From: Nick Subject: Stranger With This Face (Sequel to Redemption) Part 12 Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 03:50:28 +0000 Remember me? Remember this story? Well... I left it for about a million years (the perils of R.L) and then felt suddenly v.guilty when someone wrote to me saying how much she liked it and when the hell was i gonna finish it! Well, no promises but for those of you who are still interested, here's part twelve. If you need a recap then go into the anxst.com site or fanfiction.net. Sorry it's been so long! Nick xxx STRANGER WITH THIS FACE PART TWELVE * T minus two hours. The ward was still when Lennier dropped his kit bag on the black glass floor and stopped to stare around him. Behind him, the door stood ajar, ready for any stragglers wanting to stay and anyone who changed their minds and wanted to leave. In one hour it would be closed, locked and bolted to keep the biohazard teams out... And those who chose to stay, in. * The office, a few feet away had been cleared of data-chips and most non- essential equipment to make room for food, bedding and pain-killing drugs. The 'stayers' would most likely only need to remain cocooned inside this temple for twelve hours or so- it was doubtful that the biohazard team would make much of a fuss over a gaggle of aliens... Doctor Hobbs, they might make more of a concerted effort with but Lennier was confident that Franklin could convince them that those staff members locked in the hospice were highly contagious- And who knew, after two hours locked in the stifling temple with so many infected Lumati, chances were that they *would* be contaminated... * Taking deep breaths, Lennier forced himself to focus on the mere 'details' of his part in this tragedy: the emptying of bedpans; the administering of medication; the lifting of dead bodies into bodybags and then into the chapel at the other end of the temple that now served as a temporary mortuary. * If he could fill his mind with such trivia, then maybe he could shut down the panic that seemed to grow by the second. * "No one else here yet?" Lillian's voice echoed in the still air as she stepped over the threshold to stand beside him. * "No. Only those still on duty. I am sure that everyone will be here soon however." To Lillian, the minbari sounded cold, detached even, not at all like someone *forced* to stay here because he was infected by the virus... She knew that if she had had the choice taken from her, she would not be this calm. When she vocalised these thoughts, Lennier merely shrugged, "That the choice is no longer mine to make is oddly calming- I cannot be held accountable for making a wrong decision..." He trailed off, perhaps realising that this was probably not the sort of response others expected of a good and devout minbari- Not that he considered himself to be either *good* or *devout*... Hadn't since... Best to leave *that* thought well alone! * "How many do you think will stay?" More to end the sudden and oppressive silence that fell between them, Lillian asked. * "It is impossible to tell- I am the only one I am certain of..." * "And me." That earned her an almost quizzical stare and she decided to change the subject, "The water urn's still switched on, I suppose?" * "Of course." The large, antiquated tea urn had remained full of water and switched on ever since Dr Hobbs had brought it into the temple all that time ago when they had first arrived on the Lumati homeworld. Smiling, nonetheless at her no doubt rhetorical question, Lennier followed her into the office to hunt down tea bags and vaguely clean cups. * Moments later, the two were back on the ward, leaning side by side against the triage desk, sipping at too-hot tea and staring unseeing at their surroundings. * "Marianne is returning?" Lennier's voice was kept nonchalant as he cradled his cup in both hands and fixed his gaze on the furthest empty bed from where they stood. Lillian nodded, lifting her own cup with both hands and blowing some of the steam from it. * "Stephen talked her into it." * "I am glad." "*She's* not! What did you *say* to her?" * "Nothing of any consequence. I only wished to make obvious to her the importance of her leaving... of *surviving*" * "What if she *doesn't survive*? What if, when she gets back to Earth they decide to make her undergo another mindwipe? What if she has to *stop* being *Marianne*? I guess you won't be around to see it so it won't matter!" The woman's voice rose slightly before she managed to rein her temper back in and stifled it by taking a slug of tea that scalded her mouth, making her wince in pain. A frown crossed Lennier's features as he moved to face her, leaving his own cup on the table at her side. * "Doctor, would I be right in thinking that you wish for Marianne to stay?" * "*No*! What I'm saying is that maybe you *might* want to tidy up a few loose ends before you go to meet your death like the good little *martyr*! What I'm *saying* is that you might *want* to say *goodbye*!" In another fit of temper, Lillian slammed her own cup down on the table, spilling its contents over her hand and gasping aloud. With a typical lack of fuss, Lennier reached for a cloth from a nearby trolley and gently pulled the woman over to a cold water tap, holding the affected hand under the cold stream. Without looking at her he said quietly, * "I think that perhaps you are 'projecting'. Perhaps it is *you* who feels the need to say 'goodbye' to someone you care about. I will however, take your advice and attempt to speak with Marianne- I *do* care for her..." * "Stephen seems to think it's *Deborah* you're in love with! Can't *think* where he might have gotten an idea like *that* from. Can you?" * "If that is so then it would appear that we each have a lot of 'tidying of loose ends'!" * Their conversation was suddenly brought to an end by the arrival of the remaining members of the medical team. ^^^^ "Two, three, four, five- is your hand up or down, Larry? Six, seven, eight-" The entire team was assembled in a gaggle at the bed-free end of the ward. Lillian had returned to her resting-place at the triage table as soon as Lennier had deemed her hand relatively undamaged and the rest of the team had ambled their way over to join her. Lennier had given up his place to a nurse barely awake after her nightshift and now hovered on the outermost edge of the group. * Stephen gave up trying to count the alternately rising and lowering arms of his med team and rubbed at his forehead with his palm. "Okay guys, lets all take a couple more moments to decide for ourselves... This is an important decision and I don't want to hurry you but if those who decide to stay are going to be given a fighting chance at doing just that then we're all going to have to think fast so we can get this place shut up tight... Just get back here in a half-hour if you're staying... " Groaning in frustration, the doctor stalked into the office, letting the door close to behind him. Taking their cue from him the group slowly disbanded and before she had the chance to get out of the way Marianne noticed Lennier hedging his way toward her. * "Lennier, I don't really want to talk to you just now." Arms wrapped around her in a defensive gesture, Marianne shifted from her place on the corner of the triage desk and moved away. Lennier looked helplessly toward Lillian who paused midway to the office to turn and wave at him to follow the younger woman. Sighing in resignation he did as he was bid and followed Marianne. * When he eventually caught up with her, she was on her way back to her quarters, ostensibly to pack. Silently he fell into step with her, keeping pace when she sped up and then fell suddenly back in an effort to lose him. Finally tired of this game, she stopped suddenly, her arms still wrapped protectively about her, * "Okay, *what*?" * "I am sorry." With his hands loosely clasped before him, he looked rather like a contrite schoolboy and Marianne had to keep a strong rein on herself to keep from smiling. * "Look, there's nothing for you to apologise for. You don't want me here- thank you for being so frank!" * "Marianne, I think you have misunderstood... or perhaps I have... I have the virus- I have little choice but to stay. Those who *do* choose to stay risk infection and have I assume chosen to stay because they feel that to do so would be in the greatest interest of their patients... Dr Franklin is returning to Earth because he can do most good there; Dr Hobbs intends to stay because she feels that she is better utilised here- Why were *you* going to stay?" Marianne hesitated, sighed, let her shoulders sag, * "Come on, walk with me- I've too much stuff for one person to carry back to the landing site anyway..." She moved off and again, Lennier had little choice but to follow. ^^^^ "Here, pass me that bag- no that one, that's it...." Concentrating hard on shoving her belongings into a bag in some semblance of order seemed to Marianne quite a clever way to avoid looking the minbari at her side in the eye. * "You have not yet answered my question," Gently lifting her hands from the bag Marianne was trying to close, Lennier pulled her over to sit beside him. "Why do you wish to stay?" * "I should have thought *that* was obvious, Lennier." She sounded flat, glum even. At his silence, she stole a glance at him before continuing, * "I don't want to go through the mind-wipe again." * "And is that the *only* reason?" * "No, of course not." Seeing the problem, obvious now, Lennier steeled himself against what he was about to say, * "There is little point in you remaining here- to die with me- I do not *want* you here- I will soon become too ill to deal with the complications of having someone like *Deborah* here with me- And I feel that I do not *want* you here." * "Liar." The word was spoken dispassionately as Marianne rose to resume her packing. * "Minbari do not lie-" * "Except to help another," she finished for him, reaching up to snag a poster from the wall- left behind by her flatmate. Daring him to disagree, she set about rolling the large sheet of paper into a more manageable cylinder which she fastened with the closest thing that came to hand- a hairband found in a pot beside the bed. * "Marianne, the evacuation teams will arrive soon-" * "And?" * "You *should* return to Earth." * "To do what? Die? That's what'll happen- they'll put me through that bloody machine again- do another mindwipe! Or maybe they won't, maybe they'll decide that since the last one didn't last it'd be easier to *kill me*- And it's *me* they'll be killing, not Deborah! Deborah doesn't *live* here any more!" This last was shouted, Marianne's finger tapping the side of her head for emphasis. "I won't be much use *then* will I? I won't be able to use my *expertise* to find a cure- I'll either be *dead* or *someone else*!" Pivoting on her heel, Marianne retreated to the bathroom, kicking closed the door that had been propped open by an old shoe. * "Marianne-" Lennier rose to stand by the now closed door. * "I'm in the *toilet* Lennier!" In an effort to give herself some breathing space, she turned on one of the taps and then slumped onto the lid of the toilet, her face in her hands. * In the main room, Lennier stepped back from the door, a part of him fooled by the trick with the tap, the other half of him understanding her need for space. He was returning to his seat on the edge of the bed when he suddenly decided that the floor would be far more comfortable and sank to it, letting his cheek rest on the cold glass. He'd never known his own body weight to feel this heavy... Never known his one lung to be so incapable of supplying enough oxygen to it... Never realised how much effort was required for his heart to continue beating. Opening his mouth to call for help. He realised that he didn't have any breath to make any sound... * A million miles away, the sound of running water abated and the bathroom door opened. * "Lennier? Oh shit- Lennier! Open your eyes- Can you hear me? Here, squeeze my hand-" Her hand clamped in the prone male's fist, Marianne fumbled around on the bed for her medical scanner. Not finding it, she settled for her stethoscope. Lennier's heart rate was slowing, evening out from it's previous gallop and taking his breathing with it. Sighing with relief, Marianne reached further across her bed to retrieve her bag, rummaging around inside it for a painkilling agent. Finding it she concentrated on filling a syringe with the correct amount. Moments later, her patient's eyes dragged themselves open and he managed to focus weakly on her. From where he lay, almost face down on the floor he had to strain to see her face so he gave up, settling instead on the sight of their intertwined fingers. Realising belatedly that his grip must be causing her some discomfort he willed his fingers to open, releasing her hand. He heard her murmur a 'thanks' as she moved to pinch his wrist gently, muttering to herself as she took his pulse. "This the first symptom you've experienced?" At his slow nod she sighed, "Well, that analgesic should take care of the pain for now but we've got to get back to the hospice." He shook his head now, his breathing laboured with the effort. * "They'll be here soon- You should return so that you can take the shuttle out- I will make my own way back... Later..." * "Rubbish. You'll just stay here and play the martyr- I know you, Lennier-" Anything else she might have said was drowned out by the sound of engines overhead. "Oh *shit*! It can't be time already!" * "If anything, they are *late*. You need to go now." * "Tough." The blinking of the comm screen above moved Marianne to get to her feet. Dr. Franklin's features filled the screen, his expression... 'concerned' at least. * "Marianne, what the hell are you *doing* there?" The biohazard team wants everyone onboard within ten minutes of their landing- they don't want to risk exposing themselves- You need to get back here right now or you'll be left behind-" * "I know Stephen- There's been a change of plan... I'm staying." * "You're *what*? Look, we've not set up the barricades yet- I'll come over there- convince the team that you're fit for evacuation..." * "No! Let them take you and don't mention me! They don't know where I am and they're not going to waste time trying to track me down-" * "They will if I make them-" * >From his place on the floor, Lennier heard her hang up and groaned to himself. Then he heard her moving furniture around, pulling a large chair over to the door in an effort to keep the biohazard team out. * "Marianne, what are you doing?" * "What does it look like!" The cabinet she was attempting to push across the door was proving too heavy and she turned her back to lean against it, using her entire body weight to move the thing into place. ^^^^ End of part twelve. -- Nick