Exodus Eternal

Chapter 5: Just a Drop

Clutching a pouting Merlot, Vesta slowly followed the tall, muscular form of Condra Tae through the doors of the medical room. The male being, whom Tae called Fane Rom, motioned dramatically for Vesta to sit on the bed. He cast an uneasy glance at her furry companion, but turned his back to her and began talking to Tae. The young outer world child was now lying still and quiet in a bed at the end of the room, a soft hum coming from the white arm above its body.

Merlot swished his tail and tried to growl. Vesta scratched his head and the cat was distracted for a moment.

“Just wait, soon we'll be out of here and you can relax," Vesta murmured soothingly. Merlot turned his face towards her and blinked. Vesta shrugged.

The conversation between the two outerworld beings was animated, but when Vesta looked for Brille for some explanation, she discovered the translator was nowhere to be seen. Tae asked a question in a low, husky voice. With a wave, Fane Rom pressed a blue button on the white arm, and two strands of what looked like DNA appeared. One was red, and the other was blue. The red one looked familiar to Vesta, so she gathered that it must be the human one. Since she was brought in with Tae, she assumed it must be hers. The blue DNA strand was strange, obviously an outer world being, but something seemed off. There was a damaged section of the strand, and this was the reason for much discussion between the two outer world beings.

Suddenly, Fane Rom held up a hand. Grabbing the vial of blood taken from Vesta just a short time earlier, the doctor extracted a small amount and leaned over the white medical arm. Condra Tae stepped forward as well, casting a quick glance at Vesta, he leaned forward as well. The doctor took another vial of darker liquid and mixed the content of the two vials together. He then opened the side of the white arm and slid the combined contents inside. Fane Rom quickly pressed a series of buttons on the arm and the two holographic DNA strands shimmered and reappeared.

The doctor and commander stared at the strands, then turned to stare at Vesta.

Merlot growled again, so low Vesta could only feel it. She gave the cat a squeeze. Vesta's attention was brought back to the doctor and commander as they seemed to have progressed into a more heated discussion.

Condra Tae made a slicing motion with his hand and shook his head. Fane Rom held his hands out, waving one at Vesta. The doctor held his hand up in a way Vesta took to mean he had an idea. Marching towards Vesta, he took her arm and pulled her off the bed.

“Condra Tae…" Vesta began. “What…"

Vesta was coaxed out of the room with the doctor holding her arm. Merlot struggled menacingly until Tama silently appeared and took him. Vesta saw a brief struggle as Tama tried to put Merlot back in the silver box. The doctor tugged Vesta's arm and she was once again guided forward. The trio moved on down a dim hall that grew more and more crowded. Laying on the ground, or leaning on walls, outer world beings of all sizes were crammed into the narrow hall. Some were coughing, others moaning and others gasping for air. They looked at Vesta and her ensemble with tired, red eyes.

“What is wrong with them?" Vesta asked. “Is this the sickness Brille told me about?"

She didn't get an answer, just a pull from the doctor who still held her arm. Condra Tae followed just a few steps behind Vesta, and she found some comfort in the steady step of the outer world commander. She looked over her shoulder and was met with a serious, amber gaze. Rolet had joined them at some point and walked confidently beside Tae, looking around with weary eyes. They reached the end of the hall. Opening a door with a swipe of his hand, Rom brought Vesta through and held her beside him.

It took a moment for Vesta's eyes to get accustomed to the strange, dull red light. The sight before her took her breath away. They stood on a type of balcony, and below them were several rows of outer world beings lying still or moaning on beds lining the walls.

“Are they ill? Is this the sickness?" Vesta whispered, looking at the doctor and commander. Rolet caught her eye, and she noticed a tear running down his cheek.

Fane Rom turned Vesta away from the sick beings. He pointed at her arm, then pointed at the beings struggling below.

“What?" Vesta shook her head. “Are you saying I caused this?"

She shook her head.

“That's not possible."

Fane Rom sighed harshly. He motioned to her arm and made a needle action. Vesta felt an idea forming in her mind.

“Something about my blood…what about it?"

Without even a glance, the doctor turned Vesta and the other doctor around and went back to the medical room. Vesta was left by a bed as the doctor removed the vial from the white arm where he left it, and taking a silver utensil that, to Vesta, resembled a small gun, moved towards the small form of the sleeping child.

A female, gray-coated being dashed into the room, followed closely by two more, and they all surrounded the bed of the sick outer world child. Fane Rom injected the contents of the vial into the child, who didn't even make a sound.

Brille tapped on the clear door.

“There you are!" Vesta exclaimed quietly.

The translator slid into the room and spoke quickly to Condra Tae. Vesta watched him eagerly.

“What's going on?" she asked when he approached her bed. “Did you bring my cat?"

“No," Brille said flatly. He looked at Vesta, looked away, then returned his gaze to her.

“What is it?" Vesta asked again. “They showed me a room full of sick people. Then he pointed at my arm."

“Yes," Brille looked at Vesta with wonder. “It seems your blood has antibodies that attack and destroy the sickness that is plaguing the outerworlds."

With a glance over his shoulder, Brille gently pressed Vesta to sit on a bed and continued.

“Our worlds have been plagued with a great sickness, but we could not find a cure. When examining your blood, the Fane Rom discovered you had the antibodies needed to kill the sickness. Just one drop of your blood is healing the child."

At that moment, the gray-coated beings burst out into excited chatter. The little one had opened its eyes. All eyes in the room slowly drifted to rest on Vesta. She felt the hair on the back of her neck begin to stand up.

“Why are they staring?"

“You have just become very important to us all."

The next few minutes were filled with chatter, outerworld beings dashing in and out, and continuous examination of information on a series of screens. Condra Tae and Rolet left the room, and Brille had to help out with some new arrivals. Fane Rom motioned for Vesta to stay where she was with very obvious gestures and expressions. The parents of the child came in to retrieve their offspring and were overjoyed to find out the fever had broken.

Once the medical room fell silent, Vesta was given another cup of floral tasting liquid. As she drank, she noticed the gray-coats murmuring a few steps away. They cast the occasional glance her way. Then…they stopped talking.

Vesta stopped drinking.

The gray-coats broke their huddle and dispersed through the room. One being left the room and stood outside the door. Two others came to stand on each side of Vesta's bed. Fane Rom was digging around in a sort of cupboard, finally pulling out another little silver gun similar to the one he used on the child.

“What are you doing?" Vesta asked nervously. “Brille? Condra Tae?"

The beings beside the bed took a firm hold of Vista's arms and made her lay back.

“No no, let me up," Vesta said loudly. “What are you doing? Brille!"

She began to struggle. Although these beings were tall and slender, they were incredibly strong. Vesta realized she couldn't move and began to panic.

“Condra Tae!" she screamed as Fane Rom turned her arm towards him and fiddled with the utensil in his hand. “Please stop! Condra Tae!"

Rom plunged the gun into Vesta's arm. She screamed in pain and terror, struggling in vain against the iron grip of those around her.

Again Vesta screamed. She could feel the bed beneath her arm feel wet, twisting her head she could see the crimson liquid coming from her arm.

Vesta screamed one last time, praying for help from the only person she knew could help her.

Suddenly, the door to the medical room shattered, and a series of blue lights blasted into the room.

Fane Rom pulled the utensil from Vesta's arm just before Condra Tae grabbed him by the neck.