New Rydynn was looking at rain that night, nasty smelly, unclean rain. Dark and foreboding storm clouds crackled with lightning as thunder occasionally broke the silence that seemed to drown the New Rydynn Hospital that late evening.
Garth sat in the cafeteria, drinking coffee and trying to guess who would be next to come through the doors. Roan was first, and headed straight for the coffeepot. Bliss, Az and Svetlanna --the Major of the Nukes promoted to Colonel-- trickled in after her.
The lights flickered from the storm. Bliss reassured Roan that it wasn't bad, she'd be alright. The two discussed how Ric was faring. He refused to get into his chair, Roan told Bliss. He didn't trust the contraption and he hated that he wasn't walking out of that hospital room on his own two feet. The doctors told him he wouldn't walk again, but Bliss and Roan both thought he might only be suffering from hysterical paralysis. It would just take time. But Ric would never heal if he didn't get his ass out of the room.
Az and Svet conversed about his usefulness to the Church of the Nuclear Messiah. They greeted one another and Svet agreed the evening was good. That the tempest fit the mood. She suggested to Az that he and his group surrender that the church could be merciful now. He had considered it, but the Major having claimed they were equals, brought about a stalemate. He was useful and he knew it, which gave him the upperhand. If they could be merciful, magnanimous, then they need not have him surrender at all.
She tried to convince him his existence, as part of that group was doomed without protectors. He said they served theirs well when they were needed. That they had organization and hierarchy to fall back on and offer guidance.
"We don't need that. We need you. Your bodies... More precisely... Your genetic material.
And not just from the dead; we need a living line."
"Ah," Az said with a smile. "So that's it. There are limits to everything."
"Except the power of the huumunn mind. And that is what we study now. Like when the atom was first studied and learned to be cracked... We delve into the nature and workings of something on the same scale. Perhaps you can help, and for that..." She let it dangle in the air what he would receive in return for his 'help.'
Az nodded. "We've had more time to study the workings of mind and body."
"Exactly. The knowledge would also be useful, of course. Something for you to consider."
"You've always been different." Az was thoughtful for a time and finally said, "Perhaps." Perhaps he would agree? Perhaps he would consider. It was not clear.
"I live outside the box. So do we all, now. The others have just been exceedingly good at finding ways to build a bigger box."
Az gave a half smile in reaction to her dry humor. "You should've been one of us. A failing of the directorate their inability to change with the situation, to be flexible."
"We prefer to change the situation," she quipped.
The lights continued to flicker and eventually went out. Hospital personnel moved about in the darkness in response to the blackout, while Roan struggled to remain calm in the dark. Unlike Ricohh, her problem wasn't small places, but darkness. As the conversation in the cafeteria continued, and soon they were joined by Mik disguised as Mikaell Darkk. He'd helped in the halls with handing out flashlights to the Union Medics, Nurses and Orderlies who kept the place running smoothly even in such emergencies. There were no panicked Union members, only upset patients. Drills were run for just such times and backup generators were maintained.
The hospital's emergency lights finally kicked on just as the conversation was dwindling to a close. Roan went upstairs to be with Ric. Bliss went home with Mr. Darkk who Svet concluded was Bliss' fiance Mik, the one she always talked about. Az and Svet went their own ways, and Garth, who had gone up to the roof to smoke a cigarette returned to settle on a chair in the lobby for a nap.
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The next night at New Rydynn Hospital, Roan and Bliss were again in the cafeteria. Hungry, Roan was eating while they talk. Mara wheeled Shad into the cafeteria and then went to get food for Shad. The group was joined by Garth and then a blue haired girl by the name of Ali.
Garth had been carrying a case with him and he revealed very dramatically that he had bars of chocolate inside labeled "Chocolate Nuke." They were of many varieties of good Perdoxx Chocolate. He was kind enough to divide up the goods among those who had gathered. No trade required.
There was more talk, and Roan offered Ali a place to stay at the compound. Which she took the girl to after everyone had left and Roan went to visit with Ric. The next night, she planned to take him to the cafeteria for his first excursion out of the hospital room. When that night arrived, all went well with his trip, though he tired quickly. Ric was having difficulty dealing with the injustice of losing his legs this way. But being with Roan every day and seeing his daughter on occasion as she went through her own therapy for her hand was doing him a lot of good.
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Five days later, it was a soothing early evening in New Rydynn. The sun shone, it was a wild 50 degrees, but a chilly wind continued to whistle through the burned out husks of buildings that once made this city one of the greatest on Sabatt. These days it appeared crest-fallen... as though it and the people who called it home were being beaten in the deadly game that is life on this dying world. So, even though it was a nice enough day in New Rydynn, a quiet hung over the city, broken only occasionally by the whistling wind of time, change, and fate.
At Roan's compound, there was a slight chill in the air, and the wind was picking up. Bliss had just delivered some supplies to the compound and Roan stood just outside the gate looking over a book. She had gotten the urge to read old Syrrynykk mythology today.
She had had spiritual longings lately; she assumed this was part of it. Her grandmother's storybook lay loose in her hands, cover scorched but pages intact. She had been reading about the ending of things; *not* her usual favorite. She was deep in thought, not sure where this melancholy mood sprang from that line of thought led to all the reasons she had *not* to
be sad ... and there were quite a few. In fact, she felt guilty, sometimes, by how much she DID have... love, family, friends, a sense of belonging.
Bliss closed the trunk with a slam. Mara and Ash - a guy, not Asche the Union Medic - joined them at the gates, just as Roan noticed Bliss and they began to talk. Roan asked what she'd brought and Bliss said it was supplies in the event Sparky --Ricohh that is-- decided to move to the compound instead of to the Firehouse. They agreed both places should be made as accessible to Ric as possible.
Bliss explained how Asche - the Union Medic, not Ash the guy with Mara - had let the cat out of the bag to Svet that Bliss was pregnant. Svet had been all smirky about it, Bliss told Roan. Svet knew her 'secret' now and that made the Nuke all happy-happy. Garth did not yet know and Bliss hoped to keep it that way. Garth had broken her bike and was in the process of fixing it which Bliss was certain would not make Mik happy. Roan countered with how unhappy Garth was gonna be that Bliss was even more Mik's now by carrying his child.
Riding out of the sunset, like great steel beasts, came 2 18-wheelers, and 1 battered pickup between them. People were visible hanging on for dear life in the back of the pickup, as well as the open trailer being hauled by the first rig...a loud "HONK" emanated from the lead rig, alerting those standing outside the compound, as the convoy slowed to a halt.
Roan looked up, toward the noisy vehicles. "Company..." Bliss said while watching the compound security scrambling to meet the rigs.
The drivers of the vehicles didn't seem to care as they leaped out of the cabs. They wore black jackets with a large logo on the back that was becoming the sign around town as those of Derell's Warriors. Garth Lowinn, Kettch Tal'nikk, and Caitrinn, let themselves get surrounded by the guards, while two raven haired kids sat in horror in the cab of the first rig...Garth smirked at the guns on him. "What a welcome...yeehaw."
"Uhm, Roan...I think it's for you," Bliss went on, trying not to laugh.
Roan also smothered a grin. "Oh ... thanks..." Roan went out to meet her guests. Kettch snarled at a guard who got a little too close with his gun. Garth held out a hand to restrain his large lizard buddy.
"Speak of the demon," Mara quipped with a smile.
"It's okay guys ... they're invited." Roan said to the guards. She walked up to the group. "So, you taking me up on the offer of a place to stay? Or you just here for the tour?" Her hands were on her hips, she was grinning and looking up, because everyone was at *least* a head taller than she was.
Garth grinned at Roan. "We have a home, thanks."
"Good. You wouldn't like the coffee here, anyway."
"However," he waved a hand at the 40 or so odd people piling off the trucks. "They don't."
Roan turned back toward the entrance, where the noise of the trucks had attracted a crowd. Garth smirked at her joke. "I'm not here for pleasantries Roan. Will you take them?"
She started directing people who lived here to take care of the newcomers ... "Well of course,silly ...." She looked at him ... she didn't realize that he needed to ask.
Garth smiled. "Great." He turned to Kettch and Caitrinn, nodded and they headed for the two rigs...leaving the pickup behind.
"If I'd offer a place to YOU, I'd obviously take in *anyone."
Garth snorted. "Yeah, I suppose thats true."
Garth watched as the last people filed off the trucks...saw a certain kid trying to climb into the cab of his pickup. "Ciara! Get in the rig with Caitrinn, you guys are heading to the Warehouse... then HQ... then you can stop by the Hospital for food before we head for Menlixx." With a groan and a pout, Ciara left the pickup behind and climbed into the rig beside Caitrinn. The Warrior said something to her, then started up the truck and headed for the hospital. The others left in short order.
After putting Nat in charge, and ensuring that everything was in control, Roan left with Bliss, Mara and Ash for the hospital.
Garth had already made it to the hospital and was inside the cafeteria eating by the time Bliss and the others arrived. Bliss asked Garth what made him bring the people to the compound and he explained that the Sandman needed his help to liberate Menlixx and those were the first people to escape.
She and Garth discussed a few "special things" that he needed. With the excitement of the day taking it's toll on her, Roan decided she would go sleep in Asche's office while she waited for her to arrive and have her ultrasound.
Later the next day, Bliss and Roan gathered in the cafeteria at the hospital. Roan with a plate loaded with food and Bliss leaning back in her chair, relaxing. The two women discussed Roan's morning sickness, which had gone away "right on schedule." When Ali joined the two women, with a small plate of her own, they bandied about a nickname for Ali, and the other nicknames for each other. Blue seemed to be the name that stuck for Ali. Roan announced that the ultrasound showed that she and Ric would be having a boy.
The Maternity wing of NRMH had made changes and the Union had assigned more of it's people to that wing to make the recent wash of pregnancies ensured of safe delivery. Bliss and Roan discussed the possibilities of premature birth, as Roan had previously had difficulty and Bliss reassured Roan the it wouldn't happen this time. The confidence of youth.
"And nobody I know wants to have a premature baby so, like I said, not gonna happen." She slipped to her feet. "Speaking of babies, I've got to get home. Deonn's got a touch of the croup. I want to go give him some steam before I get some sleep."
Roan sighed softly. "Something to look forward to..."
"Hugs, kisses, I love you momma, skinned knees, croup, colds, more hugs and kisses..." Bliss patted her shoulder and walked out with a smile. "There's a lot to look forward to."