Disclaimer: Once again, I still don't own any characters here. Selfish
Square.
OUT OF THE ASHES
Chapter Four
Blessing or Curse?
Aki didn't spend too much time thinking that Gray could have – should have – been alive. She had too much to think about with living Phantoms, uncontrolled rapid plant growth, and the resurrection of New York to spend time mourning Gray's death. Besides, she hadn't heard anything about people outside of New York who had been restored, so there was no reason to believe Gray would have been revived as well.
She tried not to think that the fire in the morgue could be the only reason no one in Houston was alive again.
"It's incredible," Aki said as she followed Deep Eyes around the shelter they had helped organize. There were thousands of people – nowhere near the millions that had once populated the city, but certainly quite a lot – who were trying to pull their lives together.
"Yes," Jane said slowly. "For some of us. For others, it seems to be a curse." The Deep Eyes had been quiet as they'd brought Aki to the shelter, but they had dropped small hints that nothing was quite right. To Aki's frustration, they wouldn't tell her much else.
"What do you mean?" She was eager for answers.
Ryan and Jane exchanged glances as Neil opened his mouth to speak. The others shot him a warning look, and Ryan gestured towards a door behind them.
"Sorry," Ryan apologized. "It makes them a little uncomfortable to hear us talking like this."
"Those that are sane enough to understand," Jane said flatly. "And they're all too busy pretending there's nothing wrong."
Aki stared. "What's wrong with them?" she breathed.
"Well," Neil said, "you have your Duos, and the Undeads, and the people who look normal but have weird powers," he said, with a significant glance at Jane.
Aki just stared blankly, while Jane glowered at Neil.
"And most of them are psychotic," Neil continued. Then his playful manner faded. "It's all anyone can do to stay sane," he said. "When I think about those Phantom tentacles… And what they did to me…" Neil shuddered.
Aki was silent for a moment, while Neil regained his composure. It seemed as if the world had suddenly gone mad. "What about the Duos? And Undeads? And…?" she trailed off uncertainly.
Ryan took over, explaining the nicknames Neil had given the various conditions that seemed doomed to stick. When he showed Aki his wound as an example, she gasped. "It doesn't even hurt," Ryan said. "I've seen far worse." He replaced the bandages covering his wound, but left off his armor.
"What about those with… weird powers?" Aki asked.
Jane's lips thinned and her gaze was stony as Ryan cast her a plaintive glance. Then he scowled as he realized he'd have to explain this one, too.
"Not many people know about this condition, which is another reason I wanted to discuss it with you in private. About a day after we… came back, we were helping a group of refugees. One was injured and, when another soldier came in contact with him to help him, there was a flash of light, and the soldier died. From what we saw, it looked like a lightning bolt.
"After that, we've had several more strange incidents, usually occurring when the person has strong emotions, such as when they're angry, and the incidents are usually fatal to the people around them. We've found two people who can start fires, and another who can poison with a touch. We've found several groups of people inexplicably dead, looking as if they'd drowned, been struck by lightning… or frozen." Ryan turned towards Jane, who boldly met his gaze. "They don't do it intentionally, but they have no control over it."
"Do you have any idea what's happening?" Neil asked.
"I can't even begin to guess," Aki admitted. What was going on? What had seemed like a gift from Gaia had become a disaster. "I need to speak with Dr. Sid; maybe he'll have a theory." She highly doubted that. "And, with your permission, I'd like to scan you."
Neil groaned loudly, Jane remained silent, and Ryan nodded. "We'll do what we can to solve this mystery," Ryan said.
"And I'll see if I can contact another city for support," Aki said. "I assume you couldn't make any calls or you would have already, correct?"
Neil nodded. "All the power we have is going towards the generators. I was only able to get the message out to the Black Boa just before we began working on them and I still had power to boost the com devices you left us. Didn't have time to fix any of city's communications systems."
"We'll contact them in the ship," Aki said. "There's a fully functioning scanner on board, too. Come on; the sooner we begin, the sooner we can figure out what the hell is going on."
* * *
They were scanned before anything else. Aki wanted to have something to give Dr. Sid when she contacted him. Plus, she wanted to be able to prove New York's resurrection to the military. She doubted they'd believe her, even if she was THE Aki Ross.
Jane had to agree. After all, she could barely believe it herself. She watched as Ryan went through the scanner first, Neil by her side as they waited for the image of Ryan's spirit to form.
Neil was uncharacteristically quiet, his blue eyes narrowed as he watched. Odd, Jane thought. Was it her imagination, or was there something… different about his eyes? Well, he had died. Perhaps that had changed him. She knew she'd never be the same again.
"This is strange," Aki said, as Ryan stepped out to look with them. "I almost expected to find some Phantom traces. But this…" Ryan's spirit was mostly a healthy blue, but there were odd patches of green mixed in. They didn't have the look of invading particles; they were a part of his spirit.
"What are they?" Ryan asked.
"I don't know. Neil, let's see if you're the same way." Aki beckoned Neil towards the scanner.
Neil's was strange as well, Jane noticed. It was very different from Ryan's but had similar patches of green.
"Your spirit is very… dense," Aki observed.
Jane chuckled. "I could have told you that," she said. Even Ryan laughed at Neil's sour expression.
"So I have a lot of spirit," Neil said defensively as Jane stepped into the scanner. She wondered what it would reveal about her.
As the scanning beam swept over her, she saw Neil make a furtive glance towards his own scanned image. Something about it worried him, and she was certain it wasn't impotence. What did it reveal about him that no one else saw?
She shrugged the thought off. If Neil h ad a problem, he would tell them all, exaggerating the matter to get as much sympathy as he could. It was probably no more than what was bothering the rest of them: memories of dying.
"What's the verdict?" Jane asked Aki as she stepped out of the scanner.
"You have more green spots than anyone else," Aki said. She closed her eyes and pressed her hand to her forehead. "None of this makes sense. If everyone in New York were just restored, I'd guess that all the spirits taken by the Phantoms were being returned and, since your bodies were still fresh, you came back to life. But that doesn't explain why Ryan's still alive, or why the Phantoms are flesh and blood…" She sighed. "I've got to make some calls. If you're not needed out there, then help yourself to whatever's in the galley." Aki transferred the scanned data to a disk, then left them.
"Should we go back to the shelter?" Neil asked Ryan. "With the Phantoms out of the city for the moment, there's really not much we can do."
"I know," Ryan said. "And Dr. Ross may want us available to confirm her story. We'll stay here, for now. The 307's are pretty much in charge of the city, anyway."
"And they don't like us," Neil snorted. He went to the door. "So, is anyone else hungry? It'll be my treat."
Jane groaned and followed after him. "No thanks, Neil. I really don't want to die again."
* * *
"Trouble, Doctor?" Ryan asked Aki as she entered the galley, a frustrated look on her face.
"Yes. I couldn't get the military in Chicago – it seems they've seen Phantoms and are on full alert. And they wouldn't spare anyone to check out a 'frivolous' tale!" Aki scowled. The colonel she'd spoken to had treated her like a fool, even after she'd told him who she was. "I got a hold of the Council in Houston, and they're 'discussing' the matter. I don't think they really believed me, either. But at least they're going to speak with the general." Aki toyed with the collar of her jacket as she thought about what really worried her.
"And?" Ryan prompted, sensing there was more she wasn't saying.
"I couldn't get a hold of Dr. Sid. He was… busy." He promised he'd make time for me… Why does he have to be too busy now, when I really need him? "I left a message, and sent a copy of your scans for him to look over. Hopefully, he'll contact me soon. I wanted his advice," she admitted. "I don't know what to think."
"I'm sure he'll get a hold of you," Ryan said.
"Right," Aki agreed slowly. He hadn't seen the way the captain had acted when she had demanded to speak to Dr. Sid…
"There's something I would like to ask of you," Aki continued. "The Council could take days, or even weeks discussing the matter. I'd like you three to come back with me, as evidence. Would you be willing to come?"
Ryan turned to Jane and Neil, who both nodded.
"The generators should hold," Neil said. "They'll have the barrier to keep the Phantoms out for now."
"Plus, the rest of the military will fight when needed," Jane added. "The loss of just the three of us won't affect the defense. And if it brings help faster, then so much the better."
"Then it's settled," Ryan said. "You'll have to let us inform the others, and we can leave as soon as you're ready."
Aki was relieved to finally have a plan. She felt helpless seeing these people suffer, knowing she was no tactician to stop the Phantoms nor a doctor who could stop all the city's suffering. Besides, she felt protective of Deep Eyes. Her plans had gotten them killed once. She vowed that it wouldn't happen again.
She just hoped events wouldn't conspire to make that vow impossible to keep.
To Be Continued…
OUT OF THE ASHES
Chapter Four
Blessing or Curse?
Aki didn't spend too much time thinking that Gray could have – should have – been alive. She had too much to think about with living Phantoms, uncontrolled rapid plant growth, and the resurrection of New York to spend time mourning Gray's death. Besides, she hadn't heard anything about people outside of New York who had been restored, so there was no reason to believe Gray would have been revived as well.
She tried not to think that the fire in the morgue could be the only reason no one in Houston was alive again.
"It's incredible," Aki said as she followed Deep Eyes around the shelter they had helped organize. There were thousands of people – nowhere near the millions that had once populated the city, but certainly quite a lot – who were trying to pull their lives together.
"Yes," Jane said slowly. "For some of us. For others, it seems to be a curse." The Deep Eyes had been quiet as they'd brought Aki to the shelter, but they had dropped small hints that nothing was quite right. To Aki's frustration, they wouldn't tell her much else.
"What do you mean?" She was eager for answers.
Ryan and Jane exchanged glances as Neil opened his mouth to speak. The others shot him a warning look, and Ryan gestured towards a door behind them.
"Sorry," Ryan apologized. "It makes them a little uncomfortable to hear us talking like this."
"Those that are sane enough to understand," Jane said flatly. "And they're all too busy pretending there's nothing wrong."
Aki stared. "What's wrong with them?" she breathed.
"Well," Neil said, "you have your Duos, and the Undeads, and the people who look normal but have weird powers," he said, with a significant glance at Jane.
Aki just stared blankly, while Jane glowered at Neil.
"And most of them are psychotic," Neil continued. Then his playful manner faded. "It's all anyone can do to stay sane," he said. "When I think about those Phantom tentacles… And what they did to me…" Neil shuddered.
Aki was silent for a moment, while Neil regained his composure. It seemed as if the world had suddenly gone mad. "What about the Duos? And Undeads? And…?" she trailed off uncertainly.
Ryan took over, explaining the nicknames Neil had given the various conditions that seemed doomed to stick. When he showed Aki his wound as an example, she gasped. "It doesn't even hurt," Ryan said. "I've seen far worse." He replaced the bandages covering his wound, but left off his armor.
"What about those with… weird powers?" Aki asked.
Jane's lips thinned and her gaze was stony as Ryan cast her a plaintive glance. Then he scowled as he realized he'd have to explain this one, too.
"Not many people know about this condition, which is another reason I wanted to discuss it with you in private. About a day after we… came back, we were helping a group of refugees. One was injured and, when another soldier came in contact with him to help him, there was a flash of light, and the soldier died. From what we saw, it looked like a lightning bolt.
"After that, we've had several more strange incidents, usually occurring when the person has strong emotions, such as when they're angry, and the incidents are usually fatal to the people around them. We've found two people who can start fires, and another who can poison with a touch. We've found several groups of people inexplicably dead, looking as if they'd drowned, been struck by lightning… or frozen." Ryan turned towards Jane, who boldly met his gaze. "They don't do it intentionally, but they have no control over it."
"Do you have any idea what's happening?" Neil asked.
"I can't even begin to guess," Aki admitted. What was going on? What had seemed like a gift from Gaia had become a disaster. "I need to speak with Dr. Sid; maybe he'll have a theory." She highly doubted that. "And, with your permission, I'd like to scan you."
Neil groaned loudly, Jane remained silent, and Ryan nodded. "We'll do what we can to solve this mystery," Ryan said.
"And I'll see if I can contact another city for support," Aki said. "I assume you couldn't make any calls or you would have already, correct?"
Neil nodded. "All the power we have is going towards the generators. I was only able to get the message out to the Black Boa just before we began working on them and I still had power to boost the com devices you left us. Didn't have time to fix any of city's communications systems."
"We'll contact them in the ship," Aki said. "There's a fully functioning scanner on board, too. Come on; the sooner we begin, the sooner we can figure out what the hell is going on."
* * *
They were scanned before anything else. Aki wanted to have something to give Dr. Sid when she contacted him. Plus, she wanted to be able to prove New York's resurrection to the military. She doubted they'd believe her, even if she was THE Aki Ross.
Jane had to agree. After all, she could barely believe it herself. She watched as Ryan went through the scanner first, Neil by her side as they waited for the image of Ryan's spirit to form.
Neil was uncharacteristically quiet, his blue eyes narrowed as he watched. Odd, Jane thought. Was it her imagination, or was there something… different about his eyes? Well, he had died. Perhaps that had changed him. She knew she'd never be the same again.
"This is strange," Aki said, as Ryan stepped out to look with them. "I almost expected to find some Phantom traces. But this…" Ryan's spirit was mostly a healthy blue, but there were odd patches of green mixed in. They didn't have the look of invading particles; they were a part of his spirit.
"What are they?" Ryan asked.
"I don't know. Neil, let's see if you're the same way." Aki beckoned Neil towards the scanner.
Neil's was strange as well, Jane noticed. It was very different from Ryan's but had similar patches of green.
"Your spirit is very… dense," Aki observed.
Jane chuckled. "I could have told you that," she said. Even Ryan laughed at Neil's sour expression.
"So I have a lot of spirit," Neil said defensively as Jane stepped into the scanner. She wondered what it would reveal about her.
As the scanning beam swept over her, she saw Neil make a furtive glance towards his own scanned image. Something about it worried him, and she was certain it wasn't impotence. What did it reveal about him that no one else saw?
She shrugged the thought off. If Neil h ad a problem, he would tell them all, exaggerating the matter to get as much sympathy as he could. It was probably no more than what was bothering the rest of them: memories of dying.
"What's the verdict?" Jane asked Aki as she stepped out of the scanner.
"You have more green spots than anyone else," Aki said. She closed her eyes and pressed her hand to her forehead. "None of this makes sense. If everyone in New York were just restored, I'd guess that all the spirits taken by the Phantoms were being returned and, since your bodies were still fresh, you came back to life. But that doesn't explain why Ryan's still alive, or why the Phantoms are flesh and blood…" She sighed. "I've got to make some calls. If you're not needed out there, then help yourself to whatever's in the galley." Aki transferred the scanned data to a disk, then left them.
"Should we go back to the shelter?" Neil asked Ryan. "With the Phantoms out of the city for the moment, there's really not much we can do."
"I know," Ryan said. "And Dr. Ross may want us available to confirm her story. We'll stay here, for now. The 307's are pretty much in charge of the city, anyway."
"And they don't like us," Neil snorted. He went to the door. "So, is anyone else hungry? It'll be my treat."
Jane groaned and followed after him. "No thanks, Neil. I really don't want to die again."
* * *
"Trouble, Doctor?" Ryan asked Aki as she entered the galley, a frustrated look on her face.
"Yes. I couldn't get the military in Chicago – it seems they've seen Phantoms and are on full alert. And they wouldn't spare anyone to check out a 'frivolous' tale!" Aki scowled. The colonel she'd spoken to had treated her like a fool, even after she'd told him who she was. "I got a hold of the Council in Houston, and they're 'discussing' the matter. I don't think they really believed me, either. But at least they're going to speak with the general." Aki toyed with the collar of her jacket as she thought about what really worried her.
"And?" Ryan prompted, sensing there was more she wasn't saying.
"I couldn't get a hold of Dr. Sid. He was… busy." He promised he'd make time for me… Why does he have to be too busy now, when I really need him? "I left a message, and sent a copy of your scans for him to look over. Hopefully, he'll contact me soon. I wanted his advice," she admitted. "I don't know what to think."
"I'm sure he'll get a hold of you," Ryan said.
"Right," Aki agreed slowly. He hadn't seen the way the captain had acted when she had demanded to speak to Dr. Sid…
"There's something I would like to ask of you," Aki continued. "The Council could take days, or even weeks discussing the matter. I'd like you three to come back with me, as evidence. Would you be willing to come?"
Ryan turned to Jane and Neil, who both nodded.
"The generators should hold," Neil said. "They'll have the barrier to keep the Phantoms out for now."
"Plus, the rest of the military will fight when needed," Jane added. "The loss of just the three of us won't affect the defense. And if it brings help faster, then so much the better."
"Then it's settled," Ryan said. "You'll have to let us inform the others, and we can leave as soon as you're ready."
Aki was relieved to finally have a plan. She felt helpless seeing these people suffer, knowing she was no tactician to stop the Phantoms nor a doctor who could stop all the city's suffering. Besides, she felt protective of Deep Eyes. Her plans had gotten them killed once. She vowed that it wouldn't happen again.
She just hoped events wouldn't conspire to make that vow impossible to keep.
To Be Continued…