A BOND UNBROKEN, Part 8
From the ridge above, the others watched in horror as the avalanche claimed their friends, the DuneRail arriving in time for those on it to bear witness to the tragedy, as well. Julia cried out Alonzo's name once before falling silent and turning to busy herself with Devon, hopelessly brushing off the comforting hug Walman offered. Yale shook the crewman away, mindful of the doctor's need to cope with her loss privately. The rest sorrowfully turned back to see the installation gone, the spot where Danziger, Alonzo and their companion lay, buried under an imposing blanket of snow.
Breaking the shocked silence, Cameron asserted quietly. "We should go down and look. There could still be an airpocket."
"You think they're still alive?" Baines asked incredulously as he regarded the suddenly placid valley doubtfully.
"It is possible but unlikely." Yale admitted with a heavy heart.
"Damn Terrians! Why couldn't they have waited?" Walman asked angrily. He stomped his feet and paced away from the ridge eager to find a target for his grief and anger. After a few moments, he paused in his tirade to look warily at his feet. "Did you feel that?"
They all looked uncertainly at each other then at the ground as it began to vibrate. Julia glanced up from Devon as the others slowly backed from where they were standing, unconsciously bunching together. Two Terrians suddenly erupted from the ground before them all, each with a human in its arms. Released from the Terrians' embrace, Alonzo Solace sprawled lifelessly onto the snow as John Danziger fell to his knees, wheezing with effort.
The mechanic took a few shaky breaths then glanced around and up at his friends, giving them a look of pure disbelief. John could see Alonzo where he lay, Julia tearfully crouched over the pilot scanning him, then looked around as if seeking someone. "There was a woman with us. The Terrians... Isn't she with us?" He surveyed the ridge and regretfully saw the Terrians had gone.
"Just the two of you, John." Yale observed as he extended a hand up.
As Danziger rose, his Terrian necklace brushed against his cheek. Danziger examined the plait for a moment reflectively. "She didn't have one of these. She wasn't from the home team." He looked quietly at the tutor who nodded agreement. "That's too bad, she really helped us out."
"Terrian justice does not appear to recognize atonement." Yale observed cryptically.
The subdued mechanic shook his head with a frown then turned to the doctor, cocking his head at the pilot. "How is he?"
Julia shot a harried look at the mechanic. "Alive, but barely. He needs immediate surgery but we really should not move either of them yet and I don't have all the equipment I need with me."
"Devon's the same?" He watched the doctor nod unhappily. "It's too long a hike to make it back to camp before dark anyway." Danziger observed grimly. "Be sure to check them over for control chips," he added pragmatically to the others' consternation.
Julia nodded as she continued to examine the pilot. With a sigh, Danziger turned away, setting the crew to work erecting the two tents and organizing a small campsite in a sheltered spot nearby.
ooooooooooooooo
"How's the 'Rail?" Walman asked conversationally as Danziger rose from the vehicle with finality.
"Clean. Looks like all they tried to do was a mem sweep. Nice thing about these is you can't do that without the codes, otherwise you just lock it all up." He smiled to himself, patting the vehicle paternally. "And I have the codes. No way could they begin to guess them."
Walman nodded in agreement. "I guess we would have eventually tried 'True-Girl'... But I don't know when..."
Danziger shrugged as he wiped his hands thoughtfully. "Well, at least we have the 'Rail back. I would have given a week's pay for a shot at that hovercraft but it was too much of a risk."
"I know it. You gonna turn in now?"
Danziger looked over to the small fire Julia had insisted on against his wishes. As he watched Denner gather a small bundle in her arms and head for the med-tent, he answered, "I think I'll check in on Julia first. Keep a close eye out." He met the other guard's eyes. "You, too, Magus. Baines and Cameron will spell you in an hour." He returned their nods and strode to the med-tent, holding the flap open for the crewwoman.
As he ducked in, the mechanic noticed the only sounds to be heard in the hushed tent were Alonzo's strained breathing and the diaglove as Julia bent over the pilot, carefully scanning. From Devon's side, Yale smiled wearily in response to his nod. "Julia, how are they?" Danziger asked the young doctor softly.
"I'm having trouble stabilizing Alonzo. His levels are all over the place." she began as she bent to remove a steaming stone from Denner's bundle and joined the woman in wrapping each stone in parachute remnants before tucking them under the pilot's covers, pulling cooled stones out from the bedding as she went. "He's in shock and unable to so much as regulate his body temperature. There's extreme trauma but there's something else. I can't put my finger on it. And then there's Devon." She shook her head in frustration. "I wish I knew what was wrong with her. Aside from being in a coma she's in great shape and her vitals are staying exactly the same. No variation even with medication. They're like night and day. I can't seem to get anywhere with Alonzo. And Devon..." She sighed. "I'm just so limited here. Even back at camp I don't have much more." The doctor explained, the agitation seeping into her voice.
"You're doing fine, Julia." Yale soothed. "All we can ask is you do what you can. That's all Devon or Alonzo would ask."
Julia nodded reasonably to the tutor and moved to scan Devon. "John, could you sit with Alonzo for a while? Denner is busy with the stones and everyone else is alternating guard duty. I need to monitor both of them closely for a while." she requested, smiling her thanks as he moved to the pilot's side.
With a glance at Devon, Danziger settled next to Alonzo's cot to look after the pilot as he lay trembling on the cot. The mechanic watched respectfully as the doctor worked then surveyed the tent. "Where's Morgan? I thought he was going to help in here." As Denner snorted in amusement next to him, Danziger looked askance at the crewwoman.
"He was..." Yale supplied as he slid out of Julia's way. "I suggested he take a watch rotation, instead. He fainted while we were treating Alonzo. Baines and Denner helped Julia finish."
"Well, we knew he was never one for this type of duty..." Danziger grudgingly admitted with a frown.
ooooooooooooooo
Through the night, Julia alternated from patient to patient, keeping a constant record of their progress yet resignedly admitting to herself that neither had changed enough for her instruments to measure.
Shortly after midnight, Danziger urgently waved the doctor to his side. "Julia, I think 'Lonz is coming around." John informed her tensely as Alonzo's face twisted into a grimace, a gasp catching mid-breath.
Julia paused from scanning Devon and crept over to the waking pilot. With half an eye on his face, she scanned him thoroughly, frowning at the readouts. "He is waking. John, help me free his left arm, he's going to need a pain-block." As Danziger disentangled the pilot's uninjured arm from his bedding, Julia prepared the medication and administered it, carefully watching for any results.
Alonzo's eyes fluttered several times and finally opened, slowly coming to focus on a distant object. He sighed quietly with a shudder, closing his eyes as the pain asserted itself, then opened them again seeking to his right.
"Alonzo? Alonzo, look at me. It's Julia. You're safe now. Alonzo?!" Julia frowned as Alonzo averted his gaze when she dipped her head to meet it, still seeking to his right. She intentionally blocked the pilot's view in an attempt to attract his attention only for him to frantically strain to look beyond her. The doctor watched the pilot with growing alarm as his heart and respiration rates rose. With a concerned nod towards Danziger, they both slid out of his field of vision, regarding him worriedly.
Alonzo searched desperately to his right, his breath coming in gasps, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. After a moment, he hopelessly lay his head back onto the pillow, sighing miserably with his eyes closed. Alonzo moaned softly and relaxed, his head rolling to his left as he sighed in despair. As his eyes drifted open, the pilot's gaze fell on Devon and stayed there, the tension slowly easing from his body. He closed his eyes for a moment in relief and swallowed painfully before opening his eyes to watch the comatose woman vigilantly.
Julia raised her eyes to meet Danziger's concerned gaze and shrugged helplessly before returning her scrutiny to the pilot. "Alonzo, do you hear me?" The doctor slid her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Seeing him swallow painfully again, she motioned for Danziger to bring a water bottle. "Alonzo, would you like some water? Squeeze my hand." Julia watched their joined hands as the pilot lightly squeezed hers in answer. She carefully placed the bottle to his lips and helped him drink, noting that his gaze never wavered from Devon the entire time. Noticing the growing stain on Alonzo's chest bandage, Julia returned the bottle to Danziger and eased the blankets back. As she carefully lifted the edge of the crude bandaging to inspect the wound underneath, Julia frowned unhappily. She shot Danziger and Yale a frustrated look as she scanned the pilot thoroughly.
While Julia examined him she was troubled at how Alonzo recoiled from her touch. His labored breathing and an occasional involuntary moan giving away his distress even as his clenched fists and jaw underscored his unwillingness to exhibit it. Feeling his scrutiny, the doctor glanced over to meet the pilot's gaze only to be transfixed by his baleful stare. Shocked by the emotions she saw in his dark eyes, she drew back slightly, her pale blue eyes widening. "Alonzo? It's me. Julia."
The pilot slowly breathed out through his nostrils, shaking his head feebly at the doctor. His eyes shifted to Yale, who had come alongside Julia, and considered him for an instant before he sighed and glanced over to Devon as if unsure she would be there. Bolstered by her continued presence, Alonzo allowed his eyes to roam around for a moment before settling them on Danziger. Outrage and fury suddenly sparked from his eyes as he glared unsteadily at the mechanic, his entire body contracting with the tension.
Julia watched Alonzo's levels fluctuate with growing alarm. "Alonzo, please relax. Alonzo!"
Ignoring the doctor, the pilot concentrated entirely on the stunned mechanic, forcing out each word only with great effort. "You. Killed. Him. Why?"
Taken aback by the accusation, Danziger responded, "I didn't kill anyone, 'Lonz." Perplexed, he looked over to the other two.
"The Terrian. You killed him." Alonzo insisted weakly, his eyes filling with despair at remembered loss. Exhausted, he stared up at the ceiling as his head sank into the pillow, his chest heaving with effort.
"The Terrian that was in the cell with you? He was dead when I got there." the mechanic protested defensively.
Julia waved the mechanic to silence. Taking the pilot's chin, she gently turned his head to face her again, noting that he avoided eye contact as though it were painful, and nodded to herself. "Alonzo, do you know who I am?"
He tried to turn away but her hold was firm. "I know who you aren't..." he spat defiantly, by now his voice barely a breathy whisper.
Julia searched Alonzo's pale face as he weakly twisted in her grip. "I'm not going to argue with you, Alonzo. Just please relax," she begged. "You're killing yourself."
Averting his gaze, the pilot lay quietly, having given up his struggles. "He's the one doing all the killing..." Alonzo suddenly hissed. He looked past Julia to where Danziger stood uncertainly. "Why didn't you contact Reilly? You have the last ship..."
Danziger's eyes widened in surprise. "The last ship? Are you sure? How do you know that?"
Alonzo's gaze drifted pointedly to Julia before he lost consciousness.
In shocked silence, they all regarded the pilot, each with their own thoughts.
"The last ship..." Danziger repeated. "They're not coming after us. They can't."
"What was that about Reilly?" Julia asked as the familiar feeling of fear and abandonment squeezed her heart, expecting to not hear what she hoped to be true.
"We hadn't contacted him yet." Yale recounted thoughtfully.
"He must still be on the satellite." Danziger remarked logically. "But he's trapped there."
Julia nodded in relief. Bending over the pilot to briefly scan him once again, she looked up to face the others. "We know he was tortured. We don't know what else they did. It's obvious he doesn't believe us and I have no idea how to convince him otherwise. With his system so depressed, I'm hesitant to use sedatives but we need to prevent any more stress. It really is killing him."
Danziger nodded gravely. "Maybe I shouldn't hang around then. He didn't seem to mind Yale as much as either of us."
Julia glanced a request at the tutor who nodded and drew a crate next to the pilot's cot. Once settled there Yale smiled thinly at Danziger. "Perhaps you should see if Baines could sit with Devon." he suggested gently.
With a reluctant backward glance, the mechanic nodded resignedly and left in search of the crewman.
ooooooooooooooo
Much of the evening Alonzo drifted in and out of consciousness, the people tending to their injured friends careful to not upset the pilot as he maintained his silent vigil.
Danziger avoided the med-tent scrupulously yet found it increasingly difficult not knowing what was happening on the other side of the canvas. The possible knowledge that the Council might be unable to follow Eden Advance anymore lifted a great weight from the mechanic's shoulders. That likelihood had been gnawing at him since deciding to initiate a rescue in the first place. Rescuing was one thing, avoiding the backlash had been another can of worms entirely, he reflected. One he had not looked forward to facing. Now, if Alonzo was correct, he would not have to face it. 'At least for now' the pessimistic part of his mind reminded him with enthusiasm. Danziger moodily hunkered down in front of the fire, watching the flames introspectively as the guards standing watch mindfully avoided him.
ooooooooooooooo
Drowsily, Alonzo watched Devon undisturbed, concentrating all of his energy on the simple task of focusing on her as he felt the others bustle around him. It was becoming more and more difficult but his fears for Devon and the rest of the group were stronger than the exhaustion that continually hounded him. Already, Alonzo had resignedly given up any hope of reaching Devon again on the dreamplane. Ever since the Terrian was killed, it hurt too much to try and, since all of his attempts resulted in failure, he rationalized that the electronic restraints had been replaced anyway. So, he vainly continued his struggle to stay awake, all the while wondering why his captors persisted in their charade, why he was unable to negate the VR program.
The woman who looked like Denner crouched in his field of vision, giving him a reassuring smile before being drawn away by a hand on her arm. Alonzo shifted detachedly as small bundles of warmth were nestled against his skin, replacing the ones that had since cooled. His eyes sleepily drifted shut as the warmth permeated his body.
Alonzo sank into the warmth as it surrounded him. He lay perfectly still, caught in the spell of total contentment, hesitant to move lest it shatter. The pain gradually faded to a mere distraction, nothing more. A great void remained, however, made obvious by the pain's absence. A singular rift, its edges raw, somewhere deep in the core of his substance which troubled the pilot with its existence even as he was hesitant to acknowledge it.
Alonzo reluctantly opened his eyes to find his sight grainy with only diffused light reaching his brain. A hand delicately touched him and he recoiled in agony as pain lanced directly through his very essence only to find he could not move. Other hands reached out, coming from every direction as the pilot fought to avoid them even as he could not. Alonzo attempted to cry out, to end this torment, but no sound ever came. He struggled futily as the void grew, its intense cold burning him as it insidiously expanded from within. As suddenly as they began, the hands withdrew, leaving Alonzo lying prostrate, shivering in their wake.
The warmth remained, deliberately working its way back through him yet this time chafing the pilot as he struggled to gather himself. Alonzo lay trapped as his soul sought refuge from where it lay, exposed before him. Finally, a pair of comforting arms enveloped the pilot, gently gathering him up and lifting him free from the warmth.
Alonzo clung to a wiry forearm and squeezed his eyes shut as he came into the brilliant light. He could feel the bright light burn his corneas through his eyelids, searing his brain with its intensity. As a dry wind blew across it, his skin tingled uncomfortably. Alonzo curled his body into the reassuring solidity of the other as the sensations became too much for the human to bear. His reality shifted and the light lessened to a dull glow.
The arms released him then, Alonzo relinquishing his grip regretfully as he sprawled onto the soft sand. He felt more than heard the soothing murmuring as he lay there collecting his thoughts, taking comfort in the alien intonations. With a deep breath, Alonzo raised his head and opened his eyes to see the tribe slowly pacing around him, their legs flashing by his vision in the staccato reality of the dreamplane. Vertigo got the better of him and he closed his eyes quickly as he felt his bile rise. The pilot lay still for a moment before determinedly shaking his head and opening his eyes once more. This time the tribe crouched around the human as he sat up, hugging his knees to his chest. Benumbed, Alonzo looked around the circle, sensing a desperate emptiness within himself he did not understand, hoping the tribe could help him.
A Terrian deliberately reached for the human, pausing just before its rough hand came in contact with the pilot's head. An invitation extended. Alonzo regarded the being's palm seriously for a moment, the fear of the pain warring strongly with a need that superseded all else. With his faith in the Terrians, the need prevailed as Alonzo leaned into the contact, falling forward into the Terrians' unflinching grasp as the desperate emptiness nearly consumed him.
The Terrians sat with the human, supporting him as his psyche healed, the raw nerve endings where his consciousness had been wrenched from the other slowly recovering as Alonzo Solace dreamed once more...
ooooooooooooooo
