Chapter 4.8 : The Doctor’s Visit

Continuation

Máren listens while Ziyótl renders Virel’s words into the more exact language of keeping, passage, and witnessed responsibility. The translation takes longer than Virel’s original statement. Ziyótl repeats the distinction between the place in which keeping is exercised and the person or group beneath whose obligation that keeping remains.

Máren asks one question. It concerns the final sentence and whether passage to the cutter determines where Kade will remain after the danger has passed.

Ziyótl answers carefully. The present words govern the preservation of Kade’s life. They do not close the older obligation, surrender Hídaska responsibility, or decide the place of his later keeping. That determination will require its own words and witnesses.

Máren looks toward Náhri and speaks. Ziyótl translates the exchange for Victor and Virel.

Náhri places a hand against the covered permission cord and confirms what was witnessed during Victor’s treatment. Kade was failing while he remained in the room. The doctor named the danger, acted within the permission given, and produced the change he had promised. Preserving the life within Hídaska keeping now requires movement.

Máren turns back toward Ziyótl and gives a measured reply. Ziyótl, in turn, translates it for Virel and Dr. Shone.

"Let the words stand."

The tension in the room does not disappear, but its purpose changes. The Hídaska guards are no longer waiting to learn whether Kade may leave. They begin preparing to carry him.

Máren steps beside the sleeping platform, places one hand upon its frame, and begins speaking while Ziyótl translates.

"Kade travels beneath Hídaska keeping. The boundaries crossed will not divide it. The vessel will not take it. Náhri will carry it, and I will witness that it remains unbroken."

Máren then looks toward Victor and continues speaking. Ziyótl translates:

"The doctor will preserve the life held beneath that keeping. Where the keeping rests after the danger has passed has not been spoken here."

Ziyótl then adds quietly:

"The agreement is accepted. Máren has given it words that can be carried through the other jurisdictions."

Máren begins directing the guards. One is sent ahead to confirm the route while Ziyótl translates the instructions. Another examines the sleeping platform and determines the safest way to carry it without disturbing Victor’s infusion line. Máren will accompany the movement as its formal witness, while Náhri remains beside Kade.

Ziyótl explains that Victor retains practical authority over Kade’s treatment during the journey. If the party encounters a delay, a jurisdictional challenge, or a question at the Xá’kai checkpoint, Máren may answer without requiring the agreement to be negotiated again.

The movement to the cutter can now begin.

The Keeping Moves

The Hídaska guards work quickly, but nothing about their preparation appears hurried.

Two remove unnecessary coverings from the sleeping platform while another brings narrow carrying poles fitted with wrapped grips. The poles slide into channels beneath the frame, transforming the platform into a litter without requiring Kade to be lifted from it. A fourth guard checks the corridor and elevator while the others prepare the equipment needed to secure the litter inside a vehicle.

Náhri remains beside Kade throughout the preparations. The covered permission cord is secured across Náhri’s chest where it can be seen without being handled. Máren stands near the foot of the platform, watching the guards and Dr. Shone’s unfamiliar medical equipment.

There is no intravenous bag or tube to protect during the movement.

A thin induction patch adheres to Kade’s upper chest. Its surface changes color in subtle patterns as embedded sensors continuously map his circulation, cellular hydration, endocrine response, organ function, and the spread of infection beneath the skin. A second medical wafer near his abdomen monitors the perforation and abscess.

The hydro-osmotic micro-gels administered by Dr. Shone have already begun restoring cellular pressure without overloading Kade’s weakened heart or kidneys. Programmed nanomedical agents circulate through his bloodstream, identifying and dismantling infectious organisms that have escaped the abscess. Engineered metabolic precursors supply the proteins, electrolytes, and concentrated nutrients his body has been unable to obtain during captivity.

The treatment required only minutes to administer. The greater difficulty now is maintaining Kade’s physical position and preventing movement from worsening the damaged tissue inside his abdomen.

The TL15 medical kit can stabilize him, control the spreading infection, and reverse the immediate effects of dehydration and malnutrition. It cannot remove the perforated appendix or drain the abscess under these conditions. That requires the surgical facilities aboard the cutter.

The Hídaska make no attempt to direct the medical arrangements. Within the agreement just accepted, those decisions belong to Dr. Shone.

Ziyótl remains close to Virel. The young envoy listens for changes in wording, watches how the guards handle the permission cord, and quietly explains the meaning of the preparations.

"Náhri carries the keeping. Máren carries witness of it. The guards carry Kade, but they do not carry the obligation. That distinction will matter when we pass through the other jurisdictions."

When the litter is ready, Máren places one hand against its frame. Náhri does the same near Kade’s shoulder. Together, they establish that the movement begins with both keeper and witness present.

Máren speaks, and Ziyótl translates.

"The life beneath keeping leaves this place because remaining would place it in greater danger. The keeping goes with it. Those who see the passage will know that it has not been abandoned."

At Máren’s direction, the guards lift.

Kade does not awaken. Exhaustion, illness, and the controlled metabolic suppression initiated by Dr. Shone’s medical kit keep him unconscious during the movement. The induction patch registers a brief increase in pulse and stress hormones as the litter rises. It immediately adjusts the circulating micro-gels and pain-control agents without suppressing the warning signs Dr. Shone still needs to monitor.

Within moments, Kade’s readings settle.

After Dr. Shone confirms that he can be moved, the procession enters the corridor. Náhri walks beside the litter while Victor remains close enough to read the medical patch through his handheld scanner. Máren leads by several paces, with Virel and Ziyótl following inside the witnessed party.

The room where Kade had been kept disappears from view.

The Descent

The elevator is built for Alejia proportions and accommodates the litter, though the guards, Náhri, Dr. Shone, and the medical equipment make the car crowded.

Náhri descends with Kade. Máren and the remaining members of the witnessed party follow in the second descent.

Ziyótl explains the arrangement before the doors close.

"The keeper does not separate from the keeping. Máren may follow because the witness has already been established."

At the lower level, Kade remains inside the entrance hall until Máren rejoins the group. Dr. Shone checks the shifting patterns across the induction patch and confirms that the treatment continues to hold.

Kade remains seriously ill, but his circulation is stable. Cellular hydration is approaching a safe range, and the nanomedical agents are slowing the systemic infection. His body is receiving enough metabolic support to prevent further organ deterioration during the journey.

The abdominal injury remains unchanged. The medical system repeatedly marks it as the unresolved source of the emergency.

The outer doors are drawn aside.

The Hídaska Vehicles

Two Alejia vehicles wait in the street.

The first is a long-bodied Hídaska transport with a covered passenger compartment and broad side doors. Its interior has been cleared to receive the litter. Low mounting rails cross the floor, and woven restraints are positioned to secure the platform without placing pressure upon Kade.

The second vehicle carries the remaining Hídaska transport personnel and guards, along with the cords and markers needed to identify the movement at jurisdictional boundaries.

Neither vehicle displays an emergency signal. Each bears a temporary arrangement of Hídaska cords where drivers, boundary representatives, and observers can see them. The markings identify a movement under keeping rather than an armed deployment or seizure.

The guards carry Kade to the larger vehicle. Dr. Shone supervises as the litter is secured to the floor rails. Because the treatment requires no external fluid container or tubing, Victor needs only enough space to reach Kade and maintain contact with the medical patch.

Náhri takes position beside Kade. Two Hídaska transport guards sit opposite the litter. Máren boards near the side door, where the witness markings can be displayed whenever the vehicle stops. Virel and Ziyótl travel in the same vehicle so that the agreement can be explained if challenged.

The remaining Hídaska guards board the second vehicle.

The doors close, and the vehicles begin moving toward the starport.

Movement Through Balac Pontli

The streets have not been emptied, but a route has been prepared. Hanging markers have been turned outward at several intersections. Messengers wait where one Alejia jurisdiction gives way to another. Pedestrians move aside when they recognize the Hídaska cords displayed upon the vehicles.

High above, the surveillance systems aboard the cutter and the Azure Voyager register the convoy’s departure.

JEEM identifies the vehicles as an organized Hídaska movement toward the Xá’kai checkpoint. Virel and Dr. Shone are confirmed within the larger transport when its side door briefly opens at the first boundary. Ziyótl and Máren are identified shortly afterward.

The patient remains partially obscured, but body measurements are consistent with Tomas Kade. Brief emissions from Dr. Shone’s medical scanner provide further confirmation that someone inside the vehicle is undergoing advanced treatment.

Elsewhere within the surveillance display, the probable fourth Alejia track remains marked in amber. The individual may be moving parallel to the convoy, or the apparent connection may result from incomplete coverage through the narrow streets. No transmission or handoff has yet been attributed to the individual.

With Bohdie preparing to leave the cutter, JEEM assumes direct coordination of the surveillance picture. The shipboard systems continue recording the convoy, the starport approach, and the uncertain Alejia track.

At the first jurisdictional boundary, the vehicles stop long enough for Máren to display the witness cords. Náhri remains beside Kade and confirms that the keeping has not been surrendered.

Ziyótl translates for Virel and Dr. Shone.

"No surrender was made. The place changes because the life would fail if it remained. The keeping travels whole."

The representative looks past Máren toward the unconscious Kade. Dr. Shone’s induction patch attracts attention, particularly when its surface changes in response to the examination, but the device is not challenged.

The representative steps aside.

At the second boundary, Máren explains that the armed Hídaska aboard the vehicles are transport personnel preserving the witnessed passage. Their weapons remain secured, and their authority will not extend onto Xá’kai-controlled ground.

The answer is accepted. A messenger moves ahead while the vehicles resume their journey.

Verik Anticipates the Question

Near Star’s Mercy, Sera sees the Hídaska vehicles enter the final approach toward the starport.

She reports the movement to Captain Verik, who compares her observation with the communications traffic passing between the Xá’kai checkpoint and starport control. The pattern is enough for him to recognize what will happen next.

The Hídaska agreement has carried Kade through Balac Pontli. Before the Xá’kai allow the keeping to pass onto the field, they will want the Scout vessel to acknowledge that the arrangement continues aboard it.

Verik opens a channel to the cutter.

"Chaala, Verik. The Hídaska convoy is approaching the gate. Your people appear to be with them, and they are carrying someone under advanced medical care."

He pauses as another transmission passes between the checkpoint and starport control.

"The Xá’kai will want more than confirmation that the patient may enter the field. They will want the Scout vessel to acknowledge that Hídaska keeping continues aboard it. That acknowledgment should come from the person commanding the vessel."

Verik then offers his recommendation.

"I suggest you and Bohdie meet us at the gate. You can speak for the cutter. Bohdie can observe the acceptance and maintain the record. Sera and I will be there as independent offworld witnesses if either side finds that useful."

JEEM confirms that surveillance and communications can be maintained from within the cutter. The AI will keep the channel open, record the acceptance, coordinate with the Azure Voyager, and continue tracking the uncertain Alejia contact.

At the Gate

Chaala and Bohdie reach the gate before the Hídaska vehicles arrive. Captain Verik and Sera join them from the direction of Star’s Mercy.

The senior Xá’kai functionary waits inside the checkpoint beside two guards. One holds a set of cords received from the city. The other carries a writing board and several narrow markers. The central passage remains open, but no one signals the waiting offworlders to cross it.

The first Hídaska vehicle slows and stops outside the gate. The escort vehicle halts behind it.

The Hídaska transport guards dismount first. Their weapons remain secured. Two take positions near the larger vehicle while the others open its side doors and prepare the litter for removal.

Máren steps down and presents the witness cords. Ziyótl follows, then Virel and Dr. Shone. Náhri remains inside beside Kade until the transport guards are ready.

The litter is carefully withdrawn.

Kade remains unconscious beneath the coverings. No tubes, fluid bags, or external life-support apparatus surround him. Only the thin induction patch across his chest and the medical wafer near his abdomen reveal that active treatment continues. Subtle patterns move across their surfaces as they regulate hydration, infection control, pain, and metabolic support.

Dr. Shone’s scanner confirms that Kade remains stable enough to cross the field. The perforation and abscess remain urgent, but the TL15 treatment has kept them from overwhelming him during the journey.

Náhri walks beside the litter as the guards carry it forward and stop outside the Xá’kai boundary.

The full witnessed party is assembled at the gate.

Dr. Shone remains beside Kade. Virel stands with Ziyótl near Máren. Náhri maintains physical contact with the litter. The Hídaska transport personnel hold it steady. Chaala and Bohdie stand on the starport side with Captain Verik and Sera. JEEM listens and records from within the cutter.

The senior Xá’kai functionary examines the Hídaska cords, Máren’s position as witness, Náhri beside Kade, the nearly invisible medical technology, the offworlders returning from the city, and the representatives of the vessel waiting inside the gate.

Máren speaks first.

Ziyótl translates.

"Kade travels beneath Hídaska keeping so that the doctor may preserve his life. The boundaries crossed have not divided that keeping. Máren has witnessed that it remains unbroken."

The Xá’kai functionary listens, then looks toward Chaala and the distant cutter.

A question is put to Ziyótl. He listens carefully before turning toward Chaala, Bohdie, and the other offworld witnesses.

"The Xá’kai acknowledge the Hídaska agreement and the medical need. Before they admit the keeping onto their ground, they require the Scout vessel to accept that the keeping continues aboard it."

Ziyótl pauses before clarifying the distinction.

"They are not asking the vessel to take custody of Kade. They are asking whether the vessel accepts Kade, Náhri, Máren, and the witnessed Hídaska keeping together. The doctor’s authority over treatment remains as already agreed."

The gate remains open, but the litter does not cross.

Kade lies unconscious between the two jurisdictions, stabilized by medical technology beyond anything the assembled Alejia can fully interpret. Náhri keeps one hand upon the litter. Máren waits with the witness cords displayed. Verik and Sera stand ready to observe. Bohdie has a clear view of every participant while JEEM records from the cutter.

The final acknowledgment must now come from Chaala on behalf of the Scout vessel.

"We welcome and accept Kade and the Hidaska keepers and witnesses. I have not witnessed what has happened out of our sight, so I accept that Dr. Shone and Virel have been witness to Hidaska's keeping of their obligation and that it continues while Kade receives treatment aboard our vessel." Chaala keeps her tone professional, suppressing her concerns about Kade's condition if he needs treatment straightaway and her concerns about crowding aboard the ship.

The Gate Opens

The senior Xá’kai functionary waits without repeating the question.

Kade remains unconscious upon the litter between the two jurisdictions. Náhri keeps one hand against its frame while Máren displays the witness cords. The Hídaska transport guards stand beside the vehicles with their weapons secured. Virel and Dr. Shone remain on the city side of the boundary, while Chaala, Bohdie, Captain Verik, and Sera wait within the starport entrance.

Ziyótl stands where everyone can see him.

JEEM listens through Chaala and Bohdie’s communications equipment, recording the exchange from inside the cutter. The AI maintains the surveillance link with the Azure Voyager and continues following the uncertain movement of the fourth Alejia.

All attention settles upon Chaala.
Chaala keeps her tone professional, suppressing her concerns about Kade’s condition if he needs treatment straightaway and her concerns about crowding aboard the ship.

Ziyótl listens to Chaala’s words without interrupting. When she finishes, he turns first toward Máren and renders the acknowledgment into the formal language of keeping and witnessed responsibility. He then repeats it for the Xá’kai functionary, adjusting the form without changing its meaning.

Chaala is formally extending those accepted terms aboard the Scout vessel. The Xá’kai functionary asks Ziyótl to repeat one part of the acknowledgment, and Ziyótl does so carefully.

"The Scout vessel does not take Kade from Hídaska keeping. It receives Kade, Náhri, Máren, and the keeping together. The doctor may act to preserve Kade’s life, but the older obligation has not been closed or transferred."

Máren listens to the translation and places one hand upon the displayed witness cords. Ziyótl again translates carefully.

"The words carried from the room remain whole."

Náhri answers from beside Kade through Ziyótl’s translation.

"The keeping has not been divided."

The Xá’kai functionary looks from Máren and Náhri to Chaala. After a final pause, the functionary turns toward the guard holding the cords received from the city. Two narrow lengths are removed from the set. One is fastened to the front of the Hídaska medical transport. The other is secured to the escort vehicle. The cords do not place the vehicles under Xá’kai authority. They indicate that the Xá’kai have witnessed and accepted their temporary passage across the starport. The Xá’kai functionary steps aside, and Ziyótl translates the formal declaration.

"The Xá’kai accept the passage. Hídaska keeping may cross onto their ground and continue aboard the Scout vessel under the words witnessed here."

The gate opens fully.

Passage onto the Field

The Hídaska guards return Kade’s litter to the larger vehicle. Dr. Shone checks the induction patch before the transport doors close. The cellular hydration correction remains stable, and the nanomedical agents continue containing the systemic infection. The medical wafer over Kade’s abdomen still marks the perforation and abscess as the unresolved source of danger.

Kade has survived the journey from the Hídaska building without further deterioration, but the stabilization window is not unlimited. Surgical intervention remains urgent. Náhri boards beside him. Máren takes the position nearest the door, where both the Hídaska witness cords and the temporary Xá’kai passage cord remain visible. Virel and Ziyótl enter behind them. Dr. Shone stays within reach of Kade throughout the short journey across the field. The Hídaska transport personnel resume their places. They are guards, but their immediate duty is now the movement of the life beneath keeping. Their weapons remain secured. Chaala and Bohdie return toward the cutter ahead of the vehicles. Captain Verik and Sera remain near the gate long enough to witness the entire Hídaska convoy pass onto Xá’kai ground.

"That is the part they needed," Verik observes in passing to Chaala and Bohdie, "No one can later claim the Xá’kai admitted an unrecognized transfer or that your people carried Kade through the gate without the Hídaska."

Sera continues watching the road beyond the checkpoint. Her attention remains upon the streets and the positions from which the arriving vehicles might have been observed. Neither she nor Verik interferes with the movement.

JEEM Prepares the Cutter

Inside the cutter, JEEM has already converted the sickbay and its small lift from examination readiness to surgical readiness. The compartment’s sterile field is active. Diagnostic systems have been linked to the readings transmitted by Dr. Shone’s medical patch. The surgical cradle has adjusted itself for Kade’s physical condition and the expected abdominal procedure. Nanomedical reservoirs, tissue sealants, replacement fluids, metabolic support compounds, and broad-spectrum Panacea variants stand ready for the doctor’s selection. JEEM does not attempt to make the medical decisions, as those remain Dr. Shone’s responsibility.

The route from the cutter’s entry ramp to the medical compartment is cleared. Nonessential systems along that path are closed or secured. Visual indicators mark the areas through which the Hídaska may pass. Internal sensors are set to record the movement without projecting intrusive scanning fields across Náhri or Máren. The litter lift is lowered from the second floor to the ground, or first floor. Then JEEM opens a channel to Chaala and Bohdie.

"The medical compartment is prepared. Doctor Shone’s treatment data are being received and remain consistent with a stabilized surgical emergency. The Hídaska party can be taken directly from the ramp to the surgical compartment."

A second report follows, with JEEM stating:

"Surveillance of the city approach continues. The probable fourth Alejia remains unresolved. No confirmed transmission, exchange, or approach toward the starport has been observed."

Arrival at the Cutter

The Hídaska vehicles cross the field at a controlled speed. The temporary Xá’kai cords remain fixed to their fronts. Starport personnel watch from a distance but do not approach or redirect them. The larger transport stops with its side door aligned toward the cutter’s lowered ramp. The escort vehicle halts several meters behind it. Chaala and Bohdie reach the cutter first. JEEM opens the outer hatch and extends the ramp before the transport guards dismount. Captain Verik and Sera arrive shortly afterward, remaining outside the immediate path between the vehicle and the vessel. Their presence completes the chain of offworld witnesses from the gate to the cutter.

Máren exits first and examines the open ramp. The Scout vessel is not merely unfamiliar ground. Under the accepted agreement, it is about to become the place in which Hídaska keeping continues. Ziyótl remains beside Máren and explains what JEEM has prepared. He then turns to Chaala and Bohdie and gives the translation:

"The vessel has opened a path directly to the place of treatment. No other claim is being placed between Kade and that place."

Náhri steps down next but remains close to the open vehicle. The Hídaska transport guards release the litter from its floor mounts. Dr. Shone positions himself where he can monitor the medical patch as they begin withdrawing Kade from the vehicle. Kade remains unconscious. The induction patch continues its subtle pattern across his chest, synchronizing treatment with his changing metabolic condition. The nanomedical agents have prevented the infection from accelerating during transport, but the abdominal wafer now shows increasing pressure around the abscess. The journey has succeeded, but the medical emergency has not ended. Máren places one hand upon the cutter’s ramp and speaks, and Ziyótl translates:

"The keeping enters the vessel under the words accepted at the gate. Náhri carries it. Máren witnesses it. The doctor acts within it to preserve the life."

The guards lift the litter and begin carrying Kade up the ramp. Náhri enters beside him. Máren follows as witness. Dr. Shone accompanies the litter toward the sickbay lift. Virel and Ziyótl follow within the accepted party while the Hídaska transport guards carry Kade aboard. For the first time since his capture, Tomas Kade crosses the threshold of an Imperial Scout vessel.

He does not cross it as a released prisoner, but crosses beneath Hídaska keeping, under a witnessed agreement that has carried him from the room, through Balac Pontli, across the Xá’kai boundary, and into the place where only Dr. Shone’s expertise can save his life. The guards guide the litter into the lift. The doors close around Kade, Náhri, Máren, Dr. Shone, Virel, and Ziyótl. The lift rises directly to the second-floor sickbay, where the medical compartment waits ahead with the expertise that only the Doctor can provide.

GM Comment: The Doctor now must make a Medical make an average task roll with +2 DM for the sickbay and appropriate EDU and medical skill.

Once he reached the sickbay, Victor changed to surgical uniform and sterilized himself under decontamination vapor. He then entered the sickbay and started monitoring the vitals of Kade first. Localising the particular area of the appendix and absces cavity in Kade's abdomen using heightened scanning, he started marking the areas which will be pierced by the varies microsurgical arms of the surgical craddle. Adjusting the anaesthetic dose, Victor started the operation.

First went in the suction arm that created a channel to aspirate the pus filled tissue fluid. Then the other surgical arms went in, holding the cavity intact before it collapsed into itself. Where there was advance necrosis, micro-cauterization followed, where there was inflammation patch, a healing biogel mesh was weaved in. The appendix was checked for its structural integrity next and washed with antimicrobial gels. Then where it could be repaired, biomesh weaving was done again. Approximately 30 minutes in, the absces was aspirated, the appendix repaired or cauterized and the body cavity checked for further infection or absces generation or necrosis. Once everything was completed, Victor checked the vitals again with a thorough scan.

What Was Remembered

The sickbay doors close behind Dr. Shone, leaving Náhri, Máren, Virel, and Ziyótl outside the active sterile field.

A display beside the surgical compartment presents a simplified image of Kade’s abdomen. It shows the infected cavity, the damaged appendix, and the signs of contamination spreading through the surrounding tissue. The medical system suppresses unnecessary detail, allowing those outside to follow the operation without interfering with it.

Náhri studies the display with immediate interest. The technology is unfamiliar, but the purpose of the procedure is not.

As the first microsurgical instrument enters the abscess, Náhri quietly explains in Alejian what is happening to Máren and Ziyótl. The infected fluid must be removed before the cavity closes. Its boundaries must be held in place so the corruption does not spread into healthy tissue. Dead tissue must be separated from tissue that can still heal. Ziyótl listens closely. At first, the young envoy appears to assume that Náhri is interpreting only what can be seen on the display. As the procedure continues, however, Náhri anticipates several of Dr. Shone’s actions before the surgical cradle performs them.

When the cavity is stabilized, Náhri explains that the doctor will next search for tissue that can no longer be restored. When the micro-cauterization begins, Náhri identifies its purpose before the medical system provides an explanation. When the regenerative biomesh is woven across the damaged tissue, Náhri describes it as a more advanced form of a procedure once used by Alejia healers.

Ziyótl looks away from the display and studies Náhri. A question passes between them. Náhri answers at greater length than before. Ziyótl begins to translate for Virel, then stops after only a few words. Ziyótl eyes move toward Máren.

The older witness considers Ziyótl for several moments. Máren finally makes a small gesture toward Virel. Ziyótl translates with permission.

"These words may be carried. The names beneath them may not."

Náhri attention returns to the surgical display and continues speaking in Alejian. Ziyótl translates.

"Before the Unbinding, when Ziyótl was young, the Alejia possessed places where such injuries could be treated. Our instruments were not these instruments, and they did not act with such speed or precision, but the purpose was known."

Ziyótl takes longer than necessary to translate the statement. His attention repeatedly returns to Náhri, as though hearing the words matters as much as carrying them into Angelic.

Náhri continues.

"There were healers who could see within the body without opening it widely. They could drain corruption, remove what had died, and bind living tissue so that it might become whole again. Such treatment was not found everywhere, but it existed."

The surgical display changes as Dr. Shone’s instruments complete the aspiration and begin repairing the perforated appendix. Náhri gestures toward it.

"The doctor preserves what can live. The Healer Shone removes what cannot. Healer Shone closes the path by which the corruption entered the body. That much is not strange to me."

Náhri pauses as the display marks the medical nanobots redirecting themselves toward two smaller pockets of infection.

"That is strange to me."

For the first time, something approaching wonder enters Náhri’s expression.

"The doctor’s smallest servants move within the blood. They seek what the Healer's instruments cannot touch and destroy only what threatens the life. We did not possess such servants."

Ziyótl translates, but the fluency briefly loses its practiced rhythm. Ziyótl watches the infection markers contract, then looks toward Dr. Shone beyond the sterile field. Máren notices his reaction, and speaks directly in Angelic. Máren words come slowly and with deliberate pauses. Some sounds are difficult to pronounce, but their meaning is clear. It is the first time Virel has heard another Alejia speak Angelic rather than rely entirely upon Ziyótl.

"So you were told."

Ziyótl gaze respectfully lowers before answering.

"I was told that such places existed before the Unbinding. I thought the stories had grown in the telling."

Náhri’s response is patient rather than critical. Ziyótl translates it into Angelic.

"You were young. You remember the shelters, the warnings, and the years after. You do not remember what stood before them."

Ziyótl is silent for several moments. Ziyótl carefully preserves the distinction between what Náhri remembers and what he learned through guarded stories. He then adds something of his own.

"That was before. We have the now."

Ziyótl glances toward Máren before continuing, but Máren speaks first. Using Angelic, choosing each word before attempting to pronounce it.

"The ways we follow now are slower. They divide authority. They require witnesses, permissions, and the carrying of obligations across every boundary. They can appear burdensome to those who did not survive the Unbinding."

Máren’s eyes return to Kade’s medical display.

"But those ways prevent one hand from gathering enough power to bind every other hand beneath it. They make us speak before we act. They make others witness what is carried and why. The Alejia accept those burdens so that the Unbinding will not come again."

Máren pauses, with a look that is strange. Could that be concern or something else? Virel is unsure. Chaala notices the odd expression, but does not know what it means.

Ziyótl understands the limit immediately and explains it to Virel.

"The causes and names are not permitted to cross. Only that the Alejia remember what was lost, and that many of our present customs exist to prevent its return."

The exchange reveals more than any of them intended. Náhri and Máren remember an Alejia world that possessed advanced hospitals, trained specialists, and medical procedures recognizable beneath the sophistication of Imperial technology. Ziyótl inherited only fragments of that world through childhood memories and guarded stories. The elaborate customs of keeping and witness are not simply ancient traditions. At least some were preserved, strengthened, or created after the Unbinding to prevent authority from again concentrating without restraint.

Ziyótl tries to recover their usual composure, but Ziyótl amazement remains visible.

VIREL Make an Average task roll: Liaison or Investigate skill as DM plus INT DM. Use a DM of +1 due to the trust and working relationship he has developed with Ziyótl.

Chaala make a Difficult task roll: Diplomacy or Investigate skill as DM plus INT DM.

Bohdie make a Difficult task roll: Diplomacy or Investigate skill as DM plus INT DM.

The Operation Concludes

The final medical scan finds no uncontrolled bleeding, untreated necrosis, or remaining pathway through which the repaired appendix can spread infection. Dr. Shone’s surgery has succeeded completely.

Kade remains unconscious under controlled anesthesia, but his temperature is falling and his organs are stabilizing. The surgical cradle projects no requirement for further intervention.

Náhri watches the last infection markers disappear. He speaks in Alejian, and Ziyótl translates.

"The doctor named the hidden danger. He opened its enclosure without releasing it. He removed what was dead and returned strength to what could live."

Máren studies the medical display before answering. This time she speaks in slow, careful Angelic.

"The life carried beneath keeping has been preserved."

The statement is not a release. It is a witnessed declaration that the purpose for bringing Kade aboard the cutter has been fulfilled. No Alejia present may later claim that the movement weakened Hídaska keeping or that Dr. Shone acted beyond the permission granted to him.

Kade should regain consciousness within one or two hours. After a full sleep cycle, he should be able to eat, speak, and move with assistance. His prolonged captivity and weakness will still require recovery, but the infection will not kill him, and no additional surgery is expected.

For the first time since Dr. Shone examined him in the Hídaska room, Tomas Kade is no longer dying.

Bohdie listens with great interest, especially everything that deals with the Alejia’unbinding’. But he remains silent throughout, understanding that any questions would be beyond the knot’s authority. Still, he is very interested in what was before and what caused the unbinding. He studies the way Máren speaks and any gestures or other nonverbal cues he can, taking special note when Máren speaks in Angelic and how the Ziyótl is mildly chastised.


Investigate Roll +INT mod (2d6+4)

Chaala is also intrigued by the discussion of the unbinding and the current traditions that have evolved from it. The cords and knots had struck her as an ancient technology and it's current adaptation suddenly made more sense.

Virel listened closely, nodding at the appropriate moments but otherwise allowing little to show on his face.

Inwardly, however, the references to the Unbinding began connecting with everything he had learned of Alejia custom. Patterns were beginning to form into something more coherent and perhaps, with them, some sense of how they might proceed from here.

Victor breathes a sigh of relief as the operation is concluded. He checked Kade's vital one more time to be sure and then slowly rose from his seat near the surgical cradle. Coming out of the room he gave a last glance at Kade's sleeping form and then exited through the decontamination vapor door. Once outside he told Náhri and the other Alejians that the operation was a success, "The procedure is done. The perforation of the damaged organ is treated as best as I can. The abscess is cleared and internal tissue patched up while the systemic infection is currently being dealt with. Kade should begin emerging from anaesthesia within approximately thirty minutes. The internal repair will require at least six hours before ordinary movement no longer threatens it. I request twenty-four hours of observation so I can confirm that there is no postoperative bleeding, renewed infection, or failure of the repair. After that examination, I can tell you whether Kade may safely be transported. Recovery from the infection, malnutrition, and prolonged weakness will take several more days, even with our medical technology."

The Healer’s Path Closes

The surgical cradle completes its final scan before withdrawing the microsurgical instruments. No uncontrolled bleeding remains. The repaired tissue holds beneath the regenerative mesh, the abscess cavity has been cleared, and the nanomedical agents continue seeking the remaining infection.

Dr. Shone studies Kade’s vital signs one final time before leaving the surgical compartment. Decontamination vapour passes across Victor’s uniform and exposed skin as the inner door seals behind him.

Náhri rises immediately. Máren waits beside the witness cords while Ziyótl takes a position from which the doctor’s words can be carried clearly.

Victor explains that the operation succeeded. The perforation has been repaired, the abscess cleared, and the damaged internal tissue reinforced. The remaining systemic infection is responding to treatment.

Kade should begin emerging from anaesthesia within thirty to ninety minutes. The internal repairs require at least six hours before ordinary movement will no longer threaten them. Even then, Kade will remain weakened by infection, malnutrition, dehydration, and prolonged confinement.

Dr. Shone requests twenty-four hours of observation before deciding whether Kade can be transported safely. That period will allow Victor to check for renewed infection, internal bleeding, another abscess, or failure of the repair. Full recovery will require several more days.

Ziyótl translates most of the report directly. When the explanation reaches the possibility of returning Kade to Hídaska holding, Ziyótl renders the phrase as returning Kade to the place where Hídaska keeping rests. The adjustment avoids suggesting that Dr. Shone has declared Kade a criminal prisoner or accepted the permanent authority of any particular place.

Náhri asks several questions about the repair. The questions concern the strength of the biomesh, the possibility of contamination remaining beyond the cleared cavity, and the signs that would warn of renewed danger.

The knowledge behind the questions is older than the technology surrounding Kade, but the medical reasoning remains sound.

After hearing Dr. Shone’s answers, Náhri places one hand against the sealed sickbay door.


Ziyótl carries the statement into Angelic.

Náhri continues. Náhri looks toward the medical display, where the first stages of tissue regeneration are already visible.
Máren considers the medical display before speaking in slow, carefully chosen Angelic.



"The doctor asks for time before claiming certainty. This is proper."

Each word requires deliberate pronunciation, but the meaning reaches the offworlders without translation. Máren then continues in Alejian, allowing Ziyótl to carry the more formal decision.



"Kade will remain aboard the vessel for one full turning of the day. Náhri remains beside the keeping. The doctor will speak when Kade wakes, when the inner repair has bound, and when the turning is complete."

Máren touches the witness cords.



"If movement remains dangerous, the keeping will remain where the life can be preserved. New words will be witnessed for the additional time. No promise made here will require the life to be endangered merely because the appointed turning has ended."

The twenty-four-hour period is therefore accepted as a point of medical review, not a deadline for Kade’s departure.

Hídaska keeping continues aboard the cutter. Náhri will remain close to Kade. Máren’s witness remains attached to the agreement, although Máren need not occupy the sickbay passage continuously. Dr. Shone retains complete practical authority over Kade’s treatment. Kade has not been released, but neither can Kade be removed from necessary medical care without violating the purpose of the agreement. Behind the sterile barrier, the surgical cradle changes Kade’s condition from surgical emergency to monitored recovery. For the first time since the search began, one of the missing Scouts is located, alive, and no longer dying. The Healer’s Path has reached its conclusion.

What the Crew Understands

While Kade sleeps, JEEM combines the communications record with the observations made by Chaala, Bohdie, and Virel. The transmissions surrounding Kade’s movement no longer resemble confused local traffic. Each burst corresponds approximately to a boundary crossing, a change in escort, the acceptance of a witness, or the opening of another part of the route. No central Alejia station commanded the entire movement. Each jurisdiction acknowledged only the portion of the passage falling beneath local authority.
Bohdie’s Findings

Bohdie’s attention to Máren and Ziyótl reveals details that would otherwise be easy to overlook. Máren’s limited use of Angelic is deliberate. Máren possesses enough command of the language to intervene when the precise words matter, but ordinarily allows Ziyótl to perform the work of translation.
Máren’s statement to Ziyótl, "So you were told," was a measured correction rather than a rebuke. Máren distinguished Ziyótl’s inherited understanding from Náhri’s living memory of the time before the Unbinding.

The pauses, glances, and gestures during the exchange also marked the boundaries of what could be translated. The Alejia permitted the offworlders to hear what had been lost and why present customs divide authority. The names, causes, and accusations beneath that history were withheld. Bohdie also recognizes that the prohibition may involve more than painful memory. Old names and old causes may still create claims, blame, or obligations among present Alejia groups. The communications record supports another conclusion. The probable fourth Alejia did not move with the recognized messengers, did not join the witnessed route, and did not appear within the chain of jurisdictional acknowledgments. The unidentified observer followed the event from outside its formal structure.

This does not establish any connection to the NMTC. It does indicate that another interested party watched the Hídaska agreement being carried to the starport.

Chaala’s Findings

Chaala understands that the cords and knots are not merely ceremonial survivals. Together with spoken declarations and witnessed communications, the cords form a working system for controlling authority.

A cord may indicate:

• Who carries an obligation.
• Who has witnessed that obligation.
• What authority has been granted.
• Where that authority ends.
• Which boundary may be crossed.
• Whether keeping has continued, transferred, or closed.

The forms may be ancient, but the present system appears to have been preserved, expanded, or deliberately reshaped after the Unbinding.

Chaala recognizes the operational consequence. Recovering the remaining Scouts probably will not require persuading one Alejia ruler. The crew must construct a compatible chain of agreements among the groups that control the Scouts, the routes, the vehicles, and the boundaries between them. The crew succeeded with Kade because every affected authority could accept a limited part of the movement without surrendering every other claim.

Virel’s Findings

Virel recognizes that Ziyótl’s hesitation was not caused by difficulty translating. Ziyótl was hearing firsthand testimony about a world known primarily through childhood fragments and guarded stories. Ziyótl’s defence of present Alejia customs was also more than an explanation for the offworlders. Ziyótl was reconciling Náhri’s memory of what had been lost with the warnings taught after the Unbinding. Máren deliberately permitted part of that history to cross into Angelic. The permission followed Dr. Shone’s preservation of Kade, Virel’s careful framing of the agreement, and Chaala’s acknowledgment at the gate. The confidence remains bounded. Questions about how present obligations function may be answered. Questions seeking forbidden names, blame, or causes would threaten the trust the crew has earned.

Recovery due to Doctor Shone - The First Hours of Recovery

Kade begins emerging from anaesthesia within the period predicted by Dr. Shone. Awareness returns unevenly. The surgical cradle suppresses pain and prevents sudden movement. Kade may recognize familiar voices and answer one or two simple questions, but exhaustion and medication prevent a useful account of the capture. Dr. Shone permits reassurance and identification, not an interrogation. During the following six hours, the biomesh becomes secure and the nanomedical treatment continues eliminating infection. Kade sleeps through much of that period. Short intervals of consciousness become clearer, but even a brief conversation produces visible fatigue. At the twenty-four-hour examination, Dr. Shone expects to determine whether Kade can be transported safely. A successful examination will not mean that Kade has recovered. It will mean that supported movement is unlikely to reopen the injury.

Even with TL-15 treatment, the expected recovery remains:

• Two to three days before Kade can sit upright and converse for extended periods.
• Three to seven days before Kade can walk with assistance and function outside the sickbay.
• At least one to two weeks before limited duty becomes medically reasonable.
• Longer before full strength returns after the prolonged captivity.

Dr. Shone’s exceptional surgical result means no complication is expected. The remaining time reflects the recovery of Kade’s entire body rather than uncertainty about the operation.

The Next Decision

While Kade rests, the crew gathers in the cutter’s common compartment. Náhri remains near the sickbay. Máren and Ziyótl stay in the Kitchen/galley area within reach but cannot intrude upon the offworld discussion, as the discussion occurs in the Cutter's module office on the second floor.

JEEM presents the time-sensitive intelligence first.
This is the Intelligence Path. The crew may prioritize locating the fourth Alejia and determining whether the observer represents another Alejia interest, the NMTC, or an unknown party.

Ruiha turns attention toward the cutter.
Ruiha recommends establishing controlled access, maintaining watches at the ramp, securing the communications link with the Azure Voyager, and preparing peaceful and emergency departure plans. This is the Readiness Path. The crew may consolidate the cutter’s security and ensure that neither the medical agreement nor the orbital support network can be disrupted.

Captain Verik and Sera were consulted via holographic ship-to-ship communication.

What Captain Verik proposes is building upon the precedent created by Kade.
Verik recommends requesting a witnessed accounting of the remaining Scouts. The request would not demand immediate release. It would ask:

• Where does the keeping of each Scout presently rest?
• What obligation is attached to each Scout?
• Who witnessed the creation of that obligation?
• What danger, debt, or unfinished act prevents closure?
• Which Alejia jurisdictions must accept a future passage?

This is the Witnessed Accounting Path. It offers the clearest diplomatic route toward locating and recovering the remaining Scouts.

Sera advises allowing the consequences of Kade’s movement to become visible. Sera recommends watching the approaches to the starport, changes in local traffic, unfamiliar visitors, and alterations to the cords or markers around the gate. The fourth observer may become easier to identify after reporting that Kade survived.
This is the Counter-Surveillance Path. It risks losing some diplomatic momentum but may expose interests that have remained concealed.

---

Harlan Voss looks toward the sickbay passage. Voss recommends waiting until Dr. Shone permits a short conversation.

The first discussion should establish only immediate facts:

• Where Kade last saw the other Scouts.
• How the Scouts were separated.
• Which Alejia accompanied each captive.
• Whether anyone mentioned the missing vessel.
• Whether Kade recognizes the description of the fourth observer.
• Whether any Scout faced an immediate danger when Kade was taken away.

This is the Testimony Path. The first answers may be fragmentary, but even one name, location, warning, or remembered image could identify the crew’s next objective.

---

JEEM places the options together on the common-compartment display.

---

Outside, the Hídaska vehicles remain beneath the temporary Xá’kai passage cords. Within the cutter, Náhri watches over the recovering Scout. Somewhere beyond the starport, an unidentified Alejia may already be carrying news of what occurred.

The crew now possesses something that was absent before entering Balac Pontli. Not merely a survivor, but a method.

Player Decision

The crew may choose one primary course:

1. Seek a Witnessed Accounting: Use the Kade agreement as the model for locating and recovering the remaining Scouts.
2. Investigate the Fourth Alejia: Attempt to identify the observer before the surveillance trail disappears.
3. Prepare for Kade’s Testimony: Organize a medically limited first interview and allow Kade’s information to determine the next objective.
4. Consolidate the Cutter: Secure the vessel, communications, orbital support, and contingency plans before taking further action.
5. Watch for Reactions: Allow Sera and the crew to observe how local interests respond to Kade’s survival.

GM Comment: JEEM can maintain passive surveillance during any selection. Ruiha can supervise routine security preparations. Dr. Shone retains authority over when Kade may speak and how long any conversation may last.

Bohdie receives DM+2 on the next task to reacquire, classify, or determine the affiliation of the fourth Alejia.

Chaala receives DM+1 on the next Leadership, Liaison, Diplomat, or Admin task used to organize a multi-jurisdictional Alejia agreement.

Virel receives DM+1 on the next Liaison task involving Ziyótl, Máren, Náhri, or the interpretation of present Alejia obligations.

As the disposition of the Alejia aboard ship becomes clear, Chaala addresses them. "I recognize that the witnessing and maintaining of the obligation remains of formost importance, and the comfort of the witnesses and bearers may be secondary, it is our tradition that, to the extent possible, we make comfort available to those who will spend time beneath our roof. To that end, without creating new obligation, we would welcome such comforts as could be secured for your use, in the recognition that our temporary home is not ideal for the resting of the Alejia body."


With the crew assembled; "This remains a primarily diplomatic mission. We have made significant progress on that front and I'm inclined to keep working in that direction. Those who hold obligation for the remaining crew have been cooperative and if we continue to work with them we can make it clear that our obligation aligns with theirs if a third party tries to interfere. I welcome everyone's expertise before we commit to a path, and we don't ignore the other paths to the extent that we have resources and they don't risk worsening our diplomatic position. If they take me up on bringing in comforts, we can observe who tries to take advantage of that and how."

Still turning over the patterns he had seen and trying to anticipate what might come next, Virel listened to Chaala’s instructions to the crew. He gave her the briefest nod of agreement but said nothing further.

Instead, he made himself quietly available to the Alejia aboard the Cutter, should any of them wish to speak. He did not initiate another discussion or press for information, simply remaining present in case they needed anything.

Hospitality Without Obligation

Once the arrangements for Kade’s observation become clear, Chaala addresses the Alejia aboard the cutter.
Ziyótl translates Chaala’s offer carefully. Particular attention is given to the distinction between comfort freely made available and a gift that might create another obligation.

Náhri remains beside the sickbay entrance while listening. Máren studies Chaala for several moments before answering.



"The offer has been spoken with its limits. Comfort placed within the vessel will not purchase gratitude, alter the keeping, or become part of what must later be returned."

Ziyótl translates the answer, then listens as Máren continues.



"The Hídaska vehicles carry resting rolls, food prepared for Alejia bodies, and coverings suitable for a long watch. Those things may be brought aboard. They will remain Hídaska possessions used within the place you have opened."

Máren indicates the route leading back toward the cutter’s ramp.



"The Xá’kai witnessed the passage of the vehicles and the keepers. Additional persons or possessions crossing from the field must also be made visible to the Xá’kai. Nothing should enter by an unspoken path while Kade remains beneath witnessed keeping."

Chaala’s offer is therefore accepted, but the acceptance is carefully bounded. The Hídaska will provide the unfamiliar items. The crew will provide space, access, environmental adjustments, and ordinary hospitality. Neither side will treat those accommodations as payment or debt.

Náhri looks through the sickbay entrance. Dr. Shone has already lowered the lighting around Kade and adjusted the medical compartment for recovery. Náhri asks for no further change within the treatment area.

Instead, Náhri indicates the adjoining passage where the Hídaska watch will spend much of the coming day.

"The doctor has prepared the place of healing for Kade. That should remain as the doctor requires. If the light in the place of waiting may be softened when no work is being done there, the watch will rest more easily."

Náhri pauses to listen to the ordinary vibration and ventilation sounds moving through the cutter.

"The vessel should continue sounding as the vessel normally sounds. A sudden silence would tell the resting body that the place has changed."



Ziyótl explains that the request applies only to the adjoining watch area. The Alejia do not require complete silence while resting. Familiar surrounding sounds help establish that a place remains occupied, watched, and safe.

JEEM can soften the passage lighting and reduce unnecessary alerts without changing Dr. Shone’s recovery settings or concealing the cutter’s ordinary sounds.

Máren gives a small movement of acknowledgment toward Chaala.



"You have made room for the keeping without attempting to possess it. Now you make room for those who carry it. The difference is understood."

A Place for Virel

Virel does not press the Alejia with further questions. Virel remains nearby, quietly available should Náhri, Máren, or Ziyótl require assistance.

For a time, none of the Alejia speaks to Virel.

The silence is not rejection. Máren and Ziyótl both recognize what Virel is attempting. The intent is considerate, but the action does not fit neatly within Alejia custom.

Among the Alejia, remaining near a place of keeping without declaring a purpose is not entirely neutral. Continued presence may imply witness, a claim to hear what is spoken, readiness to carry a message, or responsibility for something expected to occur.

Ziyótl eventually approaches Virel.



"In your custom, a person may remain near another so that help is available without requiring the need to be spoken beforehand."

The statement is offered as recognition rather than a question.



"We understand that this is what you are doing. Among the Alejia, a person who waits near a keeping would normally make known what the waiting carries. Otherwise, those present must determine whether the waiting is witness, claim, service, or expectation."

Ziyótl glances toward Máren before continuing.



"Máren understands that you do not yet know which words would define your place. Máren also understands that you chose not to invent those words."

Máren speaks from beside the witness cords. The Anglic is slow and carefully pronounced.



"Virel waits so need does not cross the room searching."

Máren pauses before selecting the remaining words.



"Virel carries no keeping. Virel claims no witness. Virel waits to receive a request."

Ziyótl renders the statement into Alejian for Náhri, formally defining Virel’s presence without attaching Virel to the Hídaska obligation.

The effect is subtle but important. Virel now has a recognized place aboard the cutter. The place creates no authority over Kade and no duty beyond anything Virel later agrees to carry.

A short time later, Náhri makes use of that availability.

"The resting rolls and food may be brought from the larger transport. Two Hídaska guards know which items belong to the watch. The Xá’kai should see the items pass, and the vessel should know what enters."

Ziyótl translates the request for Virel.



"This is a small matter, but small matters show whether the words spoken for greater matters remain true."

Virel’s patient presence has given the Alejia a way to request assistance without disturbing Chaala’s command discussion or drawing Náhri away from Kade.

For the moment, the Alejia aboard the cutter have accepted the crew’s hospitality without creating another obligation.

Virel has also gained something less visible but equally useful: a place from which to remain present without claiming authority, witness, or keeping.

GM Comment: I am still awaiting for @Packratt66 and @Stalker05 to post for their characters on the pathway forward.

Chaala says:

"... I welcome everyone's expertise before we commit to a path, and we don't ignore the other paths to the extent that we have resources and they don't risk worsening our diplomatic position."

As a reminder the pathway consisting of:
Seek a Witnessed Accounting: Use the Kade agreement as the model for locating and recovering the remaining Scouts.
Investigate the Fourth Alejia: Attempt to identify the observer before the surveillance trail disappears.
Prepare for Kade’s Testimony: Organize a medically limited first interview and allow Kade’s information to determine the next objective.
Consolidate the Cutter: Secure the vessel, communications, orbital support, and contingency plans before taking further action.
Watch for Reactions: Allow Sera and the crew to observe how local interests respond to Kade’s survival.


Or the pathway can be something else, after all it is up to the players to decide.