Chapter 2 – Her Plea.
Within the next five years Starlette had become very close to Doctor Abby Griffin and another medical student whose name was Jackson. Abby was Starlette's mentor and teacher but most importantly she had become like an older sister to her. Along the way they had become friends and when tragedy struck, they became family – Jackson too. They were there for Abby when her husband was floated and when her daughter became imprisoned. As time went on they all began to rely on one another and without realising it their lives began to intertwine. They needed each other.
It was because of Abby that after five years of ignoring him, Starlette found herself knocking desperately on Marcus Kane's door late in the evening. One of the 100, Bellamy Blake had shot Chancellor Jaha and Abby had used too much blood to heal him - her punishment for doing so, was death. Starlette was going to do her best to make sure that didn't happen.
Kane's eyes widened slightly as he opened the door and saw that it was Starlette who was knocking so insistently. She pushed her way into his quarters before he could say anything.
"Seriously? Your first move as Chancellor pro tempore is to kill the doctor who saved our Chancellor?" Starlette was glaring daggers at Kane.
"You of all people should know the law about medical resources Devonstan. She used too much blood and the breaking of the law has consequences!"
"To save him. She used too much blood to save him!"
"And if I let this go unpunished how long before she does it again… and again… and again… to the point where there are not enough resources for the rest of the Ark?"
Starlette scoffed, "You know that's not what this is about, you can't handle that she challenges you! You can't just kill everyone who disagrees with you!"
"So now because of this you all think I'm the bad guy - but I'm the only one who's willing to do what it takes to save us."
"Killing the most skilled doctor on the Ark will not save us. Don't you see we need her?" Starlette hoped that logic would get through to him. If he could see that Abby was needed alive for the greater good then maybe he could be persuaded to keep her alive.
"We have other doctors," came his uncompromising reply, "and the law is the law".
Starlette new she was losing this battle. He wasn't going to give in for anything. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes.
"Kane please," she whispered as everything went blurry from her unshed tears, "she's my friend, she's my family."
Kane felt himself waver at Starlette's desperate begging. A part of him wanted to give in and simply grab her, hold her and tell her that everything was going to be ok. He wanted to tell her that he wouldn't float Abby and that he would do whatever she wanted. Realising this he became angry with himself and snapped.
"So what do you want me to say, I'm sorry? I'm not. Friendship is a luxury we can't afford, and if I have to take us down to a cosmic Adam and Eve, I will do it."
Starlette hastily wiped a tear that fell from her eye. She hated that she was crying in front of him.
"Please, Marcus, show mercy." Starlette let out a shaky breath and looked him straight in the eye. "Please. It doesn't have to be this way."
"Yes it does. We can't afford mercy, either." He looked straight back at her and she could see no sympathy in his eyes. How she hated him in that moment.
Starlette turned to leave, there was no use in trying. It wouldn't work. As she placed her hand on the handle and opened the door she stopped with her back towards him and said, "Only you would enforce a law of putting someone to death where their only crime was saving a life."
Before he could think of a retort, she was gone.
Please review – I would really like to know if I should continue with this story.