From the Ashes Chapter 7
Disclaimer: see chapter one
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Danziger pulled tight on the rope tied around Baines's waist, hauling the man back onto his feet.
"This is useless, Danziger. There's no way I'm going to make it across without breaking something." Danziger sighed in frustration.
"Okay, Baines. Come on back in." Baines slowly turned around, his gaze focused on the rocky bottom of the river. He cautiously began to pick his way back to the shore, struggling through water which was almost up to his waist and which was – as he'd told Danziger in no uncertain terms – was icy cold. Danziger watched his unsteady progress and thanked God that he'd won the toss. Today was not the kind of day you wanted to spend swimming. Baines made it to within arms reach of the shoreline before slipping. Danziger hauled him the rest of the way out. Baines lay on the grass, coughing.
"You Okay?"
"Yeah. Just peachy." Danziger smiled slightly.
"It's in a good cause, Baines."
"Whatever. I'm going to get changed." The younger man stood up and stomped, squishily, back to camp. Danziger followed, a worried frown replacing his smile. There was no way they were getting across the river here. He really hoped the scouting teams were having more luck.
They found True and Uly in camp, huddled around the campfire with Julia. Baines stomped to his tent and Danziger went to the fire where he put some water on to boil. He was pretty sure Baines would appreciate something warm after he changed.
"Finished exploring, kids?"
"Yeah. This campsite is so boring."
"Sorry I'll try to chose somewhere more exciting next time." True rolled her eyes and exchanged a disgusted glance with Uly. Julia laughed at their expressions. Before coming to G889 Julia hadn't spent much time with children who weren't sick and the antics of True and Uly never ceased to amuse her. Watching them she sometimes even imagined having children of her own. And that was a first for ambitious, career-driven Julia Heller. But the idea was definitely growing on her. She opened her mouth to join in the banter but was interrupted by her gear beeping. She slipped the headset on and pulled the view screen over her eye.
"Heller here." Yale's face filled her vision, his expression worried.
"Julia, I'm about an hour out of camp. Alonzo is unconscious and I'm bringing him in as fast as I can." Julia's stomach clenched.
"Unconscious? Is he breathing?"
"Yes. His breathing and pulse are fine."
"How long has he been out?"
"I'm not certain. I noticed about five minutes ago when he dropped the mag-pro out of the 'rail."
"Did he hit his head?"
"I don't see how. We've been in the vehicle all morning."
"Okay, Yale. Keep an eye on him. And bring him in as fast as you can. I need to get a look at him." Julia kept her voice and, she hoped, her face professional but inside her stomach churned and her heart pounded. Her reaction frightened her. She was feeling too much. And she was afraid that her panic – there was no other word for it – would affect her ability to do her job, that she would make a mistake. Maybe a fatal one. She leapt to her feet and began to pace around the campfire, reciting to herself all possible causes of non-trauma induced unconsciousness and their attendant treatments. But one thing kept leaping out at her. Alonzo could have the same thing as Devon and they had no cryo-chamber here. Alonzo would die. This scenario cycled round and round in her head, increasing her uncharacteristic panic. Suddenly she felt a hand grasp her shoulder and she jumped.
"It'll be Okay, Julia. Yale will have him here soon and you can go to work." Julia scowled at him.
"Unless he's already dead by then." Danziger opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again. There really was nothing he could say.
"Dr. Julia, Alonzo will be fine. We don't need to worry about him." Julia glanced down at Uly, who had moved to her side, and managed a small smile. She didn't want to upset the kids and she did appreciate Uly's attempt to cheer her up.
"Thank-you Uly." Uly merely nodded and then walked away, towards the tent were the enlarged Danziger family slept. True shot one last glance at the two adults and then followed him. She could see that her dad and Julia were worried and from years of experience she knew that it was better to steer clear of worried grown-ups. They tended to be unpredictable.
Yale drove the dunerail fast, but not recklessly. He knew he needed to get Alonzo to Julia quickly but he also knew that that wouldn't happen if he toppled the 'rail or knocked a wheel off. So Yale drove carefully, keeping a close eye on the terrain but occasionally glancing at Alonzo to check that his chest was still rising and falling. He managed to cut fifteen minute off his ETA and he drove into camp only forty-five minutes after calling Julia. She and Danziger met him at the edge of camp. Julia immediately ran her dia-glove over Alonzo's body. She frowned slightly and did it again. Then she turned to the two men.
"Can you carry him to the med-tent?"
Yale and Danziger nodded. Yale unstrapped Alonzo from the 'rail and the two men carried the unconscious pilot, following Julia. She gestured toward the cot at the back of the med-tent. Alonzo was laid down gently and then Julia spoke.
"Give me five minutes, guys." Yale and Danziger left the med-tent but they didn't go far, walking only a short distance away.
"You really have no idea what happened?"
"No. We were driving in silence and then I heard a clatter and when I looked over at Alonzo I saw he was unconscious. The clatter had been the mag-pro hitting the ground." Danziger heard the frustration in Yale's voice and so he decided not to question him further. At least not until he had some idea of what was happening. And hopefully Julia would be able to figure that out.
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"What about that spot?"
"Morgan, I swear…"
"No, no really. At least look." Walman cast his eyes to the river and stopped the ATV in shock. Morgan smiled, smugly.
"See? Told ya."
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True sat in the tent she shared with her dad and Uly and watched the boy.
"What're you doing?"
"Packing. Duh!" True ignored the insult.
"Why?"
"Because we'll be going soon."
"Yeah right. Going where exactly?"
"To fix everything." The certainty in Uly's voice caused True to fall silent. Sometimes, she thought, Uly can be damned spooky.
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Julia emerged from the med-tent to find Yale and Danziger standing in silence mere yards from the door. When they heard her coming they turned toward her – concern and anticipation on their faces.
"He's asleep."
"Did you find out what caused him to lose consciousness?"
"He didn't. He just fell asleep."
"But I tried to rouse him before I called you. I got no response."
"Neither did I, Yale. But there's no doubt about it – Alonzo is in a very deep sleep. Deeper than any I've seen outside cold sleep." Julia shook her head, puzzled.
" And so, what? He'll just wake up?" Danziger sounded disbelieving.
"He should. When he's ready."
"Is this the diggers? Are they doing this?"
"I have no way of telling, John. Although it does appear that some sort of external influence must be responsible. It's certainly not ordinary sleep."
"But do the Terrians work like this? Have they ever pulled him into the dreamplane when he was awake before?"
"Not that I know of, Yale. I don't even know if they're capable of doing that. Although Alonzo has been able to enter the dreamplane while awake it's always been when the Terrians were present and it's always been voluntary. And anyway, maybe Alonzo did doze off first and opened the way for them. We can ask him when he wakes."
"I did notice that Alonzo seemed a little tired this morning." Yale's comment made Danziger smile slightly.
"I heard rumours he had a busy night last night." Julia blushed and Yale chuckled.
"Anyway, there's nothing more we can do. He should…" Danziger's gear interrupted Julia and he clicked it on.
"Danziger."
"Walman here. Can't get visual for some reason. But we've found it, Danziger." There was a brief pause and then Walman's voice came back, sounding exasperated.
"Morgan found it. We should be able to cross here and barely get our feet wet."
"That's great. How far?"
"About two hours from where you are. Easy ground the whole way."
"Okay, come on in then. We've got a bit of a situation here but it doesn't seem to be serious. Hopefully we can head out in the morning."
"Copy. See you in a coupla hours" Walman signed out and Danziger flicked his gear off. He grinned at Julia and Yale.
"We've got a way across." Yale nodded and Julia grinned.
"Yale, will you call Bess's team back in. Julia, can Alonzo be moved?"
"Yes."
"Fine then. We'll pack up tonight and tomorrow we'll move on. If we leave early we should be well across the river before sunset." Yale walked away, hailing Bess on his gear, and Julia returned to the med-tent in order to start packing her equipment. And in order to keep watch on Alonzo. As her patient she was confident he would be fine but as the man she was very much afraid she was falling in love with she wanted to keep a watch over his sleep.