Author: Milady Dragon
Disclaimer: It's not mine, I just like playing around.
Rating: still PG-13, but Devon doesn't carry on like John does.
Author's notes: I just love reviews. Thanks to those who have done so.
Chapter Four
Just what was going on with Danziger? Devon wondered, as the Eden group made their way down the gorge they had discovered.
She watched the tall mechanic as he strode forward, pulling away from the group. She'd tried to talk to him, but to no avail. There was definitely something wrong, and he wasn't spilling anything.
Devon wanted to put it down to stress. After all, a lot had happened ever since they'd found themselves stranded on G889, and John had had his fair share of trouble. And, there was trouble once more, and it looked as if Danziger was right in it again. It must have been a shock to find a skull staring at him when he hadn't expected anything of the sort.
However, she didn't understand why he was still so jumpy. There was obviously nothing to be concerned about, yet John was taking this far too seriously. Even with all the reassurances from Alonzo about no interference from the Terrians and the way the group had voted, Danziger was still out of sorts. He'd accepted the decision, but hadn't liked it one bit.
He could be stubborn, but this was ridiculous.
Devon decided to wait until they'd camp for the night to confront Danziger again. If there was a problem, she had to know if – and how – it might affect the morale of the group. If John was bound and determined to act surly and out of character, then she would get to the bottom of it, one way or another.
They came up to the marker with the skull. The entire party stopped, even without consulting each other, in order to pay their respects.
"That's it?" Morgan's strident voice interrupted the quiet mood. "It's…creepy."
"It's just a skull, Morgan," Bess soothed her husband. "Whoever owned it is dead and gone. They won't bother us."
"That's what they thought about that dead Terrian, too!"
"Mom?"
Devon turned to regard her son. "What is it, Uly?"
"It's really sad, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is."
"Who do you think she was?"
"There's no way to tell. They've been dead a long time."
"I don't think she belonged here," Uly declared. "I think she was an alien, like us."
"That's stupid," True snorted. She came to stand next to the boy. "We're not aliens."
"We are here on this planet!" Uly fairly shouted.
Devon knelt down in front of both children. "Listen, the both of you. This isn't the time or the place to be arguing. We owe whoever this was somerespect, okay?"
"Okay, Mom," Uly agreed. A little too quickly, Devon thought.
"Sure," True replied sullenly.
"Good." Devon stood, regarding the rest of her people. They all stood solemnly in a semi-circle around the post, watching her. "Let's get moving, shall we?"
Without a word the entire group returned to their positions in the train. Devon started walking again as soon as everyone was settled.
She shielded her eyes from the early afternoon sun. She could see Danziger in the distance, pushing through the tall grass.
Devon sighed. That man…he really knew how to push her buttons.
The group left the confines of the gorge, starting across the plain beyond. There was almost a collective sigh of relief from everyone, including Devon. Even though she had grown up on the Stations, she had felt slightly claustrophobic by the sheer rock walls.
Then she noticed they were gaining on Danziger. He seemed to have come to a halt, although the reason for it wasn't obvious. She narrowed her eyes, hoping to catch something in his manner that would give her a clue as to what the problem was.
That was when Danziger went down, disappearing into the grass.
"John!" she called, breaking into a run.
"Dad!" True screamed, almost at the exact same moment, from her place on the Trans Rover.
Alonzo outstripped Devon, reaching the area where the mechanic had vanished. "He's here!' he called, losing himself in the grass as he knelt.
Devon saw the Dune Rail pass her; Julia's blonde hair whipped in the breeze from her seat in the vehicle. Baines was driving like a maniac.
He skidded the Dune Rail to a halt, almost turning 180 degrees in the now trampled grass. Julia jumped off, her diaglove already on. Devon caught up with her as she dropped to the ground beside Danziger.
Devon caught her breath sharply. John had fallen awkwardly, one leg twisted under him. He looked so vulnerable…she hated it when he looked like that.
Julia ran her hand over his head and chest, frowning as she checked her readings. "I think he just fainted."
"I never faint," came the mumbled response.
"John!" Devon joined her companions on the ground. Danziger's eyes fluttered open weakly.
"Dad!" True came barreling into the man-made clearing, slamming down next to him. She reached out to stroke his forehead.
"I'm okay, True-girl," he reassured her. His voice was getting stronger.
"What happened, John?" Devon asked.
Danziger's eyes suddenly flew open as wide as she had ever seen them. "Where is she?" he demanded, struggling to sit up.
"Just lie still, John," Julia cautioned. "Let me check you out."
"I'm fine," he snapped, shrugging her off. He glared at Devon. "Where did she go? You must've seen her!"
"I didn't see anything," Devon denied. "All I saw was you faint –"
"I told you, I don't faint!" He straightened his bent leg. "Damn!"
"Take it easy, Danz," Alonzo said.
"Quit fussing over me! There's nothing wrong!" He managed to get to his feet. "She was standing right there!" The mechanic pointed to a spot about three meters in front of him. "I tell you, she was standing right there!"
Devon rose with him. "What did she look like?" She was, quite honestly, scared. This frantic, manic John Danziger was close to freaking her out.
He snorted. "And quit humoring me, Adair! I can tell by the tone of your voice that you think I'm nuts!"
"I don't think that, John." But she did, sort of. First, his odd behavior over the skull, and now he was seeing women where there hadn't been anyone. She knew she would have seen anyone standing where Danziger had indicated.
"Of course you do!" He threw up his hands. "I saw what I saw!"
"I'm sure you saw something –"
"What I saw," he enunciated carefully, "was a cat-girl wearing a green dress, standing just there. She appeared in front of me, and when I asked her who she was, she vanished!" Then he sighed. "All right, that does sound crazy…"
"Dad." True's eyes were huge, staring at Danziger in pure terror.
He looked down at his daughter. He lost his fierceness in the face of her fear. He knelt carefully in front of her. "It's okay, True. I'm okay." He hugged her tightly.
But his eyes returned to Devon's, and she saw his child's own fear mirrored in them.
