Lalna’s mind started whirring as he marched out of the dorm, ignoring Xephos’s desperate cries.
I’ve got to get to the bottom of this, he thought to himself. He quickly began devising a plan as he ran back to his lab.
Let’s see… Xephos said he was drunk. It’s a likely scenario, considering Honeydew would normally never do something like that. Something must’ve happened…
But he couldn’t of just been drunk. He’s not like that. There had to be something else.
He paused in his tracks. I’ll have to test this theory. At the very least I can rule a few things out.
He looked up at the gates to his lab. Opening them, he stormed in and ran downstairs.  After a quick scouring and knocking things over, he retrieved the object he was looking for. Turning on his heels, he marched back out, almost forgetting to close the doors behind him.
He was nearly out of breath when he returned to the dorms. He flung open the door. Xephos, who had been reaching into his chest, jumped in surprise and slammed the chest shut. Panting, Lalna removed a healing potion from his lab coat and handed it to the spaceman.
“Here,” he commanded, “drink this.”
“I thought you were…” Xephos trailed off. His face went bright red again as he reached for the potion. “Thanks.”
Lalna noticed the large cut from where Xephos had hit his head. He frowned.
“What happened there?”
The spaceman instinctively raised a hand to cover it. “…I slipped.”
“Jesus, Xephos,” Lalna sighed, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket. “Be a little more careful.” He pushed away Xephos’s hand so he could start wiping away the blood. Xephos flinched away from his careful hands.
“I can clean my own wounds,” he protested.
The scientist sighed. “Keep still,” he commanded as he continued to clean away the blood. Xephos stared at the floor, frustrated.
“There. That should be good.” He folded up the handkerchief. “Do you have any plasters? We need to stop any infection-”
“Of course I have plasters. I’m covered in them, Lalna.”
“Ah. Of course.”
Xephos reached into his chest again and pulled out a box of them. He retrieved one and placed it onto his forehead.
“Now, the best thing you can do is take that potion and rest,” Lalna instructed, pointing to the bed.
“I can’t,” he objected. “I have to get to work on-”
“Do you want to be out for a day or for a week?”
“I’ll be fine,” he insisted, reaching for the door.
“Don’t make me lock you in here.”
“You wouldn’t.”
Lalna pointed to the bed again. “You’re not winning today, Xephos.”
Xephos stood defiantly for a few moments, before finally hanging his head and sat down, grumbling.
“You know,” Lalna spoke after a few moments, “I didn’t run all the way to my lab for you to look at that potion.”
“Oops. Sorry.”
Xephos reached over and uncorked the bottle before raising it to his lips and downing the whole thing, wincing at the taste. He swallowed and wiped his lips as he put the bottle back down onto his side table.
“Thanks again,” he croaked.
Lalna nodded. “You’re welcome. Now get some rest.”
Begrudingly, he laid down and tucked himself under the covers. Satisfied that he had won, Lalna turned around to leave.
“…Lalna?” he called quietly.
Lalna turned around. “Yes?”
He was quiet for a minute. Lalna was about to just leave when his voice picked up again.
“I’m… sorry I’m so useless.” His voice faltered.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Lalna exclaimed. “It’s not your fault.”
Xephos remained silent. Sighing, he turned around once more and left the little dormitory. He approached the factory to find Honeydew working away at the factory walls.
“Aah, Honeydew! Just the man I was looking for!”
The dwarf looked down from the wall he was building. “Hello Lalna! What’s up?”
“You see,” he began, “I’ve been brewing beer back at my lab, and I was wondering if you would like to sample some. Let me know how it’s coming out.”
“Sounds great!” he called cheerfully. “I can never say no to a good beer.”
Lalna laughed. “So tonight then, after work.”
Honeydew nodded, and turned back to his work. Lalna studied him carefully.
Do you know what you’re doing, Lalna? he thought to himself as he inspected the dwarf’s build.
I think if he turned violent, I might be able to take him. I may not be stronger, but I am definitely smarter than a drunk dwarf. He nodded. Yes, I should be fine.
He continued over to the craft bench and picked up one of the hammers to finish his project. A small seed of doubt was forming in the back of his mind, but he pushed it aside. He’d be fine.
I must figure this out. For Xephos.