I really should have thought about under-bed storage, especially since I had a couple boxes under my bed. My bed back home, not my bed … here … on the space ship.

I was beginning to be annoyed at myself for being such a crybaby about all this, and it was hard to remind myself of what I’d studied in health class about trauma recovery. We’d spent three weeks learning about big injuries and shock and CPR, and the teacher had added some information about how healing the mind was both similar to and different from healing the body. So much had happened so fast that it felt like two months had passed already, but I had only been here for maybe a day. Unless they had kept me drugged for a long time?

Xandria held up another jumpsuit and shook it out before putting it on the bed. Then she grabbed some underclothes and socks and put them on the bed, too. Last, she made one of those somehow-different bows and said something that sounded like an apology.

“Um, it’s ok.” Wow; I sounded so smart. My teacher had said that shock will do that to you.

I shook my head and let Xandria take the blanket. I felt a little embarrassed, so I got dressed really quickly. Of course, Xandria thought she needed to fuss over the jumpsuit before she let me step back. Then she grabbed my arm and dragged me back to the main room, where she pushed me into a chair and left me to Draxar.

What had Kial called him, the butler? I’d never seen a butler before, let alone had one serve me. Butlers were characters in stories, not real-life people. Well, maybe there were real butlers, but they only served rich people, and I was not a rich people. Person. Not a rich person.

My babbling thoughts were interrupted by Draxar himself, who put a small table in front of the chair I sat in. It was a good height for dining, so I didn’t have to balance a tray on my knees like I had last night. Or whenever it had been; I needed to find out how long I’d slept. Had they given me extra doses while I slept to keep me under?

Lyraan brought the meal tray again and set it on the table. I said thank you to both of them and looked at the food. It didn’t look exciting, and my stomach didn’t feel all that great. So awkward.

Draxar set down a mug of that same warm drink, and I knew I looked at it as if it would come alive and smack me across the face. I took a slow, deep breath before trying to smile at Draxar.

“Could I have some water, please?” I sounded almost normal. As normal as I ever sound, you know?

Draxar looked a little confused, so I pointed at the mug. “Water, please?”

He said something that of course I couldn’t understand. I looked at him with an “I don’t understand” expression on my face. He said something else and gestured at the cup. We went back and forth a few times before he bowed and took the mug away.

I ate slowly, trying to taste if there were any drugs in the food. Despite the strange flavors, I didn’t think there was anything other than food in the meal. I ate until I felt full before stopping. When Draxar took the tray away, I waved at Lyraan to come over.

He came over right away, seeming far more cheerful than the other two. I pointed to the other chair and motioned for him to sit down. Lyraan looked confused and glanced at Draxar. Mr. Butler must have let him know it was ok because Lyraan slowly sat in the chair.

I took a deep breath; if these people weren’t going to help me, then I had to do it myself. I tapped on my chest and said, “Patty.”

Lyraan nodded slowly.

I pointed to him. “Lyraan.”

Then at Draxar, “Draxar.”

Then to the bedroom. “Xandria.”

Lyraan nodded along as I spoke. 

I pointed to and touched the chair I sat in. “Chair.” Then I pointed to his seat. “Chair.” I pointed at Lyraan and made a “Please speak” gesture. Then I started to wish I’d studied sign language before thinking that these people wouldn’t understand any sign language from Earth.

Somehow, Lyraan understood my intent. His expression brightened and he repeated, “Chair!”

“Yes!” I congratulated him. Next, I motioned for him to speak again.

He gave me a confused expression.

I pointed and spoke. “Patty, chair. Lyraan …?” I added an “I don’t know” gesture.

“Patty, chair; Lyraan, chair?”

I shook my head and reminded myself to be patient. What else could I do to make myself understood? Maybe a talking gesture?

“Patty, chair. Lyraan …?”

This time, he understood and exclaimed something. Then he repeated my phrase and added what I hoped was the actual word for chair. I practiced saying it several times while he corrected and encouraged me.

It was a start, and that’s what I needed.