Stiles took Megans hand and shook it. I must say, she said, studying the bandages visible beneath Megans shirt, whoever patched you up did a very good job.

Its been quite a couple of days, said Megan.

Oh, Im sure it has, Stiles agreed, her gaze piercing.

Megan undressed carefully in the quarters Mike had found for her, then cautiously peeled the bandage away from her shoulder. Standing before a full-length mirror, she turned this way and that, studying the vivid yellow and purple bruises covering her shoulder and a good part of her upper back.

Admit youve been lucky, she told her reflection. But she still couldnt quite bring herself to relax, even now, as she wasnt sure yet whether Stiles was really a friend. The story she had managed to concoct for the womans benefit, on the spur of the moment, sounded less and less convincing in retrospect the more she thought about it.

She next stepped into the tiny shower cubicle and used its limited supply of hot water to wash as much of the blood and sweat from her skin as possible. Then she dried herself and crawled into the single narrow bed, passing into unconsciousness just moments after her cheek touched the pillow.

The next morning, Lucy came and fetched Megan for her turn in medbay. The baby, it turned out, was doing fine despite everything they had been through, and Gabrielle had been moved into her own quarters, next to Megans.

Lucy left her alone in the medbay, promising someone would check up on her in the next couple of hours. She closed her eyes as the lid of the medbox folded down over her. Nanocyte-rich gel flooded the tank, cooling and numbing her skin so that she hardly even felt the gentle prick of microscopic needles.

When she emerged from the tank half a day later, the bruises had faded considerably. The machines diagnostics informed her she had suffered relatively minor cell damage, no more than might be expected of someone who spent much of her life in space. She washed off the gunk, then dressed in the fabricator-printed overalls Lucy had left out for her.

She found Stiles waiting for her in the corridor outside the medbay with a tray of coffee and food. Right on time, said Stiles, leading Megan back to her quarters. Id like to have a little chat, if I may.

Stiles herself took the single available chair, while Megan made do with perching on her bed with a bowl of porridge. Youre looking better than you did last night, observed Stiles, flashing Megan a taut smile over the rim of her mug.

Thanks, said Megan, worried about what might be coming next.