Though I wasn't surprised, the Skipray flew well, better than many of the rickety ships I'd flown in my recent past. She was well armored and well armed, and her engines and hyperdrive sounded nearly brand new. If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought her straight out of the fleet yard, but how would Recero have been able to afford it? She hadn't taken a bounty in years...
Shaking the thought from my head, I studied the readout on my screen. I'd be ready to leave hyperspace in a few minutes, arriving at Clak'Dor VII's front doorstep. It was a gamble, searching for Dr. Vil on his homeworld, but where else would a Bith blend in with so many of his own kind? Vil knew better than to return to Agamar, where he had founded a decent research lab and had cared for the ailing Koril Rys'tihn, curing him of the Huxnel virus several years ago. He also knew to steer clear of anywhere he thought I'd possibly turn up, and that included a lot of familiar places.
At least, it used to.
Cleared for passage into the capital city of Weogar, I wasn't sure what kind of reception I'd be getting. The Bith mostly kept to themselves, except for those who left the planet, so I knew I'd have to be as unobtrusive as possible if I was going to find Dr. Vil, however long that took.
Getting temporary housing and a hangar to rent was easy enough, but before I realized it, I spent months watching the city's hospitals and labs, and to no avail. Nobody I talked to seemed to know the name Vil, leading me to believe the good doctor had either taken up residence somewhere else or had changed his name entirely. In any case, I felt the weight of wasted time burying me in anxiety the more days I spent researching, hunting, questioning without any progress. Though I had no idea how quickly Deilia's disease was advancing, I knew I wasn't doing her any good waiting for nothing.
Having made the decision to leave Clak'Dor VII and continue my search elsewhere, I stopped for one last late night meal at a tapcafe on the outskirts of the domed city. From where I sat, I could see the main medical center, the lone towering building in the brightly lit central district, taunting me with false hope. I almost changed my mind as I studied it, wondering if there was something I'd missed, a lead that I should've followed more closely, but focused outside, I almost missed a familiar face walking past me instead. By the time I recognized him, he had already stepped out into the street, and it took me another minute to gather myself well enough to follow him.
I kept my distance for what felt like a kilometer to avoid suspicion, but when he turned down a narrow, darker row of small offices, I caught up to him just as he reached for a control panel beside an unmarked door.
"Nimier?"
Dr. Vil's human assistant turned at the sound of his name, but he hadn't immediately recognized my voice, giving me a split-second advantage. Making as little noise as possible, I pushed him back against the wall and covered his mouth before he could call for help, just in time for him to see who I was. His eyes widened as he froze in terror, not even struggling against my grip. Somewhat surprised at his reaction myself, I watched him for a moment before I continued.
"Nimier, I just...want to talk," I explained calmly. "You're going to listen. I need to find Dr. Vil, so he can - "
Reflexively, Nimier's gaze briefly tracked to the side at the door he had just been reaching to open. He realized his error immediately, but it was too late. I'd already seen it.
"Dr. Vil is here," I stated blankly, in utter disbelief of my luck. "In this office."
Nimier's face had gone completely white. The man had probably never lied in his life, and the expression in his eyes told me he wasn't about to try it with me. At least my reputation was still intact.
"You're going to let me inside," I told him, making it a command rather than a question. Nimier somehow managed to nod despite my forceful hold over his mouth, and slowly releasing my grip, I held a pointed finger in his face in case he decided to make a scene. Thankfully he remained silent, only swallowing hard before he found his voice.
"Just, p-please...don't kill me..."
Unexpected. I had hardly taken another breath to answer him when a familiar voice suddenly spoke up beside us.
"I won't give him the chance!"
I turned to look, but I only saw something large being swung at me, striking me hard at my temple before I could react. I didn't even feel my body hit the ground.