Night fell over the entryway like a silent predator, sucking away the patients with a slow but determined passion. Shadows from the recessed windows snuck across the floor. The air grew dry and chilled as though a crack opened to exhale the frigid winds that swept across the plains. Asa periodically balled her hands and placed them under her arms to keep them warm.
But her coworkers didn't mind.
The Two created Celests to adapt to any climate, including the void of space. At first, the medic marveled at this information. Working in the same place, however, made this become more of an annoyance. She didn't even have clearance to a third of the building because it was uninhabitable for her.
The only warmth came from the pair of Celests at the counter glued next to each other. As a result, Asa had the pleasure of watching them exchange glances and lean even closer to each other, no doubt exchanging telepathic banter.
The azure female rubbed the ashen male's arm. Shyly, the male turned away, but the growing, wispy gray spread across his face quickly. A giggle echoed softly from the main desk. The draconic female slid into the entryway.
"Watch the front desk for a bit. We need to go run an errand," she said. Exiting the room, she pulled the male with her. The medic rolled her eyes though she felt a pang of jealousy and longing.
Errand, sure.
Even though she wanted to complain, she would much rather have someone to run off and forget the day with. The face of her previous lover haunted her at night. His passionate eyes were lifeless when she came home that night. He knew what she had done without prying it from her. Perhaps it would have hurt less if he had cut her off than had her stay the night elsewhere.
Instead, she slept next to him. No words or touch besides the brief, cold brush of his scaled arm against her back as he pulled over the covers. The rejection seeped under her scales like the chill in the file room.
She remembered his words: "You can't go around killing others like that. You do realize that was someone's child Asa? Would you have done the same if it had been ours?"
A shiver ran through her body. Those were the words that transitioned her dream to a nightmare. In the nightmare, her belly became swollen. Her back strained with the new weight. Though her dream-self could no longer see the infant that had squirmed in her hands, she knew it was now inside of her.
Without realizing, Asa's lip began to quiver.
"I'm sorry, I had to," the medic whispered in her native tongue, covering her face. She repeated it over and over, hoping the image would erase itself.
"Do you mutter to yourself often?" a voice interrupted her.
Removing her hands from her face, the medic saw a gray cloud, sagging, violet-tinted wings, and silver eyes: Renvir.
Asa inhaled sharply, batting the tears out of her eyes. Not making much progress, she resorted to rubbing them.
"Do you listen in to people's personal conversations often?"
"Nice to see you, too..." he said, trailing off. The medic fidgeted with her fingers. Hesitation crept over her. There had to be a reason the two Celests were avoiding him, but a name couldn't hurt.
"Asa," she replied. The Celest grinned.
"Asa," he hummed, "Do you think you could find one of your coworkers again? I would like to go to the hatchery."
The medic's forehead furrowed. She remembered her coworkers mentioning he visited daily, but she assumed he came in for something different each time. One of those annoying patients who claimed to have every sickness under the suns or a close equivalent due to her coworker's extreme avoidance.
"Again?"
"Well, it is my child."
Something inside of the Wikev snapped. Her mouth opened, but no words came. Asa didn't see him meet up with someone, and he couldn't imagine this being with an attractive, young lover. Surely the gray cloud would not be as large if he had a significant other unless the gray miasma was more than just an emotional indicator.
"I wasn't aware you were with someone," she pieced together after a moment.
"I am not." His answer came without hesitation.
"Then how-"
Asa began yet couldn't bring herself to finish. She tried to remind herself such things could be extremely personal. But curiosity stirred in the corners of her brain. She hoped he would give her an answer. The Celest scanned the area then replied:
"I was offered money to reproduce with a female selected for me."
"How poor are you to have accepted that?" another male voice rang out.
Reddish green scales flashed underneath the dimmed gem lighting. Ludis smirked as he closed the gap between them, placing an arm on the stone counter only a meter away from Renvir. The air around the three thickened. Even though didn't make the comment, regret gnawed in her stomach.
Renvir averted his eyes to the floor and stuck his hands in his pockets. The frayed threads of his tunic rubbed against his arms. The medic's lips tightened, and she shot her classmate a look before turning back to the Celest.
"You don't have to answer that," Asa said. A restrained laugh came from the Celest, his eyes grew heavy.
"It is fine. I am used to it," silver-eyes said. His voice quieted. His gaze met hers. "Is one of the others available to take me back?"
Asa's face drained of color, realizing the awkward situation the two idiots put her in. It didn't help that Ludis' eyes seemed stuck on her, which only increased her discomfort.
"They, uh," she said. She rapped the stone below her hands with her fingers, trying to find a way to put it nicely. After a moment, Renvir let out a heavy sigh.
"They will be at it for much longer than I wish to stay awake," he said, taking a step back from the counter, "Have a good night, Asa."
A sour feeling filled the pit of the medic's stomach as she watched the Celest exit. His hands stayed hidden in his pockets and his back hunched over from either the conversation, weariness, or both.
"You're seriously entertaining him?" Ludis asked, "He hardly looks worth the effort."
Asa's gaze met his golden eyes. His brow arched upwards, and his stare pierced hers. Frustrated, the medic's tail whipped from side to side.
"Cut to the chase, Ludis," she said. She could feel her patience thinning. Her classmate slid his other arm onto the surface between them.
"I heard Zienna will be back from her travels tomorrow at eight sharp. You can talk to her about your placement," he said, leaning in, "I'd enjoy working with an intelligent Wikev like yourself."
Even though the medic hated to admit it, it wasn't a bad idea. She didn't enjoy working in this division, and, despite her respect for the Head Core Reformer, the Celest clearly made a miscalculation.
"Sounds like I have a plan for tomorrow then," Asa said. Her posture straightened at the thought of receiving a purple gem like him. Ludis smiled then glanced at the clock.
"You're off in a few minutes, right?"
"Right," the female said, eyeing the time. It read almost half-past the seventeenth hour.
"Mind if I walk you back to your room?"
The medic's tail stiffened. Both of them stayed in the Core Center during training. While they could find a place of their own now, her class all agreed their time here would be temporary, so they kept their rooms. Their doors were right across from each other. She'd be heading there anyway, but one thing nagged her mind.
"Sure. Let me just check something quick."
Asa hurried into the file room. She had to know. She didn't know the caste, but she knew the name and planet. The Celests separated files by species and, since Concordia was a growing Eulian settlement, her search should be fast. The medic's nail ran down the line of folders.
Rastus
Rivnear
Sandor
Her heart skipped a beat. That couldn't be right. Asa ran through them again before scanning the entire section. Her body began warming without any heat. After the fourth run-through of the hundred or so files, she stopped.
Renvir's file wasn't there.