++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dionysus then went out in to the hallway and shouted at two lesser Nietzscheans and ordered them to bring the machine in.
Seamus swallowed loudly. This wasn't going to be pretty.
A black machine was wheeled in to the small room. The machine even looked intimidating. It was greasy, awkward and had two medical electrodes on thin long wires.
Then Dionysus ordered food.lots of food. "Are you hungry, boy?" he crowed.
Plates were brought in. They contained. Sticky buns and pies just like the ones he had stolen. And things some things he had never see.Fresh Vegetables and fruit, ones that didn't come from a ration pack. He wanted to say no. His stomach disagreed and growled hungrily.
"The Drago Katsov's deal with thievery severely. Even our own children are beaten if caught. I will not beat you. But I will teach you your place."
The two electrodes from the dirt machine were stuck on either side of Harper's head. Then his hands were freed.
Dionysus smiled. "Eat boy, eat your fill."
He felt sick with hunger. But he didn't move.
"NOW!" Screamed the Nietzschean.
Seamus, startled by the hell, hesitantly reached for an apple. When nothing happened he took an even more cautious bit of the fruit. It was wonderful. His half- starved body rejoiced as he swallowed. Juice ran down his chin. It was possibly the best thing he had ever eaten.
Then Dionysus turned the machine on.
A wave a pain started at his temple. The intensity was indescribable. His small body convulsed and at the same time it seemed like every muscle in his body contracted. It wasn't brief.
Seamus's lungs wouldn't fluctuate. He couldn't draw in air. With a cold- hearted flick of a switch Dionysus turned the evil machine off.
Harper's first breath was a scream.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The young man sat up with a jolt. He looked around with wild eyes as his scream still echoed through the room.
Dylan reached out a hand to stop the boy from leaping of the medical bed. It didn't help though. The minute Dylan's hand brushed Seamus' shoulder the boy leapt sideways careening with a thud on to the floor.
Dylan dashed to the other side of the bed to see if he was okay. The Young man sat on the floor pale and shaking.
The captain knelt down in front of him. "Are you okay?"
"Where's Beka?" he stuttered through chattering teeth. He looked like he might go in to shock.
Dylan grabbed a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around his shoulders. The boy flinched slightly but accepted the blanket that nearly engulfed him.
"I ordered her to her quarters. She needed a break. She disagreed but I insisted. I don't know if she will be talking to me for some time. Besides you and I haven't had much time to talk. What kind of Captain would I be if I didn't welcome a guest to my ship properly."
Harper shrugged then responded hesitantly. "I don't know. I haven't been on a ship before."
Dylan was smiled kindly. The young Mister Harper seemed less fearful then before. Yet, he was far different from any of the children Dylan ever had association with on Tarn Vedra. He wasn't sure quite what to make of this boy from earth.
Suddenly he remembered the scanner and pulled it out of his pocket. "Trance gave this to me. She said you fixed it."
The boy reached forward tentatively and took the scanner from his fingers. Harper gave it a cursory glance. "It works okay now? You know I could make it better. It wouldn't be hard."
"Mr. Harper, this is a piece of advanced medical technology? I don't imagine you ever went to medical school?"
Seamus looked confused. "School? I've never been to school? Well that's not true I slept in an old one once when I was visiting my cousin. It smelled though. I didn't like it."
Dylan tried to hide his frown behind his hand. "How did you learn to fix things like this."
Seamus shrugged like it was no big deal. "I just know. They make sense. My mom said I'm a genus."
"A genius."
"That's what I said."
Dylan studied the boy for a moment. Rommie had done a scan of him. He claims to be 14 and sometimes older. Rommie's analysis indicated approximately 13. But the boy who sat huddled in a blanket before him certainly looked a lot younger. He was small and frail. His skeletal frame caused his eyes to look like blue puddles. His entire family was dead and then he was wrenched from the only home he knew. Yet Seamus Harper sat before him calmly studying the medical scanner.
This boy was something special.
"We should really get you back in to bed and I'll call Trance."
Seamus made a face.
"What?" Dylan queried.
"I'm tired of being here I want to go home. Anyway, that purple girl only likes to stick me hypo sprays." It was then that he seemed to notice the blue medical gel packs that adorned his body. "I told her I don't like medicine!" He growled. He reached up and attempted to rip the gel pack from his neck.
Dylan stopped his hand. "Tell you what Mister Harper. Do what Trance tells you, take your medicine.We'll see if we can't find you something to do. Once you're better we'll talk more."
Harper gave a small nod and accepted the larger man's help getting back in to the bed.
"I'll let you sleep. But before I go would you like me to get you something to drink? A snack maybe?"
Seamus Harper rolled over so his back was to Dylan. "Not hungry." He murmured.
As he left Dylan asked Rommie to dim the lights and watch over the boy. He was sure all Seamus Harper needed was a good sleep. Things would look better in the morning.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TBC
Dionysus then went out in to the hallway and shouted at two lesser Nietzscheans and ordered them to bring the machine in.
Seamus swallowed loudly. This wasn't going to be pretty.
A black machine was wheeled in to the small room. The machine even looked intimidating. It was greasy, awkward and had two medical electrodes on thin long wires.
Then Dionysus ordered food.lots of food. "Are you hungry, boy?" he crowed.
Plates were brought in. They contained. Sticky buns and pies just like the ones he had stolen. And things some things he had never see.Fresh Vegetables and fruit, ones that didn't come from a ration pack. He wanted to say no. His stomach disagreed and growled hungrily.
"The Drago Katsov's deal with thievery severely. Even our own children are beaten if caught. I will not beat you. But I will teach you your place."
The two electrodes from the dirt machine were stuck on either side of Harper's head. Then his hands were freed.
Dionysus smiled. "Eat boy, eat your fill."
He felt sick with hunger. But he didn't move.
"NOW!" Screamed the Nietzschean.
Seamus, startled by the hell, hesitantly reached for an apple. When nothing happened he took an even more cautious bit of the fruit. It was wonderful. His half- starved body rejoiced as he swallowed. Juice ran down his chin. It was possibly the best thing he had ever eaten.
Then Dionysus turned the machine on.
A wave a pain started at his temple. The intensity was indescribable. His small body convulsed and at the same time it seemed like every muscle in his body contracted. It wasn't brief.
Seamus's lungs wouldn't fluctuate. He couldn't draw in air. With a cold- hearted flick of a switch Dionysus turned the evil machine off.
Harper's first breath was a scream.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The young man sat up with a jolt. He looked around with wild eyes as his scream still echoed through the room.
Dylan reached out a hand to stop the boy from leaping of the medical bed. It didn't help though. The minute Dylan's hand brushed Seamus' shoulder the boy leapt sideways careening with a thud on to the floor.
Dylan dashed to the other side of the bed to see if he was okay. The Young man sat on the floor pale and shaking.
The captain knelt down in front of him. "Are you okay?"
"Where's Beka?" he stuttered through chattering teeth. He looked like he might go in to shock.
Dylan grabbed a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around his shoulders. The boy flinched slightly but accepted the blanket that nearly engulfed him.
"I ordered her to her quarters. She needed a break. She disagreed but I insisted. I don't know if she will be talking to me for some time. Besides you and I haven't had much time to talk. What kind of Captain would I be if I didn't welcome a guest to my ship properly."
Harper shrugged then responded hesitantly. "I don't know. I haven't been on a ship before."
Dylan was smiled kindly. The young Mister Harper seemed less fearful then before. Yet, he was far different from any of the children Dylan ever had association with on Tarn Vedra. He wasn't sure quite what to make of this boy from earth.
Suddenly he remembered the scanner and pulled it out of his pocket. "Trance gave this to me. She said you fixed it."
The boy reached forward tentatively and took the scanner from his fingers. Harper gave it a cursory glance. "It works okay now? You know I could make it better. It wouldn't be hard."
"Mr. Harper, this is a piece of advanced medical technology? I don't imagine you ever went to medical school?"
Seamus looked confused. "School? I've never been to school? Well that's not true I slept in an old one once when I was visiting my cousin. It smelled though. I didn't like it."
Dylan tried to hide his frown behind his hand. "How did you learn to fix things like this."
Seamus shrugged like it was no big deal. "I just know. They make sense. My mom said I'm a genus."
"A genius."
"That's what I said."
Dylan studied the boy for a moment. Rommie had done a scan of him. He claims to be 14 and sometimes older. Rommie's analysis indicated approximately 13. But the boy who sat huddled in a blanket before him certainly looked a lot younger. He was small and frail. His skeletal frame caused his eyes to look like blue puddles. His entire family was dead and then he was wrenched from the only home he knew. Yet Seamus Harper sat before him calmly studying the medical scanner.
This boy was something special.
"We should really get you back in to bed and I'll call Trance."
Seamus made a face.
"What?" Dylan queried.
"I'm tired of being here I want to go home. Anyway, that purple girl only likes to stick me hypo sprays." It was then that he seemed to notice the blue medical gel packs that adorned his body. "I told her I don't like medicine!" He growled. He reached up and attempted to rip the gel pack from his neck.
Dylan stopped his hand. "Tell you what Mister Harper. Do what Trance tells you, take your medicine.We'll see if we can't find you something to do. Once you're better we'll talk more."
Harper gave a small nod and accepted the larger man's help getting back in to the bed.
"I'll let you sleep. But before I go would you like me to get you something to drink? A snack maybe?"
Seamus Harper rolled over so his back was to Dylan. "Not hungry." He murmured.
As he left Dylan asked Rommie to dim the lights and watch over the boy. He was sure all Seamus Harper needed was a good sleep. Things would look better in the morning.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TBC