Captain Emrah Jackson Ch. 16

The landing pad was in a pressurized hanger. Two heavy doors opened, then closed as my little ship landed.

The landing area was empty as I exited, but then a familiar figure appeared. It was Hogarth in what looked like a lab coat. His face was full of surprise and confusion. I ran towards him, knowing I had to make this feel convincing. I threw my arms around him, shocking him even further.

"I'm so glad to see you," I cried out.

He hugged me, and quickly asked how I got here. I gave him a brief rundown of my capture by Delphine, and escape from the bounty hunters.

Once satisfied he brought me inside and sat me down on an expensive leather chair.

"Start from the beginning," he said, calmly.

I began my rehearsed story, detailing as much as I could. Starting with the death of Orton and finally my decision to come here. There was more concern than shock in his face now. The questions started, the first being why I would return. I told him it was the only life I had known, and how Delphine had treated me horribly. The second thing he wanted to know was why I chose to escape from the bounty hunters. I gave him a brief description of what they did to me.

"That sort of stuff happens," he said, grimly.

He commented on my physical condition, and I told him about running out of food on my way here.

"We need to get you checked out," he said.

As he took me into a medical room, I got the feeling that my story was holding up. My decision to throw in a few tears as I described things didn't hurt either. He put me onto a bed and ran a scanner over my body.

"You are very malnourished, Cara."

I nodded weakly.

"I'll get some fluids into you, there won't be any permanent damage."

He took another device and started to run it up the side of my leg. I saw it was a small lazer that was cutting the fabric. He traced up each side of my body. Once complete, he peeled the suit off my body leaving me naked on the table. His wrinkled face didn't show much reaction. That must have been down to him being a doctor, I thought.

He commented on the bruises on my body, and then laid a thin sheet over me. There was another round of scans, and he began to insert needles into my arms, which he told me would give me nutrients.

"What will happen to me now?" I asked.

"In a few days you will be back to normal health."

It wasn't a lot of time, and with the needles in my arms it wasn't going to be easy to complete my task. Ideally I wanted to stay a lot longer.

"I mean after that, where do I go, could I stay here?"

He laughed. "You don't belong to me, I will have to contact Orton's family, and see what they want to do with you."

All I could do was nod, and give him a weak smile.

He told me that it would be best to sleep through my recovery. That was not what I wanted to hear, and fought back against the feeling. It was no use and my eyes closed.

I wasn't out for the whole time. Hogarth brought me back to consciousness a few times to run more scans. Every time I went out, I had the fear that my mind would be wiped again.

Then I found him standing next to my bed with a big smile on his face.

"I've got two bits of good news," he said, cheerfully.

I rubbed my eyes, and managed to sit up.

"The first is, that you are back to full health, medically speaking anyway." That certainly was good to hear.

"What is the other?" I asked.

"Well, I have contacted Orton's family, and we came to an agreement. Good news, Cara, I've bought you."

He beamed widely, and I felt empty inside. It was a relief of sorts, as it meant I would be staying a little longer. It was just the way he thought it would be a happy moment that turned my stomach.

I tried my best to be enthused.

"I got you fairly cheap too, what with you being used goods."

Again I had to feign a smile.

He started to remove the tubes from my arms. "I will give you a few moments to collect yourself, then you can come into the other room, and we can be properly reunited"

It was then that I felt the familiar feeling of a collar around my neck.