Authors: Imogene Nix
Joras inhaled sharply. “What do you mean…you can’t feel her? You haven’t…? She isn’t…?”
Galan’s stomach churned and right now he didn’t care who knew it. “I felt the
Quickening
.” He released the tension in his body. “Something happened and I can’t feel her anymore.”
“We’ll get her, Galan.” He heard the words and saw Seth’s face. It was white and strained at the shock of his bald announcement. His eyes couldn’t focus and Galan knew he had to pull himself together. His compatriots needed him to make strong decisions that would affect their future. They relied on his actions to save their home world. To forge alliances. To be their future.
With a deep but unsteady breath, Galan pulled free of Joras. “You are right. We must plan this. Especially if we plan to bring back enough women and manage some form of diplomatic alliance.” He kept his eyes on the wall. He’d already shared enough of the fear with his crew to leave them wondering about his mental stability. Another shuddering breath and he held himself still. “We’ll retire to my office.” He turned on a heel. “Ensure Seth has appropriate care and meet me there.” Long, purposeful strides took him to his ward room, and he sat heavily in his seat.
His eyes sought the video feed, and he watched the humans as they milled around. Their military remained on watch outside the ship and the frustration and anger burned through him again. He couldn’t see any sign of Jessa now, and he closed his eyes.
* * * *
When Jessa woke, there were sounds, light, and acute discomfort radiated down her left leg. The groggy feeling remained, but she opened her eyes. A hospital—she was in a hospital bed and her heart began the slow rhythmic ache that had begun when she’d left Galan.
How long ago was that?
She turned her head.
A private room, even.
Something was definitely wrong with this story, she told herself. Why would she be in a private room in a hospital. Memories of the scene outside the ship blasted into her mind. Someone had fallen on her. Actually more than one, if she didn’t mistake it. The awful crushing feeling, and the pain in her leg.
Bip Bip Bip.
The beeping she hadn’t noticed until now sped up, annoying Jessa.
The door opened silently and a large woman, dressed in hospital scrubs entered. “Awake finally. Good to see.” She moved with a ruthless efficiency, whipping a thermometer out before popping it into Jessa’s ear.
“How long have I…?”
“Been here? Two and a half days.” The nurse held her hand up and waited for the piercing sound. “No temps. Good.”
“Where am I?” Jessa wasn’t all that sure she really did want to know. But she’d learnt not to ignore something scary.
“In Parkes Community Hospital. Why?”
Jessa blinked.
In Parkes?
So it wasn’t the jail hospital. That made her feel a little easier. “But, I’m in a private room.”
Damn.
She didn’t have any health insurance. This was going to cost. It would really damage her bank account. It would likely be way more than she had to her name. Perhaps she could sell her story to a woman’s magazine. The idle thought left her wanting to laugh hysterically.
“Yes. The Government apparently is picking up the tab, or at least so I heard. Now, let’s sit you up a little.” The nurse lifted her hand held device and the bed end rose, sitting her up. “The doctor will be here soon to do ward rounds. And you are going to want to look at least semi presentable for that.”
The nurse reached for the small table beside the bed, grabbed the cheap brush and handed it over. “You will also want to clean up. I’ll send one of the girls in to help you in a minute.”
She turned, her shoes squeaking on the linoleum floor, and headed for the door, before throwing a final instruction over her shoulder. “Now be a good girl and get ready.”
The door swung shut behind her ample bulk and Jessa was alone in the room once more.
Chapter Four
Galan paced. Joras had contacted the Government, stating their concern for Jessa. They had been stonewalled. No one wanted to tell him her condition. Each small interruption increased his frustration until he was ready to erupt, as the cloak of anger tightened around him. Seth had shared what he had seen, leaving Galan feeling overcome with churning emotions—rage, frustration and a deep well of fear. In the last few hours, something had changed. He could feel her once more, though he ached as never before and, his chest constricted.
Obviously she had woken, which relieved him but the physical distance between them was insupportable. He scowled. What more could they do to get Jessa back to the ship, where she now belonged? He paced the room again, aware that Joras watched with concerned eyes. “Galan, what if we offer our healing services?”
Galan stopped. Still and silent, willing Joras to continue while his beleaguered mind whirred back to life.
“We could couch it as a gesture of goodwill.”
It wouldn’t be enough,
he silently reminded himself, but better than the distance between them now. Once she was healed, he could once more refuse to deal with the humans unless Jessa was involved. That appealed to him, at least as a means of dulling the pain of separation. “Do it.”
After a silent bow, Joras headed to the door. But just as he reached for the palm screen, he stopped. “They might refuse.”
Galan had already come to that conclusion. “They could, but we can sweeten the deal a little. Improve the odds in our favour.”
Joras watched him silently until the awareness dawned on him. “Ahh, we could offer healing to some others. Some who are beyond the ability of their own healers?”
Galan inclined his head. Whatever it took to get Jessa back to him.
Then with a whoosh of the door, Joras was gone, leaving Galan by himself in his office. He sat heavily in the chair, waiting for the reply. It would take time, he knew, but he had to try everything now.
After what felt like
horanas,
he rose and headed to the door just as it cracked open. Joras stood on the other side, his face pale.
“What? What has happened?”
“They have agreed on certain conditions.” He waited quietly. Not answering the first, and to Galan’s mind, most important question of all.
“What conditions?” His body locked tight with anger.
They had no right…
He stopped his thoughts right there. Of course they did. They were the government of this continent. But he didn’t and wouldn’t like it. Not one bit.
“They have a number of inoperable tumour sufferers and some other diseases. One called something odd… I can’t remember the term.”
Galan urged him on in silence. Uncaring of the suffering of others for now, as his body and mind demanded answers. He just needed to know the status of Jessa and willed Joras to share the knowledge. But Joras continued to look at him, a strange and fearful expression on his face. “What?”
“She has been bodily damaged.”
The air was sucked out of his lungs. He reached blindly for the door jam. “Bodily damaged? How and where?” He heard his own voice, the rasp of his demand though the haze of devastated emotions.
“They won’t release details. Just that she is under a healer’s care and the injury will take a long time to mend. Longer than we have here.”
“Take them all. Whatever we must do. But get her back to us.” He stopped and gulped convulsively. “She is important to me.”
Joras nodded in silence and retreated.
* * * *
Jessa had just about had enough. Being locked in the small hospital room with her leg in a cast was not her idea of a great time. Of course, since she had been here, all sorts of government types had been and hounded her. How had she managed to make contact? What other species had they heard from? Each time her answers were the same. It wasn’t me, I didn’t do it. I can’t help you.
Each time felt worse than the last and she rubbed her chest without thought, before realising what she had done. Of course, it did no good. The pain continued and the doctors had been unable to find a medical reason for the constant ache.
Three quick raps sounded and Jessa cocked her head. Her parents had come and gone just this morning. She wasn’t expecting anyone, so who could it be? “Come in.”
The door swung open to admit the head of the hastily convened security service. “Miss Bankia? Jessa?” He smiled and Jessa could just about count his perfect teeth in the well-practiced look.
“Inspector Verdain, I presume? I have been over all this before.”
He held up a quick hand. “No. There has been a breakthrough.”
She sucked in a breath and held it.
A breakthrough?
“The captain has offered the services of his healer. In exchange, we have managed to get some inoperable patients an opportunity for some help.”
“And?” Her voice was tense in the quiet room.
“Then you can return home.”
“Not good enough.” She nearly yelled and he winced. “I want back into the negotiations.”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry…”
“I don’t care about sorry. Just get me back there.”
“Look…I’m just here to let you know they have offered to heal you. Nothing more than that.”
Jessa stilled. Offered to heal her? He’d kissed her. Perhaps it meant… “Find out. I want to be involved.”
The man blushed and she was sure there was a fair dose of rage involved. Her parents had already told her she was too demanding. But she refused to be locked out now.
He moved away, dialled a number on his mobile phone and started talking to someone in low tones. Ones she couldn’t make out, but the slump in his shoulders at the end and the sigh knotted her stomach once more.
“All right. They have agreed to that.”
The questions ricocheted through her head. “Excellent.” Then his previous words impinged. “And?” She demanded, leaning forward towards the man before her. “How does this affect me?”
“He is insistent that you be seen by their healer. They seem to think they can somehow speed up the healing process.”
He’d done a deal…it didn’t matter why. Others would benefit, she reminded herself. “Okay. What do I need to do?”
“I’ll send in a nurse to ensure you are dressed. We’ll leave as soon as you are ready. They refuse to see any of our patients until you are there.”
“All right then.” The agent smiled again, and once more the man made her stomach pitch and churn. “Wait! Did they mention Seth?”
The agent smiled over his shoulder, reaching for the handle of the door. “Yes. He’ll be there too.” With that he heaved the door open and entered the corridor beyond. Jessa waited for the sound of his footsteps to die away as excitement mounted. The reality of his reasons came back to her with a rush.
They needed breeders.
But in the back of her mind, a little whisper irritated her.
What if he wants something different from me? What if it’s just one part of his story?
She snorted at the fanciful notion as the nurse sailed into the room.
“They told me you are being released into the care of the government. I’m not sure I like this.” The woman had muttered the words as she bustled around, raising the bed and dropping Jessa’s foot from the sling. “Normally we would keep you a little longer…”
Jessa let the woman mutter while she stripped out of the bed clothes, hauling on the blouse and skirt she had been wearing before. At least they weren’t jeans. The thought caught her off guard and she giggled.
The nurse looked up. “Are you okay?” Her tone and face suspicious and Jessa schooled herself back to her usual calm exterior.
Once dressed, the nurse gave her a crash course in how to use crutches, making her do circuits of the room before she declared herself satisfied. After everything was packed into the small overnight case her parents had brought with them, a wheelchair was brought in and Jessa settled into it. Her purple cast stuck out from under her light floral skirt.
The agent returned then trundled her down the hall and out to the waiting car. He and an orderly settled her into the front seat of the SUV. She reclined the seat after pushing it back all the way. He checked her seat belt was in place as they drove down the drive. Flashes of light caught Jessa off guard and she turned, noting the knot of bodies holding cameras and microphones. “What’s going on?”
“Everyone wants to know about Jessa Bankia. Why she was able to make first contact and what happened after a night on the spaceship.”
The drive through the streets was uneventful and soon they turned off to the access road. Another knot of people waited, but this time some carried placards with phrases such as ‘
Aliens Don’t Believe In God
’ and ‘
Don’t Trust the Aliens. We Don’t Know Why They Are Here
’ emblazoned across them. Jessa gulped. “Have they been here long?”
The agent smothered a laugh. “Ever since your friend arrived.”
She squirmed in her seat looking beyond the shrubbery, now that they had cleared the security post.
There.
In the distance she could finally see the ship.
Her chest loosened and the pain began to disappear.
A line of ambulances waited outside the building and they drove closer, slowly. “They wish to see you before they begin treatments. So we are going to take you into the building. You will be guarded at all times, so you have no reason to fear what will happen.”
Jessa wanted to scream that they hadn’t hurt her. That it was the humans, but the words stuck in her throat. So she nodded mutely.
He could hear a vehicle approaching. For the last hour he’d struggled to remember to use their terms, waiting impatiently for the appointed time to arrive. Joras has been calm and patient, something Galan had always considered himself to be. Except today.
The rumble of voices intruded on his internal ruminations. Was this her? Was she truly here? Each time he’d heard one of their land based vehicles he had stood, waiting only. Each time his hopes were dashed as another ailing and sickly human entered the room. The ache in his chest released a little more.