Carry the World

[Sanis Prent]

Red in tow, I waved my hand in the direction of the street, until yellow airtaxi descended down to our level.

"jYou want rrrjide?" The female asked in poor basic.

"Yeah, uh...."

I glanced back to Arya, who was obviously wearing the pants of this little operation.

"Hotel or shop? Doubt your bucket of bolts is up & running at the moment."

Either way, I hopped in, pulling Red along for the ride.

"Hey, you really bringing the big guy along? I mean, its just dead weight."

[Arya Ravenwing]

"Frelling shut up Sanis." She heaved Diego into the backseat next to Sanis, and shut the door, climbing into the front seat with the female, who nodded approvingly at the tone she'd taken with the manservant. "Take us to a hotel near these cross streets." Arya poked her index finger on a liquid plasma screen map that was mounted to the speeder's dash.

"Rrrjight awajy..." The yellow cab jerked upwards, and Sanis groaned as Diego's body slumped against him. From the other side of him Red pressed her nose to the window, taking in the sights.

[Sanis Prent]

"Great, I've got less say-so than a half-dead invalid." I spoke almost inaudibly.

I took the trip back to the hotel in stride, trying to keep the Lupine from bleeding on my jacket. If I didn't know better, I thought I saw his face twitch.

Eventually, we made it back, and I was out the door as fast as we hit pavement, popping a stim between my lips.

"Red, lets go get a fizzyglug."

It was at least an excuse to pry myself away from the battleaxe in the front seat, and let her pay for the fare while I was at it."

[Radish Xavier]

Jina brightened up, wrapping her tiny fingers around Sanis' hand again. "With ice? I'm hot." She felt tired, but was determined not to say so. The new hotel looked a lot different from the last one. Not...nicer, but different.

She could hear Arya grumbling as she paid the fare, and flagged down an unsuspecting felinoid male to help her with Diego. He sure was sleeping a long time! And not waking up...Jina was a heavy sleeper too, and thought she knew how he felt. Then she remembered the blood on the pavement, and her brow creased in worry.

Sanis tugged on her hand, leading her to the hotel's adjoining bar. Jina knew bars...Arya had taken her into a few. She struggled to get onto a barstool.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya paid the impatient female driver, and struggled to pull Diego from the cab. He fell forward against her, and she tipped his head back, lifting his eyelid to see if she could get any response out of him at all. His pupil was dilated already. Frell. Maybe Sanis had killed him.

Ah well. Worth a shot anyway. Arya shanghaied a loitering male, and got him to carry Diego into the hotel while she arranged for rooms. Her creds were almost gone, so she could only afford one room. Dammit to all the hells. Receiving her key, she instructed the creature behind the desk to give Sanis the copy when he emerged from the bar.

Twenty minutes later she was soaking in the bathtub while Diegos body lay prone on the bed.

[Diego Van Derveld]

*GASP!*

Diego's eyes snapped open, and he bolted up from the bed as his metabolic processes caught up with themselves. He nearly choked on his first breath, staggering to the mirror naked as the day he was born. He blinked his eyes into focus, then scrutinized the still-large wound on his head.

When he heard the water splash in the bathtub, he paused, sniffing at the air.

Arya.

Diego turned toward the bathroom, suddenly wary that things might not be as they seem.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya had fallen asleep, her head pillowed on a towel folded carefully on the edge of the tub. Her arms were draped along the sides of the tub, and she looked almost peaceful as the bubbles slowly began to melt away.

[Sanis Prent]

"Two fizzyglugs, please."

I smiled politely to the bartender, who hurriedly went on his way to get my order. All around, various aliens spoke in dozens of languages, but the order of the day was stripes by far.

It kept me on edge. My eyes were always glancing here and there, afraid to pick up some unwanted attention. After a moment, the pair of chilled sodas came to my rescue, and I paid the 'keep.

"Thanks."

I passed one of the bottles on to red, who gripped it with both hands. I took a small sip, and redoubled with two deep gulps, forgetting how thirsty a city chase in Carshoulis heat could make me. The humidity didn't help either.

"How you doin, Red?"

[Diego Van Derveld]

Just as Arya was about to drift asleep, a voice cut through the silence in the bathroom.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself."

Diego stood over her, now clad in a hotel bathrobe.

[Arya Ravenwing]

She jerked awake, right hand scooping up the blaster that rested on the counter by the tub, and was aiming before she was fully conscious. Water slowly dripped from her bare arms as she focused and then relaxed her two hand grip, setting the blaster back on the counter. "Good way to get yourself killed...again," she growled, splashing about as she struggled to reach a towel.

Diego handed her one, and Arya got to her feet, wrapping its length around her wet body as she stepped out of the bath. "I thought you were dead that time. Good thing I got you out of the street, or you'd already be cat food." She tucked the loose end of the towel in the top of the wrap, and started gathering up her discarded clothing.

[Radish Xavier]

The bottle was slippery with condensation, and Red took care not to let it slip out of her hands as she sipped it. "Not so hot." She grinned around the bottle as she drank from it, a little Fizzyglug leaking around the corners of her mouth. It was nice and cool inside, and she was happy not to be in the heat outside anymore.

Carefully the bottle was set down and she expertly wiped her mouth on her sleeve. "Is Diego gonna be okay?" Sanis looked down into her worried green eyes.

[Sanis Prent]

"Yeah, probably."

I took a long pull from my fizz, trying to relax.

"He's a big guy, he'll pull through."

Somehow, I hoped I would prove myself wrong, but the kid sure had a soft spot for the big freak.