The Quarry

[Rage Menelas]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]“What happened here?” Quang inquired, speaking to the prone figure he had carried in from the cold, his recognition of the man returning along with the healthy tone of his flesh.

At the question, Ryan opened his eyes and looked around. He was on a ship, that much he could readily ascertain... exactly which ship was a mystery... until, that is, his eyes found Quang Liu. He licked his lips, his tongue a mass of feathers, and spun around to a seated posture on the bed. “Can I get some water?” he croaked.

Quang obliged, tossing a canteen to him. Ryan caught it by chance—it bouncing off his chest, him catching the rebound—looked at the thrower and nodded his thanks. He drank long of the thirst-quenching liquid, spilling it liberally across his chin in his haste.

“Where is Master Erzo'acteru?” It was as much a threat coming from the Korean as it was a question. You will tell me where he is or I will kill you! Ryan pulled the canteen from his lips, grimaced.

No need, he wanted to say, my head is already killing me. “I was told he was down with a bug,” Ryan explained.

“Bug...? What bug...? What are you talking about...?”

“The installation is under quarantine due to an infection of some kind.”

“Who told you this...?” Quang asked angrily.

“Laura, my... uh... nurse...”

“Quarantine...? by who's authority?”

“The federation... Quang... You should know about it. And what the hell are you doing here anyway?”

“There is no federation quarantine of this facility.” He scowled. “I came to discover the whereabouts of my old master. When Saar'floe failed to check in at the appointed time, I volunteered to investigate.” He walked over to Ryan, sitting on the cabin bed, rubbing his head. “What is your last memory before you got sick...?”

“Uh... let me see... we landed and a group of scientists, the ones we had brought out here, met us in a room near the entrance. Charlie was stating the purpose of the visit. Then I saw him go down... about that time my own knees buckled... Next thing I recall is seeing Laura...”

“You walked into an ambush.” He grunted, shaking his head in disgust. “I thought I taught my old master better than that.”

“So...” Ryan was trying to sort it all out with his befuddled mind—no easy task! “If the epidemic's a scam they must be holding him captive as, I suppose, they were holding me...”

“Yes.”

“And... so... you are going after him...?”

Quang shot him a baneful look, eyes narrowed dangerously. “Of course...” he snarled, as if to say: Don't be stupid!

Ryan nodded and glanced away for a split second, then locked eyes with the other man. “I need an environment suit. I'm going with you.”

Quang stared back at the wretched figure of a man he had just saved from death. He snorted, pursed his lips and left the chamber.

Head pounding, eyes rheumy and out of focus, Ryan attempted to stand. It was a no-go; his knees buckled immediately. Determined, he groped along the bedside, found purchase and began climbing up. He managed to gain his feet just in time to see Liu come back into the room.

The marine tossed him an E-suit. Shaking his head, doubt painted plainly on his face, he spun on his heels and left, tossing a parting shot over his shoulder. “I leave in twenty minutes... with you,without you... It does not matter.”