One Fell Swoop by Allison McDonnell

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In Magus' eyes, John Danziger had become a cliche. He was quiet. Too quiet.

In fact, the mechanic had barely grumbled two words to her the entire trip. Even after confirming that the path which Devon had chosen for that day's journey for Eden Advance was indeed navigable for the Transrover, the air continued to be free from all idle chit-chat as Danziger and Magus had grabbed their equipment and vacated the ATV at the base of the mountain. However, they did voice plenty of warnings as they helped one another ascend the steep incline and endeavor over the occasionally slippery terrain.

A steady mist of rainfall slowly soaked their clothing and hair while Magus followed directly behind Danziger, effortlessly mirroring his movements as he wedged his feet against embedded rocks and tree roots to propel himself upward. Magus was extremely limber and possessed a good amount of upper body strength, particularly considering her small frame. Over the past months, she'd proven herself to be one of Eden Advance's best climbers and was already an invaluable asset when it came to scaling tall fruit trees in order to reach the upper branches containing food. As such, she wasn't all that surprised when John had elected to ask her to accompany him on that day's scout. Little did the crew-woman know that Danziger had an additional reason for specifically choosing her over the other members of the group.

They were both almost completely out of breath by the time they'd arrived at the rather extensive clearing at the mountain's peak. After briefly discussing their greatly expanded range of sight, courtesy of the high elevation and despite the continued cloud coverage, and then briefly inspecting the rapids of the Janus River directly below them, the two decided to take a much needed break. They retreated from the ledge and relocated under a nearby cluster of trees which shielded them from most of the light rain. Magus collapsed in a heap onto the soft wet grass, while Danziger unslung the mag-pro from his shoulder and set it aside, seating himself with his back propped up against a nearby thick tree-trunk.

For the next few minutes, they sat in silence, listening to the overlapping echoes of raindrops bouncing from leaf to leaf as they made their wild freefall to earth, as well as to the constant thundering of the rushing waters nearby. In a way, the sounds of nature were almost deafening to their ears; yet, at the same time, it was incredibly serene and both realized their good fortune at being able to experience such a profound sense of peace.

Of course, Danziger knew that this tranquil feeling couldn't last forever. He shook his head back to reality, apprehensive of what he was about to do. A rather sensitive matter had been heavily weighing on his mind for a while now; so much so, that he'd specifically brought Magus with him on a scout in order to speak with her privately regarding the subject.

Danziger slicked the wet hair back from his face and exhaled an uneasy breath. He'd made it to the top of the mountain. It was all downhill from there.

He cleared his throat to get Magus' attention. "I need to ask you something," he said, reinitiating eye contact. "But before I do, I need you to promise me that everything that's said'll stay just between us. Can I count on you?"

Magus straightened up her posturing and cocked her head to the side, a bit startled by the unexpected request. "Um, sure."

Her hesitancy left Danziger less than convinced. "I mean it," John reiterated in a concerned, slightly threatening, voice. "You can't tell a soul."

Danziger's squirming and anxious expression had definitely piqued Magus' interest. She quickly decided that it would be best to come across as casual as possible.

"Okay, okay, I promise," she replied. "Sheesh, don't be so dramatic."

John found it necessary to take several calming breaths before he finally plunged forward. "This thing that's been goin' on between you and Cameron-"

Magus' eyes grew as wide as the moons, prompting Danziger to exclaim as an aside, "And don't bother tryin' to deny it because everybody knows."

The two simultaneously gulped as John started again. "Anyway, do you think that your relationship is gonna change once the colony ship gets here?"

Magus' face was one of total shock and confusion. She began to blink so much that Danziger wondered if she was attempting to answer him using Morse code. At last, she was able to regroup and organize her thoughts well enough that she could to respond to his question with an inquiry of her own.

"If, and I strongly stress the word 'if,' Cameron and I are involved with one another, why would you ask me that?"

"Cameron's a citizen and you're a Drone, that's why," he said bluntly and it wasn't difficult for Magus to pick up a hint of bitterness in his tone.

"So what?" she asked.

"I'm just putting out the question, okay?" Danziger proclaimed, his voice and mannerisms suddenly coming across as defensive in nature. He briefly shut his eyes and exhaled deeply before continuing, "Look, I don't necessarily think that you two are headed for trouble. I guess that I just wanted to know if you've considered any of the possibilities of what could happen when the Jamestown arrives."

"Well, apparently you have!" Magus exclaimed, shaking her head in wonderment as she tried to wrap her brain around why John Danziger would have any interest in delving into her private life.

And then the crew-woman's entire face lit up as if she'd just been struck from above by a bolt of lightning. She nearly smacked herself on the forehead with her palm. How could she be so stupid as to have not immediately seen it?

"You're worried about you and Devon, aren't you?" she probed.

Danziger's eyes abruptly nose-dived to the ground. "We're not discussing Adair," he said gruffly.

His curt reaction was confirmation to Magus that she'd hit the nail on the head. "Oh, yes we are. That's exactly what this is about," she declared with a burst of confidence. "You're in love with Devon, but you won't do anything about it because you're afraid that she can't love anyone born and bred in the Quadrant."

She paused to think about it a moment before voicing an alternative theory. "Or maybe you have done something about it. And maybe Devon loves you, too, but you're worried that after the colony ship gets here, she's gonna go back to her highfalutin' friends and leave you high and dry."

Danziger continued to give Magus the silent treatment and steadfastly refused to look in her direction, completely perplexed at how quickly the tables had turned and he'd become the focus of the conversation. And he wasn't liking it one iota.

Of course in Magus' eyes, John's behavior was all but an admission that, at the very least, a portion of her assertion was correct. She decided that it was paramount that she tread very carefully. After all, not only was she discussing John Danziger's matters of the heart which was a dicey subject to say the least, it was hard to ignore that the man had one hell of a temper.

Magus took a deep breath and infused a healthy dose of compassion into her tone. "John," she asked, choosing her words with care, "does Devon know how you feel about her?"

The mechanic was obviously conflicted as to how to best answer her. Or whether to answer her at all. There were several awkward moments before he whispered a few syllables which were, unfortunately, drowned out by the roar of the nearby Janus River. However, luckily his accompanying nod provided all the response that Magus needed.

She forged ahead. "And has Devon said anything or given you any sign that she feels the same way about you?"

There was yet another extremely pregnant pause and an almost pained look from Danziger before he grudgingly nodded his acknowledgment, his eyes remaining concentrated on the grass in front of him.

"So you and Devon are actually... uh, together?" Magus inquired, still trying to absorb his confession.

Danziger at last spoke loudly enough that she could decipher the words. "Yeah," he disclosed, before correcting, "I mean, sort of. Technically, we're not together right now. We're gonna wait until we get to New Pacifica and then see what happens."

Magus let out a snort to reflect her disbelief. "That sounds like something stupid that you'd agree to."

The woman's adverse reaction caused John to jerk his attention back to her and give her a double-take. "It's for the best," he exclaimed, unknowingly parroting Devon's rationale word-for-word.

As much as Magus worried about becoming the primary object of Danziger's ire, she felt strongly that this was a situation which called for bluntness, no matter what the outcome might be. In the long run, she knew that he'd appreciate her candor. And in the short run, she prayed that he wouldn't retaliate by trying to physically remove her head from her body. So she took a deep breath, gathered up her courage, and tore a page right from Danziger's book by telling it exactly as she saw it.

"You're an idiot," she declared. "In fact, you're both idiots."

John opened his mouth to supply an appropriate retort, but was cut off.

"My God, Danziger," she chastised. "You know better than anyone that life is way too short for you two to be pulling this kind of crap. Hell, the second that you guys realized that you felt the same way about one another, you should've jumped in with both feet!"

Magus watched the mechanic's jaw clench and unclench several times as she switched gears slightly. "Have you told Devon about your fears that your relationship with her'll change after the colony ship gets here?"

When her question was met with stillness, she further probed, "Jeez, have the two of you ever really sat down and discussed your differences in class structure at all?"

Danziger's face transformed from one of irritation to sheepishness as he barely shook his head.

"Why not?" she asked before venturing, "Hmm, let me guess. As cynical as you are, I'm bettin' that you've already created a worst-case scenario in your head and then decided that that's what was gonna happen."

As usual, his silence provided her answer.

The crew-woman's voice and expression softened. "Danziger, what you have with Devon-- or what you will have with Devon as soon as you both pull your heads out of your asses-- it can work. Just look at Julia and Alonzo."

"They could be in trouble then, too," he said matter-of-factly, trying his best to maintain an even keel. "Everything's gonna be turned upside down when the Jamestown arrives. Who the hell knows how things'll end up?"

Magus exhaled deeply as she considered his assertions. Before now, she'd never realized how troubled John obviously was over the issue of the colony ship. But just as disconcerting to her was that, until that moment, she'd never really considered the potential ramifications of how the Jamestown's arrival would affect the dynamics of Eden Advance. And a few of the less positive speculations that briefly flashed in her mind certainly gave her pause.

She decided that it was important for her to momentarily set aside her own sudden concerns and to, instead, concentrate on Danziger's current quandary.

"I agree with you that our lives will probably be much different with all of those new people and new responsibilities. But that doesn't mean that we, ourselves, will change," she expressed with sincerity. "If you and Devon love each other... really love each other, then none of that other shit will make one bit of difference."

Danziger remet her sympathetic gaze. "You make it sound so simple."

"That's because it is that simple," Magus encouraged. "Now for once in your life, will you stop waiting for the other shankin' shoe to drop and just let yourself be happy?"

John couldn't resist the corner of his mouth arching upward to form a small smile. "I'll give it a shot," he snorted.

Magus matched Danziger's grin with her own, thrilled that her usually closemouthed friend had chosen to confide in her, of all people, and that she'd been able to somewhat ease his worries.

"I'm glad to hear it," she declared. "But I still think that you're both idiots for putting your love-lives on hold."

"Duly noted," he shrugged.

Magus pursed her lips, obviously deep in thought. "You know what? Because you've spilled your guts and especially because you've actually listened to my sage advice about how to best handle your predicament, I'm going to return the favor and let you in on a little secret of my own."

There was a devilish glint in Magus' eyes as she revealed, "Although Cameron and I are good friends, we're not having a torrid affair. The reason that we're spending so much time together is because he has graciously agreed to help me make Walman jealous."

John's jaw dropped to the ground as she proceeded to divulge, "For reasons that I have yet been able to explain to myself, or to anyone else for that matter, I'm in love with Walman." Her face displayed a 'God, help me' expression. "And I'm pretty sure that he feels the same way about me. Over the past few months, I've dropped dozens of hints to let him know that I'm interested. Hell, I've done just about everything but tackle him in the middle of camp, but I'll be damned if I can get him to make even the slightest move."

Danziger couldn't believe his ears. "So you and Cameron are only pretending to be involved?"

"Yep, just until Walman finally blows his top, which should be any day now. The man isn't exactly a mystery," she chuckled with a mild eye roll. "I just have to be sure to intervene before he tries to beat the stuffing out of Cameron."

Danziger shook his head to the brink of dizziness. "You are a wicked woman," he chortled.

"Thank you," she beamed with a proud shimmy of her shoulders. "I do have my moments."

Danziger closed his eyes and briefly lifted his head skyward, allowing more of the rain to come into contact with his face. "Anything else that I need to know about?"

There was barely a pause before Magus decided to give Bess a run for her money in the gossip department. "Well, to be honest, I think Cameron has always had a crush on Denner, but Mazatl got there first," she revealed, her enthusiasm growing as she progressed. "I've also heard a rumor that Morgan was married once before but he-"

"You know what? Stop right there. Don't tell me any more," Danziger cut in, putting up his hands in exhausted surrender. "Sometimes ignorance really is bliss."

Magus chuckled over the mechanic's glaring awkwardness at the airing of Eden Advance's scandal tinged underbelly. "Fair enough," she said, obviously pleased with herself.

Danziger continued to wear a put-upon expression as he lumbered back to his feet. "Christ," he muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"Where are you going?" she asked as he began to trudge back toward the cliff.

"I didn't come up here to jabber all day. We got work to do," he grumbled, already reverting back to his usual grouchy disposition. "Devon'll have my hide if we aren't back before sundown."

Any and all wisecracks regarding the latter part of John's declaration, Magus wisely decided to keep to herself and instead asked, "Do you mind if I go foraging while you're recording the photo data?" She motioned to the copse of greenery outlining the ridge. "Some of these bushes have berries on them. There might be fruit in some of these trees, too."

"Just stay in visual range," Danziger grumped. "And I shouldn't have to tell you not to sample the goods till Julia gives 'em her seal of approval."

"Of course," Magus acknowledged while she removed a burlap-like sack which she'd kept thinly folded in her jacket for opportunities such as this. She chose to put off worrying about how she would get any gathered bounty down the steep decline until later.

As John went off on his own, Magus attempted to peel the fabric of her soaked shirt and pants away from her skin, but quickly gave up the endeavor when she deemed the task both hopeless and pointless, especially considering the growing intensity of the rainfall.

Magus took her time as she ambled along the edge of the landscape, her mind still focused on the mechanic's revelation. She was elated, not only because John had chosen to confide in her, but because after so many years of solitude, he had finally found someone to share his life with. Strangely, it wasn't until that very moment that it occurred to Magus that Danziger had just provided her with the proof that she and the other Edenites had been searching for for months: that Devon and John were indeed involved in a romance, or at the very least, had engaged in an affair. By sharing these newfound details with her crewmates, Magus knew that she would probably be lauded as a heroine and would receive tokens of appreciation including everything from well-deserved pats on the back to being slipped extra rations during supper.

Then again, Magus never really cared about popularity and she deemed having a sense of family to be much more important. And after knowing John Danziger for over a decade and working with and for him on nearly a dozen contracts, she'd certainly considered him to be a member of her family. So if he asked her to keep his secret, then she fully intended to do so, no matter what.

Besides, Magus thought to herself, Devon or Danziger won't be able to maintain their ruse forever and one or both of them will eventually slip up, very likely before Eden Advance reaches the shores of New Pacifica. The crew-woman inwardly furthered that, if John took her advice to heart, he just might decide to throw caution to the wind and literally sweep Devon off of her feet in front of everyone the very moment they get back to camp tonight.

She let out a small chortle as she contemplated doing the exact same thing to Walman when she next saw him. That is, if she could actually lift him.

Magus drifted back to reality as she halted to carefully collect a few brightly hued berries from a group of thorn riddled bushes. She found it odd that despite being surrounded by lush, healthy foliage, there was seemingly very little to harvest. She peered a bit deeper into the thicket, panning the dense terrain until her eyes finally came upon a nearly six foot tall bush situated off by itself; its vine-like branches saturated with deep blue clusters of fruit reminiscent of the blackberries of Old Earth. She rotated to view Danziger once more before venturing off into the forest to investigate the large shrub and, hopefully, fill her cloth sack with several day's worth of food for Eden Advance.

As Magus neared the plant, she again wondered why this one bush bore so much fruit when the others were nearly bare, as if they'd been plucked clean. And why was this one set apart from the other bushes, completely surrounded by a layer of soft grass and free from other small shrubbery including felled branches and leaves?

Unfortunately, as Magus stepped forward and reached up to twist the first handful of berries from the closest vine, she was given her answer as the grass floor gave way beneath her and she vanished into the earth. She barely had time to scream.
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