THE SERPENT BENEATH THE FLOWER, Part 1
By Bernice Low
[] denotes narrative by Alonzo.
Night descended like a blanket on the colonists camp and everyone took refuge in their tents from the cold winds that accompanied the descent of darkness. The winds swept in, blowing sharp and bone chilling. Despite the resurgence of Spring, night remained bitterly cold on G889. One by one the lights in the tents extinguished as the colonists huddled under their thermal blankets for the night.
Alonzo fell asleep quickly on the campbed that after 8 months on the planet, started to actually feel comfortable. Tiredness and exhaustion came quickly out out here on G889 - no machines to help carry the heavy drums and boxes, no computers - just good old fashioned physical effort, with a bit of help from Zero occasionally.
For the first time since the winter ended, the Terrians once again, brought him to the Dreamplane. He looked ahead of him and saw a range of mountains. He felt himself being drawn to an opening in the mountain face.
A cave of some sort.
He walked in and came into a large cavern. As the mist cleared, he made out two people, surrounded by a ring of Terrians. He stepped up closer to them and tried to communicate with the Terrians.
But they seemed different. Their thoughts were....hostile....aggressive.. but confused somehow.They ignored his efforts to communicate with them.
Puzzled, he stepped into the ring - and as the mist cleared, he recognised instinctively the blonde hair and slight figure of Julia! Her eyes were filled with fear as she stared at the stranger before her, and the Terrians who surrounded her. He tried to rush to her, to hold her, protect her but something held him to the spot. He turned his attention to the stranger who was threatening her but he was obscured by the thick mist... he held a gun in his hand. Alonzo watched in horror as he squeezed the trigger slowly...
Julia!
He woke up with a start;disorientated, his breathing uneven. He shook his head to clear his mind - it was a dream! Just a dream. Yet he couldn't get over how real it felt. His thoughts rapidly turned to Julia and the frantic look of fear in her eyes. Throwing off the blankets, he tore out of the tent.
The air was frosty outside and the sand crunched under his stockinged feet as he ran across the camp, the cold ground beneath his feet was forgotten as he hurried to the Med Tent were he knew Julia was. Ripping aside the flap on the opening of the tent, he ducked inside.
The tent was dark save for a soft green glow coming from a monitor in the corner. He breathed a sigh of relief as his eyes focused on Julia's windcheater clad form slumped over her worktable with a monitor still turned on, squiggly lines running across the green screen and beeping softly. She had fallen asleep in the middle of her work again.
He padded up closer and reached over her sleeping form to turn the monitor off with a audible click. Her head rested on her arms and her blonde hair fell over her face as she slept - her even breathing indicating she was quite soundly asleep.
Alonzo gently put a hand on her shoulder and shook her slightly. "Julia?" he whispered.
She jerked awake instantly the moment his hand touched her shoulder, her eyes straining to make out who he was in the dim light of the tent.
"It's me.. . 'Lonzo" he said quickly, reassuring her - and she relaxed visibly. She seemed jumpy and tense, and Alonzo had a pretty good idea why.
She rubbed her brow and picked up the chronometer on her table - the luminous numbers lighting up in the darkness of the tent.
"I must have fallen asleep." she muttered to herself, stretching her stiff arms and neck before turning the monitor back on and fiddling with her instruments scattered around the table. The monitor beeped happily to life and she frowned as she tried to shake off her sleepiness and concentrate on the readings it was giving her. Before she could protest, Alonzo reached over and firmly turned the monitor off.
"You're tired. You shouldn't be working any more" he said firmly, his eyes betraying every intention to make sure she got to bed that very moment." It's way past your bedtime and I intend for you to be in that bed and asleep in five minutes." he said chucking a thumb in the direction of her camp bed, his face a mask of determination.
"I suppose you're going to make me if I don't." she said, just a little bit more awake now,as his face hoovered inches from her own.
He leaned closer and planted both hands firmly on the worktable behind her, trapping her between the table and himself.
"You're flirting Dr Heller.." he growled softly, responding to her invitation.
She wrapped her arms round his waist and levered herself off the chair, stepping into his personal space. He responded by gently pulling her closer to him and kissing her.
"Willing to cooperate yet?" he whispered into her ear as he held her close to him.
She leaned her head on his chest and closed her eyes, "I think I could do with a bit more persuasion." she murmured. He smiled and kissed the top of her head gently. They stood there for a while, just holding each other before he let her go.
She sat down on the bed and pulled the laces of her boots with effort, struggling to get them off as her concentration waned from her tiredness. Swopping her shirt and jeans for one of Alonzo's sweatshirts, she dropped back onto the bed and made room for him on the narrow bed as he covered them both with the thermal blanket.
"Making sure I get my beauty sleep?" she asked sleepily,her eyes closing as she moved closer to his warm body, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.
"Absolutely - it's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it." he murmured, wrapping his arms protectively around her,her head rested on his shoulder.
"Hmmmm.." she replied, drifting off to sleep. Alonzo lay awake for a while, holding her close to him, and listening to her soft breathing before allowing himself to fall asleep.
He did not dream that night.
[I decided not to tell Julia about my dream - somehow, it just didn't seem like a good idea at that time to worry her. She had other things on her mind - a lot of us did. Part of me wasn't sure what the Terrians were trying to communicate to me - all I knew was that Julia had some part in it.
When I think back to the first weeks we were on this planet, I can't help but think how different things are now. We've all found a kind of inner peace with ourselves here on the journey to New Pacifica.
Even then, some things never change. ]
"You are the most stubborn woman I've ever met!!" "Danzinger, will you just listen for a minute? I am not saying that we won't take the pass. I just think we should wait till Walman and Baines come back from their scout before making a decision on which direction to head next." said Devon, trying to hold herself in check.
"Adair, I'm telling you it's rocks and boulders in the other direction. The vehicles are not going to be able to take that kind of terrain. It will take us days to get anywhere." he argued, exasperated.
" John, there's no hurry." she countered. "Yeah well I hope you remember that when the Trans-Rover breaks down and *I* have to fix it." he snapped back." How long is it going to take Danzinger? We don't have all day to wait Danzinger. We need those vehicles fixed now John. 250 families are depending on us." he said in a falsetto tone, mimicking her mercilessly.
Neither of them noticed Alonzo standing at the entrance of the tent. He smirked as he witnessed the disagreement reach a crescendo with both Devon and Danzinger's tempers reaching full throttle. The chemistry between them was immistakable. If only they would stop trying to throttle each other for five minutes.. .
"Aahhhem.." he cleared his throat loudly and looked expectantly at Devon. Both Devon and Danzinger looked up, as if noticing him for the first time.
"What?"they both barked out simultaneously, Devon throwing Danzinger an irritated look which was met by Danzinger's equally annoyed expression.
Alonzo looked at both of them in amusement but quickly took on a more serious posture when he noticed the dirty looks he was getting.
"Devon, I was wondering if you've got a minute." "We're in the middle of something Alonzo." Danzinger grated, looking at Devon out of the corner of his eye. He felt testy, and grumpier than usual - and Devon was adding to the list of thing that bugged him. The intermediary ship had brought in new vehicles to be checked and maintained and a staff of technicians to be supervised.
Being a leader was new to Danzinger, who all his life, had to follow rather than give orders - not that he had been very good at following orders anyway. He was however rapidly picking up the Devon Adair style of leadership, practicing his own brand of 'This is how I want it and this is how it's going to be'.
And in the grand style of 'doing things the Adair way', he was not taking well to having his plans compromised.
"Well it's important." Alonzo replied, standing his ground. "What is so important Alonzo?" Yale inquired calmly. Alonzo tried to explain to them the dream he had. Devon looked concerned as he described how he sensed Julia was in danger from the Terrians.
"Have you mentioned this to Julia?" she inquired. Alonzo scratched his head and looked sheepish "No, it's just a sense of things I have Devon - a feeling that Julia may be in some kind of danger from Terrians. Not the the usual Terrians we encountered before - the ones in my dream, they were different somehow."
"I didn't tell her because don't want her to worry unnecessarily - she's already got a lot on her mind." he added seriously.
Devon nodded understandingly.
"Maybe we should increase the security around the camp, keep alert for any unusual activities." Devon suggested, looking at Danzinger and Yale.
"Adair, we don't even know what we're trying to defend ourselves from. What are we supposed to do? Shoot at every Terrian that pops out from the ground?" Danzinger said dryly.
An increasingly exasperated Devon looked at Alonzo but he was at a loss for answers. The truth was, he didn't know what the Terrians were trying to tell him. How the heck was he to explain to them that all he had was a sense of things - he felt a danger and it was linked to Julia in some way. He stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders.
"Besides, it's going to be a little difficult keeping alert for the unusual don't you think since everything on the planet is bound to be a little different. A little unusual." Danzinger threw in with his usual bluntness.
"John"
Danzinger gritted his teeth. He didn't like it when she called him 'John' with that tone of voice. It usually meant that she was going to twist him around her finger.
And it had an uncomfortably intimate ring to it. Too intimate.
"I don't think there's any harm in being extra cautious." she said firmly. "Tell Walman and Baines to tighten up the security, especially at night. Let's just remember that things have changed around here and things may not be what they seem." she added.
Alonzo nodded seriously. Danzinger picked up his jacket and slung it over his shoulder. He knew when he was beaten." Yeah" he grunted and walked out of Devon's tent in to the morning sunshine." But you know something Adair.." he said, as Devon ducked through the tent opening to stand outside with him.
Devon looked at him quizically.
"What Danziger?" she replied,evenly, hands on her hips, the slight breeze ruffling her dark hair.
"Some things *never* change." he announced to her and walked off, leaving Devon to ponder his remark.
"And probably never will" he sighed to himself as he strolled in the direction of his tent.
[ Travelling together on this planet now for 6 months, we've learnt to overcome our own personal fears and suspicions - and grown to trust each other. Live with each other. Depend on each other.
Then the Intermediary ship arrived, bringing more equipment, more vehicles, a handful of technical staff and two doctors. Their job was originally to provide technical and medical back up to the Eden Advance team - but now, they joined us on the trek to New Pacifica.
We had a whole new group of people to learn to trust and depend on. And it wasn't easy. Maybe it was because we'd spent so much time in the company of only each other - maybe it was because we just didn't know who or what to trust on this planet - or maybe it was the knowledge that Reilly and the Council were somewhere watching us - waiting. So it wasn't so surprising when we discovered that our new friends were not all that friendly after all. ]
They had come down in pods since the craft that brought them was not capable of atmospheric level flight. Suddenly, Eden Advance had swelled their numbers by another 15 more members. But, their arrival brought much optimism in the camp. They were able to confirm that the colonists had been headed in the right direction for New Pacifica and add to the small pool of equipment the Eden Advance crew had scavenged from the Cargo they could find. Three more vehicles, medical equipment, spare parts - Morgan especially was overjoyed to discover they had also brought more food, extra sets of GEAR and VR equipment - his VR set somehow didn't quite seem the same after Bess had bartered it to that darned Grendler.
VR didn't seem to be quite so real anymore. But the optimism dissapated quickly and was rapidly replaced by mounting paranoia when Julia made her discovery.
She had been absorbed in her laboratory work testing Grendler saliva and it's pharmaceutical qualities when whooping noise attracted her attention. A check of her chronometer revealed that it was close to 8pm and she was starting to feel the effects of missing dinner, even if it was green, had the consistancy of G889 mud and throughly unappetising.
Alonzo had left her alone for the day. I've got lots of respect for those stinky critters, but that stuff makes me sick, he said turning slightly green and running out of her lab as quickly as he could when she told him what she was working on. She had missed him, missed him trying to constantly seduce her, missed his wide, knowing grin, and the way he looked at her when he sat in her lab. Fascinating as it was, Grendler drool certainly didn't have the same effect on her pulse rate as dark wavy hair and reckless flyboy abandonment did.
Opening the flap, she ducked her head through the opening and emerged in the crisp, clean air of G889. A bunch of people were clustered around the campfire and she made out Devon talking animatedly to some of them.
Her curiosity piqued, she crossed over to the campfire. Devon saw her and called her over.
"Julia, I'm glad you're here. The intermediary ship just arrived with new equipment and I think you'd be pleased to know, two more doctors." she chattered excitedly.
Julia was being introduced to the recently arrived colonists including a Dr Sam McCann when out of the corner of her eye she spotted him, exchanging pleasantries with Danzinger, shaking hands with Walman while Devon stood at his side.
Her heart stopped as she recognised, even in the flickering light of the campfire, the tall blonde doctor with his chiselled features.
What was he doing here?
She saw him notice her and froze. Almost in slow motion he stopped talking to Danzinger and casually sauntered over to her.
"Devon, I don't believe I've been introduced to this lovely lady." he said in a slow voice, full of charm.
Julia stood rooted to the spot as Devon introduced him. Despite her warm windcheater, a chill ran through her.
Fear.
She could hear Devon speaking, but the words didn't register until she heard her own name.
"This is our resident doctor, Julia Heller. Julia, Dr Alex Daniels." He shook her hand and smiled at her. "Julia." he drawled.
"Alex.. ." she was forced to acknowledge him. "Have you two met before?" Devon asked, picking up on the familiar tone in Alex's voice.
"Julia and I went to Medical school together. We were quite well acquainted with each other." he smoothly explained.
"Really?" Devon was genuinely surprised. "You look very different Julia - I didn't recognise you a moment ago." Liar.
"Nothing like your holographic image" she heard him say. "But no less beautiful." he added generously.
She forced a smile, and completely did not notice the raised eyebrows from Devon. A million dark thoughts were running through her head at that moment, and she concentrated on trying to come up with a reply.
"It's not exactly a space station perfectly controlled atmosphere and environment down here. One is apt to tan a little." she returned with more calm that she felt. Julia wasn't someone who panicked and scared easily, she was after all a doctor. But Alex Daniels sent shivers down her spine.
"Have you seen Alonzo?" she asked Devon, anxious to find an excuse to leave before her unease overcame her completely.
"No" replied Devon, "but I'm sure he's around somewhere." she said looking around her, but really dying to ask Julia just exactly how well she knew the handsome Alex.
"I guess I'll just have to find him." she smiled wanely before making her escape, before Devon could think of something else to keep her there. Walking as unhurriedly as she could to not stir suspicion, she headed for the nearest tent.
She ducked inside the tent and tried to calm herself down as the darkness in the tent enveloped her. Questions popped up faster than she could reason out the answers.
Suddenly a pair of hands gripped her shoulders - she gave a yelp and spun round to deliver a blow to the person, who she couldn't see in the darkness.
Only the familiarity of the voice that gave a loud groan as her blow struck his jaw stopped her from striking out again.
"Alonzo!" she gave a cry of relief. Rubbing her knuckles, she bent down in the darkness to help him up. He struggled up heavily and lit the lamp on the ground before staggering over to his bed to sit down.
Rubbing his jaw, he looked up at her with puzzlement. "What did I do?" he asked, his tone that of the little boy wronged. She bent over him to examine his bruise, running her long fingers over his stubbled jaw.
"I'm sorry. I guess I don't know my own strength sometimes." she mumbled as she probed the purple bruise beginning to appear on his jaw.
"Does it hurt?" she asked with concern. "Remind me never to sneak up on you again." he said, gingerly testing his jaw. "Did they give you genes for a killer right hook too?" He winced as she touched the still sore spot.
"Don't tease Alonzo. I honestly thought you were someone else." she replied tersely.
He looked at her with a pained expression. "I don't want to know who." he said as Julia sat down on the end of the camp bed, the dark thoughts and many questions going through her mind that had been forgotten briefly in the melee returned speedily. Alonzo lounged on the bed and watched her, rubbing his sore jaw.
"Something's bothering you doc. I can tell." he said pointedly, when the pain from his jaw had receded and he could muster up a smile.
She looked at him.
"Is psychology part of the fly boy curriculum?" she asked wryly. He sat up and looked at her as she sat on the campbed. He reached out and grasped her hand in his. To his surprise, it was cold and clammy.
"Your hands are cold." he said in a concerned voice. He sensed the tension in her. "Something or someone is bugging you." he probed perceptively. "And it's not that Grendler drool you've been hanging around the whole day." he added jokingly, trying to put her at ease.
She looked down at her boots as they traced a pattern in the dirt. He reached out a hand and gently lifted her face so that she looked him right in the eye.
"Did you know that the tips of your ears turn pink when you're being evasive?" he whispered softly." Tension seems to increase the flow of blood to your ears. I've been doing research of my own doc." he added mischievously, trying to put her at ease.
"You're been hanging around doctors too much." she replied indignantly. Her ears felt curiously hot and she lifted a hand to touch them unconsciously.
"It bugs me that something's bothering you." he said with concern in his brown eyes.
She squeezed his warm hand and smiled wanely at him. It wasn't that she didn't trust him. After all that they had been through, it seemed impossible that she wouldn't trust him with her life. She just needed time to compose her thoughts and calm her nerves. Fear was a entity Julia rarely faced - but today, she felt it's cold powerful presence. Exhaling slowly and holding on to his warm brown hand, she told him
"I think maybe Alex a Council spy." she revealed. Alonzo looked surprised. "How do you.." "Many Council agents are usually from families who have connections to the Council." she explained. "Like me. Alex's father was Council member - a moderate on the Board."
"That's not just it right?" he probed perceptively. "No." she admitted. "Remember what I said about the Council having various dark factions within the organisation?" she started slowly.
He nodded, his dark eyes focused intently on her as she talked. "Alex somehow got involved with the more radical factions in the Council - with people like Blalock. The faction that had no no qualms about liquidating people in pursuit of the cause."
She paused.
"They were ruthless even by Council standards. They do the work other agents won't. Can't." she added, pulling her windbreaker closer as thoughts of their activities unfolded in her mind's eye. Sensing her fear, he moved closer and wrapped his arms around her,holding her close to him.
Julia closed her eyes and tried to calm herself but everytime she closed her eyes, all she saw was Alex. I thought I was over this, she thought to herself as she felt Alonzo's arms tighten around her. That he was gone, out of my life...
Alonzo stroked her hair and held her tight. "I think we should tell Devon this." he said slowly. "If he's a spy and as dangerous as you say he is.."
Julia nodded.
"I'm fine.. I just...." she stopped. Alonzo pulled away a little from her, looking down at her with concern. "What is it?" he said, concerned.
Julia hesitated. She couldn't get the look on his face when he saw her out of her mind. Couldn't help but remember.. .
".. . nothing.. ." she said, trailing off as she stared at the light on the ground.
Story Notes:
Praise to Gaal, finally this story is seeing the light of day! I thought that since the list is being very active at the moment, why not join in the fun? Especially since my summer is about to be over and it's back to the grindstone again!
Steven Spielberg once said that making ET turned his hair grey. Well, this is my ET...and I honestly thought that I would never see the end of it.Due it's back breaking length, a bit of rambling is in order - so if you're not one for 'Author's Forewords' - skip straight to the start of the story.
First, thanks to Maxine and Laura of Leicester, who were encouraging when I was damned tempted to just push the delete button on my keyboard and forget I ever wrote this opus (to borrow Maxine's word!)When this plot was first hatched, way back in March, both Max and Laura helped to vet it, and Maxine has been kind enough to read it through for me [Laura was busy going round FBI Agentland and living the Mulder and Scully dream!] Max - I still haven't found a title I like!
A warning is in order at this point: This story was strictly FANTASY material - it was just something I felt COMPELLED to write in order to exorcise it from my system for good; otherwise I would never have gotten another decent night's sleep I think!! Hence, it *MAY* contain numerous plot holes, characters may seem 'not themselves', continuity errors, very flawed explainations..which may have escaped my attention.
If you do discover any of the above so mentioned 'boo-boos' - you know the drill - mail me at drteong@pc.jaring.my. As I'm back to the UK next week, if you're mailing me after the 26th of September, please cc a copy of your mail to llylbl@ccn4.nott.ac.uk - thanks.
Uh - now for non-standard disclaimer... The characters used in this piece of fiction, with the exception of Alex Daniels, Sam McCann and Jameson, belong to Amblin and Universal and are used without the permission of the owners; but with no intention to infringe copyrights of any kind.Unauthorised reproduction of this story, whether electronically or in any other form however does constitute an infringement of MY copyright - so don't even think! [PS: Andy - in the pursuit of literary fame, I won't sue you!:)I'll be sending you MS Word copies of the story..]
Bernice.
HISTORIAN'S NOTE: These events take place after Flower Child and also on the presumption that the events in All About Eve, never happen. It is presumed Reilly and Eve operate from some sort of orbital station above G889 and Reilly is real.
Steven Spielberg once said that making ET turned his hair grey. Well, this is my ET...and I honestly thought that I would never see the end of it.Due it's back breaking length, a bit of rambling is in order - so if you're not one for 'Author's Forewords' - skip straight to the start of the story.
First, thanks to Maxine and Laura of Leicester, who were encouraging when I was damned tempted to just push the delete button on my keyboard and forget I ever wrote this opus (to borrow Maxine's word!)When this plot was first hatched, way back in March, both Max and Laura helped to vet it, and Maxine has been kind enough to read it through for me [Laura was busy going round FBI Agentland and living the Mulder and Scully dream!] Max - I still haven't found a title I like!
A warning is in order at this point: This story was strictly FANTASY material - it was just something I felt COMPELLED to write in order to exorcise it from my system for good; otherwise I would never have gotten another decent night's sleep I think!! Hence, it *MAY* contain numerous plot holes, characters may seem 'not themselves', continuity errors, very flawed explainations..which may have escaped my attention.
If you do discover any of the above so mentioned 'boo-boos' - you know the drill - mail me at drteong@pc.jaring.my. As I'm back to the UK next week, if you're mailing me after the 26th of September, please cc a copy of your mail to llylbl@ccn4.nott.ac.uk - thanks.
Uh - now for non-standard disclaimer... The characters used in this piece of fiction, with the exception of Alex Daniels, Sam McCann and Jameson, belong to Amblin and Universal and are used without the permission of the owners; but with no intention to infringe copyrights of any kind.Unauthorised reproduction of this story, whether electronically or in any other form however does constitute an infringement of MY copyright - so don't even think! [PS: Andy - in the pursuit of literary fame, I won't sue you!:)I'll be sending you MS Word copies of the story..]
Bernice.
HISTORIAN'S NOTE: These events take place after Flower Child and also on the presumption that the events in All About Eve, never happen. It is presumed Reilly and Eve operate from some sort of orbital station above G889 and Reilly is real.