Boundaries
By Joan Powers
Chapter 3
THUD
Huh? What was that? Devon stirred drowsily as she struggled to open her eyelids. Her body felt so heavy, almost as if she were weighted down. So tired. Where am I?
She found herself stretched out across the bench seat of the Trans Rover with Danziger's blue jacket wadded up beneath her head, serving as a pillow. She sighed wearily, Not again. She'd thought that she was getting better but this was part of the same old routine.
As she pushed against the seat with shaky limbs and peered out the windshield of the vehicle, she noticed that another part of the routine hadn't changed either. Danziger and Uly had just finishing putting up her tent. She frowned as her stomach muscles began to tighten. Briefly she considered accosting Danziger and firmly telling him to mind his own affairs. But that conversation might lead to issues that she didn't feel comfortable addressing at present.
Then she noticed Dr. Heller stepping out of the Med tent. Aware that the situation with Danziger was ongoing and wouldn't be resolvable in one confrontation, there were other aspects of her life that she could regain control of. She stumbled out of the vehicle and approached the doctor.
"Julia - I need to speak with you."
The woman looked up from a crate she was opening, "Are you feeling all right? Let's check your vitals." As she reached for her diaglove, Devon pulled back impatiently,
"I'm fine. I have other business that I need to discuss with you. Privately."
The young doctor rose and followed the older woman into the Med Tent. Devon began stamping her feet, trying to get rid of a sudden stabbing pins-and-needles sensation in her feet and legs. When she caught Julia's concerned expression, she ceased. In a no nonsense tone she held the doctor's gaze and stated,
"Julia, I want to know more about my illness."
Without blinking an eye, the blonde woman responded, "What about it Devon? You were poisoned, the Terrians helped us remove the compound. While they healed you, there weren't any changes at the DNA level like those in your son. I can't explain how they cured you Devon, we've spoken about this before. I just don't know."
Devon impatiently tapped her foot and replied, "Julia, I know all this. Now tell me what I don't know - where did this poison come from? Is it indigenous to the planet? Why haven't we taken any precautions to ensure that this won't happen to other crew members?" Resentment crept into her voice as she added, "Or has something already been done and once again no one has bothered to inform me?"
The young doctor turned her head to the side and was silent for a moment, considering her options. Would this information adversely affect her patient's recovery? How much detail should she go into? Pursing her lips she made her decision,
"Okay, I'll tell you what you want to know. I haven't mentioned this before because I didn't want to upset you." Dodging Devon's irate glance, she continued, "The rest of the group doesn't know about this either, only Yale."
The older woman's eyebrow arched and she prompted, "Well.."
Julia situated herself comfortably on the edge of her cot as she began to explain, "Devon, the poison in your body was synthesized, it's not native to this planet. We believe that the Council implanted it in your body to be released after you had sufficient time to establish the colony."
"What?" she gasped, unsteadily grabbing the nearest available crate for a seat. "But why?"
"The best we could figure out is that after you led the advance team to establish the colony at New Pacifica if something were to happen to you, the colonists would be vulnerable and open to new leadership. Specifically, Council leadership."
Devon closed her eyes as her sense of nausea grew worse. She swallowed hard, "Why are you being so secretive about this?"
Julia took a breath and attempted to illustrate her point, "What purpose would sharing this information with the group serve? We can't change what happened." She rose and began to pace, "Devon, group morale hit absolute bottom after you collapsed. Ebon's death, Elizabeth's warnings about the planet, your illness...it was too much. Now that we've been able to learn more about Elizabeth and Franklin's experiences and you've been cured, people are beginning to feel like they can tackle the challenges of this planet again. Do you really want to take that away from them?"
Devon covered her face with her hands, overwhelmed by the doctor's information. She tried to take slow and deliberate breaths to dissipate the sensation of absolute panic that threatened to over take her. She had to regain control.
With alarm Julia noted, "You don't look well." She crossed the tent and activated her diaglove which she held up to Devon's chest. After examining the readout she admonished, "You need to rest. You shouldn't have been walking so long in the heat today."
"Julia - stop treating me like a child! I am not helpless. I have to start doing something for myself or I'll never get better."
"But at a reasonable pace. If you push yourself too hard too fast, you could lose some of the ground that you've gained." Dr. Heller reassured the woman as she sat down beside her, "Devon, I know it's hard for you to let other people take care of you. But this is the way it has to be - for now at least. It won't always be this way." With a slight grin she softly added, "And I don't think certain people mind helping you out."
Devon's face became deeply flushed as she caught the woman's not so subtle hint. She rushed to stand and lost her balance in the process, nearly falling over. As Julia moved forward to help her, she regained her equilibrium and hurried out of the tent.
XXXXXX
"Should I wake Mom up?" Uly's voice enthusiastically boomed.
The sound literally piercing through her, Devon flinched. What time is it? From the amount of light in her tent, it appeared to be at least midmorning. A shot of adrenaline coursed through her - Why weren't they on the road?
As she feebly stirred on her cot, boosting herself up on her elbows, her confusion began to fade. Yale'd mentioned something about forging for food at this location.
"Hi Mom!" Uly poked his head through the tent flap, a broad grin plastered across his elf like face. "How are you feeling?" He scampered over to his mom and snuggled up next to her on the cot.
Devon smiled warmly as she saw her son whom she immediately put an arm about and squeezed gently, "Just fine Champ. What are you up to?"
"Yale's teaching us about the Faith wars, then we get to help look for food." As an afterthought he added, "Want some breakfast?"
Devon beamed and hugged her son again. He was so eager to please her and take care of her. Her eyes were bright, she was so proud of him. "No, I'm okay." Immediately noticing his concerned frown she reassured him, "I'm fine, I'm just not very hungry. I'll help the others look for food."
The glow in his eyes remained dim as he hastily responded, "But... Bess thought you might like to know that there's a pond nearby. You can take a bath."
Getting the impression that her son wasn't comfortable with the idea of her scouting, she suggested, "Okay. Maybe I'll wash our clothes then."
He quickly replied, "You don't have to do that. John already did our stuff along with his."
Her mouth remained open for a moment. Oh, did he? She was going to have to have a talk with that man. Soon.
"Uly" Yale's voice called, "Our lesson?"
"I gotta go" he jumped up. "Oh, your gear is right here Mom" he gestured towards a crate. "John fixed it for you last night. See ya." He darted off to find Yale and True.
Devon remained seated on her cot, contemplating a course of action for the day. For once, she was actually feeling refreshed, as if her energy was returning to her. Encouraged by this, she didn't want to sit around camp all day. She wanted to do something.
As she dressed, she decided she would find out how the search groups were organized and join in. For it was coming back to her, the food situation was worse than Danziger had alluded. Last night she'd managed to pry the truth out of Yale. Everyone needed to do their part. She pulled tight the laces of her hiking boots then lifted the tent flap. Before exiting, she noticed her repaired gear so she grabbed the set and shoved it in her back pocket then she stepped out into the late morning sun, blinking as the bright light hit her face.
Their camp site was surprisingly quiet. In fact, it almost seemed to be deserted. Their tents were clustered about beneath some tall trees, nestled within the rolling terrain. Most of the Eden Advance were probably off just beyond the crest of those hills, searching for edibles.
As she surveyed the area to re-establish her bearings, Bess Martin spotted her and rushed towards her. "Good morning Devon. Or should I say good afternoon? How are you feeling?"
Instinctively, Devon tightened her jaw. While she appreciated Bess's assistance, her continual hovering was a source of irritation. Bess was fantastic with the children, kind and patient. But Devon didn't require mothering. She wasn't used to it and she didn't like it. She took a few steps back as she returned the greeting, "I'm fine Bess. How's the search going?"
The woman cheerfully responded, "Nothing yet, but it's still early. There's some spirolina if you want breakfast."
Anxious to terminate this conversation as quickly as possible, Devon curtly replied, "No. I'm going to help with the search."
Bess's smile disappeared, "I don't think that would be a good idea. I have another one. There's a spring.."
"Stop telling me what to do." Devon lashed out impatiently.
All pretenses aside Bess quipped back in an equally firm tone, "It's not just my idea Devon. You're not well enough to explore. Julia won't allow you and Danziger and Yale will wring my neck if I let you out of my sight today."
Pent up frustration was rapidly surfacing as the prospect of facing yet another day with a baby-sitter set in. Devon complained, "I am not a child. Why do you people keep insisting on treating me like one?"
Bess did not back down from the other woman's tirade. Her own indignation began to rise as she returned with equal vigor, "Tell me, when Uly was in his immunosuit, did you allow him to go 'exploring on his own'?"
"Of course not! But that's not an apt analogy."
"It is when you insist on doing activities which will interfere with you getting better." Devon threw up her hands in disgust as Bess continued, "I can understand your frustration, but why are you mad at people for caring enough to do what is best for you? You're being selfish."
Aghast, Devon opened her mouth to reply but Bess didn't allow her to interrupt, "And if you can't be considerate of the rest of the group, at least think of your own son. I certainly don't want to be the one to tell him that his mom didn't get better because she was too stubborn to follow simple instructions."
Devon's hands were clenched and her eyes blazed with rage. Her words were clipped as she responded, "Okay, I'll go to the stream. But I'm going alone - understand me. Alone. I think I can handle that activity." With that remark, she stormed away from Bess.
"Devon" Bess called after her, her voice devoid of emotion. "It's in the other direction."
She spun about and strode off without uttering another word.
Her raging emotions propelled her along at top speed through the forest as her disagreement with Bess continued to play in her head. She was so preoccupied that she stumbled several times and also managed to tangle herself up in a low hanging tree branch, which only added to her irritation.
/You're being selfish./
What on earth was Bess talking about? She was the one who'd made multiple sacrifices to get them all here. She'd given up almost everything she had - her sky rocketing career and most of her financial resources. Who was Bess Martin to toss about those kinds of accusations?
/I certainly don't want to be the one to tell him that his mom didn't get better because she was too stubborn to follow simple instruction/
Too stubborn? Ha! How many times had she heard herself described as being stubborn? Her father's voice had usually been filled with pride when he used that adjective. She could envision him, a tall man whose dark hair contained touches of gray only at his temples. While not a physically imposing figure, his confident carriage and manner clearly conveyed his authority. His booming voice bragging to his cronies resounded in her ears,
/My daughter is a true Adair. She never gives up. She's way too stubborn to ever let go of anything easily./
Why didn't anyone understand that she had to push herself to get better?
During her time in the wards with the Syndrome children, Devon had seen that the children who were passive, those who didn't try to exert themselves - didn't get better. Well, they weren't expected to recover, but those who were persistent and continued to maintain their bodies were able to hold their ground for a longer period of time.
If she remained complacent and did as the others instructed, her endurance would never improve. And she could not accept living as a semi-invalid, being dependent on the good will of others for the rest of her life. The idea was repugnant to her for she'd always treasured her independence.
As she maneuvered around another low hanging branch, she looked up to see the stream. She stopped in her tracks and began to grin despite her foul mood. For it was more than a mere trickle of running water. It was deep enough to dive into. It'd been weeks since they'd encountered such a large body of water, they'd been making due with sponge baths. When Devon first returned to camp, she'd been so weak that other people had to administer them to her. As she tossed off her clothes to leap into the water, she rejoiced that she was able to bath herself and no longer had to suffer those indignities.
She shivered as her naked body contacted the icy cold water then she fully immersed herself, dunking her head beneath the surface. The water felt wonderful, exhilarating and refreshing, finally washing away the grit and grime of traveling.
And for once, she was truly alone. No one was waiting just around the corner to make sure that she was okay. No baby-sitter. She was alone and she reveled in it.
As she soaked in the cool water, she began to giggle uncontrollably. If some one had told her that she would be wildly tearing off her clothes in the middle of the wilderness and blindly jumping into some pond, she would've thought they were crazy. She was much too inhibited to behave in that fashion. Wasn't she?
This planet had changed her.
It had changed all of them, some in more subtle ways than others. Previously she'd only dreamed that her son could live a normal life - running and playing just like any other young boy. Now her dream had become reality, Uly had his whole life ahead of him - virtually a fresh slate to draw upon. And who would've thought that their hot-shot pilot would form a link with an alien species and commit himself to one woman? She remembered the struggles that she had seen Julia go through. Her battle of conflicting loyalties and accepting new found love. And Bess...
Initially Bess had impressed Devon as being a beautiful woman of average intelligence. She seemed like a meek creature who simply followed her husband on this mission because it was 'her duty'. That assessment clearly wasn't true. Bess had proven many times that she was more than just a pretty face. She was tough and resourceful. And she seemed to be becoming more aggressive. Devon was shocked that the woman had fought her with such intensity and expressed her opinions so openly that morning.
Only one other person in the Eden Advance had directly challenged her.
As she began to lather her body with some soap that one of the Eden Advance had conveniently left behind, she wondered how G889 had changed John Danziger. Since she didn't know much about his past, it was difficult to say. The fact that he was practically co-leader of the group when he'd previously been pigeon-holed as a drone indicated that his leadership abilities had been fostered. Without a doubt, she knew that she could entrust him with the group while she'd been ill.
Had he always been so aggressive and suspicious? Life in the Quadrant must have been rough. Often John seemed eager to shoot first and ask questions later. His open distrust of the Terrians irked her. Yet, in all fairness, his cautious nature had balanced her impetuousness.
She'd been shocked to hear that he'd allowed Uly to visit the sick Terrians by himself while she'd been in suspended animation. When John told her about the incident, he seemed sheepish and apologetic. Her immediate reaction was to protest vehemently but she managed to squelch her impulse and listen to the rest of his account, for she sensed how difficult that decision must have been for him. She could see it in his eyes. Perhaps after his experiences with the Grendler and the sick Terrians, John was beginning to learn to trust the inhabitants of this planet.
Since she was starting to get goose bumps, she pulled herself out of the stream. As she looked about for something to dry herself with, she laughed out loud again. In her haste to leave camp, she hadn't brought a towel. So she dragged her clothes near her and modestly hunched over on a rock to allow the warmth of the sun to dry her.
Nude sunbathing. Now that certainly wasn't her style, her eyes sparkled with glee.
How else had this planet changed her? Had it made her stronger?
She wasn't sure. Her parents had raised her to be confident. To face difficulties with her head held high and not to run from challenges. They didn't believe in babying their daughter, they refused to bail her out of difficult situations. She had to learn how to handle them by herself. And she did.
She could remember cuddling her infant child, terrified by the thought of losing him. It'd seemed a battle against insurmountable odds. But she hadn't sat down and wallowed in her fear, she'd used it to motivate herself - to organize this mission. Fear was no stranger to her.
So why did it haunt her now?
The longer they stayed on the planet, the worse it grew. Julia's revelation that she'd been poisoned by the Council had been a staggering blow. But why should she have been surprised after all they'd already done - the bomb planted on the Advance ship, the act of sabotage causing their crash onto the planet, the discovery of penal colonists and Z.E.D.s, as well as the bio-stat implants, whose malfunction had nearly killed them all.
Somehow, the Council's latest deed was a little too close to home for her. Even just thinking about it caused her heart to beat faster.
Why would the Council want to kill her? Was she personally such a threat to them? Her primary goal in organizing this mission had been to save her son's life and provide the same opportunity for other Syndrome children. She hadn't even intended to become permanently involved in the governing of the colony. In fact Broderick O'Neil was originally slated to lead their advance party. What purpose would replacing the leadership of New Pacifica at this juncture serve?
She sighed, all too aware of the answer to that question. Approximately one year would've provided sufficient time for her advance team to set up the colony and learn more about their surroundings. At that point, the Eden project and the Council had conflicting agendas.
While both were eager to glean information about their brave new world and the native inhabitants, this knowledge would be used to serve different purposes. The Eden Project would strive to heal the Syndrome children then attempt to forge a symbiotic relationship with their new environment. On the other hand, a Council operative would use this data to identify weaknesses -- to determine how they could dominate G889 and possibly plunder its natural resources. Their second chance at life on an unspoiled world would be destroyed. Devon would never stand for this and the Council knew it.
If their plan to kill her had been effective, who would've replaced her? Certainly not a member of the Advance team, for Danziger had not met with resistance when he stepped in to act as leader in her absence. Yet, if the Council appointee had been some one like Morgan Martin, he wouldn't have been prepared for these unusual circumstances. His true colors might not be revealed until he was ensconced in more familiar surroundings. Even though Julia'd performed unauthorized medical tests on her son and Devon suspected that she was currently withholding information from her, she refused to believe that the young doctor was involved with that Council scheme. For if Dr. Hellar hadn't worked so diligently to learn more about the planet and her illness, she would still be vegetating in a cryotube.
Who did that leave? Some one from the third evac pod? Or had the Council decided to launch a smaller ship to rendezvous with them at New Pacifica?
Devon rubbed her temples, feeling confused. She almost wished that Julia hadn't told her more about the cause of her illness. It still didn't make sense to her. Broderick O'Neil was supposed to lead the Advance team, not her. Since the Council had planted a bomb on the ship and sabotaged their cargo release mechanisms, a plot to kill her seemed superfluous. Though it was possible that factions of the Council operated independently of one another, each devising their own schemes to dominate G889.
Last night Yale explained to her that the device which delivered the poison to her system had to have been surgically implanted within the lining of her stomach. The thought sent a chill down her spine. Surgery? When would this have occurred? She couldn't recall any 'lost' time before their launch. Had the Council bribed her private physician? Or had a group of Council scientists broken into her home to perform this dastardly deed, violating her privacy and her body? Once she naively believed that her wealth protected her from these types of threats.
Yet Julia hadn't found any traces of the poison delivery system in her body. She and Yale didn't feel this fact detracted from their theory but a disturbing alternative idea began to form in Devon's mind. On the Stations, she was merely an annoyance to the Council. But on G889, she was Uly's mother. Mother of the child who had formed a unique link with the Terrians. Controlling her child could mean controlling the planet. But only Reilly/Eve and the surviving members of the Advance team were aware of these events. The implications horrified her.
Fear hovered over her like a dark cloud from which she couldn't escape. To her dismay, her normal defense mechanisms weren't working. It must be due to my illness, she told herself. She wasn't strong enough yet - that must be it. That must have been why she had allowed John Danziger to visit her every night, to hold her hand and speak softly to her. That must have been why she had let down her guard and permitted him to draw closer to her. His tender attention meant a lot to her. More than she could admit to anyone.
His kiss had taken her off guard, it'd both thrilled and terrified her. A part of her she thought was long dead reawakened with his touch, and began to clamor for satisfaction. However her fear prevailed. In the past opening herself up to people had lead to trouble. She couldn't handle the possibility of being hurt again.
A rustling in the bushes caused Devon to grab her clothes. As she rushed to pull her shirt over her head, she wondered if her baby-sitter had come to retrieve her. After she pulled on her pants, she looked up to discover that the sound had not been created by a member of the Eden crew.
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TBC