Title: Sojourn: Part 3 – Cyber
Author: JadeHeart
Located/Archived: If anyone would like it, please ask me first!
Creation Date: 1994
Fandom: Blakes 7
Rating: M
Timeline: A few years after the end of the TV series.
Original Characters: Kitra and Griffen are mine.
Summary: Fate brings the players from the past to gather again.
Disclaimer: I do not own the idea/outline/characters of Blake's 7, this belongs to the original creators, nor am I making any profits from this.
Chapter 3
"Griffen! Tal Griffen!" the man said in evident surprise. "I don't believe it! How long's it been? Four years?"
"Around that," Griffen replied. "How have you been, Barn?"
"Fine. Well, as fine as can be. How did you get on this frequency?"
"I have a 'friend' who is pretty good with computers."
"Pity he couldn't have worked it with a picture."
"We've got you from this end."
"Then you can see all my wrinkles but I can't see yours." Barn said jovially.
"I haven't that many wrinkles you could see, Barn."
"Lucky you. This work is killing me - too many hours and not enough sleep. But you haven't called me on an obsolete frequency to talk about my worry lines. I gather you don't want the Federation to know you're talking to me?"
"Not particularly. I need a favour."
"Well, sure, I guess. If I can. What do you want?"
"It's not for me. I've got a friend who needs a cybernetic prosthetics upgraded."
"You could get that checked through any advanced medical unit, Griffen."
"I know, but none of them have your expertise and we'd rather go to the best. And that's you."
"Flatterer."
"There's also the matter of not wanting the Federation to find out."
"Griffen, are you in trouble?"
"In a way. Let's just say that I want to avoid the Federation at all costs."
Barn let out a short laugh. "Coming here is hardly avoiding them! They run this place and it's damn hard to get in."
"We can manage. If we get in, will you do the job?"
Barn pondered for a moment and then a smile broke over his face, a grim smile. "Yes. I'm sick of what's happening here. I'll help you. But on one condition."
"Barn..." Griffen began, when Barn held up his hand to forestall him and said,
"Take me with you."
"You want to leave?"
"I want to see other places. I'm tired of looking at these four walls. And the food is horrendous!" Barn smiled again, before turning serious for a moment. "I mean it, Griffen. I want out. You've got to have a ship if you're coming here and I can help you leave again."
"Wait a moment,"
Orac switched the audio off. "Well, what do you think?" Griffen asked the others standing around him.
"You know him best, Griffen. Can you trust him?" Kitra asked.
"Once I would have said, 'With my life'. Now, I don't know."
Kitra looked at Soolin. "Are you willing to risk it?"
Soolin nodded. "I want my hand working. You say he's the best option."
"The best, but not the only. We can always look elsewhere."
Soolin shook her head. "No. He's the one."
"Tarrant?" Kitra glanced over to him.
"I say we try it. We've got the advantage of surprise. He doesn't know when we'll get there or how. If things go wrong we can always leave."
"Vila?"
"I don't know. It could be dangerous." Vila hedged, but one glance at Soolin's face decided him. "I suppose it can't hurt. As Tarrant says, we can always get away again."
"Then we're decided?" A chorus of nods answered her. "Okay, Orac. Switch us on." She nodded for Griffen to continue.
"Barn?"
"Yes."
"We're agreed. You do the job and you can leave with us."
"Wonderful! You have no idea how grateful I am. You had better go, there's no telling if the Federation may be able to pick up this transmission. I'll speak to you when you get here." The picture disappeared.
"So do we go straight there?" Griffen asked.
"Let's get Orac to run a few contingency plans for us first. I want to be certain that we've covered all the possibilities." Kitra said, before turning to the others. "You had better all get some rest. We'll be there tomorrow."
"Gen Barn?" Kitra said as she stepped round the door, the others close behind her.
"Who are you?" he said backing away, hand reaching behind him in search of a weapon.
"You were expecting us."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Fear coloured his voice.
"Barn, we don't have time for this!"
"Griffen?" Barn looked around them, searching for a familiar face to match the remembered voice.
Griffen's silver ball floated out from behind Kitra and moved to hover in front of Barn, who stood staring at it. "Are you ready, Barn?"
"Griffen?" Barn peered at the ball. "Is this some sort of communication device?"
"No, Barn. It's me. All that's left of me."
Barn shook his head. "I don't understand."
They all heard Griffen's sigh. "I can see that we're not going to get anything accomplished till you do understand, so we had better get on with this. Watch the door, Tarrant, we don't want to be surprised. Sit down, Barn."
Barn did as he was instructed, still staring at the ball in bewilderment, whilst Tarrant took up a position at the door with Kitra on the other side.
"What...?" Barn began.
"Listen, Barn," Griffen said, interrupting. "We don't have much time so I'll make this short. You asked before if I was avoiding the Federation. I am. And this is why. They did this."
"How? And why?"
"How? With advanced technology. Why? Because they wanted to."
"But you were one of the most promising medical geniuses the Federation had. Why would they do this to you?"
"Because I came up with some wonderful ideas, but they were all for the good of mankind. The Federation wanted me to use my knowledge so they could remain a conquering power. I didn't want my work to be used for those purposes. I'm a doctor, not a destroyer.
"One of the areas I was looking into was being able to transfer the brain of a person into a microcosm environment where they could function. A simplistic view of the abilities of a computer but with a human brain controlling it so information would be tempered with other considerations. The Federation wanted to use my research to enslave people. Just think, anyone who they didn't like could be disposed of yet they would still be of use. It was all entirely theoretical and I was thinking more of using it for people who were disabled or crippled, where the body was useless but the mind was still functioning. I even thought that it might have some uses in helping mentally disabled people, linking them to a computer to enhance their mental capacity. Or even people who were mentally disturbed. The possibilities were endless, but it had to be carefully thought out. As I said, it was only a theory. I ran a few experiments with artificial components to see if it would work. The results were favourable but I hadn't dreamt of trying it with a human subject. There was too much that would need to be tested.
"The Federation tried to make me experiment on prisoners. I refused. I had already heard that those they called 'felons' were more often than not simply people who opposed the tyranny of the Federation. I was already a prisoner myself. I would not subject a human to my experiments just to please the Federation.
"I thought they had given up on me for they left me alone for a couple of months, just the odd call or memo asking me to reconsider my position and so on. Then they conducted their routine inspection of the station. I was enlisted as the supervisor to show them around. During it an explosion went off in one of the labs, a couple of trainee technicians were caught in the blast. The Federation wouldn't risk their troops to go in and so I did. I managed to drag them out but a second blast caught me.
"When I regained consciousness I found myself like this. At first I thought I would go mad. I can't describe my feelings or thoughts at that time, but take my word for it. I wouldn't willingly subject anyone to this. I was told that this was the only way to save me and that I could still continue with my work. I was linked into the computers so I could function. At first I believed them, and I was thankful that I was at least alive, in a sense. I was even proud that I had been right in my research, that it did work and it could help people.
"Then I accidentally accessed some high security files and found my own medical records with a report attached. The reports came from Federation command stating that it was decided that my work needed to be tested immediately to determine its effectiveness. It also stated that I would be the ideal test subject as my brain capacity was so advanced I would have the best chance of adapting and surviving. And as I would not willingly undergo the operation a means of 'persuasion' would be necessary. So the explosion was staged. The explosives were real, planted by the Federation. The technicians knew nothing about it, but it was planned for them to be present at that time as the Federation knew that I would not leave them to die.
"But the worst was yet to come. According to my medical records as a result of the explosions all I suffered in the way of injuries were a few broken ribs, a fractured arm, contusions and a slight concussion. A few hours in a medical unit, a week of light duties and I would have been fitter than before. Instead they removed my brain, destroyed my body and trapped me in this."
Barn shook his head. "I can't believe it. All that elaborate trick, just for this? How could they justify it?"
"They don't. They believe they are entitled to do anything they wish. But they made one mistake. By trapping me they had no-one else to follow on with my work. They were expecting me to continue doing it under their guidance - and I did continue it. I developed upon my original idea, improved upon it ten fold, and they never knew.
"My original thoughts were that this would enable people to continue to function in jobs even though their bodies were destroyed or crippled, but I always believed that they would have to remain connected to the machines they were encased in. The Federation believed that too. So whilst they were busy congratulating themselves and writing self-effacing reports on my 'slow' progress in adapting, I began to do a little work on the side.
"Soon I made my little environment totally self supporting and I could unlock myself from the console at will and move around. It didn't happen overnight, it took months of slow, painstaking work. I had no particular plan, I just wanted mobility. I wanted to feel like a person again.
"Then I read the latest report that had been sent to Federation Space Headquarters. The reply was to 'terminate' the project as the reports were unsatisfactory. Terminate me. That decided it. I unplugged myself, made it to an undocking ship and left the station, leaving a virus to eat through every file I had ever worked upon. I've had nothing to do with the Federation since."
Barn reached out a hand to the ball in front of him. "I'm so sorry, Griffen." he sighed as his hand fell away. "That's much the reason why I asked to leave with you. I can't believe the Federation anymore. I can't believe they only want what is best for the people. They are only after power for their own corrupt reasons."
"I arrived at the same conclusion - unfortunately, too late. No power that does what they did to me wants to do good."
Barn seemed to give himself a shake. "Well, this only makes me more determined to leave. So let's do your job and be gone."
Kitra motioned Soolin over to Barn, following. Sitting opposite him, she held out her cyber hand for Barn's assessment. He took it in his and began examining it. "Good workmanship. Who did it?"
"We did," Kitra replied. Barn looked up so she elaborated. "I put the robotics together with the help of Griffen and Orac. Vila attached it to the nerves under Griffen's tutelage."
"It's not a bad job – for amateurs. Not that I would expect anything else from Griffen though. Lie down over here," he instructed Soolin, pointing at a low table nearby. As she did so he continued talking. "I'll give a local anaesthetic to numb the arm as I'll be linking your arm up with a number of electrodes. These will send small electrical impulses into your nerves, gradually building in intensity until we reach the threshold of each. We have to stimulate them one at a time and then match the corresponding artificial nerve in the hand until the two begin to function as one. Any sensations you feel please tell me so I can monitor it." Whilst he had been talking he had been setting all the equipment up.
"How long will it take?" Tarrant asked.
"Not long," Barn replied, continuing to work and watching the monitors closely. Griffen hovered at his shoulder. "The equipment does most of the work but it needs the interpretation of the sensations from a human to work best." He lapsed into silence for a moment before speaking again. "Whilst I'm busy if you could do me a favour?"
"Yes?" Kitra queried.
"Can you download all my files to your ship? I don't want to leave any of it for the Federation. Some would be too easy for them to misuse. They may have already copied everything but I would feel safer knowing that I have at least taken the precaution of removing as much as I can before I go."
"That's not a problem. Orac?" Kitra spoke into a communicator.
"Yes?"
"Patch into the computers down here and take all the files."
"Do you wish them to be deleted from the mainframe completely?"
Kitra glanced over to Barn and he nodded. "Yes." She confirmed.
"Very well."
"Another of the crew?" Barn asked.
"You could say that."
Kitra moved back to where Tarrant stood at the door. "Do you think he's all right?" he asked her.
Kitra glanced back before nodding. "Yes, I think so. He's much like Griffen; an idealistic visionary of doing good for the world only to have the dreams turn into nightmares."
"Rather philosophical." Tarrant said with a smile.
Kitra shrugged. "It happens all the time."
"Did you know about Griffen before?"
"Of course. How else would we have ended up together?"
"I don't know. You two have never talked about how you met."
Kitra looked up at him for a surprised moment, then shrugged. "I suppose not. Vila knew, but then we told him when he first joined us. Mainly to keep he and Griffen from arguing all the time. I never thought to tell you or Soolin."
"So how did you meet?"
"As you heard, Griffen stowed away on a ship. He stayed hidden until it landed and then disembarked. He said he had absolutely no idea of what to do or where he was going, he just floated around, avoiding everyone. I happened to be in the spaceport at the time doing a small job. I had just finished loading and had the ramp down. Griffen dropped himself at the corner of it as some technicians went by. At the same time I came back at a run with a couple of unhappy people on my heels, flew up the ramp, tripped over him and took off before pursuit ships could follow. Half my cargo hadn't been strapped down so I was in the hold fixing things when I kicked him again. I let out a curse and so did he."
She smiled at the remembrance. "I thought I would die of shock. I could hardly believe it when this metal ball swore back at me. Told me to watch where I was putting my big feet, or words to that effect. I thought I was hallucinating. We sat down then and there and told each other our backgrounds and decided to team up. I know a bit about computers but certainly not as much as Griffen so he took on more of that side of things. He could fly the ship and monitor things, leaving me free to do other things, and it helped to have a partner I could rely on."
"So what's your background? How did you become a smuggler?"
Kitra looked him in the eye. "That is my concern." she said in a voice that brooked no discussion.
"Done!" Barn's pleased voice reached them. They turned to look at him, as he helped Soolin sit up. Kitra and Tarrant moved closer.
"How's it feel?" Kitra asked her.
Soolin flexed her cybernetic hand slowly, one finger at a time. "It feels strange."
"In what way?" Barn asked, still watching monitors.
Soolin frowned. "Heavier."
"That's to be expected. You must remember that it is still made of metal, it will weigh more than a flesh and blood hand. You will adapt to it. Everything is functioning well and the more you use it, the more flexible it will become. Now rest your hand in this," and he placed a bowl of pinkish liquid on the table.
"What is it?" Soolin asked as he put her hand in it. "Oh!" as it seemed like small electrical currents ran through her hand.
"Don't take it out!" Barn said quickly, holding Soolin's hand in the liquid. "It's a new synthetic flesh I have been working on. Since your communication I have refined it so it could be used. It's designed to be attracted to the electrodes within the cybernetic hand and mould around it. It will feel strange for a time but just wait a few more moments."
When he judged that enough time had passed, Barn gently lifted Soolin's hand from the liquid. Drops of fluid ran from it but soon it dried. Barn led Soolin across the room and placed the hand under a machine and pulled a cover down before flicking some switches. A blue glow shone round the edges of the shield and when it was gone the cover was raised.
Soolin stared in wonder at what lay before her. She lifted her artificial hand and held her left alongside it. Little difference could be seen, a slightly shinier appearance to the skin perhaps, and the nails had a metallic sheen to them, and there were few lines on the skin, but apart from that it looked just like her other.
Tarrant whistled softly, impressed. "That's pretty good."
Barn beamed in pleasure, taking Soolin's hand. "This is much better than syntho-flesh. It keeps longer and is stronger. It also adheres better, not just to the metal but to your own skin. I'm very pleased with it."
"Thanks, Barn." Griffen said, speaking after a long silence. "You certainly haven't lost your touch."
"Coming from you, that's high praise." Barn said, smiling over his shoulder at Griffen.
"Anything else need doing?" Kitra asked.
Barn shook his head. He glanced around his room and began dropping a few things into his pockets whilst Kitra touched her communicator. "Orac?"
"Yes?"
"Finished?"
"Finished what, may I ask?"
Kitra rolled her eyes. "The computer files?"
"That particular task was completed 15 minutes and 33 seconds ago. I have completed another 13 tasks since that time and am currently..."
"Okay," Kitra interrupted. "Just get the ship ready for lift off. And tell Vila we're on our way."
"Very well."
Kitra shook her head. "One day I know I'm going to lose my temper and dump him out an airlock." Tarrant merely grinned at her. "So, are we ready?" Barn nodded, and Soolin experimentally held her gun in her new hand. "Be careful with that." Kitra warned. "If you don't have very good co-ordination with it we don't need you shooting yourself in the foot."
Soolin grinned "There's no chance of that."
"It's your foot." Kitra shrugged in answer. "Come on then. Let's get out of here while our luck's holding."
Checking the corridors they began to run towards the ship. Tarrant and Kitra were first, then Barn and Soolin followed. Griffen hovered in their midst. However their luck ran out quickly. Rounding a corner they came face to face with a Federation patrol.
The two groups skidded to a halt at the sight of each other and for a few seconds merely stared in shock. Then they all reacted. Tarrant and Kitra fired first and spun around to flee. The Federation were only a second slower in returning fire and starting after them.
"Where to now?" Tarrant shouted ahead.
"This way!" Barn said, leading the way. He stopped at a door and punched a code in. As the door swung open they all crowded in and closed the door behind them.
"What's a patrol doing here?" Kitra asked softly.
"I don't know. There've always been guards but they usually only patrol in ones or twos, never more. And they're not usually in this section."
They all stood silently as they heard the sound of pounding feet pass the door. Barn cracked the door and peered out. "Nothing." he whispered.
They made their way back to where they had encountered the patrol. Tarrant peeked around the corner and jerked back. "Four guards are still there."
"Is there another way to get to the ship?" Kitra asked Barn.
"Where are you docked?"
"Near the hydroponics labs." Griffen replied.
Barn frowned, "But there aren't any docking tubes there."
"We know. We made our own."
"But that means that when you leave you'll rupture the station!"
"Actually, we were going to do it quietly and seal it up before we left. Now it doesn't look like we'll have the opportunity to do so. We didn't want to damage the station but now we'll have no choice."
"This is the only corridor to reach the hydroponics from here. The only other way would be to circumnavigate the entire station and come down from the other side."
"We don't have time for that." Soolin said. "If those guards are still there they must be expecting us to come back down that corridor, which means they may have an idea of where we're heading."
"Didn't think of that. Wait," Kitra touched the communicator. "Orac?"
"Kitra?" a human voice answered this time.
"Vila. Is everything alright with the ship?"
"Sure. Why?"
"We've got some problems here. Be ready to get away quickly and monitor the outside carefully. Have Orac check the station's communications and find out why there are guards around. Looks like they're on alert."
"Okay."
"Any other way?" Tarrant pressed Barn, who was frowning in concentration.
"I'm thinking, I'm thinking."
"Kit?" the communicator crackled.
"Yes, Vila?"
"The station's on a code yellow alert. That means they believe there is sabotage or spies on it."
"Why? What's made them think that?"
"One would assume that their computers registered the fact that a large number of files were being deleted from their mainframe and deduced from that that some form of espionage was taking place." Orac's calm voice reached them all.
Soolin rolled her eyes, Tarrant grinned without amusement and Kitra shook her head. "Didn't you think to hide your activities, Orac?" Kitra asked resignedly.
"You did not request that I keep my activities clandestine," came the testy reply.
"All right, it's our fault. Let me think," She was silent for a moment. "It doesn't look like they know the ship is there, they are simply guarding the corridors that we appeared in."
"They probably narrowed it down to here through the computers. It surely wouldn't have been too hard for them to work out which files were being tampered with and from where." Soolin put in.
"That buys us a little breathing space. But we've still got to find a way to the ship."
"Access ducts," Barn put in suddenly in a loud voice.
"Shhhh!" Kitra shushed him.
He dropped his voice. "There are access ducts all through the station. They would have to go right into the hydroponics area."
"Can we use them?"
"We must be able to. We don't use only automated repair 'bots, we have human technicians also."
"Where can we find one?"
"This way," Barn peered around the corner and waited till the guards turned to face the other way and then ran across the passage to the other corridor opposite. Soolin followed after, then Kitra and Griffen. Tarrant came last. Barn led them into a nearby room and pushing some chairs to one side revealed a narrow grill.
Kitra eyed it speculatively. "It's going to be a tight fit," thinking of Tarrant.
"It'll widen out inside," Barn assured them. They set to removing the grill, attempting to do so with as little noise as possible. Finally it was off.
"I'll go first," Barn said "I know which direction to take." Kitra indicated for him to do so. Griffen followed after and then Soolin wriggled through.
"After you," Tarrant said, with a cocky bow.
Kitra shook her head. "After you. If you get stuck I'll at least be here to give a push."
Tarrant grinned at that and lay on his stomach to wriggle through. He managed to negotiate the opening without mishap and Kitra soon followed. Barn had been correct, it was larger inside but they still had to crawl and in places it narrowed so they had to turn sideways to slide past obstacles.
They navigated the passages with Barn occasionally stopping to gain his bearings. It was slow progress but finally Barn stopped and whispered back. "We're here."
He moved forward to allow Tarrant room to look through the grill. "It appears to be empty." Tarrant reported. He then examined the grill itself. It was a newer model than the one they had originally entered and fastened electronically. They had few instruments with them that could be used to undo it. Kitra's claws wouldn't help them here. He turned to Barn. "Have you anything to get these undone?"
Barn searched his many pockets quickly then shook his head.
Tarrant looked back to Kitra and Soolin, raising an eyebrow in query. Kitra glanced at Soolin and shrugged before nodding. Twisting around so his feet were placed on the grill Tarrant brought his legs up and kicked out strongly. The grill buckled a little but did not release. He kicked again, and then a third time. On the fourth, one corner came away with an echoing pop. Tarrant ceased his exertions and they all listened for any sounds of discovery. When all remained unchanged, Tarrant resumed his efforts. A second corner released on the next kick and then with a resounding crack the grill came out and clattered into the middle of the floor.
"Move!" Soolin said sharply.
Feet first Tarrant swung himself out, coming to his feet and reaching to pull Barn through. Soolin followed smoothly, with Kitra close behind. Long benches held a variety of plants at different stages of growth in vats of liquid. They ran past these towards the back of the long room to reach the hatch embedded in the wall of the station.
As Kitra punched in the code the main door crashed open behind them and Federation troops poured in. Seeing the fugitives, they began shooting. Tarrant and Soolin dropped to a crouch behind the benches and returned the fire, causing the troopers to seek safety. Kitra remained where she was, frantically working.
"What's wrong?" Tarrant shouted, realising that it was taking longer than warranted.
Kitra shook her head. "Must be a short somewhere. Hold on." Tarrant turned his attention back to the fight.
Barn joined Kitra at the door. "Can I help?" he asked, as she pulled the panel off to reveal the electronics beneath.
"See if you can rig a by-pass!"
Barn moved into her place and examined the components, whilst Kitra pulled her gun out and provided covering fire.
"Try the blue wire?" Griffen suggested, attempting to keep out of the line of fire. Barn did so and finally the hum of power showed that the current had been restored.
"Your turn," he said to Kitra, moving out of the way. Kitra punched the code in and this time the hatch began to respond, but so very slowly.
"Come on!" Kitra shouted to Tarrant and Soolin.
They both fired one more salvo and then dove for the partially open hatchway, whilst Kitra provided further cover. Griffen followed after and Kitra pushed Barn towards it.
Seeing their quarry eluding them, the Federation troopers threw caution to the wind and rushed towards the opening. Kitra continued to fire until she was backed up against the hatch, then turned her gun to the controls and fired, destroying it completely. Like a spring the hatch door began to close quickly and Kitra dove through it into the waiting arms of the others. The troopers continued to shoot and one shot struck her leg as she stumbled through. Barn pulled her clear, turning his body to protect her and they both fell against the far wall as the hatch closed with a loud clang.
Tarrant was already on the intercom instructing Vila to disengage, then he and Soolin dragged Barn and Kitra out of the conduit, locking down the separating door, and into safety. They all fell and clung to the walls as Pegasus disengaged clumsily from the station and sought the relative safety of open space.
When the motion had smoothed out Griffen and Vila came at a run. Tarrant was kneeling beside Kitra examining her wounded leg.
"Are you all right?" Vila asked anxiously, seeing the blood.
Kitra grimaced but nodded, "It's not bad."
"You were lucky this is all you got," Tarrant said, helping her to her feet. "Next time don't try and make a last stand."
"Didn't have much choice that time."
"Kit," Soolin said, and they all turned towards her. She was kneeling next to Barn, who leant back against the wall. Soolin looked up at them and they could read the situation on her face. Kitra hobbled over and knelt down beside her awkwardly. Reaching out a hand she turned Barn's face, seeing the vacant eyes, before letting it fall again. A spreading crimson stain at the base of the wall told the story.
Griffen's ball sank to the floor beside his friend. "I'm so sorry, Barn. You were almost free."
Kitra hung her head, then shook it. "You fool," she said softly to Barn. "That shot was meant for me." Soolin glanced over at her. She saw the look and explained. "When I was shot and he pulled me through, he was shielding me with his body." She glanced back at Barn. "That one would have killed me."
"He always did have a big heart." Griffen said quietly. "That's what made him such a good doctor. If he hadn't been such a brilliant research scientist he would have been happy to remain a simple medic."
Kitra struggled to her feet, using the wall for support. "Back to the flight deck." she said. "We've still got to get out of this sector and we're no longer sneaking out quietly. Tarrant, get Orac to run the contingency plan and take over."
They hesitated a moment before realising that she wanted to be left alone and went out. Kitra turned to where Griffen still lay on the floor. She reached a hand down to rest it on his covering.
"I'm sorry, Griffen," she said, reaching out with her empathy to penetrate the metal shell to touch the mind within. "He was a good man."
"He was my best friend during our time at the Academy. We did everything together. He was always bringing home stray cats and dogs, always had a 'cause' he wanted to follow." Griffen let out a short bitter laugh. "I always said that he would die a hero."
Kitra could feel Griffen's hurt at the loss of Barn. It is not easy to find a friend again, only to lose them. She knew that the others frequently forgot that Griffen was much more than just the metal shell protecting him, that he was still human.
Leaning down awkwardly she picked him up and cradled him in her arms, holding him tightly to her chest. He may not be able to cry, having no eyes or tear ducts, but he cried in his mind. Dropping her barriers, she reached deeper into his mind and gently drew his pain away, sending comforting tendrils back, letting him feel her love and caring for him. Gradually, she felt his hurt easing. It would take time for it to completely heal and she could not hurry that but, for the time being, she had helped.
"You had better get that leg looked at." Griffen finally said, his voice sounding thick with emotion.
"I suppose I had. A bit of antiseptic and synthoflesh and it'll be fine." She replied, dragging herself upright.
"You should stay off it for a few days. Give it a good chance to heal."
"Maybe. We could all do with a break. Wonder where we could go to relax for a while. Somewhere nice," she mused as she hobbled off down the corridor, still cradling Griffen.
"Ask Orac. He should be able to dig something up." Griffen replied.
"Yes. Somewhere quiet."