The Second Book of the Alienbutt Saga. The Rise of Mr Fluffy. Part 4.

Hydroponic’s ship had finally managed to reach the giant space station of the bounty hunters. The stasis booth containing Nifty had been transferred to the medical lab and Hydroponic stood back with Duke Ramboe and Blackarachnia as the doctors examined the data from the booth. On the journey Hydroponic had repeatedly tried to draw Blackarachnia out of the black mood that he had descended into. Both had been around death enough to know Nifty's chances were slim using regular medical science. Hydroponic had tried to explain the use of his powder Mfkzt but he knew that his old partner was not listening. Now they stood in the medical facility watching the doctor and dreading what he would say. Finally the doctor finished his examination and walked over to where they waited.
“I’m afraid the injuries are extensive. If we turn off the stasis field to treat her she has maybe a ten per cent chance of survival.”
Hydroponic and Duke Ramboe looked at Blackarachnia. The bounty hunter didn’t move or react at first but finally he looked over at Duke Ramboe.
“I want a ship; do you give me one or do I take one?” he said quietly. He knew without doubt though that he would be leaving with a ship.
“Blackarachnia, wait, let me try my way,” pleaded Hydroponic. He placed a restraining hand onto his arm. Blackarachnia turned to stare at Hydroponic, and in spite of himself Hydroponic took a step back at what he saw in that glare.
“Do what you will with your powder. I’m not waiting here to watch her die,” he stated.
Returning his gaze to Duke Ramboe, he continued. “Now do you give me a ship?”
“You know where mine is, it’s the best ship here at the station. Will you be requiring a crew?” Duke Ramboe asked, knowing that to argue with Blackarachnia just now would be suicide.
Blackarachnia didn’t answer the question, as he was already walking out of the door.

After he had left Duke Ramboe sighed in relief and looked at Hydroponic. “What the hell has happened? He’s always been one that I would sooner step around than face, but...” he trailed off to silence.
“He wouldn’t talk about what happened on our way over here, but he was clinging to his sanity as he hoped that we could heal Nifty. Then we heard that someone called Alienbutt was also lost or missing.” Hydroponic shrugged his shoulders before continuing. “Losing both has sent him over the edge. He’s insane with grief and dealing with it the only way he knows how. Blackarachnia the Hunter is now out to kill anyone he feels responsible for all this and will go through anything and anyone to get them.”
“He was always a cold one, you knew him better than most. But he had started to change since he teamed up with Alienbutt and met Nifty; he had started to become more human. He even seemed to have discovered some emotions for the first time,” Duke Ramboe added sadly. “I guess he’s never had to deal with guilt and the grief of losing someone before.”
Both stood staring at the doorway where Blackarachnia had left. Finally Hydroponic turned to the Doctor and passed a small vid-screen over to him. “If you want to save the girl, set this up to these exact instructions and then call me when it’s ready.”
The Doctor looked over to Duke Ramboe, who nodded his approval. He began looking at the screen reading the instructions while Duke Ramboe walked over to the stasis booth. He placed a hand on the lid and stared at the face of Nifty; she looked like she was just asleep, not seconds from death.
“What are you up to, Hydroponic? You left here years ago almost as broken as Blackarachnia is now, yet now you return and hint that you can raise the dead,” Duke Ramboe asked, not looking away from Nifty.
“I’m gonna save the girl’s life. Now I need some proper food, and you can tell me what’s happening in the universe to turn it even crazier than it was, and I may tell you what I did on my holiday.”

To be continued.
All images are mine.