of disappointment swept through the jubint crowd, all wishing to spend more time with Diana, making her feel wanted and loved.

  “That’s enough out of all of you; if you’re not gone in five minutes, I’ll call the orderlies to have you removed,” the head nurse said from the hallway, clearly frustrated at not having been able to attend to Diana for the st hour.

  As the disappointed but happy crew made their way to leave, each again gave Diana a peck on the cheek, promising to see her the next day. When the room was empty save for Diana and Inta, the head nurse looked at Inta, and Inta gave her a hard look in return, daring her to ask her to leave, which the nurse wisely declined to do.

  Several nurses came in, performed several quick medical checks, attended to her attached tubes and hoses, and were finally satisfied. All but one nurse left, who went to a cupboard and produced a couple of soft white towels and washcloths.

  “Ready for your bath?” the nurse asked Diana with an arm full of towels.

  “Would it be okay if Inta bathed me?” Diana asked softly. The nurse’s eyes narrowed for a moment, and seeing the desperate plea in her eye that spoke of something more, she softened her gaze and relented.

  “Okay, I don’t see any harm it,” the nurse said, smiling softly. Then turning to Inta, “You’ll need to take care around her limbs, the accelerated healing balms under her bandages have healed her skin closed, but it’ll still be thin and prone to tearing until more time has passed. Pat the skin with the washcloths, don’t rub. Everything else should be fine. When you’re done washing up, let me know and I’ll dress her wounds again.”

  With that said, the nurse put the towels on the foot of the bed and then closed the door behind her as she left.

  Inta looked down at Diana, lying in bed, and asked, “Are you ready for your bath?”

  With a blush creeping up her face, she gave Inta a coy nod in the affirmative.

  Inta pulled down the bnkets covering Diana revealing her hospital-issued gown. Carefully, Inta slid her hand under Diana’s butt and behind her shoulders, lifting her easily. She walked carefully towards the small, adjacent bathroom, surreptitiously grabbing and carrying the towels with another set of arms she sprouted as she passed the foot of the bed.

  Upon entering the bathroom and surveying the tub, Inta realized she had no real way to secure Diana in the tub safely so she wouldn’t slip down. “Sweety, there isn’t a good way to set you in the tub; I’m going to have to get in with you so I can hold you up. Is that okay?” Inta asked, concerned for her injured friend.

  Diana’s blush intensified, and she bit her bottom lip. “I’d like that, Inta,” she said, suggesting that it had been her intention all along.

  Inta set the towels on the counter, stepped carefully over the lip of the tub, and braced herself with her spare arms. She slowly sat in the dry tub, settling Diana just in front of her and holding her close to her by the waist.

  Diana rexed and leaned back, resting her head on Inta’s right shoulder. Inta held her like this for a moment, enjoying their intimate closeness. Then, deciding it was time for the business at hand, Inta leaned close to Diana’s ear.

  “I’m going to untie your gown and remove it now, alright?” Inta whispered into her ear, wanting to make sure Diana felt in control every step of the way.

  “Yes, Inta. It’s okay. I trust you, completely.” Diana breathed, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of Inta’s breasts pressing against her back. Inta slowly untied the hospital gown and removed it, dropping it over the side of the tub.

  “Before I turn on the water, I want you to know I can leave my dress on, if you want; It’s okay if gets wet, I don’t mind,” Inta offered.

  Diana gulped, then committed to her decision. “No, it’s okay. I’d… I’d like you to take it off,” she said timidly.

  Inta’s dress melted away, and they sat in the dry tub; Inta held Diana close, cradled between her spyed legs.

  “Oh my,” Diana squeaked in a moment of surprise, feeling Inta’s member growing firm, pressed against her ass crack and lower back. “Inta, do you… do you have a…” she tried to ask in a quiet, unsure tone.

  “Yes, Sweety. I do,” Inta answered her unfinished question. “I’m a hermaphrodite; both sets of plumbing so I can love anyone the way they prefer.” She followed her admission quickly with, “But if it bothers you, I can tuck it away…”

  “NO.” Diana said loudly, more forcefully than she intended. “I mean, you don’t have to do that. I don’t want you to feel like you have to change anything; I accept you for how you are.” Her tone suggested that she was hoping for the same.

  “That’s sweet, Honey. I’ll always accept you for who you are, too,” Inta replied, and Diana visibly rexed.

  Inta reached up to the shower head and lowered it, adjusting it so that it was just over their bodies. Then, she turned on the water, making sure it was warm and comfortable. “Is that okay?” she asked Diana.

  “Mmm, yes,” Diana answered.

  As the warm water gently sprinkled over Diana’s body, Inta reached over and grabbed the washcloth, got it wet and soapy, and began to gently wash Diana’s neck and shoulders. She turned her attention to the remains of her arms, gently patting the skin on her stumps as instructed.

  Inta paused before moving on. “Can I wash your chest and your breasts?” she asked.

  “Mmm Hmm,” Diana responded, nibbling on her lower lip.

  Inta applied more soap to the washcloth, stroking down from Diana’s neck to her chest, then in between Diana’s perky breasts, slowly washing the undersides of each. Inta swirled the washcloth across the surface of each of Diana’s soft globes, drawing out a soft “Mmmm” as the washcloth grazed her hardening nipples.

  Inta could feel Diana’s lust rising like an inevitable tide as the cloth lightly scrubbed her tummy and the sides of her torso, but before Inta could wash any lower, Diana interrupted her.

  “Inta, could you… please… touch me,” she paused. " There?” Diana smiled softly and whispered.

  “I will do whatever you wish, my Sweet.” Inta let the cloth drop to the bottom of the tub and spyed her fingers over Diana’s pelvis, just above her mons.

  Diana hummed in anticipation as Inta’s fingers slowly slid lower, only her middle finger parting her folds, and began stroking zy circles around Diana’s swelling clit. She gasped, then cooed as Inta added a second finger to her ministrations, slightly increasing the pressure and tempo.

  Diana hissed a soft “Yesss,” in response, and Inta added a third finger, stroking around Diana’s entrance in concert with the attention paid to Diana’s clit.

  “Oh, Inta. Oh, Inta,” Diana moaned softly over and over, then her need suddenly spiked. “Oh Inta, stick them in me, I need to feel you in me,” she pleaded.

  Inta slid first her index finger, followed shortly by her middle, as she slowly, luxuriously, slid them both in and out of Diana’s swollen pussy. Inta could tell Diana was right on the edge, and with her thumb still rubbing her clit, crooked her finger pressing firmly against Diana’s G spot.

  “Ahhh!” Diana excimed wordlessly as her climax exploded, her body shaking and trembling in Inta’s protective embrace. She held her fingers inside Diana until her climax waned, then withdrew them, bringing them to her own mouth and tasting them.

  “Mmmm. Darling you taste wonderful,” Inta purred, holding the limbless woman tight.

  “Oh thank you, Inta. I can’t tell you how much I needed that,” she said when Diana came down and regained her senses. “Especially now that I can’t…” not completing the thought.

  Inta didn’t say anything in response. Instead, she held Diana tight, giving her comfort and space to process her emotions. After a moment, Inta reached up and turned off the water, grabbed a towel, and tenderly dried Diana with it. Inta lifted Diana carefully and stood in the tub, drying herself with her extra set of arms, then naked, then brought Diana back to her bed.

  She id Diana back down and began covering her up, but before she could, Diana interrupted her.

  “Inta, could you cuddle with me?” she asked with an unsure smile.

  “Of course, Honey,” Inta said, sliding Diana over a bit, then she climbed into the bed, snuggling close next to her, the big spoon to Diana’s little.

  Diana sighed in contentment. “This is nice,” she said, enjoying the warmth of Inta’s body. They y there in silence for a bit, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other’s presence. A recurring thought raised itself in Diana’s mind, and she squirmed about until she faced Inta.

  “Were you serious before? What you said, I mean,” Diana asked, unsure of herself. “That you would never leave me?” Diana’s eyes were saucers, wide and vulnerable, afraid that Inta’s honest response would crush her, leaving her devastated.

  Tears formed in the corner of Diana’s eyes. “It seems silly to say it, but I think I fell in love with you the first time I met you.” Inta reached over and wiped her tears away with a soft brush of her thumb, then she continued, “but I’d understand if looking after someone in my condition was too much for you…”

  “I meant every word I said,” Inta replied, putting Diana at ease. “You mean a great deal to me, and I want to keep you close, and never let you go, if that’s what you wanted too.”

  “Oh, Inta, I want that more than anything,” she said fervently, then tried and failed to maneuver herself to kiss the silver girl holding her close. Inta took Diana’s face softly in her hands, brought her the rest of the way to her lips, and kissed her deeply. Inta tasted Diana’s joy as it spilled from her and drank deeply, savoring her fvor.

  They kissed for a long few minutes, each lost in the taste of the other. When they separated, Inta saw Diana’s passion fir again. Her face was flush with desire, and her eyes looked deep into Inta’s, hungry and wanting.

  “Inta, make love to me,” Diana said with urgency. “I need you to wash away the memory of that pce, and what happened there. Fill me with your sweet, kind love.”

  Inta couldn’t deny that which she wanted herself, but she paused, considering the ramifications. “Yes my Love, but first you must understand what you are asking. If I were to take you how I so desperately want to, it will begin the process of Bonding. We will be joined, inseparable; you would not st long without constant contact with me. Is that what you truly want?” she asked.

  Diana didn’t hesitate, “Yes, absolutely. I should have left with you the first time I had the opportunity; I don’t want to make that mistake again. Please, let me be with you, for as long as you’ll have me.”

  Inta smiled, joy blooming in her heart. “I’ll never let you go.”

  Joyous, Diana smiled. “Then show me; fill me with your passion.” Inta pulled her close, kissing her like she could transmit the secrets of the cosmos through her kiss alone. Inta rolled onto her back, pulling Diana on top of her, their breasts rubbing and pressing each other ft.

  Inta wrapped her arms around Diana, their lips locked together, tongues dancing. She sprouted another set of arms so her hands could stroke and caress the flesh of Diana’s back and ass without concern of her falling, her extra hands stopped, and each grabbed a handful of Diana’s ass cheeks, squeezing and caressing them. Inta’s cock, trapped between their writhing bodies, stiffened, and Diana took note.

  “Oh, Inta, It’s getting so hard! Put it in me!” Diana excimed. Happy to oblige, Inta shifted Diana on top of her so that the soft tip of her silver cock nestled and rubbed at Diana’s entrance, inside her folds. “Don’t tease me,” she whined, “put it it! I need it!”

  Inta slid Diana’s now sweat-soaked body down hers, pulling her down until her needy pussy swallowed Inta’s entire length. As she bottomed out, Diana came hard, her whole body trembling, the walls of her pussy fluttering, and gripping the silver shaft tight.

  “Hurrggh!” was all the noise Diana could muster as Inta began thrusting, not waiting for Diana’s orgasm to subside. Inta thrust rhythmically up into Diana, prolonging her orgasm beyond what she thought was possible. Inta’s rhythm became insistent, chasing her own orgasm, and just as her pumping became frantic, Diana exploded like a nova again. The orgasmic wave rolling off Diana hit Inta full force, and with one st powerful thrust, buried herself in Diana, bsting pulse after pulse of silvery cum deep inside Diana’s core. Inta’s orgasm hit Diana like a tsunami and swept her away, lost in orgasmic bliss.

  The lovers tensed, and Inta held tight to Diana, both swept along by the waves of their ecstasy. They reveled in it, their two hearts, in this moment, beating as one.

  As Inta came down from her high, she noticed that it had been too much for Diana; overwhelmed by the love, passion, and intense orgasm, she had passed out on top of Inta, a small, satisfied smile on her face.

  Inta could already feel their fledgling connection growing and smiled as well. Carefully rolling over, she set Diana back on the bed next to her, her softening cock still inside her, and looked into her peaceful face, brushing her sweaty locks from her face. ‘She looks angelic,’ Inta thought to herself as she slid her member out of Diana’s warmth, who then slowly roused.

  “Wow,” Diana said drunkenly, “that was intense. Really good, but intense. Is it always like that with you?” she asked as she wriggled limblessly closer to Inta.

  “Not always; sometimes it’s better,” Inta said with a smirk.

  Diana giggled. “I’m sure it is.” Then a small sad smile crossed her face. “I bet it would be better if I still had arms and legs.” Inta sighed at Diana’s pain, still coming to terms with what her life was going to be like without limbs.

  Inta wrapped her tighter in her own, wishing there was something she could do for her new lover. She kissed her softly on her cheek, then down along her neck to where it met her cvicle.

  Gncing down between Diana’s naked body and hers, Inta sight traced lines where their two bodies intertwined, and the image of the time she helped Will double-stuff June sprang unbidden into her mind. Her eyes lit up with a sudden idea.

  “What if I could lend you some? Arms and legs, that is?” Inta asked mysteriously.

  Diana looked at Inta quizzically, trying to determine if she was serious. “I don’t understand; what do you mean?” she asked, confused.

  Inta, thought about how best to expin. “I am more than what you see here, more than just this body. I have several bodies doing different things most of the time. I can let you use one and help you walk again.”

  Diana didn’t understand what Inta was trying to expin, multiple bodies and all that, but she trusted her implicitly. “Okay, If you think you can help, I’m willing to try.”

  Inta gave her a big hug and a kiss, then scooted off the bed. “Okay, great! Leave it to me.” Still wearing four arms, she scooped Diana’s naked body up off the bed, and she let out a delighted squeal. Then she turned her around so that Diana’s back was pressed against Inta’s front, four arms holding her under her ass and around her chest, just under her breasts.

  Inta’s eyes glowed a little brighter, and then she began melting around Diana’s naked form, creating a spider web of silver crisscrossing her body, forming a corset-like harness. It ran up her spine, circling her upper arms, and delicately circled her neck. It flowed down her spine, splitting and circling her thighs like garter belts.

  Then Inta’s two legs split, becoming four, the new legs sliding into pce at the ends of Diana’s stumps and connecting to the silver garters. Inta’s extra two arms slid forward and connected to the silver harness, settling and extending from the stumps of her arms, shrinking slightly to correct for Diana’s slightly different proportions.

  Like a cell undergoing mitosis, Inta separated and stepped back, her hands still on Diana’s shoulders, providing her bance. Bracing her, Inta stepped around to Diana’s front and looked at her. “Oh yes, this could work, this could work nicely.”

  Diana stood there, her mouth hung open at the shock of it, standing now at eye level with Inta. “I… I don’t know what to say,” Diana expressed. “Should I be able to feel them? How do I move?”

  “Well, for now they’ll be like regur prosthetics, so you won’t have any sensation. I’ll try to figure something out. But as far as moving, that’s the part where I help. Move your arms and legs like you normally would, and I will move the silver ones to match your intended movement.”

  “Won’t that take up all your time, helping me walk around?” Diana asked, still trying to figure out how all this would work.”

  “Sweety, I’m the gaxy's best multi-tasker. Trust me, I’ve got this. And you.” Inta said, wearing an enormous grin.

  Inta let go of Diana and took one tentative step back. Diana wobbled briefly, then found her bance. “Inta! I’m standing! I’m standing!” she said excitedly.

  Inta’s grin grew into an ear-to-ear smile. “Now, try to take a step towards me.”

  A smile of determination spread across Diana’s face, and then she took one tentative step in Inta’s direction. Their combined coordination was off slightly, and Diana fell forward into Inta, who caught her, still smiling. “Huh. I can manage all the instabilities of the dark matter power core but can’t quite get walking,” she chuckled. That’s okay, Hun. We’ll figure it out together.” Diana beamed Inta a grateful smile.

  “I think we need a little extra stability for now,” Inta said as two silver walking canes extended from the palms of Diana’s new hands. “There. Let’s try it again.”

  Inta took one step away from Diana again, and this time, with the assistance of the walking canes, she was able to take a shaky step towards Inta. “Fantastic!” Inta shouted with joy.

  “Let’s keep going!” Diana said excitedly, then took another step. Then another. And another. Soon, she was able to navigate around the room with a series of jerky, halting steps. “I’m walking again Inta!” Diana excimed, tears in her eyes.

  Inta rushed to her and hugged her tight. “Yes, my love. You are.”

  “We’ve got to go show the others!” Diana beamed and started hobbling towards the door of the room.

  “I think you’re forgetting something,” Inta said with humor in her eyes.

  “Oh, what that?” Diana asked, oblivious.

  “Clothes?” Inta said pinly. Diana looked down, suddenly horrified that she almost went charging out into the hallway, naked, save Inta’s silver harness.

  “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I almost did that,” she said sheepishly. “Can you help me get some clothes on?” She looked around briefly but didn’t see any of her belongings. “Do I even have anything of mine here?” She asked, suddenly realizing she hadn’t been to her apartment for weeks.

  “It’s okay, I’ve got you covered for now,” Inta said as silver flowed out from her harness, shimmered, and shifted into a blue sundress with a white floral pattern, a mirror image of Inta’s white dress with a blue floral pattern. “You can pick something else out ter,” Inta said. “But this will do for now.” She got close to Diana, hugged and kissed her, then stepped back. “Okay, let’s go show the others what we can do.”

  Inta got the door, and with a rekindled joy, Diana took halting steps out and down the hallway.

  ****

  The heavy, ornate doors to the Red Council’s audience chamber closed loudly behind Dust with a booming cng as he exited. Once the doors behind him were firmly closed, he allowed himself a moment of visible frustration as he dragged his palm down across his face.

  Seemingly as punishment for his previous failure at losing a shipment of sacrifices, the Council, in its infinite wisdom, had seen it fitting to task him with another menial but dangerous task. He set off down the dark stone corridor, the heels of his shoes ccking loudly, echoing down the empty corridor.

  “These fools wouldn’t have even been aware of the connection if I hadn’t done the research in the archive that spoke of the silver one,” he huffed to himself at the ck of appreciation he felt for his contributions, but then he heard another set of footsteps approaching swiftly from behind him so, he resumed his mask of righteous indifference before the one following caught up.

  “Brother Dust, wait up!” the balding, overweight man called out, matching his steps to Dust’s once he caught up.

  “Yes March, what is it?” Dust asked in an irritated tone. “I have a great deal to arrange in a retively short time.”

  “That’s just it,” March said, wheezing, though beginning to catch his breath. “I’ve been assigned to help you with your task.”

  “Have you, now,” Dust said to March, genuinely surprised. The Council must actually want him to succeed if they’ve assigned help from another division, he thought to himself.

  “Yes, both Brother Chalk and myself. The Council said the retrieval you are tasked with is of the utmost urgency.”

  “That’s good,” Dust said ftly. “We”, he emphasized, “are to retrieve two of the Divine’s shards.”

  The wheels visibly turned in the back of March’s mind, then visibly clicked. “Two? You must mean that we’re going back to the failed trap then?”

  Dust mentally sighed; some of the Faithful were so slow-witted. Thankfully, they could still prove to be useful. “It wasn’t a trap, it was a test.”

  They continued to stride down the dimly lit stone corridor then took the left-hand turn. “A test? Then why build a whole structure intended to capture her?” March asked, still not understanding.

  Dust was silent for a moment, reveling in compatriot’s discomfort at having the full picture withheld from him. He savored it a moment longer, then let him off the hook.

  “Tell me, why would we wait until they were on the other side of the quadrant to bait the trap? Wouldn’t it have been more efficient to do it when we knew they were close by?” March shrugged; he had no response. “Why build an impenetrable byrinth? The impossible barriers? Or the guardians?”

  He paused, letting the portly man stew a moment. “Every part of it was carefully designed to gauge the strength of this ‘silver one’. We confirmed that she was at Centrailia, a full two weeks away by the fastest ship avaible, but she crossed the distance in roughly half. That tells us that she has tapped some of the Ancient’s power of space travel, but has not yet accumuted enough strength to use it as described in our oldest records. She was able to decipher the coordinates left for her to find, telling us she is at least capable of perceiving the higher dimensions, if not actively work with them.”

  They turned another corner, and the hallway began a snting ascent, and they followed it upwards. “According to the video recordings that were transmitted, just she and her three companions bested a Narott Cat, bare-handed, a ptoon of mercenaries, as well as Sister Fair and her acolytes.” He gave March a sardonic look, “Though, to be honest, that sadistic priestess's talents rested more in Extraction than in combat and couldn’t have put up much of a fight.”

  The ramping hallway leveled out, and a rge set of double doors waited for them at the end of the hallway. “And the barriers designed to trap, yes? They were simple tests of strength to see what it would take to hold her.”

  Dust stopped before the doors and looked March dead in the eyes. “But the most important thing learned from the endevor was that she was willing to exert every avaible strength in her possession to rescue one she cared about, which tells us two things: One, without a doubt, she is descended of the Ancient Enemy, once again active in the Universe. And two, she and everyone she cares about are vulnerable.”

  He pressed the control button, and the rge double doors slid open wide, revealing an enormous hanger, full hundreds of rge warships. Dust turned and addressed March; “Prepare a hundred of your ships, and inform Chalk to ready his miners. We leave within the hour.”

  ****

  Three weeks ter, Dust stood on the bridge of one of the warships in orbit around the unnamed pnet in the system the stelr cartographers had beled ‘Locus One’. The pnet’s surface had been completely devastated in his short absence, reduced to molten sg from the merciless asteroid bombardment.

  He had lost a full quarter of the ships he brought on this mission to the vicious swarm of rogue asteroids pguing this system, but that was exactly why he brought so many. They had spent nearly half their time here just ser bsting rocks, only now were the miners reaching the depths of the ruins of the carefully id out structures below the mountain.

  “Your Grace, Brother Chalk reports that he has secured the package and is returning to orbit as we speak,” one of the bridge officers reported.

  “Very good. Tell him to bring it to me as soon as he’s on board. I’ll be in the ready room,” Dust commanded.

  “It will be done, Your Grace,” the officer acknowledged.

  Dust retired to the ready room, poured himself a hot tea, then sat in a soft, high-back chair near a viewport overlooking the pnet below. As he sipped his drink, he thought about the events of the st few months and felt deep in his bones great wheels turning, most of which were beyond his sight.

  Though he knew it was folly and should trust blindly, he turned over in his mind the possibilities of what the Divine was pnning, how he might be useful, and how to turn that to his advantage in the constant politics pyed by the powerful among the Faithful.

  His thoughts were interrupted when a chime sounded, indicating someone was at the door. “Enter,” he called aloud as he set his tea on a small table and then rose to greet them.

  An older, bent-over man, powerfully built, still caked in the dust and grim from long hours at the mining operation, entered. “Brother Dust,” He uttered the greeting like a curse.

  “Brother Chalk, good to see you,” Dust said, ignoring the man’s tone. “I understand you found our objective.”

  “Indeed we did.” Chalk produced a small bck box, with delicate gold iny.

  He held it out to Dust, who took it from his outstretched hand with a nod. Holding it reverently in front of him, Dust carefully released the tch holding the lid shut. Opening it revealed a velvet lined box with two green crystalline shards, pced carefully next to one another.

  “Excellent work, Chalk. I’m sure you will receive accodes and rejuvenation for your efforts,” Dust said, staring deep into the crystals, searching for inspiration.

  “There was one other thing the men found,” Chalk said as he fished into the leather satchel slung over his stooped shoulders. He found what he was looking for and held it out for Dust as well. “What do you think it is?”

  The pint sized gss jar was nearly full of sparkling silver dust, that shifted like blown snow when the jar moved.

  Dust’s eyes went wide with delight, took the jar and held it up to the light, examining it closely. “Answers, Brother Chalk. Answers,” he replied.