It was a new rotation, Purple was impressed Pip took to using a blaster like it was meant to be in her paw. The small feline stood in the center of the maintenance room, her posture perfect, the weight of the weapon distributed naturally across her shoulder.
Purple was just entering the galley, when Lyra told Purple in his ear, "Captain, the crystal has been decrypted, and I have troubling information on those ancient aliens."
Purple sighed, and changed his mind about having a normal breakfast and instead grabbed a protein bar and water, then headed to the corridor, "Lyra, have Pip meet me in the maintenance room."
Lyra answered, "I'll let Pip know, we can continue her lesson later."
Purple exited the galley as he removed the wrapper and took a bite out of his protein bar. Purple padded down the corridor, up into the bridge, turned and up again entering the secondary deck, going past the gym and into the maintenance room.
Purple stopped at the scanner table turned towards the corridor, and waited for Pip.
Pip entered, a curious look on her features.
Purple turned back to the scanner reading the display and said, "Lyra, give us a overview of what you found."
Lyra answered, "What I found is very troubling, these mystery beings created the Arian species. There is no information on them, or reason in the data, only what they did. It is a log of experiments done on both Arian and the Sylvani, the native species of this planet, and yes the Sylvani were already sentient at the time, just very primitive, they were in the stone age."
Purple was shocked, blinked, speechless.
Pip gasped and in Sylvani said with a wail, "Nooo... Why would they do that?"
Pip fell to the deck, on all fours beside Purple.
Purple looked at Pip and felt despair and sadness fall over him like a glove.
Purple got down on his knees, and wrapped an arm around Pip's chest, and pulled her close, "I'm sorry Pip, if there is anything I can do, name it."
Pip rose up on her toes, shivering violently as she remained on all fours, her world having been turned upside down. Purple's heart ached, a physical pang of sympathy for the young feline.
"Maybe you should take Pip to medical," Lyra suggested in his ear-comm. "I can sedate her and guide her through this trauma."
Purple nodded. He lifted Pip from the deck into his arms as he stood, his wings folding neatly against his back. "I've got you, Pip."
He carried her back down the corridor, down to the main deck, and into the medbay, which sat directly behind the bridge. Pip did not resist; she seemed to be in a daze, her eyes unfocused.
Purple gently laid Pip down inside the medbay pod. As she sank into the gel, it wrapped around her form, cocooning her. Pip's eyes fluttered closed, and she was quickly sedated.
"I'm sorry about that," Lyra replied. "I did not know it would hit her so hard, or I would have given a warning."
Purple nodded. "How is her training going?"
"It is going very well," Lyra answered. "She has surpassed all of my expectations. Her intelligence is even higher than predicted; she is much more intelligent and thoughtful than you. Her imagination is also high. She also has a high amount of empathy, and this I think is why it is hitting her so hard."
Purple ignored the slight sting to his pride and placed a paw atop the transparent pod, directly over Pip's chest. A pang of empathy hit him as he imagined the horror she had just learned. "Yeah, you owe her an apology."
"Yes, yes I do," Lyra replied.
Purple could not wait to see what Pip could achieve once she caught up to the rest of the known galaxy.
Purple sat in the galley, the heavy meal sitting in his stomach, but he could not focus on the food. He could only think of Pip. She had been acclimating to her new life so well up to this point, and he could empathize with her. He did not know how he would react if he found out a species that used his people for slaves turned out to be created by another species not of his world.
Purple pushed his meal, a meat-filled bread covered in gravy, around his plate with his fork. Finally, in spite, he took it all and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it before swallowing it with a gulp.
A few minutes later, Lyra informed Purple in his ear-comm, "I've lessoned Pip's sedative, she should regain consciousness soon. You should be there when she does."
Purple nodded and stood, placing his tray into the reclamation slot on his way to the medbay.
Purple padded inside softly and stood by Pip's bed pod. He reached out and touched the control to open it.
The top slid open. Pip lay on her back, her body submerged in the translucent blue gel. The fluid filled the chamber, rising to cover her legs and arms completely. It crept up her sides, stopping halfway, leaving her chest and upper torso exposed to the cool air. Her reddish-brown fur was damp and matted from the procedure, clinging to her skin. Her emerald eyes were heavy, blinking slowly as she tried to focus.
Purple smiled, his ears turning to the sides as he watched her eyes flutter open. "I'm here, remain calm. You've had a panic attack. No matter what happens, I'm here for you."
Pip blinked a few times before looking at Purple. She murmured something, but it was not coherent. She looked disoriented, her pupils dilated.
Purple felt bad for her and gently laid his paw on her shoulder, reminding her, "I'm here."
Pip tried to move her arm, and the gel slushed a bit.
Purple spoke in as calm a voice as he could, "Pip, relax. You're in the medbay pod. We will get through this."
Pip stopped trying to move and blinked a few more times before focusing on Purple's face. With a groggy voice, she said in Common, "What... Happened?"
In Purple's ear, Lyra said, "I'll explain it. Just be here for her."
Purple gave Pip's shoulder a gentle squeeze and watched her relax, her hind paws sinking back into the gel.
Purple stood patiently in the medbay, his large frame still as Lyra explained the details what happened earlier in her ear-comm. His right paw remained resting on Pip's shoulder, grounding her.
Finally, her eyes closed, then fluttered open. She spoke slowly, her voice trembling slightly. "I kept seeing my parents killed, over, and over."
Purple nodded, his expression grave. "Would you like to have those memories dulled? The memories will still be there, but the chance of you being triggered by an event and having them come back to haunt you will be almost zero. That should help you recover from that trauma."
Pip focused on Purple's eyes, her ears turning partially inward, pressing against the gel. She whispered, "Please..."
Purple nodded again, his voice soft, almost a whisper. "Lyra, do it."
Lyra responded in his ear-comm. "I'll start it at once. As the nanites do their work, keep her focused on you."
Purple nodded once more. He looked down at Pip, his voice gentle. "I bet you really enjoyed the trip, us flying high above the forest, going really fast on the transport."
Pip smiled softly, her eyes looking a bit sharper as she spoke. "Oh... Yes, that was very fun. I think I like you flying me in the air more, with nothing but your arms holding me, your wings flapping, the air rushing through my fur. It is like I'm flying like a bird."
Purple smiled softly and continued. "How about after you're feeling better, I'll take you on a real flight? Just you, me, and the wind. We can go to that lake; I'm told the fish there are edible."
Pip looked better already as she answered, still speaking slowly. "Oh, I love fish. We did not get to have fish much; it was a rare treat."
Purple slowly nodded. "We will bring fishing gear. I'll find a log, and we can sit at the edge of the lake, and just enjoy ourselves."
Pip softly smiled and whispered, "I would like that."
Purple used his other paw to softly stroke Pip's muzzle, wiping the blue gel away as he told her, "Good. It won't be much longer before you're out of the pod."
Lyra's voice came through the ear-comm, soothing and calm. "I'm draining the gel, her trauma treatment is done."
Purple nodded, his yellow eyes fixed on the display as the translucent blue fluid began to recede, draining back into the pod's reservoir.
Pip noticed the gel leaving her body. She tried to stand, her paws slipping on the smooth surface, and was about to fall back onto the bed when Purple reached in with his paw, steadying her. Pip grabbed onto Purple's arm, her claws retracted but her grip firm. With a grin, Purple lifted her out and set her down on the deck, then released her.
Pip looked up at him expectantly, her paws resting on her hips.
Purple blinked, then remembered to give Pip her uniform that he had been holding with a chuckle.
Pip donned her clothing, using Purple to keep from falling. She wore the new uniform with pride. "Thank you, Purple."
Purple nodded, then turned to leave. "I'll get you something to eat. I'm sure you're hungry. We can go fishing in the morning, while the sun is rising."
Pip smiled to herself, her emerald eyes bright. She was looking forward to eating some fish.
Purple padded into the galley and up to the food printer, inputting the command for some nutrition soup suited for Pip.
Pip carefully padded in, one paw on the bulkhead for support. She was still a bit groggy. She sat at the nearest table and waited.
Purple brought her tray over to her and sat it down, then sat at the other side of the table.
Pip grabbed the spoon, blowing on the hot liquid, and started in on it.
Purple smiled, watching her. "You know, I feel responsible for you, to keep you safe, and healthy."
Pip looked up at Purple. She sat her spoon down in her bowl, stood on the bench, and reached over to put her paw on his arm. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me. I promise to pay you back. I want to be useful."
Purple smiled and patted Pip's paw that was on his arm. "I'm sure you will be."
Pip pulled her paw back, sat back down, then got back to devouring what was left in her bowl.
Purple felt a gentle tug on his arm. He blinked, his vision clearing to see Pip shaking his forearm. "Wake up, wake up!"
Purple blinked a few more times, his ears swiveling as he looked down at her. "I'm up... I'm up..."
Pip took a step back, placing her paws on her hips, her tail twitching behind her. "Hurry up! Fish! I want fish!"
Purple threw the bed cover off, his movements swift as he climbed out of the bunk. He padded over to the shower, closing the sealed door behind him.
As the hot water sprayed over him, he could still hear Pip's voice from the other side of the thin metal. "We go, hurry!"
Purple chuckled, the sound low in his throat. He turned off the water and engaged the shower's dry mode. A warm, low-humidity ionized air circulated, quickly drying his midnight purple fur.
Once dry, he shut off the dryer and opened the door. He stepped out, padding past Pip, who was watching him with wide, expectant eyes.
Purple pulled on his uniform, the fabric settling over his form, and then slid his leather jacket on, the familiar weight comforting him. Pip was now pushing on his rear, her paws pressing against him. "Go! Go! We go!"
Purple shook his head, a grin tugging at the corner of his muzzle, and left his quarters with Pip following close behind. They moved down the corridor to the galley, where he quickly prepared a breakfast for himself—a chocolate protein shake.
"Did you eat yet?" he asked, handing the cup to her.
Pip nodded vigorously. "Yes, you slow. Hurry."
Purple chuckled as he drank the last of the shake, placing the container into the reclamation slot. "Are you sure we are the same age?"
Pip nodded again. "Lyra says we are. We go, you fly me to lake, we fish. Never been fishing before."
Purple gulped the last of the shake and put the container into the reclamation slot. "Oh. We will need fishing rods. I'll grab a backpack and bring what we need."
Purple padded out of the galley and down the corridor that led to the cargo and storage hold. As he opened the cupboards and drawers, grabbing the necessary supplies and stuffing them into his backpack, Pip was hopping with pent-up excitement and impatience, her emerald eyes fixed on him.
Flying high above the canopy, the wind rushing through his midnight purple fur and over his large, leathery wings, felt invigorating. The sensation of the safety harness keeping Pip secure against his chest was a comfort. He felt a sense of relief about flying to the lake, a place that seemed untouched and distant from the ship and the trauma they had just endured.
Below them, the lake appeared through the gaps in the trees, a shimmering expanse of water just as he remembered. It was difficult to spot from a distance due to the dense forest surrounding it.
Pip, with her head turned back, watched the forest floor rush by. She rotated her head, her muzzle catching the wind, relishing the sensation of speed and the vertigo-inducing view of the trees passing beneath her with nothing but air between her and the ground. The feeling of absolute freedom was intoxicating to her.
As Purple neared the shore, he began to descend. His wings flapped rhythmically to slow their descent. He could feel Pip's grip tightening around his torso, and he gripped her tighter in return. Pip let out happy chirping noises, sounding like laughter in joy.
Purple braced his legs, his wings thundering against the air as he executed a running landing. He finally came to a stop in a clear area beside the lake, not far from the forest edge.
Pip tried to release the harness latch behind her but couldn't reach it. With a low chuckle, Purple reached around and pressed the release. Pip landed with the natural grace of a feline, dropping to all fours immediately. She took off running through the tall grass, gleefully bounding forward. Purple watched as the grass bent aside in her wake, and soon, all he could see was the tip of her reddish-brown tail moving above the greenery. Clearly, Pip was built for quadrupedal locomotion, which explained the well-rounded structure of her shoulders.
For some reason, watching Pip let loose helped Purple feel better about being stuck on this backwater planet.
With a grin that he didn't realize was showing in his features, his ears perked, and his tail held high and slightly curved, he made his way to the shore. He had already picked their spot from the air. He removed his small backpack and placed it on the ground before turning around and heading back towards the forest, searching for a fallen tree or log.
As he padded through the tall grass, suddenly a reddish-brown blur leaped out at him. Pip tackled him, nuzzling him around his neck and cheek before bounding away again and vanishing into the grass.
Still chuckling at Pip's antics, Purple entered the forest, his eyes scanning the ground for a suitable piece of driftwood. He spotted a fallen tree, grabbed it, and dragged it out of the dense undergrowth, placing it firmly on the sandy edge of the lake.
Reaching into his backpack, Purple removed the two collapsible fishing rods. In only a few minutes, he had extended them and attached the reels, the metal clicking softly as they locked into place.
Purple turned around, about to call for Pip, when he spotted her padding nonchalantly towards him. With a grin, he said, "Pip, we are ready to start. Sit on the log beside me."
After Pip sat down beside him, Purple gathered his rod, baited the hook with a wriggling worm, and explained, "Now watch how I get the baited hook out into the lake."
With a careful cast, he sent the line skimming over the water, then gently placed the rod on the log, bracing it against his knee.
Next, Purple baited Pip's hook. "Now cast it like I did. Careful not to hook it on anything."
Pip took the rod carefully with both paws, moving it around to get the feel of the weight. She cast it, and it went about half as far as his did.
Purple nodded and took hold of his own rod, speaking softly. "Good, very good, for a first time. Now keep hold of the rod. You will feel when the fish bites, and you will also see ripples in the water where the line enters it. It will take time, but stay aware of it. Don't make any noises; we don't want to scare away the fish."
Purple showed Pip how to use the reel. "Press this when you're ready to cast, press and hold this to reel it in. Press and hold this to give it slack. When a fish bites, you want to give the rod a short, swift jerk to lock the hook in."
Pip nodded, her emerald eyes fixed on the water where the line disappeared.
After just a bit longer than ten minutes, Pip said, "Good thing you had harness."
Purple looked at her. "I made it just last night. I knew that the lake is over five kilometers flight. Even my arms would have gotten tired holding you for that long."
"Glad you made, feel safer."
"You seem to feel much better today."
"I do, feel weight gone."
Purple turned back to watch his line.
Suddenly, Pip chirped as her rod jerked. Purple felt excited too. "Good, good, nice lock in. Now start reeling it in. Careful if the rod bends too much; you don't want the line to break. Tire out the fish, give it slack if needed."
Pip looked intense, working the reel, the rod bending and going slack as she did.
Purple encouraged her. "Good, good, just like that. I'll get the fish stringer ready."
On the back side of the log, they now faced away from the lake. Purple arranged rocks in a circle, placing twigs inside to start the fire. As the flames caught, memories of him and his father camping on a planet he couldn't remember flooded his mind. He was just a kit then. This brought the worry of seeing his father again. Would he make it out of this system and back to Stellar Citadel? Would he find his crew? Would he ever see them again?
Purple shook his head, needing to focus. He removed a couple of fish from the stringer that hung from a stick propped in the ground. He gutted and scaled them, then carefully placed them in his camping pan. There were six fish in total; four caught by Pip, ranging from twenty to thirty centimeters, and two larger ones that nearly filled the pan. He placed the cover on and rested the pan on the folded-out grill over the fire.
Pip sat beside him, watching intently, her tongue licking her muzzle almost every minute.
Purple sat back and watched the fish cook. It was nice to be out of the ship, in the forest, with nature. It had been such a long time since he had done anything like this before.
Pip looked over at his almost empty backpack. "What else have?"
Purple chuckled. "I just brought what we needed to eat some fresh fish by the lake we got them at. I haven't done this in ages, but I kept my camping kit. You never know when you may need it, and it doesn't take up much space in storage."
Pip nodded and drank some water from the canteen. The more the fish cooked, the faster she licked her muzzle.
Finally, the fish were done. Purple took the pan off the grill, opened it, and slid a fish onto a plate for each of them.
As soon as he had done that, he gutted, scaled, and placed two more in the pan, setting them on the fire.
Purple watched Pip staring at the steaming fish as he said, "Careful now, it is hot."
For the next several rotations, Purple and Pip spent their time fishing at the lake on the planet's surface. Purple served as the primary mode of transport, carrying Pip strapped to his chest as they traversed the terrain. He took pride in her progress; she was picking up her training with a newfound intensity. He also enjoyed simply spending time with her. Pip's Galactic Common was improving daily, her pronunciation becoming clearer with each lesson.
On the next rotation, it was time to make the trip to the asteroid field to load up the ore that the mining drones had extracted. Lyra, the ship's ADE, calculated that they would have enough fuel to make it back to Station 7, an outpost at the edge of known space used primarily for refueling ships.
Now, however, Pip has completed enough pilot training to move to actual piloting, Purple decided to let Pip pilot the Starborn Prowl; with Lyra's guardrails in place, off the planet and out to the asteroid being mined.
Purple and Pip were seated in the recreation room. The VR system activated for them both as they leaned back into the reclining seats, the VR helmets settling onto their heads. The technology did not use lenses or audio; instead, it fed signals directly into their receptors and monitored their nervous signals, creating a sensation so realistic it felt as though they were truly there.
Purple and Pip materialized as themselves in a dark, dank room lit only by flickering torches. They were standing in the main menu for the game. In the simulation, the characters appeared as themselves, but dressed in clothing and equipment suitable for the setting.
Purple watched Pip look around in wonder for a minute before he spoke. "I am hoping you have fun with something I've enjoyed since I was a kit," he explained. "This also helps you build confidence when under pressure, and hand-eye coordination. I know that Lyra has been helping you get used to technology, and educating you on things you will need when we go back to civilization. You have been doing nothing but learning and training for the past ten rotations. We are in a game; we pretend we are in ancient times. It is called Six Kingdoms. You don't have to worry about getting hurt for real; everything you feel is simulated."
Pip looked up at Purple. She did not look so sure; her ears were folded back against her skull, and her tail was swishing back and forth rapidly.
Purple smiled back at Pip. "Don't worry. When have I steered you wrong?"
Pip nodded, then looked at the medieval clothing they were wearing.
Purple brought up Pip's character creation menu, drawing her attention to it and explained, "In this menu, you choose your class, skills, and stats. You start with randomly generated base stats, and you have ten points to spread out to each one. Hover your paw over the stat or skill, and it will explain how it affects gameplay. The game uses both your neuro-reaction times and stats to determine if you hit and cause damage; those are not random. Look them over, and let me know if you have any questions. I'll load up my character while you do that. I'm a fighter class. Don't worry about level; the game automatically adjusts to each character to keep it challenging."
Purple loaded his character. He appeared as a warrior with a two-handed long sword at his waist, a dagger and a bow on his back, and padded leather armor. His equipment was high-level and enhanced.
Purple watched Pip go through the menus. Finally, she chose a ranger. Her stats for strength and dexterity were high, with good awareness. Pip chose to use two slim, slightly curved single-bladed long swords that could be wielded with one or two paws, along with light leather armor and a crossbow.
Purple, with Pip right beside him on the dirt road, walked into town. He led her to a tavern where they would find information for a quest.
Townspeople wandered the streets, a mix of draconian, dwarves and elves. The game used dozens of different species found in the Galactic Empire as such. Pip had never seen any of them before and found herself distracted, her emerald eyes darting from face to face. She almost ran into a tall, lanky alien with multiple eyes and a slimy hide before Purple gently guided her back on course.
Purple pushed the heavy wooden door open and led Pip inside. He found them a seat in a dimly lit corner, and they sat down.
Soon, a barmaid arrived at their table. "What can I get 'cha?"
Purple said, "Two mugs of ale, and any news you have."
The barmaid turned and went back to the bar.
Pip looked around in wonder, her tail twitching behind her. Even in this fantasy setting, the technology was above what she was used to in her old life. Pip mentioned, "You know even the Arians are in what you call the Bronze Age. This is what, the Steel Age?"
Purple chuckled and answered, "Yeah, something like that. Near the end of the Steel Age if I remember correctly. Now keep in mind, this is a fantasy; there is magic too."
The barmaid returned with two mugs, placing one in front of each. "As for news, I hear there are orcs to the North of town. I've heard they have been attacking travelers; there may be an orc camp nearby."
A message appeared in front of both of them. Purple tapped 'Accept,' and soon after, Pip did too.
With that, a new message appeared: 'Quest Accepted. Find Orc camp and clear it out.'
Purple took his mug and drank it down.
Pip, following his lead, started drinking it then she dropped the mug and spat it out, making a rawr sound before she started coughing.
Purple grinned and started chuckling. "Not one for ale, eh?"
Pip's ears folded down to her head. "No, disgusting."
Still chuckling, Purple got up and made for the exit, with Pip right behind him.
When Pip caught up to him, she whacked him in the rear with her paw and told him, "Very funny."
That just made him laugh harder before he sprinted out the door and headed North.
Purple, with Pip by his side, headed down the North road. The game interface projected markers on the path, appearing as wooden signposts that glowed faintly in the virtual light.
They slowed as they approached a tipped cart. Dead horses lay on the ground, their lifeless eyes staring upward, while goods were scattered across the dirt. The driver lay dead by the front of the cart, his body slumped against the seat.
Pip looked around the cart, her nose twitching as she searched for clues. Purple circled the perimeter, his midnight purple fur blending slightly with the shadows as he scanned the area. It wasn't long before he spotted a sign the game had placed—a set of highlighted orc prints heading into the dense woods to the West.
Purple pointed and told Pip, "Over here, we have a trail to follow."
Pip padded over to Purple and looked where he pointed, her emerald eyes narrowing. "Right, the game is afoot."
Purple looked at Pip and asked, "Afoot?"
Pip grinned, her whiskers twitching. "Lyra uses that term."
Purple shook his head with a grin, his yellow eyes gleaming. "Right, well, what are you waiting for?"
Pip nodded, then padded into the woods, following the highlighted prints every few meters. Pip had better night vision than Purple did, and the game took that into account, adjusting the lighting to make her path clear.
Purple knew that too, so he followed Pip now, hot on the trail.
After about a kilometer, Pip's ears rotated independently, swiveling toward the sound. She softly said, "I hear them. They are not far ahead."
Purple came up beside Pip and slowly drew his sword, the metal singing softly in the virtual air. Pip got her crossbow ready, her posture low and predatory.
Purple and Pip slowly, carefully, stealthily entered the edge of the camp. The smell of unwashed bodies and smoke filled the air.
Pip took aim while Purple watched for trouble.
With a soft thwip, the arrow flew true, piercing the throat of the Orc guarding the camp.
Purple could see dozens of orcs sleeping around the campfire as he looked around to take stock. They were large, brutish creatures, snoring loudly.
Purple spotted another Orc guard looking around, his eyes wide with confusion as the first guard fell. The fall of the other guard did not go unnoticed.
That was when the Orc ran to a bell on a stand and sounded the alarm, the metal clanging loudly. It went short when her next arrow found another throat.
Purple took Pip, "Get your sword ready, this is where the fun begins."
Pip put her crossbow on her back, and got her swords ready, one in each paw.
The bell clanged, shattering the silence. The orcs roared, scrambling from their sleep, their brutish forms rising from the shadows. Purple didn't hesitate. He stepped in front of Pip, his midnight purple wings flaring out, casting a dark shadow over the encroaching horde. He raised his two-handed sword, the blade gleaming in the torchlight.
"Come get some!" Purple roared, his voice echoing in the virtual space.
He met the charge head-on, his sword clashing against the crude axes of the front line. Sparks flew as metal met metal. The orcs were strong, their blows heavy and relentless. Purple grunted as a heavy axe struck his armor, the impact jarring his shoulder. He gritted his teeth, his yellow eyes flashing with determination, and parried the blow, driving his sword into the chest of the attacker.
Pip moved like a blur of copper and emerald. She weaved through the legs of the larger orcs, her dual swords flashing in the firelight. She took down an orc trying to flank Purple, her blades singing a deadly song. However, the numbers were overwhelming. More orcs poured from where they sleeping on the ground, their numbers seemingly endless.
They were pushed back, cornered against some stacked boxes. Purple took a slash to his forearm, the leather armor scorching. He snarled, his horns lowering as he prepared for the final strike. Pip, seeing the danger, leaped high over a box, her swords flashing, the head of the orc went a different direction from the rest of his body, green blood spurting like a fountain from their neck, much more than one would expect.
With a final, desperate swing, Purple cleaved through the last orc, the blade sinking deep into its chest. The creature crumpled to the ground, and silence fell over the camp.
Purple stood panting, his chest heaving, his fur matted with virtual sweat. Pip was beside him, wiping a claw across her muzzle, her emerald eyes scanning the area.
They retreated to a safe spot near the forest. Purple pulled a small vial from his belt, uncorking it. He drank the glowing red liquid, a warmth spreading through his chest as the virtual pain faded. He handed a similar vial to Pip. She uncorked it and drank, the blue light illuminating her face for a moment before fading as her wounds knit together.