Nick opened his eyes, and immediately closed them again.

  Ow.

  Where am I? He thought over the glimpse he had seen. A rock ceiling. Petra-lights along the walls. I made it back?

  He took a deep breath. “Petra,” he rasped.

  “Hello, Nick.”

  “Water.”

  “Yes, Nick.” A moment later, he felt a drop land on his lip. Then another, and another, very slowly increasing to a small stream of water. Nick carefully wet his lips, then started drinking. That's pretty good, Petra. Well done.

  “Turn down the lights, please.”

  “I don't understand.”

  Good old Petra.

  “More small light,” he explained.

  “Yes, Nick.”

  Once he sensed less light hitting his eyelids, he cautiously opened his eyes, very slowly. He glanced to his left and was stunned at the amount of pain that brought. Right. Don't look left. He looked to his right and saw a bit more of the room. “Where am I?”

  “You are in Health Room, Level 5.”

  There's a health room? Wait. What? How long was I out? “Petra, what time is it?”

  “4:53 pm Eastern Daylight Time.”

  “What day is it?” Are we into August already, or...?

  “October 24, 202X.”

  “What?”

  “October 24, 202X.”

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  Over three months?

  Wait, what was I doing? I was doing something important. A memory of pain flashed through his head, strong enough that he almost blacked out. When he recovered, he gingerly tried to put together the pieces of his memory that didn't physically hurt to think.

  He blinked. “Petra, is Kathy alive?”

  “Yes, Nick.”

  “How many fuakalas are alive?”

  “Forty-four.”

  That's...they found more survivors. Good for them.

  “Where are they?”

  “One is on Level 2. Two are on Level 3. Nine are on Level 4. Twenty-two are on Level 5...”

  “Understood,” Nick interrupted. So, they moved in here. For just a moment, he felt territorial, but then let it go. I've been out of action for months, and I was going to offer anyway. No big change. He took a breath. “Petra, do you remember English now?”

  “English fluency at 44%.”

  “Good. I'm glad you recovered.”

  “I don't understand.”

  “Never mind.”

  “Ktheg!lik see you?” Petra asked.

  “Yes, please.”

  “Ktheg!lik come.”

  Nick closed his eyes for a moment, trying to wrap his head around it. Three months...wait a minute.

  “Petra, why am I still so banged up? It feels like the accident was yesterday.”

  “I don't understand, Nick.”

  He tried to force Petra-speak through his brain despite his pounding headache. “Uh...time add health. Tomorrow more health. Tomorrow tomorrow more health. You understand?”

  “Yes, Nick.”

  “So why is my health low now?”

  “You heal small days.”

  “Why wasn't I healing before?”

  “You stop.”

  “I stop? I...died?”

  “Yes, Nick.”

  Did Petra clone me or something?

  He heard a door sliding open, and caught himself before trying to look in that direction. He could hear a familiar fuakala voice talking rapidly, but not in English or Kthufu. That must be Galactic. Then she switched to English. “Nik!eh! You are no dead! It is good!”

  Petra and Kathy had a rapid exchange in Galactic, then she moved around to his right side where he could see her. I must be on a bed in the middle of the room. “What happened?”

  “It is...very big words.” Kathy's ears were folded almost all the way back. I think that means she's happy, maybe? She dragged up a chair and sat down. “Very big words. I start.”

  Nick realized what she was saying. It's a long story.

  * *

  It took ten minutes to get the very short version, and they were half an hour into the longer version before Nick had to beg off to sleep.

  “Yes, yes, yes, Nik!eh. We stop now. Tomorrow, I say more words.” She stood. “I am...very...” She stopped and clicked a few times, then paused for a breath before continuing. “I am very, very good you health is increasing.”

  “Thank you, Kathy,” he whispered. “Thank you for helping me.” She nodded, clicked once, turned and left. Nick heard the door open and close.

  In the past hour, Nick's status page said that his health had increased from 8% to 9%. As he watched, it changed to 10%. I guess I'm on the mend. Good... His eyes closed. That's good.

  Looks like I missed quite the party, he thought, then let himself go to sleep.