Since Jack's seizure two nights before, Ben had taken responsibility for the Lady's picture. Ben carried it with him wherever he went, in his pocket. If the uniform didn't have any pockets, he slipped it into his shoe. And whenever they were alone, barefoot and wearing something without pockets, Ben carried it in his hand, in case Jack, Maxie or Zack needed the Lady's influence for their seizures.
He was surprised that Zack hadn't wanted it, but it wasn't Zack's job to be the imaginative one. He was the CO.
"Pray to Her," the janitor had said to Jack as he gazed in wonderment from his bed. "She'll watch over you." Anyone who would do that for them was worthy of the X5's devotion- the only trouble was, where would the Lady live?
There were places where officers did not venture- the bathrooms, the shower block, parts of the forest. But you had to press a button on the wall to get in and out of the showers, or the toilets, which would let command know you were in there. And what would all the X5s in Block Twelve be doing in the bathroom late at night, at the same time? He supposed he could take them one at a time, a long time apart but that would take too long.
The forest? There was cold, there was rain, there was dirt. Ben liked the forest, but he felt it wouldn't be worthy of the Lady. There was also the problem of getting every single X5 out of the dormitory and into some secret part of the woods. That would also take too long, be too risky.
She needed to be someplace high and exalted as She was, this wonderful being who deigned to protect them from on high...
High...
Ben cut his little puppet show for Max, Zane and Jondy short to climb out of the window and shinny up the drainpipe. He hadn't expected the roof to jut out like it did, and spent a few seconds hanging helplessly, scrabbling with desperate hands. He nearly dropped the picture and clung on- he would fall with Her before he would let the Blue Lady fall alone.
He finally figured out how to climb onto the roof of Block Twelve and looked around, a smile growing on his face.
Perfect.
The roof was sturdy and did not creak as he walked silently across it, and he spied a large air vent where the Lady's image could sit, undisturbed by the elements. He pulled out the napkin he'd wrapped around the picture to keep it from getting dirty, smoothed it out and laid Her on it.
Now, how would they honour Her, make Her stronger?
He heard a noise and turned to see Tinga standing there. She gave him a small, shy smile. "Ben."
"Tinga."
"Is this where the Lady is going to live?"
"Just Her image. She's all around us, the Blue Lady doesn't really live in any one place," Ben corrected.
Tinga nodded fervently. "I should think She'd live in the forest."
"No, up here is better. We can all get up here in a few minutes, there are no security obstacles- it's perfect. All we need is something to give to Her."
Tinga raised her eyebrows.
Ben continued. "Something to make Her stronger. To help Her fight the Nomalies."
Tinga seemed to think a moment. "It has to be something that no one is going to miss. Something we can get lots of."
Ben considered this. Then he smiled. "Our teeth."
"Our teeth?" asked Tinga.
"Yes. We have regenerative teeth, didn't you know that? They grow back in a day or two. It's the best thing. They'll make Her strong enough the battle the Nomalies and then we can always get more," Ben said happily.
"Back teeth," suggested Tinga. "So the officers won't see."
"Front teeth, visible teeth would be better. It means... you're brave enough to follow Her to the fullest. That you've got so much faith you don't care what happens to you. But back teeth will be all right."
Tinga cautiously approached the vent and stared at the Lady's picture. "She's beautiful, Ben." She gave the picture a determined sort of look. "One day I'm going to be that beautiful."
Ben was silent. He knew Tinga absolutely hated the way she looked- especially having a crew cut. It was one of the only things that could make his peaceful sister sulk.
He remembered sitting beside her as she got her head shaved the last time. Tinga's face had been twisted in revulsion at herself, her shoulders tense as she watched mere wisps of black hair drift from the electric razor to the floor and her knuckles had been white because she'd dug her fingers into the armrests of the chair.
She'd looked about to cry, about to throw up, about to snap. Finally she'd jumped up and run a thin hand over her new stubble, so short it looked like it wasn't there. And tears had pricked in her eyes and she'd left, nose in the air, determined not to be seen crying.
The other girls said that as stray strands of hair flowed, driven from her head by water in the showers afterward she'd folded her arms and leaned against the tiled wall, crying just a little, only a little, because even as every shred of femaleness was sheared away Tinga was still the brave biggest sister.
He kind of thought that was good of her.
Tinga always sulked after having her head shaved. Brin would come and jump on her cot and try to make her feel better. Then Tinga would snap at her and Brin would flounce away.
After awhile Tinga would feel guilty and slide onto Brin's cot, all apologies, all big-sisterly, all, "Brin, don't be mad at me, Brinny, I can't bear it when you're mad at me." The beguiling arm would wind around Brin's shoulders and finally Brin would respond and hug her. Then she'd ruffle the stubble of hair spared by the cruel razor, and everyone would smile or laugh, Tinga would giggle and pretend to think it was funny when really she was weeping inside.
Ben came back, remembering his mission. Not to think about Tinga and her issues but to find the Lady a home. He'd nearly accomplished the objective.
He felt he had to explain a little more to Tinga. He loved explaining things, making sense of things. "When it rains I'll come and get Her picture and carry it around with me."
"You'll be carrying it around an awful lot then," she observed. "In your shoe, right?"
"Yes."
Tinga looked thoughtful once more. "I have an idea," she told him. She bent down and unravelled a long thread from the right leg of her pyjama pants, handing it to Ben. "You can tie it around the picture and hang Her around your neck. Then you'll never lose Her."
Ben was grateful, but frowned. "That won't work. She'll fall."
"Well, would you rather check on Her often to make sure the knot doesn't come untied or put a hole into Her picture?"
He considered this. "Good point, soldier." Ben tied a knot into the thread and looped it around his neck, tugging it so it was hidden under his shirt.
The two young X5s climbed back down the drainpipe and Tinga helped him to wake up the ones who were sleeping. He saw with amusement that one of his favourite sisters, Max, was asleep for once. Ben almost felt guilty waking her up.
He bent low over her and shook her awake. "Max, wake up. We're going." Her eyes slid open.
Max said groggily, "Where?"
Ben whispered, "To the High Place."
He climbed up first, followed by all the others and told them what to do. There were fifty X5s, but only a few had bothered to follow him up there. They didn't believe yet. It was all right- Ben would help them to believe. They stood around yanking out their teeth. Krit became cocky because he got a tooth out first and pulled out another.
Ben twisted his tooth back and forth until it came loose. He tasted blood and smiled. Then he laid it on the napkin for the lady.
The others- Syl, Amna, Brin, Danny, Clay, Zane, Tinga, Omri, Krit, Zack and Max- handed him their teeth. He arranged the bloody teeth in a small pile on the napkin as the others looked at the Lady. Some looked reverent, some smiled benignly.
Ben thought he should explain further. Now, the young X5s of Manticore had a protector. They could make Her strong.
He grinned at the assembled X5s. "They make Her stronger... so She can fight the Nomalies."
Ben had accomplished his mission. Now the Blue Lady of Manticore had a home, She could fight the Nomalies for them.
And from now on, they would always be safe.
* * *
DISCLAIMER: 'Dark Angel' belongs to Fox and James Cameron. Not me. So don't sue.
NOTE: I saw 'Pollo Loco' for the first time today. It was WONDERFUL! I cried about four times! Geneva Locke and James Kirk were excellent in that episode. Plus, isn't it scary how much Geneva Locke's voice sounds like Jessica Alba's? Downright uncanny. I think 'Pollo Loco', along with 'Pilot', '... And Jesus Brought A Casserole', 'Female Trouble' and 'Bag 'Em' is definitely one of my favourite episodes.
He was surprised that Zack hadn't wanted it, but it wasn't Zack's job to be the imaginative one. He was the CO.
"Pray to Her," the janitor had said to Jack as he gazed in wonderment from his bed. "She'll watch over you." Anyone who would do that for them was worthy of the X5's devotion- the only trouble was, where would the Lady live?
There were places where officers did not venture- the bathrooms, the shower block, parts of the forest. But you had to press a button on the wall to get in and out of the showers, or the toilets, which would let command know you were in there. And what would all the X5s in Block Twelve be doing in the bathroom late at night, at the same time? He supposed he could take them one at a time, a long time apart but that would take too long.
The forest? There was cold, there was rain, there was dirt. Ben liked the forest, but he felt it wouldn't be worthy of the Lady. There was also the problem of getting every single X5 out of the dormitory and into some secret part of the woods. That would also take too long, be too risky.
She needed to be someplace high and exalted as She was, this wonderful being who deigned to protect them from on high...
High...
Ben cut his little puppet show for Max, Zane and Jondy short to climb out of the window and shinny up the drainpipe. He hadn't expected the roof to jut out like it did, and spent a few seconds hanging helplessly, scrabbling with desperate hands. He nearly dropped the picture and clung on- he would fall with Her before he would let the Blue Lady fall alone.
He finally figured out how to climb onto the roof of Block Twelve and looked around, a smile growing on his face.
Perfect.
The roof was sturdy and did not creak as he walked silently across it, and he spied a large air vent where the Lady's image could sit, undisturbed by the elements. He pulled out the napkin he'd wrapped around the picture to keep it from getting dirty, smoothed it out and laid Her on it.
Now, how would they honour Her, make Her stronger?
He heard a noise and turned to see Tinga standing there. She gave him a small, shy smile. "Ben."
"Tinga."
"Is this where the Lady is going to live?"
"Just Her image. She's all around us, the Blue Lady doesn't really live in any one place," Ben corrected.
Tinga nodded fervently. "I should think She'd live in the forest."
"No, up here is better. We can all get up here in a few minutes, there are no security obstacles- it's perfect. All we need is something to give to Her."
Tinga raised her eyebrows.
Ben continued. "Something to make Her stronger. To help Her fight the Nomalies."
Tinga seemed to think a moment. "It has to be something that no one is going to miss. Something we can get lots of."
Ben considered this. Then he smiled. "Our teeth."
"Our teeth?" asked Tinga.
"Yes. We have regenerative teeth, didn't you know that? They grow back in a day or two. It's the best thing. They'll make Her strong enough the battle the Nomalies and then we can always get more," Ben said happily.
"Back teeth," suggested Tinga. "So the officers won't see."
"Front teeth, visible teeth would be better. It means... you're brave enough to follow Her to the fullest. That you've got so much faith you don't care what happens to you. But back teeth will be all right."
Tinga cautiously approached the vent and stared at the Lady's picture. "She's beautiful, Ben." She gave the picture a determined sort of look. "One day I'm going to be that beautiful."
Ben was silent. He knew Tinga absolutely hated the way she looked- especially having a crew cut. It was one of the only things that could make his peaceful sister sulk.
He remembered sitting beside her as she got her head shaved the last time. Tinga's face had been twisted in revulsion at herself, her shoulders tense as she watched mere wisps of black hair drift from the electric razor to the floor and her knuckles had been white because she'd dug her fingers into the armrests of the chair.
She'd looked about to cry, about to throw up, about to snap. Finally she'd jumped up and run a thin hand over her new stubble, so short it looked like it wasn't there. And tears had pricked in her eyes and she'd left, nose in the air, determined not to be seen crying.
The other girls said that as stray strands of hair flowed, driven from her head by water in the showers afterward she'd folded her arms and leaned against the tiled wall, crying just a little, only a little, because even as every shred of femaleness was sheared away Tinga was still the brave biggest sister.
He kind of thought that was good of her.
Tinga always sulked after having her head shaved. Brin would come and jump on her cot and try to make her feel better. Then Tinga would snap at her and Brin would flounce away.
After awhile Tinga would feel guilty and slide onto Brin's cot, all apologies, all big-sisterly, all, "Brin, don't be mad at me, Brinny, I can't bear it when you're mad at me." The beguiling arm would wind around Brin's shoulders and finally Brin would respond and hug her. Then she'd ruffle the stubble of hair spared by the cruel razor, and everyone would smile or laugh, Tinga would giggle and pretend to think it was funny when really she was weeping inside.
Ben came back, remembering his mission. Not to think about Tinga and her issues but to find the Lady a home. He'd nearly accomplished the objective.
He felt he had to explain a little more to Tinga. He loved explaining things, making sense of things. "When it rains I'll come and get Her picture and carry it around with me."
"You'll be carrying it around an awful lot then," she observed. "In your shoe, right?"
"Yes."
Tinga looked thoughtful once more. "I have an idea," she told him. She bent down and unravelled a long thread from the right leg of her pyjama pants, handing it to Ben. "You can tie it around the picture and hang Her around your neck. Then you'll never lose Her."
Ben was grateful, but frowned. "That won't work. She'll fall."
"Well, would you rather check on Her often to make sure the knot doesn't come untied or put a hole into Her picture?"
He considered this. "Good point, soldier." Ben tied a knot into the thread and looped it around his neck, tugging it so it was hidden under his shirt.
The two young X5s climbed back down the drainpipe and Tinga helped him to wake up the ones who were sleeping. He saw with amusement that one of his favourite sisters, Max, was asleep for once. Ben almost felt guilty waking her up.
He bent low over her and shook her awake. "Max, wake up. We're going." Her eyes slid open.
Max said groggily, "Where?"
Ben whispered, "To the High Place."
He climbed up first, followed by all the others and told them what to do. There were fifty X5s, but only a few had bothered to follow him up there. They didn't believe yet. It was all right- Ben would help them to believe. They stood around yanking out their teeth. Krit became cocky because he got a tooth out first and pulled out another.
Ben twisted his tooth back and forth until it came loose. He tasted blood and smiled. Then he laid it on the napkin for the lady.
The others- Syl, Amna, Brin, Danny, Clay, Zane, Tinga, Omri, Krit, Zack and Max- handed him their teeth. He arranged the bloody teeth in a small pile on the napkin as the others looked at the Lady. Some looked reverent, some smiled benignly.
Ben thought he should explain further. Now, the young X5s of Manticore had a protector. They could make Her strong.
He grinned at the assembled X5s. "They make Her stronger... so She can fight the Nomalies."
Ben had accomplished his mission. Now the Blue Lady of Manticore had a home, She could fight the Nomalies for them.
And from now on, they would always be safe.
* * *
DISCLAIMER: 'Dark Angel' belongs to Fox and James Cameron. Not me. So don't sue.
NOTE: I saw 'Pollo Loco' for the first time today. It was WONDERFUL! I cried about four times! Geneva Locke and James Kirk were excellent in that episode. Plus, isn't it scary how much Geneva Locke's voice sounds like Jessica Alba's? Downright uncanny. I think 'Pollo Loco', along with 'Pilot', '... And Jesus Brought A Casserole', 'Female Trouble' and 'Bag 'Em' is definitely one of my favourite episodes.