Thomas took one last look at the heavily bandaged Delvik, before allowing the older female Rakus, M’ria to shoo him out of the Medbay, saying that Delvik needed rest. She had already wrung him dry of what little medical knowhow he had. In the end, Thomas had set up a small workstation in the room and showed her how to access all the medical resources contained in the server.


    As soon as he was out of the Medbay, Thomas returned to the control center to resume his work. On the monitors he could see two of the older Rakus, Sev and Gerv sparring in the surface dining area. They were leaping over and under tables while trying to strike each other with short wooden clubs. An even older member stood behind the bar that Thomas had built inspecting it and sampling the various bottles. Of the last two, there was no sign. Thomas assumed they were out keeping an eye out for an attack.


    It had been two days since the group showed up at the entrance to the shelter carrying an unconscious Delvik. Thomas had been shocked at the condition his friend was in and carried him to the Medbay immediately, with the whole lot of them chittering away at him in their language. The fear he had felt carrying his friend''s limp body, well it was needless to say that he never wanted to feel that again, Ever. The only information Thomas had been able to get out of them was that his friend had been hurt by some bad people in the tribe, and that they had brought him here because they had nowhere else that was safe.


    He appreciated the trust in him that it took for them to come here. He also appreciated that they could all speak some, or at least understand spoken English. The one who seemed to be in charge was fairly fluent to Thomas’s surprise. It was the one named Indral who had explained, at least partially, what had happened and helped translate what the others were saying.


    Thomas sat at the control center desk and leaned back, placing the back of his left hand over his eyes, and let out a deep sigh. What a fucking mess, he thought, and just sat there letting his mind drift.


    A beeping from the control center startled him awake. Shaking his head and wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth, Thomas sat up and looked at the monitor, and smiled before entering a few commands and sending the information to the Medbay workstation. He had been afraid that it wouldn''t work, that their physiology was just too different, too alien, but the AI had been successful in bridging the gap between species. Standing up, Thomas went to the lab to get the vial of medical nanites that would help his friend heal fully, instead of being crippled for life.


    ***************************************************


    It took two days for the nanites to complete the critical work, repairing the damage in his shoulders, neck and legs. Thomas smothered the anger he felt at what had been done. It had been torture, plan and simple. He waved away the feeling and focused on the moment, his friend was well enough to leave the bed, so he wanted to have a party in celebration of Delvik’s recovery and, of course, to new friends.


    “Hey buddy, how are you feeling today”, Thomas asked after entering the room and seeing Delvik sitting up in the bed.


    “Better, still weak” Delvik replied. He still looked terrible, covered with bandages on most of his body. “But, i am ready to get out of here.”


    Thomas smiled at his friend and leaned over to help him out of the bed, and was smacked on the arm by a ruler for his trouble. “Be Cautious Big Oaf”, M’ria stated. “Foolish Child Still Hurt, Not Move On Own”, before she turned to Delvik and, from the tone alone, Thomas knew she was giving him a lecture. It still surprised him how similar to Humans they could be. She was just like the old surly nurses he had known as a child, lecturing him about whatever actions had landed him in their tender care.


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    As M’ria turned back to him, leaving a visibly chastised Delvik sitting on the bed. Thomas pointed to the wheel chair that he had found in the closet, “This is a wheeled chair, he will sit in it and I will push him around,” Thomas said slowly to her. She gave him a flat, nearly indignant stare before smacking him again, “I understand you words, I just not trust you two not to do something foolish”, she said before turning and walking out of the Medbay.


    The two turned to each other and just laughed once she was safely gone. “It''s good to have you back man,” Thomas said as he helped Delvik into the chair. He had set a couple of pillows in it to make it more comfortable.


    “It is good to be back Thomas,” Delvik said, before letting out a deep sigh and continuing, “I just wish that I had been successful.”


    Delvik looked up at Thomas, “Please do not judge my people by this, they have been led astray by fear and lies” he said with sadness in his voice.


    Thomas just patted him gently on the arm, “I am angry, but I reserve that for the ones responsible for what was done to you.” he said to Delvik, “besides, you’re my friend, if you still want to help your people, well i''ve got your back.”


    “Enough of the sad talk,” Thomas said with a smile, “Let me show you what I have been up to while you were gone.”


    Thomas pushed the wheelchair quickly, tilting it back on two wheels and rushing out of the Medbay, the two laughing even as they dodged past an angry healer and sped towards the surface. The pace became more sedate as Thomas ran out of breath half way up, and had to switch to just walking. Delvik was peppering him with questions about what Thomas had been up to, but he simply smirked and said that he had some inspiration and ran with it.


    Finally they made it to the exit, “Be ready to be amazed my friend,” Thomas said.


    Delvik just rolled his eyes, how much could you have done in the few nights since I left, and Thomas’s smirk just grew bigger, before he spun the chair around, eliciting a sound of outraged laughter from Delvik and pushed the door open to pull his friend through before spinning him around once more.


    The awed silence from Delvik was exactly what he wanted, he had even timed to so they would come out after sunset for maximum effect.


    Above them, lines of rope lights provided a soft, white light that made the room clear as day to see and take in. Wooden tables, both long and rectangular and round lay scattered about, their tops faintly reflecting the light in the dark, polished wood. Metal basins containing stacks of wood burned, providing warmth to ward off the chilling air. At the far end of the room, Delvik could see a bar, and old Dulc stood behind it smiling like a child with a sweet treat, and already pouring drinks for the other Rakus already seated on tall stools.


    Everyone turned as they approached, and Delvik felt tears begin to form at the edges of his eyes. This, he thought, was something he pictured in his mind when he imagined what it would look like with his people working together with a Human.


    A momentary flicker in his mind had him back in the cell, buried deep in the burrow and hallucinating from the pain, his heart seized at the thought that this truly was a dream. Delvik squeezed his eyes shut and bit the inside of his cheek, and slowly reopened his eyes.


    Not a dream, he thought with relief.


    Delvik saw the looks of concern flash across his rescuers faces, but he smiled and waved to them, to show that he was all right as Thomas pushed his wheelchair up to the bar.


    Master Indral hopped off the stool and strode over to Delvik, assessing him and the contraption he was riding in, before he bent forward and hugged the young scout. “My boy, I am so sorry that we didn''t get to you sooner” he whispered in a hoarse voice, “those animals should never have been able to lay a paw on you, I can only blame myself for not seeing the rot that had taken root in our home”.


    Delvik sat in shock, “Teacher,” he said, as he tried to think of a reply, “I don''t blame you. I blame the Watchers, and myself. I should have listened more to the warning from Anzis….”


    Delvik froze at the last, panic flashed through his mind. He had forgotten all about Anzis and his hunters. His eyes darted around the room, but settled back on his teacher after finding no sign of the Hunt Leader.


    Firm paws gripped his shoulders, “Calm yourself Delvik”, Indral said gently, “The hunters you returned with were freed as well. They choose to remain with the younger Matrons while we freed you.”


    Delvik sagged in relief at the news that they had not been forgotten. Taking a few deep breaths, he looked up at Thomas, “Please help me onto one of the seats, It seems we all have some stories to tell, and I could definitely go for a good drink”.