From the Ashes Chapter 3

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

The following day dawned bright and clear. Danziger awoke to find the sun shining in his eyes and he grinned to himself. Devon would be so glad to see the sun – that was her favourite part of living on a planet. He had sat up and started to dress before reality hit him and he remembered that Devon wasn't there anymore to enjoy the sunshine or the rain or the snow. To his shock tears formed in his eyes at this realisation. Angrily, he brushed them away and continued to get ready for the day. His tenth in charge. His first stop was the med-tent, to make sure Julia was keeping her word. Finding it empty he nodded in satisfaction and went in search of breakfast.

"John." Turning, Danziger saw Yale coming towards him.

"Mornin' Yale."

"Good Morning. I was hoping to have a word with you."

"Sure. Go ahead."

"I just wanted to check if its alright for me to hold classes for the children today. I thought that maybe a return to the regular routine would be good for Uly."

"It's worth trying, anyway. Nothing else seems to have worked" Yale heard the frustration in Danziger's voice and he knew the younger man felt guilty about Uly's current state.

"It is only to be expected that the child will have some difficulty with acceptance."

"Yeah. Leaving your mother comatose in a fridge can't be easy." Yale grimaced slightly at Danziger's choice of words but he didn't call him on it. He suspected that Danziger's gruffness and practicality covered a grief almost as deep as Uly's. And he also suspected that their new leader didn't realise this yet. So Yale simply nodded and headed off in search of his two pupils – knowing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he would find them together.

Morgan helped himself to breakfast from the huge pot sitting on the fire while watching Yale and Danziger talk.

"I wonder what they're planning."

"What, honey?" Bess Martin looked up from her own breakfast to see what had attracted her husband's attention. When she saw Danziger and Yale she sighed.

"They're just talking, Morgan."

"But what are they talking about?" Bess rolled her eyes slightly.

"I'm sure if it's important they'll tell us."

"But will they? Will Danziger even recognise it as being important?"

"Morgan, we've been through this before."

"I know. But I just feel uncomfortable. I mean he's a Drone. What does he know about leadership? I'll admit he's a great mechanic, even if he doesn't stick to protocol, but really, what was Devon thinking?" Bess sighed heavily and spoke in a firm voice.

"Danziger is doing a great job, Morgan. He's been invaluable since the crash. You know that. And besides I trust Devon. If she thinks he can do it, he can do it."

"Yeah, well. She was sick. Who's to say she was in her right mind?"

"Morgan!" Bess allowed her frustration to show in her voice and Morgan reacted just like she knew he would.

"Sorry, Bess. You're right. I know you're right. I'm just nervous. You know I don't handle stress well." Bess reached out and stroked his arm.

"Eat your breakfast, honey. It'll look better on a full stomach." Morgan nodded and sat down beside her on the crate. Bess smiled encouragingly at him before returning to her rapidly cooling breakfast.

After breakfast Danziger reluctantly went on a tour of the camp. He wanted to work on the vehicles, find out why the Transrover was freezing up every time he activated voice command mode. But he knew that he had to make sure that everything that needed to be done was being done. That was his main responsibility now. He started out with Julia, checking the med-tent again. When he found it empty he tried her tent, gently opening the flap. He found her fast asleep, head on Alonzo's chest. The pilot was awake and he grinned at Danziger.

"Sorry." Danziger mouthed silently.

"No Problem." Alonzo's reply was just as silent. Danziger removed his head from the tent, satisfied. Some time together would do them both good. From Julia's tent he went to Yale's, knowing that Yale would be doing exactly what he was supposed to be – the tutor was the most reliable person he knew – but Danziger wanted to check on Uly. He took that aspect of his promise to Devon very seriously and was determined to make sure that Uly was okay while his mum was gone. Danziger stopped outside the tent when he heard Yale speaking, reluctant to interrupt.

"And so if you look closely you'll see how traumatic the effect of Amazonian deforestation was on the climate of the earth. Now, can either of you tell me what the worst part of al this was?"

"The people of earth knew the harm chopping down the trees was doing but they did it anyway." Danziger smiled at the anger in True's voice. After some initial resistance True had taken to Yale's classes like a duck to water. The tutor had described her as a passionate pupil and now Danziger knew why. But he still wished the answer had come from Uly, that the boy would show some of his old enthusiasm. Usually the boy was impossible to shut up and Danziger wanted that Uly back. He moved on from what Devon had laughingly called the school house, worrying about how he would explain Uly's emotional withdrawal to the boy's mother. Or maybe just seeing her healthy again would be enough to return him to normal. That line of thought brought a flash of Devon in the Cryo-chamber. Danziger dismissed it. It was bad enough that the image haunted his sleep. Danziger picked up his speed, heading towards the stream and the water collection team. He was almost halfway there when he was hailed from behind.

"Dad! Dad, wait up." He turned around just in time to catch True in his arms and spin her round.

"Da-ad." Her look of outrage made him laugh. She thought she was too old for that. He replaced her on the ground in order to do the same to Uly, who was still a slower runner than True, much to the boy's mortification. Danziger roared like a plane while spinning Uly, eliciting a small smile in response. Well I guess it's a start, he thought to himself while putting the child down.

"Aren't you two supposed to be in school?" True shrugged.

"Yale said we could finish early. He said he had some things to do." Danziger frowned slightly. That wasn't like Yale. But then he glanced at Uly, standing silently beside his daughter. Maybe Yale just thought it was for the best.

"So where are you going?"

"The stream. Yale says it's safe to paddle in so long as we stay downstream of the water collection team." Not for the first time Danziger marvelled at True's casual use of words like 'paddle' and 'downstream'. Words that would have been meaningless to her less than a year ago. Silently, he thanked Devon for giving her the chance to experience all this and he promised himself that he'd thank her in person as soon as she woke up.

"Well come on then. Let's go." The three of them walked on to the stream. Danziger stopped to talk to Magus, just to make sure that there were no problems, while the kids ran on downstream, True in the lead. He caught up with them just as they stepped into the water.

"What's it like in there, True?"

"Cold. Are you coming in too?"

"Why not." Danziger removed his shoes and rolled up his trousers, missing True bend over and whisper something in Uly's ear. As he put his feet in the water, Danziger fought the urge to pull them straight back out again. Cold didn't really cover it. He concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, wincing each time he sank in deeper. For this reason he missed the attack. True and Uly ran at him, True screaming wildly, and splashed him mercilessly. It took Danziger a moment to recover but then True took one look at his face and yelled again.

"Run Uly!" Both kids took off splashing through the water, followed by the mechanic, who was much less sure of foot. But he caught them anyway. The ensuing water fight continued for some time. At first Uly played as sullenly and solemnly as he had been doing everything recently but then True tripped Danziger, who fell flat on his back in the water, and Uly started laughing uncontrollably. Soon True and Danziger joined in, delighted to see the boy react to something. The three of them left the stream and returned to camp, soaking wet and still laughing. Alonzo was the first to see them.

"What happened to you three?" Danziger opened his mouth to reply but Uly beat him to it.

"We had a water fight. And then Mr. Danziger fell in the river. It was so funny. He squealed like a girl." Alonzo stared at Uly in surprise as Danziger leapt to defend himself.

"I'll have you know, Ulysses, that was a very manly yell."

"Yeah right", True and Uly responded in Unison. Danziger shook his head in disgust, splashing water everywhere and then turned his attention to Alonzo.

"Where's Julia?" Alonzo's smile faded.

"Med-tent." Danziger scowled, furious at the doctor.

"She promised to take the day off!" Alonzo shrugged slightly.

"Yale turned up and the two of them started babbling. Something about earth and proteins. Then they went off to the med-tent. I think Julia had forgotten I was even there." Alonzo spoke lightly but Danziger knew he was bothered by Julia's recent behaviour, worried both for her and for their relationship.

"Fine. Kids, go and get dried up. And stay in camp for the rest of the day. No wandering off." Without even waiting to see if they obeyed Danziger stalked off toward the med-tent, followed by Alonzo. He didn't bother even trying to knock, just stormed in.

"Julia, get out of here now. I wasn't bluffing about the sediderm." Yale and Julia stopped talking and turned to stare at him, both looking confused. Then understanding dawned on Julia's face and she spoke quickly.

"You don't understand, John. I think Yale's got it. I think he's found what wrong with Devon."

TBC