Flummoxed - Excerpt from Karrik for #WeWriWa and #SnippetSunday

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday . Sample the work of a new author. Read snippets of stories in different genres.
Here’s the next excerpt from Karrik, Book 6 of my SciFi series, Taxyon Space .
Background: Karrik lost an arm and a leg in battle and he struggles to speak. He lives in a hospice on his homeworld of Rishalt. His two brothers are on Earth. In last week’s excerpt, his oldest brother called (very long distance). Karrik managed to say, “Hello”, but he cannot say anything else.
You can read last week’s excerpt at https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2023/01/karrik-says-hello-excerpt-for-wewriwa.html
This excerpt follows:
Alarik said, “How are you today?”
Why did Alarik sound disappointed? Did his First not understand his difficulty in creating a word? Flummoxed by his inability to answer the question, Karrik merely uttered a frustrated moan.
After an interval, Alarik said, “I’ll call again later.”
The sister said, “He is improving every day. You should see him.”
“Calm seas, Sister.” The speaker clicked into silence.
Alarik had gone.
Ten sentences and a few more
Karrik felt bereft. Alone. Where was his brother? Neither Alarik or Baswin had visited him. Had they ever visited him? He could not remember. Not since his mind had awoken from a bleak, blank darkness. Their absence left him confused and lonely.
This dialogue is a repeat of the same conversation in the earlier book, Alarik . In that case, the scene was described in Alarik’s perspective. Alarik is resigned to his brother’s disability, although he does not appreciate Karrik’s revived mental activity.
This month’s bargain book is Lured by the Lion – Discounted to 99c for the first time!

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After the death of her ailing father, Jocelyn Navarre Yazzie is free to roam the galaxy in the Star Condor, the spacecraft she inherited from her deceased husband. A chance encounter with the crippled Leonardo Horlis changes her future. Leo Horlis suffers from a debilitating malady and expects to live for less than a year. Josie offers to transport him to the top medical center of the ultracivilized inner planets. Their attraction intensifies in the cramped quarters of her ship. But, Leo has a dangerous secret that threatens to terminate their voyage and their lives.
Can Josie and Leo escape the perils and vanquish the ghosts of their past to find happiness together?
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