Author's Note:
Now let's see if I can manage to complete this story before the year's end...
Months had passed, but the days seemed to melt together as they rushed to get back to Romano. Little had happened since their departure from Xylos 20, other than the occasional stop in port to stock up on provisions.
Rebecca stood at the bow of the ship – it was her favourite place to collect her thoughts, other than when she was writing in her pocketbook – and gazed upon the Etherium. The solar winds had died down as they sailed further from the nearest star. Small clouds of icy particles gathered in the air.
A small pod of Space Whales glided up against the ship, weaving through the clouds. It seemed that they were following them back to Romano. A smile appeared at the corners of Rebecca's mouth as she felt a tiny kick in her abdomen. Over the past few weeks it was becoming more noticeable that she was bearing a child, though the small baby bump that she had developed was well covered by her baggy shirt.
"It's a tad chilly out, eh Rebecca?" John came up to Rebecca's right side, leaning against the railing. Rebecca simply smiled and slowly exhaled a cloud of vapour. John chuckled.
Rebecca leaned against John's arm and gently placed her hand upon his. "John?" She looked up at him. "There's something that I've been meaning to talk to you about… for quite some time."
John slipped his organic hand from Rebecca's and leaned against the railing with his mechanical arm. "Is this 'bout the operation?" Rebecca paused to gather her thoughts, but John continued. "I can't… feel anythin' anymore." He looked out at the Etherium. "It's almost like these parts are taking all that's living from me." He turned to Rebecca. "That me body's fighting an unending war between man an' machine, an' I haven't the foggiest how it's gonna end."
"Well John, surely you'll adapt to such things." Rebecca stated.
"But I don't know how!" John exclaimed. His mechanical hand gripped tightly around the railing of the ship. He let out a sigh, regaining control of his hand as he loosened his hold. "Whenever somethin' gets on me nerves, it's like the machine takes control over me, an' I can't stop it." He shook his head. "Remember, only a month ago, I shot out a porthole in me room." Rebecca mutely nodded. John sighed. "Well… it was because the starlight woke me up from a nap, an' I was irritated. I shot out a window!" John held his head in his organic hand. "I was only just a little ticked off, but before I even knew it…" He ended with an exasperated sigh.
"John," Rebecca gently set her hand on John's shoulder.
"I'm 'alf a machine, Rebecca." John looked up from his hand. "Why the devil are yeh still 'ere with me? Why didn't yeh just leave me out there?"
"I…" Rebecca's bottom lip quivered. "I couldn't let you die, John!" Her eyes filled with tears. "I would've lost one of the dearest things that I have left since all that Bones has done." A sob escaped her lips. "I can't lose you, John… I- I need you." Another sob followed as the tears began to pour from her eyes. "How can you ask me such a thing?"
"Rebecca." John said tenderly. "I- I'm sorry." He gently grasped Rebecca's shoulders. "It's just- yeh 'ave no idea what it's like not being able teh control yourself. Teh lose yourself teh the simplest emotions."
Rebecca tearfully looked up at John. "You haven't lost yourself John. You are still the same man…" She pressed a hand against his chest. "You have a good heart, and I still love you just as you are." The young woman sniffled.
John set his hand on top of Rebecca's and looked deeply into her tear-filled eyes. "Though I've changed so much… yeh still love me?"
"You haven't changed, John. Perhaps in appearance you've changed, but you are still the same kind, valiant man that I fell in love with." Rebecca smiled. "And I know that won't ever change."
A smile tugged at the corners of John's mouth as understanding dawned on him. Rebecca couldn't help but feel happy; judging by how much the baby was kicking. She recalled that it was the matters of her child of which she was originally going to talk to John.
'Perhaps I'll tell him another day…' Rebecca pondered inwardly as she leaned against John and looked out into the Etherium. 'Perhaps another day.'
The HMS Aurora arrived on Romano when the planet was in its summer rotation, docking at Corsla Bay. Though Romano's ever persistent rain was pounding at the streets, it was much warmer and more accommodating than the last rain they had encountered during late hurricane season. The group of companions secured their vessel and began to seek out transportation back to Grenad Harbour. Jim's body was carried alongside them in a hovering casket, given to them by the Xylonians. The flag of Romano was carefully laid over the casket, as a sign of respect for what Jim had done for them.
"It's good teh finally be back." John sighed, happy to return to his home planet at last.
"Yes," Henry agreed, giving Jim's body a glance, "but under what ill terms that we should have to return." He stated gravely.
Juanita groaned. "Why couldn't we have docked at Grenad Harbour?" She shivered from her already-soaked apparel. "I despise the rain, that's really why I left Shikari."
"Feeling homesick are we, Juanita?" Jarred teased, wrapping an arm around Junaita's shoulders.
"Shut up." Juanita retorted, playfully smacking Jarred's chest.
"Grenad Harbour hasn't a spaceport to dock vessels of our kind." Martin stated.
"But we launched the Aurora from there." Juanita snapped. "Why can't we land it there?"
"Because we need to get a docking pass from the office in Corsla Bay, and we can't get that until tomorrow morning." Martin stated as-a-matter-of-factly.
Juanita continued grumbling, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her trousers.
Rebecca strayed behind with Scroop at her side; she stopped and looked at her companions. "I have to tell him, Scroop." She stated.
Scroop mutely nodded.
Rebecca continued. "This secret's been eating away at me since I found out, and this might be the last time I'll see John."
"Surely he won't leave you." Scroop looked at Rebecca.
Rebecca chewed her bottom lip. "He's home now, Scroop, but I'm not." She wrapped her arms around her waist. "I'll be the one leaving him."
Scroop began to walk toward the group. "Do what you have to do, Rebecca." He stated.
Rebecca sighed, reluctantly following Scroop. 'And how am I supposed to do that?'
The carriage ride to Grenad Harbour was one in silence. Rebecca's thoughts strayed back to their previous carriage ride. It had been the night of the hurricane. How the wind had howled, the rain had hammered against the roof of their carriage and the lightening had lit up the sky so brilliantly.
Now the only sound being made was the gentle pitter-patter of rain drops and the snorting of the Khorasan Rhinoceros as it trudged down the road. The carriage gentle rocked side to side from the unevenness of the road, easing its passengers to sleep.
Rebecca was the only passenger who wasn't lulled into a peaceful slumber. She was contemplating how she was going to break the news to John, more so than usual.
'I've hardly got a future here, once Jim's been buried I'll have to return to Treaka to settle business.' She glanced at the young man beside her.
'But your future is with John.' Her small hopeful voice pointed out.
Rebecca shook her head. 'Once he finds out that I'm bearing his child-' She looked out the small window at the back of the carriage, watching the rain hit the glass. How would he react? This was the question that had been ravaging her mind since she had found out about the pregnancy.
The weather began to take a turn for the worst and the Khorasan Rhinoceros suddenly grunted in alarm. Rebecca turned her attention to the front of the carriage. She knelt on her bench seat and pulled up the curtain separating the passenger section of the carriage with the driver's seat.
"Kenny?" She called out. There was no answer. She looked out the window and was surprised to find that their driver was no longer there. "Kenny?" Rebecca leaned out the window, searching the area for the Prawn.
The Khorasan Rhinoceros grunted in reply and Rebecca squinted through the pouring rain. There was no sign of their driver.
Rebecca sat back down and gently shook John by the shoulder. "John!" He stirred but failed to wake. "John, wake up!" She shook him more severely.
John groaned as he came to. "We can't possibly be there yet…" He stated, rubbing his good eye.
"We're not going to get there without a driver," Rebecca exclaimed, "Kenny's gone!"
Rebecca's words began to sink in as John blinked. "What?"
There was a loud cry for help outside of the carriage, followed by numerous sinister cackles. A crash of thunder muted the voices for a moment and roused the rest of their companions from their slumber.
Author's Note:
Thank you very much, Whisperwings, for betaing.
MG#6