A Fortunate Accident – Chapter 11

Our trek through the jungle is strange and surreal. I keep my eyes peeled for animals along the way, but I’m lucky enough not to spot any. Luca’s men lead our party through the brush, careful to clear the plants away, but even that is not a hard job. This is a well-worn path, and this gives me pause. Nothing about Rio is supposed to be this tame. Usually, the jungle reclaims everything humans try to do to it. A well-worn path here means India’s teams have been using this route a lot. That’s bound to catch the attention of the military, sooner rather than later.

I stick to the path behind the lead men, but I also hold out my hand to the various plants as we walk past. I brush my fingers along trees, ground cover, flowers, bushes — anything I can reach. As we observed on the Amagi, when we carried Vivian’s Rio plants and back in her greenhouses on Ossun, Rio plants will move towards their human pairs. If the human has a pair. Ken and Vivian each have Rio plant pairs. Ken’s gives him heightened empathy when he consumes it. Vivian’s allows her consciousness to jump out of her body and go other places. It’s wild. She’s only done it a few times, but it’s worked every time.

I wonder what my pair is.

“You should keep your hands to yourself,” Luca says from behind me. “Some of these plants are poisonous. This type of behavior will get you in the hospital.”

He’s right, and I should draw back my hand, but I will never find my pair if I’m not always looking for it. Maybe Luca doesn’t know this bit of information about the Rio plants. Not many people actually do.

“It’s fine. It’s what I’m here to do,” I reply, stepping over a giant fallen log. I’m careful to look up and around, and I spot nothing but plants.

“What are you here to do?” he asks, moving in a little closer. Kalvin turns around in front of me and slows down to listen in. He’s only heard the overview of my job.

“I’m… I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to talk about. If I tell you, I may have to kill you.”

He jogs up a little closer. “I have full classified clearance.”

“And I’m supposed to take your word for it?” I glance behind us, and something about the size of a dog with many, many legs skitters across the path we just traversed. I shiver.

“I suppose you shouldn’t.” The dimple in Luca’s cheek grows.

“Good. Then we’re on the same page.”

We’re quiet for a bit, but Luca slows down next to me, so I slow my steps to match his. He stops, cocks his head, and blinks a few times. “Hear that?” he asks, his hand out.

I can’t hear anything over the rush of my breath.

Luca whistles low, and the men around us stop. He gestures to get down, and my stomach drops along with my knees. Oh God, what’s going to happen? My back sweats as distant chittering and squeaking grows louder by the second.

“Put your head down and pull your bag over your head. Don’t leave your hands or skin exposed.” He pulls his arms into his shirt and draws it over his head like he’s a turtle in its shell.

“Aw shit,” Kalvin says, resigned. “Skylar, over here.” He gestures to a fallen log as he does the same thing as Luca.

“What is it?” My voice shakes.

“Starbats. A swarm of them.”

The chittering has turned to high-pitched screams now. Starbats? What the hell are starbats?

One flies past me, and I panic and don’t dive for Kalvin. I hurriedly tuck in my shirt, pull my bag over my head, and fold my hands underneath me. I get as low as I can, remembering child’s pose from my yoga practice, but tighter and more ball-like.

The noise of the starbats crescendos, and one thumps into my back.

I cry out and burst into a sob as it tears my shirt before flying off. Thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk whap thunk. Each time another hits me, I flinch and cry some more. My back stings with pain, but I stay down. Whatever’s happening, I don’t want it happening to my face.

A starbat hits the ground next to me, close enough for me to see from under the cover of my bag, and I immediately wish I had kept my eyes closed. The thing looks like a Franken bird-bat-spider combination. It has a head like a bird with no feathers, but each eye is compounded like a spider. It opens its beak, a screech comes out, and the sound sucks the air from my body. When it spreads its wings to retake flight, I understand where the ‘bat’ part of the name comes from. The wings are leathery and thin, with several sections. White dots along its torso remind me of the stars in the night sky.

Fuck. Rio is weird as hell.

I concentrate on my breathing, in and out, in and out, until the screeching and chittering grows quiet. Looking at the dirt, I wonder how many times I’m going to end up like this on my trip, cowering in fear and wondering if I’ll live through whatever Rio throws at me. It could be a daily occurrence, or this could be the only time it ever happens. I have no clue.

“Ms. Kawabata,” Luca says, his hand on my shoulder, “you can get up now.”

I drag the bag off my head and hiss at the pain radiating off my back. I lift my head to look at Luca, and he winces.

“You got really scratched up.” His eyes scan over my tear-soaked face. “Are you okay?”

I press my lips together. I don’t want to cry anymore in front of him, so I pull a breath in through my nose before letting it go. Sitting up, I wipe the tears from my face, and Luca winces again. Great. My hands are covered with dirt, so I guess my face is dirty now, too.

Kalvin stands up, unscathed. I should have sought shelter next to him.

“Are they poisonous?” I ask Luca, wondering how much time I have left to live.

He shakes his head, and I sigh in relief. “They just scratch. Sometimes they bite, too, but not if you cover yourself. You’re going to need some bandages and antibiotics, otherwise, they’ll get infected.”

I blow out another long shaky breath and try to pull myself together.

Skylar, it was just starbats. No big deal.

Not that I had any idea starbats existed until five minutes ago.

“Oh no, Sky,” Kalvin says, approaching me. He reaches out and wipes the dirt tears from my cheeks. “We’ll fix this. It’s a simple patch-up job. No worries.”

The pilot speak is comforting, more than I ever thought it would be. But I should have left Kalvin with the Amagi where he belongs. He doesn’t belong in the jungle.

Neither do I.

“We should go, boss,” one of the lead men calls out. “We’re almost there, and kites will be incoming.”

“Kites?” I ask, picking up my bag.

“The starbats’ pair. Snarl-toothed kites. They always follow a flock of starbats within a few minutes. The two are natural predators of each other, and the kites are a lot more vicious. So we should go.”

Without a word, I hustle forward with Kalvin and follow the lead men, even though I can feel the blood dripping down my back.

Later.

I’ll deal with it later.

—-

We enter the camp without further incident, thank the heavens. We pass through the gate at an electric fence being run off generators and walk to temporary houses amongst the long grass. I take mental notes of everything as we walk past — the heavy machinery parked outside the fence under the trees, the hum of activity from the furthest buildings, the smell of onions and garlic cooking, a group of five men playing football along the corridor between buildings, another man in full PPE gear leaving a lab.

“Ms. Kawabata, we should go straight to the infirmary.” Luca gestures to a temporary building three down the path.

“Yeah. That’s a good idea.” I’m starting to feel faint from the blood loss and shock of the starbats’ attack. I didn’t think I’d run into Rio wildlife so soon after landing.

I’m learning hard lessons today, for sure.

Stumbling forward, I blink my eyes to stay conscious. Kalvin trots up next to me and takes my arm.

“How about I escort the princess to her castle?” he asks. I want to smack him, but I take the proffered arm without saying anything.

Luca pulls open the door to the infirmary, and blood runs down his arm. I touch his torn shirt and pull back the fabric. He’s pretty banged up as well.

“It’s nothing.” He jerks his head at the doorway. “Happens to me all the time.” His smile tries to reassure me that this is no big deal, but his face falls as he catches sight of my back. “Shit. We should have dressed those cuts on the go.”

I trudge into the room like a zombie on autopilot.

“Doc!” Luca calls to the rear of the infirmary. “We’ve got someone who needs help!”

Through the clear panel on the door, a woman with her hair in a ponytail is stuffing pasta into her mouth at a hurried pace with one hand while grabbing gloves with her other hand. She tosses her fork on the plate, wipes her mouth quickly, and glides out of the office like she’s ready and raring to go.

“Who do we have here?” she says, smiling as she approaches me. “You must be new.” She narrows her eyes. “I recognize you, I think.” She looks at Kalvin. “You, I don’t recognize.”

“Fine by me,” he says jovially. “I like to be anonymous.”

I shuffle and set my hand on the nearest table to stop from falling over. Both Luca and the doctor lunge forward to catch me. Kalvin holds on tighter.

“Oh, wait. Hold on there for a second.” She guides me back a step to sit on a stool. She leans to the side, looks at my back, and hisses. “Ouch. You’ve got yourself quite the bloody back there.”

“Skylar,” I mumble. “Skylar Kawabata.”

She raises her eyebrows as she crosses past the nearest cot to the locker full of medical supplies.

“How did this happen, Luca?” she asks, her face falling into a frown. “I was hoping Ms. Kawabata would arrive in one piece. We need her desperately right now.” She waves to the five occupied beds at the rear of the infirmary, partially hidden behind a cloth screen.

Luca shrugs. “I do my best. But starbats can’t be controlled. Next time I’m bringing a canvas blanket to throw over people. Ms. Kawabata was right in the center of the swarm.”

“Bad timing.” She extracts a few bottles, some gauze, sterile bandages, and other instruments from the locker. “Better go get India.” She shoos him off with a wave of her hand.

“Those starbats came too fast. I wasn’t able to get to Skylar in time to help her.” Kalvin pulls up a chair next to me.

She smiles kindly at me, and I can’t do anything, or I’m going to pass out or puke.

“I’m Dr. Emily Arzon.” She sets everything she needs on the shining steel table. “You can call me whatever — Doc, Dr. Arzon, Dr. Emily — or just drop the ‘doctor’ altogether.” She shrugs. “I don’t care. It’s the main reason I’m here and not working in some fancy-ass hospital.”

I huff a small laugh. “Fucking starbats fucked me up, Doc.”

She throws back her head in a laugh. “A woman with the same vocabulary I have. Excellent. We’ll make good friends.” She holds up a finger as she trots off to another locker and grabs a hospital gown. “We’re going to cut that shirt and bra off of you, and you can wear this. I’ll tie it in the back.”

“Don’t cut the bra. It’s one of the few good ones I have left.”

Her hesitation is less than a second. “Yes, of course. They’re so hard to find in the right size, too.”

We make the switch, and I’m impressed that Kalvin doesn’t ogle or embarrass me when I’m exposed. He has a bedside manner that’s kinder than his hot-shot pilot self. An unexpected bonus.

I hold the hospital gown against my chest as the doctor gets to work on my back. Just when I’m finding my calm, the door opens and in sweeps India Dellis with Takemo Diaz right behind her.

“Oh no,” she moans, coming straight to me. “Already? You hadn’t even made it to camp yet.”

She glides to my side. I’m amazed this woman has poise in almost every situation, even when she’s wearing the plainest of clothes with no makeup and no jewelry. I touch the elephant charm under the hospital gown, and tears well in my eyes again. I wish Saif was here.

“She’ll be okay,” Kalvin says, squeezing my hand.

Takemo’s eyes zoom straight in to our locked hands, and his jaw tightens. I blink, and he’s back to normal. Did I imagine that?

“And who are you?” India asks, pulling away from Kalvin’s megawatt grin.

“Kalvin Vidal, pilot and friend of Skylar, at your service.” He reaches out to shake her hand.

“India Dellis,” she says, shaking his hand and smiling with a knowing glint in her eyes. “You’re the one who was stranded in the desert with Skylar.”

“That was me, indeed.”

“I see.” She looks back and forth between us. I play comatose. “Is it painful?” she asks me, looking at Dr. Emily doing her work. “Give her more meds, Doc.”

“Sure thing.” Emily sets down her instruments and returns to the lockers and the fridge for painkillers and juice. I drink down what she gives me and turn my mind away from Kalvin, Saif, and this whole mess.

“So, starbats, huh? Luca filled me in.” India takes my free hand in hers.

“Yeah. I’ll be fine.” I sniff up and glance at Takemo. His expression is stern. “It was just bad timing, that’s all.” I sigh and then wince as Emily disinfects another cut. “What sucks is that I sleep on my back.”

Takemo huffs a brief laugh. “That does suck. You have the worst luck, Skylar. I came in two days ago with no problems.”

“Aren’t you a lucky bastard, then.”

“Always.” He grins and briefly looks at Kalvin.

“Takemo Diaz, this is Kalvin. Kalvin, Takemo,” I say, waving between them.

Kalvin reaches over to shake, and it takes Takemo a beat to match his hand. I don’t know what’s going on here. I don’t really care.

“I’d give you a few days to rest, but we need to get started. Sorry. We’re on a schedule,” India says, keeping her smile light. “But I’m sure we can make anything work. Whatever you need, just let me know.”

“How about a giant glass of gin, a sleeping pill, and a comfortable place to sleep?” My words are already slurring, so maybe I don’t need any of that.

“You’ve got it.” India turns to Luca and squeezes his arm. “Thanks for getting her here in one piece. She’s important to the mission.”

Luca frowns. “Well, now I feel bad that she arrived in this condition.” He sighs as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. “If it makes this any better, that was one of the largest flocks of starbats I’ve ever seen.” He shrugs.

“Oh yeah, that totally makes me feel better,” I say, my voice flat and lifeless. I sigh. “It’s not your fault. It’s Rio.” I try to shrug and regret it.

India tips over her wristlet and rolls her eyes after a moment. “It seems I’m needed in the lab. Are you okay? Do you need me to stay?” She squeezes my hand.

“No. Go ahead. I’m in good hands.” I wince from the deep cut in my lower back that’s being cleaned. “Ow, fuck,” I growl.

“Sorry!” Emily sing-songs as she moves onto something else that I’m sure will hurt just as bad.

“Takemo will show you to your cabin after this. Yours is next to his. Will Kalvin be staying with you?”

“Sure,” I say, feeling lightheaded.

She leans in close to whisper in my ear. “Should I ask why Saif Bhaat didn’t join you? His mother is not a fan of mine, so if this is my fault, I’m sorry.”

I shake my head and pull away from her so she can see my face. “It’s not. It’s my own fault.”

“Okay. Call me if you need anything,” she says before she leaves.

I grip the table and try to hold still, but it’s hard to be so complacent in the face of such a strange turn of events in my life. I’m supposed to be out flying the stars with the Amagi, meeting men, and starting my own relationship network, not trudging through the jungles. I’m losing the men I care about and most of my family. And I’m about to lose my ship, the one thing that was going to be my savior.

I sniff up and look away from Takemo.

He sighs and picks up the position India just left by my side.

“You were right,” I tell him. “Saif was too good for me. It only took him a few days to want to embarrass me, the unworthy and undesirable mate, in front of his family.” I swipe my hand up and under my nose, and then laugh at the state of my dirty hands… and now my face. I glance at him sideways, and he’s staring at the floor at our feet. “I bet you’re pretty proud of yourself, huh? You called that one weeks ago.”

Before Takemo can say anything, Kalvin squeezes my hand. “Shhh, Skylar. You’re too tired to talk.”

I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Ms. Kawabata, I’m done. Get some rest, and try not to touch your back for a few days. Sorry to say that a shower is out of the question for a day while the bandages cure. You can wash from the waist down and use a washcloth on the rest. Come see me in two days, and I’ll check on everything.” She slides something across the steel table. “Here’s that sleeping pill. Don’t mix it with alcohol, or you’ll regret it.”

No gin for me.

“Thanks, Doc,” I say, taking the little cup. “And it’s Skylar. Ms. Kawabata is what my matchmaker calls me.”

“You got it.” She leaves to go tend to the men at the rear of the infirmary.

I throw down the pill and swallow it with the rest of the juice. I should be settling into my room by now, unpacking my bag, laughing with Saif and Kalvin, getting ready to eat whatever smells so good out there. Instead, I’m this wrecked piece of trash.

I suppose I deserve it.

Sliding from the stool, I waver on my feet, and Takemo’s hand whips out to steady me. I grab his arm and pull him close to me.

“You’ve been an asshole to me, Takemo, even after I won the tournament for you.”

He raises his eyebrows at me.

“The least you can do is walk Kalvin and me to my room.”

“I took your mom off trash hauling duties,” he reminds me.

I look up and remember how my first impression of him was of how handsome he was, and he’s still pretty stunning, with his perfect hair, glowing skin, and clean clothes. I’ve obviously set the bar sky-high, haven’t I? It’s too bad that I remember all the nasty things he’s said about me. How I’m worthless. How I’m a conniving bitch. How I’m lazy, hotheaded, and undesirable.

“Yeah, I got your message. Thanks for that. But don’t go easy on her again. Okay? If she’s busy, maybe she won’t try to take away my ship.”

His eyebrows pull together, but I wave away his questions.

“Ask tomorrow.” I nudge him forward.

“Sure. Whatever you say, Skylar.”

He sighs as I jerk his arm towards the door.