Rigel
I wait with the other pet owners, hoping Ava will return to me. The other scourges pet owners are debating as to what might be happening behind the closed metal door.
"What do you think is going on in there," says a scourge.
"It sounds like screaming... Or maybe a fight," says another scourge.
Can they hear through metal walls? Or are they trying to fool the non-scourge amongst them?
Waiting to find out the status of our pets is like torture.
The door opens, and the vet tech re-enters the lobby. "Come with me, Dr. Rigel."
I shuffle toward the vet tech. The other scourge pet owners walk with me; their supporting hands are on my wings, arms, and shoulders.
"I only need Dr. Rigel, not the group," says the vet tech when I reach the door.
The others stay with me, somberly walking with me through a long hallway, stopping in front of a closed door.
"Prepare yourself," says the vet tech.
The door opens. Ava is on a hospital bed, screaming. Then when I notice what looks like blood on her shirt...
My wings open, throwing the tech against the wall. There is the sound of breaking glass. "How dare you hurt her!"
"Control yourself, Dr. Rigel!"
"Sedate him!"
There is a cold prick in my arm and I'm falling.
***
Someone's soft hand holds mine. "Dr. Rigel?"
I open my eyes, wincing at the bright light. Slowly, I become aware that I am lying down on a hospital bed.
From my bedside, Delphinus says, "Everyone was worried about you."
"Everyone?" My voice sounds gravelly.
"The bird is awake now. Come in," says Delphinus, speaking at the door.
The other pet owners from the lobby—were they waiting in the hallway?—enter.
"You gave us quite a scare," says the scourge with gashes on his arms—it's Sagitta, the scourge owner of the monster in that big cage, the monster who scratched my Ava.
All of the scourges from the lobby are here, but the one I wanted to see the most is not here. I need to see her. "Ava?"
"Who?" asks Delphinus, patting my hand.
"My... pet?"
There is the thwack of a tail and the scourges exchange glances.
"What is it?" I ask.
None of the scourges answer me, although Delphinus's grip tightens.
"Please tell me. I need... Ava...my Ava..."
"Maybe someone should bring the doctor for him?"
"He's getting upset."
"Maybe we should ask them to sedate him again?"
I pull my hand out of Delphinus's. "I don't need sedation; I need to know!"
It is at that instant the doctor enters. My visitors leave.
The doctor sits on a stool next to the bed.
"Doctor, please. I need to know..." I briefly squeeze my eyes shut. Ava.
"I have some bad news to tell you..."
My stomach churns. If they've hurt my Ava, I am going to get sick all over this doctor, and it will serve them right.
"We had a lot of pets that day and–"
"Had?!"
"Dr. Rigel, let me finish."
"Go on."
"Sometimes we keep pets in an intermediary room. It's more efficient and it helps us identify any problematic pets because not getting along with other pets often correlates with not adapting to life aboard Hydra."
I think about all the things she might have done while waiting in that room that might have led to me needing to talk to this doctor. Maybe she got in a fight? Or growled at a handler?
Arguing with an assessor's decision is against the rules, but I can't help myself. "Ava's normally very docile and she gets along with lots of other pets. It's just that some scourges hurt her so sometimes she's a bit reactive, but I promise we can keep on working on it, if only..."
"Dr. Rigel, stop, just let me–"
I can't help remembering scourges who expressed similar sentiments when I had to decide to remove a pet. I hadn't believed them, so I doubt the doctor will listen to me... For Ava's sake, I need to try.
"I just need someone to know... she was wonderful." I take a deep breath. Her official designation was "pet" but sometimes I dreamed that it could be more, but now... "She was the best pet."
The scourge doctor's eyes are huge, and his tail thuds. "Oh my... I might have inadvertently misled you. Dr. Rigel, let me start again. I agree, Ava is a wonderful pet."
"Did you say she is... not was?"
"Yes, she is a wonderful pet. So, she was in the back room with all the other pets, and... I'll just say that a young, unsupervised scourge got into the room—"
"It was Seth, wasn't it?!"
"That is confidential, but... yes. So that young unsupervised scourge released an overly aggressive pet from its cage, and it would have seriously hurt that young scourge had Ava not intervened. Consequently, she got hurt. If you are feeling up to it, I can take you to see her."
"What about her evaluation?"
"She was scheduled to take the test and the deadline was yesterday, so..."
"But it wasn't her fault..."
"I agree, and she can't take it now, but I reviewed everything, from her files, recordings from the wall unit where she was contained, and our consultations with scourge pet owners from the park and... When I look at the evidence before me, a pet that has likely been abused by a scourge and risked harm to defend a scourge, well... I would not be able to respect myself if I did not award this pet as not only passing but exemplary. I added extensive notes to her file indicating this. So, do you have any questions?"
"Can I see her?"
The doctor escorts me down a long hallway to the pet unit. We stand together outside a doorway.
"Does any of this look familiar to you, Dr. Rigel?"
"Should it?"
"We brought you here before and had to sedate you, but this time the medics cleaned her up."
I want to be prepared for what is on the other side of the door. "How bad is she hurt?"
"There was some bleeding, but I assure you, she's doing relatively well—let's all thank the stars for the other pets in that room. Another pet stood guard over her until the vet tech intervened, so..."
The door opens.
Ava is in bed with an I.V. in her arm. She makes a little cry and reaches out for me. "Rigel, Rigel."
I am supposed to be an esteemed behaviorist, but Ava is calling out for me. I cannot deny her and climb into the hospital bed with her.
I'm careful, avoiding Ava's long IV tube. I don't want to inadvertently hurt her, so I inspect her first. I pull back the sheet, crying out when I see the bandage on her stomach.
My hand hovers over her. "Hurt?"
Ava has a surprised look on her face, probably because I say the word in her language. How could I not know the word? Even though she has only been with me for a brief time, she has already been in the hospital a few times.
"I'm glad to see that you are making yourself comfortable Dr. Rigel," says the voice of the scourge doctor who I'd already forgotten was in the room with us. "I will give you a brief status update before leaving. Considering what happened, she's doing well. We've patched up everything by applying antibiotics, stitches, and bandages where needed. She is also on a low dose of pain medication. We do need to keep her another day for observation and this room has already been set up so that you can stay with her if you so desire... So, unless there are any other questions..."
"No," I say and the doctor leaves.
I am mindful of Ava's injuries and carefully wrap an arm over her breasts. For extra measure, I gently place my wing over her.
I close my eyes and let out a long breath. Finally, my Ava is safe.