Julia's routine involved the same painstaking precautions each time. Everything was thoroughly washed in an antiseptic bath before it entered the inner tent. The water for the wet compresses would have to be boiled first with heated coils. It was basically the same method and equipment they used to melt snow in the winter.

Once she was sure everything was sterile, she entered the closed off area where Alonzo lay. His lower body remained elevated under the canopy that kept him warm.

Julia found it best to warn the pilot of her presence. "Alonzo? I'm back." She wrung the compresses of excess water. "I'm going to lay a wet compress against your skin. It might sting for a moment, but it will help you feel better. Do you understand?"

His head rolled toward the sound of her voice. "Sorry...hurts bad."

"I know." Her voice was full of empathy. She longed to touch and hold him, but a new barrier had formed between them. She wore it in the form of sterile plastic.

As she looked down on his mauled, disfigured body, feelings of distress twisted her soft features. She was thankful he could not see her face as she thought of the treatments she would have to subject him to in the future. Sealed off from herself, Julia couldn't wipe her eyes. A sniffle and a blink sent a hot stream of tears tumbling down her face.

She cried for him and for those who had been lost. Eben, O'Neill, Firestein, Wentworth, and all the crewmen she didn't know. All of whom would never get their chance at a new life.

There was also Bennett, and Elizabeth who saved them before passing on a warning that the planet would reject them and soon they would all die. Devon was the first to fall victim to Dr. Anson's prophecy. Because Julia couldn't find a cure or a reason for the illness, she had locked their leader into a Cold Sleep suspension. It was a desperate bid to prolong her life. Devon's loss had demoralized everyone and it was the straw that broke Julia's confidence in her ability.

Julia fought her emotions with motion. Working silently, because her voice might betray her, she covered Alonzo with warm compresses. His sharp intake of breath with each contact of wet cloth wore on her nerves. In the end, her hands shook from tension. She played a role, encouraging the pilot on his prognosis. It was mask behind which most doctors hide the uncertainties of a complex profession.

Reality was a stark reminder. Here, twenty-two light years from the stations, she was the only doctor. The lives of her friends and lover were in her hands. For someone so young and untested, it was an overwhelming burden. She longed for an experienced physician's opinion, even if it meant nothing more than sharing the loneliness of her decisions. As Julia knew, loneliness could be the cruelest of friends when the demons of doubt and ambivalence came knocking.

"I'm finished. Any better?"

Alonzo's jaw tightened before he nodded slightly.

"I have to check on something. I'll be back in a few minutes. Later, we'll try a little physical therapy. It's important that you move. Just, don't start without me. Okay?"

"Hmmm."

"Alonzo? Do you hear me?"

There was no answer. She checked his vital signs. He had fallen into an exhausted sleep, so she took the opportunity to check on Danziger.

The Terrians hadn't moved. Julia found herself nervously glancing back over her shoulder as she walked into camp. She wondered if they were here because of Alonzo's condition. Were they aware of his pain? As far as she knew, they had not tried to contact the pilot. Were they simply awaiting Alonzo's fate or would they help cure him as they had when Uly was sick? It was frightening to think that, if anything happened to Alonzo, a nine year old boy would be their only link for understanding this strange species.

The doctor noticed with relief that most of her crewmates were at breakfast. She hoped to slip in and out before they accosted her with questions. Bess jumped as she hurriedly ducked into the tent.

"Oh, Julia, you startled me." Morgan's wife pressed her palm against her heart to emphasize her fright. "I just sent True out to get something to eat."

Julia leaned over Danziger, searching for any sign of change. "Has there been any movement? Any sign that he may be waking up?"

"No. Nothing. I would have called you right away." Bess studied Julia's face. "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?"

"Just how do you mean that?" the doctor asked tensely.

"I mean, you look like hell. Julia, give yourself a break. Let one of us watch over Alonzo, at least until you've had some sleep."

"I'm fine. I can get by on very little sleep, thank you."

Julia checked the burns on Danzigers' hands. They showed no sign of healing, but there was also no sign of infection either, which was good.

"Bess, try to keep his hands clean in the area of the burns. Don't let anyone touch him without gloves."

"Sure. What do I tell True when she asks why her daddy won't wake up?"

Julia's face clouded. "She asked that?"

"Of course, she asked that." Bess went on earnestly, now that she had the doctor's attention. "Julia, you told her Danziger would wake up just like Morgan did. She's just a kid. She took it literally to mean two days, just like Morgan. It's been three and she doesn't understand what's wrong. She needs to hear some reassurance from you that everything will be all right."

Bess let Julia mull on her words. She could see the other woman's eyes grow distant as she retreated into herself for a time. It wasn't that Bess wanted to burden Julia with more responsibility but she had seen the little girl grow more frightened as the hours wore on. The fact that the doctor was not available only added to the child's uncertainty.

"Bess, why don't you go and get something to eat. Send True in when she's finished. You're right, I should talk to her."

Bess smiled, feeling like she finally got through to the young physician. "I'll get you something to eat, too. And, Julia, thanks. Coming from you, that her dad will be all right, will make True feel a lot better."

The doctor made no comment and this disturbed Bess Martin. Morgan's wife took pride in her keen powers of observation. Not many things passed by her unnoticed and this was no exception. She had kept watch over John Danziger for three days now and expected Julia to share something of her expectations for John or Alonzo's recovery.

The doctor was oblivious to Mrs. Martin's disappointment, however; she was more concerned about what she should tell True Danziger.

While Julia waited for True she studied John Danziger's read-outs on her diaglove. According to her instruments, the mechanic had no heart beat, no blood pressure or brain-waves. For all intents and purposes, Danziger had been dead for three days. Yet, his temperature stayed at 98.6 and there was no sign of decomposition. If the past was an indication of what she could expect, the mechanic would wake up with no side affect except some weakness from atrophic muscles.

It had entered Julia's mind more than once that this was a better alternative than keeping Devon in Cold Sleep. If she could isolate and control the part of the venom that caused the suspension of life, they could safely carry Devon to New Pacifica until a cure could be found.

"Julia? Bess said you wanted to talk to me. Is it my Dad? Is he going to be all right? How come he didn't wake up yet?" Danziger's child stood wide- eyed with fear at the tent's entrance. An endless stream of questions flowed out of her.

"Whoa! Take a breath, True. First, I don't want you to think I've been avoiding you or that I haven't been in to check on your father. I have, but it's usually been late at night when you and Bess were both asleep. I understand your concern and I want you to know that I haven't seen anything about your father that would indicate there is a problem. Your Dad got stung twice, that's double the dose Morgan received so he's bound to sleep longer. I'm sure in a day or so he'll be fine. Now, let's go over the rest of your questions one at a time."

When Bess appeared fifteen minutes later with a tray of food, she was dismayed to find the doctor was gone. True seemed content. She sat beside her sleeping father, telling him a story. True explained to Bess that Julia thought there might be a chance that her father could hear her. If so, it would be a good idea to let her dad know she was close by, waiting for him to wake up.

Julia's intent was to be truthful while trying to reassure Danziger's daughter. Instead, she saw a reflection of her own fear in the girl's eyes. Pity caused her to paint a child's picture. The colors might be wrong and so what if you crossed over the lines, for the time being, she would push back the dark storm clouds of doubt and believe in rainbows. The child in her needed to believe, as desperately as True, that heroes always wake up and live happily ever after.

The trouble was, Julia could not hold that vision for long. While she could pad the answers to True's questions, Bess was a different story. She wanted to leave before the other woman returned. It was a cop-out but how could she tell the others that she based her prognosis on nothing more than an educated guess. If her instinct was wrong, her credibility would pay the price. She'd cross that bridge when she came to it. Satisfied that her duty to True was done, the doctor beat a hasty retreat.

Julia hurried back to Alonzo. Even a brief absence left her anxious about his safety. This time she found him as she left him. She hated to wake him but it was time to begin the therapy. When she began to remove the compresses, he woke with a start. Gasping for air, he swung wildly. Julia was used to the pattern and moved out of harm's way quickly.

"Alonzo. It's all right. I'm just removing your dressing."

His body was rigid with tension. The veins in his head and neck stood out from the pressure of a heart hammering uncontrollably with fear.

"Alonzo, calm down! You're here with me."

The pilot collapsed back, panting with pain. Concerned, she checked his vitals and found his fever was up.

"Damn." she sighed.

The darks clouds began to gather once more.

The physical therapy was forgotten as she concentrated on bringing his fever down. When the old medicines failed, she tried some of the new and still his temperature continued to climb. Night found Julia bent over her cultures and slides, searching for the weapon which would win the microscopic war being waged in the pilot's body. Sweat dripped off the end of her nose and humidity fogged the plastic face-mask as she bent over her research. Alonzo's delirious mutterings broke her concentration. Finally, she was reduced to sponging her patient with cool water as his temperature soared to dangerous levels.

A call to camp for more water brought unwelcome news. Walman was also complaining of a terrible headache. A gear scan of his arms showed long red welts
of spreading infection. Julia arranged to meet Baines to exchange water for antibiotics.

As she waited for the technician, Julia slumped wearily against a tree. The cool night air was welcome relief from the stagnant heat of the isolation suit. For the first time, she realized her clothes were soaked with sweat. The heat from her body gave off wavering wisps of vapor in the chilled night air so that her skin appeared to steam under the pale light of the twin moons.

"Julia?"

The doctor jumped. Baines blended in with the dark surrounding and she hadn't heard his approach.

"Are you all right?" The man's voice seemed muffled to her.

"Yes. I'm just tired. I didn't hear you coming."

She handed him the medicine and proceeded to give him instructions for Walman. The young man pocketed the meds before carrying the jug of water close to the tent. Julia saw him gaze in with a poorly masked curiosity.

"How's Alonzo doing?"

"Not too well. His fever is back up again. I had hoped keeping him isolated would prevent infection but it appears I was wrong." Julia turned so her face was hidden in shadow, but Baines picked up the despair in her tone.

"Yea, looks like Walman's coming down sick too. No offense, Julia, but you don't look too good either. Maybe it would be better if we dropped this isolation bit. We'd all feel better if you both were back in camp. Who knows what the diggers are up to. I don't know about you, but they're giving me the creeps, just standing around, like they're waiting for something to happen."

"I afraid that's out of the question. Even if I wanted to, Alonzo's too sick to move right now. I'm not sure what they want but I don't think we have anything to fear from the Terrians." Before he turned to go, she added, "Make sure Walman drinks plenty of water."

Baines nodded, then melted into the darkness. Julia glanced up to where the Terrians stood their silent vigil. A sudden chill had her wrapping her arms around her chest for warmth.

If she thought they would help, she'd go to the Terrians and ask them to help but Alonzo had told her they only observe humans. Uly seemed to be the one exception. They cured him. Others had died in the following months. Uly's mother could have been among them had not Julia resorted to desperate measure to save her life.

"Stop wasting time wishing for help and get back to work." She told herself. She hefted the jug and struggled into the alcove. "Either I getting weaker or...."

The jug slid through her arms, hitting the floor in an upright position. The water slopped against the sides and a small amount erupted from the top. Julia reached to steady herself as a wave of dizziness hit her. Spots danced before her eyes. With rubbery legs threatening to collapse, she sat down heavily and leaned against the water canister. The room seemed to close in.

Immediately, she brought her head down between her legs to increase the blood flow. "This is not good, Dr. Heller," she warned herself.

As the young woman waited for her strength to return, she heard a noise from inside. Either Alonzo was on his feet or someone was with him. Neither was acceptable. Pushing herself upright, the doctor stumbled into the inner sanctum, where she collided with a seven foot Terrian.

Startled, Julia stepped back. "What are you doing? How did you get in here?"

The tall earthen figure cocked his head as if trying to understand her agitated tone. Julia's concern for Alonzo was paramount and when she tried to fight her way past the Terrian, he blocked her advance with an outstretched staff. The strange features of the creature twisted in an attempt to communicate.

The young woman's head was filled with its high-pitched screeching. She fell to her knees holding her ears against the sound which reverberated within her brain. "Stop. Please, stop!"

The being looked down at the frail human and seemed to realize the noise was causing distress. He laid his hand on the woman's forehead. Julia instinctively closed her eyes as the leathery palm lightly brushed the features of her face. The passage seemed to smooth away the stress and misery of the last few days. It was as if the creature wrapped her in a shroud of serenity. She felt herself grow limp, then slump at the creature's feet. Consciousness was like a feather before a strong wind; swept away to drift in the realm of unconscious sleep.

The Terrian reached down and laid a single koba claw on the doctor's chest before it returned into the earth.

For the first time in days, Julia slept deeply. It was a sleep filled with strange, uncompleted dreams. When she woke at dawn, the dreams and their meanings faded under the harsh glare of light. Concern for Alonzo's well-being surfaced to crowd the doctor's thoughts and force her to her feet. The claw fell to the ground unnoticed.

Despite the fact that the sterile environment had been violated, the pilot seemed no worse. In fact, his fever was down and he appeared to be sleeping peacefully. Relief out-weighed any feelings of perplexity over the cause of the change. The remission might be temporary so it was important to begin work on a stronger medication immediately.

Back in her lab, Julia noticed the koba's nail on the floor of the tent. Wondering where it came from, she placed it carefully out of harm's way in a jar on the worktable. The Terrian's message was lost on the young doctor. Julia was not a dreamer.

ooo
--end part 5--