Andy's Fan-Fiction Archive

AN EYE FOR AN EYE
By
Daniela Signor

Timeline: After "After The Thaw" (Day 109)
Author's E-Mail: danni@rmit.edu.au

An Eye For An Eye
By Daniela Signor
Deep within the earth, she stirred. She had lain quiet for many years, thousands of years but now something disturbed her rest. She moved troubled and slowly brought to mind the event that had woken her. The death of a child. The earth shook in shock as she felt again the pain of life deliberately taken. It had been many years since her children had fought till death. What had caused them to once again take up a weapon to murder. She searched for understanding and felt stunned as she realized that another life form had taken her child. A life form aided by her children and allowed to walk in her dreams. Why, she demanded into the silence. There was no answer and so for the first time in thousands of years she rose and moved till once again she looked up into the night sky. She will have her questions answered and if need be revenge for the killing of one of her children in the dream plain.
The Elder looked up in concern as he felt a shudder pass through the sleeping terrians. He walked over and lay a hand upon a terrians chest but felt nothing. He calmed himself, concentrating and felt in the distant something withheld from him, something immense. He could not get any clear images from the terrians and broke contact. He began to feel uneasy and resolved to keep a close watch on the terrians. His thoughts were distracted by another earth tremor, there had been an increase of them over the last few days but they were minor. He hoped they would stay that way and soon end. He shrugged his shoulders and return to his work, there was nothing he could do about the tremors.
Danziger reached out and grabbed the cup before it tumbled from the table.
" So what do you think Yale, what's causing these tremors and will they get worse? "
" I am sorry but I can not answer that John, they seem consistent in strength but their focal point changes. I can determine not pattern to them or to what is causing them. "
" Great, " Danziger shook his head, " well at least the shocks haven't caused any major damage to any of our equipment. I just finished the repairs to what I damaged. "
" You did not damage anything, John. " Yale forcefully stated, " It was not you but that terrian demon. It wasn't you. " " All right Yale. " Danziger states, startled by Yale's fierceness. " I'm sorry John, I just don't like seeing you blame yourself for something you had no control over. "
" It's all right Yale, you're right. I just can't get over the fact that I don't remember a thing. " Danziger reached up and touched the still healing knife wound on his cheek that he supposedly received from Alonzo.
" Put it behind you John. It is over and done with, we won't be bothered by it again. "
The two men looked quietly at each other, then Danziger nodded and left the tent. He had things to do.
The tremors continued over the next few days but as they remained mild the colonists were not troubled by them. The colonists instead spent most of their days searching for food and hunting for a usable mountain pass. It was a week after the tremors had began that the Elder came to Alonzo in a dream. In the morning he joined the others in the biosphere for breakfast.
" Hey Lonz, you, Walman and Magus can scout the next northern sector today. " Danziger stated from where he stood looking over their maps. " I'm sorry Danziger but I have other plans. " Everyone looked up at Alonzo's words.
" What's wrong? " Devon asked.
" Nothing is wrong. " assured Alonzo, " I just got a message from the Elder last night. He wants to see me, he doesn't think anything is wrong but something is going on with the terrians. He just wants to talk. I'll go over today, have a chat and by back before dark. " " Did he give any hint of what it could be? " " No. "
" Have you sensed anything from the terrians? " " No, they've been quiet. Look, I'm sure it is nothing Devon but if it is I'll contact you immediately over gear. " " But ... " began Devon.
" I'll go with him Devon and keep on eye on him. " Julia interrupted. " All right all right, I just wished it wasn't so soon after our last clash with the terrians. "
" These terrians helped us Devon and it is the Elder I am going to see. " Alonzo explained.
" I said all right. "
" Then we'll leave straight after breakfast. " Alonzo concluded.
It didn't take Alonzo and Julia long to reach the cave entrance to the underground camp and they were quickly led to the Elder. He stood up as they entered,
" My friends, it is good to see you both well. Please come in and sit down and I will tell you why I wanted to see you. " The Elder waited till they were both seated and had hot drinks in their hands before he began,
" I have sensed something in the terrians, it both disturbs and thrills them. They are keeping it very deep within them but I have been able to catch glimpses of what they are hiding. " " What have you seen? " Alonzo asked.
" I've felt great love, disappointment and fear. I've seen the terrian demon and his death. I've seen you, Alonzo. " " What! "
" More and more recently, I have flashed onto your image. Have you felt nothing from the terrians? "
" No, " Alonzo paused and continued thoughtfully, " but some nights I have woken feeling ... watched I suppose. It's a very vague feeling but I have not been dreaming. "
" I cannot explain what is happening to the terrians but I am sure you are involved somehow. Perhaps if you link directly with a terrian you can discover what they are hiding. "
" I'm willing to give it a try. " Alonzo shrugged, he had not sensed anything from the terrians but if the Elder was worried, he would try to find out what was going on.
The Elder, Julia and Alonzo entered the terrian sleep chamber. The terrians lay in their beds, silently and peacefully. Alonzo move to one of the terrians and gently placed his hand onto the terrians chest. Immediately the terrians eyes sprung open and revealed not the normal terrian eyes but dark black holes, Alonzo stepped back shocked but was unable to break contact with the terrian, his hand had sunken into the chest and was now part of the terrian. He tried to look away but was held by the strange eyes, the blackness seemed to grow, spreading out from the terrian's face and with a moan Alonzo fell to his knees, slumping against the terrian unconscious. " What happening? " shouted a frantic Julia, as the chamber began to shake with new tremors. These tremors mounted in strength and frequency until both the Elder and Julia were knock to the ground. " I don't know what happened. " The Elder shouted over the noise of falling rocks, " but I think we should get out of here. " " We can't leave Alonzo. "
" The terrians will keep him safe but we are in danger of being killed. Now come on, when these tremors have stopped we will come back for Alonzo. "
" All right. " Julia agreed after noting that none of the rocks were falling near the terrians. She and the Elder struggled to their feet and began to make their way to the cave exit. A strong tremor hit just before they made it, causing a cascade of rocks to fall down upon them. They fell to the grounds, disappearing under the stones and dust. A large fragment of the roof shuddered and toppled down, completely blocking the cave entrance. The sleep chamber was sealed.
Julia stirred slowly, groaning as she felt her aches and pains. She reached behind her and managed to dislodge the rocks holding her down, thankfully they were only small. Carefully she lifted herself up and examined herself. She had no broken bones but a large lump was forming on the back of her skull. It must have been the cause of her unconsciousness, she would have to monitor herself for signs of concussion. A moan sounded in the chamber. Julia looked around for the first time, finding the cave entrance completely blocked but the terrians and Alonzo untouched by rocks. Alonzo still lay unmoving against the terrians legs. The moan sounded again and Julia recalled the Elder.
" Elder! Where are you? Can you hear me? " she called, seeing only rocks where the Elder had last been.
" Julia. " a voice whispered, " I'm trapped. " " Hold on. " Julia moved towards where the voice had originated and began to shift the rocks. Soon she uncovered the Elder but found a large segment of the roof had fallen across his left leg, trapping him. She strained to move it but was unable to shift it an inch. She examined him as best she could.
" You have a bad cut on your arm, bruises and bumps but I think you'll be fine. Fortunately that rock isn't weighing on your leg otherwise it would cut off your circulation. It seems to be resting on the wall, so your leg will be fine once we free you. " " Thank you Julia. "
" I need to check on Alonzo. "
Julia stood and picked her way across to where Alonzo lay. She looked in shock at his hand, each finger seemed to have been absorbed into the terrian. She gently reached out and lay a hand on his shoulder, shaking and calling his name. Alonzo gave no response, only the flickering of his eyelids revealed what was happening, he was dreaming. " He's dreaming. What happened? " Julia again asked. " I don't know but I saw something when Alonzo touched the terrian and it was unlike anything I had ever seen. " " There is nothing we can do for Alonzo now but I can get us out of here. " Julia retrieved her gear from her pocket, relieved to find it undamaged and contacted the others.
" Julia to base. Come in? "
" Julia. It's Yale. What has occurred? " " I need some help down here Yale. Alonzo, the Elder and I got trapped by the last tremor. The roof collapsed blocking the entrance, sealing us in the terrian sleep chamber. Can you send Danziger with some digging tools to get us out? "
" We all felt that last one. I will get Danziger out to you immediately, are you both all right? "
" The Elders trapped and I'm fine. Alonzo is dreaming, he seems to have joined with the terrians physically. There is nothing I can do for him. " " There is something you should know Julia, the focal point of the last tremor was very near your location. "
" You think the terrians are causing them? " " It is a possibility. Be careful Julia. Yale out. "
Alonzo had sunk into the dream plain and found it dark, as if in the middle of the night. He stood on a unfamiliar landscape, the mountains reaching high above him, towering higher then any he had yet seen on this planet. A terrian appeared suddenly beside him and motioned him forward.
" What do you want? " Alonzo demanded. " Why am I here? " The terrian made no response only again motioning to Alonzo forward. Alonzo shook his head in confusion than nodded his willingness. He began to move forward. After a few minutes he realized where he was heading. He halted in shock and turned to the terrian, " You want me to climb that mountain? " He asked in horror, having to throw his head back to see the summit of the immense mountain before him. The terrian nodded in response.
" It would take days to climb that, can't we speak here? " Suddenly the staff in the terrians hand charged and lightening sparked from it to strike the ground just behind Alonzo. He leapt forward in stunned surprise, realizing that somehow he had gotten himself in big trouble and with the staff crackling behind him, Alonzo began to climb the mountain.
Within hours Julia and the Elder could hear the others trying to free them. There had been no movement from Alonzo. It took five hours before the opening was cleared, Danziger having to explode the final blocking rock. Quickly the Elder was freed and taken to his chambers, Danziger and Devon came to stand beside Julia where she stood watching Alonzo.
" He hasn't moved at all or made any sound. I wish there was some way I could help him, reach him. " burst out Julia in frustration. " He is the only one who can dream Julia, if any one of us could help him, we would. " Danziger stated.
" I know, it's just that he has never dreamed like this before or for so long, what would take the terrians hours to tell him, what? "
Alonzo sunk wearily to the ground, he had never spent so much time in the dream plain before. That and the physical exertion had drained him of most of his energy, but he had made it, he was at the summit of the mountain. He looked around the mountain top and found it deserted, his gaze finally went out into the distant and he felt his breath freeze within him. He had never been so high, he had never before looked down onto a planet from such a place. Valleys, mountains and rivers were displayed before him like some VR projection from Yale's hand, but this was real. This was the planet. Gradually his breath slowed and his weariness receded but Alonzo was unaware of this, he was spellbound by the vista before him.
The Elder had recovered and returned to the terrian sleep chamber, he found Alonzo in the same position even though a full day had passed. He felt guilty that he had brought Alonzo here, for he realized now that the terrians had allowed him to glimpse what was deep within them so that he would summoned Alonzo to them. He reached out his hand and lay it onto the terrians chest but felt nothing. The terrians had what they wanted and now they were closed to him. " Anything? " a voice queried from behind. The Elder lifted his hand and turned to face Devon.
" I am sorry, Devon. They have withdrawn from this place and taken Alonzo's spirit with them. I don't know what they are up to. " " We'll just have to wait. Julia is monitoring Alonzo and so far he seems fine. We just have to wait and see. "
Time had little meaning in the dream plain and though Alonzo was aware that it was passing he could not say if he had sat on the mountain top for minutes or hours or even days. So he waited patiently for something to happen, for the terrians to explain why he had been brought here. Suddenly the ground erupted with terrians and Alonzo found himself surrounded. The terrians paid him no attention as they turned to face the rising sun, Alonzo tried to see what they were looking at but was unable to look closely for the sun's brightness was painful. The glare abruptly vanished and in it's place stood a creature unlike anything Alonzo had seen or even imagined. It was impossible to describe as it seemed in constant motion, reminding Alonzo of a wind playing along a valley of long grass. The silence was shattered but a quiet voice that was heard deep within Alonzo's mind. He reeled in shock from the alien feel of the voice, of it agelessness and power. " I have gathered you all here to be judged. I have listened to the words of my children and have decided not to take a life for the life that was taken. You who are not of my womb, you who are called 'human' and 'Alonzo' have used the power of me to take that which I had given, life. My children who stand here gave to you the key to do this, you who walk in my dreams so you will all be judged as one. Life and death are cycles that should not be altered, that you felt the need and that the cycles of others had been threatened I will allow this death to remain. But to use my dreams and my strength to alter a child's cycle will not be allowed. My punishment has been decided, look your last upon my face and upon my mind. " The creature gestured to the panorama displayed around them.
Alonzo had listened in disbelief, unable to comprehend that what he had done was now to be punished, that the battle he had fought to save his friend's life and the lives of all the colonists had been wrong. He watched, unable to move or break the gaze of the creature before him as it grew in brilliance. As the light grew brighter and brighter, he heard the terrians speak for the first time.
" Forgive us, Mother. "
Then everything went black.
Julia entered the sleep chamber to check on Alonzo's condition and halted in shock. The terrians were awake, squatting on the ground in the distant corner of the cave and Alonzo sat beside them, his back against the wall and his arms and head resting on his raised knees. " Alonzo!" shouted Julia in joy, " You're awake. " Alonzo's body had jerked at the sound of her voice but he did not look up.
" Alonzo? " she queried, " Are you all right? " He remained quiet, seeming to withdraw deeper into himself. " Please Lonz, talk to me. " Julia hurried over and lay her hand on his knee.
" What happened? You've been dreaming for days. Why are the terrians awake? Are you hurt? Alonzo please! "
" I'll be all right Julia. Just give me some time. " Alonzo wearily stated. " Just ...... time. "
Julia had run her diaglove over Alonzo and found his vitals were within acceptable parameters. She would give him a more detailed examination later but now since it seemed he wanted to rest she would let him, the others needed to be told.
" All right, Lonz. Rest. I'll let the others know you are awake. " Julia left casting a last puzzled gaze at the still terrians, not seeing Alonzo raise his head, revealing what he had been hiding.
The Elder, Danziger and Devon where seated around the table talking when Julia burst in,
" He's awake! "
They all jumped to their feet, moving towards her, " No, let him rest. He's tired. "
Everyone sat down.
" How is he, Julia? " Danziger asked.
" His vitals are fine but something happened. He asked for time. " " Time for what? "
" I don't know. Another strange thing was that the terrians were all awake. "
" What! " exclaimed the Elder, " but we are in the middle of their hibernation period. "
" Well, they are all just squatting on the ground. There was something odd about them too. "
" I think we cannot spare Alonzo the time he asked for, if the terrians are awake them something major must have occurred. Come, we need to find out what. "
The Elder led the way and soon all four were in the dream chamber, Julia found it unchanged. The Elder knelt beside Alonzo, " Alonzo, we need to know what happened. Why are the terrians awake? "
Alonzo took a deep breath and sighed, without raising his head he began to speak.
" They have been denied the dream plain, they will not sleep again. " " But what HAPPENED? " demanded the Elder shocked. " It was the killing of the terrian demon in the dream plain. " " But it was what they choose to do, they had no choice. " " It is for that reason alone that we live. " " We? " queried a pale Danziger, " You saved my life Alonzo, are you telling me that some terrian leader is punishing you all for that. " " She has lost a child, John. Could any mother allow her child's murder to go unanswered? "
" Mother? " asked Devon. Alonzo lifted a hand and lay it gently on the ground,
" Yes, the terrians mother, the earth itself. I have met her, felt her in my mind. She understood the need but not could not ... forgive, I suppose. She was so different, I'm not sure that anything I felt was truly what she thought, felt. "
" What about you, Alonzo. You fought the demon, what punishment did she place on you? " Julia softly demanded. Alonzo was silent, Julia was about to ask him again when he spoke. " We shared the responsibility, we shared the consequences. We shall not dream, we shall not sleep and .... we shall not .... see. " Alonzo finally looked up, the others gasped in shock at what they saw, Alonzo's eyes were completely white, he was blind.
Julia had insisted that they return to camp as soon as possible, she wanted to examine Alonzo more thoroughly, to find a cure. Alonzo had spoken few words as he was led out to the ATV, he had only advised the Elder to leave the terrians alone, that they would deal with their blindness in their own way. Devon had warned the colonists of what had happened over gear and they were waiting for them when they arrived.
Alonzo could feel his friends standing silently around as Danziger helped him from the vehicle. They said not one word as Julia reached for him and began to lead him to the med tent.
" I need to examine him further, I'll tell you all the results later. " Julia explained.
She ran every test she could with the equipment she had with her, finally she was finished.
" Alonzo, except for a few test that are still running, I have all the results I need to diagnose your condition. "
" It's all right Julia, I know there is nothing you can do. The Mother would not do something that could be easily changed.. I'm blind, permanently blind. "
Alonzo suddenly felt Julia's arms around him, " I wish there was something I could do. I feel so helpless. I'm sorry, Alonzo, I'm sorry. "
His arms came around her, " It's all right Julia, it's all right. "
The others were shocked by Julia's report. Blindness was non existent on the stations, with the technology they had, mechanical eyes were given to all who went blind. No one was born blind, that gene had been breed out of the people. It was a situation none had ever come across. " The hospital ship will be able to engineer new eyes for Alonzo but I can't, not with the tools I have. "
" He'll be blind till they get here then? " asked Morgan. " Yes. "
" But that's months away. "
" I know that Morgan. " harshly stated Julia. " Well it is just another problem we have to deal with. We've solved plenty of them ever since we crashed. " Danziger calmly stated. " Yes, I will search my database for anything that will be of help. " Yale stated.
When no one had anything else to add, Devon concluded. " All right, it's late. Let's all get to bed and deal with this in the morning. "
Julia entered the tent to find Alonzo sitting unmoving on the cot. " You must be tired Alonzo, why don't you get some rest. " " I will not sleep, you know that Julia. None of us will sleep again. " " Your body can't take being constantly alert, you will have to sleep. You are not a terrian, Alonzo, just try okay? " Alonzo shrugged his shoulders, not really caring, " I'll try. " he stated as he swung up his legs and lay down. He listened as Julia prepared to sleep and eventually as she drifted off, but still he remained awake.
He was going crazy, as the hours passed without him sleeping or dreaming, he could not drag his thoughts away from what had happen to him. He was blind, one of the best space pilots around and now he could not pilot a lousy ATV. Julia had mentioned artificial eyes from the hospital ship but that was months away and even then his pilot's license would be revoke. He had been thinking on staying on this planet but now, to have the choice taken away from him, to have his sight taken away from him. He had HELPED the terrians, it was their demon he had killed, their weapon he had used. How could they let this happen to him. He couldn't dream, how would the terrians communicate with them now, would they come in someone else's dreams, had he been chosen simply because he was the first mind they had reached, could they come to any one. He could no longer go on scouting missions or stand sentry, what use was he to the group now, he was only a burden. These thoughts tumbled and twisted in his mind throughout the long night.
Silence descended in the biosphere when Alonzo and Julia entered for breakfast. She lead him to a seat and went to get their food. Danziger strolled over,
" How's it going, Alonzo? "
" I'll be all right, it will just take a while to get use to. " " Well, we'll be meeting up with the hospital ship in no time and soon you'll have a new pair of eyes. " Morgan cheerfully stated, though everyone noted the forced note in his voice. Yale broke the following silence.
" I have come up with something that should aid you Alonzo, it is an ancient tool used by those who were blind. It is a cane. " He handed it to Alonzo. " I believe you hold it before you and swing it so you can detect any obstacles in your path. " Yale explained, noting that the grasp Alonzo had on the stick grew so tight that his knuckles turned white. It seemed Alonzo was not dealing as well as he acted to his blindness. " Thank you, Yale. I'll try it out later. " Julia returned with food and Alonzo began to carefully eat, the others quickly finding reasons to leave the biosphere.
Slowly the days passed as everyone tried to cope with Alonzo's blindness. A routine was established with Alonzo, when he ate his meals, where he spent his days and nights. He took all this with calm, making no outburst to the restrictions placed on him. Even when Devon asked him to wear a wrist monitor whenever he was outside so that they could find him at any given moment, he accepted it with thanks. He did not speak much and was often found motionless, squatting on the ground with his palms resting flat on the earth where he appeared asleep.
Devon walked over to Julia where she stood, watching Alonzo in the distant as he sat quietly.
" What is it Julia? You seemed worried? " " He's taking it so calmly, for a hot shot pilot I would expect a few outbursts of frustration and rage, something but no, he accepts everything quietly. I don't like it. "
" This planet has changed all of us Julia, given us greater strength, maybe that is what Alonzo using, what's changed him to be able to accept his blindness fully. "
" Perhaps but his blindness isn't his only problem. I've monitored him some nights, he was right Devon, he doesn't sleep. His mind is constantly alert, we weren't designed for that, how long can he go on? " " I thought he was sleeping when he does whatever he is doing now. " " I asked him once about it, all he said was that he was listening to the beat. It alters his mind rhythm into something I've never seen before, I don't know if it is helping him but I do know that he isn't sleeping. "
Alonzo felt Julia's eyes upon him, worrying again about how he was doing, studying him to analyze his reaction to being blinded and always watching. Though for all he knew she could be in one of the tents, no where in sight but then they all may be watching him, seeing him. He could not tell. He rose having lost the steady beat he sometimes heard, the calming rhythm of the earth's heart. It stilled the thoughts in his mind and gave him some peace but it was so hard to hear and so easily lost through distraction. He moved towards what he hoped was the biosphere, the cane waving around before him as he slowly eased each foot along the ground. He took another step but was pulled back abruptly,
" Sorry Alonzo. " spoke Walman, " but you were about to step on some equipment. Where are you headed? "
" Just point me towards the biosphere, thanks Walman. " Alonzo made it to the biosphere without incident, watched by all in the camp.
Later that day Walman pulled Danziger to a corner of the camp. " We have to talk Danziger. " Walman quietly stated. " What about? "
" Alonzo. "
" He's doing fine, great really considering no one knows much about blind people. "
" I'm not disagreeing but you saw what nearly happened today. If he had stood on that equipment we would have been in big trouble. That's the only one that fits in the transrover, without it the transrover is going nowhere. "
" All right but accident happens. "
" Alonzo's a walking accident and we can only handle so much being damaged. "
" What do you suggest we do about it? " Danziger angrily stated, being forced to agree to Walman's point.
" A round the clock watch, he doesn't sleep and sometimes wanders around at night. He needs to be watched all the time so no accidents happen to our equipment or to him. "
" We can't treat him like some child, he's older than all of us besides he'll refuse, he knows that we have enough work on our hands as it is." " Look Alonzo's my friend too, I wasn't suggesting we tell him. He doesn't need to know, he's blind, he won't be able to see us watching him. "
" He's not stupid. He'll figure something is up eventually. " " Then we deal with it them. "
" I don't know, I don't like going behind Alonzo's back. Give me some time to think about it, we'll take it up with the others later. " Walman and Danziger strode back into the center of the camp. To the right of where they had spoken a figure rose. Alonzo had hoped to find a quiet place out of the way of the others but instead he had overheard a conversation deciding his future. His depression grew as he slowly made his way to Julia's tent. She at least still made him feel alive.
The final test had ended and their results where laid before her. Julia wearily activated her gear and began a medical report. " Final results on tests regarding Alonzo Solace's blindness have given me a clearer idea of the damage done by the one Alonzo calls ' The Mother '. I had previously thought that the damage was just to the eye, that it's structure had been clouded but I must now conclude that the damage is much greater. The white substance has penetrated behind the eye and deep into the eye's nerve connections. I doubt therefore that any artificial eyes that the hospital ship can create will cure him, he will have to return to the stations and even then no cure is guarantee, the damage done being so extensive. "
Julia reached up and deactivated her gear. Suddenly she collapsed weeping on the table.
" Oh Lonz, I'm going to lose you. "
Alonzo felt the shock and pain deepen within him, he had believed it couldn't get worse but hearing Julia cry, tore at his heart and hearing her conclusion at his blindness filled him with a great terror. He couldn't be blind forever, he felt he could barely deal with it believing it would only be for a few months, but knowing that the blackness could be permanent was like a knife in his heart. The added thought that he would have to leave this planet, return to the stations to face perhaps a vengeful council, leaving behind the woman he had grown to love was like having the knife twisted. To return if he could after 44 years and find all his friends aged and old was unbearable. He had done it before, more times than he liked to count but with these people he couldn't, he couldn't dismiss them like an old photo. He stumbled away from the tent, Julia's crying fading until he knelt on the ground and heard only the heartbeat of the earth.
It was a very subdued group at dinner that night, each for his own reasons caught up in their own thoughts though they each dwelled on Alonzo's blindness. After the meal they quickly scattered to their tents until only Alonzo and Julia remain.
" Coming Alonzo? "
" No thank you Julia. I'll stay here for a while longer. Don't worry if I need help I'll call whoever is on sentry. Good night. " " Good night Lonz. "
It had not been a restful night so it was mid morning before Julia stirred from her tent. She entered the biosphere to find only Morgan finishing his breakfast.
" Morning Morgan. "
" Morning. "
" Have you seen Alonzo this morning? "
" No. I arrived a bit late this morning. " " And ever other morning. " Julia muttered to herself. " What was that? "
" Nothing, just wondering where Alonzo is. " " I'm sure some one watching him. "
" He doesn't need to be watched. " she angrily replied. " Not what I heard. " Morgan muttered to himself. " Pardon? "
" Nothing, nothing. I uh have to meet Bess. " Morgan hurried out of the biosphere.
Julia sat wearily down, she knew she had snapped at Morgan, what he said was true, some one would be watching Alonzo. She knew also that if Alonzo realized this, he would not be happy. She would go find him after breakfast and try to give him something constructive to do.
Danziger looked up as the biosphere door slammed and watched Julia exit. She was late this morning and there had been no sign of Alonzo. It was good to know that their relationship hadn't changed. As she walked over he was surprised Alonzo wasn't with her, still it took him longer to finish his meals now.
" Hi Julia. "
" Morning Danziger. Do you know where I could find Alonzo? " " Huh, Lonz but I thought he was with you. " " No, why would you think that? "
" Well you two .... that is .... you are our doctor. " he ended in a rush. " Yes, but there is nothing I can do for Alonzo. " she added sadly. " Don't blame yourself Doc, you did all you could. " " I know, it's just so hard for him. " she shook off her dispirited thoughts and went back to the original issue, " So you don't know where he is? "
" No Julia, I haven't seen him all morning. " " That's strange, he normally stays around the center of the camp. Where can he be? " she ended nervously. She moved away quickly, approaching Walman and Baines as they did maintenance on one of the ATV.
" Have either of you two seen Alonzo this morning? " " No, I haven't. " Baines stated as Walman shook his head no. Julia moved through the camp, no one had seen Alonzo that morning. She called to him over gear but got no response and activating the homing signal on his wrist monitor revealed it on one of the biosphere's shelves. Alonzo was nowhere to be found.
Everyone had assembled in the biosphere. " He's gone. How could he leave without someone seeing him? " Julia shouted angrily.
" We know you're worried Julia, we all are. Now lets try to find out what happened. Who was the last person to see him? " Devon answered. " I guess I was. " Julia softly replied, " I left him alone here last night, he said he would call the sentry if he needed any help. " " Anyone see him this morning? "
There were no responses. Devon continued. " Baines, you were on guard first last night, anything happen? " " Nothing Devon, quiet like always. How about you Magus? " " Didn't hear or see anything on my shift. " " Well, that rules out him just taking a walk and getting lost, he would have to have been very careful not to alert the sentries. So either he left the camp on purpose or he was taken. What happened yesterday, what do people remember him doing? "
" Ever time I saw him, he was just sitting somewhere. " Morgan stated. " Stopped him from stepping on some equipment, but that's nothing unusual. " added Walman.
" I saw him near the storage tent. " Uly added. Danziger looked up sharply and questioned Uly.
" Around what time was that? "
" After lunch. "
" Oh no. "
" Why Danziger, what happened? " Devon asked. " Walman and I had a little chat yesterday near there. We had no idea Alonzo was near by or we wouldn't have said anything. " " What did you say? " demanded Julia.
" After stopping him from breaking that equipment I went to Danziger. I suggested we arrange a watch on Alonzo, to stop him breaking things or hurting himself. I told Danziger we didn't need to tell Alonzo. He must of heard us. I'm sorry Julia. " Walman concluded. " You believe he has left the group then? " Yale asked. " No. " Julia stated. " Alonzo was aware that this might happened. He had mentioned it briefly to me, he would have been hurt that you spoke behind his back but it wouldn't have sent him away. Does anyone know where he went next? "
" I saw him later. " True quietly added. " He was just standing outside your tent Julia, not doing anything, then he left. " " He heard my report. " Julia coldly stated as she hugged himself. " That would've sent him away. "
" Your report? " Devon asked.
" The damage is much worse than I originally believed, there is a large chance he will never see again and the only hope he has is back on the stations. He would have to leave us at New Pacifica. " Danziger's hand crashed down on the table, scattering cups and making everyone jump.
" Damn the terrians and their demons, he helped them and saved my life and now he's blind forever. Damn them. " He stood up and moved to the exit.
" Come on people, we've played this scene before, let's find his tracks and bring him back. "
" I'm going to see the Elder, maybe the terrians there can help us. " Devon stated.
" Yale, you stay here with the children and monitor our communication. All of you, the first sign of anything let Yale know. " Everyone moved off.
He had the terrible feeling that he was going around in a circle, that the more he struggled to keep moving the closer he was getting to the camp, when all he wanted was to get further and further away. He had been sure of his direction until the first fall, he had gotten back onto his feet with no idea which way was what. He had tried after the sun had risen to kept it's heat on his right but now all he felt was the cold. It had been easier then he imagined to sneak past Baines, he knew Baines' routine and was able to leave unseen and ever since then he had been plowing his way through the snow. He had used his cane at first to stop himself crashing into things but after a while he stopped caring, the cold had numbed his body completely and the cane was just a stick to help him out of the deeper snow drifts. So now he walked into trees, tripped over fallen branches and fell down slopes, it didn't matter as long as he kept on moving. It was for the good of the camp, he was too great a burden and he was blind, blind forever. He would never see again Julia's face, only hear her as she wept. He had to kept moving away from the camp but ..... he had a terrible feeling he was going around in a circle.
The colonists searched all day but Alonzo had at least ten hours start on them and there had been a light fall of snow during the night, obscuring most of the tracks around the camp. They found no signs of Alonzo's passage and no hint of which direction he had taken. Devon had not been able to learn anything more from the Elder and the terrians were not communicating with anyone. They searched again the next day and the day after that but each day they returned to camp with the growing belief that Alonzo was gone. Each felt a sense of guilt that they had failed him in his blindness, that he had felt driven from them. Julia took it the hardest and when the search was finally called off, she withdrew into her tent and wept. For she had been the one to end the search, the subzero temperatures at night would have frozen any human caught without shelter or a source of heat within three days, she was force to conclude Alonzo was dead.
He couldn't move, he was exhausted, hungry and soaked through from the damp snow that he had fallen into over and over again. Mostly he was cold, his body shook violently from the severe icy chill, his joints felt frozen and most extremities were numb and painless. A bad sign, he thought often as his mind wander, sometimes he forgot where he was, where he was going and painfully why everything was dark. Then he would remember and force himself to kept moving but this time he couldn't. He had reached the end of his strength, this was the place he would die. He had tumbled down a ridge, landing in a snow drift, twisting his ankle and tearing a wide rip in his jacket, he lay on his side, his face resting on the snow. He wished he could see this place where his body was going to rest, but he couldn't, all he saw was endless black. His hand moved slightly, burrowing into the snow until he touched the frozen earth, there he felt and heard the beat of the planet. His mind drifted away.
" Julia. "
Ten days had passed and the spirit of the camp was slowly reviving, though there would be times Danziger would look up from where he sat, Alonzo's name on his lips as he reached for a pack of cards, ready to invite his friend to another game of poker. Bess would set out an extra cup for coffee, then sadly return it to the shelves, Walman would see someone slip on the ice and expect a funny comment from Lonz to drift through the air, Devon would wonder about the terrians and turned to ask Alonzo if he had been dreaming only to realize he no longer dreamed. Each person felt a part missing from the group, a part they drove away but in Julia they saw the true sadness of what they had lost. For her eyes showed the pain of waking up alone.
It was warm, how could it be warm, nice toasty warm like resting in hot water or wrapping up in front of a nice fire, that's it, he was in front of a fire at camp and everything that had happened was a dream, a bad dream. He felt a hand brush his forehead and realized that Julia was beside him, he wanted to open his eyes and look at her but he was so tired, so sleepy that he just drifted back to sleep. He dreamed of his life, how it had all changed on coming to this planet, to what he felt for Julia and the others, to the struggles they had had, the Z.E.D, Gaal, the geolock, the terrian demon and finally he dreamed of being blind. All that he dreamed was shared with another, the one who sat beside him and had brought him to the dream plain. She watched and learnt about this man and his race.
Alonzo opened his eyes and saw only darkness, for a moment he was startled then he remembered. He tried to listen, to guess where he was though he supposed the others had found him and brought him back, but he could hear nothing. He moved carefully but felt no pain, all his bruises, cuts and sprains must have been healed. He slowly sat up and called out, there was no answer. He was surprised and hurt to find Julia not sitting with him, he recalled vaguely her touching his forehead as he sat before a fire, not that couldn't be right, all his memories of the last days were vague, dreamlike. Suddenly he felt a presence, a familiar presence and he knew who was before him. " You who are called Alonzo, who disturbed my rest before have again called me back to the surface. "
" I didn't call you. "
" You listened to my heart beat even as you waited for yours to stop. The cycle of life is predetermined and you seek again to bring an end to one. "
Suddenly Alonzo was angry, all the emotions he had kept within himself since his blinding erupted.
" So what will you do, take away my hearing, my ability to walk. I helped your terrians because they couldn't do what had to be done, you speak of cycles, well what about John's, was he suppose to be possessed by your demon child. I only helped save my friends and you sentence me to eternal blindness, so that I would be a burden on my friends, and to eternal consciousness, so that my own thoughts will drive me crazy. All because a mad terrian cycle ended and your rest was disturbed, you should have been a better mother and stopped that terrian before he killed, before he ended the cycle of that grendler. Now you interfere with my cycle, I chose to die and you have no right to stop me even though it's your fault, I can't live blind. I won't live blind, awake and not dreaming. I'll go mad, I know I will. " Alonzo collapsed to the ground, weeping.
" You are not like my children, this blindness and banishment though a punishment does not cause as great a pain to them as to you. I had not understood but I know you now, we have share dreams. As one your punishment shall be lessened. Sleep. "
Walman turned to start another circuit of the camp, it was dawn and soon everyone would begin to stir. He rounded a tent and froze as he made out an object in the center of camp, he moved forward carefully, the mag-pro armed and ready. It looked like a pile of rags that slowly became a body, lying face down in the snow. It was not moving but still Walman was on guard, suspecting that it was a penal convict or something worse. He reached the body but it was stationary, he prodded it with the mag-pro but it didn't stir. Maybe the person was dead, watching carefully he eased the body over. The breath in his lungs froze in shock as he recognized the face, it had been nineteen days but here on the ground lay Alonzo. With shaking hands he reached up and activated his gear, reaching at the same time to see if Alonzo lived. " Every one, I think you better get out here quick. Julia, you better hurry, he's alive. I can't believe it, he's here alive. " Julia burst out of her tent, carrying her diaglove and racing to where Walman knelt,
" Who is it? "
Walman just gestured to the unconscious man. Julia looked down and felt her heart stop.
" Alonzo, Alonzo, Alonzo. " she muttered over and over again as she quickly scanned him, she told the growing group of colonists. " He's fine, no broken bones, sprains. He's not suffering from exhaustion, hunger or thirst. In fact he is in great condition. " " How is that possible? " Devon asked.
" I have not idea, but some of the cuts and sprains I'm detecting are only recently healed, and ... I don't believe this .... he isn't unconscious, he's sleeping. "
Julia reached out grabbed his shoulder giving him a firm shake, " Alonzo, wake up, do you hear me? "
He stirred in protest, then barely opening his eyes, " Come on Julia, just let me sleep a bit longer, the others won't notice. " Julia's cheeks flared red as she shook Alonzo more forcefully, " Alonzo, everyone is here and we all want you to wake up. " He stirred again and opened his eye fully, glancing around at all the faces around him.
" What happened? " he suddenly asked.
" Alonzo, you can see! " shouted Julia as she threw her arms around him.
" But how did I get here, why can I see? " " Don't you know Alonzo? " Devon asked. " All I remember is ... ah yelling at the Mother, blew my top at her, I can't believe I did that and still live. Last thing I remember is her telling me something about the punishment. She's given us back our sight, I can sleep and dream again. I don't believe it, why would she do that? " " If you can't answer that then I doubt any of us can. " Yale stated. " You believe you have been pardoned, I suppose that would describe it well enough. "
" I don't know Yale, everything is so hazy, vague. I'm not sure what happened. "
" Well you're here now and physically fit, that's all I care about at the moment. Can you get up, are you tired, hungry? " Julia asked. " I feel all right, still a bit tired, I'd like to get some rest, feels like forever since I last slept. "
" Okay, we'll talk later. It's great to have you back Alonzo, you've been missed. " stated Devon as Julia helped Alonzo stand and led him back to her tent.
There was little to discuss as Alonzo repeated his vague recollections, no one asked why he had left, that topic remained undisturbed. Every one settled back into their routines, though occasionally Alonzo would squat on the ground, trying to recapture the earth's beat. For one thing stood out in his memory, some thing he had not shared, the voice of the Mother as she stated that his burden would be lessen, not removed and though he did not know what it was, Alonzo knew there was still a price to be paid for the killing of the Mother's child in the dream plane. He could only wait and see.
-The End-

copyright@daniela signor - 1995
-- # Do you want me to spell it for you? Daniela Signor #
# - Alonzo Solace R.M.I.T #
# Melbourne, Australia #
# danni@rmit.edu.au #

This text file was ran through PERL script made by Andy. Original text file is available in Andy's Earth 2 Fan Fiction Archive.