Authors Notes: One more chapter after this one. Then starts Part 3 'Gold Fields' Which has five chapters.

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Between Sea and Sky

Fragmented Code

Chapter 14

Angela

River looked over Zareth. Beads of sweat along his face dripping onto the dirt below him. She had given him medication for the fever he had but it didn't seem to be helping. Something was going on mentally. Something she couldn't help him with nor wake him from. She picked the cloth from his forehead and dipped it back into the cool spring water she had got. Placing it back onto his head. At least it wasn't that hot outside and the water was cold from the mountains. Every so often she'd pour a bucket full onto him. Just how do you take care of a feverish cyborg?

She ran her fingers across his forehead trying to get the caked hair from his forehead. His hair loose around his face was something she wasn't used to. Seeing him through Dannys eyes all those years ago his hair slicked back, that unmistakable smile. All of that gone. What could have happened to cause him to lose hope like this? Who was missing? She knew Danny was locked up tight within her mind. But who was missing? Who did he need to be here?

There was a pop coming from the trees behind her. She jumped up a glowing mass forming along her arm. A sword of sorts perhaps. The lantern light was all she seen for a few moments. The lantern rose up over the head and she was able to see who was there. Rivers face broke into a smile and she nodded her head to the woman. She was old and her hair was gray. But oh those bright blue eyes were unmistakable.

"Mother…" River whispered and stood up bowing to the woman respectfully.

"Come...bring him with you." She said. River threw the water onto the fire before turning back to Zareth and picked him up following the lantern as it bounced along the hillside. "I saw your fire and thought you might just be a traveler. Who is he?"

"This is Zareth. The one searching for Danny."

"Oh that Cyborg you were telling me about?" Angela smiled down at him and sighed. "Poor thing. Lets get him inside and straight to bed."

"Mother. What of Danny?" River asked as Angela opened the door.

"Later. Right now we've got a lot of work to do." She said leading her up to a bed. She lay Zareth down and pulled off his shoes.

"Goodness...his shoes are huge." She looked at the platforms and sighed. She looked around at her mother who walked over with ice in a cloth. Placing it onto his head and sighed.

"Lets see if we can get him to drink this." Angela handed River a glass of iced water. River pulled Zareth into a sitting position and tipped the drink into his mouth. He took a few swallows and let his head fall to her shoulder.

"Danny?" He whispered opening his eyes a little. He looked around the room and his head fell back onto his shoulder.

"Here Zareth take this." Angela poured something into his mouth. He swallowed but it tasted horrible. He shuddered and looked at the woman. He was wide awake now.

"What was that?!"

"Beetroot, garlic powder, mint drops, and lemon grass. With a few other choice things thrown in. Its good for pulling down fevers. You'll be just fine now." She said. Zareth ran his fingers over his head and then spotted River.

"Thats Angela Oolope." She told him. He looked surprised for a second and then looked around at the woman who turned.

"I'm the second Angela though. I was named after my mother who was married to Colby." She said

"I was once...Colby."

"I know...you are two people at once. My son...and my great great great well...not by blood. But by power my father was the carrier for the power of melding. I never got it though. My brother carried it on and passed it onto his children. But none fused with people. I...was unable to have children because of an accident. So Archie did what he could and created children for us. River here is my eldest. She has a partner out there somewhere hidden by Archie but we never heard from her. I expect she's gone now. Then there was Lyra and Gabriel. Lyra of course is Danny your...Danny." She ran her fingers along a large metal container. "This is Danny now." There was a symbol of a harp along the top of the box. There was a bright green light at the top.

"My Dannygirl." He ran his fingers over it and sighed.

"Can we put her back into a new body? I have her old one…"

"That body will never be able to house her ever again." This caught his heart off guard and he looked around the room for something...anything to hold onto. He needed something to ground him. "Oh stop that!" Angela barked. Zareths optics locked onto her.

"Its not like the situation hasn't been planned for Zareth. Father planned for this situation because she was a soldier. He planned for a possibility that she might be destroyed in battle. If she was destroyed in battle she'd come back here and the military would just write her off as destroyed. Which wouldn't be true. She'd be here." River said running her fingers along another black box with the river symbol on it.

"That one yours?" Zareth asked. River nodded her head and looked up when Angela approached Zareth. Her hand around something about the size of a cassette tape.

"I need you to insert this into the back of the newer model though. This one isn't as young as the body she's in. I'm afraid if she were to come back she wouldn't have the memories she gained within this new body though." Angela sighed and looked down at her feet. "I wish I could do more for you Zareth. But I can tell you this. I've been listening to Dannys algorithms. She's never been so happy as she has since she's entered this new life. Whatever happens I...I'm glad she met you and the others. She loves you all so very m…" Something exploded near the beach. Angela gasped as she heard someone laughing.

"Inky?" Zareth called out. "Babe where you at. Its your Uncle Zareth." He walked out the door and saw the unmistakable look of pure loathing on Inkys face. Ink snaking up her face. Claws on her hands. Ink cascading down her body like a dress.

"Babe?"

"Zareth...sweetheart. Your in my way." She snapped her fingers. Both Mindroid and Cryptor walked up the steps looking over Zareth with purple eyes. "You've got to die now."