Part 11

ooooooooooooooo

Devon glanced around the camp. It was still mid-afternoon and Alonzo had been safely installed in the med-tent. Now, with such a long stop so recent, the remainder of Eden Advance was busy looking for something to do. Walman and Baines had escaped camp to scout ahead, a smooth trail being even more important than ever. Devon glanced over her shoulder to the med-tent and sighed. Despite Julia's reassurances, Alonzo worried her considerably.

Devon spotted Danziger rooting around in the ATV's electronics. The mechanic had been checking and tweaking the vehicle all day. In a corner of her vision, Morgan wandered by, mindfully avoiding the mechanic before ducking into the med-tent. Devon considered following him in, then opted against it. With the mechanic in her sights, she walked over to the ATV.

"How's the patient?"

"Waterlogged," he complained. "There's pond scum all over the wires. We'll be lucky they don't all rust out on us. With this humidity, they're not gonna dry any time soon. If that happens, it's dead in the water."

"Interesting choice of phrase..."

Danziger grimaced. "Yeah. Well, unfortunately, it's true."

Devon looked curiously at the small vehicle. "I thought it had already dried."

Pressing his lips together, the mechanic shrugged. "I thought so too, but the slime is still everywhere and the wires have been wet every time I've checked. There're still pockets of water in the chassis. Maybe that's contributing to it."

"Is there anything we can do to accelerate the drying? I know it's terribly hot already but have you thought about using a heater to create some dry heat?"

Cameron came up from behind Devon with Mazatl on the other end of a generator. Magus took up the rear, wheeling a small heater appropriated from the biodome many months ago.

The mechanic flashed an amused grin as Devon suddenly noticed the array of equipment arriving around her. "You mean, like this?"

Devon smiled back. "Anything I can do?"

"Yeah, we're gonna set up a tent around the ATV and heater if you'd like to help. I'm just trying to wipe everything down, get the slime off, before we start. By the way, have you seen Martin? I think he's been avoiding me."

Devon's eyebrows arched in amusement. "I saw him go into the med-tent a few minutes ago."

Danziger glanced towards the med-tent with a sigh of frustration. He stood and wiped his hands as he stepped away from the vehicle and herded Devon a short distance away. With an eye on the tent, he nodded towards it. "What do you think?"

Devon followed his nod. She could see Morgan busily rolling the bottom edges up around the orange tent to allow more airflow into it in the sweltering heat. With only their legs visible, Julia and Yale could be seen moving around inside. "I don't know, John. You're the one who decided to stop."

"I couldn't make 'Lonz go any further. Not like that."

Her own doubts roiling, Devon looked away to the med-tent before devoting her undivided attention to the mechanic once more. "We'll speak with Yale tonight. He's probably more aware than any of us of what's going on." She sought Danziger's approval, earning the barest nod before the mechanic turned back to his work.

ooooooooooooooo

Yale collected his meal and joined the group by the fire. Despite the heat of the day, somehow the night always brought with it a subtle chill. The tutor took up his usual position next to Devon where she sat huddled on a large boulder.

"How's Alonzo?"

Yale pursed his lips. "He's resting. Julia is pleased with how he did today."

"Pleased?" Danziger shook his head from across the fire. "'Lonz didn't look too pleased."

"It will be at least a few more days before she is able to get him regulated on his medication. Until then, he will be a bit more fragile," the tutor cautioned. "Julia is very mindful of this and is doing what she can to minimize any problems."

"Maybe so, but I don't see why we can't just sit tight while that happens," the mechanic pointed out stubbornly, earning concerned agreement from around the small circle.

"While I share your concern, John, you have to remember we still have to make up for lost time getting to New Pacifica," Devon rebutted. "If Julia thinks Alonzo can travel, then I think we should keep going."

"New Pacifica will just have to wait. We have to take care of our own first."

"Those two hundred forty-eight families are our responsibility, also. We need to be there--"

Danziger cut her off impatiently, "Your responsibility, Devon! As far as I'm concerned, we'll get there when we get there. It isn't worth--"

"John, Devon, please!" With all eyes looking to him for answers, Yale bowed his head and took a deep breath. He raised his head slowly, taking in the worried countenances as he did so. "Julia chose to continue our journey because the timeframe is nebulous. All we can provide Alonzo at this point is rest and time. If he travels well, we will not lose any additional time getting to New Pacifica. If he does not," the tutor spread his hands apart, palms upward. "we shall stop," he punctuated with his chin. "You must trust her to make decisions in Alonzo's best interest. All this second-guessing is simply going to make her job more difficult."

The tutor sternly peered around the campfire to see if his point had been made. Making note of the abashed faces, he turned his attention to his meal.

ooooooooooooooo

Julia awoke early yet refreshed. Somehow, she had managed to sleep through two shifts, she realized when she saw Gayle Denner sitting next to Alonzo in the diffused light of daybreak, a small scanner holding her attention until Julia rose with a slight rustle.

The woman set her tools down as Julia approached with her diaglove humming. "He's been quiet all night," she reported in a hushed voice. "I gave him the injection when the timer went off."

Julia smiled her thanks as she scanned. The pilot's vitals had improved overnight. Julia gratefully noted the return of a little color as well. His anemia was beginning to resolve, though it would take a while for his blood volume to return to normal. Taking her leave, Julia escaped outside to stretch her legs and clear her thoughts. If he followed his typical pattern, Alonzo would sleep a couple more hours.

The doctor glanced around camp, making note of the early risers all ready busy with whatever projects they'd found for themselves. Bess was all ready at the fire, adding more wood to prepare breakfast, her pots by her side.

Julia padded over to visit with her. "Good morning, Bess."

"My, you look like you've had some rest!" Bess beamed.

"I have," the doctor admitted. "I wanted to thank you for that broth you made yesterday. Alonzo was able eat it and hold it all down."

"Oh, good! I added another herb and some of that tuber Gilbert told us about to the broth. When you think he's ready, the strainings should make a good mash. I saved some broth for this morning. Just let me know when you need me to warm it up." She wrested her largest pot onto the flat stone in the center of the fire before adding more wood around it. Satisfied with the fire for the time being as it slowly grew, she poured water into the pot then turned to sort through the ingredients she had selected while the doctor watched.

"It'll be a couple of hours, I think. It will be good for him. He needs as much nutrition as we can get into him."

Julia curiously watched the woman prepare the meal. The young doctor could prepare the basics but considered what Bess did to be almost a form of alchemy. It fascinated her how Bess could put the same ingredients into a pot and have it come out far better than anything anyone else could make. A couple other members of the crew were competent cooks, but Bess Martin was considered in a class of her own.

Julia noticed a number of plants Gilbert had shown them arrayed near the cookpot, all ready to be added as needed. The former guard had explained every plant they brought him during his stay in detail, making them wonder how many edible plants they had driven past over their year on the planet while looking for food.

When Julia had asked him how he had gained such deep knowledge of them, he had shrugged while commenting, "I guess the terrians showed me."

At the time, this had dredged up emotions she was struggling to contain; Alonzo often said the same thing when he divulged information he couldn't explain the source of as if it was simply answer enough. As much as Julia became accustomed to hearing it, this answer always left her vaguely dissatisfied, which she knew amused the pilot. Often, while they were going over specimens collected on a scout, to help him bring the information to the surface, he would make a game of it, fondly teasing her with snippets of information and making her play a sort of twenty questions with him, his dark eyes dancing as she played her part in the charade.

Afterwards, while she was examining them with her equipment, he'd petulantly complain that he had all ready told her what she needed to know, saving them time for other pursuits. She'd laugh, point out that humans were not terrians, swat at his wandering hands and promise to make it up to him once she was done.

"How is Alonzo this morning?"

Her reverie broken, the doctor responded distractedly, "He's rebounded from yesterday pretty well. Better than I expected, to be honest. It's too soon to make any inferences but his vitals have improved."

Ducking her head, Bess smiled to herself then looked up to Julia to share her relief. "Well then, that's good news."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Too aware of the long road ahead, Julia remained guarded. "I'd better get back. I told Gayle I wouldn't be long."

Leaving a cheerful Bess Martin behind, Julia headed back toward the med-tent. Passing the ATV with the lower half of John Danziger muttering in its bowels, she looked curiously over her shoulder.

Seeing her boots go by, he raised his head with a bang and an oath, stopping her in her tracks. "Damn!"

"John, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he growled, rubbing his head. "How's Alonzo?"

"Better. He slept well all night. We should be all set to go once the med-tent is packed."

"No rush, Doc. This vehicle may be keeping us put."

"It was fine yesterday." she remembered with a glance at the bird's nest of electronics in the open hatch.

"No, it was operational yesterday and marginally at that," the mechanic corrected with a scowl at the offending vehicle.

Julia wasn't up for arguing. She understood John was worried about Alonzo. If he was stalling, she could do nothing about it. Either way, she had her work for the day set out for her. She excused herself and returned to the med-tent where she relieved Denner and, with a brief scan, settled down next to the pilot.

Alonzo hadn't moved since she'd left him, flat on his back, elbows out, with his hands pressed to the cot at his sides -- 'sleepjumpers' position', he had joked with her once when she had mentioned the seemingly uncomfortable position only made more surreal by his tendency to barely move in his sleep due to the absence of dreams. Even now, while he had so much trouble finding a comfortable position and she kept turning him to avoid pressure sores, he still tended toward this position as much as he was able, despite the painful back injuries. Julia idly wondered how many years he had remained in this position as time passed him by.

Assured he didn't need her for the time being, Julia rose to pack some of her non-essential equipment for when Danziger decided the ATV was ready. She sorted through her equipment, piling as much as she could by the tent door. Alonzo slept placidly, undisturbed by the sounds of camp awakening outside or, even, Morgan's brief visit to deliver Julia's breakfast and a hot bowl of broth.

Eventually, movement at the corner of her eye drew her to him. A quick glance at the chronometer made her heart sink. Forty-five minutes to go. Alonzo was coming up but not out. His hands gripped the cot edges as his breathing harshened with the increasing recognition of pain and little else.

"Julia?"

"I'm right here."

"Something's wrong..." He tried to raise his head but fell back limply. "The ship. Something's wrong. Can't feel her."

Julia quickly crossed to her workbench to prepare the injection, once again cursing the fact that giving him anything other than these regular metered doses wasn't an option with her limited resources.

"Can't feel the ship..," Alonzo slurred inconsolably behind her. "Can't feel th..." He flinched suddenly with a gasp. "Mother?"

Snapping the vial onto the hypospray, Julia sharply glanced around at him, accustomed as she was by now to his occasional ramblings, even she was caught a little off-guard. The pilot remained unaware of the doctor's attention.

"Alonzo? What's wrong?" Julia carefully broached as she sat next to him. She rested a hand on his arm as he sorted through his realities.

The doctor noted how large the pilot's pupils were with a frown. His normally dark eyes were almost black; the pupils were so large from the shift in medication. She had been gradually reducing the drug, trying to find the balance between pain relief and safety, but the pilot continued to demand more, his initial dosages while at Rogers' camp being inconsistent and unregulated, making her chore even harder. Alonzo's breakthroughs of pain, nausea and lucidity were unpredictable, discouraging.

As much as the medication held significant promise, Julia had only resigned herself to using the drug when total, immediate withdrawal proved to be too dangerous to consider. It seemed that even a minute alteration of dosage caused a myriad of problems until Alonzo's body managed to adjust to the new levels. She knew she couldn't rush it but the sky-high dosages had scared her almost as much as his injuries themselves. With the group's whispered doubts echoing in her mind and her own often joining them when Alonzo hit another setback, it took all her strength to stay the course and go along with her plan, certain that biding her time a few days more would make all the difference.

Alonzo turned towards her, his face openly vulnerable. "Not there. Can't feel it."

"Can't feel what? Alonzo, we're not on the ship. We crashed. Remember?"

He blinked, his eyes clearing. "Yeah, I know."

"Why were you calling for your mother?"

"I did?" Confusion creased his features.

Seeing his distress, Julia came closer, lightly perching on the edge of the cot to reassure him. "Alonzo, it's all right," she soothed.

Disturbed by the jumbled thoughts he was powerless to sort out, Alonzo looked away shyly, unable to meet her gaze.

With a gentle brush of his battered forehead, Julia took his chin and bent a little lower to meet his eyes squarely. "Look at me. Please? I need to see you."

The pilot returned the attention then, finding solace in the blue depths. Transfixed, he opened his mouth to speak, but she placed a silencing finger to his lips until he yielded to her.

"Trust me. Just relax," she encouraged as she brushed his collarbone lightly with her fingertips.

Alonzo watched Julia unwaveringly as he allowed himself to settle back. She traced his clavicle and sternum repeatedly in a slow, sinuous pattern. Even as she felt him relax under her ministrations, she could see he was totally in the present with her once more, the sparkle in his eyes muted but shining through. Never breaking eye contact, Julia stopped before he got too drowsy. Unmoving, the pilot continued to watch her calmly.

"Better?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Do you think you can eat something?" she asked hopefully.

Frowning to himself, he offered, "I can try."

Julia reached beyond him to the still warm bowl, scooting beside his head to help him drink it down. Taking frequent rests, Alonzo sipped delicately, allowing his head to fall back into Julia's arm to swallow the broth down before gamely trying again. The simple action exhausted him but the doctor kept urging him to have a little bit more. Finally, Alonzo turned his head to the side and she relented, settling on the edge of the cot again to watch him.

Leaning forward to set the bowl aside, she glanced down for a second when something distracted her.

Julia sat back slowly. "Alonzo?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"Remember when you gave me my necklace?" She watched him guardedly; his current, ongoing obsession with his missing ship had unnerved her.

Seeing the doubt flicker across her face, he earnestly caught her hands where they lingered on his chest. "I meant it, Julia. Every word," he avowed soberly, sealing it with a gentle squeeze.

Her eyes shining, Julia slipped her hands free and raised them to her neck. She reached around to her nape, fumbling for a moment before lifting something free. As it caught the light, a small flash at the hollow of her throat attracted the pilot's attention. Confusion gave way to recognition once the shiny object came into focus.

"I will always be here for you. Always and forever," Julia vowed as she slid the silver chain to the pilot's treasured dogtag over his head to where it rightfully belonged around his neck.

Her hands cupping his head, she hesitantly bent low to meet his lips with her own. His hands found the small of her back and he tenderly coaxed her to him as they both eagerly deepened the kiss. Turning his eyes to follow the sound, Alonzo moaned when an alarm sounded softly behind them a few minutes later. Tracing his features, Julia smiled her apology, his face tiredly lighting up in reply. Reluctantly, she withdrew and turned to shut it off.

The doctor took the hypospray from where she had laid it and administered his next dose. "I love you."

"Love you more," he whispered with a sigh. He drifted off as something wet landed lightly on his cheek.

ooooooooooooooo
--end Part 11—