by Huckster

Created on: May 05, 2008

The Servants

When Milo's thoughts returned he realized he was still alive. He felt no pain, but he had no energy to move. His eyelids weighed too much, and the exhaustion held him down. A thin blanket covered him, and he lay on a soft surface.

He remembered the terror and pain before losing consciousness. A cool breeze blew a citrus scent through the air, and the silence allowed the sounds of a loud crash and the hissing of rushing air to echo in his thoughts.

Milo forced his eyes open, blinking away the crust that had formed from a long slumber. When his vision cleared he saw the grate on the ceiling where the breeze came from. Gray walls suddenly glowed white, emitting more light in the room.

Milo squinted from the pain. Taking a breath he forced his head to turn. When his eyes adjusted he noticed the equipment standing to the left of the bed. A tube was taped to his arm. It had to be an IV, but the machines were unlike anything he'd ever seen. Two purple obelisks towered above his head.

Glowing symbols and markings flickered near the tops of the machines.

Milo focused is eyes lower. Another person lay in a bed on the other side of the machines. The hair was dark and long. It draped over the pillow. She had to be the first officer, Lesandra Alexander.

His heart skipped a beat. Were there any more survivors? He forced his arm up and pulled at the cover. When he exposed his chest, a chill ran through him. Nausea crept in his stomach. Milo gasped for strength and pulled the cover back over him.

"You should lie still for a while."

Milo looked past the foot of his bed. The soft, tenor voice came from the wall. A panel slid aside, and a man in lavender coveralls entered. He wore a transparent globe over his head. He looked too human, even without hair.

Standing at the foot of Milo's bed he put out a hand.

"We are glad you survived. Your comrade should recover as well."

The man moved his lips, but the voice came from a small speaker at his throat. The words were too clear. What they meant seemed too clear as well. He and Sandra were probably the only survivors.

Milo raised his head. "Where are we?" he whispered.

"We are on a planet orbiting the star nearest to the derelict that used to be your spaceship. It was fortunate that one of our vessels was patrolling the area when the accident occurred."

Images of the accident flashed in Milo's mind. An asteroid had struck the spaceship, and Milo flew against a wall. He knew several bones had snapped, and the pain in his ribs, shoulders

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