Exiled for her high ideals, Asa leaves her home planet to continue her medical career on Concordia in the Eulian Outskirts. Though the Celest-ruled empire is a drastic change from her nomadic tribe, she is determined to take the species' knowledge t...
The medic shifted her bag's string as Ludis' voice echoed through her mind. Uneasiness settled in between her lungs. Even the Tlochk she rode took notice of this. It echoed the emotion, becoming skittish and flighty. It's hooves clicked unevenly down the stone road.
The crisp, morning air nipped at Asa's scales. She pulled her overcoat tighter. After she dismounted the beast, the path worker took it back to the stables. The long grasses whispered little nothings in her ear as the transferred to the dirt path. She had agreed to meet Renvir at nine, shortly after the first sun rose.
Hearing a noise, Asa jumped. She cursed under her breath when she saw an avian. Even if she needed to keep on guard, her nerves were getting out of hand.
Near silence greeted her as she entered Renvir's alley. The medic gulped. Probably working, that's all, she thought. Even so, the moaning of the shambled together houses didn't offer any solace. She arrived at his door.
Asa hadn't noticed it's slight lean and the crack underneath until now. The rest of the shack consisted of metal and wooden planks blanketed with furs. He hunted.
While hunting was common for lower castes, mostly to bring in food, the uneasiness in her chest expanded. Her balled hand hovered over the wood. The door creaked open.
Renvir smiled when he saw her. Even the gray miasma snaking around him appeared lighter.
"You did come," he said. She swore he whispered it. Asa's tail flicked to the side.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"To be truthful, I did not believe you were assigned to me."
Stepping to the side, he let her in. She entered after a quick scan of the area.
Various items laid along the walls. A slanted curtain partially cut off the sleeping quarters. Asa could still see the corner of the bed with one tousled blanket falling off. The other furniture was sparse though it took up a majority of the place-a make-shift fire area for cooking, a table with two and a half chairs, a stone slab for a counter, and a bookshelf.
Vibrant colors led the female's eyes to the top shelf. Sitting alone was the cloth he'd wrapped her gem with. Asa grabbed her necklace.
Renvir walked over to the fire pit. While it didn't hold any flames, fresh coals flickered beneath. Silver-eyes grabbed a metal pot hanging above and two chipped, ceramic cups. He motioned towards the table.
"You may sit if you like."
"Thank you."
Asa sat on the chair closest to her. It leaned slightly, digging its shorter leg into the dirt. While she could feel a draft from the door, the medic felt warmer inside. The Celest carefully poured a green-tinted liquid into the cups. Steam carried its spicy aroma to her nose. It was kei, his species' the most popular drink.
"Oh, I don't need any," Asa said, motioning for him to stop. The ingredients for it were expensive, especially on a planet it didn't grow natively. Renvir's gaze flicked between her and the half-filled cup.
"Are you sure?"
"I don't want you to waste your money on me."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He set down the pot. It gave a loud clank.
"What did Phoeli say about me this time?"
"She said you barely ate twice a Celestial week."
Renvir muttered under his breath and filled the rest of her cup. After he sat it in front of her, he fell into the seat across from her. He gestured to the kei.
"I may not have much, but I am not starving. Please, drink."
Asa wrapped her fingers around the ceramic. Her scales tingled at the change in temperature. She grabbed it tighter, relishing the warmth, then brought it to her lips. A spicy, bittersweet taste greeted her tongue.
She'd never had kei before. And, as she sat it down, she wasn't sure she'd ever want more. Yet the medic found herself taking another sip after grabbing the writing materials from her bag. It was strangely addicting.
Taking out a pencil, she reviewed the male's file. The other Icoburi notes read: experiences symptoms without obvious triggers, constantly fatigued, admitted the fourth month of year three-hundred thirty-nine. Her heart skipped a beat.
He'd been admitted around eight months ago, this year. The new year, ironically year four-hundred fifty, was less than month away. Confused, Asa scanned the diagnosis. It had been smudged except for the first letter, M.
"You look frustrated," Renvir said.
It's then that Asa realized her clenched jaw, tapping pencil, and furrowed brow. Loosening her muscles, she straightened her posture.
"I'm having trouble piecing together these notes."
"Is that not why you are here, to ask me questions?"
The medic looked at him. Honestly, she wasn't sure what she expected from this meeting. Sandor wouldn't budge an inch because of how she practiced. Would he shut her down like him?
"Yes, it is."
Her heart thumped in her chest as she analyzed the situation. Across from her sat a Celest, taller than those she had seen before. His bright, yellow claws wrapped delicately around the cup of kei. His tunic covered his second set of arms, and his bruised hands were no longer wrapped in scratchy make-shift gauze.
Meeting her gaze, his silver eyes welcomed her. The loose smile he wore made her feel as though she were talking with a well-known friend. She could pick up a hint of his scent, a pine-laced tang. As she took a deep breath, it reminded her of the wooded areas across the Halicam channel back home.
"So, what would you like to know?" Renvir asked, clasping his hands together.
"Everything."
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