Westward4

Westward Bound (part 4)

Setup: Takes place just over 2 weeks after part 2. On the road back to Devon.

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Voice of Alonzo "It's been more then 2 weeks since Julia and I left the group to return to Devon. We are making great time; we should be back to the ship in a day or so. Julia spirits are higher then I have seen them in a long time. I am concerned that she is setting herself up for disappointment. What if there is organ damage or the anti-dote doesn't work. I am not sure that Julia would be able to handle it. I'm not sure any one of us will be able to handle it."

"Want me to drive for a while?" Julia offered.

"Naw, I'm fine. You rest some more."

"Yeah, I didn't get much sleep last night."

"I didn't hear you complaining last night." Alonzo countered.

"Oh, I'm not complaining, just stating a fact. Do you think that we'll make it to the ship tonight?"

"Probably not, but maybe tomorrow, if not, then definitely the day after."

"What if grendlers got into the ship, or penal colonist, or …"

"Julia that ship has been there for years. No one has gotten into it, nothing has happened to it. So please stop worrying"

"I'll try. I wonder how the others are? I have enjoyed our time alone together but I do miss the others." Julia stated.

"I know what you mean. I haven't spent this much time with anyone in a long time. I haven't had a chance to get close to anyone in a lot of years. I was always sleep jumping. When I got back into a port, everyone had moved on with their lives, I really hadn't."

"Do you regret making this trip?" Julia questioned.

"No. There are parts of the trip I regret but overall I am glad I came." Alonzo replied honestly. "What about you?"

"Like you, there are some things I regret. Actually there are a lot of things I regret. But I've gained a lot here. Things that I could never achieved back on the stations."

"So it looks like G889 has been good for both of us." Alonzo stated.

"Yes, it does."

Their conversation shifted to other things and soon they set up camp for the night. Julia had insisted that they get an early start the next morning. She wanted to reach the ship as soon as possible. They were on the road shortly after sun up. As they had been doing since they left the group, they took breaks only long enough for rest and the recharging of the rail. By night fall, they had managed to reach the ship.

"See, I told you it would be fine." Alonzo taunted.

"Can we go inside tonight?" Julia asked.

"Don't see why not, but I would suggest we just check on Devon tonight. You should wait until you are rested before you try to bring her around."

"OK," Julia agreed.

The two entered the ship. Alonzo immediately brought up some additional light as Julia checked Devon's vitals. "Everything checks out fine." Julia stated.

"Good, let's set up for the night. Then we can make sure everything is ready for tomorrow."

Julia rose early the next morning. "Alonzo, are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. Please remember, no matter what happens, you did your best. That is all Devon ever asked anyone to do."


"Thanks, I try and remember that."

Once inside the ship, Julia prepared the anti-dote as Alonzo started to bring Devon out of cold sleep. When the chamber doors opened, Alonzo caught Devon and laid her on the table. Julia quickly applied the anti-dote.

"How long till we know if it's working" questioned Alonzo.

"I'm not sure. Her vitals are stable. That's encouraging." Julia replied as she ran her glove over Devon.

"How will you know if there is any organ damage?"

"My glove should be able to determine if there is any damage. Right now her body is still trying to get rid of the toxin." For the next few hours, Julia monitored Devon's vital signs. She was very encouraged to see that they were slowly but steadily improving. Four hours after applying the anti-dote, Devon began to regain consciousness.

"Julia, what are you still doing here?" a weak Devon Adair asked. Noticing Alonzo but no one else, Devon asked, "Where is everybody, how long have I been unconscious?"

"Well, you been unconscious for 9 weeks or so. As to where everyone is, they're on the road to New Pacifica." Alonzo supplied the information with a huge grin on his face.

"How's Uly? What are you doing here? How…"

"Devon slow down," Julia admonished. "Uly was fine when we last saw him. John and True are doing a great job of taking care of him. Of course Yale is lending a hand as well. As to what we are doing here, about 3 weeks ago we discovered what was wrong with you so we came back to cure you."

"So what was wrong? When will we rejoin the others?" Devon questioned.

Julia could tell that Devon was very weak. "Sleep now, regain your strength. Then we'll tell you everything."

Devon tried to protest but she was much too tired. Soon she drifted off to sleep. Alonzo came over to Julia and wrapped his arms around her. "So, she's going to be alright?"

"Yes, it looks like there is no organ damage. She is weak due to the toxin but that should subside in a day or two. She is so much better that I had hoped she'd be." The joy and relief were evident in Julia's voice and smile. "I just wish we could let the others know."

"Yeah, but we are to far away. They'll know soon enough. Why don't you take a rest while Devon sleeps? I know that once she is awake that you won't rest. Don't worry, I keep an eye on her for you"

Julia reluctantly agreed. "If she show signs of waking up or if any of anything happens, you come get me."

Alonzo promised. For the next day, Julia and Alonzo took turns watching over Devon. She was slowly regaining her strength. Finally she was allowed to sit up.
"So, what was wrong with me?" Devon asked.

"You were poisoned by a thorn." Julia stated.

"A thorn?" At first Devon was confused, then her face slowly began to get pink. "Um, how did you figure it was a thorn?"

"I had a dream," Alonzo stated.

The pinks in Devon's cheeks deepened. "Please tell me that the terrians told you," Devon pleaded.

"Sorry, I saw how it happened" Alonzo's cheeks had also begun to get a little pink. Devon let out a groan and dropped her head into her hands.

"Don't worry no one else knows. When I told Danziger about the dream," another small groan escaped from Devon's lips. Alonzo continued, "He figured out that the bush that you got stuck with must be close by. Danz told everyone, how did he put it? Oh yeah, you were participating in a form of communication. I just loved that. Of course, everyone else took it to mean that we were arguing when it happened. You secret is safe with us. I just can't believe that we didn't know anything was going on." Alonzo paused, then continued. "So how long has it been going on?"

"John didn't tell you?" Devon asked.

"Well, we actually didn't have a chance to talk about it. One we knew about the thorn and Julia found the anti-dote, we were pretty busy preparing to leave."

"I can't believe that you came back for me and left the rest without a doctor. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, because I'm not. It's just hard to believe."

"Well, we took a vote. Seems that everyone wants you back with us as soon as possible. " Julia replied. She then proceeded to fill in Devon on what happened since she had fallen ill.

Alonzo interrupted Julia, "So Devon, you never answered my question. How long have you and John been together?"

"Why don't you ask John when we rejoin the others."

Alonzo mumbled, "I knew you were going to say that."

Devon ignored Alonzo. "So how soon till we leave? How soon to we meet up with the others?

"Well, I would like you to rest for a week or so," Julia stated.

"A week!" Devon exclaimed. "I'm fine. I can be ready to leave tomorrow." When Julia went to interrupt, Devon stopped her. "I know that you are concerned that I'm not strong enough but I tell you I feel fine. The best medicine for me would be to see my son."

Devon and Julia compromised, both grudgingly, that in 3 days they would leave to join the others. And only under the condition that Devon continued to improve and her vitals were strong before they left.

Julia warned Alonzo, "Do not torment Devon about her relationship with John." After receiving Alonzo reluctant acceptance, Julia continued. "They will be enough time for that when Devon is fully recovered. But promise me that you won't do it in front of the others."

"Don't worry I won't. I'm really happy the two of them are together. I think that they'll make a good couple. I also realize that there are some in the group that might not be happy to hear that they're a couple. Not that they don't want them to be happy, just that they will think that they've lost a second opinion. "

"I honestly can't see either one or them giving in to the other."

"Yeah, they're going to have an interesting relationship. I just hope that the group doesn't ruin it for them. You know, I honestly can't remember seeing a change in Devon and John relationship. Sure when we all got sick everyone was concerned about everyone else but I don't recall them treating each other any differently."

"That just supports your theory that even if they are a couple, John is always going to voice his opinion. And Devon will always voice hers."

"Boy, am I going to enjoy hassling Danziger." Alonzo stated with a wicked grin.

"Just remember that punch he gave you in the spider caves. " Julia paused for a moment. "You don't think they were together then, do you"

"Naw, I don't think so. Or else John would have hit me harder", Alonzo rubbed his jaw. "Maybe I'll go a little easy with teasing him."

Devon continued to gain strength over the next three days. The trio packed up their belongings and secured the ship. After one last look around, they started their journey to rejoin their friends.

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END OF PART 4