by Gary Weston
Boss leaned back in the creaky green leather chair. ‘Anything contagious with this creature?’
‘Nothing that is showing on the humans. Agent Jordan and Troy Warner have been in contact with Joe the most, and so far they seem ok. We should have their blood test results in an hour or so. If clean, I’ll let them go.’
‘They’ll be pleased about that. What about Joe?’
‘I’m thinking it has something to do with toxicity. I’m thinking if we can clean his blood, we might save him.’
Raven said, ‘I don’t envy you your problem. All you can do is your best. Once you let General Millet go, ask him to contact me, ok?’
‘Yes, Boss. I think that covers everything.’
It was the following morning Doctor Winters released all the people from the hospital and Millet went straight over to the D S I headquarters to see Boss. In spite of Raven’s words of support, Millet still felt nervous about seeing the D S I Boss.
‘Welcome home, Frank. Take a seat.’
‘Thanks, Boss. I’m just glad to be out of the hospital. Last I heard, Joe is stable.’
Boss said, ‘Yes. Doctor Winters keeps me up to date. If Joe survives, we’ll have to find a way to get him back to his own planet.’
‘I’d volunteer to go back with him, but…’
‘You’d rather not set foot on that planet ever again?’
Millet shrugged. ‘There is that, of course. But my real reason is I’m responsible for getting those two fine young people killed. I’m here to offer you my resignation.’
‘You want to resign?’
Millet shook his head. ‘No, Boss. Not want to. But you all but told me to get off that planet and I made the wrong call and stayed. Consequently, two people died and I lost a ship. I’d understand if you wanted me to stand down.’
Raven had expected this. He did the “Boss” thing and stood up and paced the office. ‘It’s true I would have preferred you off that planet. It is also true two people died and we did lose a ship. It is also true that you are the finest leader of the D S I Military we ever had. And what about my own responsibility? I share your guilt. I too am responsible. I felt strongly about you getting off that planet, but I didn’t express my opinions strongly enough. Had I done that, all your people and your ship would be home.’ Boss paused, leaning his backside on the leather trimmed desk, staring at Millet. ‘Should I resign, Frank? Believe me, I’ve thought about it. But all you and I resigning would do is cause more headaches for the D S I. I’ll only resign if the Interplanetary Council insist I do. You should only resign if the Council insist I make you resign.’
‘Is that a possibility? For either of us?’
Boss said, ‘Highly unlikely, in my opinion. But then again, we can never tell with politicians. I’m reasonably confident my predecessor who is now on the Council, will understand that in any military engagement, things can and do go wrong. I might just have a quiet word with him in few days time to sound him out. Just casually, you understand?’
Millet said, ‘That would be the way to go. I always got on well with him.’
‘So do I. Frank. It’s customary to have a celebration on the conclusion of a mission like that one. Miss Saltoe has been making arrangements. I have spoken to the parents of the deceased and they are ok with it. They may or may not attend, but they expressed a wish that we celebrate their children’s lives, not their deaths. That works for me.’
Millet said, ‘That’s a good attitude. I intend to call round and see them. Can’t say I’m looking forward to it, but it’s part of my job.’
Boss sighed. ‘The worst part of both our jobs. It’ll never get any easier. Right. You had better get on with it. Good luck, General Millet.’
Millet got up and shook Raven’s hand. ‘Thanks, Boss. And thanks for your support.’
Millet took a deep breath and headed off to see the grieving families.
Chapter 284
When Shorty saw Frank Millet, she passed him a much needed beer. ‘Are you ok?’
‘Yeah. As well as I can be. Better than I’ve a right to be.’
‘Did they have a go at you?’
Millet sipped his beer, wondering if something stronger wasn’t called for. ‘Not really. Any animosity was probably imaginary on my part. I said we would say a few words during the celebrations to honour the fallen.’
‘We will do that. What did Boss have to say?’
‘He was very supportive, actually. He said neither he nor I would resign unless the Interplanetary Council demand that we do, which he thinks is unlikely, especially with his predecessor on the Council. I think the celebrations will be closure for us in a way. Drawing a line in the sand for us all to move on. Not for the families, of the fallen, of course.’
Shorty said, ‘No. It won’t be for them. Did Miss Saltoe say when the party will be?’
‘I didn’t spend much time with her to find out. I’ll talk to her tomorrow. I suppose a lot will depend on Joe.’
‘How come?’ said Shorty, surprised.
‘Because, like Boss said, if Joe makes a full recovery, he’ll have to be taken back to his own planet. I said I’d take a ship back there.’
‘Why the hell did you tell him that? It’s the last hell-hole I’d ever go back to. No need for you to go back. We are getting married, remember?’
Millet said, ‘I feel I have to go. I sort of don’t feel like the mission is truly over if I don’t do that. I think it’s a long shot Joe pulling through. He was pretty sick. He wasn’t expected to last this long.’
‘Ok. Joe will probably snuff it. Nobody goes anywhere then. But if he does pull through, don’t expect me to be going back there with you.’
Millet grinned. ‘You are still a D S I captain under my command, Shorty. I might not give you a choice in the matter.’
‘Now listen to me, General Frank Millet. You order me to go back there, you’ll have the shortest marriage ever.’
Millet pulled Shorty to him and kissed her. ‘You and I are going to have one interesting marriage, Shorty.’
Chapter 285
Doctor Stephen Winters looked at the slides under the scope. ‘Yuck. It makes me feel crook just looking at it.’
Blood diagnostic supervisor Gale Carmichael agreed. ‘This little parasite is busy laying eggs and eating our patient bite at a time.’
‘And the parasites are killed how?’
‘Salt. A simple saline solution kills it dead.’
Winters gave up looking at the slide and stared at Carmichael. ‘Saline? It can’t be that simple.’
‘It kills the parasite. There’s no naturally occurring salt in the alien body. For all we know, saline might kill the patient.’
‘Only one way to find out, I guess. But I want Boss’s approval before we go ahead. Saline. Heck. Ok. Thanks, Gale.’
It was close to ten at night, but this was too important to put off until morning. Raven was cleaning his teeth and about to go to bed when the call came through. He rinsed his mouth out and grabbed the phone before it woke baby Dixon up.
‘Boss.’
‘Boss. Doctor Winters here. We think we have a cure for Joe.’
‘You think?’
Winters said, ‘He has a parasite. Eating him alive internally. Salt kills the parasite, but for all we know, it might kill Joe as well.’
‘And you need me to decide?’
‘We could either save him or kill him. I need input here.’
Raven gave himself time to think before replying. ‘Ok. Joe is screwed either way. Leave him be, he dies. If saline kills him, he dies. Giving him saline, he might just live. Give him the damn saline.’
‘But…’
‘You got a better idea?’
‘No, but…’
‘Just do it. Oh. If Joe dies, don’t wake me up to tell me. Office hours will do, ok?’
‘Got that. Thanks, Boss.’
‘Good luck.’
Raven stared at his face in the bathroom mirror. ‘You
there. How come you are supposed to have all the answers? I’m going to get myself a spinning wheel. Yes and no. I get asked a question, I spin the damn wheel. Shit. I’ll be right at least half the time. Oh. And one last thing. Ugly nose hair. Get it sorted.’
Raven turned off the light and went to bed.
Chapter 286
Tilly Jordan and Troy Warner stood by Joe’s bed which was actually two mattresses side by side on the floor to accommodate Joe’s huge body.
‘You were the closest to Joe to call you his friends,’ said Doctor Winters. ‘We thought you would want to see him before we administer the saline, just in case he doesn’t make it.’
Warner said, ‘I wouldn’t call us friends, exactly. When are you going to do it?’
‘Now.’
Tilly took Joe’s hand and the creature looked up into her eyes. ‘Joe. I know you can’t understand me, but we are trying to help you. We wish you good luck.’ Tilly looked at the doctor and nodded. Winters turned the valve and the saline solution passed down the tube and into Joe’s arm. Nothing happened for a moment, then Joe began to twitch. Suddenly, he let out a roar of pain that could be heard throughout the hospital.
‘You’re killing him,’ said Tilly. ‘You have to stop it.’
‘Just a little more,’ said Winters.
Joe twitched some more and his screaming became a continuous loud sound.
‘Doctor…’
Winters turned off the saline drip. Joe did a final jerking movement then he passed out. Winters checked Joe’s pulse and breathing.
‘He’s still alive. All we can do is see how he goes.’
At that moment, Raven walked in and he addressed Doctor Winters. ‘Is he dead?’
Winters shook his head. ‘Not yet, Boss. Will he still be around tomorrow? We shall have to see.’
Tilly Jordan said, ‘If you’d heard him scream as the saline was administered, you’d have sworn we were torturing him. I don’t want us to be doing that again.’
‘A reaction to the saline,’ said Winters. ‘Hopefully that’s enough saline in him to work.’
‘Come on, Tilly,’ said Warner. ‘Let’s get out of here.’
Feeling low, they left Boss and Winters to talk.
‘I agree with Agent Jordan,’ said Boss. ‘Don’t give him any more. He’ll either live or he’ll die. Call me in the morning. Goodnight, Doctor Winters.’
‘Goodnight, Boss.’
Chapter 287
‘Well, Joe. Still in the land of the living I see.’ Winters gave Joe distilled water to drink. ‘There. Hmm. You look improved. I need to take a sample of your blood before we try you on some food, ok?’
Joe growled something and allowed Winters to take a little blood for testing.
‘There,’ said Winters. ‘I’m afraid it’s only the nutrients again, but it’s better than nothing. I’ll arrange for a nurse to bring the food. In the meantime, I’ll get this away to the lab.’
Outside the isolation ward he found a young nurse.
‘Nurse Dobbs.’
‘Sir?’
‘Are you busy at the moment?’
‘I was just about to take my break, Sir.’
Winters smiled. ‘Before you do that, would you take some of the alien’s nutrient drink into him? It’s in the fridge in the canteen storeroom. Can’t miss it. Dark green and labelled not for human consumption.’
‘How much shall I give him?’
‘As much as he wants. I can soon have more made up.’
Dobbs said, ‘Is he dangerous?’
‘Not at all. Just treat him like a regular patient. Ok. I need to get this blood sample analysed. Off you go, Nurse Dobbs.’
Dobbs set off one way, Winters in the opposite direction to the lab where he found blood diagnostic supervisor Gale Carmichael.
‘Is that what I think it is, Doctor Winters?’
‘Yes. Can you do this as a matter of priority, please?’
‘I have everything else under control, so I can do it while you wait, if you like?’
Winters said, ‘Excellent.’
Carmichael donned a pair of latex gloves and took a Petri dish from the sterilising unit then emptied the sample of Joe’s blood onto it. Then she placed it under the microscope and put the screen on to view the magnified image.
‘Well,’ said Carmichael. ‘No parasites in this sample. The saline obviously worked.’
‘Good. As long as we cure the patient with the saline and not kill him.’
They were interrupted by Nurse Dobbs entering, a most anxious expression on her pretty face.
‘Nurse Dobbs?’ Winters said.
‘Sir. That alien patient. He’s gone.’
Winters and Carmichael shared a concerned look. ‘Gone?’ said Winters. ‘I wouldn’t have thought him well enough to go walkabout.’
The three hurried to the isolation ward, but there was no sign of Joe.
Winters said, ‘I seem to have underestimated the alien’s recovery ability. I doubt he could have gotten far in his condition.’
‘He didn’t,’ said Carmichael. ‘Look.’
They all stared at Joe who was sitting on his mattresses, staring back at them. His legs were still invisible, but gradually they became visible again.
‘How extraordinary,’ said Winters. ‘I’d heard about this, of course, but must admit I was sceptical. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Or rather not seen it, if you know what I mean. Joe. You must be getting your strength back, old chap.’
‘I have his food here, Sir,’ said Dobbs, her hands shaking nervously.
‘Then pass it to him, Nurse.’
‘But…’
‘He won’t bite you. Pass him his meal.’
Nervously, Dobbs approached Joe. With her hands still shaking, she passed Joe the container. With gentleness belying Joe’s great size, he took the beaker and sniffed it. Slowly, he sipped it, and emptied the beaker. He tapped the beaker with the finger on his other hand.’
‘A touch of Oliver Twist, by the look of things,’ said Winters.
‘Who, Sir?’ asked Dobbs. No longer shaking.
‘An old Earth character. Never mind. Nurse Dobbs. Go and find Mr Trafford the nutritionist and have him make up a new batch. Remind him, no salt. Got that?’
‘Yes, Sir. No salt.’
Dobbs scurried away and Winters said, ‘I have to tell Boss, so you carry on, Gale.’
‘It looks like good news for Boss. It’s a good idea to retest Joe’s blood in few hours to make certain the parasite doesn’t return. If you let me have the sample before six this evening, I’ll do it before I go home.’
Winters said, ‘Thanks. I’ll bring the sample to you myself.’ He looked again at Joe who was still completely visible. ‘Extraordinary.’
Chapter 288
‘Who was that?’ Joy Dainty asked. Joy had just finished tucking baby Dixon in his cot for the night. Closing the door gently behind her, she took the glass of red wine from Raven and finally got the chance to put her feet up.
Raven said, ‘Doctor Winters. It looks like Joe stands a chance of making it. The saline drip has killed off the parasite. Came close to killing the host, too. Joe gave a nurse a fright by becoming invisible.’
‘I’m glad he pulled through. Tilly was really rooting for the big ugly lump.’
Raven said, ‘Don’t get me wrong, Joy, but this gives us another headache.’
‘Such as?’
‘Well. If Joe does make it, we will have to take him home.’
‘You begrudge him the fare home?’
Raven said, ‘Not that. But think about it. If we have a simple cure for his kind, we’re morally obliged to help out. That means sending at least one ship back to that damn planet to treat all the other Joe’s and Josephine’s. Considering we already lost two fine young people and a ship in that planet’s conflict, I really am not keen on our people going back there, like ever.’
‘Boy. You never get the easy ones, do you?’
‘Apparently not. Frank Millet already said he’d be ready to go if this situation arose.’
Joy said, ‘Will Shorty let him go? I mean, I know Frank’s the General, but Shorty’s his woman and soon to be his wife. She’ll not be wanting him back there.’
‘Welcome to my world. More wine?’
‘Sounds like a plan.’
* * *
Forty-eight hours later, the verdict came in. Joe would live. He was strong enough to turn himself invisible at will. How he did that was pure speculation by the astounded humans who witnessed it. It was time to send him back to his own planet. To that end, Boss had called a select meeting in his office. General Millet, Captain Shorty Armstrong, Troy Warner, Captain Dorran, Agent Tilly Jordan and Doctor Winters. Raven’s Personal assistant sat in for good measure.
Boss kicked things off. ‘Doctor Winters. Are we one hundred percent certain Joe is ok?’
‘As far as we can tell. The simple application of saline has killed off the parasite and his body seems to be on the mend. The guy actually has a sense of humour. He keeps sneaking up on people invisible and then showing himself. The joke wears a bit thin after awhile.’
‘A sense of humour?’ said Boss. ‘I like that in a person. Clearly, Joe has to go home. We also are morally obliged to supply his kind with saline. That’s no problem. You guys tell me. How do we do that?’
Winters said, ‘The saline has to be injected into the bloodstream. Drinking it will not work as it would probably be puked back up again.’
‘Thanks for that image, Doctor Winters,’ said Boss. ‘Put me right off my dinner, why don’t you? Ok. General Millet. You expressed a desire to take Joe home and help his people, I recall?’
Millet ignored the searing looks he was getting from Shorty. ‘To my way of thinking, this is still part of the original mission. Call it closure. This is my mission, so I want to lead it.’