Smugglers Cove (Love2write and Silence)

Mike didn't catch much of what the Bippen was telling him. It was just something about Star needing help. Wiping his hands off he thrust the towel into the bin and started out back toward the woman. He stuck with engineering mainly because it was what he was familiar with and liked to do. When he got back to the room it looked like Andy, Kato, and Star were already packed up and ready to go somewhere. "Now wait just a moment." The older man was usually less likely to get riled about these sort of things. "I wouldn't be getting too upset just yet. You never know. There are plenty of reasons that you could lose contact. Lets say that the magnetic field has a conflicting direction with that of the planet. Even something simple as that could sever the connections."

From the sounds of it the Bippens knew there was something wrong in the region and they had lost several of their own. Gradually the older man's face darkened. "Aye...I wouldn't be so worried except that the boy is out there. If it was jes the captain I would venture to say he'd be fine. They probably sent him cause his type seems resilient. They manage to get through where they must. Give me a moment and I'll be ready." It was better to be prepared and the boy was at this time the single reason that he was going to be heading that direction to start with. Mike couldn't help feeling that perhaps Timo shouldn't pursue being an adventurer. It was dangerous and he was usually worried about the boy being out like that. Deep down Mike was a worry wart and he was getting worse with Timo around.

Finally they arrived at the spot that the other two had been dropped off at. Mike almost shuddered. "Maybe you should give us more supplies than what we need. Could be needing to help Killian and the boy. Always a possibility that there will be some of your other missing explorers out there too."

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The loud whisper from Timo sounded and Killian clapped one of his hands over the boy's mouth. He gave the boy a fierce gaze. Killian almost forgot about holding the hand over the boy's mouth the little body began to quake. Quickly he removed his hand. Glancing at the boy he almost felt bad. Timo was close to getting suffocated because his face was so small and Killian hadn't noticed that his hand covered not only the boy's mouth but also his nose.

After several minutes the first set of guards passed and then he motioned to the boy to run. "Run for the pass, you see it there." Whispering and pointing to the small gap in the mountains ahead he waited for the boy to acknowledge the area and then gave him a pat. "Go now!" Hopefully the boy could run fast enough to get out. From what Killian had been able to gather it was the same pass that they had discovered before being brought here. His legs coiled underneath himself Killian prepared to launch himself. A guard would be giving chase anytime now and Timo wasn't in any kind of condition to fight off a grown man.

Just as he expected the two guards took notice after the little black form had darted into the pass. Killian launched from his place in the grass and hit the first man at an angle. The two of them tumbled awkwardly to the ground and the second guard came running with a club. That was one thing that Killian knew without a doubt wouldn't be killing him. So long as they hit areas protected by bone he should be ok. "Keep going Timo!" Wrenching the man's neck underneath him Killian heard a satisfying crunch and then curled against the incoming blow from the club.
 
"Maybe you should give us more supplies than what we need. Could be needing to help Killian and the boy. Always a possibility that there will be some of your other missing explorers out there too."
The bippens who had dropped them off shook their heads. "Doubtful. And we've already given more than we are allowed for this expedition. God's be with you. No one has yet to return for that place."
"You could've said that before you let a boy go out there with him!" Star growled ferociously at the bippens. They shrunk back and she marched forward, guns in their holsters.
"Star, you need to calm down." Kato says coming to her side as she rushed forward.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Star growls at Kato, spinning to him. "Killian and Timo are in a place so dangerous that even the bippens are scared of it! You heard what he said! No one has returned."
"Star..." Kato put his hands on her shoulders. "If we rush in all hot-headed we could end up in situation more dangerous than they may be in. Everyone just needs to breath and..."
"Shut up, Kato." Star threw his hands off his shoulders. "Either keep up or stay out of the way. Time could be of the essence for them."
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Timo gasped for air as Killian's hand was finally removed from his face. His eyes watered and he was still trembling slightly from nearly passing out. After he'd regained his breath Killian leaned over whispering for him to run for the pass then patted his back. Timo did, sprinting out from their hiding spot. He heard the guards yell behind him then yelped as Killian tacked one of them. He paused, looking behind him. "Keep going, Timo!" Killian roared. Timo continued backing towards the pass, terrified for Killian as the club hit him in the back of the head. He didn't want to leave Killian but he was too scared to stay.

He turned and continued to sprint towards the pass when something grabbed his collar, wrenching him off the ground. Timo yelled as one of the cannibals grabbed the boy around the chest and with the other hand pressed a blade to his throat. The companion of the 2nd patrol had run to assist the first, trying to beat the chippequoti to death. Both were failing miserably and Killian had gained the upper hand, until..."HEY! Drop them...or your kid dies!" The guard holding Timo yelled. Timo tried to move his neck away from the blade, but with his body dangleing from the arms of the guard he had no where to go. The boy's wide scared eyes met Killian's. "I SAID, DROP THEM!" The Guard yelled again, pressing the blade harder against his throat. He whimpered as the blade cut into his skin and a thin line of blood began trickling down to his chest.
 
Kato was getting in the way again and Mike glowered at the man. "Go back with the rest of them. If it really is dangerous I don't have time to watch your back. It'll be tough enough if the other two are hurt but, we'd have better chances getting out alive without you here to make things worse." So far he'd done his best to be patient but, Kato had begun to wear on him. Fights seemed to render the doctor useless. That was until someone got hurt and the doctor was always better if the person was taken to a ward or some room where he could focus. Didn't seem to Mike that Kato had much place on the field.

Though his one arm still didn't work as well Mike had found ways to force his hand to work. It hurt sometimes but, it was better than nothing. Only thing he really needed help with was the tiny details when it came to the engine work. Stuff that required his injured hand to be more precise. "I've got the front, ladies just watch the back."

The little blonde took up after Mike and nodded. "I've got it." She was slightly nervous feeling. Taking a deep breath she started into the cold snowy area with the other two. Andy held her gun ready and cautiously started into the gulley with them. Part way in she felt the ground shake. "You two feel that?" Almost whispering the words she paused and then looked to Star and Mike. "Feels like the ground just moved." That was creepy enough in itself.

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"Ugh..." The force of the club hitting Killian in the head almost made him nose dive into the ground from his kneeling position. A steady ache had started in the back of his skull. Kicking one foot behind himself he heard the guard grunt and in the moment that the guard took to recover his footing Killian got up and put an arm out to catch the next hit. Already one of the guards was dead and it wouldn't take much to kill this one.

Meeting the guard's gaze the captain growled. He could see the fear building in the man's eyes. It was only natural when they discovered that his bones didn't break like a normal person's. Standing to his full height Killian was easily a good 8 inches taller or more. Wrenching the club from his hands he drew his arm back and was about to smash the skull in on the man when he heard someone yell from the direction that Timo had run. Glancing up Killian hardened his gaze and he looked back at his next victim. Whoever the other guard was he seemed insistent. Momentarily Killian was drawn out of his rage and he dropped the club.

Already guards had begun to surround him and a few hit at him with the clubs. Some hit hard enough that it forced Killian to the ground where they began to tie him up. Green eyes flashing he watched as they hauled Timo back into camp. "I will kill you." Hissing at the guard nearest himself he made sure the man knew who he was talking to.
 
The guard tightened the bonds around Killian. "Not before we kill and eat you. I'm looking forward to it." They hauled Killian back to camp, throwing him in a strong cage, then dragging boy elsewhere. "Killian!" Timo called him anxiously, glancing over his shoulder. One of the guards yanked Timo harder as he resisted, causing him to stumble, but the tight grip on his arm kept him from falling. The guard watching Killian hit the cage with his club and snarled at him. "Be a good man and the little human won't be hurt. Try to escape, we'll eat him first."
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Star felt the same movement. "Oh god...that's weird. Uh, maybe we should get out of this gulley." As she said this Kato yelped behind them. His leg had gone through the ice, scrapping something black that began to move. He got back onto the ice just as quickly, stepping around the new hole. "There's is something alive beneath the ice. We should move off it."
"That's what I just said." Star hurried over to the wall of the gulley and folded her hands. "Here, Andy. Step on my hands. I'll launch you up."
 
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Killian only smirked at the man. He knew how they prepared their prisoners to be eaten and he was sure that he could get out of it. Part of him wondered if it would have been a faster and easier death for the boy if he would have continued with the fight. Maybe he couldn't save Timo but, the next best was to get out long enough to kill as many of these men as possible. No doubt the cannibals would take their time killing them now that Killian and Timo made an attempt at an escape. Watching the men drag Timo past only enraged Killian. Still he sat calmly in the cage and waited while the guard tried to taunt him. "That's where you're mistaken. I already know you'll eat him to. It doesn't matter now does it? I've got all the time I need." Settling into his spot he stared at the man. There was a whole night ahead and who knew how much longer to start his planning.

The smuggler woke up the next morning drenched in sweat and shivering. It was still cold outside and he figured it was likely just some kind of cold sweat from the night. Looking outside of the cage he couldn't tell where they had taken Timo. Must have been someplace indoors. While he was busy looking around a man came to the door of the cage and opened it up.

Without much expression to his face Killian got out of the cage and followed the men to the little hidden place. He had a plan to get out of this spot and then go back to the village for Timo.

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"Aye lets get off the ground here!" Mike ran over to the edge and instead of waiting for Andy to step on Star's hand he grabbed the girl by the back of her pants and threw her toward the ledge. Andy made a little squeak as she flew into the air and grasped onto the ledge. "You're next, Star." The older man was more careful with her since she was the one that had brain problems. When it was time for Kato, Mike gave him a little help though it was even less. "Now which direction are you taking us?" There was an obvious end to the ledge up ahead and they would have to get down onto the ground at some point again. "Do you know what that is?"
 
"No idea, but from the looks of things up here...its massive." From this spot, Star could see the black form moving beneath the ice. It stretched as far as she could see into the gulley. "Maybe if we wait, it'll move." She sat down on the ledge with the rest of the crew. She couldn't help but worry that Killian and Timo had found themselves in the same situation and possibly gotten swallowed by the ice or the monster beneath. "What if..." A deafening cracking sound erupted and the end of the gulley that they'd just come from, exploded in a shower of ice and water as a massive black fin folded up then came crashing back down. None of them had time react before the wave rushed over them. Mike and Kato were thrown off the ledge and sent spinning across the ice to their right. Star had managed to keep hold of Andy and her part of the ledge. Beneath them the ice had fully cracked and the black mass was moving beneath them. "We're gonna have to jump for it." Star stood, on the wet ledge, nearly slipping. She backed up a few steps, taking a running leap and landed hard on ice that hadn't broken yet. She pushed to her feet and gestured for Andy to jump too.

Kato pushed to his feet, holding his arms out to balance himself as the ground continued to tremble beneath them. The water from the wave was making the ice beneath them slippery and near impossible to walk on. Once balanced he offered a hand to Mike to help him up.

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"Eat!" A mean looking woman pushed a plate of the strange meat at Timo as he lay in the hut with a thin blanket around his shoulders. His eyes and nose were red from crying, and his left leg was bent awkwardly. Timo shook his head. The woman stomped a little closer, causing Timo to shrink. "Eat, or I break the other one." She growled. With a shaking hand Timo grabbed one of the pieces of meat and began eating. She nodded approvingly and went back to weaving what looked like a blanket, still keeping a close eye on the boy. Not that he could've gone anywhere at this point. Timo continued to stare at the hut's entrance. When was Killian coming to save him?
 
Mike groaned when he hit the ice. His back felt like it popped out of place. Rolling to his side he stiffly got to his feet with the help of the doctor and nearly collapsed as the ground continued to shake. "Kato!" Leaping he barreled right into the doctor to throw him off to the side. They were almost separated from the girls now with the growing gap in the ice.

The little blonde looked up at Star and shook her head. "I don't jump." No matter what she said the other woman seemed to be determined to jump over to where the men were. Almost trembling she scrambled up the side of the ledge to join Star. "You go first then I will." Andy watched Star and then she backed up before launching off the edge of the mini ice cliff. In mid air she squinted her eyes. Jumping was terrifying enough and she didn't need to see the ground jumping up to meet her. "Ooof." Smacking into something semi soft she peered into Kato's eyes. "You caught me?" Half surprised and half amused she blinked her eyes at him a few times. "Thank you."

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One man took his place at Killian's side and pulled his arm out and then the next man took a side as well. Both of them pushed him slightly forward so that the man armed with a sword could do his job. Willingly he cooperated for now and then he forced himself to stand. The blade caught a shoulder and stopped when it hit the bone. Thankfully it wasn't deep since it was near the edge of his shoulder, but it still hurt. While he had momentum Killian swung one of the men toward the swordsman and quickly dispatched with the one holding onto his other arm.

Blood dripped freely from his face and the front of his vest. Taking the bloodied sword he started down the mountainside and toward the village. They wouldn't have time to kill the boy if he had any say about this.
 
Kato was just as surprised as Andy that he'd caught her. He'd hadn't thought they'd reach the girls in time to help catch them when they jumped. He'd missed Star but caught Andy instead. He flushed as she batted her eyelashes at him, then grabbed her hand as Star moved to Mike's side to check on him. "This ice isn't going to hold. We need to get out of this gorge." They race across the ice, slipping, sliding and sometimes crawling. Beneath them the ice trembled as whatever was beneath them groaned and moved, threatening to break up the ice even more. They reach the end and using one another as leverage, got up off the ice and back onto hard ground. Not a moment too soon as the whale, in its final throes of life began twisting and turning, breaking up what was left of the ice. A moment later, the chaos ended, and the black body grew still.

Star's heart pounded. "That was way too close..."
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Timo huddled in the corner of the hut as the woman watched him with a critical eye. Suddenly Killian came storming through the entrance, bloodied and injured but with a fire in his eyes. "Killian!" The boy shot up as did his guard, grabbing a small knife in defense of herself. A poor defense however, one that would do no good against Killian.

Timo wanted to stand to greet him and get out of this place but the instant he moved his leg a little, crippling pain shot up through it. He hand touched his leg. "I"m sorry i didn't run fast enough, Killian." He whimpered, feeling responsible for getting caught and ruining their escape.
 
Killian suffered many more blows from the clubs on his way into the camp. Still he kept his pace. The sword felt awkward in his hands. Sometimes it would want to fall one direction and other times it would flow smoothly. Reaching the small hut he burst through the door. A female rose with a dagger in her hand. For the time Killian didn't see the boy and instead thrust the sword through the woman and drug her body outside. Throwing it to the ground he watched it roll a few times and then stepped inside to look the boy over.

The boy crumpled with his first attempt to walk. Every instinct told him to leave the lad. If it wasn't for Star and the fact that he had a duty to the boy he would have. Those eyes were nearly enough to make him want to slaughter the rest of the village. What they had done to the boy was enough to make ulcers grow in his stomach. Walking over to where the boy was he wrapped an arm around him and started for the door of the hut. "We're leaving now. There's not time for apologies. You did your best and now I'm going to do my best to get you back home safely."

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A spray of blood was easy enough to see on the snow even with the fading daylight. Mike's heart beat a little faster. "Oh help us." He didn't want to find the boy's body and it looked like a lot of blood. Racing from body to body he would check them and shake his head. His heart rose slightly. "Neither of them so far." That didn't mean much though.

Andy followed after him and tears sprung to her eyes. "Hate death." She never liked seeing this sort of thing. Still she held her weapon ready in the event that she would need to use it.

Mike caught his breath when he came around the corner and they could see a small green land ahead of them. "What is this?" Cautiously he marched further into the village and he felt his heart drop. It was slaughter here. Bodies were strewn across the ground. "I would recommend spreading out but, I think looking at the bodies that there aren't enough to make up the entire village yet." Perhaps there were others laying in wait or ambush. Maybe not. Even when he tried to swallow his mouth seemed to be dry. This kind of slaughter he hadn't seen since the war.
 
Killian half-carried, half-supported Timo as they hurried out of the village. Timo shut his eyes several times as Killian cut down yet another cannibal, and another. Their screams echoed in his mind, and their blood turned the white snow red. Killian was covered in both his own blood and of the people he killed. Plenty of it had gotten on Timo as well. He clung to Killian tightly, burying his face in the man's shirt, refusing to open his eyes after the third kill. Eventually Killian was forced to pick Timo up fully and carry him. The boy trembled in his arms, eyes squeezed shut tightly. He whimpered with every jarring of his leg. So much for a fun time of exploring.

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Star was sick to her stomach. She held a hand to her mouth trying not to throw up. This was brutal. Whoever had done this had been on a furious rampage with some sort of blade. Either they were going to find Killian and Timo dead amidst the bodies, or Killian was the cause of this. Both options seemed equally horrible. Every body identified as not Killian or Timo brought a sense relief followed by a wave of nausea about yet another person dead. "God...this is horrible. Killian wouldn't do something like this...would he?" She asks Mike hesitantly as they reach the edge of the village. A few villagers had begun milling around, crying over their dead. Star ran up to one. "What happened here!?" She demanded. They shied away from the group, clearly traumatized by the current event and not wanting a repeat. "Get out! Get out!" They demanded, shooing them away. Most of the males had been killed it seemed, leaving the women and children alone with a horrible mess to deal with. Star pitied them. "I'm sorry, but have you seen a large chippequoti and a little boy. Please!"
"Get out! Get out!"

"Star, I don't think they're going to answer us." Kato put a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off in annoyance.
"Answer me, Please! Then we'll leave." Star continues to insist.
 
Killian stopped a short distance outside of the village. Setting the boy down he decided it was best to let Timo rest some. His little leg probably wouldn't last much longer with all the jostling. Had to hurt. Grabbing a handful of snow Killian used it to wipe some of the blood off his face. He was feeling sick and a bit feverish but, that was to be expected after spending a night outside in the cold and being half drenched in sweat from the fight before Timo was captured. Part of him wished the boy had gotten away. It would have been so much more simple.

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The question from Star only made Mike shrug. "He does what he has to." If they didn't find Killian's body and even if they did he wouldn't put it past the captain. So far they were lucky women hadn't tried to get in way or children. Meeting Star's gaze he almost felt badly for her. It took a certain level of cold blood to do something like this. There had to be a credible threat. If there wasn't he would poison the captain and make it quick before something worse happened. After having witnessed the Chippequoti it had all made sense and Mike had never been so glad for his small preventative measure that he kept all those years. Just in case the captain lost his mind.

At the edge of the village Star kept questioning people and Mike waited patiently for her to exhaust the sources before he stepped in. "We leave. Where did they go?" One haggard looking woman pointed toward the mountains. Muttering under his breath Mike looked over at Star. "Of course he would. Has to pick a difficult trail to follow." It was probably to keep the villagers from following them, but it also made it a harder task for them. "We'd better move along quickly or we risk losing them."

Gradually the trail grew lighter except for a little bit of blood every now and then. Mike stopped. "Looks like we got a small person here." Pointing to the little heel dips in the snow and tiny rear end imprint he sighed. "Wasn't laying down so we know he's got Timo." Then he looked over at the bloody notch in the snow. It was hard to tell what it was all about. "I don't know where all the blood is still coming from. We'd better keep moving though."

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Killian stopped again shortly after they got into the mountains. It seemed that the boy's leg was paining him greatly. Finally Killian set him down again and held him close. The boy was shivering and it wasn't any wonder with how cold it was. "You're just fine. Nobody can touch you here." He was about to fall asleep from exhaustion when he heard voices. Tilting his head to the side Killian reached for the sword.
 
"They're here! I see them!" Star raced down the snow bank, falling to her knees by their side. Both were covered in blood and shivering from the cold. Even with it so cold, Killian was covered in sweat. Timo had passed out, his leg clearly damaged. "Kato! Kato hurry!" She put a hand on Killian's face. "Hey, we're gonna get you guys home." And then...she noticed the bloodied sword. Her face paled and she pulled back in shock. It had been him. He'd slaughtered all those people. Leaving dozens of widows and fatherless children in his wake. In her head, she knew there had to be a reason, but nothing came to mind that would have warrented that level of brutality. "Killian...all those people...why?" She asked, stunned.

Kato arrived at their side taking out his scanner and running it over first Timo and Killian. "The boy has a broken leg, his blood pressure is low and he's showing the beginning signs of hypothermia. Killian's temperature is pretty high, even for a Chippequoti. There's a bad gash on his shoulder and multiple contusions around his head and upper back region. Good thing we got to them when we did. Another 15 minutes in this cold..." Kato didn't finish his sentence. "Andy, I need those thermal blankets, wrap Timo and Killian up best you can. Mike get them some water. Star, gather some branches. I'm going to see if I can make a small splint for Timo. I'll bandage up Killian's shoulder in the meantime. Go."
 
(You're still awake. Lol)

The familiar form came to the top of the hill and Killian relaxed again. Gradually the sword slipped from his hand and rest again in the snow. Almost listlessly he watched the small group come down the hill. It felt like it took them forever and everything was in slow motion and yet he could barely remember what had happened a few seconds ago. A slight grin came to his face when she mentioned going home. "Yeah I bet." Everything changed in a matter of seconds and he noticed that Star was pulling away. A little confused he tilted his head. "What?" She was worried about the people and he shook his head. "They were cannibals. I tried to leave with Timo. Killed two guards and the boy couldn't run fast enough."

Killian frowned at Star. "I had no choice. Timo was taken to a separate house and they told me if I tried to escape they would kill him and then eat him. So I waited till they took me to the mountain. Killed the men there, took the executioners sword and came back here to get Timo. He's part of my crew. It's my job to make sure he's taken care of. They got in the way and tried to stop us. I killed them." Stating it as simply as possible he left it there. She would understand. If it had been her she would have had to make the same choices. Almost as an after thought Killian laughed uncomfortably. "Pretty sure I got to find out what Bippen tastes like." Something about eating people actually bothered him but, at least he didn't know what the person had looked like.

Rushing toward Andy, Mike pulled the blankets out of the supply bag and wrapped them around both men. He didn't like what he was seeing and they still had a little ways to travel. "We better get moving. I don't think we'd last it outside all night long." The stop here was short lived and then he started to get them up. Mike carried the boy. "Hey you're coming with me. Captain could use a little rest for his shoulder. How about that?"

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A little Bippen ship hovered near the alternate location that they were given when the team had reached a spot with reception. His eyes widened slightly as the rag tag group emerged from the little mountain region. "What happened!?" Tumbling out of the ship he raced to the back to open it up for the crew.
 
Star paled as Killian began talking about cannibals. That quiet little village was filled with cannibals!? The thought makes her sick, even more so that they wanted to kill and eat both Killian and Timo. Especially Timo. No wonder Killian had done what he had. She didn't blame him. Cannibals were sickening. She couldn't believe those children there were going to be raised that way. Timo whimpered as Kato straighten his leg enough to put it into the brace until they could get back to the city. His eyes were still squeezed shut tightly, pulling the thermal blanket around him closely. Star's heart broke. How much had he seen of Killian's rampage? Of the Cannibals eating other bippens. And his leg...what else had he suffered. It wasn't right...she should've never let him come.

Mike hoisted Timo up into his arms when Kato was done. Timo nodded at Mike but still didn't open his eyes, terrified of what he might see if he did. He just wanted to go home. He wanted to hide and never come out again. His hand found Mike's shirt and he clutched it, holding it tightly. Star stroked his hair, staring at him worriedly. Mike assured her he'd take care of the boy allowing her to concentrate on helping Killian.

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Star glared at the bippens as they raced to and from the ship. "Cannibals...that's what happened. You sent one man and a boy into a village of cannibals." She glowered at them. They couldn't have known...no one had ever returned...but it still pissed her off. She had a tight hold of Killian's good arm. She knew she wasn't doing much to support him but it was good being in contact proximity...despite everything.

Once inside Kato had both of them taken to the medbay for a better examination and once deeming neither were in immediate danger of anything he began working on killian's shoulder which he's only previous bandaged. "This wound went all the way to the bone!" Kato exclaims upon further examination. "How have you not passed out from all the blood loss?" He shakes his head. "Its going to take more than stitched to deal with this. I'll see if I can find a medical scanner once we get back to the city. For now I'm going to get some fluids going, in both of you." He replaced the bandaging and put together the I.V's.

Despite the bippens being a different culture in a different system he'd found most of the medical advancements to be nearly identical to the human ones. Making him wonder if there hadn't been human doctors here before, or said advancements scrounged off human ships. They were called by different names...but he still know what they were.

Timo didn't open his eyes until he felt the engines fire up and the ship take off. "Hey, you're ok. You're safe now." Star smiled kindly at him, stroking his arm. He nodded, his lips quivering a bit. He glimpsed Killian, still covered in his and the bippen blood. He didn't have the sword on him but he couldn't help but see it in his mind. He looked away immediately and back at Star who was staring at him worriedly.
 
Killian walked slowly next to Star. Periodically he would take a deep breath. When they got to the vehicle he winced a little when he sat on the bench. The wall of the craft was hard against his back and all the bruises. He waited for Kato to check the boy over thoroughly before going to the medical bay himself. It had gotten warm enough that he was starting to feel the shoulder a little more. For the first time since the actual slice he could feel it again and Killian laid back on the bed before he passed out. Kato peeled the bandage back and prodded a few times. "It was cold." That was perhaps the only reason that Killian could think that he hadn't bled any faster.

The captain grit his teeth and tried not to look. He'd lost the majority of feeling in his arm and hand. More than stitches didn't sound good. Sitting up slightly on the bed he tried to get a look at Timo. Poor kid was obviously upset. It was an upsetting scenario that had played out, but he did what he had to. Meeting Star's gaze the captain gave her an apologetic nod of the head.

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Upon arrival at the city Killian wasn't allowed to stand. Instead he was wheeled around on the bed. Most of it was a blur. He remembered some people asking him questions about what he ate last and he didn't answer that question. It was something he'd done his best not to say to Timo. The boy didn't need to know that they had eaten other folk. Alien or not it felt terrible. Then there was a bit of talking and adjusting of lights. Again the doctors asked him a few questions and Killian shook his head. At first he panicked when they put a mask over his face, but it only lasted a few seconds.

Waking up some time later he frowned. There was a little tube running into his arm and he noticed that they were draining blood from it as well as pumping something in from another tube running into the wound as well. It was different than the medicine he remembered Kato practicing.

"This one drains excess fluid and blood. It'll help keep the swelling down and then this one is a localized pain killer." A fat little nurse explained the tubes to him and nodded. "We don't like to put painkillers anyplace in the body they don't have to be." So far as the Bippens were concerned it was a more efficient way of treating a patient and helped them to better localize the pain if it started to spread.

Killian nodded a little at the explanation and closed his eyes again. A while later Star came in and he grinned at her. "They got this arm all bandaged up and strapped to my body." It was put in a sling that then wrapped around his ribs. With the wraps he couldn't do anything besides attempt to move the tips of his fingers. "How long am I gonna be useless for?" Cringing, he sat up in the bed and motioned for Star to sit down with him. "I'll come back to the room soon as they let me. Not like the medical bay makes that much difference anyway." Resting a hand on hers he felt somewhat better. "How's Timo doing? He doesn't know that they were cannibals does he? Does he know what we ate?" Those were some of the most concerning questions for the time.
 
"How long am I gonna be useless for?"
"A couple weeks." She replied, coming to sit beside him. "They had to repair alot of muscle, its going to take time to heal." "I'll come back to the room soon as they let me. Not like the medical bay makes that much difference anyway."She nodded at him. "It might be best if you stay here for a while. Timo is pretty upset." She shook her head at his questions. "I think we managed to keep him from knowing about them being Cannibals or what he...ate...." She look sickened at the thought. "Kato says he's experiencing some shock from the whole situation. He hasn't said anything yet and won't eat." She sighed, blaming herself again for letting him go.

"How are you doing?" She asks seriously. "Don't tell me you're fine...I know you aren't...you can't be after something like that."
 
Killian almost wilted at the idea of being useless for a couple of weeks. He wanted to get up and do something. In fact he was feeling pretty good even his shoulder. What didn't feel good was his head and the back of his shoulders. The captain was still having some sweating episodes though the nurse told him it was just a bad fever and they gave him antibiotics to work through it.

Part of him was worried when she didn't seem to want him back. Star was leaving him! Of course she answered with the idea that Timo was upset. Somehow he was getting the impression that Star didn't want him around anymore. Then the questions turned toward himself and Killian started to answer with a fine but, that was cut short. "Could be better. My head hurts, still feel sick..." He glanced at her knowing that wasn't exactly what she was looking for. "What am I supposed to say? I'm upset? I ate a Bippen and it disturbs me? I don't know Star. There's not a lot to compare this to. I did what I had to and it was the right thing for Timo and myself. Sure as hell didn't feel like the right thing to do. Still couldn't let them kill the boy. He was depending on me to get him out."
 
"I know. I'm not judging you, Killian." Star covered his hand with both of hers. "You did what you needed...you got Timo out. That's what matters. Just...the way it happened was...was really hard to see." Her expression was somewhat tortured. She was trying desperately to be understanding, and supportive. But in the back of her mind she wondered what sort of monsterish side he had to pull from to be capable of the slaughter he'd inflicted. It disturbed her to realize he was fully capable of something like that. Granted, the situation was impossible, but it didn't change what happened. Still, he looked pained by it as much as she did, if not more.

"Hey." Star put a hand on his cheek, softly stroking the line of his chin with her thumb. "I'm just glad you're both alright and home safe. I understand, alright? And I still love you. We'll get through this, just like we've gotten through everything else."
 
He was almost positive that the woman was going to be permanently damaged. Killian didn't like to know that it bothered her that much. What she thought of him he could only guess. The soft stroke along his face only made him feel more irritated with himself. Turning his face away from her he let out a long sigh. "You don't have to pretend that you're ok with it." Carefully he pulled his hand away and then glanced at her as if to test her response.

It was difficult for Killian to comprehend where this was all going. No matter that she had just claimed she wouldn't leave him it was still stuck in his mind. "I don't want you to leave but, I need to know what you really think. Can you live with me knowing what happened?"
 
"What happened...was that you protected Timo...and you got out alive." Star replied, her hands folded in her lap. "Granted I'm having a hard time reconciling the you I know with the you that did that out there today. And if I'm being honest, its a bit frightening that you're capable of that. At the same time...I knew, joining your ship, the type of man you were and, to an extent, what you would do to survive. I asked you to be my boyfriend...knowing that there were no lines you wouldn't cross to protect the ones you loved. And even now...I'm still choosing to accept you, because I know that, despite it all, you are a good man...and I am always safe with you."
 
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