112 C: Loyalties

Rafaela froze for a moment, and then gasped in another breath of human scented air. Frederick hadn't smelled at all unpleasant, but he hadn't smelled like the man in front of her.

Brendan eyed her with concern, and then moved his hands to her arms and pulled her toward the medical pod. Gently. Carefully. Like she was something fragile.

"I'm okay," she insisted. Her cheeks and ears warmed beneath his doubtful gaze.

"Let the medical unit examine you!" Sys20si immediately demanded. "I want to be sure that you are really okay! You had just been shot last time I saw you."

"It's a good idea to get at least a baseline," the other man agreed as he turned back to them.

"Adrian and the ship are right," Brendan insisted barely a moment later.