See Part One for Disclaimers

Every atom of her being hurt, it pulsed through veins circulating to every limb and organ . . . surely she could not hurt like this if she were dead?  Opening her eyes the tiniest fraction only made the pain in her head surge and she quickly shut them, letting her other senses work for her.  The faint beep of monitors sang quietly in time with her heartbeat, the vague smell of antiseptic tickled at her olfactory senses.  She was in Dr. Chambers' care again.  Pain medication washed through her system and she became aware of tubes inserted into her arms, their painful intrusion a mere pinprick compared the way the rest of her body felt.  As it began to take effect memories from the planet surfaced in a sudden rush of remembrance, everyone she had come to care for hurt, maybe dying.  Before she could make herself heard the soporific drug took hold, dragging her back into unconsciousness.

"Dureena!  Dureena I need you to open your eyes, come on now.  Dureena."  The voice, though distant, was annoying in its persistence, and she found herself struggling to do as she was bid.  Eyelids that felt like metal shutters refused to open; weary in every muscle she could not obey Sarah's gentle command.  

Light flooded in as her lids were forcibly lifted and a groan escaped her, sounding abnormally loud to her sensitive ears.  But now that she could focus on the outside world, she found her lids would stay open.  Dr. Chambers' smiling face was bent solicitously over her, "Hey there, you are becoming quite a frequent visitor.  I'm seriously thinking of having a bed put aside for you.  How are you feeling."

Apart from the severe lethargy, Dureena realised that the pain had gone, light still hurt her sensitive eyes but she felt she could function again.  Trying to raise herself up, she was defeated by her lack of strength.  Frustrated, she tried again and again until Sarah stopped her.  "Give it time, Dureena.  You need to rest, recover your strength."

By now, her own failings were fading as more immediate fears filtered into her conscious.

"Captain Gideon, Matheson are they okay?"

"Matheson is fine, he had a headache for a few days and a black eye that was something to see, thanks to your handiwork I hear, but he is back on duty and doing okay.  The Captain is still here and doing well, vital signs are good but he is still unconscious."

With a mouth gone suddenly dry she asked, "Galen?"

Sarah's eyes were sad as she shook her head, "I'm sorry, Dureena.  The explosion ripped a crater in the planet that you could fit a small city into, there was no sign of him.  Nothing could have survived that blast.  Besides, his ship is still on the planet, and if he had survived I am sure he would have returned there, or made contact somehow.  We made a thorough search, Dureena, there was nothing to find."

A surge of adrenaline pumped through her, she had to see for herself, he could not be gone for she had seen him fall . . . fall, not obliterated!  The best her body could manage was allowing her to move one arm.  Slowly her hand crept up until it rested on the jewel he had given to her; it felt warm under her fingers like a living link to the man who had made it.  

Sarah's earlier words finally clicked in her mind, "Just how long have I been in here?  How long have I been unconscious?"

"A little over a week now."  The doctors soothing tones did little to allay her conviction that she needed to be on the planet, that Galen needed her help, that she should be anywhere but confined by her body's weakness in the infirmary.  A sharp pressure on her neck and the world began to spin as the potent soporific took hold.

"I'm sorry, Dureena, but you have to rest.  It'll be some days yet before you can get up and you are not leaving until I give you the okay."

The sense of urgency did not leave as sleep dragged her down into its embrace leaving her dreams disturbed by fears and dramas she could not later recall.

The next few days strained everyone to the limit.  The captain woke from his coma like trance, fractious and irritable, his irritation mirrored by Dureena on the other side of the bay.  Between the two of them the medical staff were just about ready to keep their patients permanently sedated.  Dureena's strength had returned rapidly but Dr. Chambers had insisted she remain under her vigilant eye until she was fully recovered so she spent her time talking with the captain, working on his lowered guard to allow her back to the planet.

"Listen, I know you and Galen were connected somehow, Dureena, but I can"t let you down there.  Matheson assures me that there is nothing alive on the planet.  Galen's ship is still down there, half buried by the fall out, and there's a crater the size of--"

"I know that, Captain.  But I saw him blown off his feet by the blast, not blown to pieces!  You have to let me down there; maybe I can find what Matheson missed.  He could be buried under the ash, hurt and needing our help.  And if we can"t find him there at least let me try and access his flyer?  He may have taken refuge there and be unable to call us for help."  She hoped with all her heart that Matthew would take the bribe she offered.  Access to a Mage's ship surely made his heart beat faster.  She had no real belief that she could gain entry to the ship, but if it got her planet-side she would make use of the Captain's weakness.  

A cautious look entered his eyes, knowing that Dureena was more than capable of lying to get what she wanted he still seemed enticed to try her plan.

He sat up slowly, letting his legs slide over the edge of the bed and she watched as he paled from the exertion.  "Okay, but I am coming with you."

Dr. Chambers had been monitoring the conversation and now jumped in, "You are not going anywhere, Captain.  Not until I release you, and if you keep trying to get out of bed I'll have you forcibly restrained!  

"You wouldn"t!"

Sarah crossed her arms and gazed steadily at her boss.  

Neither Dureena's nor the Captain's plea's moved the medic, in this matter she outranked everyone on the ship and she made sure they both knew it.

***

Two figures stood in silent contemplation of the devastated landscape.  They stood at the epicentre of a vast crater whose edge lay somewhere far in the distance.  It was here that Galen had used his powers to destroy the last of the Sharian, erasing its race from the Universe, along with the box and possibly himself.

She was shivering although the thin atmosphere allowed much of the sun's rays to penetrate to the surface.  It seemed unreal, she kept waiting to hear his soft voice, feel his touch; expecting to turn and find him standing there behind her.

Gideon's voice shattered her mental wanderings, bringing her back to the present in a rush.

"There's nothing here, Dureena.  Let's go back to the Excalibur, it's time to move on."

"No.  No, I want to find his ship, see if he is there," she turned a sly glance his way, "come on, I know you are just dying to get a look at his technology."

Gideon's face froze for an instant before relaxing into a reluctant smile acknowledging her reading of his character.

They trudged back to where Galen had left his flyer; only the tip of one deep black wing showed above the debris, it was obvious that no one could have entered the ship after the explosion, not without leaving a trail that a blind man could read.

"Why hasn't it been dug out?" Dureena queried.

"I wasn't letting anyone near this thing until I had seen it for myself.  I know Galen set protective measures on this craft, the last thing I needed was to lose any of the crew because we played with one of his toys!"

Dureena sent him a withering look and started to scoop black ash and rubble away from the vessel with her bare hands.  Burrowing her way toward where the entrance should be, she ignored Gideon's protests.  Turning her head to look back over her shoulder she was goaded into saying, "Listen, don't just stand there making half-hearted attempts to stop me, start helping.  With two of us we can get inside that much quicker-- if the ship lets me in that is," she continued under her breath.

It took them nearly an hour, and by the time they were done sweat rolled down their faces and soaked their clothing, leaving them exhausted and uncomfortable.  Faced with the bare outline of the door Dureena hesitated, uneasily aware that Galen had never given her permission to enter unaccompanied.  It was more than possible that she would not be able to gain entry and all their hard work had been for nothing.

"Ship, recognise my voice and open."

Nothing happened.  Chancing a look at Gideon, she wished she hadn't suggested this approach.  His face was expressive at the best of times, and right now, he was not a happy man.

Her hand crept up to the talisman still around her neck.  Sarah had told her that they had not been able to remove it; every scheme the techs had come up with, proved useless against the metal and the lock that secured the stone and its mount around her throat.

With one hand wrapped securely around the stone, she pressed her hand against the black metal, its surface warm against the palm of her hand.

"Ship, recognise my voice and open."

This time the vessel responded to her command, the door swinging open allowing them a glimpse of the dark interior.  Exchanging glances, they stepped carefully into the gloom.

"We must be cautious, Captain.  Galen has all sorts of guards set on his instruments and the computer.  It could be fatal to touch anything."

"Don't worry, I've been on the wrong end of his--" But she wasn't listening to him any more.

"Ship, locate Galen."

"So, Dureena, you survived.  I'm glad--" She span at the sound of his voice finding herself face to face with him.  No, not Galen, a hologram.  As he continued to talk, she couldn't help her hand reaching out, stepping back as it cut a swathe through his insubstantial body.

"-- though, if you are seeing this message I presume I did not, or at least I am no longer on this planet.  Knowing you as I do I don't suppose for a moment you took my advice to stay away from my meeting with Matthew.  My gift should have provided adequate protection from the blast.  This message will play only for you; the stone you wear is linked to the ship and to me."  He hesitated for a moment then continued.  "There are many things I should have told you, Dureena, things that need to be explained.  If I have passed over then you must contact Alwyn, he knows all that I know in this matter."

The twinkle suddenly returned to his eyes, "Of course I may not be dead at all," he chuckled, "and this message will never be seen.  If I have died, and that seems unlikely, I would hate to be talking to myself for nothing, then the Circle will have claimed my body, and will come for the ship.  You know they are watching my every move.  If you are hearing this message and more than a day has passed then I am alive, somewhere."

She turned to Gideon her eyes alight with vindication.  "I told you he was alive!"

"Dureena," Galen's voice turned her head back to his likeness, 'seek me by the waterfall, or stay with the Excalibur; I will find you.  The ship is programmed to leave one hour after this message is played and will depart with or without you.  Matthew, yes I am sure that you will be with Dureena should you have survived our meeting, now would be a good time to vacate my ship, the automatic safeguards will not tolerate your presence and I would hate to have your corpse littering my floor!  Expect me when you see me."

His image blinked out leaving them in semi darkness, just the filtered light from outside the ship illuminating the area.  Matthew seemed stunned then turned to her a question already forming on his lips.  "How the hell did he know I would be here?" Grudging amusement twisting his face into a reluctant grin.

She shrugged expressively, a huge grin splitting her face.  "He's Galen!"

***

It had taken a while to convince Captain Gideon to remove himself from the ship but in the end his healthy respect for the Mage's powers saw him beat a reluctant retreat.  Dureena took time out to gather her belongings from the Excalibur, meagre though they were, and was back to the ship well before the deadline was up.

Three days and nights it had taken to reach "home," three interminable days of frustration and boredom.  Galen had no reading matter on the ship and she had no access to the computer, nothing with which to turn her mind from its "what ifs".  Sudden deceleration was the first indication her destination had been reached, blind in this cocoon of a vessel she could only wait for landing and hope that Galen would be waiting there as promised.

Every system shut down as soon as the door had opened leaving her in darkness with just the outside lighting to guide her.  The corridor was deserted, as was the lab.  Working her way up to the house the stairway felt cold and uninviting.  As soon as she entered the first floor, she knew the house was empty; there was a subtle feel of mustiness permeating the air.  Dust motes rose as she crossed the hall and searched each room for signs of recent occupation -- nothing.  The same was true of the upper floor; Galen's bed remained unmade from her occupancy, his robe draped across the chair by the window.  In Isabelle's study the magnificent eagle watched her with its glassy stare as she picked over the books still laying on the workstation.

Sunshine lit her way to the waterfall and she soaked up the warmth taking deep breaths of real air.  She had lived with re-cycled oxygen mix for so long that this glorious air seemed to rejuvenate her sending tingles of life rushing through her veins.  Slowing as she entered the dappled greenery, she was aware of the rushing sound of water over rocks drawing her forward.  There, ahead lay the deep pool into which the falls cascaded, a water filled mist hung across the surface and suffused the atmosphere clogging her lungs until she acclimatised to its heaviness.

Memories rose in her, touching her mind and her body with an almost palpable reality.  She could see him before her, hear his voice whispering in her ear and feel the gentle touch of his hands sliding across her flesh his lips coaxing hers to respond.  Shivering with unaccustomed feelings, she shrugged the thoughts away, climbing the rocks to her perch at the very top of the stones.  With arms clasped around her knees she sat for a very long time staring down into the water that fell like a torrent just feet away, not seeing the wonderful display nature was putting on for her but deep in communion with her soul.

Sudden silence warned her of the danger long before she heard or saw what was approaching.  One hand slid silently to the large knife tucked into the back of her belt, she stood and waited hoping it would be Galen.

The huge cat stalked into the clearing at the pools edge, its coat gleaming in the filtered light, nose tilted up as though testing the air.  With uncanny precision it turned its massive head and stared up at Dureena.  Her tawny eyes were mirrored by the cat's, its unblinking gaze held by her own until the animal began to move toward her position.  Knife in hand Dureena made her way slowly down the rocky outcropping until she stood face to face with the creature that shared Galen's valley.  A rumble started deep in the animals chest and it took a pace closer to her its mouth open showing a healthy set of very large teeth.  Dureena held her position and waited as the cat took another and another step until it was within touching distance.

"Hi, kitty!" she said softly, holding out her free hand.  The rumble became louder and Dureena took a step back the cat following.  Sniffing the air again the animal made a sudden lunge catching her totally unprepared.  But instead of burying fangs in her or raking her with the huge paws tipped with massive talons the animal butted its head into her chest, knocking her off her feet and standing over her supine body it's tongue licking her face with all the roughness of ground rocks.  She had been remembered and accepted.

Returning to the ship, she tried to access the computer, laying one hand on the now dead surface and the other on the amulet around her neck.  The ship refused to respond; not a glimmer of life flickered on any screen the same thing happened on every terminal throughout the building.  Slowly it dawned on her that should Galen not return she was effectively marooned; with no way to communicate her position, no one would find her on this out of the way planet.  She was sure the Excalibur would have tried to follow her flight and just as sure that the ship would have cloaked and gone off beacon the moment they hit hyperspace.  It all came down to trust, she had to believe that Galen had survived and that he would, sooner or later, come for her.  In the meantime, she had better make the best of the situation . . .

Continued

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