STORIES

THIRTYFIVE

"Teacher?

"Yes, Grasshopper?"

"I've got that nasty man."

"Good, Grasshopper."

"I also intercepted his attempted communication with the Aedui. We've learned quite a good deal from it. Important and useful things. This information should help us in our fight, if you choose to continue it. And there's more… we've learned something about the Boeshane Peninsula that I believe will please Captain Harkness."

"That's all good too, Grasshopper. What did you do with him?"

"With who, Teacher?"

"That nasty man?"

"I've put him in a level five hazmat container, Teacher."

"You… WHAT?"

"I wanted to make sure he'd be secure. That he'd no longer be a threat to you or the others. Or to anyone else."

"But… how did you manage to fit him inside a level five hazmat container?"

"I had to compress him a bit."

"I can imagine!"

"Yes, Teacher, I'm sure you can. I didn't like him very much."

"I don't blame you. I didn't either. He's not a very nice man."

"It occurs to me, Teacher…"

"Yes, Grasshopper?"

"It occurs to me that there are a lot of not very nice men."

"This is true, Grasshopper. But the antithesis of your statement is true as well. There are also a whole lot of very, very nice men. There are four of them in this room with me right now."

"But I wonder about the ratio, Teacher."

Wil smiled inwardly. "I'm not sure that's such a productive thing to wonder about. But if you count, I believe what you'll find is that for every Ganelial there is at least one Crade."

"Yes, Teacher.

"Teacher?"

"Yes, Grasshopper?"

"Should I send the level five hazmat container into the core of the sun?"

"No, Grasshopper."

"You want me to preserve him?"

"I think we will need to let Jack decide what to do with him. After all, he is Jack's brother."

"I'm not very impressed with how well Jack has managed his brother up through this point in time."

"Yes, I know. Managing family is always tricky. But this time we'll help him."

"I understand…

"Teacher?"

"Yes, Grasshopper?"

"Do you want me to beam all of you out?"

"No, Grasshopper."

"Do you want me to beam you and John out?"

"No, Grasshopper."

"Do you want me to beam you out?"

"No, Grasshopper. There'll be no transporting."

"I don't understand."

"Are we all alive?"

"Yes, Teacher."

"Even Jack?"

"Yes, Teacher. He has revived. His life signs are strong. His clothes, however, are a mess. He'll be needing a new coat."

She couldn't help but grin, "Are we safe?"

"Yes, Teacher. I saw to that."

"Are we well?"

"Yes, Teacher. I have seen to that, too."

Wil sighed. "Pay attention, my wonderful student. Sometimes hearing the truth is hard for humans. Even when we are already aware of it, when we already know it all too well, all too intimately, hearing the truth spoken out loud can be difficult. The truth can be hard, Grasshopper."

"Yes?"

"Yes, it can. And right now I think all of us could use a little time. Time that takes away the pains of the body. Of the mind. Of the heart."

"But Teacher… as you always taught me, the truth…"

"Yes, yes, I know. The truth shall set you free and all that rubbish. Well, sometimes, Grasshopper, the truth just hurts. That's all, it simply hurts."

"I understand, Teacher."

"I know you do, Grasshopper."

"Teacher?"

"Yes, Grasshopper?"

"Do you not want to disappear?"

There was a long pause. "No, Grasshopper. I think I'm through with disappearing."

"I see, Teacher."

"Grasshopper?"

"Yes, Wil?"

"End the lockdown on the Hub and contact Gwen Cooper. Inform her she's got some friends waiting for her in the morgue. And let the others know that help is on the way."

"Consider it done, Teacher."