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The rain was pelting against the medical hangar's large windows, creating a sound that was only partially masked by the roaring engines of incoming speeders.
Commander Karl Sven, a young human in his thirties, was quickly reviewing the latest batch of medical scans and the reports on the two patients that were now resting in the two beds. He punched the button to turn off the display panel and exited his office, heading for the hangar doors. He walked slowly and meticulously to the first bed as he slowly put a jacket on. As he was slowly stepping into the white jacket a fully silver CZ-5 healer droid came sneaking up behind him and grabbed the jacket, holding it out to him. Sven turned around and looked down at the robot.
"Greetings master, if you please, I have completed your scans and diagnostics," it quietly said.
"Yeah, I figured that you had done those. This is going to be a long day, I'm going to be in the hangar for several hours," he said.
"Of course, just please what you need, I will see that your doorway is always open for you at anytime, is there a place you would like me to go?" it said.
"I'm going out to the gift shop. I need something to eat," Sven said.
"Very good… I will follow you," it said as Sven began walking down the hallway to the hangar's lift.
"What can I get you?" the shopkeeper said in a thick accent.
"Two hamburgers, Diet cola and fries, one for me, the other for that nice little droid of yours, and I'll take them out," Sven said as he stepped through the doorway.
"…and a small treat for you, small desert crisp and a glass of water," he said as he sat down at one of the many tables scattered around the room, facing the hangar doors.
"Karl Sven, commander of the Medical Capital Hospital Ship Minnesota, mister?" a voice said from behind the tiled counter.
"Yes, that is me," he said.
"Oh, there's just someone here to see you, he's at the water fountain, a Kiffar," the shop keeper said.
Sven sighed and slowly turned his head towards the door, seeing Regas Nejme, a handsome young Kiffar, looking out the glass at the hangar. Sven slowly stood up and walked to the front counter and handed the shop keeper 20 credits and turned away, walking towards Regas.
"It's been awhile, Regas. How have you been?" he said.
Regas smiled, "I've been good. Forgive me, I should have called to let you know that I was coming, I didn't know you'd be in the Medical Capital."
"Its fine, I'm on my way to a shuttle hangar, some virus hit the Medical Capital, you know how it goes around here," said Sven.
"Yes, its not the first time, is it?" Regas said.
"Nope. I have the paperwork to say that your father died three days ago," Sven said.
Regas' face went from a smile to a grimace, "I'm sorry, was it a very bad virus?"
"Oh, no, it was a simple flu, antiviral, of course it was. I'm just sick of these things, every time someone shows up with the flu everyone thinks its beyond the medical facilities and we need to start building a new medical hangar," said Sven.
"You know, loads of small settlements and such get hit, they don't waste money to build a new hangar or stay on board. I think they just upgrade their cloaking systems," said Regas.
Regas' comment reminded Sven of the time the Minnesota had handily beaten the Children of Kal into a near obliterated wreck, which had left most of the crews crew dead and the Minnesota more or less undamaged.
"I think it was revenge for breaking their cloak when we attacked them. The Children are now building two medical facilities and five medical research facilities, but at least they're not attacking us anymore," Regas said.
"Its fine, I know its not your fault. Your father and me served together, your great-grandfather saved my grandmother's life," Sven said as Regas' face softened a bit.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that… but I shouldn't have come, I'll leave you alone," Regas said as he turned around, heading out of the gift shop.
"Wait, hold on," Sven said as he quickly walked over to Regas, who was walking towards the hangar doors.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know that you knew my father, I forgot that you had served with him," he said.
"It's fine, I shouldn't have said that," Sven said.
"No, no, it's fine. I understand, your a busy man and you're probably hungry. I'll leave you alone now, goodbye," Regas said, quickly walking away.
"Regas," Sven said as he tapped him on the shoulder, causing Regas to stop and sigh.
"Yes?" Regas said as he turned around.
"See if you can find someone else, I'll come with you," Sven said as Regas' shoulders slumped slightly.
"…and you're right, someday we'll find the Children of Kal, or at least their ruins, and we'll find a way to bring your father back," Sven said as they sat in the ship's lounge, drinking a cup of coffee.
"I can't thank you enough, I thought it was all over, I was so scared, I just… everything that I had turned out to be a lie, I don't know what I'll do," Regas said.
"Don't stress yourself, you can stay on the Minnesota, you can spend as much time here as you want. The Minnesota will bring you to the Medical Capital for when your mother dies, too," Sven said.
"What?" Regas said.
"Don't ask," Sven said.
"Sorry, I…" Regas began before Sven cut him off.
"We'll have all the time in the world to talk whenever you want, don't worry," Sven said.
"Thank you, I really won't take up much of your time. I'm going to go find someone else, thanks again, bye," Regas said.
"Bye, you take care. Call me when you need a ride, I'll always be here," Sven said as Regas walked away from the starcraft wing, barely making any noise as he disappeared around the corner.