Alexander winced as he bent down to pick up the remote he had just dropped on the floor. The burn wound on his side pulled and tugged on the bandage he had on under his vest. He tried his best to turn his wince into a grunt, acting like it was a bigger deal to pick up the remote than needed.

He was taking Kel's place of coming and helping Cassandra since the cave-in accident had left the leader of their village pretty much bedridden. The visiting physician had told him that he was not to get out of bed until she said. Alexander heard from Moon Stone that Kel hadn't even argued.

"You know, that is the third time you have winced when you bend that way. Are you alright?" A tan Tsabuah spoke. Alexander looked up. Alexander had known that there was another in here but had not paid much attention. Now that he was paying attention he noticed the small amount of barring across the flanks and shoulders with some on the cheeks.

Cotai placed the pad he had been typing on the stainless steel table with a small click.

Alexander froze. He thought he had masked it enough. How did he spot the wince?

"You can't fool a doctor. If I had to guess you have some sort of wound under that ridiculous vest that you're wearing. The pockets are empty and you are always carrying what you have in your hands." Cotai pointed out.

"I am fine. It's nothing really. " Alexander said. He didn't need some strange doctor looking at him.

"I must insist on at least checking it. As a physician I can not let it go. " Cotai insisted. His tone of voice to Alexander that he would not take no for an answer.

"I had Moon Stone look at it. " Alexander tried one last time.

Cotai cocked his head slightly. "Is this Moon Stone a Physician?"

Alexander shook his head. "No." he said quietly.

"Is this Moon Stone a Physician assistant?" Cotai asked again.

Alexander just shook his head no.

"I see. Well in that case I really must insist. Come take off the vest and let me see. "

Seeing that Cotai was not going to leave it alone, Alexander began to unbuckle his vest. Once done he placed it on the metal counter.

Cotai was already looking at the bandage that wrapped around his midsection. It held a large piece of gauze that covered a good portion of his left side.

Cotai motioned for Alexander to unwrap the bandage. Alexander started but as soon as he had to bend any portion of his body he winced.

"Let me." Cotai said as he took the bandage from Alexander's hands. He quickly and expertly unwrapped the bandage. The bandage clung to the wound even without the bandage on. Cotai picked at one of the edges but it had adhered to the wound.

"This needs to come off. When was the last time you changed it?" Cotai asked as he stepped back a step.

"Um, Last night. " Alexander answered.

"You need to change it more often. Are you putting anything on it?" Cotai asked with a frown on his face. It was going to be tricky getting the bandage off without hurting the younger Tsabua and stripping the top layer of the layer of scab that must have formed.

"No. Moon Stone just said to keep it clean. So I have been trying to wash it with water before I put a new bandage on." Alexander said. He didn't like the fact that Cotai was frowning. Did he do something wrong? Something that would make healing from the burn longer? Maybe even endanger his life?

Cotai rolled the rappings in a ball. "Come. I have something in my room that might help."

They left the room with its stainless steel counters and white walls. The beakers from some experiment bubbled happily away. Alexander flipped off the lights on his way out.

"They walked down a brightly lit hallway that led deeper into the science center. They passed rooms that had the words 'No entry' on the doors."

Finally Cotai stopped at a door that had a gold plated plaque on the wall to the left side of the door that read. "Dr. Cotai".

"How did you get a room?" Alexander said, breaking the silence.

"I used to live in Rekes before moving with my tribe. I still have friends here. One of whom works here. She got me a room so that when I visited I could continue my research." Cotai answered. Then he pulled out a small black card. Alexander caught a glimpse of a gold C before Cotai used it to open the door.

The first thing Alexander noticed when entering was how clean it was. There was a pile of bed pillows in one corner, all the same color. A small kitchen, the counters void of any mess. A small table, just big enough to fit two Tsabhuas.

Wait here." Cotai said as he went to a small closet and opened it. He came back with a bag almost like the one the Physician that was healing Kel had.

Next Cotai went to the sink and took a clean cloth from the drawers from below. He turned on the water and let it run testing the temperature every couple of seconds. When the temperature was to his liking Cotai soaked the rag in the water. He wrong it out so that it wasn't dripping.

"Here. We are going to try and soak off the bandage before peeling it off. It might work." Cotai said as he handed the wet cloth to Alexander.

Alexander did as he was told and held the warm, wet cloth to the bandage.

Alexander and Cotai made small talk while they were waiting. Alexander wanted to know about the place Cotai was living in now and Cotai wanted to know if anything had happened in Rekes that was worth noting.

All too soon, Cotai got up and took the cloth from Alexander. Then he started to peel the bandage. The soaking worked for most of the bandage but there was one spot where even though Cotai was careful it still ripped a small porting of the scab. Alexander sucked in a breath with the sting.

Cotai bent down and examined the burn. It was mostly scabbed over.

"Looks good. But you don't want an infection." Cotai pulled out a blue jar and inside was a pearly white cream. "Put this on before every bandage change. It will help prevent infection and help the bandage not stick to the burn. "

Alexander took the jar and scooped out a nice large dollop. He then spread the cool medication on the burn. "

"Good, Good. " Cotai nodded. " Keep the bottle. I can make more. "

"Thank you!" Alexander said. The medicine must have had a slight numbing agent in it as the burn stopped stinging.

Cotai helped Alexander place a new bandage and wrap on. " Keep the vest off. It's just going to cause friction and pulling. The bandage should be strong enough to hold the bandage on.

"Thank you!" Alexander said again.

"Now sho. I think you were in the middle of something before I interrupted you." Cotai waved him toward the door.

"If you start to get a fever, track me down. I should be here for the next couple of weeks." Cotai said just before Alexander disappeared out the door.

Cotai only got a small wave of Alexander's hand before the young tsabhua left.