BUNJAIAN AND MUNIZKARA
Scene 54
His eyes opened at the sound of a nurse’s voice. Groggy, he tried to stir, and pain shot through his torso. “Not just yet!” The nurse placed his hand gently on Bunjaian’s chest. “We got you cleaned up, except for one small shard that’s still in there. Ir’s in a safe spot, though – it isn’t sharp, and we’ll get it out later, after we clean up all these other folks. We’re kind of busy. You just lay still so your stitches don’t rip.” The nurse heard a yell, and raced off.
Bunjaian stared up at the root-woven corridor ceiling. Where was he? Oh yes, the hospital, and he’d told them about the… about…
Pain shot through him as if that black spear had hit him again, and his body spasmed before he could think. He tried to breathe slowly. Gradually the violent seconds of the fight at the portal returned to his memory. Jaman was dead. The Hounds were dead.
That thing, what was that thing that speared me before the rest of it burned? I need to go back and report it, make the long trip back to Burunisil and tell them. No, I can’t. We… I was ordered to arrest the deserter and bring him back, alive or not. I looked around when they were prepping me here, and he wasn’t with them.
“How are you doing?” Terrenci came to his cot. “They did a good, fast job on you. You look a lot better than some of my folks who were in the fight here.”
“Where is the rest of the group, the Arcus people, is it? I only saw a few of you when I came in.”
“Oh, they’re headed through that portal where we found you. They’re far away now.”
Bunjaian wanted to ask more, but he nodded. “What will you do with me?”
“Do with you? Is there something you’ve done that we should know about?”
“Oh, no. Things have been confusing.” His mind raced. “I was on a mission with one of the guys who got killed, the human one, his name is Jaman. Or it was.” He turned his face away, as if he was about to shed tears.
Terrenci put a hand gently on his shoulder. “You’ve been through too much, my friend. Rest. We’ll get you back to your people when you’ve recovered. No need to think about troubles right now. You’ve survived.” She pulled up a blanket for him, patted his arm, and left.
He let out a sigh. One down. The rest of them are all wrapped up with recovering. I’m going to rest just until I can get up and keep after that Guinban. I’ll get to the portal. Then we’ll see if I can get my mission done. If I do, and I catch that guy, and get back to the City, there’ll be a huge bonus for all this. All I’ll need will be a small piece of him.
# # #
Munizkara looked closely at Mentrianos as he stared at the black woody stake and the bloody cloth around it. They rested on some stools in the hall leading to the surgery. Inkurisar and Nakiran had gone looking for some water to drink. What fascinated this man so much about this thing that had nearly killed him? Glancing at it made her shudder and recoil. Something was so deeply wrong about it, as if it didn’t even belong in this world, like some kind of alien infection. But here he was, looking right at it as if he was under some kind of spell, ignoring her completely.
She went looking for Inkurisar and Nakiran, and found them sitting in a small chamber off the main hospital corridor. Water bottles, half-empty, stood on a small stand between them. Nakiran was washing her hands in a basin, while Inkurisar was inspecting his beam weapon’s cartridge feed.
He greeted her. “You were with Mentrianos? Is he all right?”
She told them about the piece of wood and its effects.
He reacted quickly. “That thing that nearly killed that militia guy? Nobody seems to know what it is or where it came from – nothing like it that we’ve seen.”
“I’m concerned about it being here. I think it’s still dangerous, like poisons or toxins. It ought to be burned or ground up or something – best if it was burned, like the thing it was part of.”
He shook his head. “I’m more concerned about Mentrianos. He’s unhappy about Tellina taking the baby and deserting him. I doubt that there’s anything coming from that thing that’s affecting him. He’s been awfully quiet.” Inkurisar put away the cartridge case. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”
Munizkara nodded, but her concerns grew. It was a mistake, leaving the mother and child. I’m going to change that. She said, “Inku, you and Nakiran are doing well here. I’m going to try to follow Tellina and Samantine. They’ll need all the support they can get.”
He glared. “Are you crazy? They’re probably long gone from the portal by now. How would you ever find them? We’re family here!”
“I know. But some things are bigger than family. When I get supplies together, I’m heading for the portal. Arcalio abide with us all.” She turned to go.
“Muni, no!” Nakiran “Sister! What are you thinking? What can you do for them? These things are evil! They’ll kill you before you can find the others.”
Inkurisar said, “Muni, we need you here. We’re still bringing in refugees, and there aren’t any others to guide them and care for them.”
“Well, I’m going to go look him over again. I don’t trust him. I’ll be back soon,” Munizkara said over her shoulder.
Her mind was troubled. If Mentrianos is so attracted to that thing, he’s going to want to find its source. The Arcus people need to be warned about that. That source may be looking for the thing itself – it came through the portal once already. It might just try again. What happens if it finds Samantine?
She turned into the corridor where she and Mentrianos had been sitting. Mentrianos was gone, and so was the jagged piece of wood. The rag, blood-smeared, lay on the floor.
