It took a moment for Maggie’s eyes to adjust to the gloom, as she followed Tagata inside. They’d laid several simple cots out in barracks fashion, with long cloths hanging suspended for dividers. Some were occupied, mostly by other Azha, while others were empty. The Sixièmes had already carried the kid to a cot set off to one side, wheeling over a device with attached tubes as the Medic washed her hands.

“We’ll have to intubate,” she informed them, giving the kid a quick once over while Maggie watched with interest. “Xaak symbiotes carry a tetrodotoxin analog that blocks the sodium channels and suppresses respiration,” she explained. “Dangerous enough in adults, but in a child…” Blye leaned in, gently tilting his head back as she inserted a plastic guide into his mouth, before taking the tube from her assistant and carefully threading it down his throat.

Maggie had seen plenty of docs in action over the years, and she nodded in approval as she watched the Troisième work. Her movements were economical and assured. Blye was skilled and had confidence in her abilities, and she made a note to look her up if she ever took sick. Within minutes she’d finished the procedure, securing the tube as she checked the device’s readouts.

“Good...excellent,” she smiled, before placing her stethoscope on his chest and listening to his heart and lungs. They spent the next several minutes checking his vitals and taking a blood sample, while she examined her patient.

“I’d say you got him here just in time,” Blye said at last, turning to Maggie. “Had you waited any longer, I doubt he would have survived,” she said, washing and drying the hands once more.

“So what happens now?” Maggie asked. Her own knowledge of Xaak poisoning was limited.

“Now...we wait,” the young medic sighed. “With any luck, his own body will break down the toxin, and he’ll recover on his own. The ventilator is just to get him through the most critical phase. That being said, I’ll start him on an IV while we run the blood work. Based on a cursory examination, he appears to be malnourished and underweight. We’ll see if we can’t start correcting some of that.”

“How long till you know if he’s gonna make it?” Maggie blurted out, despite herself. It was just curiosity...it wasn’t like she knew the runt or anything.

“We should know one way or another by tomorrow,” she smiled, standing up. “We’ll monitor him for now, and hope for the best.” She was suddenly all business and energy again, as she took Maggie’s elbow. “Well then...I believe I promised you lunch,” Tagata continued, guiding her towards the rear of the building, only to pause for a moment as she turned back to the orderlies. “Get the IV secured and monitor his heart. If he crashes, it’ll be in the next few hours.”

“Yes Troisième,” they nodded, getting to work, as she smiled at Maggie once more.

“It won’t be anything fancy, I’m afraid,” she shrugged. “Soya bar and a protein shake are all I can offer.”

Maggie snorted. “Do I look fancy?” she said, showing her dirty and ragged clothing.

Blye chuckled at her quip, throwing together identical meals for them both, carrying a tray to a nearby table. It was standard fare, bland but filling. She took a moment to bow her head and give thanks, while Maggie dug straight in. She’d been in tight rations lately.

As they ate, the Chevalier regarded her counterpart. “Maggie...are you under contract at the moment?” she asked.

“Nope...between gigs,” she mumbled, wiping off her mouth. “Why? You lookin’ to make a deal?”

“We’re a shoestring operation,” Blye shrugged, “and some of our equipment has seen better days. We could use the services of a good Tinker if the price is right.”

She considered that for a moment and then nodded. “I’m stuck here anyway, till I get my scooter fixed,” she said at last. “Standard contract?”

“Room and board, free medical care, plus anything you can scrounge we’re not using ourselves,” Tagata smiled.

Maggie nodded, spitting into her palm and holding it out. “You got a contract.”

Blye did likewise, as the pair clasped hands and shook. The deal now stuck, she began cleaning off her skin with a towelette. “A deal may be a deal, but I am a healer,” she shrugged. “Germs, you know.”

“Yeah, I know the drill,” Maggie snorted, wiping her own hand off on her pants. “So what needs fixin’?”

“As soon as we finish our meal, I’ll show you what we have.” The medic paused for a moment. “Um...before I do...may I please see your toolkit?”

The Tinker managed a wry look. “Got some delicate instruments, I’m guessin’?”

Her bearing took on a prim cast. “This is a medical establishment.” Rising to her feet she stood before the Tinker, her arms cradling her belly as she waited for a response.

Downing the last of her shake, Maggie ignored the pose, shaking her head. “Come on, I’ll show ya’,” she told her, waving her back towards the entrance. The young woman blinked in confusion, shaking her head before she squared her shoulders and followed as they went back outside. At her scooter, Maggie unlocked and opened up her battered toolkit, pulling out each drawer for inspection.

The Troisième nodded as she looked over her gear. Her tools were immaculate, even if they were scratched with use, each one lying nestled in custom-fitted recesses making maximum use of the space, like a set of nesting dolls.

“You can tell a Tinker by their tools,” Tagata recited, nodding in satisfaction. “It’s our diagnostic equipment that’s in most need of repair, and as you said, they’re delicate. I had to be sure.”

“Been disappointed if you hadn’t looked,” Maggie shrugged as she closed up her kit. “A craftsperson wants her clients to appreciate her efforts.” Hefting the case, she looked at the medic. “Lead the way.”

Heading back inside, Blye chose a different path, taking her into a storage room. They’d piled a jumble of gear all around them, on the floor and on shelves. “I’m afraid we haven’t seen a Tinker in some time,” she sighed. “Few to be found on this world.”

“I reckon that’s true,” Maggie agreed, setting down her toolkit and scratching her head as she surveyed the broken equipment. “Need a few hours to give everything a good once over, but then I should be able to tell you how long the job is likely to take.”

“Splendid. I’ll leave you to it,” Blye smiled. “Should you need anything, just ask.”

“I will,” she nodded, taking the nearest device off its shelf and looking it over.

She was engrossed with her tester’s display, tracing a circuit when the young medic returned, several hours later. “Dinner is ready if you’d care to wash,” she informed her.

Looking at her grimy hands, Maggie nodded. “Probably a good idea,” she agreed, as she ambled off to the head to get cleaned up. Taking a few minutes to scrub her face, and the worst of the grime from her clothing, she arrived somewhat refreshed at the same place she’d eaten her lunch. Blye and the pair of Sixièmes were already seated, waiting for her.

“I didn’t have the chance to make introductions earlier,” she smiled, indicating the two young men. “This is Prashant Dibra and Joona Grec. Gentlemen, this is Maggie.”

“A pleasure,” the one on her left nodded. “Call me Prash.”

“Just Joona,” the other grinned. “Glad to have a Tinker here. We’ve needed one for a while.”

“Don’t need to tell me,” she snorted. “How’s the kid doing?”

“He’s stable, for now,” Blye informed her. “Hopefully in the next few hours, we’ll see signs of improvement.” She began serving up their meal, some sort of cooked dish whose main ingredient was...no surprise...Soya, though she could smell a hint of spices as the aroma wafted her way. A small helping of greens were on the side, along with a flat cake...but it was the bottle she cracked open that had Maggie’s full attention.

“Wine? You have wine?” she said in amazement.

“We have a garden out back,” Joona told her, as he passed over a glass. “It’s not much, but it makes for a pleasant addition to our meals. Fermentation is a simple process once you understand the chemistry.”

“I’m more interested in the final product,” Maggie grinned, sniffing the glass before taking a tentative sip. “Oh...wow…” she sighed in pleasure.

“We’ve been saving it for a special occasion,” Prash shrugged. “Now seemed like as good a time as any.” The meal now portioned out, the three Knights bowed their heads in prayer, as Maggie froze, her fork halfway to her mouth. Sighing, she lowered it back to her plate, waiting until they finished before picking up where she’d left off.

“...I’m honored,” she chuckled, as the fork found her mouth at last. The spices were a welcome addition, flavorful, without being overpowering. You never trust a meal where you taste nothing but spices. It meant they were hiding something they didn’t want you to notice.

“Well...it’s not just because of your arrival,” Blye admitted. “We’ve heard from the Azhakom government. They’ve given us our walking papers, I’m afraid.”

The other two nodded in glum agreement. “Move along, filthy Terran, move along,” Maggie quoted in disgust. “How long you got?”

“Another week, local time,” she answered. “I’ve sent word to our Clan Chief, asking for instructions, but we’ve yet to receive a reply.”

“It could be months before you hear anything,” Maggie pointed out. “What are you gonna do in the meantime?”

“We’ll find something,” Blye said with confidence, “There’s always someone who needs our help.”

“So what got you on the Azha’s radar?” Maggie asked, taking another sip of the delicious wine. She was rationing it, savoring each drop for as long as she could.

“Agitation and disrespect of cultural traditions,” she shrugged. “The Azha you saw, the ones without symbiotes. They’re all but pariahs in their culture, and our assistance upset the traditionalists.”

“Well, I wish you luck,” she replied. “I should have everything fixed by then...with a couple exceptions.”

Blye shared a look with her companions. “Then we should discuss the exceptions.”

“Well, your Chromatograph is shot,” Maggie told her. “Even if I had the parts...which I don’t...fixin’ it would be a waste of time. My advice? Scrap it and try to find another one. I’ll handle it if you like.”

She sighed, nodding. “I was afraid of that. We’d been nursing it along for years, but…” Tagata shook it off, setting it aside. “Take it, I promised you any salvage we couldn’t use. And the other exception?”

“Your PET scanner,” she explained. “The emitter is completely fried. Everything else I can fix, but the emitter is a specialty item. There are some things a Tinker doesn’t mess around with, and that’s one of them. It’s made as a unit, under strict guidelines, cause Radioisotopes are nothin’ to play with. That needs to be replaced.” She pulled out her minicomp. “So you got a choice. Scrap it too, or look for a new emitter. I can search the boards if you like, but it’ll be hit or miss.”

“Maggie...I cannot stress enough how important that scanner is to our efforts,” Blye said point-blank. “We need that to be operational again.”

“All right, I’ll see what I can do,” she said. “No promises though...and I doubt I’ll find one before you have to lift.”

“All we can ask is your best effort,” she replied, rising to her feet. “Prash, if you could clear, I’m going to check on our newest patient.” She left the dining area, heading back to the ward.

“Yes Troisième,” the orderly nodded, gathering up the empty plates.

Maggie kept her glass, as she was still nursing the wine. “Anything I can do to help?”

“You’re our guest,” Joona smiled. “She’d kill me if I put you to work.”

“Yeah, she beat you to it,” Maggie smirked.

“If you’d like, we can give you something to wear and clean your clothes,” he continued after a moment’s thought. “Between the patients and their bedding, that’s a continuous operation.”

Giving her jacket a tentative whiff, she wrinkled her nose. “Guess I might just take you up on that,” Maggie answered. “You maybe got a place a gal could scrub up?” she asked.

“I’ll show you,” Joona told her, guiding her back towards the ward. “There’s a small door next to the shower you can put your clothes in, and I’ll have something for you in their place when you’re done.”

“That’s the best proposition I’ve had in years,” she cackled, making the younger man blush. She popped him in the arm to show she was teasing, forcing a smile out of him, as he opened a door to reveal a simple shower and bench.

“Soap is in the dispensers,” he explained, “take as much time as you want.” He left, closing the door behind him.

Checking the door lock...you can never be too careful...Maggie polished off the last of the wine before she stripped down, bundling up her clothes and placing them in the receptacle he’d shown along with her glass, before turning on the water. Of all the things she missed, a hot bath had to rank high on the list. A shower was a close second, but there was something about luxuriating in a tub, letting the water just soak your cares away. She adjusted the temperature and then stepped inside, standing under the hot stream, closing her eyes and letting the water run down her body, reveling in the sheer pleasure of hot clean water coursing across her skin. It had been so long…

After indulging herself for far too long, she got down to the business of scrubbing herself clean and washing her hair until she shut off the water and toweled herself dry, her skin pruned and glistening. Opening the little door, she found a simple pullover tunic and loose-fitting drawstring pants, along with a robe and a pair of slippers. They weren’t ostentatious, but they were more than serviceable...and the robe was almost sinfully soft. She ran her fingers through her ragged mop of hair, bringing order to the chaos, before opening the door and padding out to locate Blye.

She found her seated beside the kid, holding his hand, as Prash made rounds with the other patients. “How is he?” she asked.

“I think he'll make it,” the medic smiled. “He’s a fighter, this one...but then he’d have to be, taking on an Azha-Xaak three times his size.” She shook her head in resignation. “We got his test results. Severe vitamin and nutrient deficiencies. It’s a miracle he’s still alive.” She reached out, brushing his hair from his face. “I suspect he’s been eating Azha food for some time now. Their biochemistry differs greatly from ours.”

“Any idea who his people are?”

“None,” Blye shrugged. “There are no Clan markings on him...there wouldn’t be, being so young. I’ve taken a DNA sample. I’m hoping that will tell me something.”

“And if you find his family?”

Tagata looked up at her. “Then we take him home.” She bowed her head, her free hand reaching down to stroke her full belly. “Family is important.” Lifting her head, she gazed at the older woman. “Is there a reason you haven’t given me your blessing?” Blye asked, voicing what had been on her mind since they’d met. “Twice now I’ve given you the opportunity, and twice you’ve brushed it aside. Do you not follow the custom?”

The Tinker winced. “...kids make me skittish,” she mumbled, glancing over at the unconscious boy.

“Children are a gift,” the Knight said with reverence, her hand resting on her tummy, “the most precious gift of all, given how few of us are left.” She cocked her head, her eyes a silent challenge.

Part of her wanted to back away...to run away...but instead, she swallowed, steeling her nerve before stepping forward and placing both hands on Blye’s stomach. “May Mother Terra bless this child, and all that follow,” she whispered, before stepping back away.

“Thank you,” the young Knight smiled.

Fighting an urge to wipe her hands on her pants, Maggie struggled to change the subject. “So...is there a Mister Tagata?”

“If you’re referring to the child’s father...that would be sperm sample DK-237-J9094-YC-44,” she chuckled. “A DNA comparison made it a good choice, to maintain genetic diversity. I conceived all my children that way.”

“...all…just how many kids do you have?” she asked.

She stroked her belly once more. “This will be my fourth.”

Maggie blinked and then looked around the ward. “So where are the other three?”

Blye looked away. “With their families,” she whispered, her eyes shining. “The life of a Chevalier in active service is not one that allows for the luxury of children...and yet it is my duty to preserve our species, the best I know how. When this child is born and weaned...she will be fostered out as well.” She wiped at her eyes, before holding her belly tight once more.

Maggie could only stare in shock at the young woman. “You just...give them away?” she hissed.

“To good families, who will raise them with love,” she answered, her chin thrust out in defiance. “If our race is to survive, we require every child we can bear.” Her gaze was a piercing one, burning into her very soul. “I take my responsibilities as a Knight, as a Healer, and as a human, quite seriously.”

Her mouth moved, but no words would come. Maggie turned and stumbled away; the bile rising in her throat, her soul crying out in anguish.