She laid there on the ground, feeling like it took forever before someone grabbed her and hauled her upright. Her mind numbly registered that another yautja grabbed Pruu from the cloth wrap, and then she was lifted up into the air and carried. Sammi let her body go slack in the strangers arms, too tired to keep her head upright. She could hardly fight to keep her eyes open, but watched as a door crackled with blue electricity before they walked inside. The base had been cloaked; she had made it after all.

She was manhandled from machine to machine, but ultimately healed. She was thinner than before, but healthy. She didn't see Pruu at all, but she trusted that they were caring for her too. As soon as she was able, she would get a ship and go retrieve Malo. However, one last injection they gave her had her eyes feeling floaty and her mind clouding. She fought to stay alert, but the drug was strong.

She panicked to get someone's attention before she fell asleep, "Please, my mate is still out there, alive! Someone has to go get him! Please!"

Her head was swirling as a few yautjas began to banter about protocol. They questioned her identity, their safety, to her mates motives as though he could be some sort of spy. Sammi kept blinking, fighting to remain seated upright on the medical table. Some argued that it was best to leave him, others argued to go rescue him. She was afraid that no one would help.

She was losing her grip on consciousness, but finally one male leaned down to her and said, "I will retrieve him. Fuck the consequences." With that, she let the fog take her.

Sammi rocketed awake, not knowing how much time had passed or if Malo was alive. Sitting up so abruptly, she got a head rush, but tried to focus. Her eyes locked onto a yautja near the door, who was halfway out of his seat with his hands on his weapons. His body was tense, his yellow eyes were glued on her, and his mandibles were starting to flare. She'd likely startled him, as he seemed ready to chop some heads off.

Still frozen in place, he cautiously asked, "Are you unwell?"

"Where's Malo? Pruu, is she ok?"

He relaxed some, "Next room. They are both alive and healthy."

Sammi headed out the door and zipped into the neighboring room. Her knees felt weak and she just about passed out at again seeing Malo alive and looking his best. He was sitting on the bed with Pruu in his arms. His wounds were healed, and she tried to peek at his leg without staring. However, there was nothing to see. They had completely regenerated his calf.

She wanted to run into his arms-but she held herself back. Malo had always commented on her high emotions, and she figured that he did not want her to be dramatic. She could see that he was alive and well, and a yautja female would be content with just that. She did not need to wrap her arms around him and hear his strong beating heart in his chest. So she stood in the doorway, wondering if he would still be angry at her for endangering Pruu.

Malo was still tender towards her though, "I went to see you but you were still asleep, and then this little thing," he bounced Pruu lightly in his arms, "began to cry. They did not inform me that you'd woken up yet."

She had not even thought about how Malo seemed to have gone to see the baby before seeing her, she was just glad he was alive. But, it was comforting to know that he had checked up on her. She tried to think of something to say that was between super gushy and stone-cold uncaring. Really, all she could think about was her last meal. To think of what it took to cut off a portion of his own leg...She couldn't get it out of her mind.

Malo was watching her, waiting for a response as she grew increasingly nervous. Needing to clear her head, she turned and ran the other way. She passed several other yautjas, and at every corner someone was staring at her-as though they knew what she'd done. She found a small cramped room like a closet, and she hid inside. She sat on the floor and concentrated on breathing.

Of course, Malo promptly found her, and it wasn't like him to knock. When he found that she'd locked the door, he began to pry the metal off its hinges. She listened to the door creek, and watched lines of light appear at the edges. He wasn't going to give up. Sammi had to jump up and unlock the door before he tore it off.

He opened the door and looked down at her calmly then, "Are you ok?"

She shook her head.

The stress of it all was suddenly bearing down on her, even if it was all over and done with now. Malo was silent; of course, he didn't understand or know how to deal with her emotions. Honestly, neither did she. She just wanted don't time alone. However, Malo did not seem willing to leave her by herself.

After a minute, he said, "Come, we will mate."

She was sure he had the best intentions, but she crossed her arms, "I'm not in the mood."

"But I want you."

She only half-smiled, but then asked, "Can we just go home now?"

"Many clan and enemy ships are being attacked. It isn't safe to leave yet."

She nodded but stood to her feet. Sammi didn't know what she wanted to do. She didn't feel hungry, or tired. She definitely didn't want to go back outside. Her eyes began to troll the walls of the hallway, just staring at their ornate design. Malo pursued his earlier suggestion, and a predatory clicking rolled into a hungry grumble.

"Don't you start that." She warned, even as he began to crouch and inch towards her. She quickly tried to distract him, "Why don't you go get in one of those machines and erase some scars? You're starting to look like Frankenstein."

Sammi knew the importance of scars to their race though, and to him especially. She began to back away from his steady advance, which was exactly what he wanted-for her to act like prey. She let out a squeak as his arm deftly wrapped around her waist and drew her closer. His other hand rose to her face, sliding his claws across her skin and into her hair. She turned her head away some, but couldn't help but smile coyly. Malo always got his way, but that didn't exactly bother her.