Author's Note: The story is mine. The characters aren't.
Spoilers: Minor (and you have to be good to catch it) for The Pearls
that Were His Eyes, and of course, It Makes a Lovely Light
Author's Note: Well, since they didn't address this in the finale,
I feel better about writing it...So review, please! (anyone want to collaborate
on this? my e-mail address is nsane1@optonline.net)
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Words are the physicians of the mind diseased.
-Aeschylus
"Say 'Ah,'" Trance directed
to a sullen Beka, who stuck out her tongue instead.
"I'm fine, Trance.
I don't know why I need a checkup, anyway. If the stuff is out of
my system, then it's out."
Trance sighed. Beka was the most difficult patient in 3 galaxies. If it hadn't been for Dylan's concern for his first officer, Trance could have been talking with her plants. Instead, she was here, with Beka, although she could see why Dylan was worried. Beka didn't have Harper's immune system, but she would still get sick if this went on much longer. "Beka, could you hand me that flexi?"
"This one?" Beka asked.
Trance nodded, watching Beka carefully. Yup, her hand was shaking like a leaf. Trance went into doctor mode. "Beka, your hand is shaking!"
"So?"
"How long has this been happening?"
"I dunno." At Trance's frown, Beka confessed, "It started about a week ago."
"Beka! Is it ever worse?"
"Sometimes."
"How much worse?"
"My whole body, okay? This is like the goddamn Inquisition!" Beka complained. "I'm just tired, that's all."
The worst patient in 6 galaxies!
"Beka, you're not just tired, you're fatigued. Your body could just
shut down one day! What if it happens when you're piloting?"
"Not much chance of that
happening," Beka pointed out, then let her shoulders slump. "I just
haven't been able to sleep, Trance, no matter how tired I am. I have
this nightmare...one that hasn't bothered me since I was little."
"Oh," Trance said simply, hoping her friend would explain. She wasn't disappointed.
"It's always the same dream. My father's there, and we're on the Maru. He's teaching me how to pilot, like usual, and then suddenly I look at him and his eyes are completely white. 'We have to stop playing now, Rocket. I know I promised, but Daddy's got important work to do.' At that point, when I was little, he'd lock me in my room in the dark and I'd hear him talking to himself, talking about weird things, wrong things. But now, he's got a forcelance and he's pointing it at me and saying, 'You're just not worth the fuel, my little ball and chain,' except in Sid's voice, and then he tries to push me out an airlock and saying the whole time how I'm Daddy's little girl and I always will be-and that's usually when I wake up screaming." Beka shuddered and pulled her knees to her chest.
"Oh, Beka," Trance said, putting an arm around her friend's shoulders.
"He's right, Trance! I wasn't worth the fuel then, and I'm not now. I don't know why Dylan hasn't kicked me off yet, especially after...Trance, I'm so tired."
"Shhh, Bek, I'll give you a sedative so you can sleep," Trance assured her, helping Beka to lie down.
Beka didn't resist, although she did say, "But that doesn't solve anything."
"No, it doesn't," Trance agreed. "You have to do that yourself. Most of the time, defeating your demons means you have to face them first. Or let others help you face them," Trance added, thinking of Dylan. She administered the sedative.
"Have to...fix everything.. Got to talk...talk to Dylan, show him I'm not...my father," Beka muttered, trailing off as the sedative took hold.
Trance smiled. "And
sometimes, curing the mind means you cure the body."
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Author's Note: Okay, from here I plan to have her talk to Dylan, Rev, Harper, and Tyr (not necessarily in that order) with maybe a few other scenes thrown in. How does that sound? Good comments, bad comments, in-between comments, and any other comments are appreciated!