Learning Experiences by Allison McDonnell

[Reviews - 1]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer

- Text Size +

Voices. Amidst the darkness, John could hear voices. So far away and yet so familiar. And they were beckoning him to join them.

"Oh my God! He's regaining consciousness. Somebody hurry and get Julia!"

"I knew you'd come back! I knew you'd come back to me, Daddy!"

"Devon, apparently Alonzo's coming around, too. Julia said to stay with Danziger and she'll be right there."

The sounds were getting closer and closer. He began to feel the sensation of something touching his hand.

"True, I need you to wait outside. We don't know how your dad will, um, react when he wakes up."

"But I wanna stay! It won't be like Bess. He came out of it on his own. Nobody forced him."

"Honey, we're not sure what's going to happen. Cameron, could you and Denner please take True outside for a few minutes?"

"John, can you hear me?"

There was light. And warmth, too. Maybe Bess was right, John reflected. There really was a Heaven after all. He slowly opened his eyes to examine his surroundings and discovered that his new home perhaps wasn't so new after all.

"Am I f-f-finally dead?" John managed to croak out as he attempted to focus his blurred gaze on the voice of the person sitting next to him on his cot.

There was a small gasp and a moment of hesitation before an answer came.

"No, John, you aren't dead. You've been in a state similar to a coma for the past few days." The woman with the strangely familiar voice began to choke on her words. "I was beginning to think that you weren't going to come out of it. You gave us all quite a scare."

Suddenly, John shot up to the sitting position in his bunk, causing everyone to jump back in surprise. He uneasily surveyed where he was and who he was with. Somehow, he was back at Eden Project and surrounded by his long-dead friends. His eyes became as large as saucers when a very nervous Devon Adair reapproached him and cautiously sat next to him on his bed. She tentatively reached out to soothingly touch his arm, but Danziger pulled back and scooted as far away from her as possible, almost falling to the floor in the process. He had a look on his face that she had never seen before. It was fear.

"It's okay, John. I know it's a bit confusing," Devon assured as she moved to a chair next to his cot that Walman had set out for her. "This is going to take a little time to explain. I'm not even sure where to begin." She bit her lower lip, searching for the right words to help him understand, but nothing came to mind. "We're still trying to piece together exactly what happened."

Magus guardedly took a step toward him. "Hopefully, Alonzo can fill in some of the blanks now that he's back, too."

John sat there in befuddled silence as he tried to figure out where he was. The place looked amazingly like his old tent from all those years ago. He recognized Devon although he couldn't remember the name of the woman with the short blond hair who stood behind her. There were others huddled around the opening of the tent who were gawking at him with a look of concern. He knew that he'd seen them before, too, but it had been so long ago.

"I-I d-d-don't understand," John quietly stuttered. "Who are all y- you people?"

Devon tried to use her most comforting tone as she spoke. "John, we're all part of Eden Advance. We crash-landed here about nine months ago, remember? Now, we're traveling to New Pacifica to get ready for the 248 Syndrome children and their families."

John gaped at her as if he didn't understand what she was saying. He brought his hand up to run his fingers through his hair and was struck by how easily they were able to bend. Moreover, he no longer felt the painful arthritic throbbing in his hands that he had suffered from in past years. He looked to examine the swollen joints and found that they were gone along with the age spots. His eyes darted to his side and he viewed his reflection in a piece of medical equipment which had been set up to monitor his life-signs. It revealed a younger John Danziger in his mid-thirties. The same age he was when most of his fellow colonists had died.

He sprang from his bed and backed away until he brushed the edge of the tent, almost knocking it down.

"Why are you d-d-doing this to me? Wh-Why can't you just let me die?"

The other Edenites stayed perfectly still, unsure as to what Danziger would do if they made any sudden movements. It was becoming apparent that he was not in his right mind either.

Devon tried to calm him down. "It's going to be okay. We're going to help you through this."

"H-Help me through this?" John muttered as he edged further away. "And j-just what is 'this'?"

Devon could see how terrified he was. Not only was it written all over his face, she assumed that it was the reason for Danziger's continued stuttering. She was briefly reminded of Mary's staggered speech pattern.

"Listen to me carefully, John," Devon urged. "You're safe and very much alive. You've been on the Dreamplane for the past couple of days and, apparently, there are some residual side-effects."

She turned to Walman who was positioned at the tent's entrance. "Get Julia - now," she instructed, trying her best not to betray the calm demeanor she was outwardly displaying.

Despite John becoming more agitated by the moment, his voice hadn't veered from a monotone. "That's impossible. I-I was only on the D- Dreamplane once and that was years ago," he nervously stammered.

"No, I mean, yes, you're right. Everything that happened to you has been a part of that one trip to the Dreamplane. I know that it felt like years to you, but it was actually only a few days. It had something to do with our group being tested by the Terrians. Most of us came out of it the first hour or so. Bess woke up two mornings ago and you were the last one."

"Bess?" Danziger's face became flushed and his eyes widened even more. "B-B-Bess is here?"

"Yes, she is here," Yale responded warmly, trying his best to placate the mechanic. "Now, why don't you sit down and we will tell you all that we know."

"No!" John's voice suddenly rose as his face became a darker shade of red. "I w-want to see Bess!" he yelled.

At that moment, Alonzo burst into John's quarters with Julia close at his heels armed with a sedaderm.

"I need everyone out of this tent right now," Alonzo ordered to the others. He turned his attention to his friend. "John, everything's going to be okay."

"What the hell are you all t-t-talking about? I w-want everyone to stop telling me that everything's f-fine and start giving me some goddamned answers, d-do you hear me?" John was screaming now and his hands were balled into fists. "I want to see Bess! I d-demand to speak to my-"

"Daddy?" came the small, scared voice of True as she peered in through the tent opening.

Danziger froze in his tracks and the color completely drained from his face. He began to shake uncontrollably and sank down to the floor into a crouched position.

"Oh, God. Oh, God," he began whimpering as he covered his face with his knees and hands.

Denner grabbed a shocked True and led her away from the tent as quickly as possible, but the damage had already been done- to both of them.

Alonzo took control of the situation before it got any more out of hand. "I want everyone out of here now!" he loudly commanded.

The Edenites quietly exited Danziger's quarters and Alonzo waited until only he, Julia and Devon remained. The pilot carefully took a few paces forward and kneeled next to the frightened, huddled form.

"I need you to focus on me for right now, okay John?" After a few seconds, the mechanic nodded, but refused to look up. "You remember me, right? And you remember Julia, too. I know you could never forget a pretty face like hers, right? Look, I know that this is a shock for you and you're not sure what's going on. To be honest, I'm not completely sure myself. But I'm going to get some straight answers from the Terrians. And I promise that we are going to help you."

Alonzo placed his hand on John's shoulder causing him to raise his head in awe at the first physical contact he'd had in decades. "We were friends all those years ago, right? You trusted me. Well, I need you to trust me, again, for old time's sake, okay?"

Too emotionally drained to speak, John could only nod his head in agreement.

"All right. First, I need you to go lay back down on your cot. Julia's going to give you a mild sedative to help you sleep for awhile."

Devon finally found her voice, again, and interrupted, "Hasn't he slept enough?"

Alonzo ignored her question and concentrated his efforts on Danziger. He continued, "I need you to rest for a bit while I go talk with the Terrians to find out why they did this to you. Then, I'll come fill you in on everything that I learn, okay?"

John nodded, but still didn't speak or move. Alonzo motioned for Julia to take the mechanic's other arm and they eased him to his feet. Danziger was in a daze as they gently ushered him back to his bed.

"C-Can I please see B-Bess?" he finally stuttered out.

Julia and Alonzo exchanged a wary look before the doctor answered, "She's resting right now in the med-tent. Maybe later this evening, if you're both up to it."

"Is s-she okay?"

What a stupid question, John chastised himself. How the hell could she be okay? She's dead. You buried her body next to your nine year old son.

"She's fine," Solace lied before Julia or Devon could respond. He didn't want to alarm Danziger about Bess' current situation while he was in such a delicate condition himself.

John's trembling began to subside and he stretched out ramrod straight in his cot and interlocked his fingers on his chest. In Devon's eyes, Danziger's pale form and posturing resembled that of a corpse.

And there was something else different about him that, at first, Devon couldn't put her finger on. She intently studied his face and finally realized what had changed. In the past, John's blue eyes had always conveyed his emotions, hidden or otherwise. But, at that moment, they projected nothing at all. They were vacant.

Devon felt a shiver travel down her spine as Julia administered the sedaderm into Danziger's neck. He went to sleep without saying another word.

_____

When they were assured that John was out of temporary danger, Alonzo, Julia and Devon left his tent to join the others. Every member of Eden Advance, with the exception of Bess, was congregated outside anxiously awaiting news about their two comrades.

After gaining their attention, Julia began, "From what I can tell, John is suffering from similar symptoms that Bess exhibited when she regained consciousness."

"How can that be?" Walman queried. "We didn't use medication to pull him out of the Dreamplane. We let him come out naturally. How could he still end up like Bess?"

Morgan uncomfortably diverted his gaze downward at the mention of Bess' precarious circumstance.

"He's exhibiting similar symptoms, but not the same," Julia replied as she held up her hand to ward off being barraged with further questions. "I'll know more once I talk to them both again this evening when their sleep-aids wear off."

Baines looked at the pilot with concern. "Hey, 'Lonz, what happened to him?" he asked, motioning toward Danziger's quarters. "Did he ever figure out that he was on the Dreamplane all of this time?"

"Of course not," Mazatl bitterly interrupted before Solace could reply. "How could he possibly have known? We sure as hell didn't." He noticeably shuddered as the words left his mouth. He had been on the Dreamplane for almost four months. At least, it had felt like four months in his mind. In reality, the crewman had been unconscious in his cot for less than an hour.

Not wanting to give too much away before he had more concrete answers, Alonzo agreed, "Mazatl's right. To John and the rest of you involved, what was happening around you was the only reality that you knew. You certainly had no reason to question it. You couldn't possibly have known that you had been transported to the Dreamplane."

"So what finally caused him to be pulled back to our reality?" Magus questioned as Walman took her hand.

Alonzo quietly revealed, "He died."

Devon stepped forward and hesitantly asked, "How did he die?"

Several seconds passed before the pilot looked up at his friends and uneasily responded, "Old age."

There was an audible gasp from the crowd as the enormity of the situation began to sink in.

"Oh, no," Denner choked out as she laid her head against Cameron's shoulder.

"Oh, Daddy," True whimpered as she burst into tears. Devon kneeled down and hugged her tightly and tears began to stream down her face as well.

__________

As Julia and Alonzo entered the medical tent, the physician immediately went to check on her patient sleeping fitfully on the far side of the room. Despite the heavy dose of tranquilizers that coursed through her veins, Bess' face wore a distressed expression as she continued to toss and turn in her cot.

Julia let out a worried sigh while she checked the Earth-res' vital signs. "We can't keep her sedated forever."

"I know," Solace replied, exhibiting a troubled look that rivaled Bess'. "John'll be able to help us with her now that he's awake."

She queried, "How can Danziger help? He's just as traumatized by his experience as Bess is."

"They'll help each other. Trust me."

Julia assisted the pilot into a neighboring bunk and asserted, "You need to tell me what's going on. I can't help them if I don't know the specifics of what they went through."

"I'll tell you everything," Alonzo promised as he gave the doctor's hand a squeeze. "As soon as I get some answers of my own."

Alonzo closed his eyes and entered the Dreamplane, leaving Julia to search for clues as she seated herself in front of her microscope. These past few days had been unlike any others that she had encountered since arriving on the planet. Four evenings ago, she had endured a grueling night of questioning on the Dreamscape at the hands of the Terrians. She'd done her best to answer their accusations, but was unsuccessful in convincing them of Eden Advance's selfless motives for seeking to settle G889. The inquiry had become more heated as it progressed and Julia had become fearful for her life and for the lives of several of her friends whom the Terrians had singled out as committing violations against the planet. As the inquest drew to a close, she'd mentally prepared herself for the worst, truly believing that the Terrians were about to punish her. Instead, she was amazed to awaken in her own bed still curled up next to Alonzo. His eyes shot open at the same time and it was obvious by his expression that he'd also been subjected to a cross-examination by the creatures.

Before either of them had time to speak, they'd heard the emotional cries of Devon loudly emanating from several tents away. Thinking that their leader was in pain, Julia had hurriedly grabbed her medical bag and they'd both quickly dashed to her quarters. They were surprised to find a healthy Devon sitting on the ground with her arms clasped tightly around a wide-awake Uly, shedding loud tears of joy that her little boy was alive and well.

When they finally pried her apart from her son and calmed her down enough for her to communicate, she described a tale of mayhem, beginning with her questioning inside the sunstone filled cavern and climaxing with what Devon had believed to be her own horrible death. She related that, as she was about to be pulled into the earth, a Terrian guide had appeared to her and beckoned her to follow him. Believing that her situation was hopeless, Devon allowed herself to be willingly led from her shell and, before she knew what had occurred, she awoke in the safety of her own cot.

Suddenly, they were interrupted by the alarmed yells of both Morgan and True as they unsuccessfully attempted to rouse their family members. As the four Edenites scurried out of the Adair tent and rushed toward the frightened pleas for help, they immediately noticed that no other crew members had emerged from their quarters to investigate the source of the commotion. Julia reached the Danziger tent first and had hastily scanned John's vital signs, finding no medical reason for his unconscious state. The identical circumstance was true for Bess when the physician had checked her status. She hurried to the quarters of the other Advancers and was shocked to find each one still in their bunks, powerfully held in the grips of a deep and unstirring slumber.

Only then, did they hear the trills of a single Terrian who had sprouted upward from the ground in the center of their campsite. Alonzo immediately recognized him as the same creature who, days before on the Dreamplane, had instructed the members of Eden Advance to stay within the valley. This time, he bore a new message which Solace and Uly translated to the others. He explained that the sleeping colonists were in the midst of being tested on the Dreamscape and, until the examination was concluded, there was to be no interference by the remaining Edenites. The Terrian refused to cease the experiment nor would he elaborate on any details beyond what had been told to Devon during her short time spent living in the alternate reality. To ensure that no danger was befalling his crew, Solace demanded that he be given access to the Dreamplane to view the test himself.

A few minutes after the pilot had self-administered a sedative to enter the Dreamplane, Baines, Magus and Walman simultaneously regained consciousness. All three were panic-stricken and very confused. Less than a minute later, Mazatl awoke and was more agitated than the colonists had ever seen the normally quiet man. Denner, Cameron and Yale came to a short time later and they sorrowfully shared the stories of the last few months of their lives and the despair and illness that had ultimately brought about their demise.

There was nothing to be done but wait for Bess and Danziger to regain consciousness and for Solace to return with a more complete picture of how and why the Edenites had been deceived. As the hours passed that first terrible day, it was clear that every participant in the Terrian's experiment had been irrevocably altered by their experience. All of them were relieved to be alive, but there was a mixture of emotions as each reacted to the realization that part of their lives had been nothing but a dream. It seemed that, the longer they had been on the Dreamplane, the more depressed they awoke. All were showing acute signs of post-traumatic stress. Some were bitter and verbally lashed out at the Terrians and those members not chosen to participate. Each of them admitted to feeling older and were slow to recognize that many of their memories were false. It was an overwhelming situation that many of the colonists were not mentally equipped to handle.

As the experiment began its second day, the crew grew more and more concerned about Bess and Danziger's continued unconsciousness. Most weren't surprised that they would be the final two to awaken due to their innate survival skills. Notwithstanding, it was the length of time that worried the group, most especially Morgan and Devon. They feared that something had gone terribly wrong and perhaps Bess and John were trapped, unable to leave the Dreamplane of their own accord. Both intensely lobbied for Julia to bring them out of the Dreamscape by injecting a mild dose of stimulants into their systems to revive them. Without Alonzo to confer with and feeling more helpless with each passing hour, Julia's resistance to the idea gradually weakened and she finally reluctantly agreed to administer the medication.

However, after consulting with Uly, True had adamantly refused to allow the doctor to perform the task on her father. Showing an unwavering tenacity that would have made the elder Danziger beam with pride, she stood up to the adults, telling them that because she was the next of kin, she was entitled to make all decisions pertaining to her dad's treatment. True insisted that they wait for him to come out of the Dreamplane on his own. The children also tried to persuade Morgan to allow Bess the same consideration, but their appeals for patience fell upon deaf ears.

The dosage of the injection was extremely small and it took several minutes to work its way through Bess' bloodstream. When she finally awoke, Morgan and Julia realized that they'd made a grave error in judgment. Bess was in a hysterical state, wildly flailing her arms and legs while she screamed incoherently at the top of her lungs. She was so uncontrollable that it was necessary for Julia to sedate her in order to keep her from harming herself.

When the sedative had begun to wear off later that evening, Bess awoke in a slightly less menacing frame of mind. However, she was still inconsolable, mournfully whimpering John's name over and over and desperately begging for him to help her. A guilt-ridden Morgan sat at her bedside and attempted to calm her by taking her hand in one of his own while the other hand brushed the tangled hair back from her face. When Bess set her eyes on her long-believed deceased spouse, she let out a bloodcurdling shriek and immediately fainted from the shock.

It was then that the decision was made to move Bess from her quarters into the med-tent where Julia could keep a watchful eye on her. The others, including Morgan, were barred from visiting the Earth-res who would remain heavily sedated, at least until Alonzo or Danziger regained consciousness. Everyone optimistically kept their fingers crossed that one or both of them would know how to help their injured friend.

Of course, it was now painfully clear that Danziger wasn't in much better shape than Bess. Julia wasn't a trained psychologist and was at a loss as to what to do to treat Bess and John, not to mention many of the others who were now suffering from bouts of despondency to a lesser degree. Broken bones and winter colds she could handle. But the treatment of the subconscious mind confounded the doctor. More than that, it frightened her more than she was willing to admit. At this point, all of Julia's hopes for the restoration of her friends' health rested upon Alonzo and the Terrians, the very creatures who had created the problem in the first place.

__________

Solace anxiously entered the Dreamplane. However, it was not the Dreamplane that resembled the current Eden Project campsite where many of his friends had been unknowingly tricked into living a lie. This was the Dreamplane that Solace had become accustomed to over the past nine months. As the heatless sun beat down over the stark desert sands, three Terrians emerged from the ground to answer the pilot's angry call.

He didn't wait for them to speak. "How could you do that to them?" Alonzo challenged with fury in his dark eyes. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

The Terrians cocked their heads to the side as they struggled to understand the emotional outburst of the Dreamer.

"We have done nothing, but ensure the safety of the Mother."

"What are you talking about?" Solace irately asked as he furiously marched up to the awaiting trio.

"The members of Eden Advance were brought to this mountain range to answer questions pertaining to your species. We also wanted to obtain explanations for specific actions committed by several members of your group. As we have explained to you previously, many of your answers were inadequate and often led to additional confusion about humanity's viability with the planet. Thus, we were unable to make a final determination."

"So you decided to test us."

"Yes. The creation of an alternate, but identical reality on our Dreamplane was the most prudent solution to gather the necessary information. This experiment was unlike any other performed by our collective and it required the efforts of every tribe. Only through observation could we be certain that your group of humans will truly act in the best interest of the Mother. That you can live peacefully, despite your natural tendency toward aggression. That you can work together as one, even though you think with individuals minds. That your group possesses the instinct for survival, even though others before you have self-destructed."

Alonzo was so enraged that he swore that he could feel his blood starting to boil. "But you had no right! My God, you let my friends believe that you'd murdered part of our crew, including the children!"

"We never stated that any death sentences were carried out as punishment for past misdeeds."

"But you implied it!" the pilot challenged. "What were they supposed to think, huh? You interrogate the entire group all night long about the crimes of humanity and then threaten us with a bunch of talk about retribution. Afterward, they wake up to find some of us missing. Then, you're up on the hill telling them that we're gone and we're not coming back and, oh by the way, you're now our prisoner. Of course, they thought that you'd killed us!"

"It was not our intention to mislead. However, by divulging your whereabouts, the knowledge that the others had been transported to the Dreamscape would also have been disclosed. It was imperative that the human specimens believe that they were conscious or the experiment would have been ineffectual. We did not interfere unless the participants attempted to venture beyond the boundaries of the simulated mountain range. Even with the harnessed energy of every tribe, we were presented with limitations and were hesitant about our ability to accurately recreate an area larger than a few miles. This was the reasoning for disallowing your group to leave or acquire information about the surrounding region. Any specimen that endeavored to do so was removed from the Dreamplane before that information could be obtained. We could not risk them discovering their true location and compromising the integrity of the examination. Everything must have appeared to be real in order for them to respond authentically to their environment. We even took steps to enable them the ability to dream in a world that was itself already a dream."

Raising his voice to an even higher volume, he yelled, "This is unbelievable! Don't you see the damage that you've caused?"

The Terrians were obviously perplexed. "But there has been no damage caused. Everything has been returned to the way it was before."

"Are you blind? My friends are in pain!" he opposed.

"We do not understand. Precise measures were taken to guarantee that no subjects were harmed. Your healer was not chosen because her medical expertise would be better served if she remained awake. The human children were excluded because of their youth. It was also likely that the Link would have been aware that he had been transported to our Dreamscape. This was also true in your case. We could not have allowed your knowledge of the Dreamplane to jeopardize our important venture. However, we did allow you to act as an observer to our test."

Alonzo's stomach turned in disgust at his own role as a reluctant witness to the mammoth hoax perpetrated by the beings. He had been permitted to view the examination on the Dreamscape, but could not interfere or put a halt to the proceedings; nor could any of the subjects know of his presence. He was everywhere yet nowhere at the same time as he watched the events unfold at an advanced speed before him. Days would go by in seconds, years would occur in hours as his friends lived out their lives in a world that, unbeknownst to them, didn't really exist. The Terrians endowed him the ability to decipher and process all of the information at once as they did. Not only could Alonzo see and hear the activities of each Edenite, he was given access to their most personal thoughts, no matter how deeply they were buried. He certainly didn't intend to eavesdrop on the very private feelings of his companions, but had been given no choice and was powerless to stop it. Solace tried to rationalize it in his own mind as a necessary evil in order for him to have a complete picture of what they were truly dealing with.

Alonzo noticed that one person had been left out of the creatures' synopsis. "What about Morgan? Why didn't you use him?" Alonzo probed crisply.

"As much as we had hoped to study the long-term actions of subject Morgan Martin, he was deemed too sensitive and excitable to take part. However, the human Bess Martin had been blameworthy of many of the same offenses. Consequently, it was decided that her inclusion in the experiment would be sufficient."

The pilot heatedly folded his arms in front of him at the mention of his friend's name. "Let's talk about Bess for a minute. She and John started a family for Christ's sake! Neither of them had any idea that their son was nothing but an illusion in their minds."

"The child was not a complete illusion. If she and the subject John Danziger had indeed conceived an offspring in their true reality, the result would have been identical to the son produced in the Dreamscape."

"But what would have happened to Adam if he had outlived his parents on the Dreamplane?"

Alonzo was afraid that he already knew the answer and his queasiness increased at the Terrian's clinical response.

"After the death of the final member of Eden Advance, the experiment would be complete and the child's presence no longer necessary."

Solace turned and walked a few steps away from the creatures. This line of questioning wasn't accomplishing anything except making him angrier and more frustrated than he could ever remember being. He took several deep breaths in an effort to calm himself before he posed his next query.

"So now that Danziger's awake the test is over, right? Can you at least tell me if we passed?"

"Although we were displeased by the conduct of many of the participants, the final two specimens were respectful of the Mother and affirmed to us that humans can live for many years and still coexist peacefully with the earth. We were satisfied with the outcome of the examination and, therefore, human habitation will be permitted."

"And if we'd failed?" he asked.

"We would have disallowed your settlement of the planet. All threats to the Mother would be eliminated..."

Alonzo shuddered to think about how close his group had come to being rejected by the planet. He knew that he should be feeling some sort of relief. However, at that moment, all he could manage was an overwhelming sense of revulsion at the manipulative way the Terrians went about arriving at their monumental decision. It was a hollow victory, at best. He was only half-listening as the Terrians began to explain the many perks of receiving their golden seal of approval.

"Well, that's just great," he cynically proclaimed. "So what are we supposed to do now?"

"You will proceed to New Pacifica."

"Just like that, huh?" Solace scoffed. "You forced my crew to become part of some living, breathing science project. You duped them into thinking that they're prisoners; destined to serve a life sentence for the unpardonable crime of being human. You sat back and watched them suffer, all the while knowing that you could have stopped it at any time. You let several of my friends become so depressed that they couldn't go on any longer. One of them actually blew his brains out on the Dreamplane!"

He began to pace back and forth in front of the creatures as he continued, "Every one of them has been changed, mostly for the worse. Bess and John are so distraught that we've had to sedate them. You can't possibly expect us to just pull up our stakes and go on our merry way after you deceived us like this!"

"We still do not understand. There were no injuries suffered by the members of Eden Advance with the exception of Bess Martin. While it is correct that her state of mind has been impaired, your group must assume responsibility for this and not our collective."

The Terrians refusal to admit to their own culpability for the psychological damage inflicted on his friends was more than enough to provoke Solace to lose what little composure he'd maintained to that point.

"But it was you who set the wheels in motion that caused her to suffer a nervous breakdown!" he hollered as he furiously pointed at them. "Now, I want you to tell me how I'm supposed to help Bess and the others deal with the pain that you put them through!"

"We are unsure as to what you are asking of us. Everything has been returned to the way it was before. You may now leave this valley and continue your journey to New Pacifica."

Realizing that their conversation was going around in circles, it became clear to Alonzo that nothing was going to be accomplished by demanding the Terrian's help. All he knew was that the group that had become a second family to him was in deep trouble. And, although it was their fault, the Terrians didn't seem to care.

He let out an embittered snort. "You know what? Right now I couldn't care less about New Pacifica or you or your shanking experiment! As far as I'm concerned, you can all go to hell!"

__________

Julia was busy combing over samples of Danziger's DNA when she looked up from her slides and noticed that Bess' eyelids were beginning to flutter. The physician quickly fumbled for a tranquilizer from the capsule tray and inserted it into her sedigun. She placed the apparatus to the side of Bess' neck and was about to inject the medicine when the Earth-res slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Julia with a childlike innocence.

"Hello," Bess said sweetly.

Staying perfectly still, Julia schooled her features into a small smile hoping to appear as non-threatening as possible. "Hello, Bess. How are you feeling?"

"Tired. I'm sort of tired right now," she sleepily answered as she matched the doctor's expression.

Julia slowly removed the nonadministered sedaderm from Bess' throat and set it on a side table. She placed the Diaglove on her hand, making sure to note the proximity of the arm and leg restraints in case Bess became combative.

The doctor scanned her vital statistics and tried not to show her concern when viewing the Diaglove's readings. "Are you in any pain?"

"I have a headache. I feel a little groggy, too." She softly added, "But don't worry about me. I'm just fine."

Bess surveyed her location and was confused as to how she'd ended up laying in a rickety cot in a large orange tent. Where exactly was she, anyway?

"Um, did you rescue me?" she asked as she rubbed her throbbing temples.

Having no idea what Bess had gone through or what she remembered about her experiences, Julia didn't want to respond with anything that might unnerve her further. It was apparent that she didn't recognize Julia and, at that moment, telling Bess the truth about her life on the Dreamplane would most likely have had a negative impact.

The physician nervously cleared her throat and carefully chose her words. "I guess you could say that, Bess."

The Earth-res excitedly sat up in bed, nearly causing Julia to jump out of her skin in surprise.

"Oh my goodness, John was right!" she happily proclaimed. "He said that if we could prove to the Terrians that humans weren't a threat, they'd allow settlement of the planet and we would be pardoned."

Julia wanted to keep her as relaxed as possible and calmly began, "Bess, I-"

"-and the fact that you're here means that we passed the test! Oh, thank God, after fifteen years, we're free."

Julia's mouth dropped open in disbelief at Bess' revelation that she had been on the Dreamplane for what she had thought to be fifteen years of her life. It also hadn't escaped her notice that Bess was speaking with a southern drawl.

The doctor stared at her in astonishment as Bess cheerfully continued, "I have so many things to ask you. I don't remember how I got here. Where exactly are we? Are we still in the valley or did the Terrians transport us to New Pacifica? Are there many people with you? How long have you been here on G889? Are there Syndrome children in your group? If there are, the Terrians can help them. We'll explain everything."

Tears of elation filled her innocent blue eyes as she caught her breath. "I'm sorry that I'm rambling so much. I'm just so excited to see you. By the way, where is John?"

"He's sleeping a few tents away," the physician disclosed, hoping that she wouldn't be pressed for more information. "I'm sure you'll see him very soon."

Bess couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Leave it to John to catch up on his beauty sleep as soon as we get rescued," she joked with an affectionate smile. "So you've already met him, huh?"

"Yes, I have," Julia said neutrally.

"Well, neither of us are used to being around strangers, so I'm sure that he didn't talk to you very much. But, trust me, as soon as he feels more comfortable, you probably won't be able to get him to shut up. The man's a chatterbox."

Julia cocked her head back at the unusual description of the mechanic. Over these past months, she'd heard John called many things, but a chatterbox certainly wasn't one of them. He'd often wear a look of pain if he had to speak more than two sentences at a time.

"And, of course, Adam is a chip off of the old block," Bess warmly added.

Julia's eyes went wide. "Adam?"

Bess' smile vanished as she noticed the doctor's look of confusion. "Adam is with John, right?"

Julia's continued silence caused a panic to grow within Bess. She instinctively reached her hand downward to caress her once-bulging stomach and, to her horror, felt nothing but emptiness.

"There's something very wrong here. I'm not feeling the baby anymore. And where is Adam?"

Julia knew that she was losing control of the situation fast, but had no idea what to do. "Adam? Baby?" she staggered. "Bess, I'm not sure who you mean."

Bess could feel her world careening out of control. She abruptly flashed to the memory of leaving the cave with Adam and heading for home in the ATV. She recalled that she suddenly couldn't speak or move. She remembered the vehicle heading toward the side of the mountain. They were going to crash right into it. Then, she was lost in that terrifying darkness. Oh God, what had happened?

"I need to see my husband!" Bess beseeched in a distressed voice. "Will you get him for me?"

"I don't think that it's a good idea to leave you alone right now. Maybe a bit later when you're feeling better."

"Please! I really need to see him," the Earth-res implored as she kicked off her blanket and threw her legs over the side of the bed. "If you won't get him then I'll go find him myself."

"Okay, okay," Julia reluctantly agreed in an effort to keep the debate from turning into a physical altercation. She eyed the restraints out of the corner of her eye. "I'm sure that Morgan is pretty close by anyway."

Bess' eyebrows shot upward. "What on earth are you talking about? Morgan died years ago. I want to see my husband."

Julia swallowed hard before hesitantly inquiring, "Bess, what is your full name?"

She was completely dumbstruck as the Earth-res replied, "My name is Bess Amelia Danziger."

Julia was rooted in place, too shocked to move. Bess was becoming more upset by the moment and grabbed the doctor by both of her upper arms and began shaking her.

"What's the matter with you?" She yanked Julia toward her, demanding through gritted teeth, "I want my husband, do you hear me? What have you done with him? What have you done with my family?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down," came the voice of Alonzo as he appeared behind a rattled, but thankful Julia and carefully began to extract her from the Bess' grasp. He'd been awake for about a minute, but had stayed still, unsure as to how Bess would deal with his presence. However, he'd had no choice but to act after the Earth-res had resorted to physically attacking his girlfriend.

Solace spoke to Bess as if she were a child. "Try to get hold yourself, all right? We can't leave to get John until you're calmed down."

He gently guided Bess' legs back onto the cot and pulled the covers back over her.

"We're going to see if John's awake. But you need to promise us that, in the meantime, you'll stay put."

Bess had had enough of the emotional roller coaster for the time being and acquiesced, silently gesturing her agreement. She curiously examined the two figures standing over her and became as white as a ghost when she realized that she recognized them. No, it can't be, she thought to herself. It just can't be.

"Julia?" she said meekly, bouncing her mystified gaze between the couple. "Alonzo?"

"Yes, Bess, it's us," he said. He reached out to comfort her, but halted when she cowered backward. "We'll explain everything when we get back. But we expect you to be exactly where you are right now, okay?"

Bess wasn't sure who or what to believe anymore. In her eyes, there was only one person that could help her to sort out all of these strange occurrences and get some real answers. Moreover, she was certain that he wouldn't sit still until they'd located Adam. Perhaps he could also help her figure out why she was suddenly having so much trouble keeping her emotions under control.

"You'll bring back John with you?"

Julia reached for the sedigun, but Solace took her hand to stop her, surmising that, unless Bess was in immediate danger, he didn't want to waste their precious supply of tranquilizers. And based on his knowledge of what Bess and John had gone through, he suspected that every capsule would be needed.

Realizing that Bess was probably as collected as she could possibly be under the circumstances, Alonzo led Julia toward the tent's exit and assured in a soothing tone, "We'll be back very soon."

After the couple left, Bess curled up into a ball in her bunk and apprehensively closed her eyes. Her fractured mind immediately flashed to a recent time when she had been enslaved by an all-encompassing blackness. There, she had been robbed of all of her sensory functions as she wandered blindly through a dark abyss for what had seemed to be an eternity. There was no sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and, after awhile, no hope.

Bess struggled to convince herself that her time in that torturous prison had been nothing more than a horrible nightmare. I'm alive and I'm certainly not alone, she rationalized. I have a wonderful husband, a terrific son and a beautiful little girl on the way.

But as she pensively waited for John to arrive, her anxiety and fright continued to build within her and Bess found that she barely possessed the strength to stop it from taking over completely.

"It's so dark," Bess moaned softly as she manically began to rock back and forth. "It's so, so dark..."

__________

You must login (register) to review.