More Questions than Answers

It is so cold and my body jerks me out of unconsciousness. As I open my eyes I see an unfamiliar ceiling, “Where am I?”, I say to myself very quietly. The sound of footsteps near by silence any of my thoughts. In response I attempt to stand to my feet, however that is when I realize I have various things stuck on and apparently in me. I quickly remove all the things from me, a device next to the bed begins to blare some kind of alarm. I swiftly move to the small spot in the tiny room behind the door to hide myself from the person who enters.

The man who enters the room looks around at the empty bed and at the machine blaring its alarm. He quickly steps to the machine and turns it off. As he is distracted with the machine, I step out from behind the door and put my fingernails against the back of his neck.

“Where am I!?”, I gravely inquire as my fingernails begin to grow into to short sharp claws, nearly piercing his skin.

“An infirmary.”, The man answers calmly as I clear my throat.

“And where is this infirmary?”, I question as I push the claws just a little bit more into his skin.

“Ow!”, He exclaims. I pull back the claws just a little bit, noticing I had just pierced the skin of his neck.

“Sorry.”, I quickly say in surprise. I do not know why I did that, I do not owe my possible kidnapper an apology.

“We’re in New Yuma.”, The man answers my earlier question as he puts a hand to the back of his neck. “Now miss,”, he adds, “If you could please calm down.”

“Calm down?”, I wonder. “How can I calm down when I’m alone with a stranger in a strange place!?”, I exclaim in anger as my other hand grabs the man by his shoulder despite him being almost as tall as a tree but he was just as lanky as a twig.

“What, what are you doing?”, The man asks in fear to my actions. I drag him out of the small room into what I can only assume is the main area of the infirmary. I glower at the sight of a tall muscular man in some kind of uniform and a girl. I move the hostage in front of me and put my small claws to the back of his neck again.

“Answer my questions or the man dies!”, I exclaim in frustration at the two newcomers.

“Alright. Please calm down miss.”, The lithe man says as he puts a hand up with his palm facing me motioning for me to stop. “We’ll answer your questions but after you have to let the doctor go.”, He calmly continues speaking to me.

Before I can respond I feel the muscles of the doctor’s head and neck move, he is definitely mouthing something but I am not sure because I cannot see his lips. The girl looks at the calm man with wide concerned eyes as he seems to break his composure for a moment before collecting himself again. I raise a brow in confusing for a moment, I figure if it came down to a fight the muscular man could finish me off in a second.

“Who are you!?”, I ask beginning the interrogation.

“I’m Jose Benterro, Chief Security Officer of New Yuma.”, The man says as he rests a hand on his pistol using it as a hand rest.

“I-I’m Ke-Kelly Lawson, a medic of New, New Yuma.”, The girl answers with a trembling voice. “I’m the one who patched you up last night.”, She adds proudly and surprisingly calmly. She patched me up? How young do they put kids to work here?

“I see.”, I mutter as my gaze meets Kelly’s, who immediately turns away and looks like she is about to cry. I did not realize I looked so terrifying, but I probably should have figured since I have a colleague of hers hostage.

“Now-”, Jose states as he takes a step closer.

“What are you gonna do with me?”, I inquire, cutting the security chief off as I glare at him showing that I do not appreciate what he is attempting to do.

“I came here to ask questions of my own. But then you took the good doctor hostage.”, Jose calmly answers as he meets my glare with one of his own. I have to stay calm, despite most likely making things worse for myself.

I let go of the doctor and sigh before speaking, “I understand.”

“Are you alright?”, Kelly asks as she walks up and hugs the man. Perhaps they were family even?

“I’m fine. She wasn’t that rough with me.”, The doctor replies as he rubs a hand against the back of his neck.

“Now,”, Jose walks up to me and puts restraints around my wrists as he speaks, “You forced my hand.”. He leads me back into the small room I woke up in and sits me down on the bed before he begins his questions. “First, who are you?”, he asks sternly.

“My name is Ingrid.”, I answer solemnly as I stare at the floor.

“Alright Ingrid.”, The security chief replies. “Can you explain what caused you to be found stuck to a tree unconscious?”, he inquires. I look up from the floor and meet his gaze with a look of shock. “Probably could’ve left the stuck to a tree part out.”, He looks towards the ceiling and gives a weak chuckle as he mutters.

“I-I…”, I begin before remembering, “Where’s Alton!?”, I yell as I slide out of the bed and kneel in front of Jose, putting my bound hands on his lap.

“Who’s Alton?”, Jose asks me with a raised brow.

“He’s who I was with.”, I answer, “He’s the reason we got out of that trap fast enough.”

“Trap?”, Jose asks.

“Right.”, I say to myself as I stand up. “I sensed something while we were out.”, I begin to actually answer his questions. “There was this deep low hum or something. When we got there, there were already a few thugs around the machine.”, I continue. “I bet they probably turned it on too.”, I add. “I destroyed the machine but I guess I didn’t break it fast enough.”, I continue talking, “Because then a massive wyrm came out of the ground and started chasing us.”

Jose looks at me for an excruciatingly long moment before he finally replies.

“That’s quite the turn of events.”, Jose responds as he grabs my restraints. “By the way, how did you get stuck to a tree then?”, He inquires as he unlocks my restraints.

“We have this vehicle called a dirt sail. It must have been hit by the giant wyrm and I got flung.”, I reply as realization dawns on me.

“You’re gonna be coming with me to HQ.”, Jose says. “But you answered all my questions and you don’t seem like a threat really.”, He continues speaking as he heads out into the main room of the infirmary. He looks back at me to make sure I follow him.

“I understand.”, I say as I step out as well.

“Lawson.”, Jose says without looking at the girl as she jumps up in surprise. “You have a weapon?”, He asks.

“At home.”, Kelly mutters in response.

“Then you’ll go home, grab it, and meet us at HQ, understood?”, Jose states to the girl.

“Ye-yes sir!”, Kelly stammers as she runs out the door.

“Seriously?”, I ask Jose with a quizzical look, “Why is she coming with us?”

“We’ll need a medic.”, Jose bluntly responds as he walks towards the exit.

Before following the security chief I turn back to the doctor and put up a hand to him.

“Sorry about what I did.”, I apologize to the doctor, “What I did was crude, harsh, and unnecessary.”.

He gives me a gentle smile and meets my gaze as he responds with a chuckle, “Thanks for not causing me to bleed too much with those claws of yours.”. I give him a nod as I follow Jose out to his headquarters.

-- -- --

“It’s not much right now.”, Jose chuckles as I squint my eyes in response to the sun, “But it’s really something compared to how it started.” He continues proudly, “Pretty impressive, right? Probably never seen anything like it.” I roll my eyes in response. “Don’t be like that!”, he responds to my eye roll.

“You’re right that I’ve never seen anything like it.”, I say, “But it’s not all that impressive to be honest.”.

“Oh yeah? Must have seen some impressive things in your travels then?”, Jose asks as he stops walking and raises a brow.

“Nothing that compares to the colony ship.”, I answer nonchalantly, “It’s mostly been the same terrain over and over.”.

“I’m sorry,”, The security chief says, “What is a colony ship?”

“It’s where I live.”, I answer matter of factly.

After a moment of silence between us, Jose seems to not bother asking more questions and begins to lead me to his headquarters.