While she lay dying by Paula Sanders

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While She Lay Dying (6/6)
by Paula Sanders
copyright 1995

True Danziger sat at the edge of camp, facing the direction her father and the others had taken when they went after Uly. She had taken it upon herself to be the look out. With a stick, she etched random lines in the dirt. Boredom and worry had setting in. The sun had come up hours ago and they had been gone all night.

She heard the approaching dunerail and ATV before she saw them.

"They're back," she hollered, jumping to her feet. Everyone in camp dropped what they were doing and came running to meet it. Danziger slowed the rail as they entered camp and the group swarmed around it. Everyone was surprised to see Devon alive and their voices combined into a confusing mass of noise.

"Okay, come on, folks," Danziger said, as he got out of the rail. "Let the lady breath." The group backed off a little, at least enough for Danziger and Julia to get Devon out of the dunerail. John carried her to the med tent where Julia could do a more thorough examination of her, after shooing everyone away. Once Danziger and Yale stepped out of the med tent the group pounced on them for answers.

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Devon Adair rested on a cot in her tent. Now she could understand, at least a little how Uly had felt when she made him rest after he was healed. She was feeling much better, after a little sleep and some food. And she was beginning to get antsy. She was not as good of a patient as her son. Her gaze drifted from the roof of the tent to where Uly napped on his cot. She was so scared for Uly, scared of losing him. The Terrians now had a claim on him, a bond that could not be broken. She had to accept that, even if it meant giving him up. All that really mattered was that he was healthy. He would have a full life as a result of her coming here. That was worth any price.

She had so many questions, and no one to answer them. She knew that if she got up and went after answers, Danziger would probably scoop her up and bring her back here. A smile touched her lips as he drifted through her mind. It had felt so good to feel his arms around her. It had felt so right. She remembered, months back, when she had first been confronted with John Danziger. He had shocked her by grabbing her arm, forcing her attention to him. He had called her crazy for wanting to traverse the continent and haul them, unwillingly, with her. From somewhere deep inside she had known that Danziger was someone who could get under her skin easily. The thought frightened her, and she put a wall up between them. Now, looking back, she did not know why she tried to fight it. *What was wrong with letting John get under my skin?* she asked herself.

"It won't be so bad getting there." The phrase played in her mind. John was right. She knew, somehow, as long as she and John were holding the crew together, they would make it to New Pacifica.

The tent flap rustling startled Devon and she set up a little, to see who it was. Danziger stooped to enter, then straightened. He smiled slightly as he made his way to her bedside.

"How're you feeling?" he asked, quietly, careful not to disturb Uly.

"Better," she answered, smiling.
"Good." He pulled a crate over and sat down beside her. Laying a hand on her forehead, he smoothed back her hair. She sighed and closed her eyes. It had been so long since anyone had taken care of her. It was nice. But she was no good at being sick and could not silence her questions.

"John what happened?" she asked. "Julia told me a little, but only after I badgered her into it."

"I'm not sure," he told her. "Alonzo says the Terrians were collecting on a debt owed."

"What debt?" she asked. "No, wait. We fulfilled that promise, already. When we freed those Terrians from Gaal." He shook his head.

"Apparently, that was not it. 'Lonz says that had nothing to do with your promise." John told her.

"John, why did the planet try to kill me?" Devon asked. For a moment, John could not answer, taken aback by the helpless tone of her voice. She so rarely let her vulnerability show, it never failed to surprise him.

"The Terrians know that you headed the Eden Project and brought us here and are bringing more people. They're holding you responsible. I think it was some sort of justice to them."

Her gaze fell upon Uly again.
"What did he do?" she asked. John shifted his gaze to the boy.

"I don't know." He shrugged and smiled self-consciously. "I think you better ask him when he wakes up."

"Yeah, I guess I better," she said, turning her attention back to John.

"You know, you gave us all quite a scare," he scolded. "We thought we'd lost you for good."

"And what about you?" she asked, knowing full well it was a leading question. She recognized the look in his eyes; the vulnerability, the uncertainty, and the longing. It frightened her a bit. She reached out and he clasped her hand.

"I was terrified," he confessed, grinning nervously. She pulled his hand down and held it to her chest, kissing his fingers. He covered her hand with his other one, leaning over her.

"Me, too," she admit.
Feeling suddenly brave, she sat up a little more, and touched his cheek, her fingers toying with a few of his curls. His hand slipped behind her, supporting her, and instinctively, he brought his lips down to meet hers.

Devon's threw aside reason at the touch of his lips and twined her fingers into the curls at the nape of his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss. She felt him tense in surprise, but that shock quickly vanished and his lips softened against hers. One hand at the small of her back lifted her, eliminating the distance between them.

She had wanted this for so long and had not even realized it, until now. All those months spent arguing, because it was the only safe way to express their feelings for one another. Wasted, foolish months. But, she knew that was not true; they were not wasted. Those months had brought them closer, let them learn to trust and care for each other.

When Devon finally let John go, he lowered her back to the pillow, smiling down at her.

"I was going to apologize," he said, a bit breathless. "But I guess I don't need to." His thumb brushed over her lips and cheek, his fingers buried in her hair.

Embarrassed, she felt a blush creep up her cheeks. A delicious tingle ran through her entire body.

"John," she began, nervously. "Oh god," she muttered. "I'll just come out and say it. I think I love you."

"You think you love me," he said, feigning indignation. Then he smiled and said, "Well, at least I know I love you, lady." She laughed, quietly and sat up to kiss him again.

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The sun was high and the promise of a beautiful day the dawn had given had been fulfilled. Alonzo walked out of his tent, feeling rested; having been given five hours of dreamless sleep. Julia followed him and he casually draped an arm over her shoulder. She smiled up at him, her arm resting lazily at his waist. It was a good day. But a black cloud hung in the distance, waiting for them.

Another promise had been made. This time he was not sure if they could follow through on it. Alonzo had not told anyone what Uly had promise. He had let it roll over in his mind until exhaustion claimed him. And he had come up with no answers.

"I need to go see how Devon's doing," Julia said, reluctantly pulling away from Alonzo. He nodded.

"I'll come with you. I need to talk to her, anyway. And now's as good a time as any." So, he walked with her to the Adair tent.

Neither of them was surprised to see Danziger at Devon's side, holding her hand. What they were surprised to see was both of them looking like the cat that ate the canary. Devon was flushed, a broad grin played on her lips and sparkled in her eyes. And Danziger would not meet Alonzo's gaze, as he smiled and nervously, worried Devon's hand. He and Julia had, undoubtedly, interrupted something.

"Sorry, uh, we could come back later," Alonzo felt compelled to say, making Devon's blush deepen.

"No, it's fine," she assured them. "I came to check on my patient," Julia told Devon as she pulled out her diaglove and strapped it on. "You look like you're doing quite well," she teased.

"I feel great," Devon confirmed, unfazed by the innuendo. "I hate to bring down the party but we need to talk, Devon," Alonzo said.

"About what Uly said to the Terrians?" Devon asked, sobering.

"I guess you know that the Terrians healing you doesn't come without a price," he stated. She nodded. "Uly promised the Terrians that if they would release you, we would see to it that no one else is brought here. They will accept us and the people from the colony ship, but that is it."

Devon sighed, audibly. "How do they expect us to do that? We have no control over the Council."

"Yes, but the Syndrome children will." Everyone turned to Julia, gaping at her. "We know that the Terrians have a symbiotic relationship with the planet, right. If you remove the Terrians the planet dies. So, the Council can't remove the Terrians to gain control of the planet. When I was communicating with Reilly through VR he told me the Council can't control the planet without controlling the Terrians. They need a way to control the Terrians. That is why they wanted Uly." Julia took a nervous, deep breath. She was more than a little frightened to tell Devon what she was about to tell her. She had kept to herself the fact that she had nearly harvested Uly on Reilly's order. At the time Devon's trust had been shaky and Julia was afraid she would never be able to gain the woman's trust if she told her. Now that she had Devon's trust she hoped the other woman would understand.

"Reilly felt that if they could harness how the change occurred, the Council would have a way to control the planet. He believes that the change occurred at the pineal gland." Julia steeled herself for what she was about to say. "Devon, you're not going to like this and I don't blame you if you want to string me up for it." Devon's eyes were wide with fear.

"He wanted me to remove Uly's pineal gland." "Oh, my god," Devon gasped.
"I didn't do it, Devon. I couldn't. It was insane. Please believe me," she pleaded. Julia was relieved to see that Devon did not lash out at her immediately, but took a few seconds to collect herself.

"Of course I believe you, Julia," Devon assured her. Julia visibly relaxed.

"I told Reilly that Uly no longer had a pineal glade. So, there is no way they can harness and control the change. Without the knowledge of how the change occurs the Council cannot control the children. The planet does," she explained.

"That's brilliant," Alonzo remarked. "Then the children will have the power here," Devon confirmed.

"And the Council can do nothing to change that," John said. "We have to let the Terrians know," Devon stated firmly, definitely back to her old self.

She pushed aside the blanket covering her and stood. The room began to spin and she felt Julia's strong grip on her shoulders, easing her down onto the bunk.

"You are not going anywhere," the doctor told her patient. Devon nodded, her hands clutched the edge of the cot, seeking one thing in the tent that did not move. Danziger laid a hand on her knee. She took slow deep breaths trying to stop her head from reeling. It worked and the room settled to its normal appearance.

"I can't just sit here," she said. She felt Alonzo's hand land on her shoulder.

"You don't have to go anywhere," he told her. "Of course," she said, brightening. "The dream plane." She looked at Julia, pleading. That combined with Alonzo's imploring gaze did her in.

"Okay," she conceded. "I'll give you a mild sedative. A very mild one. You can't take anything stronger, right now." Devon nodded, smiling.

Julia shook her head and turned away to get the sedaderm. Devon stretched out and Julia pressed the sedaderm to her neck. The drug took hold instantly.

The dizzying effect of the dream plane was worse this time than it had ever been. Devon willed it to settle down but it was a futile effort, she would just have to wait for it to settle itself. Alonzo walked up beside her, hands clasped in front of him.

"I'm here," he said, reassuringly. Four Terrians appeared from around the corner. They came to stand in front of the two humans, staffs held out in front of them defensively. They voiced a protest.

"Please listen to us," Devon implored. "We think we have a way to help you." The Terrians relaxed their staffs. She sighed. "Thank you. In under two years the colony ship will arrive with the children, to be healed. Once they have been accepted into the planet they will be very powerful. The Council, which you fear, will have no power on this planet. And without that power they cannot colonize it. The children would never let any harm come to this planet. Your mother will be safe."

The Terrians stared impassively back at her. Devon looked to Alonzo. A slow smile tugged at the pilot's lips.

"They accept this as true," he told her. Devon felt the weight lift from her shoulders.

"Believe me when I tell you that we will do everything we can to protect you."

"It's enough," Alonzo told her. He nodded and she followed him out of the dream plane.

Devon Adair
**We came here, months ago, thinking this place our Eden. But we found that to be false. As we've wandered this planet we discover ourselves unwelcome visitors in someone else's home. We know now that we must respect that we are only guests here on this planet.

New Pacifica is still our destination. Up until today I thought I would never see it. But we will travel again, as a group, as a family. But not as a whole. We will travel with one less person in our midst. We leave behind Eben Sygn and a little piece of each one of us with her**

-The End-

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