REUNION
Catalina yawned and pushed a stray lock of rainbow coloured hair behind her ear. With a bored sigh, she allowed her thoughts to wander as her eyes continued to skim the words on the compupad screen. Like she usually did on boring days at Starcademy, she thought back to the time she was trapped on Yensid.
**********
She could clearly recall one specific event that had happened only a few days after she had arrived. She had gone to the market with Clara, Suzee's mom, and Cassi, Suzee's little sister. She had still been shy around her best friend's family and had been in awe of the coloured uniforms that every Yensidian wore. Clara, dressed in the red jumpsuit of a Healer, headed for the herbal stands while Cassi, in the white uniform of a child not yet chosen by a guild, scampered off to play. Catalina was left standing alone, fingering the sleeve of the Starcademy uniform she had insisted on wearing. She had noticed some of the uniformed Yensidians walking in clustered groups with others dressed the same as they were. Feeling more alone than before, she had run off to find Clara.
**********
The thud of a dropped compupad and a frustrated grunt snapped her back to reality. She looked around the study hall and her eyes rested on Mattar. The Mercurian had thrown his compupad down in disgust, an unfinished math problem on the screen. Matt ran his hands over his bald head and leaned back in his chair. Feeling someone else's eyes on him, he looked up and met Cat's gaze.
"Wanna go to the 'sphere?" he asked.
"What about your assignment?" Cat said.
Matt made a face at it. "I'll ask Clito to help me with it later. I don't want to think anymore."
Cat laughed. "Sure. Let's get out of here."
They stood and gathered their things together. As they left their table, they saw a familiar shape heading towards them. It was Clito, the Neptunian they were looking for.
"Hi, guys," she greeted them. "I was just coming to invite you to the fencing match."
"What match?" Catalina asked.
"Harlan and Radu's. The winner does the loser's after class assignments for the rest of the week," Clito replied.
Cat laughed. "With those two, it's not much of a prize."
"Let's go," Clito urged. "I don't want to miss the beginning!"
Catalina grinned at Mattar and the trio headed out of the study hall. As they exited through the heavy doors, Clito turned around to look at Catalina again.
"Where's your friend?" she asked.
"Who?"
"The one no one else can see, except you and sometimes me," Clito elaborated.
"Suzee? She's right . . . "
Catalina did a full 360° turn. When she faced Clito and Mattar again, her eyes were full of concern. Thinking she may have missed something in her previous search, Cat looked around herself again. Finally, she stumbled to a nearby chair and sank into it.
"Cat?" Mattar asked gently.
"She's gone," Cat said softly. "She's gone and I don't know where!"
**********
Fencing match forgotten, Harlan sat next to Catalina with his arm around her shoulders protectively. Rosie sat on the Saturnian's other side with Bova hovering over her and Mattar sitting next to her. Radu sat next to Harlan, with Clito next to him. The six of them were trying to console their friend.
"I'm sure she'll come back," Radu said for the tenth time.
"It's not like her to just leave and not say good bye," Harlan added.
"Unless something happened to her," Bova remarked.
Rosie elbowed him in the ribs, her face uncharacteristically stern. Bova shrugged.
"She could be dead," Catalina muttered. "Or hurt, or dying."
"Way to go," Mattar told Bova.
"You need to get this out of your mind," Harlan said. "She's probably just out of range or something. Why don't we go see a holofilm? My treat."
Catalina nodded mutely and allowed herself to be lead out of the gym and into the hallways of Starcademy. Radu and Rosie followed the group, bringing up the rear.
"She needs someone else to talk to," Radu whispered. "Why don't we find Ms Davenport or Commander Goddard? They knew Suzee too."
"Good idea," Rosie agreed. "I'll get Ms Davenport and you get the Commander. We'll bring them to the holofilm theatre and they can talk to Catalina there."
The two broke off from the group and headed down different corridors. Bova watched them leave and got an idea himself. As they passed his bunkroom, the Uranusian slipped inside. Clito, Mattar, Harlan, and Catalina continued down the hallway to the holofilm.
**********
"So, you see, Commander," Radu concluded, "she needs someone to reassure her that Suzee's fine. She's just not listening to us and we're all worried about her."
Seth Goddard, former StarDog Commander, nodded in agreement. He had put aside his class' assignments to talk with Radu and had come to his decision.
"I'll do what I can," he said. "I don't know what I can say that will make her feel better. She was far closer to Suzee than any of us."
"Thanks, Commander," Radu said.
"Any time, Mr. Radu," Goddard replied.
**********
Bova raced down the hall. The holofilm was almost over and he knew that it would be difficult to find his friends after it was done. He ran past the galley and smelled that days dinner cooking the oven. He also knew that the cooks would be getting rid of that days lunch.
"Maybe I can persuade a quick snack out of them," Bova remarked to himself.
He did a U-turn and entered the kitchens.
**********
Catalina came out of the holofilm feeling worse than before. The film had been depressing and had sunk her even further into her gloom. What was she going to do without Suzee? Who would talk to her when she was supposed to be listening to something boring? Who would help her figure out those hard problems she sometimes couldn't do? Who would she share private thoughts with, alone at night?
As they came out of the theatre, she saw Rosie and Radu waiting for them with Ms Davenport and Commander Goddard. She seemed confused for a second as almost the entire crew of the Christa stood in front of her.
"Cat," Goddard began. "We hear about Suzee's disappearance and wanted to reassure you that . . . "
"Guys!" a voice sounded from the opposite end of the corridor.
Bova came charging down the hall, his mouth stained with the spicy sauce they had had for lunch.
"Mr. Bova," Ms Davenport scolded as he got closer. "Please do not run in the halls. We are not at a race track."
"Sorry, Ms Davenport," Bova replied automatically. "Guys! I've got great news. Remember that receiver Suzee and I made on the planet? Well, I've got another one and I think we can reach Yensid with it!"
Catalina's face broke into a smile for the first time since she realized Suzee was gone. She ran towards Bova and engulfed him in a huge hug and kissed him on the cheek. Rosie and Harlan's faces both took on an expression of jealousy.
"What are we waiting for?" Cat exclaimed.
The group headed down the hall to the boys' dormitory.
**********
Bova played with the dials of the communications device he had set up on his bed. Catalina stood behind him, eyes bright with excitement. The others clustered around the room, waiting for Bova to finish the device.
"There," he said. "All you have to do is push this and it should work."
"Should?" Catalina repeated.
"I'm not promising anything."
Catalina took a deep breath and pushed the button. The screen fizzled to life, showing static. An image slowly appeared, rippling up and down, sometimes going dark and reappearing later.
"The connection's really bad," Harlan remarked.
"What did you expect?" Bova asked.
"That's Suzee's house," Cat said. "I recognize it."
Something moved across the screen very quickly. It took a long time for it to return, but when it did, the picture became more clear.
"Suzee!" Catalina called.
The blurry face froze at hearing her name and turned to face the screen.
"-at?" Suzee said. "How -id you rea- me? Ne-ermind."
The static returned, momentarily blocking Suzee from view.
"Nee- help," Suzee continued. "I can use the -mension portal to bring you he-, but it's risk-"
"Try anyway," Catalina pleaded. "We want to help."
The static returned. "Others -an come too. Mind - "
The image went dead. Catalina turned to face her friends, her eyes pleading them to come with her to Yensid. They each nodded in turn, including Clito and Mattar. Commander Goddard and Ms Davenport stepped back, indicating that the matter was entirely in their hands.
A strange yellow glow appeared in the center of the bunkroom. Catalina headed straight for it when Harlan caught her arm.
"Relax, Harlan," Catalina assured him. "It's the same kind of dimensional tear that got me into Yensid to begin with. We have to hurry through. Suzee needs us."
Harlan nodded as Catalina jumped into the yellow tear. He followed with Rosie and Radu right behind him, Radu holding a small bag closely to his chest. Bova came last.
"Keep this on," the Uranusian said before going through, pointing at the communications device. "We may need to contact you."
Commander Goddard nodded. As Mattar prepared to jump through, the portal closed.
"I guess we weren't invited," Clito remarked.
**********
Radu shut his eyes and squeezed them tight. He felt a strong wind carry him along the yellow tunnel, with a high pitch wailing noise so loud he wondered if it was driving the others crazy as well. He could vaguely sense the others nearby, but he didn't dare open his eyes to make sure. He was afraid of what he might see as they sped along to Yensid.
Abruptly, the wind died and he felt himself falling. He heard three soft thuds as his companions hit the ground, as well as a startled cry from somewhere above him. Almost before he could complete the thought, he found the ground and hit. The momentum of the fall made him roll a few feet before sliding to a stop. Only then did he dare crack open an eyelid.
Radu saw a strange world before him. He remained motionless on the ground, being an observer before a visitor. He lay on a thick carpet that smelled musty - like the classrooms at Starcademy. Ahead of him, he saw a wall that was painted a pale red colour and a plant that hung from an unseen location while the vines dangled in his line of sight. He heard a strange, mechanical barking from another room and footsteps from an upper level. Several seconds after the fall, he raised himself to his elbows and took a good look around.
"Radu!" a familiar voice exclaimed.
"Hi, Suzee," he said.
Suzee stood in front of him, wearing the same blue jumpsuit she had worn when they had first met. She helped Radu to his feet and gave him a tight hug.
"Great entrance," Harlan mumbled from the floor behind the Andromedan. "Could you have made it more painful?"
"Probably," Suzee replied. "How are you guys?"
"Great," Rosie said cheerfully.
"Great," Bova said sarcastically at the same time.
"Suzee, what happened?" Catalina demanded. "When I lost contact with you, I thought the worst!"
"I'm fine," Suzee said, "for now."
"What do you mean, for now?" Harlan asked.
"Something's going one here," Suzee explained. "Something not good. I need your help."
"Is this 'something' the reason you couldn't talk to Cat anymore?" Bova asked.
Suzee nodded. "It's affecting all the Guiders. The Healers are at their wits end and the Scientists are trying to come up with some kind of chemical cure. Mother and Father are constantly debating on the better solution while asking me if I'm okay. When I lost communications with you, Cat, it took me forever to convince them it hadn't gotten to me."
"What's a Guider?" Harlan asked.
"What's 'it'?" Radu asked.
Suzee rolled her eyes. "This will take some time. Why don't we stop standing in my hallway and sit somewhere. Are you guys hungry? Mother's making some lunch for Cassi and we can grab a bite."
"Who's Cassi?" Rosie wondered.
"Her little sister," Catalina replied. "Watch out for Sprocket, her electric dog. I rewired him to like strangers, but who knows what Suzee's done to him since then."
**********
Suzee sipped a cup of fruit flavoured drink and looked again at the faces of the friends she never thought she'd see again. Harlan making faces at the strange meat she'd given him, Radu politely drinking his juice, Rosie taking in all the wonders of Yensid, and Bova devouring everything she put in front of him. She had missed them all terribly after she had left, but had heard about everything through Catalina. She put down the cup and banished her reminiscing to another part of her brain, concentrating on the immediate problem at hand.
"Here's the situation," she said, capturing everyone's attention. "A kind of plague has broken out among the Guiders. The other groups are afraid they will be the next affected, so drastic measures were taken to ensure no outside contamination would arise. The Guiders were cut off from their friends until the epidemic was cleaned up. That's why I was cut off from Catalina so suddenly."
"A Guider," Catalina said, "is a person who has an 'imaginary' friend in another dimension. They act as Guides to that person for their entire lives. Suzee is my Guide, which is why I can see her and no one else can. They find their friends by analysis of brain waves until they find two that match. Guiders always wear blue for easy recognition."
"The Scientists think that this isn't a plague, but a deliberate effort by someone or something to wipe Yensid off the dimensional grid. They're scouring all the dimensions for potential threats and shutting down trade, which is angering the Officials, the Artists and especially the Traders. Yensid is falling apart and no one can stop it."
"What are the symptoms of the plague?" Rosie inquired.
"Complete mind wipe. No thoughts, memories, or brain power of any king. People are blaming the Reachers more than anything else. Before the mind wipe, the victim usually experiences fever, fatigue, and loss of muscle control," Suzee replied.
"Sounds like the Chektarian Spring Flu," Rosie said. "Except for the mind wiping, of course."
"What are Reachers?" Radu asked.
Suzee paled slightly and took a deep breath. "Anyone who can manipulate their minds to influence others."
"Like - " Rosie started before Catalina clamped her hand over the Mercurian's mouth.
"Anyone with those kinds of powers are sent to the Out Reaches, and exile from Yensid and any other dimensional city," Suzee finished.
The others nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. If they revealed Suzee's powers to the other Yensidians, she would be exiled forever from her home and family. They would have to solve this without her powers.
**********
Suzee lead the way through the winding streets of Yensid, towards the Science Hall. Catalina walked beside her, glad for the company of her Guide and dearest friend yet again. The others trailed behind, taking in the sights of the city.
The streets of Yensid were long and narrow, without any hovercars blocking the roads. Yensidians walked the streets, or rode hover boards or primitive looking bicycles from point A to point B. Each person they passed wore a different coloured jumpsuit that corresponded with their chosen profession.
"Who are those orange people?" Harlan asked.
"Officials," Suzee replied. "They run the city, as well as provide food for everyone."
Ahead of them loomed a large, domed building. It was spherical and made of glass, tinted darker at the bottom. A small garden circled the building and various prototypes of machines and other devices littered the pathways.
"This is the Science Hall," Suzee said proudly. "If I hadn't found Catalina to Guide, I would have been a Scientist. Even still, I am welcome here and they treat me as one of their own."
"Cool," Harlan said.
The group entered the Hall. Inside were too many sights to see. Hundreds of experiments were taking place in all locations of the dome. Things were being dropped, run over, and blown up all in attempt to prove some theory or another. Suzee marched past all the hubbub, waving to an occasional Scientists that looked up and saw her. She headed straight for a back room where two men were pouring chemical compounds. They looked up and smiled as Suzee appeared.
The first of the two men was tall and skinny, with dark blue hair and blue eyes hidden behind goggles. He wore a yellow jumpsuit with a white lab coat over top. The man standing beside him was shorter and more plump, with a thin mop of red hair on top of a slightly pointed head and green eyes behind thick glasses. He also wore a yellow jumpsuit and white lab coat.
"Hello, Suzee," the taller man said pleasantly.
"Hello, Martin," Suzee greeted him. "Hi, Timm."
The shorter man dipped his head in greeting. He peered around her to greet the others in the group. "Catalina?" he gasped.
"Hi, Timm," Cat said, moving over to give the small man a hug. "Long time, no see."
"How are you feeling?" Martin asked, his voice full of concern.
Suzee seemed angry. "Will everyone please stop asking me that? I'm a Guider, not an invalid!"
Martin took a step back, involuntarily flinching from Suzee's harsh words. She immediatly regretted alarming him.
"I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "What are you working on?"
"A cure," Timm said proudly. "This will stop the mind erasure of the Guiders."
"In theory," Martin added.
"Can I see?" Bova asked.
Martin and Timm looked to Suzee, who nodded. They stepped back and allowed the Uranusian to toy with the chemicals.
"Hmmm . . . " Bova thought aloud. "I see what you're trying to do here, but your theory seems to have some holes in it."
"Which is what I've been telling them for a really long time," Suzee added.
"This may take some time," Bova continued.
"Time that we don't want to stand around here and waste," Harlan interjected. "Can we go somewhere less school related? No offense, science guys."
Catalina put on an expression of shock. "Harlan Band? Not interested in school?"
"I would like to meet Suzee's mom," Rosie piped up. "If she's a Yensidian doctor, maybe she could show me a trick or two."
"I want to see some action," Harlan clapped his hands together, emphasizing his point. "How about you, Radu?"
The Andromedan seemed distracted. Harlan hit him in the arm to get his attention. Radu blinked and looked at his friend.
"What?" he said. "Uh, yeah. Anything you guys want to do is fine."
"If it's okay with you guys," Bova said, "I want to stay here and work on this formula."
"Sure," Suzee said. "We'll tour Yensid and come back and get you in time for dinner."
The space cases said good bye to Martin and Timm and headed back into the streets of Yensid.
**********
The market was full of life and activity. Officials patrolled the area, keeping the younger people out of trouble and keeping the older people in line. Artists and Healers, Traders and Scientists all had booths set up. There were people from other dimensions trading their world's goods, and children dressed in white running underfoot.
Radu hardly saw any of this. Something was lurking in the back of his mind, tickling his senses until he found it difficult to concentrate on anything else. His friends swarmed around in blurs of colour and sound, yet he could not bring himself to share their enthusiasm. Something was amiss, something other than the strange illness plaguing Suzee's people. He could feel it all around him.
"Radu?" Catalina asked, putting her hand on his arm.
He turned to look at her. Her eyes were full of concern and he forced himself back into his body.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"What's wrong?"
"I - " he faltered, searching for words to describe it. "I don't know. Something just - doesn't feel right."
A child ran up to him and pulled on his pant leg to get his attention. Radu looked down at the child, dressed in white, and smiled.
"Why is your hair so long, mister?" the child asked.
"Cassi!" Catalina exclaimed.
The child looked over to Catalina and her face lit up in excitement.
"Catalina!" Cassi said happily. "I never thought I'd see you again!"
The two girls embraced each other fondly. Radu watched the reunion until he heard a cry from somewhere in the crowd. His head snapped up sharply, ears perked and listening.
"What is it?" Catalina asked.
"Rosie," Radu replied. "She's calling for help."
Catalina scooped Cassi into her arms. "Lead the way."
**********
Suzee sat on the ground, a stunned look on her face. Rosie knelt beside her while Harlan frantically scanned the crowd for someone dressed in red. Radu pushed his way through the crowd towards them with Cat and Cassi half a step behind.
"Suzee!" Cat gasped.
Suzee looked up at her in a detached sort of way. A crowd was forming around them as Radu joined Harlan in searching for a Healer. As they looked around, Radu noticed someone dressed in purple running in the opposite direction, away from the crowd. The figure looked over his shoulder once and Radu squinted his eyes to make out a face.
"What happened?" he asked, coming over to where his friend sat.
"I was walking," Suzee said, "then someone bumped into me and a few seconds later, I fell. I don't think my legs work anymore."
Radu picked Suzee up as if she were a child. Catalina led the way to the Healing Centre where the other victims of the mysterious plague were being looked after.
"Is Suzee gonna die?" Cassi asked.
"No," Catalina soothed. "Nothing is wrong with your sister. She'll be just fine."
**********
Clara reviewed her daughter's charts and sighed. Suzee was lying in a bed, completely annoyed at her friends for bringing her here. She insisted she was fine, but her mother wasn't as convinced. The tests they had performed on her had shown that she was in the earliest stages of the disease. Clara sighed again and put the folder down on her desk.
Clara was an older woman of about thirty or forty years. She had the same brown hair that Suzee had, streaked with red, blue, and green. She carried herself with a noble grace, indicating her high rank among the Healers. Blue eyes gazed nervously across the desk at the stranger who had become her temporary assistant.
Rosie picked the chart up and read what Clara had written. With Suzee, Clara had found the little pink girl who proved to be an excellent assistant. She watched Rosie's face remain calm and collected as she read her friend's fate.
"Have you had any other cases detected this early?" Rosie asked.
Clara shook her head. "None that we've been able to stop. If the other patients are any model, Suzee will be in the second stages by tomorrow afternoon."
"Do you have any possible cures yet?"
"Some, but none of them have worked."
"What about the chemicals from the Science Hall?"
Clara made a face. "We try to stay away from them. Who knows what those Scientists have concocted."
Realizing she had hit a nerve, Rosie backed away from the subject.
"Rosie! Rosie!" Harlan yelled from somewhere down the hall. "Get over here fast!"
Rosie jumped to her feet and ran down the hall to where the others had gathered around Suzee's bed. When she arrived, she noticed that everyone had cleared away from where Radu was sitting and were looking at him worriedly. Before Rosie could open her mouth to ask what was going on, Radu sneezed - and shot snow from his ears.
"Not again," Rosie sighed.
"I knew something was wrong," Cat said. "He's been acting strange all day."
Rosie sat next to Radu and slowly began to increase her temperature. Clara stood at the foot of Suzee's bed, watching with interest. Rosie took Radu's hand and began to warm him, increasing her temperature until both of them glowed. They remained like this, motionless, for several minutes before Rosie released her friend. Radu sniffled.
"Thanks," he said. "I don't know what came over me."
"Amazing," Clara remarked. "How did you do that?"
"I'm Mercurian," Rosie said, as if that explained everything.
**********
Harlan and Cat stood outside the Healing Center, looking around at the busy city. The Center was a haven, an escape from the busy, outside world. Sitting in the grass, Catalina lay on her back and looked up at the blue sky.
Daylight was fading into nighttime, early for this time of year. The three moons of Yensid rose into the sky as the sun relinquished its position above. Harlan lay next to her and they watched the stars come out together.
A violent sneeze sounded from the doorway to the Healing Center and Catalina rolled over onto her stomach to see Radu standing in the doorway. He was wrapped in the same multi coloured blanket she had made him while he was in prison. Cat was surprised that he had brought it with him.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Harlan asked as he came to sit with them.
Radu pulled the blanket closer. "I'm fine," he replied. "I just have a cold. I'm not used to these low temperatures."
He was right. It was several degrees colder on Yensid than it was at the Starcademy - and it was colder still than on Radu's native planet of Andromeda. Radu sneezed again and pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders.
"I can't believe you brought that with you," Catalina said. "It's just a crummy blanket."
Radu pulled it protectively closer. "It makes me feel safer. Besides, it got me out of the prison and kept me warm there, didn't it?"
"Lay off," Harlan agreed. "Didn't you have a security blanket when you were a kid?"
Cat shrugged and rolled back onto her back. The stars appeared slowly, making strange constellations in an unfamiliar sky. She ignored Radu's sniffles and Harlan's pretend snores and concentrated on the heavens, loosing herself in the night.
"What are you doing out here?" Rosie demanded.
Catalina jumped and realized that she had lost herself so much, she had fallen asleep. She stretched and sat up to find Rosie standing over Radu with her hands on her hips. Harlan sat a few feet away, finding Rosie's mothering of Radu very amusing.
"Getting some fresh air," Radu replied.
"You'll get a cold," Rosie accused.
"I already have a cold."
"It will get worse, now come inside."
She took Radu's hand and the Andromedan allowed himself to be brought inside. Harlan and Catalina exchanged a look and started to laugh.
**********
Suzee's condition had worsened by the next morning. She was still conscious, but now complained of being cold all the time, despite the mountain of blankets the apprentices provided. Rosie stuck a thermometer into Suzee's protesting mouth and waited patiently.
"Get those blankets off of her," Rosie ordered after reading the thermometer. "Her temperature's almost as high as mine!"
"I really hope you're exaggerating," Bova said.
The Uranusian had joined his friends after working almost all night with Martin and Timm. They had come up with a prototype mixture that had graduated to the next level of testing.
As the apprentices removed Suzee's blankets, Radu sat in a large, comfy chair with a heat lamp over his head. His cold had also gotten worse and the lamp prevented him from snowing again.
"Shhh," he moaned. "My head hurts."
Rosie went over to where he sat with a pair of makeshift earmuffs. She put them on his head and he promptly fell asleep.
"First Suzee, now Radu," Bova mused. "Could it be a similar strain of the same disease?"
"I hope not," Rosie said. "Clara told me she lost another one last night. Complete neurological shut down."
"I hope Harlan and Cat are having better luck with this thing than we are," Bova said.
**********
Harlan and Catalina searched the market place. They received many stares because of their alien, gray uniforms, but they ignored those people. They looked for clues as to Suzee's sudden illness.
"She said she someone bumped her right before her legs gave out," Cat said. "Maybe the disease is passed by touch."
Harlan kept looking. "I have no idea what we're looking for."
"Clues," Cat insisted.
"To what? A disease? Aren't those kind of clues too small to see?"
Catalina sighed. "Maybe you're right."
She sat down on a nearby bench and put her head in her hands. Harlan sat beside her.
"Don't give up," Harlan said. "Suzee will be fine, I'm sure of it."
He stood again and held his hand out to Catalina. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. Smiling, Harlan was about to say something when he was shoved from behind.
"Hey!" Harlan exclaimed, turning around. "What's the - "
A form huddled beneath a multi coloured blanket stood before him. It sneezed.
"Radu!" Cat said. "What are you doing out here? Rosie will kill you if you get any more sick."
"Ran away," Radu sniffed. "Remembered a clue. I saw - " he paused long enough to sneeze, " - a man running away. Saw his face, too. I'd know him if I saw him again."
"A man running away?" Harlan said. "Maybe he just doesn't like crowds."
"Maybe," Radu said, "maybe not. Should check it out."
"We'll check it out," Cat said. "You go back to bed."
Radu shook his head. "Nope. I know his face, you don't."
"Fine," Harlan said. "Just don't breath on me. I don't want whatever you got."
**********
"Where's Radu?" Rosie asked, returning to Suzee's bed with a tray of food.
Bova was sleeping on the empty bed beside Suzee's. The Yensidian blinked at her care giver.
"I would shrug, except I can't move my shoulders," Suzee said.
The disease had gotten to all her muscles below her neck. Fortunately, she could still speak, eat, and turn her head to a certain degree.
"Were you sleeping?" Rosie asked.
"Yeah. When I fell asleep, he was right there. When I woke up, he was gone," Suzee said.
Rosie stomped her foot in frustration. "Fiddlesticks," she swore.
"Fiddle what?" Bova asked, waking up.
"You were supposed to watch them," Rosie accused. "Now Radu's missing!"
"Just follow the sound of his sneezes and you'll find him," Bova yawned.
Rosie put the tray in front of Suzee and shook Bova. The Uranusian sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"No, you're going to find him," Rosie said. "I have a lot to do here."
Bova found himself on his feet and being shoved towards the door. Soon, he was standing outside, looking around in total confusion.
Rosie shut the door behind him and Bova shrugged. He settled down against a tree to finish his nap.
"How much trouble could a sick Andromedan get into?" Bova asked himself as he drifted off.
**********
Harlan and Catalina followed Radu through the crowded marketplace, towards the City Hall at the far end. Radu wore his earmuffs, complaining of a headache that made Catalina wish he'd return to the Healing Center, but he stubbornly kept walking.
"The man wore purple," Radu said.
"Only Elders can wear purple, and it couldn't have been an Elder," Cat said. "They're too distinguished."
"Could the guy have been wearing purple to frame the Elders?" Harlan asked.
Catalina shook her head. "And risk being seen by another Elder? I doubt it. Most people know the Elders, if not by name than by sight. New Elders are initiated into the City Hall in a public ceremony where the entire city meets him."
"Okay, no impostors," Harlan said. "So if Radu is right and it was an Elder, how do we flush him out?"
"Of where?" Radu asked.
Harlan rolled his eyes. "It's an expression. It means how do we make everyone else see that he's guilty?"
"Why didn't you just say that?" Radu sneezed again.
"We can't," Catalina replied to Harlan's question. "Unless there's solid proof, there's no way we can accuse an Elder."
"Too bad we can't get Suzee to go into his head," Harlan muttered under his breath.
"Shh!" Catalina hissed, hitting Harlan on the arm. "Don't even joke about that."
"Sorry," Harlan apologized, rubbing his sore arm. "Now what?"
"Find solid proof," Radu said.
**********
Radu boosted Harlan up to the second story window. Catalina had gone to the front, distracting the guards and secretaries with useless questions until she was sure the boys were safely inside. Harlan grunted as he touched the sill and peered inside. Satisfied the room was deserted, he jimmied the lock and slid the window open.
Inside, the room was dark and dusty. Boxes were stacked everywhere, some new, some caked with dust. A sound from the window made Harlan turn to see Radu jump nimbly inside, his blanket forgotten on the grass below.
"Looks like a store room," Harlan remarked in a whisper.
Radu put his finger to his face to avoid a sneeze and a small jet of snow came from his ears. Harlan shook his head as Radu shrugged apologetically.
"What are we looking for?" Radu asked.
"Anything that can carry a disease in it," Harlan replied.
Harlan moved off to the left while Radu headed to the right, each intent on searching the boxes. As he looked, Radu noticed that each of the boxes was labeled with the name of the Elder to whom the box belonged.
"Don't bother with the really dusty ones," Harlan said. "They probably haven't been opened in decades. Check out the recent ones first."
Radu nodded and moved to the ones closest to the door.
**********
Bova woke up with a yawn and looked at the sun's position. He judged that he had been asleep for a few hours at least, unless it was the next day already. He stretched and rubbed his sore back. Why was he outside, leaning against a tree? He sneezed and suddenly remembered his quest. He was supposed to find Radu and bring him back before Rosie over heated.
Rising to his feet, he headed to the Science Hall. At least while he was searching for Radu, he could check on the cure that Martin and Timm were finishing up. Maybe the Andromedan's illness could give them more clues as to the origin of the disease.
**********
There was a knock at the window. Radu pulled his head out of the box he was looking through and headed to the window. Catalina stood outside, holding his blanket and frantically waving. Carefully, Radu slid open the window.
"What?" he whispered.
"The distraction didn't work," Catalina said urgently. "They're probably going to search the building!"
Harlan came up behind Radu and swore.
"What did you tell them?" he demanded.
"I just said that I was trying to locate an Elder who could help me with a small problem I was having," Cat said. "I thought they would buy it."
Radu headed back to the box he had been nosing through and sneezed at the dust. Outside the door, he heard footsteps rushing up the stairs.
"I think they're coming," he called to Harlan.
Harlan swore again and frantically shoving things back into their proper boxes. As he did, a small, silver pen fell out of a pile of papers. Radu picked it up.
"What's this?" he asked.
"No time," Harlan hissed. "Drop it and let's get out of here."
Radu shoved the pen in his pocket and glanced at the name scribbled on top of the box. Harlan jumped out of the window and Radu did the same. They landed with ease just as security guards opened the door. Running, they headed back to the market place.
**********
Rosie was furious as Harlan, Catalina and Radu came into the Healing Center. Both boys were covered in dust and grass stains and had ashamed looks on their faces. Catalina smiled as Rosie let them both have it - especially Radu.
"You should have stayed here!" she said. "You're just going to wear yourself down and get sicker if you run around Yensid like this."
Radu bowed his head and shuffled his feet.
"And you," Rosie said, turning on Harlan. "You should have brought him back here as soon as you saw him, not brought him to a dusty office to search for something neither of you have ever seen before."
"But - " Harlan stammered.
"We did find something," Radu interrupted.
He took the silver pen out of his pocket and showed it to Rosie. The Mercurian momentarily forgot her anger as she picked up the pen and turned it around in her fingers.
"Where did you find this?" she asked.
"In the box of one of the Elders," Radu replied.
He sneezed a few times and shivered, a trickle of snow coming from his ears. Harlan, who was standing right beside him, brushed the snow from his shoulder and gave the Andromedan a dirty look.
Rosie put the pen in her pocket and took a hold of Radu's hand.
"You," she said firmly. "Are going to bed."
Radu didn't argue and followed Rosie to the empty bed beside Suzee. The native Yensidian was sleeping peacefully, the illness having moved from her muscles to her immune system. She had the same symptoms as Radu - only without the snow. She remained paralyzed from the neck down and was steadily getting weaker.
"How is she?" Catalina asked, going to Suzee's bed side.
"I don't know," Rosie sighed. "Whenever I think she's getting better, she suddenly gets worse. This disease is unlike anything I've ever seen."
Catalina nodded silently, staring down at her Guide's face. Harlan came up beside her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"She'll pull through," Radu assured her. "She's got the best doctors in the dimension looking after her."
Rosie took the pen out of her pocket again and sighed. Suddenly, she raised her head and looked at the faces of all her friends.
"Where's Bova?" she asked.
**********
Nightmares plagued Radu's dreams. He kept seeing his friends dying all around him. First Suzee to the illness, then Rosie to exhaustion, followed by an explosion in the Science Hall he knew involved Bova. All he could do was watch and listen to the tortured cries of his friends as they begged him to help. A deep laugh penetrated through the cries and he saw the face of the man who had infected Suzee.
Sitting upright, Radu gasped for air as his eyes snapped open. It was night and Suzee slept on the bed next to his, machines monitoring her condition while the Healers were at home. Radu wiped the cold sweat off his face and tried to shove the image of the laughing man out of his vision, but he couldn't.
Sensing that sleep would not come easily, Radu rose from his bed and walked around. He still felt sick from the cold that was coursing through his body, but he knew that it couldn't last forever. Sniffing, he headed to Clara's office.
The office was dark and he had trouble finding the lights. Soon, the office was illuminated in a dull glow that revealed Clara's desk, chair, and computer. Curious to name the face, Radu sat in the chair and went through the Yensidian City Hall Member's book. In no time, he saw the face.
The man was fairly old, with dark gray hair and sloping eyebrows. His eyes were black and the skin fell from his cheekbones, giving him a permanent scowl. Radu shivered as he saw the face again and read the name underneath.
Senior Elder, Division 6 - Cyril Torman
Radu's eyes widened as he recognized the name that had been scribbled on the box that had contained the strange silver pen. It had been Cyril Torman as well.
Radu turned off the computer and shuffled back to his bed, the only movement was the security cameras that followed him. Thinking that he had solved the mystery, Radu drifted off to sleep.
**********
When Harlan woke up the next morning, Rosie and Clara were already gone. Cassi sat at the table with Tomas, Suzee's father and Bova. The three of them were already finishing breakfast when Harlan entered.
"Morning, sleepy head," Cassi said happily.
"Morning," Harlan replied. "Where's Rosie?"
"She went with Clara to the Healing Center early this morning," Tomas said. "I think they had another emergency with one of the Guider patients."
Harlan could see the worry in Tomas' face for his daughter, lying between life and death. A yawn from behind announced the arrival of Catalina, still in her pajamas. She sat between Harlan and Cassi and began to eat.
"There was an emergency at the Healing Center this morning," Harlan told her.
Catalina forgot about her food and turned to Harlan. "Is Suzee?"
"I'm sure she's fine," Harlan said. "When you're done, we'll go and see. Coming, Bova?"
The Uranusian shook his head. "The chemical Martin and Timm and I made has reached the final stage of testing - human testing. I want to see the results."
"So, you'll be in the Healing Center anyway?" Cat asked.
"Yeah," Bova said. "But I have to go to the Science Hall first, get some stuff. Are you going to eat that?"
Catalina shook her head and Bova speared the pancake and brought it to his mouth.
**********
Rosie met Harlan and Catalina outside the Healing Center. She looked tired, worried, and sad all at the same time. Harlan and Cat dashed up the pathway to the entrance and stopped in front of their friend.
"Rosie, what's going on?" Harlan asked.
"Is Suzee okay?" Catalina said.
Rosie passed a tired hand over her face and took a deep breath.
"Suzee's fine," she said.
Catalina breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
"But Radu isn't," Rosie finished.
"What?" Harlan whispered, his face full of shock.
"Radu took a turn for the worse," Rosie explained. "I don't know how his cold could have mutated so rapidly, but it has and I'm afraid he's fallen into a coma. We have him hooked up to a few machines, monitoring his condition and helping him breath, but we don't know if they're going to be enough."
Catalina put a hand to her mouth and tears fell from her eyes. She held onto Harlan's arm for support as Rosie led them both inside to see Radu.
**********
Radu had been moved to another bed, across the hall from where Suzee watched, now fully awake. Radu was circled on all sides by machines and had tubes going in and out of his body. Catalina headed to his side and gasped in shock at his pale face.
She headed to where Suzee sat and threw her arms around her Guide. Suzee looked down at Cat, unable to hug her because of her paralysis. Rosie took Harlan aside and fished something out of her pocket.
"The watchman reported movement in this area last night. He headed down here in time to see someone stab Radu and run off into the night. The watchman chased him, but the intruder vanished. He dropped this."
Rosie held out another silver pen.
"Another pen?" Harlan asked.
"It's not a pen," Rosie explained. "It's a needle. We've analyzed the contents and it contains a strain of the disease the Guiders are fighting. The plague was caused by someone stabbing Guiders with this needle."
"But who?" Harlan said. "Radu said something about an Elder being responsible, but I don't know which box the first pen came from."
"But Radu knows," Rosie said. "I think that's why he was their next target. They infected him with the disease, which mutated his cold. It makes sense now!"
"So, how do we save Radu and Suzee, and get this crazy Elder guy?"
Rosie shook her head. "I have no idea."
**********
Bova watched the Healer inject the serum into the volunteers arm. He had formulated the chemical reaction to be almost instantaneous, curing the patient seconds after the cure was injected. Patiently, Bova waited with Martin and Timm standing close by. The patient was unconscious, having volunteered for this experiment days ago. In a few minutes, the patient's eyes opened.
"Life signs returning to normal," the Healer reported. "The disease is being destroyed."
Martin and Timm cheered. Bova shrugged and kept watching the readings.
"He appears to be completely cured," the Healer said. "Amazing."
"Watch for side effects," Bova cautioned, putting a damper on the cheers.
As the Healer continued to monitor the volunteer's conditions, a messenger ran into the building, holding a piece of paper. He headed to Bova and handed it to him before leaving again. Curious, Bova opened the sealed paper and read the note inside. He stared at the message long and hard, reading and rereading it again until he finally excused himself from the experiment and headed to the Healing Center.
**********
Trapped in a world of dreams, Radu struggled to make heads or tales of his situation. He knew he was unconscious, but his mind remained alert in this small, alternate world he had created for himself. There was no landscape to be seen, and Radu thought back to the other times his mind had sought refuge here; twice during the second war, once during the field mission on the isolated moon. Now, here he was again.
He could hear the machines around him, Rosie's worried voice, and the reassurances Harlan provided although he doubted his own words. He needed to reach them and show them the face of the man who had plagued the Guiders. He needed to regain control of his senses, fight the disease that coursed through his own veins, but he had no idea how.
He could try telepathy — Elmira had contacted him often enough. How could she have reached him across the infinite vastness of space if he didn't have a hint of talent on his own? He didn't know how to reach the minds of his friends; he was untrained with no teacher to guide him this time. With a mental shrug, he decided to attempt it anyway.
**********
Suzee sat in her bed, watching her friends around Radu, wishing she could rise and go to them to offer her support. She couldn't even breath on her own at this point, her muscles so paralyzed that her heart had to be pumped for her as well as her lungs.
Bova had joined them, and that had helped Rosie cope a bit more while Cat remained almost constantly in Harlan's arms. Suzee felt a twinge of jealousy at her best friend's happiness, knowing that she could have had Harlan, but had mentally already chosen someone else.
Suzee, a voice called in her mind.
Blinking in surprise, Suzee concentrated with her inner voice on the presence that was brushing against her thoughts.
Suzee, the voice said again.
Her eye widened in recognition. It couldn't be, she thought. Not possible.
"Uh, Rosie?" Suzee called.
The Mercurian came over, her usually cheerful face a mask of concern.
"Is it possible for someone to be in a coma, but still know what was going on?" Suzee asked, knowing full well what the answer was.
"Yes," Rosie replied.
"I think that Radu is inside my head," Suzee whispered so quietly that Rosie had to lean forward to hear.
The Mercurian withdrew her head from Suzee's face. "Oh."
"Yeah, and he know that there's nothing I can do to help him," Suzee said loudly, so Radu could hear.
Please, the voice begged. So hard . . ..
Suzee's face contorted as she mentally fought over the consequences. Do it and she may save all the victims as well as future ones, but will be banished from her home. Don't do it and she may die as well as her friend.
Please.
"Grozit," Suzee muttered. "Do I have a choice? Rosie, I'll need to be wheeled over to Radu's bed and get a curtain or something so no one will see."
Rosie nodded, quickly whispered to the others and they all set to work.
**********
Radu waited patiently in his own mental sanctuary, pacing despite himself as he recovered from the strain of contacting Suzee. He knew that she would come, she had protested too much not to now. He could faintly sense them preparing her and him and he knew he didn't have much longer to wait.
She appeared in his empty landscape, looked around and walked towards him. They were both seen by the other in their normal forms; healthy and dressed in Starcademy uniforms.
"Nice place you got here," Suzee said. "I've been in your mind before, but this is the first time I've seen this place."
"My sanctuary," Radu replied.
Suzee looked around again, nodding in approval. "Could use some colour."
Radu took a step forward and smiled. "At least we look better here than in the real world," he commented.
"Okay, we should keep this as short as possible, even though it is nice to see you on your feet again," Suzee said.
"Likewise," Radu answered. "I know the name and face of the man who's been infecting the people. The pen I found came out of his box, and the pen Rosie found came from him when he dropped it after stabbing me."
He pointed behind him and the face appeared, as if by magic. Suzee gasped in surprise.
"Cyril?" she said. "I never thought he would stoop this low!"
"That's the man. I saw him twice, when he ran from you and when he stabbed me. There shouldn't be any stronger evidence than that," Radu said.
"But to accuse an Elder and be wrong is punishable by death," Suzee said. "I think you need more proof than a memory and two pens."
Radu opened his mouth to comment when Suzee decided it was time to go.
"Listen, when you wake up, we'll talk again. Don't worry about this now. Bova's got a cure and he's going to try it on you. You should be up and about by tomorrow. I have to go."
With that, Suzee disappeared, leaving Radu alone in his sanctuary again.
**********
Suzee returned to herself just as a Senior Healer entered their curtained area. He was here to check on both Radu and Suzee at Clara's insistence. He looked at Suzee oddly as she sat beside Radu's bed and was about to comment on it when she returned.
"Thanks, Rosie," Suzee said. "I'm glad you let me visit Radu. It's hard to see him from across the hall, but not reassure him with my presence."
To emphasize her point, she patted Radu's hand comfortingly.
"No problem, Suzee," Harlan said, as Rosie stood in shock. "We can even do it again tomorrow."
He wheeled her back to her bed and gently put her in. The Senior Healer shrugged before ushering everyone from the curtain and performing some tests on Radu.
"Well?" Harlan asked.
"He's fine, mentally," Suzee said. "I know who poisoned both me and him. It was Cyril Torman, an Elder. I just don't know how to prove it."
"We'll have Radu's testimony," Rosie said. "Right, Bova?"
"If the cure works," Bova said.
"Which it will," the Mercurian assured him. "And we have both pens as evidence, plus the watchman's story."
"And the security film from the cameras," Suzee said, gesturing with her chin to the camera to the left of her bed.
"So, we have a case?" Catalina asked.
Of course, Radu said in Suzee's mind. Thank you.
**********
Radu groaned and opened his eyes. His head felt thick and musty, his eyes watered, and his throat was dry. He tried to move his head to avoid staring at the bright lights above him, but found that movement only made him nauseous. Blinking, he tried to make out what was going on.
He heard people running up and down the hallway, trying not to disturb the patients, but in a rush nonetheless. They spoke in hushed tones, muttering about a trial and outsiders who wanted to destroy everything they've worked for. The face of a Healer he didn't know came into view and shined a bright light in his eyes.
"Responses normal," he said, "I think."
Radu pushed away the hand that held the light and the Healer stumbled backwards as if struck. Realized belatedly that he had not controlled his strength, Radu tried to mutter an apology, but found that the Healer had already fled. He closed his eyes again.
Someone was pouring something down his throat and he coughed and opened his eyes again. He saw Suzee's mother, Clara.
"How are you?" she asked quietly.
He found that his head no longer hurt as much as it did before and he automatically filtered out the unnecessary noise.
"I feel terrible," Radu admitted, "but at least I'm alive."
Clara smiled. "I don't know much about your — species. Rosie mentioned something about an internal atmosphere and I should monitor your barometric pressure."
"Where is Rosie?" Radu asked.
"She's at court with the others. They formally charged Cyril Torman with the infection of the Guiders. Today is the trial."
"Trial? How long was I asleep?"
"About a week or so," Clara said. "I don't know how they managed to figure out it was Cyril, but about three days ago, Rosie came to me with his name and asked to see the security film. Sure enough, there he was."
Radu smiled. The mystery was over.
**********
Harlan, Catalina, Rosie, Radu, and Bova stood in front of the communications terminal in Suzee's house. Suzee, Clara, Tomas, and Cassi all stood around them.
"Well, we solved your mystery for you," Rosie said.
"And got out of a month of classes," Harlan added.
"I just don't understand why Cyril would want to destroy the Guiders," Tomas said.
"Simple," Suzee said. "He thought that they were the reason that Reachers were being produces. The unnatural ability to contact someone across the dimensional grid was too alien a concept for him, so he tried to exterminate us."
"Very bad man," Cassi said somberly.
Catalina knelt to hug the girl, still in the white of a child.
"I meant to ask you, Cassi," Cat said. "When is your Ceremony?"
"Next year," Cassi replied.. "I want to be a Guider like Suzee or a Healer like Mommy."
"What about a Scientist?" Tomas asked.
Cassi made a face. "Boring!" she announced.
Cat and Suzee laughed.
"See you in the Starcademy," Suzee said.
"Yeah, but not us," Harlan said sadly.
Suzee walked over to where Harlan stood and gave him a hug.
"If you ever want to talk to me," she said, "Bova knows how."
She hugged the little Uranusian as well.
"Thanks for saving me," she said, kissing his cheek.
Sparks flew between Bova's antennae and Rosie's temperature rose a few degrees. Suzee headed to Radu and kissed him on the mouth. The others watched in shock. Cat smiled, Rosie's temperature rose again, and Harlan looked distinctly jealous.
"See you soon," she said.
The dimensional portal opened and each of the space cases stepped inside. Catalina lingered as long as possible, relishing the moments she could finally spend with Suzee in person. Finally, Suzee had to push her through the portal before it closed. She waved good bye as it closed, a tear falling from her eye.