The monster reared up, cocking its powerful graspers back. Faster than a blink, the glass walls of Eva’s cell shattered and the top collapsed. Eva fell backward from the force of the eruption and landed hard on the floor outside of her cell, the wind knocked out of her. In seconds the sand-sniper closed in, clicking and clacking in confusion at the Omnipod. Eva cowered, covering her face with her hands. As she did so, the sniper swiped at the Omnipod, flinging it from Eva’s hand. The device slid across the polished floor to the far end of the lab, while the call continued to play. The sand-sniper followed it.

Eva let out a piercing scream. Two of her fingers on her right hand were bent backward, and blood ran from a gash in her palm caused from the sand-sniper’s blow. She tried to swallow down the throbbing pain and focus. With her left hand she tapped the shoulder patch on her tunic.

“You are hemorrhaging blood in the right hand, Eva Nine,” the tunic reported. “What is the nature of your injury?”

“I . . .” Eva lay curled up on the floor, her hand searing with pain. “I’ve hurt my hand really, really bad. I think my fingers are broken.”

“AnatoScan: Emergency Situation activated. Please sync Omnipod using IMA.”

With teary eyes Eva looked across the floor at the sand-sniper prodding the Omnipod at the far side of the lab. “That’s not going to happen,” she groaned.

“Pull right tunic sleeve cuff over laceration wound immediately,” the tunic instructed.

Wincing, Eva yanked her cuff over her hand. The deep cut soaked the sleeve in scarlet.

“Procoagulate glue applied to trauma site, followed by SpeedHeal ointment,” the tunic said. The climatefiber in the cuff wept a cloudy liquid, and the bleeding in Eva’s palm stopped. The bloodied cuff then unwove, separating itself from the sleeve. It constricted tightly over Eva’s hand, acting as a bandage over the cut on her palm.

“Administering pain control,” the tunic announced. Eva felt a prick in her shoulder, just under the patch. A warm wave of calmness emanated into her body, numbing her hand and her shoulder. She exhaled and refocused.

“Beginning anti-swelling treatment on phalanges. Please pull remaining tunic sleeve over injury and restrict movement.” The tunic instructed.

Eva did so, feeling the nip of ice as the climatefiber surrounding her broken fingers chilled.

“Further medical treatment must be handled in conjunction with the Omnipod. Thank you.” The tunic finished.

Still dizzy from the medication, Eva scrambled to her feet. With her good hand she scooped the taxidermist’s scattered remotes up from the floor.