Shocked silence reigned over the sickbay once again. Each witness tried to comprehend what he or she saw in their own way, to hope to understand what happened. But they couldn't. Their minds just couldn't accept the fact that the recently-dead body of Ben Krieg was now awake and breathing as if nothing had happened. Finally someone articulated the same thought all shared:
What the hell just happened? Captain Bridger demanded.
What did what just happen? Krieg asked lamely, clearly trying to avoid that very question.
Don't be coy! You were dead.
I was? came back to the captain. Wow. What a trip, huh? Who knew being the Quartermaster was such a dangerous profession? Krieg asked and then laughed at his own joke. He looked down at his now-smooth chest, then back up at the group of people surrounding him.
You'd died. Your heart had stopped, all brain function ceased. How are you walking and talking now? Westphalen asked, her tone reasonable but with steel underneath.
Lucas was still unable to bring himself to speak, unable to clear his mind of the cobwebs. Beside him, Katie only sighed.
I think you should tell them, Ben. They've seen it, and now they need to know. Although he didn't answer, Ben turned to look at his ex-wife and stared at her for a long moment. He came to a decision of some kind because when he turned back to the group of people, his eyes had changed.
The spark of humour had drained out of them. They were deep and expressive dark orbs that suddenly held the world in their view. Lucas could feel the air in his chest freeze; he didn't know Ben could look so intense when he dropped the idiot routine.
I think we should continue this in the Ward Room, we're going to need the privacy, Ben said, and there was an undertone of command in his voice that no one had ever suspected of existing. His tone broached no argument, and even Captain Bridger didn't make any protests about being ordered around by a junior officer.
Lucas could dimly hear Commander Ford whisper to Katie, asking what they were going to be told. Katie didn't answer him, only leading the way to their new location.
Once they were seated in the Ward Room, all eyes turned expectantly to Ben, who elected to remain standing and leaned against the vidscreen at the end of the conference table. He briefly closed his eyes and sighed to himself, and when his eyes opened, they had that same quality they had before, that air of power that Lucas had seen.
What I'm about to tell you is going to be hard to believe. Some of you won't even accept it, but it's the truth. What you do with it is up to you.
When Ford opened his mouth to ask something, Ben paid him no heed and simply kept talking.
I am immortal and I cannot die. That's something you seven just saw a few moments ago.
But you did die, Westphalen broke in after a moment. Medically, you were dead. No heartbeat, no respiration. You were dead.
You take me too literally. I can die, I just don't stay dead. I heal from all injuries at an accelerated pace. Once my wounds have been healed, I wake up and can move around like I am now.
Silence reigned for a moment as the assembled group tried to comprehend what they were just told, what they'd just seen.
What about old age, disease, or poison? Captain Bridger finally asked, obviously having difficulty with what he was hearing, but unable to deny what he'd seen.
I am untouched by all those things. Old age is no contest, my body doesn't carry disease, and poison will only kill me until I wake up.
Old age? Lucas echoed, finally able to articulate a thought. You look like you're in your early thirties. Ben shook his head at that, a small smile playing on his lips. Lucas tried. Another shake. Lucas' tone was one of exasperation, wondering how high he was going to go.
Higher still.
Lucas could feel his eyes widening at the implication. he croaked. Ben only shrugged and smiled again. Lucas leaned forward and put his head in his hands, trying to breathe properly and not pass out.
This isn't possible, Tim O'Neil broke in, the shy linguist finally speaking for the first time since Ben's body had been brought to the boat. No one can live forever, Ben. It's not natural.
You're right, it's not natural. But it's true. I've been walking this Earth for many times longer than you have and I cannot die. You can stab me, shoot me, poison me, throw me off of a cliff, drown me, or do anything else you can come up with, and I'll just wake up from it, Ben answered, his intense gaze focusing on the younger man, who shrank back into his chair.
It's true, Katie said. I've seen him beaten and shot, and he's recovered from it every time. He can't die.
Her support of her ex-husband drowned everyone into silence again, each person trying to come to grips with what they'd been told.
Lucas was shocked to discover that he'd already accepted the truth on some unconscious level, that he could believe his friend wasn't lying, no matter how ludicrous the truth was. But Lucas was even more shocked to discover that the mechanics and reasons why didn't interest him as much as the reality of living forever. Having been around as long as he apparently had, Ben had to have seen or been a part of some of history's most important events.
What's it like? a voice asked. It took Lucas a moment to realise that it was his. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves before going on with, I mean, you've just told us that you're immortal and that you can't die. What's it like, living for that long? How many things have you seen or been a part of? How do you go on like you are, alone?
Of all the answers he'd been thinking of, he wasn't expecting Ben to throw his head back and laugh. Who said I was alone?
You don't mean that... Ortiz spoke up.
Yep. There are others like me. Others who live forever and can't die.
How many more? Ford asked in a small voice, almost afraid of the answer.
Relax, Ford. Not many. A tiny handful, compared to the mortals around us. A very tiny handful, so you needn't worry about being outnumbered. We're a very rare breed of human, guys.
Geez... do you know any of these others?
A few are friends, a few are enemies, and a lot are strangers. There are enough that I don't know them all, personally or by reputation.
And what do you do? What does your kind do? Ford snorted, meeting Ben's glare unflinchingly.
You're missing the point, Ford, Ben returned, his jaw tight and very consciously avoiding use of the Commander's rank, something Lucas knew that always irritated Ford. I'm not some weird alien, and neither are the others. We're regular people, just like you. The only difference is that we don't die.
If you've been around for so long, Bridger broke in, trying to head off the building confrontation at the pass, what things have you seen? I mean, what events in history were you a part of?
I've been on every continent, sailed in nearly every ocean, ridden across Europe and parts of Asia, driven from coast to coast in North America, spent time in Africa... Ben trailed off, shrugging and smiling. Boredom can drive you to many things.
How does it work? I mean, what makes you immortal? Dr. Whestphalen asked, acceptance beginning to sink in.
Who knows? I certainly don't.
Blood samples or DNA?
Nothing. No difference between an immortal and mortal.
Can I have some samples? I want to look at them.
What good would that do? How many physicals have you given me already? Three, right? And during any of those exams, did you note anything odd or out of the ordinary? Whestphalen had to shake her head reluctantly. Given that, what difference would one more sample make? No one else in these last hundred years or so of modern medicine have found anything yet, and you won't. Whatever makes me different from you, it doesn't show up in biology.
Whestphalen was obviously crestfallen, hoping that maybe there had been something, anything, to logically explain what had happened to Ben. Why hasn't anyone else learned of you before? Any of you? she asked instead.
Who'd believe it? I mean, who'd believe that people could live forever? Heck, you seven have just seen it firsthand and still don't believe it completely. That's why I'm not really worried about you going to the papers or anything of the sort, you'll be laughed out so fast it'll make your head spin.
Look, people. I know this is hard for you to accept. No, really. I do know. I had to accept the truth of it myself when I first became like this. So I know that you'll have trouble believing the reality of it, I know you'll need some time to really, truly accept what you now know I am, Ben said, finally taking a seat at the table and folding his hands in front of him. So ask anything you want, and I'll try my best to answer you.
How did you become immortal? Crocker asked. Ben shrugged.
I died my first death. Until that happened, I could be cut, stabbed, or burned just like anyone else. I got sick and bled. That's when I got all my scars that you've seen. But then I died, impaled on a sword. Needless to say, I was shocked when I woke up from it.
What happened then?
I left my home, unable to stay. I wandered across most of the Mediterranean for the next hundred years. I rode to England and wandered around there for a bit. I hit all of the British Isles, France, Spain. From there, I went back to Rome and Italy. I spun through India for a short time, China for an even shorter amount of time. I spent less than a year in Japan itself. He shrugged again, as if trying to say something with his physical actions that words couldn't express. I've had the time to go all the places feet and horse could take me. Africa, Australia, North and South America. I've been everywhere on the globe. Now I'm under the water, exploring what I couldn't on the surface.
His speech of his history ended to silence in the ward room. Why did you join the military? Lucas asked, something clicking in his mind. If Ben had spent as much time wandering the world as he claimed, he must've really enjoyed the freedom of that. Ben shrugged again.
Why is anything ever done? It seemed like a good idea at the time, he smiled.
How long do you live... last... whatever? the ever-quiet O'Neil piped up.
Which part of is unclear to you, Tim? Ben asked with a wry smile. For a serious answer, I'd have to say that we last forever. An example that you could understand would be of a legend among Immortals. The oldest of us is an immortal so old that he can't remember the time of his birth. According to legend, this man's name is Methos, and that he pre-dates most of civilization itself, perhaps remembering as much as five thousand years of living before it begins to blur.
Five thousand? Lucas squeaked. Ben nodded.
A very long, pregnant pause followed, as the shell-shocked people tried to understand.
Don't you have any questions to ask, Commander? Whestphalen asked quiety, trying to keep from passing out. Katie only shook her head.
Nah, we covered this already years ago, before we'd been married. That was fun, she smiled, remembering. I had fun with that.
I'm glad one of us did, Ben returned dryly, a touch of his old humour showing through the gravity of the situation. I, however, didn't enjoy those hours.
Katie dismissed with a wave of her hand. We both know you did, so stop trying to deny it.
Who said I'm trying? I am denying.
Despite the incongruity of the situation, Lucas saw Captain Bridger smiling. The banter between the two had, as usual, made light of a heavy situation; just like what'd happened at the Broken Ridge briefing. However, just like at that time, the gravity of what they were there to do brought them together, and the Captain had to remind them of that.
We have another problem to discuss. How do we explain to the crew what just happened? I mean, there's no way we could explain to them what you just told us, Lieutenant.
And I wouldn't, either. I don't like telling you six about this, but you've seen with your own eyes something you shouldn't have; you have direct proof of what I am. I'm just giving you answers to keep you from digging where you shouldn't and possibly expose my secret to those who really shouldn't know, Ben said firmly.
I understand, but what do we tell the nurses who brought you in, the crew that your gurney passed in the hallway?
Oh, them, Ben said breezily. That's easy. Just tell anyone who asks that I was so drunk from some non-authorised shore leave while on my supply run that I decided to come back to the boat with some fake bullet wounds to make you all jump and scream.
Everyone in the room blinked and looked at each other. It was such a simple solution that it just might work, especially given Krieg's well-known predilection for over-the-top games of absurdity and stupidity when it came to getting a laugh. It didn't matter if those games succeeded or not, he just loved playing them. It was weird that a man as old as he now claimed to be could be as immature as Ben had been at times.
Something in that thought tickled the back of Lucas' mind. He shook his head, trying to dislodge the thought. But it was no use, it refused to move into the light. Stifling a groan, he simply put his head in his hands again and sighed deeply.
Ben said, hurt. It'll work. It has before, and no one was the wiser. I think it's got the best chance of working, and no one else has come up with anything we can use. Besides, I've been doing this for a lot longer than you have and I think this plan as a good chance of working.
The assembled audience turned to Katie, as if asking her permission to go ahead with this absurd plan. She only shrugged again. As he said, he's been doing this for a long time.
The assembled mortals looked at each other and nodded to each other. You do realise that this'll mean a note on your record, right?
So what? It's not like I'm really aiming to spend a long time in the UEO. Ben's answer was met with gasps and shocked looks from the career-minded officers, including Katie. Don't look so surprised. I'd have to give up and move on in a decade or so anyway. As soon as people realise that I'm not aging like the rest of you, I'm going to have to leave and change jobs.
So this was just a temporary thing? Ford snorted. Lucas knew that Jonathan was easily the most devoted soldier he'd ever met, and looked down on anybody else who had nothing but the utmost dedication to the military.
A temporary thing' that would easily last two or three decades, Ford, Ben countered, again deliberately avoiding the use of rank. Ford grit his teeth in anger, but Ben cut him off. You've got to stop thinking in small timelines, people. Temporary' could be a few decades, long-term' could easily be centuries, and a commitment' could be much longer than that. Never forget that I think in terms and lengths that you simply cannot understand.
Lucas opened his mouth to refute that, but he was interrupted by a message from the bridge. UEO Secretary General Noyce was calling to ask Bridger what the hell was going on with the flagship.
Bridger thought for a long moment, then dismissed the crew to take the call in the Ward Room and maybe calm down his friend, to explain that it was all a giant mistake by one of his more junior officers.