A True terrian by Lia Faile

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A TRUE TERRIAN, Part 6
by Lia Faile

Julia finished her report on her findings and theories on Terrian DNA, the planet, it's reaction to alien presences, and possibly why Devon appeared to not have an implant. A stunned silence followed her dissertation as the group tried to come to grips with this new perspective. Yale was the first to break the quiet. Leaning forward in his seat, he fixed Julia with the look a professor gives a pupil he is quizzing.

"So what you're saying is the planet is a living system and reacts to us like our bodies would to a bacterial or viral invasion?"

Julia nodded and then added, " True's Terrian altered DNA acts as a mask and should fool the planet into thinking we are Terrians or any other indigenous life form."

Yale sat back in his chair. "Amazing." Then he pensively tapped his index finger against his lips. "Not only is this planet teeming with life...it *is* life."

Morgan was unable to share in Yale's scholarly appreciation and he gave voice to his unease. "Well, I'm not so sure I like the idea of a living planet. Kind of creepy. It seems so...unnatural." Several wide-eyed people nodded their agreement.

"So Julia, how would you classify a volcanic eruption? A belch or a fart?"

The nervous tension in the group immediately dissipated as Walman's offhanded remark elicited chuckles and guffaws. Baines and Cameron thumped Walman's back amicably while Magus and Denner shook their heads and rolled their eyes heavenward in silent appeal for freedom from sophomoric male toilet humor. Slightly pink in the face, Julia shrugged her shoulders as she picked up a hypodermic gun and pulled her hair away exposing the nape of her neck.

"What are you doing?" Alonzo asked sharply as he grabbed her arm and stopped her.

Julia was a little surprised by his testiness. "We need to test an adult subject to see if it will be effective before Devon is revived."

Morgan coughed nervously. "Is that such a good idea?" He sputtered. "Remember what happened the last time you tried that."

Julia turned a deeper red at the reminder of her past Council connections. It seemed like a life time ago but she was still uncomfortable talking about it.

"Yes Julia, I must agree with Morgan." Yale interjected. "Though for different reasons." He added as he gave Morgan a disapproving stare before turning back to face the young woman. "You are our only doctor. If something goes wrong with you, we would not be able to help you. Someone else should take the injection."

Danziger moved forward with a sober expression on his face. "True's my daughter. I'm not going anywhere without her. If it turns out she can't ever leave then neither am I."

Julia tried to extract her wrist from Alonzo's firm yet gentle grip as she addressed Danziger over her shoulder. "That's precisely why you wouldn't make a good test subject. You're genetically related to her. The injection might not cause any derogatory effects in you but someone else not genetically linked to her, like Devon, could suffer severe, irreparable side effects, even death."

Danziger nodded in understanding and looked at the others. They were a group now, even if they weren't all friends all the time. There was no way he could order someone to risk his or her life, or future. That was just asking too much.

"Then I'll take it. I've always been pretty lucky. Managed to beat the odds with cold sleep dementia."

Julia met Alonzo's casual expression with a stunned one of her own. He was offering to stay! Or to die, the detached clinical part of her whispered to the young womanly part. Once again, Yale came to her rescue when she found herself at a loss for words.

"Alonzo, you heard Julia." He reminded gently. " She's uncertain of the depth of the potential link with the planet. You might not be able to leave if you take that injection. Are you prepared for that?"

Alonzo answered Yale, but never took his eyes off of Julia's as he spoke. "I can think of worse places to be stuck." His fingers lightly stroked the fingers of her hand that held the hypo. His statement gave Julia the push she needed to find her voice.

"You *have* to be certain. I won't have you resenting me in the future because of an unthought out decision based on the premise that you could be stranded 'in worse places.'" Her angry retort took him by surprise so she was easily able to yank her hand free of his. "Who knows what might happen? What if we decide there is no future for us? What if something happens to me?"

Alonzo's brown eyes filled with hurt and confusion. He took a step towards her and tried to address her in a hushed voice meant only for her ears. "Julia...."

"No, I will take the injection."

The entire group gaped in shock as Mazatl stood and made his declaration. He was bombarded with stunned looks and inquiries.

"I have learned these past months that the Terrians and my people have much in common." The quiet man stated softly. "My ancestors lived in harmony with the Earth. Treated it with the respect due to a mother. We too lived in Dream Time." Turning to Alonzo he added, "I confess I have been jealous of you. Why did they not chose me?" Alonzo shook his head in mute helplessness. Mazatl took a deep breath and continued. "If things degrade here and the Terrians and the Council end up at war, I know which side I will be on. Coming from a culture that was invaded and destroyed by a people seeking a 'new world' myself, my conscience would not allow me to do otherwise. It would be an insult to the memory and spirits of my ancestors."

Julia walked over to Mazatl and motioned for him to sit in a nearby chair. She laid her hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. "You're certain?" She asked one last time. He nodded and she pressed the hypoderm to his neck.

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Excerpt from Yale's voice log:

No negative effects have been detected in either True or Mazatl. Julia is still concerned about possible long term consequences but for Uly's sake and group moral, we feel that Devon would want us to try. So Julia, Alonzo, and Danziger have taken the rail and gone back to the Council ship to revive Devon. Uly is unhappy because he was not allowed to go along but we must be prepared for failure and I do not think it is right for the boy to witness the loss of his mother a second time. I pray for their safety and success.

###
"Warning. Perimeter guards active. Stay clear. Warning..."

Danziger stood before the derelict ship amazed that he was here so soon after leaving. In a way it had felt like a final goodbye. He spoke the release code into the mouthpiece of his gear. The idle hum of the lasers made a slight whine as they powered down and the warning message ceased. Quietly the trio walked up and entered the ship. It was exactly as they had left it.

The softly illuminated interior had them speaking in hushed church whispers. Danziger and Alonzo moved to separate stations to bring the main power online and to start the resuscitation program. Julia stood before the cryo-unit that contained Devon Adair. Frost had formed on the outside of the glass door nearly concealing the woman from view. Reverently she removed Uly's Terrian staff from the door. She ran her hand along the tattered strips of rags tied to it silently appealing to anyone who might be listening. Then she turned and introduced the genetic material into the pharmaceutical component attached to Devon's sleep unit. She would have preferred injecting Devon with it after the revival process but given her deteriorated condition, Julia doubted she would survive the process without any immediate help. Hopefully, the DNA would not be corrupted or compromised by the crynotic drugs already in Devon's system. Intensely she watched as Devon's vital statistics scrolled across the monitor next to the sleep unit.

"Make sure you don't go over a half a degree per five minute cycle. I don't want a big jump in her core temperature to shock her system."

She pulled her sleeve down over her hand and wiped the condensation from the outside of the cryo-chamber. Somehow being able to see Devon was more reassuring than the far more informative readouts.

Danziger looked up from the systems control panel and frowned. "That's nearly a twelve hour reanimation period. Aren't you being too cautious?"

Not taking his eyes off the power system monitor Alonzo answered for her. "You're worried about cryo-dementia."

Julia nodded in response even though he wasn't looking at her. "A total bodily systems shutdown is not the optimum conditions to be put into a hibernation state. The body's stressed enough. Bring her up too quickly and she could go into cardiac arrest."

"Yeah, but if you bring her up too slowly you risk putting her in a coma." Alonzo replied softly.

Julia started to ask how he knew so much about cryo-resuscitation when it dawned on her. If she'd spent over three fourths of her life in cryo-stasis, *she'd* want to be aware of all the risks involved herself.

"So she could come out of there either a raving lunatic or a vegetable?" Danziger grumbled. "Great. If I'd known sleep jumping was so dangerous I wouldn't have brought True. The docs on the Stations made it sound so S.O.P."

Julia sought to assure him. "Cryo-sleep is the safest, most economical way to transport people over vast distances of space. Like any other mode of travel, there are some inherent risks."

Pushing aside the ugly images dancing in his head, Danziger took his usual pragmatic approach to the situation at hand. "Well, we'll all go bug-eyed staring at these monitors for twelve hours straight. I'll see if I can jack my gear into all of of them. That way, one person can monitor all three on their gear. Each of us can take a turn while the other two rest."

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end part 6 of 8 - A True Terrian by Lia Faile

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