Illiya - Taylor Neeran Chronicles #1

Chapter 7 - Protocol

Up the creek

"IDIOT!" screamed Trent as soon as he took off his helmet. Leigh had dragged him back into the airlock, preventing him from taking off in pursuit of Carla. The decontamination cycle seemed to take ages.

"We can't do anything about her right now," said Leigh. "We need to talk to the Captain."

"We don't even know if she's alive! And if she is, her suit's been compromised, and whatever toxins, bacteria, viruses or other microbes there may be in those darts are circulating through her bloodstream!" yelled Trent.

Leigh unclipped his helmet and stepped out of the airlock as soon as the door opened. "We just don't know."

Trent quickly unzipped the thinsuit and discarded it on the floor. Trent stormed down the central corridor and onto the bridge, wild-eyed. "WHERE IS SHE?" he demanded. Leigh and Henry entered the bridge right behind him.

"Who would that be?" Susan asked with a level tone.

"THAT LITTLE BITCH! SHE NEARLY GOT US ALL KILLED!" Trent screamed.

"She's safe, and out of the way," said Henry.

Trent whirled around and stabbed a finger into Henry's chest. "SAFE? SHE'S SAFE? WHAT ABOUT CARLA? WHAT ABOUT..."

Susan spoke quietly and calmly. "Carla's fine, for now."

Trent took a deep breath. "How do you know that?"

"Her suit telemetry is still broadcasting. She's unconscious, but her vitals are otherwise normal. No signs of shock or infection so far. It looks like the darts may have carried a strong soporific causing temporary paralysis and loss of consciousness. Angus will run more remote tests on the suit diagnostics, but it seems that Carla was lucky."

Trent took two slow, deep breaths and shuddered. "She had no business being there, interfering with the contact. That little..." he paused, catching a warning in the captain's expression. "... Taylor, I mean, she shouldn't have been there. She should have been on the bridge where she couldn't cause any harm. Where she'd be out of the way."

"Nay, that's my fault," said Leigh. "I told her to stay there and watch from the glass view port, and I didn't tell her which button to press for the suit comms. She must have pressed both by mistake. I accept full responsibility."

"But, she..." said Trent, faltering.

"FULL responsibility," said Leigh. "Whatever that may come to mean."

Trent put his face in his hands and wept.

Leigh put a firm hand on Trent's shoulder. "She'll make it. She's a tough nut, our iron maiden."

"I wish you wouldn't call her that," said Trent, wiping his nose. "It's not... respectful."

"You're right, of course," said Leigh. "My apologies."

"So where... where is she?" asked Trent, regaining his composure.

"Who?" asked Susan.

"Your daughter, Taylor," said Trent.

"She's not ready for visitors," said Henry, adjusting a blood-soaked cloth wrapped around right hand.

"You'd better get that looked at," said Trent.

"It can wait," said Henry.

"How... how did that happen?" asked Trent, pointing at his crudely bandaged hand.

"Taylor bit me before I could jab her with a sedative," said Henry. "Had to shut her up fast. She was hysterical."

"Where is she now?" asked Trent, more softly.