From the ashes Chapter 10
Disclaimer: see chapter one
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The three days it took the small band to return to Bennett's ship went smoothly, both for Danziger's team and for the rest of the group back at camp. Baines and Mazatl had quite amazing success hunting – the woodlands around the campsite turned out to be rife with wildlife – and Bess's design for a smokehouse proved effective. Yale continued classes with a slightly resentful True who was heard to wish several times a day that she hadn't had to stay behind. Danziger checked in regularly via gear, updating them on the rather boring progress of the rescue team, as it had become known. Everybody in camp kept busy, nobody wanting too much time to brood on what would happen when Danziger and the others finally reached the ship.
For the rescue team there was no such luxury. They had nothing to do except sit in the 'rail and watch the scenery pass by. It was hard to stop thinking under these circumstances. Uly spent the time thinking about all the stories he'd have to tell his mum, all the things they'd done while she'd been asleep. He couldn't wait to tell her about John falling in the river. With thoughts like this, the time passed pleasantly for Uly.
Alonzo kept running the details of his dream over and over in his head, making sure there was nothing he had missed. Julia used the time to try and prepare herself for an act that went against her knowledge, her training and even her genes. She was terrified of everything she knew could go wrong. For Danziger the three days dragged by slowly. He alternated between hope and panic, hiding both behind a mask of calm for the sake of Uly.
It was early afternoon on the third day when the rail pulled to a halt in front of Bennett's spaceship. Danziger insisted on a quick scout of the immediate area before allowing anyone inside. Caution never hurt. Eventually he was convinced that everything was exactly as they had left it and he led the way into the cold sleep bay. Devon was still where they had left her – standing in the cryo-chamber, wrapped in a white robe, her eyes closed and her face pale. Danziger was unprepared for the sudden jolt he experienced upon seeing her. He stopped in his tracks, allowing the other three to pass him. Julia went straight to the control panel although she didn't touch anything. Alonzo came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Uly lifted his ribbon bedecked staff down from the chamber and stood staring up at his mother. For a few moments nobody moved or spoke and then Danziger recovered from his shock.
"Is everything okay, Julia?" The doctor nodded.
"We can do this whenever we're ready." Danziger walked over and took Uly by the hand, moving the boy away from the cryo-chamber. Then he moved into position to catch Devon when the door opened.
"Let's go, Julia." Julia leaned forward and hesitantly typed in the deactivation code, starting the thaw cycle. She watched the readout intently for what was the longest thirty seconds of her life.
"Now, John." As she spoke the cryo-chamber door slid open and Devon fell out into Danziger's arms. She immediately started coughing and Julia ran to her side, ready to scan her with the dia-glove, even though she knew it would do no good. Danziger lowered Devon to the ground and pushed her hair out of her face. She opened her eyes and spoke hoarsely.
"Danziger?" She raised her arm to touch him and he smiled at her.
"It's me, Devon. I'm here. And so's Uly and Julia and Alonzo."
"Uly?"
"Hi, mum." Uly leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
"How do you feel, Devon?" Julia asked, ever the doctor.
"Tired. And my head hurts." Julia nodded and held her canteen to Devon's mouth.
"Try and drink. The moisture will make it easier for you to talk." Devon swallowed thirstily, her body anxious to replace the fluid lost in cold sleep. When she finished Danziger helped her to stand and they walked slowly out to the temporary med-tent which had been set up outside. He was tempted to carry her but he knew she wouldn't appreciate it; Devon Adair was the proudest person he'd ever met. And so they walked, him taking most of her weight. The journey seemed to take forever but eventually he was helping her onto the med-tent cot. She lay there panting, exhausted by the short walk and even paler than she been when they wakened her. Uly walked to the other side of the cot and took his mother's hand. She turned her face toward him and smiled before turning back to Danziger.
"How long was I out?"
"About three weeks." Devon nodded.
"I expected it would take longer than that to find a cure."
"Well, you know Julia. She worked non-stop trying to figure out what was wrong." Julia shot a sharp glance at Danziger but he ignored her. They had all agreed not to tell Devon the truth, not to stress her any more than they had too.
"I hope you made sure she took care of herself." Danziger nodded.
"It was a tough job though." Devon laughed, which started her coughing again. Julia placed and oxygen mask over her nose and mouth and almost immediately Devon's breathing returned to normal. Uly squeezed her hand and Devon smiled at him again, reaching out to stroke his hair. She removed the mask and spoke to her son.
"It's so good to see you, Uly. Hey, I think you've grown." Uly shrugged.
"My trousers are too small. Bess is making me new ones." Devon smiled, pleased. Every sign that her son was healthy at last delighted her. She lowered her hand to her side and, still smiling, drifted to sleep. Danziger looked up, panicked, but Julia smiled at him reassuringly.
"She's just sleeping. She'll probably keep drifting in and out while her body does whatever it's doing." Danziger nodded, relieved, and, without thinking, picked up Devon's hand, clasping it securely between his own.
Throughout the rest of the day and the following night Devon alternated between waking and sleeping. Sometimes when she woke she was confused and delirious but mostly she was lucid. She listened to Uly's stories and laughed hard at the image of Danziger lying in the river. Danziger scowled in mock indignation, which made her laugh harder. Devon also spent a lot of time asking questions about the group's progress. She grilled Danziger about everything that had happened while she'd been asleep. He answered all her questions patiently but with trepidation. He was very afraid that he'd done it all wrong and he knew Devon wouldn't hesitate to tell him so if that's what she felt. But shortly after midnight, as Devon drifted off to sleep once again, she mumbled,
"You've done a good job, John." Danziger grinned, amazed at how great it felt to hear her say that.
"Thanks, Adair." Danziger spoke even though he knew she wouldn't hear. He leaned forward and stuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Then he stood, stretched and went to find a pillow for Uly who had fallen asleep with his head on his mother's bed, her hand still clasped in his much smaller one. Danziger fetched the pillow from the 'rail and returned just in time to see Devon stop breathing.