THE PROPHECY OF ANU-RA
Part nine
Though he tried not to show it, Rick was more than a little relieved to see Alex make his reappearance back on deck. The more rational side of him had known his son would come to no harm under the Med-jai chieftain's watchful eye, but the father in him still felt the suffocating feeling of helplessness left over from Alex's kidnapping, a feeling that still physically ached at its memory.
"Mom! Dad!" Alex called as he ran across the deck toward his waiting parents. "It was brilliant. You should have seen it. It was amazing down there. I mean, Izzy's sky trawler was great, but this, the engine is huge." The youngster babbled on excitedly.
Rick and Evelyn listened patiently, as their son continued to extol the virtues of the steam engine versus sky travel.
With his hand on Alex's shoulder and stooped slightly so he could hear Alex better over the passing passengers, Rick was still listening, when he noticed that Ardeth still languished back near the stairway. Though there was nothing unusual in Ardeth's tendency to stay out of the way of the on deck traffic, there was something odd in the Med-Jai's posture that didn't sit well with the adventurer.
"Remember where you were up to Alex, I want to hear all about it when I get back," Rick winked as he tapped his son on the shoulder and made a move to leave.
"Rick?"
"It's okay, I just want to talk to Ardeth for a minute. Won't be long," Rick said waving off any concerns Evelyn might have with a wink.
++++++++++++++
The sensation had struck without warning. It had taken a fraction of time for the Med-jai chieftain to go from alert sentinel to a man barely able to focus on his next breath. Using the wall of the ship for support, Ardeth clenched his teeth against the searing pain that seemed to pulse through his veins with each hard won breath.
The closer Rick got to Ardeth, the more noticeable the Med-jai's pale features became.
"Don't tell me after all this time we have to add sea sickness to your dislike of air and bus travel? You should've listened to me and let us take a plane," Rick teased, attempting to hide his concern as he reached his obviously sick friend.
With all of Ardeth's energy occupied with his struggle to fight the oncoming darkness, there was nothing left for him that would allow him to vocalize his helplessness in words, nor was there anything left to keep him on his feet.
"Ardeth, what is it? What's wrong?"
If Rick didn't think Ardeth could get any paler, he was mistaken. Just as the adventure reached a hand out a hand in support, the Med-jai's unfocused brown eyes rolled back into his head and he began slide down the wall toward the deck.
Responding quickly, Rick caught the black robed Egyptian and with no choice, heaved the now unconscious man over his shoulder.
Having kept a close eye on Ardeth and what seem to have caused Rick so much concern, Evelyn had seen the Med-jai's collapse. "Rick!" She cried out as she ran across the deck with Alex close behind.
"Evy, find a doctor, and hurry," Rick said urgently as he headed for the stars. "When you find him, bring him to our cabin."
"Is he going to be all right?" Alex asked his mother as he watched his father carry Ardeth carefully down the stairs.
"Of course," Evelyn replied with a forced smile as she tried to keep her own fears at bay. "He's a Med-jai."
TBC
Part nine
Though he tried not to show it, Rick was more than a little relieved to see Alex make his reappearance back on deck. The more rational side of him had known his son would come to no harm under the Med-jai chieftain's watchful eye, but the father in him still felt the suffocating feeling of helplessness left over from Alex's kidnapping, a feeling that still physically ached at its memory.
"Mom! Dad!" Alex called as he ran across the deck toward his waiting parents. "It was brilliant. You should have seen it. It was amazing down there. I mean, Izzy's sky trawler was great, but this, the engine is huge." The youngster babbled on excitedly.
Rick and Evelyn listened patiently, as their son continued to extol the virtues of the steam engine versus sky travel.
With his hand on Alex's shoulder and stooped slightly so he could hear Alex better over the passing passengers, Rick was still listening, when he noticed that Ardeth still languished back near the stairway. Though there was nothing unusual in Ardeth's tendency to stay out of the way of the on deck traffic, there was something odd in the Med-Jai's posture that didn't sit well with the adventurer.
"Remember where you were up to Alex, I want to hear all about it when I get back," Rick winked as he tapped his son on the shoulder and made a move to leave.
"Rick?"
"It's okay, I just want to talk to Ardeth for a minute. Won't be long," Rick said waving off any concerns Evelyn might have with a wink.
++++++++++++++
The sensation had struck without warning. It had taken a fraction of time for the Med-jai chieftain to go from alert sentinel to a man barely able to focus on his next breath. Using the wall of the ship for support, Ardeth clenched his teeth against the searing pain that seemed to pulse through his veins with each hard won breath.
The closer Rick got to Ardeth, the more noticeable the Med-jai's pale features became.
"Don't tell me after all this time we have to add sea sickness to your dislike of air and bus travel? You should've listened to me and let us take a plane," Rick teased, attempting to hide his concern as he reached his obviously sick friend.
With all of Ardeth's energy occupied with his struggle to fight the oncoming darkness, there was nothing left for him that would allow him to vocalize his helplessness in words, nor was there anything left to keep him on his feet.
"Ardeth, what is it? What's wrong?"
If Rick didn't think Ardeth could get any paler, he was mistaken. Just as the adventure reached a hand out a hand in support, the Med-jai's unfocused brown eyes rolled back into his head and he began slide down the wall toward the deck.
Responding quickly, Rick caught the black robed Egyptian and with no choice, heaved the now unconscious man over his shoulder.
Having kept a close eye on Ardeth and what seem to have caused Rick so much concern, Evelyn had seen the Med-jai's collapse. "Rick!" She cried out as she ran across the deck with Alex close behind.
"Evy, find a doctor, and hurry," Rick said urgently as he headed for the stars. "When you find him, bring him to our cabin."
"Is he going to be all right?" Alex asked his mother as he watched his father carry Ardeth carefully down the stairs.
"Of course," Evelyn replied with a forced smile as she tried to keep her own fears at bay. "He's a Med-jai."
TBC