Nine ~ Rivers Turn To Oceans…
Present day…
Harper's eyes were tired, haunted by the past he'd been recounting. "I didn't understand what you meant then…How our people could call death a gift…" He sat up, cold despite the warmth of Trance's quarters and the heat of her body laying just a whisper away from his. "I knew I didn't wanna live forever…but I wanted to live, y'know? But they're right, death is a gift." He looked her straight in the eye, "and you knew…you lied. It wasn't exactly a gift they offered."
Trance guessed what he meant by that and looked away, ignoring the question. She had one of her own that needed to be answered. "That's why you came here, isn't it?"
He smiled. "It's a been a long day. Over five hundred years…I wanna sleep." He touched her cheek, marvelling at the feel of the purple skin. He had thought it would never be this smooth and bright again. "My night must fall, Trance, just as yours did."
******
Beka studied the woman in front of her. She looked to be in her mid-twenties with long ash blonde hair and deep blue-green eyes. This was the woman the future Harper had known so well…had asked hopefully if she was with them.
Beka had to fight down the urge to grab the woman by the arms and shake her until she told them how she knew Harper.
But that action was pointless. This woman knew even less about what was going on than Beka did so she clenched her fists and searched for something diplomatic to say. Something that would get her answers without alarming this girl. Her own restraint surprised her; the old Beka would have just gone in fist flying. Then it struck her that it was probably Dylan having this affect on her.
God help us all…
"So…Lauren…You…um, your sister's the Viventar?"
"Viv-En-Tor." Bir'Mark corrected softly.
Lauren's eyes were sad, "yes." She tried to smile, "it is a great honour."
Beka bit back her automatic quip that dying in public to mass joy and celebrations was hardly what she would consider an honour.
Bir'Mark slipped an arm around his friend's shoulder. "Kell'Lee's name will be remembered through the ages as the first human Viv-En-Tor."
"Viv…whatever, that means Messenger, doesn't it?"
Lauren nodded, "yes. The Viv-En-Tor is entrusted with messages for loved ones…apologies, words of love…that she will take with her into death. When my sister is on the Other Side, her…soul or whatever you wish to call it will find the spirits of those loved ones and deliver their words. Do you have any messages you wish to pass on?"
Beka thought of all the unfinished business she had; the loose ends in her life… All the things she wished she'd said to her father when he lived. How much she wished she had told her mother just how much she loved her…
But it was all…what had she heard it called? Soul-butter. It was all soul-butter.
And no one could deliver messages to the Other Side…
There was nothing there to begin with.
"How was she chosen?" Beka asked instead. "There must be hundreds of terminally ill people on Tellan."
Lauren appeared to understand the change in topic and she went up a couple of notches in Beka's estimation. "Kelly has an excellent memory. That is absolutely essential and her disease does not affect her neural pathways. And she's…" the woman blushed, "…of good virtue so she's very likely to go…" she pointed upwards, "…instead of…" and she pointed to the floor. "And well, I guess there's a bit of nepotism too. I'm the GP for the Presidents family, that's how I came to know Bir'Mark. And when Kelly fell ill…she seemed like the logical choice." Sad pride filled her voice, "she's become very popular with the people, they trust her with their laments…" She noticed the odd expression on Beka's face, "is something wrong?"
"GP? You mean you're a doctor?"
"Yes."
"D'you make house calls?"
******
The Viv-En-Tor smiled at Dylan, "is there anyone I can seek out for you? A message you would like send?"
Dylan felt his heart race painfully. Each beat was an aching pain in his chest. The thought of being able to tell Sara…just once more, that he loved her with all of his heart and soul…
And he thought of this morning, a lifetime ago it seemed, but in truth it was still the same day…Sara's birthday…
Dylan closed his eyes and Kelly understood. "Write the words…if you cannot speak them to a stranger. I will memorise them." She lay a hand on his arm, "and I promise you, I will deliver your message."
He didn't trust his voice to say thank you, knowing it would crack badly with sorrow so he laid a hand on hers to show her. She smiled.
"You're…you are very brave." He said eventually.
"I'm not…not really. Lauren's the brave one. She'll be all alone after…after the ceremony." She saw the question on his face before he had a chance to ask it. "She's my sister. And my doctor…and my friend…and my confessor…and just about everything in between."
"She…she sounds like a good person."
"She is. I'm going to miss her." Kelly tried to smile. "If I have one regret…about dying, it's that I will be leaving her alone. She shouldn't be alone."
At that moment, the lights around them brightened as the ships designated 'nightime' ended and Rommie's voice announced' "commencing daytime."
******
Trance felt a cold shiver run through her. She looked away, too tired to want to deal with this now. She had guessed she was dead in this Harper's String, but to hear the words…
To know beyond any doubt…
She felt sick and scared…and terrifyingly mortal. Many people over the centuries…even Tyr…had threatened her with death, but she had always been safe in the knowledge that only the separation of her Gift would bring about eternal sleep. And the Gift could not be taken…only given. And even then the…power…would make the choice to go or stay.
She hugged herself, frightened. How could four short years do this to them? Take Dylan and Beka and twist them into bare shadows of themselves? Bring about a Commonwealth only for it to fall in ruins around them?
And how…how had she let this happen?
How could she have failed so badly…so deeply…?
"Trance…?"
"No…" she whispered, "no I don't want to hear anymore."
"There's so much more."
"I know…and I know I have to hear it. If we're…" She closed her eyes against the sin she about to suggest. The violation of everything the Eternals taught and believed…. that she believed. "…If we're going to…to change it."
Harper stared at her, breathing hard, unable to comprehend or feel relief at hearing what he had wanted so many years…
Trance gasped slightly when he grabbed her, crushing her to his body as if he'd never let her go. Her heart quickened in surprise…and maybe something more. This wasn't the first time Harper had held her, but it was the first time he had done so with so much passion… She felt wetness on her neck and realised it was tears and her own eyes welled up too. She let her hands rest around him and the two friends stayed like that, locked in an embrace, for a long while.
Then Harper pulled back a little and brought his face so close to hers she could see every glint of light reflecting on his pupils and…
And a something in his eyes that she'd never seen there before. Something so warm and yet so hungry that when he closed the infinitesimal gap between them, she pulled back a little overwhelmed.
He smiled sadly and stroked the back of her head with his hand, understanding replacing that terrible something in his eyes.
Trance looked away, placing a distance between them and noticed with surprise what time the chronometer on the wall was displaying. Hours had passed since he'd begun his tale.
It was time for a time-out.
And besides, there were things she was neglecting.
Someone she was neglecting…
"Harper I gotta go check on…on you." Trance told him as she got to her feet. Harper immediately stood too and followed her across the quarters.
"I'll go with you."
"No." She stopped at the door and stood in his way. "Wait here. This won't take long."
"You're afraid I'll try to hurt him, me again. I won't."
"Harper…"
"Hey, cross my heart and hope to…"
"Die." She finished. "I can't. You understand why?"
"Yeah, but I wouldn't lie to ya, Trance."
She smiled, "I know. But I can't take that risk."
He nodded, "I'll say outside. You can get Rommie to put up a force grid, and I'll even wear wrist cuffs, but…" he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, "don't make me stay…not here…alone."
Her quarters… She realised. They were full of memories for him, and he had every right to a time-out from them as she had.
"OK." She said quietly.
They walked in silence up to the med deck and Trance led him through the main bays to the small warm IC room where the young Harper lay sleeping. Rommie argued a little about the future Harper's presence and the AI obviously wasn't happy with him being out of the brig without Dylan's say so, but she complied.
Harper watched the force grid go up and sighed.
******
Dylan hated these moments. The times when a captain has to put aside his own feelings and disregard his worries for the so-called 'greater good.' Morning had broken not just on the ship, but on the northern continent, home of the President and the Council of the People. He could no longer put off going down to the planet; the celebrations had already begun and at dusk, the main ceremony would take place.
That was what they had come for…what the Tellan's had invited them to partake in.
Dylan had to escort the Viv-En-Tor down for the ceremony, he had to meet the president, talk about the treaty…write his words to Sara…
And he had to question the future Harper some more. Get answers.
Of all those, Dylan the man… the friend of the young Harper, wanted to do the latter and to hell with the rest.
But Dylan the captain knew the future of the Commonwealth came before such 'small' things. This planet and its influence on the surrounding systems were simply too important to ignore.
He called Tyr back to the ship, knowing the Nietzschean preferred to be elsewhere during the ships official business anyway and would not raise any objections. He had gone only because Dylan had not.
Dylan checked on the younger Harper before he escorted Kelly off the ship. The engineer was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the concern and worries about him…about both of him…
Then, hating himself for doing so, he turned and left the young man' side. Kelly was waiting for him out the main medical area and they began slowly walking towards the airlock. Neither of them spoke and Dylan let the calm and peace of this simple activity wash away the heaviness in his heart.
It helped…but only a little.
When they reached Andromeda's largest docking port they stopped to wait for the Tellan transport. It did not take long before the airlock hissed open and the occupants to come out. Tyr, of course…and two others, one was Beka, dressed in a long black evening gown with her hair immaculately styled. The other woman he did not recognise. But it was obvious that Kelly did.
The Viv-En-Tor stepped forward and embraced the thin, blonde haired woman beside Beka. When she finally let her go, she turned to Dylan. "This is Lauren."
Dylan held out his hand and she shook it. "Welcome aboard the Andromeda Ascendant."
"I asked her to take a look at Harper." Beka added.
*******
Harper watched Trance through the doorway of the IC bay, his view distorted ever so slightly by the faint glittering of the force grid. His heart was almost too heavy to feel joy at what he saw…but he felt a faint trickle of fondness and warmth as she tended his younger self. It had been a long time since he'd seen her caring for anyone. Centuries of time… and before then…it had been him caring for her as the Night slowly ate at her then mortal self.
He shuddered at the memory and pushed it away. He heard voices and recognised Beka's and…
Oh my God…
Lauren walked into the main medical room in a long rose coloured dress, looking so young and fresh and…alive…he almost didn't recognise her.
"He should be locked in a cell." Tyr snapped as soon as he saw the older Harper standing at the back of the med bay. Beka's eyes flashed in anger when she saw him too.
Those words snapped him out of the shock and Harper smiled. "And good morning to you."
Trance came to the doorway of the IC room at the sound of their voices; "he's contained."
And to show them, Harper put up a hand to the force grid between him and the rest of the bay and tapped it. Skitters of electricity sparkled around his finger. All the while he didn't take his eyes from Lauren and he could see the way his attention was not lost on Beka.
"Trance," Beka said, "this is Lauren. She's a doc."
Lauren waited to be introduced to the man behind the force grid but everyone pointedly ignored him. She found herself meeting his gaze, wondering what such a tired, wearied man had done to confine him this way. And in a medical bay…
She would have to walk along the field to get to the entrance to the IC bay where the crew's purple nurse was standing. It was obvious that this crewman Beka had asked her to check was in there and as she started towards the room, she felt the man's eyes on her. Oddly, though, she realised her skin did not crawl at the attention. When she stepped in and went to the bed to look at the readings on the scanner above his head, the mystery deepened. The man in the bed was a dead-ringer for the one outside.
Beka came up beside her, "well?"
And she pushed aside her curiosity to study the readings on the medical scanner. Satisfied, she checked the wound, the scar tissue and the dressings. Then she felt his forehead and looked at his temperature readings. It registered normal but she picked up an old fashioned thermometer from the bedside and popped it in his armpit to take his temperature herself, just to be sure.
"There's no fever…yet." Trance told her, the tiniest catch in her voice.
"Yeah, I just like to be sure." She frowned, "what do you mean? Yet?" And she picked up the prescription chart. "You've got him on IB's so there shouldn't be a problem."
"No. But Harper's immune system's kinda poor and he's got a cold so..."
"Mudfoot, huh?"
Trance nodded.
"Have you tried Kephin?" Lauren went to the medicine store and looked in, searching for a certain bottle. "Usually it's prescribed to kids but there was this research I was reading about where they gave it to adults with compromised immune systems. There was a significant reduction in the number of infections among those who were given the drug and their general wellbeing was improved almost 70%." She grabbed a small bottle from the cooler; "this is it." She handed it to Trance. "I'm surprised you haven't heard about it, it was in all the major medical journals."
"Oh… well, I…I'm not a real doctor…exactly. I just know some stuff."
Disapproval filled her voice. "This is your hobby?"
"Um…no…I mean I…we don't have anyone else."
Outside, Harper was smiling. He had missed that…the sparks between Laurie and Trance. From day one Trance and Lauren had had this rivalry. This wasn't how their first meeting had occurred, but it seemed this reality would be no different when it came to these two.
And at the thought of their original meeting down on the planet… both of them striving to convince him that their cold remedy worked best, it warped and was snatched way.
Harper chuckled darkly. It was working… He was changing the past.
******
President Go'Mek was waiting at the port. As Dylan and the Viv-En-Tor departed the transport, Go'Mek stepped forward and greeted them warmly, taking Kelly's hand as a father would take his daughters and holding the other out to Dylan.
"Welcome to our world, captain."
******
Trance left Lauren to re-dress Harper's wound; she didn't like being in the same room as this woman. Seeing her…knowing her…and knowing what her future was to be. That last was not an unusual feeling for her…but to know in such detail…such intimacy…
She shuddered, trying to rid her stomach of the sickness that had grown there when the other Harper had told her that he and Lauren had…
"Who gave you clearance to release the prisoner?"
Tyr glared at her as soon as she'd stepped back into the main medical bay. "He…" he indicated Harper, "…is supposed to be in the brig."
Her tail swished nervously behind her, knowing there was really no rationalisation for her actions beyond her own desire not to be overheard or interrupted.
But Tyr didn't wait for an answer as he let down the force grid and gripped Harper's arm. He began to walk him firmly towards the exit.
Trance looked back into the bay and bit her lip. Then she hurried to catch them up.
******
Lauren finished applying an herbal balm to the tender newly healed tissues on the young man's belly. She was surprised to hear him groan. She looked up and saw his eyelids flicker and open.
"Hey…" he murmured sleepily.
"Hey yourself." She replied, smiling and checked that the Kephin she'd added to his IV line was disappearing. It was. "You should be feeling better soon."
"Can't hardly wait." He licked his lips, obviously fighting off sleep. "Wha…what's…ya name?"
She smiled, "Lauren."
He tried to smile to but it came off all crocked and limp. "You're so pretty."
She blushed, "and you're on drugs. That kind of kills the flattery."
Harper chuckled weakly, drifting off again.
From the other side of the bed, Beka watched in interplay between the two and felt a cold chill run through her, like a thousand people had just walked over her grave…
******
Tyr had left them alone as soon as he had tossed Harper back into the brig. The older version of the engineer had protested that he could 'get claustrophobia stuck in here.' But the Nietzschean ignored him and went to the control terminal. His lean fingers tapped a little dance on the pad, cancelling Trance's clearance.
There was no way Harper was getting out of there again without his say so.
"What are we gonna do now?" Trance asked as soon as Tyr had gone. "How are we going to change anything if you're in there?"
"Dylan'll get me out."
"How can you be so sure?"
"In the original history, the power generators on the planet developed a glitch; lights out, civilisation grinding to a halt…that sorta thing, all over the northern most continent. The Viv-En-Tor ceremony couldn't go ahead, it being pitch black and all, so the president, Go…Go West? Whatever, he went to Dylan for help. I had to jack into the mainframe to restore power. The Prez was so grateful he practically got down on his knees and begged Dylan to let Tellan join the Commonwealth."
"But…"
"The 'here' me can't. But I can."
Trance thought of the younger Harper laying in IC. If he had died, like this Harper had intended, what changes would have occurred then?
Changes….
Did she really want to go through with this? Was one man's future worth so much? This man's…? And what of hers? Was her future just as important?
What right did they have to decide that the timeline must be changed just because their futures weren't so bright?
Two beings happiness weighed against the rest of the Universe?
Was she capable of such selfishness?
Was Harper?
"Tell me the rest." She murmured. "Everything…"
"Trance…if we change this…. What I tell you will be worth nothing. And if we don't…knowing too much about our own destinies…"
"I want to know." She told him, her voice rising in anger. "I've gotta know what we're doing is right!" She looked down, as sorrow took over. "And I want to…to know about the Night…. please…?"
He sighed. "OK…"