One Fell Swoop by Allison McDonnell

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Several times over the past few hours, Devon had felt as though she was in a dreamlike state, only to realize that she was in the center of a waking nightmare. And the very same could be said of the rest of Eden Advance.

After the wild goose chase which had culminated in locating the remains of the man whom Magus would later identify through gear-vid as Damon Duffett, the rescue team left him and the other attackers exactly where they'd originally found them. All four would be denied the dignity of a burial and instead were left as feasts for the vultures or for whatever passed for flesh-picking creatures on G889. The body of the fifth penal colonist whom Magus had recounted going over the cliff's edge with Danziger was never located. And if he had been found, it was a safe bet that the members of Eden Advance would not have rendered any assistance whatsoever, be he alive or dead.

Given a bit of time and distance, might this seem rather harsh behavior in retrospect? Definitely. But would they likely be sorry for their actions or lack thereof? Absolutely not.

The group had changed in several, irreparable ways. And there was no going back.

Their grief and anger was so strong that they'd even elected not to search the mesa for the penal colonists' cave which no doubt had contained provisions from Eden Project cargo pods as well as from previous acts of violence.

Devon had been too emotionally incapacitated to be of much help. She wasn't up to the task of alerting the others about the tragedy that had taken place, nor did she participate in any of the subsequent decisions regarding what to do with the four corpses. Instead she'd retreated inward, trying to reconcile the details of the day's events and absorb the harsh reality of Danziger's fate. Before Magus and the rescue team had embarked on the nearly silent ride to rejoin the other members of Eden Advance, Julia had offered to inject Devon with a mild sedative to dull her nerves. However the leader had refused, realizing that it was imperative that she remain at full capacity as she began to prepare herself for one of the most difficult conversations that she would ever have: telling True that her father wasn't coming home.

Bess had been the first Edenite called back at camp and was given the instructions to quickly collect True and Uly and confine them to the Adair tent. The Earth-res was also asked to remain with the children to shield them from the possibility of hearing the news of Danziger's death from a secondhand source. Although Bess hadn't been specifically told of John's demise, Alonzo's devastated expression and voice during their private gear conversation in which he'd only mentioned Magus' status had told her all that she'd needed to know. And from the look in True's eyes when Bess had found her sitting alone under the Transrover, it was pretty obvious that the little girl had already known it, too.

When the ATV and Dunerail reentered camp, Magus and the rescue team were met by the other brokenhearted members of Eden Advance, save for Bess and the children. Baines helped Julia and Walman transfer Magus into a crude sling-like stretcher and whisked her off to the med-quarters for further treatment, while a shattered-looking and still soaking wet Devon exited the Rail and went directly into Yale's awaiting arms.

The former tutor knew that there was nothing that could be said to console her, so he just held her in a fatherly embrace. In addition to her sodden clothing, Yale could sense the wetness of Devon's tears against his shirt.

"I can't believe he's gone," she whispered in a weakened voice, nodding her head back and forth in disbelief. "What am I going to do without him, Yale?"

The cyborg momentarily closed his eyes and let out a sad exhalation. "You will continue moving forward. And you will raise Danziger's daughter and give her the life that he'd always hoped that she'd have."

She took his words to heart and attempted to compose herself as best as she could, arching her head back and wiping at her moisture-streaked cheeks with her fingertips. "Is she waiting for me in my tent?" she asked.

"Yes," Yale nodded. "And Uly and Bess are with her."

Devon pulled herself from Yale's grasp and slowly made her way to her quarters at the center of camp. Alonzo and most of the other Edenites followed several paces behind her, forming an unintentional processional.

Devon swallowed hard and took several deep breaths before pulling back the tarp to reveal Bess and the two children. Instinctually, her gaze first went to Uly, who was busy showing the Earth-res his latest child-sized Terrian staff which he'd claimed was based on the markings of the local tribe. The boy seemed to understand that something bad had happened, but his young age and innocence had made him oblivious to the severity of the situation.

Unfortunately, True had no such luxury. In the Quadrant, youth meant very little and naivete was all but nonexistent. When Bess had come for her and had directed her to the Adair tent, the little girl had suspected that her worst fears had been realized. And when no one would give her a straight answer except to quote the party line to stay indoors until Devon returned, there was no longer any doubt in True's mind that her father was indeed dead. As such, she'd decided to cut herself off from any non-essential interaction and planted herself on the end of Devon's cot, stone-faced as she stared at the far canvas wall.

The rest of the crew remained outside to give them as much privacy as necessary as Devon entered the quarters. As soon as he noticed his Mom's arrival, Uly immediately jumped up and ran to her, tightly hugging her.

After exchanging hellos, Devon nodded toward the Earth-res. "Bess, would you take Uly over to the meal tent for a few minutes?"

Uly was immediately suspicious, yet still clouded by innocence. "What for?" he asked. "Is something wrong, Mom?"

Devon tried her best to mask that she was in danger of simultaneously bursting into tears and losing the contents of her stomach. She opened her mouth to respond, but had trouble sounding out the words.

Luckily, Bess came to the rescue. "Come on, Uly," she encouraged, putting on a brave face. "You can help me make dessert for tonight's dinner. I've had this wonderful idea for a recipe that'll taste just like raspberry tarts, but without the raspberry or the tarts."

Uly was obviously interested in the dessert concept and whatever it might entail, but was still unsure if he should leave his mother, especially with the miserable expression that she was currently wearing. And True was being extra grouchy, too. She wouldn't talk to him or let him show her his newest Terrian staff. Even Bess was acting sort of strange. It was as if the whole camp had turned upside down and he had no idea why.

"I'll be along very soon and we'll talk, too, all right?" Devon was finally able to add.

"Okay," Uly agreed as Bess gently ushered him out of the room by the shoulders and into the awaiting crowd of silent mourners.

"See ya' later, True," he added as the flap fell to a close behind him. There was no acknowledgment from the other end of the enclosure.

Now that they were alone, Devon edged the final few feet to where the little girl was situated. There was nothing she could do to keep from visibly shaking.

"True," she sputtered, forced to clear her throat before starting again. "There's something that I need to tell you."

True was still facing the opposite direction and exhaled a shuddering breath. "My Dad's dead, right?"

There was a pause that seemed to last for hours, when in reality, it was just over three seconds.

"Yes," Devon finally whispered.

"Can I see him?" True asked in an abrupt, matter-of-fact manner. At that moment, there was very little trace of the little girl that Devon had come to know and love.

"No, I'm afraid not," she answered plainly.

True suddenly whipped around toward Devon. Clearly, that was an answer that she hadn't expected.

"What?" she choked out in surprise, her bottom lip trembling. "Why not?"

Tears began to fill both of their eyes and Devon's words came out slowly and carefully. "Your father fell into the river," she explained. "And we looked and looked, but we weren't able to find him."

There was a sudden burst of emotion. "But that means that he could still be alive!" True cried, looking baffled as to why Devon and everyone else was still hanging around camp when they should all be out hunting for her Dad.

Devon took another step and seated herself on the cot next to True, letting out another series of faltering breaths. "True, the mountain that your father fell from..." she began, "well, it was very high and he was at the very top. And even before then, he'd been badly hurt." She didn't feel the need to go into a graphic description of the blood found on the mesa that Julia had identified as Danziger's, indicating that he'd likely been stabbed.

The leader tentatively placed her arm around True's shoulder and she felt the little girl tighten up. "The river itself.... it flows really fast and it's impossible to swim in," she continued, still having trouble getting the words out. "We searched for your father the best that we could, but the current was just so strong, it.... it just took him away, Sweetheart."

As True listened to Devon recount her father's fate, as much as she didn't want to believe it, she forced herself to understand that the explanation made perfect sense. In a way, the little girl had been preparing herself for this conversation her entire life. Of course, that didn't make it any less traumatic to accept the fact that she would never see her Dad again.

True mentally kicked herself as tears began to stream down her cheeks. When Devon had revealed that there wasn't a body for her to see, for a brief second she'd actually allowed herself to foster a spark of hope that her father could still be saved. But she wasn't a kid any more and she should have known better. After all, very few children growing up in the Quadrant still had two living parents by the time they'd reached the cusp of adulthood. Why should she have expected G889 to be any different? As dangerous as her Dad's life was, in a way, she should count herself lucky that she'd been able to make it to twelve years of age before becoming an orphan.

And now that the awful day had come, she realized that as much as she had tried to mentally prepare herself for it, there was no way that she was ready to face it head on. Her insides ached so desperately for her father that she could barely resist the urge to hunch over in pain. Instead, she curled her arms around Devon's torso and hugged her tight.

"I miss him already," she sobbed.

Devon threw her arms around her and rested her chin on top of the little girl's head. "Me, too," she whispered as she joined in with her own cries.

Both allowed their tears to flow freely.
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Devon could only recall crying this long and with such incredible intensity twice within her lifetime. The first was at age eighteen when her father had unexpectedly appeared at her faraway private school to inform her of the sudden death of her beloved mother. The second occasion was an equally unanticipated and traumatic event, if not more-so: when the Station doctors had officially diagnosed Uly with The Syndrome, a debilitating illness for which there was no cure. And now Devon wept just as profoundly over the loss of John Danziger, surprising herself a bit as for the very first time, she allowed herself to truly acknowledge the magnitude of her emotions where he was concerned. There was no longer any doubt whatsoever that, without her ever realizing it, John had become a vital member of her family.

Devon was so overwrought with grief that it was all but impossible to control her cries. Her anguish was openly reflected in her face with a noticeable deepening of the surface lines in her skin as well as the shaded hues beneath her eyes. The front of her shirt had become saturated with her tears and her head and back throbbed in pain due to her body's continuous convulsions as she was racked with sobs. Her eyes had swollen to the point that she could barely crack them open and they appeared as little more than slits of dulled blue.

True was equally as distraught. She'd vomited what little food she'd had in her stomach and, several times, it was necessary to fold herself over and place her head between her knees in order to refrain from dry-heaving. The pair had held onto one another for hours until True cried herself into emotional and physical exhaustion and finally collapsed onto Devon's cot. Devon tucked the little girl in with nearby blankets and stood vigil at her bedside. As the natural light waned and the long day drew to a close, Devon continued to watch over the child, noting each rise and fall of her chest as well as every accompanying shallow, raspy breath. Occasionally, she would emit a small whimper and it took most of Devon's remaining strength to resist the urge to awaken the little girl by collecting her into her arms and hugging her tightly. However, Devon conceded that even if the child was indeed caught within the grips of a nightmare, the act of rousing her from her fitful slumber would return her to the reality of a life without her father, the center of her entire world. That had to be worse than whatever dream True was currently experiencing.

As Devon observed the silhouette of the little girl's frame in the ever-darkening room, she replayed in her mind the fateful day when she'd learned of the death of her own mother. Although Devon had spent much of her younger life in the care of governesses, finishing schools and, most importantly, with her life-long tutor and first true friend Yale, she had always felt a closeness to her mother. Even though they didn't get the opportunity to spend that much time together, her Mother was her childhood idol and the person with whom she'd always strived to emulate as an adult.

Many of Devon's most treasured memories were when she'd slipped unnoticed into one of her Mother's conference rooms and watched her conduct board meetings in which she'd make mincemeat of those who'd attempted to contradict her or dared to tell her that something couldn't be accomplished. Devon had also loved to tag along on her Mother's buying trips and used to watch in awe as the fearless woman had no qualms with rolling up her designer sleeves and crawling in between filthy pipes to inspect the wiring mechanism of a line of freighters that she was interested in acquiring for Adair Industries. When Devon was older and home from school on holidays, her mother had always made time for her and, not only answered all of Devon's questions, she was certain to pass along plenty of advice regarding what would be expected of Devon when she'd reached adulthood, as well as to explain what life might entail while living under the moniker of 'Adair.' Devon had memorized every single word of wisdom that her mother had imparted to her and, consequently, many of the most important choices that she'd ever made in her professional and personal life were taken from the standpoint of 'What would my Mother do?' And to her Mom's credit, Devon had yet to regret any of those decisions.

But as much as she'd cared for her Mother and, even years later, still grieved for her loss, looking back now Devon couldn't help but notice the tremendous differences between her relationship with her Mom and the boundless, almost immeasurable level of attachment of True and John. The bond between Danziger and his daughter encompassed friendship, respect, dependence and, of course, unconditional devotion. They were one another's trusted confidantes, biggest supporters and greatest sources of strength. Often, they'd made each other smile. Occasionally, they'd made each other madder than hell. And there was never a single moment that went by that they hadn't made each other feel loved.

As Devon continued to watch over True, she wondered if there would ever come a time when she might be able to make the little girl smile again. She wasn't sure if that would be possible, but she swore to herself that she would do her very best to try. Devon would pick up where John had left off and ensure that True never ever experienced a moment of feeling alone or unloved.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the gentle rustling of the tent flap behind her and she twisted around to observe the darkened form of Julia step into the enclosure, followed closely by Alonzo.

"Devon?" Julia asked tentatively while she located the nearby lumalantern and turned the knob to its dimmest setting, illuminating the room just enough to cause Devon's now-ultrasensitive eyes to sting.

Devon wasn't given the time to form a reply before the doctor continued, "We're sorry to bother you, but we figured that you'd want an update on Magus' condition."

After Devon nodded for her to proceed, Julia tried to sound as positive as should could under the circumstances. "The news is good," she divulged. "She's completely stabilized now, but it would be best if we waited another day before trying to move her again. And emotionally speaking, she should rest at least another twenty-four hours. However, I'm confidant that she'll eventually enjoy a full recovery from her injuries."

Devon remained silent, but gave another faint nod of her head. It was only then that she made eye contact with Julia and Alonzo and noticed that both had obviously been crying recently.

Following another few seconds of stillness while all three collectively looked toward True to confirm that she remained sound asleep, Alonzo chimed in, "We also wanted to let you know that Yale went ahead and took Uly aside to explain what happened today."

The leader's jaw visibly dropped open. So consumed had she been by her anguish that she'd completely forgotten about Uly and her promise to speak with him about Danziger's death. She suddenly felt like the worst parent in the world. How could she have been so careless?

It was obvious that Devon was greatly upset by the news and Alonzo tried to alleviate whatever small amount of distress that he could.

"Don't worry, Uly handled it really well, especially for his age," he consoled in a subdued tone. "I think that as sad as he is about John, he's more worried about you and True. He also understands that you're needed here and he's going to give you both some space. He'll sleep in Yale's tent tonight and he'll rejoin you in the morning."

The pilot briefly paused before adding, "If that's okay with you, of course." After all, she was his Mother and should really have the final word on such matters.

Devon swallowed hard and finally found her voice. "That's fine. Thank you," she whispered, wearing a heartfelt expression. "And please thank Yale for me."

"We also brought you some food, in case you felt like eating," Julia furthered as Alonzo set a small saucer on an adjacent crate. "Bess made a dessert that tasted like raspberry tarts."

As Devon again expressed her appreciation along with her regret that she currently lacked an appetite, she could feel the piercing stare of Julia's trained eye. Devon assumed that the physician was administering a visual exam to check for possible medical issues. In actuality, Julia was trying to gage Devon's overall mental status. And she had a very good reason for doing so.

"Devon, I have something for you," Julia revealed, deciding to go forward and hoping that her words wouldn't prove to be too upsetting. "I'm not sure if this is the right time." Her eyes briefly drifted away as she removed something from the front pocket of her jacket. "Then again, I'm not sure if there will ever be a right time."

Devon gazed at her with confusion, though it was barely discernible through her puffy eyes and drawn expression. The leader then emitted a small gasp of surprise as Julia stepped forward and took hold of her hand, lifting it upward with the palm facing the tent's ceiling.

"John gave this to me a while back," she explained, slipping a small capsule into Devon's hand. Devon immediately recognized it as a vid-chip as she added, "It's for you."

Devon's entire body froze and she stared at the item in uncertainty. "I- I don't understand," she expressed, shaking her head.

Julia was still unsure if she'd made the correct decision to present the chip so soon after Danziger's demise and while Devon was still so emotionally vulnerable. However, there was no going back now.

"He had me store the chip with his med-files," she divulged. "He also made me promise to give it to you if he--" Her eyes again momentarily veered away as she chose a more appropriate description. "-- if something ever happened to him."

She let out a slow breath, adding, "I'm not sure what's on it, but I know that it's important. To both of you."

Devon remained paralyzed, her eyes trained on the vid-chip in her still-open palm. Her head was swirling and she'd felt more overwhelmed than ever.

Alonzo placed a comforting hand on Devon's shoulder. "You're probably gonna want some privacy when you watch this, so if you want to see it now, we can stay here with True and you can go find yourself a secluded spot," he said soothingly. "And if you're not up to it yet, that's fine, too. Just let any one of us know when you're ready and we'll come back."

Julia relayed, "And when you can, Magus would also like you to stop by the med-tent. She has some things to tell you about her last conversation with John. Apparently, he'd confided in her and she thinks it's imperative that you hear what he said."

Another bout of stilted silence passed as Devon played out the options in her mind. The decision itself was obvious, but harnessing the strength to put the idea into motion was something else entirely.

She delicately closed her fingers around the chip, treating it as if it were a tiny, fragile artifact. "I'd like to watch this now," she declared in a low voice.

Devon took the risk of rousing True and leaned over to gently kiss her brow. "I'd really appreciate it if you could stay with True for a little while," she requested, motioning to her still slumbering form. "But please call me immediately if she wakes up."

The couple agreed and quickly took over Devon's newly vacated spot next to True.

Devon pivoted back toward them and though her words were directed toward Julia and Alonzo, her eyes were focused solely upon the younger Danziger.

"I won't be long."
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