by Gun Brooke
“But someone said earlier that there was only one machine ready to go. All the others were occupied. I thought he was already being treated. What—” Caya could hardly swallow, let alone speak. “What about Gioliva?”
“She won’t make it.” Briar wiped at her damp eyelashes. “She’s very old and frail to begin with.” She sobbed and took Adina’s hand. “I’m so sorry, Briar. I know you’ve taken such good care of her.”
“This is crazy. This is just…it isn’t right. Just because she’s old, she’s not…she doesn’t count? Is that what you’re saying? I’ve been with her all this time, trying to make her comfortable while she waited, and now you tell me she’s not getting her chance?”
“We’ve asked for additional dialysis machines, but it’s taking too long to bring them from cube six, which has the only hospital with the model that can be calibrated for white garnet.”
“I fucking hate white garnet!” Caya took a step back and hit her hip on a cart loaded with medical supplies. Furious, she shoved it aside, sending the items on top of it flying across the floor. “This woman. She’s the loveliest person you can ever hope to meet. She’s been so brave and strong. She deserves to be saved. These terrorists, the ones doing this, they don’t get to kill little old ladies that never did anything to them!” Caya was crying now. Briar took a couple of steps toward her and extended her hands.
“Sweetheart. Come here.”
“No. No! I’m not a child that needs you to comfort me and blow on my scraped knee. I need to go sit with Gioliva. She should have someone with her.” Caya had turned to walk back to Gioliva when Adina’s voice stopped her.
“Only for a few moments, Caya.” She sounded as stricken as Briar. “We’re monitoring her condition as well as the increasing instability of the white garnet in her bloodstream. As you have seen, it is affecting her, one organ system at a time. Once it penetrates the barrier between the arteries and her brain tissue, she’ll die. And when she dies, when her heart no longer keeps the blood and the white garnet moving, the white garnet will solidify back into its usual gel form, and the intended explosion will occur.”
“Briar?” Caya knew she was chalk white. She could feel her own blood leave her facial capillaries. Briar had a similar look and could only shake her head in sorrow.
“So, what will happen?” Caya trembled but stood so straight her back hurt. “What will you do with her?”
“We’re going to transfer her to an empty cannon casing.” Adina walked up to Caya and cupped her cheek. “Of course we’ll wait until the very last minute, as we’re hoping for the dialysis machine from cube six to get here, but when…if, she dies, we need to jettison her instantly. You may not have noticed, but cube eleven is now halfway detached from Pathfinder, making it possible to jettison the containers downstairs as well as Gioliva if required.
“I’m going to be with her until the very last second. I’ve given her my word.” Caya didn’t want to look at her sister or Adina any longer, or she would lose her resolve. As she returned to Gioliva’s side, the old woman looked dazedly at her, her eyes nearly taken over completely by the foreign agent in her body. “Are you in pain, Gioliva?” Caya kept her voice low and soft.
“It’s not so bad,” Gioliva said, and coughed. “As long as I don’t keep my eyes open too much.”
“Don’t you have anyone we can notify?” Caya had asked once before, but Gioliva maintained she had outlived her entire family.
“No, child. I’m not going to put anyone else through this. I’m quite content, and as I believe in the afterlife, I know I’ll meet my husband, my children and grandchildren, on the other side. Don’t begrudge me that, child.” Gioliva raised her right hand and motioned for Caya to come closer. “Listen. I’m not sure how I know this, child. You were put on this ship for a reason. Perhaps stopping the evil minds behind this particular attack was one reason, but something tells me, this is just the beginning. You have much to learn and even more to do before you’re ready. Listen to those who love and care about you. Use your head and your heart when you do your duty toward the people of Oconodos and Gemosis. Do…do…” Gioliva’s voice faded and she slurred her next words. “Change…cour—course. Danger. Too many. Too—” Gioliva’s hands lay still and she was barely breathing.
“Briar!” Caya cried out, but her sister and two physicians were already there.
“It’s happening faster than we realized. Fetch the pod. She needs to get into it now.”
Adina was already bringing the pod. Someone had placed a blanket in the stark, empty metal-alloy case normally used to deliver missiles from Pathfinder’s cannons. The physicians lifted Gioliva gently and placed her in the pod. They let her keep the infusion, as it stabilized her system.
“Damn. This is a dark day.” One of the physicians, a man in his sixties, wiped his forehead. “I never imagined I’d let a patient down this badly, only to jettison her.”
“We should do it right away,” the other doctor, a young woman who looked apprehensive and frightened, said. “She’s unconscious. She won’t know the difference.”
“You’re not touching her,” Caya growled. “You’re not even laying a finger on her until she’s truly dead. You don’t know. The dialysis machine could get here in time.”
“Hardly likely,” the female doctor said and glowered at Caya.
“You don’t know.” Caya put herself between Gioliva and the doctor, placing both hands on the old woman’s sternum. She closed her eyes and willed the visions to appear. Gioliva deserved to have someone remember her, her family and her life, no matter what.
Chapter Eight
Thea stepped off the presidential jumper at the gate by the side entrance of cube eleven’s hospital. She couldn’t count how many times she had been here to visit wounded, including her former husband. It was when she visited Adina just after Pathfinder’s departure that she met Caya and Briar for the first time. Adina had been wounded by white garnet at the time, and Briar had saved her. Thea would never forget how Caya’s translucent, aqua-colored eyes that seemed to glow from within had mesmerized her. Of course, back then Thea wasn’t aware Caya was a changer, which was fortunate, as she most likely would have sent her back in an escape pod.
Now Thea entered the hospital surrounded by no less than twelve presidential guards. Korrian and Meija had arrived minutes earlier and waited in the lobby, and now they accompanied her as they moved toward the formerly evacuated wards. Adina and her team had confirmed the danger was over regarding the TPN containers and the affected patients. Upon hearing this, Thea had insisted on visiting the scene herself. A small inner voice suggested her motives might have a lot to do with Caya, but she had pushed the realization out of her mind and gone into full presidential mode.
Thea walked into the ward. Seven patients were sedated and hooked up to elaborate machines that cleaned their blood and inner organs. Health-care professionals scurried around them checking monitors, all the time casting worried glances toward the doorway at the far end of the room. Muted lighting set the ambience of serenity and calmness, which Thea surmised benefited the patients when they woke up. She frowned. Wasn’t there supposed to be eight patients?
Thea had prepared to greet them and commend them on their bravery when she noticed loud voices coming and going. She turned her head toward the doorway that attracted the concern among the staff, realizing the shouting came from there.
“What’s going on?” Thea asked, turning toward a woman tapping information into a tablet by the closest patient’s bed.
“Madam President,” the nurse said nervously. “I’m not sure. I think it has something to do with the last patient of the eight. Some controversy, I believe.”
Thea motioned for the guards to get out of her way. “Korrian. Meija. With me.” She strode toward the doorway and entered another room, which appeared to be the hub of this ward. Two men stood pressed up against the wall with a bulky machine between them. In front of them, teeth bared and tears stream
ing down pale cheeks, Caya looked formidable when she gestured wildly and raised her voice so much it nearly broke.
“Too late! Can you understand that you were too late getting here? She’s already gone, and if you’d had the sense to use emergency transport instead of the regular cargo jumpers, she might have stood a chance. What the hell were you thinking?”
“Caya?” Thea stepped closer. “What’s going on?” She directed her question at Adina and Briar, who stood just behind Caya, looking ready to grab her if she actually launched herself at the two men.
“Madam President.” Briar sent Adina a glance, and her lover nodded and put an arm around Caya, who instantly shook it off. Adina remained close.
“We waited as long as we could.” Briar spoke in a low voice. “Gioliva’s vitals became unstable, and eventually we had to break Caya’s connection with her. If these guys had used their heads and procured emergency transport, we might have saved her. Caya was connected to her, trying to stabilize her and keep her calm, but eventually it was becoming too dangerous for her. Gioliva started showing symptoms of complete system failure, and we knew if she wasn’t jettisoned immediately after her heart stopped beating, the white garnet would gather and eventually explode. We had to pry Caya away and bring her to the jettison tube.” Briar stroked her face with her hand. “Thea. It was bad. Really bad.”
Thea glanced over at Caya, who looked like she was about to explode. “Can you take her back to her quarters, Briar?”
Briar shot her a glance that seemed to question Thea’s sanity. “I’m grateful if I can persuade her to not kill the orderlies from cube six. They arrived minutes after we had to let Gioliva’s body go. Too late.”
“Damn.” Thea wasn’t sure how to proceed. She really wanted to take Caya away from everyone who was staring at her, judging her, but Thea feared Caya’s aversion toward her might just make things worse. The crowd of patients and hospital staff was slowly growing, and this she could put a stop to. KahSandra and Diobring rounded the corner just in time. “Commander KahSandra. How about some crowd control before things get out of hand?” Thea didn’t raise her voice, but KahSandra nodded and began ushering patients back to their rooms, together with the rest of their team.
As the crowd thinned, Thea began to walk closer to Caya. The two men she was directing her fury at had scurried off with everybody else, and now only the usual inner circle was left.
“Caya?” Thea hated sounding so stern as the young woman looked like she’d been to the deepest crevices of hell. “We need to go back.”
“Back.” Caya didn’t make it a question but more of a statement as she slowly pivoted to face Thea. “She’s gone. I had her. I lived through her and kept her going and—Thea?” Blinking, Caya seemed to have a hard time focusing her eyes. “What are you doing here?” Her voice was husky from crying and shouting, and it made Thea’s skin tingle.
“I’m here as I wanted to convey my appreciation for everyone’s courage. Including yours.” Still in presidential mode, Thea hoped her words would set the tone for Caya as well as help her pull herself together enough to go home to her quarters.
“Courage? Yes. A lot of courage.” Sounding dazed, Caya swayed where she stood. Thea was closest to her and took two long steps forward and wrapped her arm around Caya’s shoulders.
“Don’t faint on me now. You need to sit down.” She looked up at Briar, who was also struggling to keep herself together. No doubt the poor woman’s empathic ability was on overload after so much drama. “Briar. I need a room where Caya can sit down and have something to eat. I suggest you and Adina find a similar room, as I imagine you also need to…recharge.”
Briar’s expression softened, and she motioned with her hand. “There are some visitors’ rooms down that corridor. I’ll have someone send for some fruit and chilled herbal tea.”
“I can do that,” Meija said and put her arm around Adina and Briar. “You two go have a rest. Madam President? Same for you and Caya. Your guards will keep everyone safe and undisturbed. I’m sure Korrian will be able to answer any and all questions the bridge or cabinet members might have for now.”
“Come on, Caya. Let’s go sit down.” Thea nodded gratefully at Meija and managed to take Caya with her. Caya moved as if the gravity plates in the deck had malfunctioned, making it hard to move her feet. Thea kept her arm around Caya’s shoulders, knowing if she let go, Caya might either bolt or sink to the deck.
One of her guards scanned the room quickly and held the door open for them.
“We’ll be right outside, Madam President.” Steadfast, he looked at her and took up his position next to the door.
Thea nodded curtly. “We’re expecting a food delivery in a bit.”
“Yes, sir.” Her guard closed the door behind them, and suddenly it was quiet. Almost too still after all the shouting.
“Come on, Caya,” Thea said, finally able to let go of her public role. She rolled her shoulders to rid herself of the ache that had accumulated since she heard of the impending attack. She guided Caya to the two-seat couch and nudged her to sit down. Hoping Caya wouldn’t throw herself into yet another rage, Thea sat down and turned, facing Caya. She rested her elbow against the top of the backrest, leaning her head in her hand. Thea was exhausted. Watching this miracle of a woman so lost in her frustration and pain wrung what little energy Thea seemed to have left.
“Talk to me,” Thea asked quietly.
Caya raised her head and turned it slowly to face her. “She’s gone. I tried to keep her, but I couldn’t.”
Frowning, Thea did her best to understand. “What do you mean, keep her?”
Caya rubbed her temples with trembling fingers. Her hair lay like a cloud around her all the way to her waist, tousled and messy. Dark-blue circles under her eyes made her transparent irises seem as colorless as water. Caya normally exuded good health and strength, even when she was upset and angry at Thea. Now, she looked like a whisper-thin apparition, fatigued and without hope. The latter frightened Thea most of all.
“I failed to hold on to her. Her soul. Her mind. Her life! I kept my hands on her body, skin to skin, and she showed me her life. Every high and low. I met every single one of her loved ones, her friends, and, oh, Creator of all things, her tormentors. She suffered so badly at the Loghian refugee camps.”
Thea felt her own soul darken at the thought of the Loghian camps. When the Gemosians’ homeplanet was destroyed, the Loghian system had offered to help with the 100,000 refugees until Pathfinder could pick them up enroute to Gemocon. The conditions had been beyond horrible, and the stories of the atrocities committed against the Gemosians kept surfacing to this day. Thea hadn’t met Gioliva, but to imagine anyone mistreating an elderly woman infuriated her. Still, the other part of Caya’s words made Thea nearly crumble.
“You bonded with her? Like you did with me?”
“Deeper. I had to hold on to her to try to save her life. I knew if she died, the white garnet would take over and explode. So I penetrated her mind, searched along every single synaptic connection and…for a moment I became her. I lived her life in the time it took for her to fade away. She was so generous with herself, and perhaps her willingness of bond came from a desire to leave some sort of legacy. I don’t know. I don’t know anything but that I failed her!” Caya shook so badly, Thea couldn’t watch her turmoil and do nothing.
“Come here.” Thea pulled Caya into her arms. “You did more than anyone else ever could. I think you did too much. You put your safety and your sanity on the line when melding with someone you weren’t previously acquainted with—I know, I know,” she said and put up a hand, forestalling objections from the woman in her arms. “You did it for all the right reasons. Because you’re you. This is what you and your sister do. You save lives.”
“But I’m clearly completely incompetent. Gioliva died.” Caya pressed her face against Thea’s neck. “She died, and they put her in that awful casing and sent her body into space. Just like that.”
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br /> “I know,” Thea said again, her voice hitching. “They had to. If they hadn’t, so many other lives would have been lost.” Including yours. Thea pressed her lips to Caya’s hairline above her forehead.
“I do get that,” Caya said. “I feel like I’m going to burst. I have all of her emotions, her thoughts, and no one to share them with.”
“Then tell me. Share them with me, Caya.” Placing two fingers under Caya’s chin, Thea tipped her head back and met her intense gaze without blinking.
A knock on the door stopped them, and Caya tensed immediately.
“Madam President? It’s your food cart,” the guard announced.
“And it’s just me bringing it.” Meija’s melodious voice came through the door. “May I enter?”
“Yes. Please.” Perhaps food and drink would help both of them get through this.
Meija came in pushing a hover cart. Several plate covers showed she had played it safe and brought them all kinds of food and beverages. “Here you go, ladies. This will have you feeling better soon, Caya, darling. You too, Thea. I borrowed two of your guards to help me fetch food for everyone on the team. The hospital staff is doing the same for the patients and each other.”
“Good thinking.” Thea gestured to the armchair next to her and Caya. “Why don’t you join us, Meija?”
“No, thank you, dear. I’m going to make sure Korrian eats something. She’s been known to skip meals in a crisis situation.”
“Tell her I’ll page her later.”
“Certainly.” Meija bent to kiss the top of Caya’s head where it rested on Thea’s shoulder. “Poor girl. Eat some. You’ll feel better if you do.” She nodded to Thea and left the visitors’ room.
“Here. Some cold tea?” Thea gestured to the cart before them.
“Yes, please. So thirsty.” Caya drank greedily from the mug. “Oh.”