DISCLAIMER: Earth 2 and its characters belong to Amblin Entertainment,
except for the character of Rachel Collins, she's mine; I made no profit
and no copyright infringement was intended.
Closure: Takes place after Devon gets out of cold sleep. The Advance Team is still on the road to New Pacifica.
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Voice of Yale: "It's been a few weeks since Devon has been returned to us. The group had voted to resume our trip to New Pacifica, leaving Devon in cold sleep. It was a difficult decision to make. A day into the trip, True remarked to her father that perhaps the Elder would know what was wrong with Devon. Once again the group voted and unanimously it was decided that Alonzo and Julia should go to the Elder to see if he knew what was wrong with Devon. The rest of the group would continue on to New Pacifica. The journey back to the Elder would take a few days in the rail. After our idleness at winter camp and then the illness, we determined that we would not make so much progress as the others couldn't rejoin us in a short amount of time.
The Elder was not sure of the cause of Devon's illness but in the 30 odd years he had been on the planet had encountered it numerous times. The first several resulted in the death of the inflicted until they were able to find a cure. Armed with the cure Julia and Alonzo rushed to Devon. A week later, the smaller group joined the larger group. Everyone was overjoyed at Devon's return to say the less. I have to admit that before falling ill, Devon was much more open to those around her, more so then I had ever seen her. Devon is naturally reserved and since recovering she has reverted back to her reserved state. I have tried to talk to Devon but naturally she is unwilling to discuss the matter. I hope that Devon comes to term with her feelings. It has thus far not impacted the group, and perhaps no one except for myself and perhaps Danziger have noticed. I miss the smiling open woman that I knew always existed and whom I caught a brief glance of so recently."
It was a hot day just prior to entering a desert when a strange frequency was picked up. The frequency was interfering with their gear transmission so it was decided that 2 individuals would take the rail to check it out while the others rested before the trek through the desert began. The group had gotten in the habit of drawing lots to determine who should go on scout when no apparent skill sets could be determined. This headed off complaints that certain people got all the good scouts while others were stuck on the less attractive ones. Morgan and Danziger's names were drawn for the scout.
Bess cautiously approached Danziger. "John, can I speak to you for a moment?"
"As long as you don't mind that I continue prepping for the scout. Adair wants us to be on the road in 10 minutes and you know there'll be hell to pay if everything's not ready."
"I don't mind if you continue what you're doing. I just wanted to ask if you still held Morgan taking the pod against him?"
Danziger stopped and seemed to consider the question. "No, he made a mistake that I'm sure he regrets. I have to admit that I've made my share as well. Perhaps not the size or magnitude of the pod or the Geo-lock but I've made some bad decisions as well. "
"So if you don't hold these things against Morgan, why are you always so hard on him?"
"Bess, I know you love the guy and all. I'm sure that he has qualities that I am unaware of but I just find him annoying. He whines more then the rest of the group combined. You have to admit that he hasn't always pulled his weight, that you've carried him." When it looked like Bess was about to interrupt, he held up a hand to silence her. "I know that he is really been making an effort lately but he still annoys me. I don't know why. I bet that I'm not Morgan's favorite person either."
"No, you're not. But if you gave him a chance some of the others would as well. I'm not asking you to make him your best friend but do you have to put him down in front of the others. Can't you reprimand him in private?"
Once again Danziger considered Bess' question. "I can try. No promises but I can try to be less negative in regards to Morgan, at least in front of others."
"Thanks John, that's all I'm asking for, just that you try."
Several hours later the scout team was derailed from their quest to find the source of the strange frequency when the rail suddenly stopped a short distance from their destination. Danziger checked out the vehicle while Morgan nervously looked around.
"Everything seems ok. I wonder if the frequency that is interfering with our gear communication could also be causing the rail's problems?" Danziger queried.
"Can you fix the rail?"
"There's nothing to fix. Can't fix it if it's not broken." Danziger sarcastically replied.
"We're stranded here?" Morgan whined.
Danziger silently counted to ten before answering. "Morgan we are two clicks away from the source of the frequency, we can walk there, check it out, shut it down if possible. "
"Do you think that's safe? I mean if they've interrupted our communication and our stopped the rail, my guess is that they don't want visitors."
"Do you want to walk back to camp instead? Because that's the alternative, the rail isn't going any where until we stop and/or change that frequency."
Morgan while not interested in finding the source of the frequency causing all the problems was less interested in walking 20 clicks through a desert. "OK, let's check it out. But, if there is a group of penal colonists, we head right back to warn the others at camp."
"Agreed."
The two were just about at the source of the frequency when Danziger asked, "Does the horizon look strange to you?"
Morgan glanced up from the monitoring tool, and replied, "Now that you mention it, it does. Maybe we should see if there is any place to take shelter." As he finished talking, he let out a cry of pain and dropped to the sand, grasping his right ankle.
Danziger was about to yell at Morgan to quit fooling around when he noticed how pale Morgan had become. "Morgan, what is it?"
"Something bit me."
Danziger knelt to examine Morgan's ankle. He noticed a small mark that was bleeding. He took out his knife and went to cut Morgan's ankle. "What are you doing?" Morgan exclaimed.
"I'm going to suck the poison out. Didn't you ever watch old western vids when you were a kid?" Danziger quickly made a small incision and began to suck the poison out.
"How do you know whatever bit me was poison?"
"One thing, your pale and clammy even for you. Second thing, how do you know it isn't" Danziger went to suck some more poison and stopped suddenly. "Definitely poison. I think I'm starting to hallucinate. What do you see coming our way?"
Morgan nervously glanced behind him and saw an attractive brunette cautiously approaching. "Er, an attractive brunette, why what do you see?"
"Same thing." Noticing her timid reaction, Danziger cautiously stood. "We mean no harm, my friend got stung by something."
"I saw. Here put this on the wound and get to cover. There is a sand storm approaching this location. It should be here in about 30 minutes."
Danziger quickly treated Morgan's wound. "Lady, our rail is dead, there is no shelter behind us for several hours, so unless there is something up ahead, I don't know where you expect us to go."
The woman nervously shifted her weight back and forth. She apprehensively glanced over her shoulder at the approaching storm. "Give me your weapon and you can stay with me. If you don't give me your weapon, you'll stay out here."
Danziger and Morgan exchanged glances. Then Danziger remarked, "We're dead if we stay out here, we might as well give her the weapon." He waited for Morgan to reluctantly nod before he handed the weapon over.
"Follow me." The woman led them to what appeared to be a sand dune. Moving aside a hidden door, she directed them to an underground cavern. It much cooler then the surface had been. A quick glance around showed an air filtration system, a water compressor and several plants as well as a cot, table, chair and screened off area.
"You and your friend can stay down there. I will get you some blankets and some light. I'll also let you have some more water and rations." She indicated a small tunnel leading from the room.
Danziger supported Morgan as they made their way down the tunnel. As they passed an alcove, Danziger suddenly stopped.
"What's this equipment used for?" He indicated a strange machine that was admitting a low hum. Morgan indicated that it was in fact the source of their communication problems.
"None of your business."
"It is my business if this is the reason the rail died and the gear's com is down." The woman avoided looking at them. "Look can you shut it down, at least long enough for us to notify the others that we are ok and to warn them of the approaching storm."
"There are others? How many others? How far behind?" The woman was obviously nervous which made Morgan even more nervous.
"Not large. They are camped some distance behind us but expect us back tonight." Danziger vaguely replied.
The vagueness of Danziger's reply made the woman even more nervous.
Morgan suddenly spoke up. "You don't want kids to be stranded in a sand storm do you?"
Morgan immediately had the woman's attention and Danziger's wrath.
"Kids, there are kids out there?"
"On the verge of the desert. At least they were on the verge when we started out." Morgan replied.
"OK, you can contact your group but you are not to mention me, this place or have tracking on. Also, I want your gear so I can listen in. As soon as you're done, I'm turning it back on."
The men agreed. As the woman went to shut down the machine, Danziger said to Morgan, "Nice going. Nothing like telling a complete stranger where our group is located."
"She's trapped here with us. What can she do? Besides, she is letting us to speak with the group."
"We don't know she's alone or if there are other sites like this scattered throughout the desert."
Morgan let out a groan.
"OK, you", she indicated Danziger, "Call your group. Just let them know that you'll be delayed a few days and they should stay put until you contact them."
"Danziger to camp, anyone there."
"Dad, where are you? Did you stop the frequency?" True demanded.
"Hi honey, temporarily stopped it. Listen; let someone know that a sand storm is approaching. Morgan and I found some shelter where we will ride it out. Stay put until we contact you again. Did you get all that sweetheart?"
"Sure Dad. Do you have enough supplies to get you through?" True asked in a scared voice.
"We'll be fine honey. Make sure you let Bess know that everything is ok. " The woman motioned for him to finish the conversion. "I have to go honey. Be good and I love you."
"Love you too Dad."
The woman turned the machine on again. "How old is your daughter?"
"She just turned 11."
"So Bess is the girl's mother?"
"Morgan's wife."
"Where is the girl's mother?" The woman angrily demanded.
"Neuro-dead back on the stations." Danziger gruffly replied.
"Is that true?" The woman questioned Morgan.
"Yes, Bess is my wife and True's mother is neuro-dead back on the stations." Morgan had heard the story from Bess regarding the tragic accident involving True's mother. Surprisingly, Morgan was the only person Bess told.
The woman considered this and then indicated that they should continue down the hall. "At the end of the tunnel, there is an alcove on your left. You can stay there. It should satisfy all your needs. Please stay there. If you need something, shout and I'll do what I can." Looking at Morgan's pasty complexion, "I'll brew a tea that should ease some of your discomfort. Also, I'll make up a dressing for the wound. Be sure to elevate the leg, check it regularly and let me know if you see any signs of the poison spreading. You got to the wound quickly so the medicine should be able to handle it." The woman turned back towards the main cavern.
"You not going to put that dressing on me are you?" Morgan whined.
"Sure why not?"
"It could be poison, that's why not."
"Morgan, if she had wanted to kill us, she could have just left us up on top."
Morgan seemed to consider this and then reluctantly agreed to the dressing and the tea. Despite both, Morgan began to get feverish. Morgan refused to let Danziger call the woman, convinced that she had caused the fever in the first place. Danziger bathed Morgan's head with water and as soon as Morgan passed out, called towards the woman. "Do you have anything for a fever?"
"Your friend has a fever?" The woman asked suspiciously. "Did you see what stung him?"
"Yeah, he's got a fever. No, I didn't see what stung him."
The woman cautiously approached with the mag-pro in her arms. Seeing Morgan's condition, she indicated that Danziger was to stand as far away as possible. When he had moved, she approached Morgan. Laying a hand on his head, she exclaimed, "He's burning up. Why didn't you call earlier?"
"He didn't want me too. Trust me, Morgan whined until I caved in. As soon as he fell asleep, I called."
"OK, I've got something strong but it can cause hallucinations so you'll need to watch him closely."
"OK but if I nod off and he starts down your way. Don't shoot him. No one would ever believe it wasn't me."
The woman jumped back. "Were you sent here as a murderer?"
"No, I came here voluntarily. Actually, I wasn't suppose to land just deliver the supplies for the colony but we crashed."
"Colony? The colony for the syndrome children?" The woman cautiously asked.
"Listen, you get Morgan's fever down and I'll answer your questions. I won't tell you anything if I think it puts my group in danger."
"OK." The woman returned with a foul smelling drink that she handed to Danziger indicating that he should give it to Morgan.
"Thanks goodness Morgan is unconscious or the fuss he would put up would amaze you."
"We need to watch him. He could hurt himself or if he opens the door and gets outside, kill himself."
"OK, I make sure he stays put. How long till we see results?"
"Not sure, by daybreak I'm guessing. Is your group part of Devon Adair's quest?"
"Yeah, we're the advance team. The council tried to blow us up in port that didn't work but they had a back up. They put a chip in my friend's head and had her sabotage the ship. So we crashed half way across the planet from the colony's site."
"You're walking across the planet, why not set up where you crashed?"
"No supplies. What pods crashed in our vicinity had been broken into; we only have a small fraction of what we need. We're hoping that the rest of the pods are waiting for us at the site."
"Why did you take your daughter on such a dangerous mission?"
"It wasn't supposed to be dangerous; at least no more so that any other cold-sleep trip. In hindsight I realize that was naïve but if I had left her, I would have missed her whole childhood. I guess I was just selfish."
"Does your daughter like it here?"
"Parts of it, other parts she's not thrilled with. She wouldn't have let me leave her behind even if I wanted to."
"How long has her mother been neuro-dead?"
"Since she was 3 months pregnant. And I would rather not talk about her mother if you don't mind."
Seeing the pain still in Danziger's eyes she let the subject drop. "So did the planet manage to cure Devon's son?"
"Not so much the planet as the terrians."
"She let the terrians take her son!"
"She didn't actually let them. They just sort of did. " Noticing the woman's discomfort with the terrians, Danziger added, "They make me nervous. I'm not saying that they're evil or anything. But I just don't trust them, especially that dream plane. That's just, I don't know, strange."
"You have good reason to distrust the dream plane. In the hands of the wrong people, it can be used against you."
"What? What are you talking about? How can it be used against someone?"
"How did Devon know to take her son to this planet?" The woman asked.
"A dream."
"From the terrians?"
"No a penal colonist named Shepherd."
"So she told you all this?"
"She kind of had to. We met Shepherd."
"He's not with your group now is he?" The woman was obviously distressed at the thought.
"No, he's dead."
"For real? How did he die?"
"Devon wanted him to come with us. I have to tell you I was opposed to the idea. Well, his sister found out and stabbed him when he tried to leave."
"Poor Katrina. She must have been devastated. "
"Actually she's dead. I had to shot her before she killed Devon. How did you know her name was Katrina?"
"I stayed with the group for a while. I'm actually the reason why he lost his eye."
"Why did you leave the group, or were you cast out?"
"I left on my own. I needed to get away from Shepherd. When I said that the dream plane in the wrong hands could be used against you, I was referring to Shepherd."
"What? I knew that guy was messing with Devon's mind."
"How did you know?"
"Well first Devon couldn't remember him and was actually afraid of him. The Elder…"
"The Elder? How is he?"
"He was fine last time we saw him about seven weeks ago. Anyway the Elder couldn't get Devon to remember Shepherd but then Devon goes and talks to him and suddenly they are best friends."
"Shepherd has very strong control of the dream plane. Often he used it for good, like stopping fights. But occasionally he used it for his own purpose."
"What purpose was that?"
"Personal gain, I guess. He used it to manipulate people, have them do his will. I will admit that for the most part he did it for the good of the group but he also used it to gain favor with the women of his choosing. The initial contact would be while you were sleeping, that's when someone is most vulnerable. He would implant deep into your subconscious whatever it was that he wanted from you; it could be for obedience or love or whatever. After several sessions, his suggestions are firmly planted; it is almost instinct to follow them. That's when he approaches you, that's how Shepherd and I became lovers. I also noticed his control over other members of the group. Shepherd's group is made up of the station's unwanted; some are political antagonists, others are murders, rapists, and violent criminals. Yet, at Shepherd's command, fights would automatically stop. Generally just his voice was needed but occasionally eye contact and/or physical contact was needed. Then my last winter in the cavern, I woke up and Shepherd was gone from our bed. I went to search for him and found him communicating through the terrian. I approached him and laid my hand to the terrian to keep from stumbling, that's when I heard/saw him using the dream plane to manipulate members of the group. I immediately left and then started to plan my escape. I waited until spring, not wanting to be topside during the winter."
"What did Shepherd do to get sent here?"
"I don't know. He said that his sister had turned his heart to evil and that they did unspeakable things. Katrina was crazy and vindictive but I never saw her manipulate anyone. I believe, but have no proof, that Katrina was not the driving force in that duo."
"How do you know that Shepherd manipulated you into becoming his lover?"
"I have come to distrust all men. Yet I completely trusted him, not at first because I came in the spring but shortly after the terrians began to hibernate, I believe everything he said without question. "
Morgan began to stir so the conversation was put to an end. Over the following two days, Danziger and the woman, whose name they learned was Rachel Collins, talked a lot. In addition to her name, they learned she been there 7 years. After losing a custody battle with her powerful ex lover for her son, she had been blamed for the murder of her lawyer, the motive being she held him accountable for losing her son. She was sent to G889 with some ecology fanatics, from who she learned a great deal about plant life. They had settled on the eastern shore where for about 4 years everything was ok but then encountered a ZED that kill everyone but her and another women. The two women escaped into a cave and took the spider tunnel they found there. After some traveling, they found Elder's group and were taken in. She was there for about a year and a half before discovering that Shepherd was manipulating her. She had been on her own for about a year. Rachel built the machine causing the strange frequency to prevent Shepherd from contacting her on the dream plane.
Danziger and Morgan also learned Rachel was part of the environmental engineering staff back on stations; she had been a mid level engineer who's major responsibility was irrigation on the botanical gardens/farms.
When the storm had finally passed, Rachel turned off the machine so that they could call their group. She agreed to leave it off until after the group had left the area. She extracted a promise that they would not tell anyone about her or her hide out. Danziger had tried to convince her that with Shepherd dead, the machine was unnecessary. He also indicated that it was probably also interfering with the terrians and they probably weren't too happy with her. Rachel wasn't convinced.
Morgan and Danziger had just finished digging the rail out when the Advance team joined them. Unknown to them, Devon had decided that they should rest a few hours at that location until the heat of the day passed. They were still trying to convince Devon to go a little farther when they heard the cave-in; Cameron had parked the transrover over Rachel's hideout.
"Rachel!" Morgan yelled as Danziger instructed Cameron to move the transrover. Once the vehicle was moved; Danziger and Morgan began to dig. The others, not knowing what was going on, began to help.
They were digging for several minutes when Morgan once again yelled. "I see her, I think she's alright." Rachel was pulled from the ground. The group stared first at the strange woman and then at their two comrades.
"Did I miss when you explained about her?" Alonzo asked with a sly grin.
"No, it was part of the deal. She saved us from the storm, we didn't mention her."
Julia, who had rushed to the woman's side pronounced her ok. Rachel closely observed the group then switched her focus to Devon. "You're younger then I thought you'd be."
Not knowing how to respond, Devon replied, "Really?"
"Is it true that Shepherd's dead?" Rachel questioned.
A brief expression of grief passed Devon face before she replied. "Yes, he died a few months back. How do you know Shepherd?"
Danziger interrupted "Maybe this can wait until we have the camp set up." Then to Rachel, "I'll see what can be salvaged from your place. I am pretty sure you won't be able to stay there." He then yelled for the group to set up the camp.
"We can talk later. I going to see just how much damage there is." Rachel replied.
Devon automatically told her to be careful and then went about getting the camp set up. As Danziger had predicted, there wasn't much to save from Rachel's cave. They were able to save the air filtration system, water compressor and several plants as well the strange machine that appeared to be broken.
Over a late lunch, Rachel had told the group the same story as she had told Danziger and Morgan. She invited Yale to confirm her story that she was sent here for one murder, as well as whom she had lost custody of her child to. Yale was able to confirm it.
"It's strange that you got sent here for just one murder. After all there are criminals more dangerous back on the stations." Alonzo stated.
"It was my old flame's doing. He wanted to ensure that I would never get my son back but also wanted to be sure that I suffered." Rachel sarcastically commented.
"Could one man cover up a murder, and get someone exiled to a planet?" Magus questioned.
Julia responded, "Richard Westby has that kind of power. He is a pretty influential member of the council."
"Is Rachel going to be traveling with us?" Uly asked.
"She did save Morgan and Danziger's lives and we did ruin her home" Bess replied.
"No offense, I'm not sure I want to join another group." Rachel replied.
"Well, you've already been trapped nearly three days with the worst two in the group, the rest of us will be easier to get along with." Alonzo commented. "How did you have chance to tell your story with these two bickering all the time?"
"They didn't bicker." At the group's surprised look, she continued. "Seriously, they got along fine. Morgan was pretty sick the first night when he recovered they got along fine."
"Morgan, honey, what happened?" Bess asked as she gave Danziger a skeptical glance.
"I got stung by something. Danziger sucked the poison out then Rachel gave me something for the fever."
Julia by this time had already completed a quick scan. "There are minute traces of a toxin resembling a scorpion sting. Don't worry Bess, he's fine."
"Rachel, why don't you give our group a chance? Your knowledge of the plant life on the planet could be very beneficial. If you find that we're too much to stomach, then you can go your own way." Morgan commented.
Rachel slowly nodded. The group when polled agreed to let Rachel join them; after all she didn't have to help Danziger or Morgan. It was decided the Rachel would take Eben's old cot.
While the group was resting during the heat of the day, Devon decided to talk to Danziger. She found him tinkering with the dune rail.
"Will it run?"
"Yeah, although all this sand wasn't good for it. This desert is going to be rough on the equipment."
Devon nodded her understanding and then asked, "Do you trust Rachel?" Danziger was not by nature a trusting sort.
"Yeah, I mean she didn't have to come out to help us. She could have left us on surface during the sand storm. And she didn't have to cure Morgan. Plus she gave us our weapon and gear back."
Devon considered this and nodded again. "Do you believe her story?"
"Well the spider tunnel on the east coast that lead to a cave near the Elder's group is true enough. Plus she knew Shepherd's sister name. Also, it does kind of explain your reaction when we were with Shepherd."
"What do you mean it explains my reaction?" Devon defensively asked.
"Well first you don't trust him, then you're best friends. You invited the guy to join our group without knowing his crime. Not only that, it wasn't important what his crime was. That's just not you."
"You more or less invited Rachel to join us."
"Actually Morgan did. I just didn't raise an objection. Plus I know her crime and its been confirmed by Yale and even Julia."
Danziger could tell that Devon was troubled. "Devon, if you don't trust her, she doesn't have to come with us. I don't think it would take much to convince her to head out on her own."
"No, it's not that I don't trust her. I mean she did manage to survive two nights trapped with you and Morgan without resorting to violence, that in itself says a lot."
"So, what's the problem?" When Devon hesitated, Danziger continued, "What's wrong, I thought that you and I were friends that you trusted me but lately you're pushing me away. Did I do something to upset you?"
"No, it's not you, it's me. I don't know since I recovered I have been having a lot of doubts."
"About what?"
"Everything. I mean did I have the right to put so many lives at risk for the sake of my son? Look at how many people we have already lost, how many more will we lose?"
"First of all, it was not just for Uly, there are 250 other kids' lives that will be saved from this trip. Secondly, it wasn't your fault that we crashed."
"But it is my fault we chose this planet, all because of a dream that I now find out was pure manipulation."
"Manipulation or not, Uly's cured. Besides where else could we have gone?"
"There is another habitable planet, H374 that didn't rate quiet as high but it was still a possibility."
"But the planet didn't heal Uly, the terrians did."
"But how did Shepherd know that the terrians could help?"
"Don't know. Maybe he learned on the dream plane that they had healing powers, maybe he just wanted you and we got lucky. Shepherd's dead, we'll never know. But that doesn't change the fact that coming to this planet was a good thing. Uly is nine years old, which is unheard of for a syndrome child. Devon there is enough to worry about without wondering if you made the right choice."
"I guess you're right. But still I can't help feel guilty about the people we've lost especially when my son and I have both survived."
"Everyone's happy that Uly was healed and that you recovered. Besides all decisions aren't yours alone, remember we vote as a group on what happens. I do realize that your say has a lot of weight, but if I object, I voice my option, as do others. The other options also carry some weight."
"Thanks for the pep talk. It helped."
"That's what friends are for."
Voice of Yale: "We head through the desert with a new addition to the group. There'll be a period of adjustment but I believe that her addition is a welcome one. I am not sure why but I have a feeling that she and Devon are more alike then different. Surprisingly, Devon appears to be more relaxed, not sure what caused this change but I also welcome it."
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The End. This is my attempt at trying to explain Shepherd's hold over Devon.
Closure: Takes place after Devon gets out of cold sleep. The Advance Team is still on the road to New Pacifica.
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Voice of Yale: "It's been a few weeks since Devon has been returned to us. The group had voted to resume our trip to New Pacifica, leaving Devon in cold sleep. It was a difficult decision to make. A day into the trip, True remarked to her father that perhaps the Elder would know what was wrong with Devon. Once again the group voted and unanimously it was decided that Alonzo and Julia should go to the Elder to see if he knew what was wrong with Devon. The rest of the group would continue on to New Pacifica. The journey back to the Elder would take a few days in the rail. After our idleness at winter camp and then the illness, we determined that we would not make so much progress as the others couldn't rejoin us in a short amount of time.
The Elder was not sure of the cause of Devon's illness but in the 30 odd years he had been on the planet had encountered it numerous times. The first several resulted in the death of the inflicted until they were able to find a cure. Armed with the cure Julia and Alonzo rushed to Devon. A week later, the smaller group joined the larger group. Everyone was overjoyed at Devon's return to say the less. I have to admit that before falling ill, Devon was much more open to those around her, more so then I had ever seen her. Devon is naturally reserved and since recovering she has reverted back to her reserved state. I have tried to talk to Devon but naturally she is unwilling to discuss the matter. I hope that Devon comes to term with her feelings. It has thus far not impacted the group, and perhaps no one except for myself and perhaps Danziger have noticed. I miss the smiling open woman that I knew always existed and whom I caught a brief glance of so recently."
It was a hot day just prior to entering a desert when a strange frequency was picked up. The frequency was interfering with their gear transmission so it was decided that 2 individuals would take the rail to check it out while the others rested before the trek through the desert began. The group had gotten in the habit of drawing lots to determine who should go on scout when no apparent skill sets could be determined. This headed off complaints that certain people got all the good scouts while others were stuck on the less attractive ones. Morgan and Danziger's names were drawn for the scout.
Bess cautiously approached Danziger. "John, can I speak to you for a moment?"
"As long as you don't mind that I continue prepping for the scout. Adair wants us to be on the road in 10 minutes and you know there'll be hell to pay if everything's not ready."
"I don't mind if you continue what you're doing. I just wanted to ask if you still held Morgan taking the pod against him?"
Danziger stopped and seemed to consider the question. "No, he made a mistake that I'm sure he regrets. I have to admit that I've made my share as well. Perhaps not the size or magnitude of the pod or the Geo-lock but I've made some bad decisions as well. "
"So if you don't hold these things against Morgan, why are you always so hard on him?"
"Bess, I know you love the guy and all. I'm sure that he has qualities that I am unaware of but I just find him annoying. He whines more then the rest of the group combined. You have to admit that he hasn't always pulled his weight, that you've carried him." When it looked like Bess was about to interrupt, he held up a hand to silence her. "I know that he is really been making an effort lately but he still annoys me. I don't know why. I bet that I'm not Morgan's favorite person either."
"No, you're not. But if you gave him a chance some of the others would as well. I'm not asking you to make him your best friend but do you have to put him down in front of the others. Can't you reprimand him in private?"
Once again Danziger considered Bess' question. "I can try. No promises but I can try to be less negative in regards to Morgan, at least in front of others."
"Thanks John, that's all I'm asking for, just that you try."
Several hours later the scout team was derailed from their quest to find the source of the strange frequency when the rail suddenly stopped a short distance from their destination. Danziger checked out the vehicle while Morgan nervously looked around.
"Everything seems ok. I wonder if the frequency that is interfering with our gear communication could also be causing the rail's problems?" Danziger queried.
"Can you fix the rail?"
"There's nothing to fix. Can't fix it if it's not broken." Danziger sarcastically replied.
"We're stranded here?" Morgan whined.
Danziger silently counted to ten before answering. "Morgan we are two clicks away from the source of the frequency, we can walk there, check it out, shut it down if possible. "
"Do you think that's safe? I mean if they've interrupted our communication and our stopped the rail, my guess is that they don't want visitors."
"Do you want to walk back to camp instead? Because that's the alternative, the rail isn't going any where until we stop and/or change that frequency."
Morgan while not interested in finding the source of the frequency causing all the problems was less interested in walking 20 clicks through a desert. "OK, let's check it out. But, if there is a group of penal colonists, we head right back to warn the others at camp."
"Agreed."
The two were just about at the source of the frequency when Danziger asked, "Does the horizon look strange to you?"
Morgan glanced up from the monitoring tool, and replied, "Now that you mention it, it does. Maybe we should see if there is any place to take shelter." As he finished talking, he let out a cry of pain and dropped to the sand, grasping his right ankle.
Danziger was about to yell at Morgan to quit fooling around when he noticed how pale Morgan had become. "Morgan, what is it?"
"Something bit me."
Danziger knelt to examine Morgan's ankle. He noticed a small mark that was bleeding. He took out his knife and went to cut Morgan's ankle. "What are you doing?" Morgan exclaimed.
"I'm going to suck the poison out. Didn't you ever watch old western vids when you were a kid?" Danziger quickly made a small incision and began to suck the poison out.
"How do you know whatever bit me was poison?"
"One thing, your pale and clammy even for you. Second thing, how do you know it isn't" Danziger went to suck some more poison and stopped suddenly. "Definitely poison. I think I'm starting to hallucinate. What do you see coming our way?"
Morgan nervously glanced behind him and saw an attractive brunette cautiously approaching. "Er, an attractive brunette, why what do you see?"
"Same thing." Noticing her timid reaction, Danziger cautiously stood. "We mean no harm, my friend got stung by something."
"I saw. Here put this on the wound and get to cover. There is a sand storm approaching this location. It should be here in about 30 minutes."
Danziger quickly treated Morgan's wound. "Lady, our rail is dead, there is no shelter behind us for several hours, so unless there is something up ahead, I don't know where you expect us to go."
The woman nervously shifted her weight back and forth. She apprehensively glanced over her shoulder at the approaching storm. "Give me your weapon and you can stay with me. If you don't give me your weapon, you'll stay out here."
Danziger and Morgan exchanged glances. Then Danziger remarked, "We're dead if we stay out here, we might as well give her the weapon." He waited for Morgan to reluctantly nod before he handed the weapon over.
"Follow me." The woman led them to what appeared to be a sand dune. Moving aside a hidden door, she directed them to an underground cavern. It much cooler then the surface had been. A quick glance around showed an air filtration system, a water compressor and several plants as well as a cot, table, chair and screened off area.
"You and your friend can stay down there. I will get you some blankets and some light. I'll also let you have some more water and rations." She indicated a small tunnel leading from the room.
Danziger supported Morgan as they made their way down the tunnel. As they passed an alcove, Danziger suddenly stopped.
"What's this equipment used for?" He indicated a strange machine that was admitting a low hum. Morgan indicated that it was in fact the source of their communication problems.
"None of your business."
"It is my business if this is the reason the rail died and the gear's com is down." The woman avoided looking at them. "Look can you shut it down, at least long enough for us to notify the others that we are ok and to warn them of the approaching storm."
"There are others? How many others? How far behind?" The woman was obviously nervous which made Morgan even more nervous.
"Not large. They are camped some distance behind us but expect us back tonight." Danziger vaguely replied.
The vagueness of Danziger's reply made the woman even more nervous.
Morgan suddenly spoke up. "You don't want kids to be stranded in a sand storm do you?"
Morgan immediately had the woman's attention and Danziger's wrath.
"Kids, there are kids out there?"
"On the verge of the desert. At least they were on the verge when we started out." Morgan replied.
"OK, you can contact your group but you are not to mention me, this place or have tracking on. Also, I want your gear so I can listen in. As soon as you're done, I'm turning it back on."
The men agreed. As the woman went to shut down the machine, Danziger said to Morgan, "Nice going. Nothing like telling a complete stranger where our group is located."
"She's trapped here with us. What can she do? Besides, she is letting us to speak with the group."
"We don't know she's alone or if there are other sites like this scattered throughout the desert."
Morgan let out a groan.
"OK, you", she indicated Danziger, "Call your group. Just let them know that you'll be delayed a few days and they should stay put until you contact them."
"Danziger to camp, anyone there."
"Dad, where are you? Did you stop the frequency?" True demanded.
"Hi honey, temporarily stopped it. Listen; let someone know that a sand storm is approaching. Morgan and I found some shelter where we will ride it out. Stay put until we contact you again. Did you get all that sweetheart?"
"Sure Dad. Do you have enough supplies to get you through?" True asked in a scared voice.
"We'll be fine honey. Make sure you let Bess know that everything is ok. " The woman motioned for him to finish the conversion. "I have to go honey. Be good and I love you."
"Love you too Dad."
The woman turned the machine on again. "How old is your daughter?"
"She just turned 11."
"So Bess is the girl's mother?"
"Morgan's wife."
"Where is the girl's mother?" The woman angrily demanded.
"Neuro-dead back on the stations." Danziger gruffly replied.
"Is that true?" The woman questioned Morgan.
"Yes, Bess is my wife and True's mother is neuro-dead back on the stations." Morgan had heard the story from Bess regarding the tragic accident involving True's mother. Surprisingly, Morgan was the only person Bess told.
The woman considered this and then indicated that they should continue down the hall. "At the end of the tunnel, there is an alcove on your left. You can stay there. It should satisfy all your needs. Please stay there. If you need something, shout and I'll do what I can." Looking at Morgan's pasty complexion, "I'll brew a tea that should ease some of your discomfort. Also, I'll make up a dressing for the wound. Be sure to elevate the leg, check it regularly and let me know if you see any signs of the poison spreading. You got to the wound quickly so the medicine should be able to handle it." The woman turned back towards the main cavern.
"You not going to put that dressing on me are you?" Morgan whined.
"Sure why not?"
"It could be poison, that's why not."
"Morgan, if she had wanted to kill us, she could have just left us up on top."
Morgan seemed to consider this and then reluctantly agreed to the dressing and the tea. Despite both, Morgan began to get feverish. Morgan refused to let Danziger call the woman, convinced that she had caused the fever in the first place. Danziger bathed Morgan's head with water and as soon as Morgan passed out, called towards the woman. "Do you have anything for a fever?"
"Your friend has a fever?" The woman asked suspiciously. "Did you see what stung him?"
"Yeah, he's got a fever. No, I didn't see what stung him."
The woman cautiously approached with the mag-pro in her arms. Seeing Morgan's condition, she indicated that Danziger was to stand as far away as possible. When he had moved, she approached Morgan. Laying a hand on his head, she exclaimed, "He's burning up. Why didn't you call earlier?"
"He didn't want me too. Trust me, Morgan whined until I caved in. As soon as he fell asleep, I called."
"OK, I've got something strong but it can cause hallucinations so you'll need to watch him closely."
"OK but if I nod off and he starts down your way. Don't shoot him. No one would ever believe it wasn't me."
The woman jumped back. "Were you sent here as a murderer?"
"No, I came here voluntarily. Actually, I wasn't suppose to land just deliver the supplies for the colony but we crashed."
"Colony? The colony for the syndrome children?" The woman cautiously asked.
"Listen, you get Morgan's fever down and I'll answer your questions. I won't tell you anything if I think it puts my group in danger."
"OK." The woman returned with a foul smelling drink that she handed to Danziger indicating that he should give it to Morgan.
"Thanks goodness Morgan is unconscious or the fuss he would put up would amaze you."
"We need to watch him. He could hurt himself or if he opens the door and gets outside, kill himself."
"OK, I make sure he stays put. How long till we see results?"
"Not sure, by daybreak I'm guessing. Is your group part of Devon Adair's quest?"
"Yeah, we're the advance team. The council tried to blow us up in port that didn't work but they had a back up. They put a chip in my friend's head and had her sabotage the ship. So we crashed half way across the planet from the colony's site."
"You're walking across the planet, why not set up where you crashed?"
"No supplies. What pods crashed in our vicinity had been broken into; we only have a small fraction of what we need. We're hoping that the rest of the pods are waiting for us at the site."
"Why did you take your daughter on such a dangerous mission?"
"It wasn't supposed to be dangerous; at least no more so that any other cold-sleep trip. In hindsight I realize that was naïve but if I had left her, I would have missed her whole childhood. I guess I was just selfish."
"Does your daughter like it here?"
"Parts of it, other parts she's not thrilled with. She wouldn't have let me leave her behind even if I wanted to."
"How long has her mother been neuro-dead?"
"Since she was 3 months pregnant. And I would rather not talk about her mother if you don't mind."
Seeing the pain still in Danziger's eyes she let the subject drop. "So did the planet manage to cure Devon's son?"
"Not so much the planet as the terrians."
"She let the terrians take her son!"
"She didn't actually let them. They just sort of did. " Noticing the woman's discomfort with the terrians, Danziger added, "They make me nervous. I'm not saying that they're evil or anything. But I just don't trust them, especially that dream plane. That's just, I don't know, strange."
"You have good reason to distrust the dream plane. In the hands of the wrong people, it can be used against you."
"What? What are you talking about? How can it be used against someone?"
"How did Devon know to take her son to this planet?" The woman asked.
"A dream."
"From the terrians?"
"No a penal colonist named Shepherd."
"So she told you all this?"
"She kind of had to. We met Shepherd."
"He's not with your group now is he?" The woman was obviously distressed at the thought.
"No, he's dead."
"For real? How did he die?"
"Devon wanted him to come with us. I have to tell you I was opposed to the idea. Well, his sister found out and stabbed him when he tried to leave."
"Poor Katrina. She must have been devastated. "
"Actually she's dead. I had to shot her before she killed Devon. How did you know her name was Katrina?"
"I stayed with the group for a while. I'm actually the reason why he lost his eye."
"Why did you leave the group, or were you cast out?"
"I left on my own. I needed to get away from Shepherd. When I said that the dream plane in the wrong hands could be used against you, I was referring to Shepherd."
"What? I knew that guy was messing with Devon's mind."
"How did you know?"
"Well first Devon couldn't remember him and was actually afraid of him. The Elder…"
"The Elder? How is he?"
"He was fine last time we saw him about seven weeks ago. Anyway the Elder couldn't get Devon to remember Shepherd but then Devon goes and talks to him and suddenly they are best friends."
"Shepherd has very strong control of the dream plane. Often he used it for good, like stopping fights. But occasionally he used it for his own purpose."
"What purpose was that?"
"Personal gain, I guess. He used it to manipulate people, have them do his will. I will admit that for the most part he did it for the good of the group but he also used it to gain favor with the women of his choosing. The initial contact would be while you were sleeping, that's when someone is most vulnerable. He would implant deep into your subconscious whatever it was that he wanted from you; it could be for obedience or love or whatever. After several sessions, his suggestions are firmly planted; it is almost instinct to follow them. That's when he approaches you, that's how Shepherd and I became lovers. I also noticed his control over other members of the group. Shepherd's group is made up of the station's unwanted; some are political antagonists, others are murders, rapists, and violent criminals. Yet, at Shepherd's command, fights would automatically stop. Generally just his voice was needed but occasionally eye contact and/or physical contact was needed. Then my last winter in the cavern, I woke up and Shepherd was gone from our bed. I went to search for him and found him communicating through the terrian. I approached him and laid my hand to the terrian to keep from stumbling, that's when I heard/saw him using the dream plane to manipulate members of the group. I immediately left and then started to plan my escape. I waited until spring, not wanting to be topside during the winter."
"What did Shepherd do to get sent here?"
"I don't know. He said that his sister had turned his heart to evil and that they did unspeakable things. Katrina was crazy and vindictive but I never saw her manipulate anyone. I believe, but have no proof, that Katrina was not the driving force in that duo."
"How do you know that Shepherd manipulated you into becoming his lover?"
"I have come to distrust all men. Yet I completely trusted him, not at first because I came in the spring but shortly after the terrians began to hibernate, I believe everything he said without question. "
Morgan began to stir so the conversation was put to an end. Over the following two days, Danziger and the woman, whose name they learned was Rachel Collins, talked a lot. In addition to her name, they learned she been there 7 years. After losing a custody battle with her powerful ex lover for her son, she had been blamed for the murder of her lawyer, the motive being she held him accountable for losing her son. She was sent to G889 with some ecology fanatics, from who she learned a great deal about plant life. They had settled on the eastern shore where for about 4 years everything was ok but then encountered a ZED that kill everyone but her and another women. The two women escaped into a cave and took the spider tunnel they found there. After some traveling, they found Elder's group and were taken in. She was there for about a year and a half before discovering that Shepherd was manipulating her. She had been on her own for about a year. Rachel built the machine causing the strange frequency to prevent Shepherd from contacting her on the dream plane.
Danziger and Morgan also learned Rachel was part of the environmental engineering staff back on stations; she had been a mid level engineer who's major responsibility was irrigation on the botanical gardens/farms.
When the storm had finally passed, Rachel turned off the machine so that they could call their group. She agreed to leave it off until after the group had left the area. She extracted a promise that they would not tell anyone about her or her hide out. Danziger had tried to convince her that with Shepherd dead, the machine was unnecessary. He also indicated that it was probably also interfering with the terrians and they probably weren't too happy with her. Rachel wasn't convinced.
Morgan and Danziger had just finished digging the rail out when the Advance team joined them. Unknown to them, Devon had decided that they should rest a few hours at that location until the heat of the day passed. They were still trying to convince Devon to go a little farther when they heard the cave-in; Cameron had parked the transrover over Rachel's hideout.
"Rachel!" Morgan yelled as Danziger instructed Cameron to move the transrover. Once the vehicle was moved; Danziger and Morgan began to dig. The others, not knowing what was going on, began to help.
They were digging for several minutes when Morgan once again yelled. "I see her, I think she's alright." Rachel was pulled from the ground. The group stared first at the strange woman and then at their two comrades.
"Did I miss when you explained about her?" Alonzo asked with a sly grin.
"No, it was part of the deal. She saved us from the storm, we didn't mention her."
Julia, who had rushed to the woman's side pronounced her ok. Rachel closely observed the group then switched her focus to Devon. "You're younger then I thought you'd be."
Not knowing how to respond, Devon replied, "Really?"
"Is it true that Shepherd's dead?" Rachel questioned.
A brief expression of grief passed Devon face before she replied. "Yes, he died a few months back. How do you know Shepherd?"
Danziger interrupted "Maybe this can wait until we have the camp set up." Then to Rachel, "I'll see what can be salvaged from your place. I am pretty sure you won't be able to stay there." He then yelled for the group to set up the camp.
"We can talk later. I going to see just how much damage there is." Rachel replied.
Devon automatically told her to be careful and then went about getting the camp set up. As Danziger had predicted, there wasn't much to save from Rachel's cave. They were able to save the air filtration system, water compressor and several plants as well the strange machine that appeared to be broken.
Over a late lunch, Rachel had told the group the same story as she had told Danziger and Morgan. She invited Yale to confirm her story that she was sent here for one murder, as well as whom she had lost custody of her child to. Yale was able to confirm it.
"It's strange that you got sent here for just one murder. After all there are criminals more dangerous back on the stations." Alonzo stated.
"It was my old flame's doing. He wanted to ensure that I would never get my son back but also wanted to be sure that I suffered." Rachel sarcastically commented.
"Could one man cover up a murder, and get someone exiled to a planet?" Magus questioned.
Julia responded, "Richard Westby has that kind of power. He is a pretty influential member of the council."
"Is Rachel going to be traveling with us?" Uly asked.
"She did save Morgan and Danziger's lives and we did ruin her home" Bess replied.
"No offense, I'm not sure I want to join another group." Rachel replied.
"Well, you've already been trapped nearly three days with the worst two in the group, the rest of us will be easier to get along with." Alonzo commented. "How did you have chance to tell your story with these two bickering all the time?"
"They didn't bicker." At the group's surprised look, she continued. "Seriously, they got along fine. Morgan was pretty sick the first night when he recovered they got along fine."
"Morgan, honey, what happened?" Bess asked as she gave Danziger a skeptical glance.
"I got stung by something. Danziger sucked the poison out then Rachel gave me something for the fever."
Julia by this time had already completed a quick scan. "There are minute traces of a toxin resembling a scorpion sting. Don't worry Bess, he's fine."
"Rachel, why don't you give our group a chance? Your knowledge of the plant life on the planet could be very beneficial. If you find that we're too much to stomach, then you can go your own way." Morgan commented.
Rachel slowly nodded. The group when polled agreed to let Rachel join them; after all she didn't have to help Danziger or Morgan. It was decided the Rachel would take Eben's old cot.
While the group was resting during the heat of the day, Devon decided to talk to Danziger. She found him tinkering with the dune rail.
"Will it run?"
"Yeah, although all this sand wasn't good for it. This desert is going to be rough on the equipment."
Devon nodded her understanding and then asked, "Do you trust Rachel?" Danziger was not by nature a trusting sort.
"Yeah, I mean she didn't have to come out to help us. She could have left us on surface during the sand storm. And she didn't have to cure Morgan. Plus she gave us our weapon and gear back."
Devon considered this and nodded again. "Do you believe her story?"
"Well the spider tunnel on the east coast that lead to a cave near the Elder's group is true enough. Plus she knew Shepherd's sister name. Also, it does kind of explain your reaction when we were with Shepherd."
"What do you mean it explains my reaction?" Devon defensively asked.
"Well first you don't trust him, then you're best friends. You invited the guy to join our group without knowing his crime. Not only that, it wasn't important what his crime was. That's just not you."
"You more or less invited Rachel to join us."
"Actually Morgan did. I just didn't raise an objection. Plus I know her crime and its been confirmed by Yale and even Julia."
Danziger could tell that Devon was troubled. "Devon, if you don't trust her, she doesn't have to come with us. I don't think it would take much to convince her to head out on her own."
"No, it's not that I don't trust her. I mean she did manage to survive two nights trapped with you and Morgan without resorting to violence, that in itself says a lot."
"So, what's the problem?" When Devon hesitated, Danziger continued, "What's wrong, I thought that you and I were friends that you trusted me but lately you're pushing me away. Did I do something to upset you?"
"No, it's not you, it's me. I don't know since I recovered I have been having a lot of doubts."
"About what?"
"Everything. I mean did I have the right to put so many lives at risk for the sake of my son? Look at how many people we have already lost, how many more will we lose?"
"First of all, it was not just for Uly, there are 250 other kids' lives that will be saved from this trip. Secondly, it wasn't your fault that we crashed."
"But it is my fault we chose this planet, all because of a dream that I now find out was pure manipulation."
"Manipulation or not, Uly's cured. Besides where else could we have gone?"
"There is another habitable planet, H374 that didn't rate quiet as high but it was still a possibility."
"But the planet didn't heal Uly, the terrians did."
"But how did Shepherd know that the terrians could help?"
"Don't know. Maybe he learned on the dream plane that they had healing powers, maybe he just wanted you and we got lucky. Shepherd's dead, we'll never know. But that doesn't change the fact that coming to this planet was a good thing. Uly is nine years old, which is unheard of for a syndrome child. Devon there is enough to worry about without wondering if you made the right choice."
"I guess you're right. But still I can't help feel guilty about the people we've lost especially when my son and I have both survived."
"Everyone's happy that Uly was healed and that you recovered. Besides all decisions aren't yours alone, remember we vote as a group on what happens. I do realize that your say has a lot of weight, but if I object, I voice my option, as do others. The other options also carry some weight."
"Thanks for the pep talk. It helped."
"That's what friends are for."
Voice of Yale: "We head through the desert with a new addition to the group. There'll be a period of adjustment but I believe that her addition is a welcome one. I am not sure why but I have a feeling that she and Devon are more alike then different. Surprisingly, Devon appears to be more relaxed, not sure what caused this change but I also welcome it."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++
The End. This is my attempt at trying to explain Shepherd's hold over Devon.