"ANYA!" Crado snapped as his wife screamed in pain. He jerked from his chair but froze as both medical professionals moved almost as one. The scanner table that Anya was enclosed in swept out of the device as Raan'ita hit an emergency override. Before the lid of the enclosure was up, Miranda was there, a scanner in hand. Crado stayed where he was, despite every instinct demanding he run to his wife's side, he knew he would just be in the way. It rankled, but he knew it was true. He was a Turian, bred for service, trained to be part of a whole. He was not a good Turian, but he WAS a Turian. He waited while the docs worked, trying to strangle his impatience. Finally, he could take it no more. "Doc?" He asked softly.
"She is alive, Crado..." Raan'ita said, distracted. "But this is...Miranda?" The other doc shook her head, focusing on her readouts. Crado shook himself. He had to know.
"Crado." Another voice spoke from nearby as Crado took an involuntary step towards where the docs were working. "Step back." Garrus' soft words were a command. Crado turned to look at Garrus who sat against the wall where Crado had been sitting a moment before. The other Turian shook his head. "The ONLY reason I let you in here as you said you wouldn't crowd the docs. So don't." Crado stiffened, but then nodded and moved back to the short bench he had been sitting on. Sitting down and remaining quiet was one of the hardest things he had ever done.
There was not a lot of space in the room. Besides the two chairs at the sensor console, the room was normally bare. There simply wasn't SPACE for the enclosure to extend into the room and any other furniture. The actual scanner took up the entirety of the next room, the only access to it from this room the slot for the patient enclosure. The lid of the enclosure rested against one wall as the docs worked. Anya had taken one look at the device and nearly freaked. She had said it look like a coffin. It had taken both Raan'ita and Miranda the better part of thirty minutes to calm Anya down enough to get her in. But then she had relaxed a bit. Crado and Garrus had come in during the third set of scans. The docs had both glared at him, but he had sat quietly so they had ignored him, focusing on Anya. Garrus had remained by his side. Crado looked helplessly at the docs working and then at Garrus who sighed and nodded.
"Doc?" Garrus asked quietly.
"There was a pulse of energy from the artifact." Miranda said, her tone distracted as she worked on Anya's still form. "When I probed it, it responded. The feedback from the pulse hurt Anya. I am not sure how bad yet." Crado stiffened, but then slumped in place. Garrus laid a gentle hand on Crado's shoulder, a comrade's sympathy. "She is alive, Crado." Miranda reassured him. "We will NOT let her die."
"Should I leave?" Crado asked, manifestly against his will.
"No." Raan'ita reassured him as she rocked back on her heels. "She will need support when she wakes. We better get her to a regular bed. This thing scared her enough when she was coherent. I will call for a gurney."
"Do you need to?" Crado asked. Both docs paused and looked at him. "I can carry her IF she isn't hurt too badly." Raan'ita and Miranda shared a glance. "But ONLY if it won't hurt her."
"It shouldn't." Raan'ita said slowly and Miranda nodded. "There seem to be no physical injuries."
"It will probably help." Miranda said with a frown. "Even unconscious, she can feel you, know you. I never expected THIS to happen, or I wouldn't have done it." Crado rose slowly and move to stand by the enclosure, his face falling as he saw Anya's pale face within. His wife looked so lost and alone.
"Not your fault, doc." Crado said quietly. "She knew the risks or she wouldn't have asked you to take care of ME. Any connections?" Miranda nodded and disconnected various tubes and wires before stepping back and nodding again. "Oh Anya..." Crado said sadly as he scooped her up gently. She didn't react as he cradled her to his chest.
"Come on..." Raan'ita said quietly. "Let's get her to a bed. You need more sleep too." She led the way to the door and palmed it open. Miranda and Garrus moved to follow as Crado stepped towards the door, careufl with his burden.
"I haven't been able to sleep for longer than thirty minutes since the war, doc." Crado said with a sigh. "My body seems to have adapted to that."
"That is NOT normal, Crado." Raan'ita said sourly. "You want something to help you sleep?" Crado didn't answer and Raan'ita sighed. "And here I thought you knew better than to ARGUE with ME."
"I..." Crado slumped a little as he walked, conscious of Anya's legs hanging loose, careful not to bump her into anything. "I don't want to argue, but the drugs make me dream." He admitted softly. "I don't like my dreams."
"Oh Crado." Raan'ita said sadly. "Let's get her to a bed and I will see what I can do. I CAN make your sleep dreamless and you need it." She laid a hand on his shoulder as they walked. "I love you as much as I love her. Don't you DARE hurt yourself. She would flay me with her mind."
"Yeah." Crado said with a smile. "She would." He paused as Anya murmured in her sleep. "Anya?" He asked gently. Raan'ita moved to a door and opened it. Inside was a standard hospital room. A bed, two chairs and a host of medical gear were the only furniture.
"She is still asleep. Get her on the bed." Raan'ita ordered. "I will connect the tubes and monitors. Then you and I will have a talk."
"Thanks, doc." Crado said as he eased his burden down onto the bed. He stepped back as Raan'ita connected tubes and wires with the ease of long practice. Then he motioned towards a folded blanket that lay on one chair. Raan'ita smiled and nodded, moving the pillow that sat on the bed under the sleeping human's head. Then he bent down and kissed Anya's cheek. Then he paused. "What the-...?" He asked nobody, stunned.
"Crado?" Raan'ita asked.
"She is talking in her sleep." Crado said slowly. "She never did that before that I know of. And in Spanish...?" He shook his head, perplexed.
"What is she saying?" Raan'ita asked slowly, her omni-tool up and scanning Anya again.
"I studied up on Spanish, but I am no translator." Crado said softly. "Something about a 'Scholar' and 'children', and..." He froze as Anya's eyes shot open, but the gaze that focused on his was not loving. There was no recognition in it. It was terrified.
"NO!" Anya screamed, her voice odd. "Monstruos! No me hagas daño! NO!" She screamed again, her voice childlike. She curled up, trying to recoil away from Crado who stared at her, shocked. (Translation: NO! Monsters! Don't hurt me! NO!)
"Anya mi amor..." Crado said gently. "Está bein. No estás in pelegro. Tranquilo. Estás seguro." Raan'ita stared at him, confused. "¿Que es la problema, Anya?" ((Translation: Anya my love. It's okay. You are in no danger. Easy. You are safe. What is the problem, Anya?))
"Amor?" Anya asked, obviously confused. "No te conozco." Crado recoiled as if slapped and Anya cringed. "¿Quién es usted? ¿Donde está?" She asked. ((Love? I don't know you. Who are you? Where am I?))
"What is she saying, Crado?" Raan'ita asked quietly. "She is talking too fast. My translator is having fits with that." She hushed when Crado made a sharp gesture.
"¿Quién es usted?" Anya snapped. "¿Donde está?" She screamed. She froze as Crado made a 'calm down' gesture at her. When he spoke it was slow but clear.
"Anya, está in un hospital. Fue herido. Mi nombre es Crado. Mantenga la calma." Crado said gently. "Esta bein. Tranquilo." He made a shhing noise and patted her hand gently. Anya slowly relaxed. "Anya..." His eyes watered as she stared at him. "Oh Anya..." ((Translation: Anya, you are in a hospital. You were hurt. My name is Crado. Be calm. It's okay. Easy. Anya... Oh Anya..."
"¿Te conozco?" Anya asked, confused. "No te acuerdas." ((Do I know you? I don't remember you.))
"Sí. Me conozco." Crado said gently as he rubbed her hand. He waved his free hand at the Quarian who stood stock still nearby. "Ella es médico. Ella te ayudará." ((Yes. You know me. She is a doctor. She can help you.))
"¿Dónde está mi familia?" Anya asked after a moment. "Mi madre, mi padre? Mis hermanas?" ((Translation: Where is my family? My mother? My father? My sisters?))
"Ask her how old she is." Raan'ita asked, her face tight. Crado stared at her but then nodded.
"Anya." Crado said softly. "¿Cuántos años tienes?" The woman in the bed stared at him and then sighed.
"Tengo doce." Anya said, mystified. Both Crado and Raan'ita stared at each other. "¿Por qué?" She asked. ((Translation: I am twelve. Why?))
"That translated." Crado said softly. Raan'ita nodded, her face ashen. "Oh Anya."
"¿Que es la problema?" Anya asked softly. "¿Qué es eso?" She demanded sharply. Crado took a deep breath before speaking. ((Translation: What is the problem? What is it?))
"Anya." He said quietly, rubbing her hand gently. "Tienes treinta seis años." Anya stared at him and shook her head slowly. ((Translation: Anya, you are thirty six years old.))
"No..." She breathed, horrified. "Es imposible! TENGO DOCE!" She screamed. Crado sat on the bed and held out his hands to her. She stared at him. ((No! That is impossible! I am TWELVE!))
"Está bien, Anya." Crado said softly. "Estoy aquí y voy a dejar que nada te duele." ((Translation: It is okay, Anya. I am here and I will not let anything hurt you.))
"¿Quién es usted?" Anya asked, her tone calming. "Usted es agradable." She said as he held out his arms and she swarmed into them and snuggled close. ((Who are you? You are nice.))
"Soy tu marido." Crado said softly. Anya stiffened in shock, but then relaxed as he hugged her. "Va a estar bien. Lo haremos bien." ((Translation: I am your husband. It will be okay. We will make it okay.))
"Tengo miedo." Anya said softly. ((Translation: I am scared.))
"Sé que, Anya." Crado said, holding her. ((Translation: I know, Anya.)) "Do you understand me when I speak English?" She looked at him and he smiled at her. "You told me you studied English at an early age."
"Yes." Anya said slowly and carefully. "Me feels... No..." She paused and then spoke with more conviction. "-I- feel strange."
"You were hurt." Raan'ita said gently from her spot. "You do not remember me then, either, Anya?" Sadness colored her tone.
"No." Anya's voice was small. "What happens? No..." She snarled at herself. "What happened?"
"We don't know, Anya." Raan'ita stepped close to the bed and laid a hand on Anya's splinted arm. She smiled and Anya stared at her before smiling hesitantly back. "We WILL find out."
"Anya." Crado said, hugging her again. "It's okay. We will make it okay."
"Please?" Anya begged as she hugged Crado tight.