Jaeger immediately dropped the gun that he held and reached forward to catch Djaisiuk as he fell. Lifting him carefully, Jaeger then looked to Eriane for instruction. Eriane had come hurriedly forward and now instructed Jaeger to lay Djaisiuk gently on the medical bed.
The officer, watching the proceedings in growing irritation, emitted a suppressed sigh and turned to one of the soldiers behind him. “Summon a medic,” he said shortly. He then stepped forward toward the bed himself.
“And tell him to bring a transfusion,” Eriane called after the departing soldier. “B452–, no, wait a moment. It would be K6-17, by Vukasovian measurements. And hurry!”
“What’s wrong with him?” asked the officer, stepping up to the medical bed as the soldier left. “Nothing life-threatening?”
“I hope not,” said Eriane, not looking up as he continued to work. “But I can’t be sure yet.” He moved a scanner over Djaisiuk, focusing particular attention on his head and chest. "At the moment, the highest priority is to get some blood back into his veins. He’s obviously suffering from massive internal bleeding.”
The officer motioned several more of the soldiers to enter and turned to the other boys. “You will all go to your quarters to gather what belongings you may have brought in preparation for departure. You will then be escorted to your ship. If you brought no belongings, then you may go immediately to the docks.”
The boys looked at one another.
“Meaning no offense, sir,” began Christopher quietly, “but how can we trust that you’re telling us the truth? How do we know that this isn’t just a trick by Kandryl to separate us?”
“He couldn't have put together something like this so quickly,” said Jade.
“Kandryl?” the officer repeated. “Ah, yes, the traitor. He’s no longer issuing commands here.”
“Traitor?” echoed Cycil.
“It seems that he’s been functioning outside of the boundaries of Vukasovian law of late,” the officer continued. “Kidnapping is, as I’m sure you know, an interplanetary offense. It is by no means condoned by the Vukasovian government. This entire facility has been functioning without the blessing, or even the permission, of any higher officials. Its existence has only just been brought to our attention, and I assure you that it will be immediately shut down and possibly destroyed in its entirety.”
“Then we really are going home?” asked Leil with a touch of hope in his voice, though there was still some skepticism as well. “When?”
“As soon as I can get you all assembled in the docks,” replied the officer impatiently. “The quicker you comply, the sooner you can be on your way. Now, if you’ll consent to go along with these soldiers . . . .”
At this moment, the medic who had been summoned entered and, at a word from the officer, approached the medical bed and reluctantly began to speak to Eriane as he scanned Djaisiuk himself.
“Why do we have to go along with the soldiers?” asked Sandy, looking at the officer. “And why so many of them?”
“They’re for your own protection,” the latter explained, still sounding impatient. “We do not yet have Kandryl in custody. He is still somewhere in the base. It is possible that he would attempt to do one or more of you some harm yet.”
“Creole!” exclaimed Christopher. “Please sir, there is one of us missing. Creole is still being held prisoner. He could be in danger!”
“Where is he?” the officer asked.
“I can take you there,” said Wysire. “I’ve been to see him. As long as they still have him in the same cell, I know where he is.”
The officer at first instructed two soldiers to accompany him, but Christopher insisted on going too, explaining that he had been a prisoner as well and had, therefore, no possessions to retrieve, so the officer assigned them a following of six guards. The other boys then moved forward to follow their example and were each assigned two soldiers to accompany them. Eriane alone seemed to take no notice of the proceedings, being completely engaged in caring for Djaisiuk. Jaeger too stood silently next to the bed, watching the medical proceedings.
“I’m not leaving either,” Jaeger had said when the officer suggested that he go with the soldiers. “I’m staying with here with Djaisiuk. I’ve nothing to pack anyway. Kandryl destroyed the single item that I had brought with me long ago.”
The officer shrugged slightly as if to say that he didn’t care whether Jaeger stayed or went. He then turned to the argument being held between Eriane and the medic.
"You can't give Vukasovian blood to a Komislavian," snapped the medic.
"There's no difference!" Eriane snapped back. "He's going to die if he doesn't get a transfusion."
"Then let him die. Look at the scan; there's no point in trying to save this one."
"What?!"
"Give him the transfusion," ordered the officer, looking at the medic sternly.
The medic looked up at him, still angry but trying not to show it. "He's Komislavian," he said. "We can't give him Vukasovian blood."
"I said give it to him," repeated the officer in a low voice.
The medic looked for a moment as though he would refuse, but then turned and began the transfusion. The officer then assigned four soldiers to remain with the three boys, then turned himself and left the room. As the blood began to flow in his veins again, Djaisiuk slowly regained consciousness.
"We'll need braces and some means of carrying him," said Eriane, speaking again to the medic. "We'll also want an anesthetic."
"Why do you want braces?" asked the medic.
"One for his leg, and one for his arm," replied Eriane. "I think that--"
"Why not just amputate them here and now? It won't take long."
Jaeger had watched quietly as Djaisiuk regained consciousness, not really paying attention to what Eriane and the medic were saying. Djaisiuk blinked once or twice, then lay still, breathing very lightly and staring up at the ceiling. Jaeger then reached forward and gently placed his hand on Djaisiuk’s left hand, which lay close to him, but, at the touch, Djaisiuk inhaled sharply and cringed slightly as a brief expression of pain passed over his face. Jaeger pulled his hand back quickly, and Eriane turned to look at them.
“Please don’t touch his arm, Jaeger,” he said. “Actually, it would be better if you don’t touch him at all, now that he’s awake. I know that it doesn't look like it, but he's covered in injuries, and physical contact will, for the time being, only exacerbate the situation.”
Jaeger lifted his hands and started to apologize, but Eriane had turned again to continue his argument with the medic. Djaisiuk seemed to pay none of them any heed, so Jaeger simply moved back from the bed half a step and remained, watching quietly.
"I'm not going amputate without trying to repair them."
The medic laughed sharply, then suddenly thrust the scanner in Eriane's face. Eriane started back.
"Look at it!" snapped the medic. "You think that you could repair this?"
“I won’t agree to amputation, no matter how bad it is, without at least attempting reparation,” insisted Eriane. “I’ve seen medical miracles in my lifetime.”
“You’re wasting time and energy,” replied the medic firmly. “It can’t be done.”
“You’re wasting time yourself now. We’re not going to amputate, and that’s all that there is to it. Now you can help me to prepare him to be moved or not.”
The medic sighed and shook his head in disgust. “Very well then,” he said. “If he dies, then all it’ll mean is one less Komislavian in the world, and I say good riddance!”
The medic turned towards the door. Eriane bristled at his last statement and glared after him, but he set his jaw firmly and said nothing. The medic turned back again as he reached the door.
“Are you coming? Or do you trust me enough to pick the braces myself?” he asked sarcastically.
Eriane stepped forward silently to follow him, biting back a sharp retort. As the two of them were leaving the room, Eriane looked back at Jaeger.
“Please stay with him,” said Eriane. “I’ll be back shortly.”
Jaeger nodded. “I won’t leave,” he said.
Eriane smiled wearily and left, following the medic and accompanied by two of the soldiers. The other two soldiers remained behind and stood at attention, watching Jaeger and Djaisiuk. The door closed, and silence fell over the room.
Jaeger looked down at Djaisiuk for a long moment, then walked around the bed to stand at Djaisiuk’s right side, feeling rather nervous after the contact made with his injured left arm.
“Djaisiuk,” he said at last, speaking softly. “You’ve been braver than any of us. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through over these last few days. There are so many questions that I’d like to ask you, but I won’t. I do still trust you. And I won’t question you.” He smiled. “You said that we needed to wait. I wish that I knew whether you meant that we should wait for our people to arrive. I can’t help but wonder: did you know? And, if so, is this the 'sabotage' of which Kandryl accused you?”
Djaisiuk still did not look at him. Jaeger continued to smile.
Suddenly, both were startled to hear the door open and two shots fire, all at nearly the same time. Jaeger turned quickly towards the door at the front of the room in time to see the two soldiers fall to the floor, both having been shot. Djaisiuk turned his head a little to the right, but he was lying at such an angle that he could not see the door. He had given the slightest start at the sound of the gunshots, but the surprise did not register on his face.
As Jaeger watched, Kandryl entered the room.
Kandryl was carrying two small hand weapons which he had apparently just used to dispatch the two soldiers. He now stepped silently into the room, glancing carefully around him. He held Jaeger’s gaze for a moment, then turned and closed the door, sealing it from within. Turning back to look at Jaeger, he continued into the room, walking around to the left-hand side of the bed, opposite Jaeger, and looked down at Djaisiuk.
Jaeger tensed, looking more like a wild-cat than ever, obviously ready to leap across the bed, if necessary. Djaisiuk simply turned his head slowly to the left to look up at Kandryl. There was no fear in his eyes, but neither did he look quite normal for him. He looked very tired, and the pain still showed somewhat in his otherwise indifferent expression.
Kandryl looked up at Jaeger again. “Get out,” he ordered calmly.
“No!” exclaimed Jaeger indignantly, seeming shocked at the order. “You can’t possibly imagine that I’d leave him alone with you, especially now!”
Kandryl raised the gun in his left hand to point across the bed at Jaeger’s forehead. “I’ll kill you, if I must,” he said calmly. “I no longer have any need of you alive.”
Jaeger lifted his chin and stared at Kandryl defiantly. “I’m afraid you must then,” he said in a low, firm voice, “for I’ll not leave otherwise.”
Djaisiuk had inhaled audibly at the first part of Jaeger’s reply and, with a little effort, lifted his right hand and placed it over the gun, his hand resting partly on Kandryl’s as well. Kandryl gave a slight shudder at the touch.
“No,” said Djaisiuk hoarsely, in the same strained voice with which he had spoken earlier to Jaeger, though now it no longer trembled. Then, turning to look at Kandryl again, he swallowed and said slowly, “What?”
Kandryl looked from Djaisiuk to Jaeger and back again for a moment, then slowly lowered the gun. “I want to speak with you alone,” he said to Djaisiuk. “Only for a moment.” Then, looking up at Jaeger again, he continued, “I swear that I won’t try to hurt him.”
Jaeger gave a short exhalation of incredulity and contempt. “And do you expect me to believe you?” He shook his head. “No, I won’t leave. Do what you will, I won’t leave.”
“Please,” said Djaisiuk softly, looking up at Jaeger. He then motioned toward one corner of the room, indicating that he wished Jaeger to at least step back to let them talk.
“Djaisiuk, you can’t possibly trust him,” said Jaeger incredulously.
Djaisiuk held Jaeger’s eye for a moment, looking even more tired, and again motioned toward the corner of the room.
Jaeger looked from Djaisiuk to Kandryl and back again, still hesitant and openly distrustful of Kandryl. Finally, he withdrew to the far corner of the room, still watching closely, ready to leap forward quickly if necessary.
Once Jaeger had withdrawn, Kandryl pulled the tall stool up to the bed, sat down on it, and leaned forward to be able to speak to Djaisiuk in a whisper such that Jaeger could not overhear. Djaisiuk had allowed his gaze to again settle on the far wall, and this was just as well, considering the fact that neither would likely have enjoyed looking into the eyes of the other at such close range.
“Djaisiuk,” whispered Kandryl in his usual purring voice. “You have succeeded. You have shown that you are not only as great as your friends suggest; you are better. You have defeated me and lived to tell the tale, although perhaps only just barely.” He smiled briefly and paused for a moment, then continued, “I have come now to issue you a challenge, Djaisiuk. You have performed the very difficult; now perform the impossible. There is one who will be executed now, because of what you have done. I challenge you to save him.”
The slightest hint of a reaction passed over Djaisiuk’s face at this last comment, but Kandryl continued quickly.
“I am not speaking of myself,” he whispered firmly. “No, I am not afraid to die. But you know what will happen now: I will not be the only one to die. No indeed, there will be many others who will suffer for your success. There is one here who is young, and who has many years ahead of him, and it is of him whom I speak.” Again he smiled. “Come, perform the impossible once again. Say that you will do it.”
Djaisiuk’s face had relaxed entirely by this time. It still showed some small amount of the pain that he was feeling, but it betrayed no tension. His eyes were half-closed, and he did not look at Kandryl. As the latter finished, Djaisiuk slowly closed his eyes completely. Kandryl frowned.
“Djaisiuk,” he almost hissed, still whispering. “Do you not understand me? I’m not asking for myself. I’m asking for you to save the life of a boy: your assistant, Kiacyl. Think of him. He’s young. He’ll be executed now, and you’ve accomplished it! You can’t be sorry that you’ve killed me. But he has done you no wrong, and it is for his life that I now ask. Yes, Djaisiuk, I’m asking you to save him. There is no one in the world now who can help him except you, and if you refuse, he will die, and you will have accomplished it.”
Djaisiuk did not move or open his eyes as Kandryl spoke. He continued to lie perfectly still. He did not react either to Kandryl’s words or to the increasing urgency in his voice.
“What do you want from me?!” Kandryl hissed through clenched teeth, glancing nervously at the door as he spoke. “Do you want me to get down on my knees and beg for his life?! He’s a child! And you are a Komislavian, even if you don’t act like one. Show some pity! You can save him. Don’t try to deny it. If you leave him here, then you alone will be responsible for his death. His blood will be on your hands! Djaisiuk, I beg you to save his life.”
In his agitation, Kandryl took hold of Djaisiuk’s left arm that lay before him. Djaisiuk gasped and opened his eyes, and Jaeger leapt forward immediately. Kandryl quickly let go and glanced at Jaeger. The latter stopped, but looked at him cautiously. For a moment, the two regarded one another. Then Djaisiuk’s voice interrupted them.
“Yes,” said Djaisiuk softly.
Djaisiuk had not been ignoring Kandryl’s request; he had been thinking. What Kandryl had asked was, indeed, very nearly impossible, and it required a great deal of thinking and planning to judge whether even Djaisiuk himself could hope to accomplish it, particularly in the state in which he now found himself. Also, there was the question of whether he ought to do it. The consequences would be far reaching indeed. So many factors had to be considered.
With the great loss of blood that Djaisiuk had sustained from the tortures of the last two days, thinking was far more difficult than was normal for him. The transfusion he had received was helping, but he was still far from well. Even so, his mind was still the greatest that Komislava had ever known. And it had not failed him now.
Kandryl turned back to Djaisiuk and frowned uncertainly.
“You will do it?” he asked.
“Yes,” replied Djaisiuk.
“And will you swear to me that he will not be harmed?”
Djaisiuk was quiet for a moment. Before he could answer, footsteps were heard in the hall. A noise was then heard outside the door as someone attempted to open it. Knocking was heard, and this quickly changed to a pounding, and Eriane’s voice was heard outside, calling to Jaeger and Djaisiuk. The voice of at least one Vukasovian was heard, calling to the guards within the room. Jaeger started to move forward but stopped, looking to Djaisiuk for instruction.
Kandryl rose quickly to his feet but looked down again at Djaisiuk, waiting for an answer. Djaisiuk looked up and met Kandryl’s eyes.
“Yes,” he said simply.
“He’ll be waiting for you in the hall as you leave this room,” Kandryl whispered hurriedly to Djaisiuk. He then turned and walked swiftly out of the door at the back of the room.
Djaisiuk looked at Jaeger and gave the slightest nod. Jaeger then rushed forward to open the door.
“What happened? Are you both alright? Why did you seal the door?” asked Eriane as soon as the door was opened. He stopped in shock at the sight of the two soldiers lying motionless on the floor. “Jaeger, what did you do?”
“I didn’t do it this time,” answered Jaeger. “We had a . . . an unexpected visitor.”
The two remaining soldiers who had accompanied Eriane had apparently already sent for assistance, for the officer whom they had met earlier entered the room almost immediately with several more soldiers. He looked over the situation darkly.
“What happened here?” he demanded of the remaining soldiers.
The two soldiers explained that they had left the room with one of the Komislavian boys, leaving the other two guards with the remaining two Komislavians. They had returned to find the door sealed, and, once it was opened, they found that their companions were dead.
The officer stepped up to the medical table and looked from Jaeger to Djaisiuk.
“What happened here?” he asked again, directing the question this time to them.
“Kandryl decided to pay us a visit just after Eriane and the other three left,” said Jaeger matter-of-factly. “He came in here with his guns blazing and shot those two before I even realized that anyone had entered the room.”
Eriane looked up in shock. "Kandryl?!" he exclaimed. "He was here?"
“Are you certain that it was him?” the officer asked.
Jaeger gave a short laugh. “His is not a face that I’m likely to forget for a very long time.”
“Why did he kill them and not you?" continued the officer. “And where did he go? Do you know where he is now?”
“He said that he came to talk to Djaisiuk,” Jaeger shrugged. “They talked. He left. He did threaten to kill me, and I don't know why he didn't. I don’t know where he is now, and I really don’t care, as long as I never see him again.”
“Did you seal the door then when he left?”
“No, he sealed it when he entered; I would assume that it was so that he wouldn’t be disturbed. He left through the back door there, and I opened the front door when Eriane came back.”
The officer dispatched several of the soldiers through the back door indicated with instructions to find and apprehend Kandryl before he attempted any more mischief.
“He won’t evade us for long,” said the officer, turning back to Jaeger. “This base is large, but there are only so many places where he can hide. We’ll have him in custody within the hour.”
The officer then turned to Djaisiuk, asking Kandryl’s reasons for wanting to speak with him, but Djaisiuk would neither answer nor even look at the officer. This frustrated the officer at first, but Eriane quickly intervened, saying that Djaisiuk did not speak much under normal circumstances, and, as he had recently been under an extreme amount of physical and emotional duress, the officer mustn’t expect him to offer any sort of explanation on any subject at this time. He gave his opinion that if Djaisiuk knew anything about the whereabouts of Kandryl, he would surely have volunteered the information. Djaisiuk had little enough reason to like Kandryl, Eriane assured him, the latter having been the one directly responsible for Djaisiuk’s current condition. The officer had reluctantly acknowledged Eriane’s logic and had then ceased his questioning. He assigned all of the remaining soldiers to remain with the young Komislavians and to accompany them to their ship as soon as they were ready to move. He then went himself through the back door to follow the soldiers whom he had sent “in search of the traitor.”
Eriane had, by this time, examined Djaisiuk again quickly and assured himself that he, at least, had not received any further harm. He then became calm and very business-like. Eriane and the medic no longer argued with one another – indeed they scarcely spoke to each other at all. Eriane produced an anesthetic which he would then have given to Djaisiuk, but the latter shook his head and lifted his right hand to waive the drug away.
"Djaisiuk, this is only a simple anesthetic," said Eriane. "It will enable us to move you to the ship. You can't possibly want to be conscious when we do that; it would be unbelievably painful."
Djaisiuk did not answer, but neither did he lower his hand.
"Djaisiuk, please let me administer this," said Eriane.
Again, Djaisiuk shook his head.
Eriane looked at Jaeger and frowned questioningly. Jaeger merely shrugged. Eriane considered for a moment, then sighed.
"Djaisiuk, I'm going to have to overrule you on this," said Eriane at last. "You know that I can, when it comes to anything medical. I'm not going to have you moved without an anesthetic."
"Chair," rasped Djaisiuk.
"What?" asked Eriane.
Djaisiuk swallowed painfully and repeated, "Invalid's chair."
"Absolutely not!" exclaimed Eriane. "Djaisiuk, I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm not going to allow it."
"He's insane," said the Vukasovian medic scornfully. "I've seen it happen many times. With the tortures they used on him, it's almost to be expected."
Eriane frowned at this, but he did not answer. He turned instead to Djaisiuk. "Whatever you want can be done once we're on the ship and these wounds have been treated," he said. "In the meantime, seeing the condition that you're in, I'm taking charge."
"Jaeger," said Djaisiuk in a strained voice.
Jaeger stepped up to the bed again, and Djaisiuk looked at him with what was -- for him -- an almost pleading expression.
"Djaisiuk, I don't know what you want me to do," said Jaeger.
In response, Djaisiuk lifted his right hand, reaching toward Jaeger. Jaeger accepted the hand, still looking confused, and Djaisiuk pulled as if trying to raise himself.
"Stop!" exclaimed Eriane in horror, taking hold of Djaisiuk's shoulder to hold him down. "Djaisiuk, stop! What are you doing?!"
The medic shook his head. "He's insane."
"Djaisiuk, please; tell me what is so important," pleaded Eriane.
Djaisiuk lay back again, breathing a little heavily with his recent exertion, and shook his head.
Jaeger swallowed. "Eriane, I think that he'd rather walk to the ship than have you give him that anesthetic."
Eriane licked his lips uncertainly and looked from Jaeger to Djaisiuk. The medic sighed in disgust and murmured something about "stupid Komislavians." This rankled Eriane, but he bit his tongue, took a breath, and nodded.
"Alright, Djaisiuk," he said. "I'll trust you, if you're sure that this is what you want."
Djaisiuk opened his eyes, looked up at Eriane, and whispered, "Thank you."
Eriane's eyes widened in shock. He glanced up at Jaeger and saw that he was just as surprised. This must be something important indeed, if Djaisiuk would speak unnecessarily for it. With another nod, Eriane turned to send for an invalid's chair.
With the medic’s help, Eriane carefully fitted Djaisiuk’s leg with a metal brace that would keep it from moving or causing further damage when he was moved. Eriane had ruefully to admit to himself that it was hardly possible to cause any more damage to the leg than had already been caused. Even so, movement of any kind would be excruciating, and, with Djaisiuk wishing to remain conscious, it was best, he reasoned, to keep it as still as possible until he was aboard the ship. This done, they then fitted a similar but smaller brace onto his left arm. Once they had finished their preparations, Eriane and Jaeger carefully transferred Djaisiuk to the invalid’s chair. This was a chair on soft wheels whose power was controlled by the occupant. There was an addition in the front which Eriane raised on which Djaisiuk’s right leg could lie, so that it would not have to be bent.
As soon as all was made ready, the three left the room, Jaeger walking on Djaisiuk’s left side and Eriane on his right. The soldiers walked with them, some in front and some behind. The medic left to return to wherever it was from whence he had been summoned. They had not gone far when they saw Kiacyl, standing to one side of the hall, watching them. Eriane opened his mouth to say something, but stopped as Djaisiuk extended his right hand towards Kiacyl and beckoned him to follow. Eriane and Jaeger exchanged silent glances of confusion, but asked no questions. The soldiers made no attempt to hinder Kiacyl, so he walked with them, a large silent group, down the halls and to the docks.
“And tell him to bring a transfusion,” Eriane called after the departing soldier. “B452–, no, wait a moment. It would be K6-17, by Vukasovian measurements. And hurry!”
“What’s wrong with him?” asked the officer, stepping up to the medical bed as the soldier left. “Nothing life-threatening?”
“I hope not,” said Eriane, not looking up as he continued to work. “But I can’t be sure yet.” He moved a scanner over Djaisiuk, focusing particular attention on his head and chest. "At the moment, the highest priority is to get some blood back into his veins. He’s obviously suffering from massive internal bleeding.”
The officer motioned several more of the soldiers to enter and turned to the other boys. “You will all go to your quarters to gather what belongings you may have brought in preparation for departure. You will then be escorted to your ship. If you brought no belongings, then you may go immediately to the docks.”
The boys looked at one another.
“Meaning no offense, sir,” began Christopher quietly, “but how can we trust that you’re telling us the truth? How do we know that this isn’t just a trick by Kandryl to separate us?”
“He couldn't have put together something like this so quickly,” said Jade.
“Kandryl?” the officer repeated. “Ah, yes, the traitor. He’s no longer issuing commands here.”
“Traitor?” echoed Cycil.
“It seems that he’s been functioning outside of the boundaries of Vukasovian law of late,” the officer continued. “Kidnapping is, as I’m sure you know, an interplanetary offense. It is by no means condoned by the Vukasovian government. This entire facility has been functioning without the blessing, or even the permission, of any higher officials. Its existence has only just been brought to our attention, and I assure you that it will be immediately shut down and possibly destroyed in its entirety.”
“Then we really are going home?” asked Leil with a touch of hope in his voice, though there was still some skepticism as well. “When?”
“As soon as I can get you all assembled in the docks,” replied the officer impatiently. “The quicker you comply, the sooner you can be on your way. Now, if you’ll consent to go along with these soldiers . . . .”
At this moment, the medic who had been summoned entered and, at a word from the officer, approached the medical bed and reluctantly began to speak to Eriane as he scanned Djaisiuk himself.
“Why do we have to go along with the soldiers?” asked Sandy, looking at the officer. “And why so many of them?”
“They’re for your own protection,” the latter explained, still sounding impatient. “We do not yet have Kandryl in custody. He is still somewhere in the base. It is possible that he would attempt to do one or more of you some harm yet.”
“Creole!” exclaimed Christopher. “Please sir, there is one of us missing. Creole is still being held prisoner. He could be in danger!”
“Where is he?” the officer asked.
“I can take you there,” said Wysire. “I’ve been to see him. As long as they still have him in the same cell, I know where he is.”
The officer at first instructed two soldiers to accompany him, but Christopher insisted on going too, explaining that he had been a prisoner as well and had, therefore, no possessions to retrieve, so the officer assigned them a following of six guards. The other boys then moved forward to follow their example and were each assigned two soldiers to accompany them. Eriane alone seemed to take no notice of the proceedings, being completely engaged in caring for Djaisiuk. Jaeger too stood silently next to the bed, watching the medical proceedings.
“I’m not leaving either,” Jaeger had said when the officer suggested that he go with the soldiers. “I’m staying with here with Djaisiuk. I’ve nothing to pack anyway. Kandryl destroyed the single item that I had brought with me long ago.”
The officer shrugged slightly as if to say that he didn’t care whether Jaeger stayed or went. He then turned to the argument being held between Eriane and the medic.
"You can't give Vukasovian blood to a Komislavian," snapped the medic.
"There's no difference!" Eriane snapped back. "He's going to die if he doesn't get a transfusion."
"Then let him die. Look at the scan; there's no point in trying to save this one."
"What?!"
"Give him the transfusion," ordered the officer, looking at the medic sternly.
The medic looked up at him, still angry but trying not to show it. "He's Komislavian," he said. "We can't give him Vukasovian blood."
"I said give it to him," repeated the officer in a low voice.
The medic looked for a moment as though he would refuse, but then turned and began the transfusion. The officer then assigned four soldiers to remain with the three boys, then turned himself and left the room. As the blood began to flow in his veins again, Djaisiuk slowly regained consciousness.
"We'll need braces and some means of carrying him," said Eriane, speaking again to the medic. "We'll also want an anesthetic."
"Why do you want braces?" asked the medic.
"One for his leg, and one for his arm," replied Eriane. "I think that--"
"Why not just amputate them here and now? It won't take long."
Jaeger had watched quietly as Djaisiuk regained consciousness, not really paying attention to what Eriane and the medic were saying. Djaisiuk blinked once or twice, then lay still, breathing very lightly and staring up at the ceiling. Jaeger then reached forward and gently placed his hand on Djaisiuk’s left hand, which lay close to him, but, at the touch, Djaisiuk inhaled sharply and cringed slightly as a brief expression of pain passed over his face. Jaeger pulled his hand back quickly, and Eriane turned to look at them.
“Please don’t touch his arm, Jaeger,” he said. “Actually, it would be better if you don’t touch him at all, now that he’s awake. I know that it doesn't look like it, but he's covered in injuries, and physical contact will, for the time being, only exacerbate the situation.”
Jaeger lifted his hands and started to apologize, but Eriane had turned again to continue his argument with the medic. Djaisiuk seemed to pay none of them any heed, so Jaeger simply moved back from the bed half a step and remained, watching quietly.
"I'm not going amputate without trying to repair them."
The medic laughed sharply, then suddenly thrust the scanner in Eriane's face. Eriane started back.
"Look at it!" snapped the medic. "You think that you could repair this?"
“I won’t agree to amputation, no matter how bad it is, without at least attempting reparation,” insisted Eriane. “I’ve seen medical miracles in my lifetime.”
“You’re wasting time and energy,” replied the medic firmly. “It can’t be done.”
“You’re wasting time yourself now. We’re not going to amputate, and that’s all that there is to it. Now you can help me to prepare him to be moved or not.”
The medic sighed and shook his head in disgust. “Very well then,” he said. “If he dies, then all it’ll mean is one less Komislavian in the world, and I say good riddance!”
The medic turned towards the door. Eriane bristled at his last statement and glared after him, but he set his jaw firmly and said nothing. The medic turned back again as he reached the door.
“Are you coming? Or do you trust me enough to pick the braces myself?” he asked sarcastically.
Eriane stepped forward silently to follow him, biting back a sharp retort. As the two of them were leaving the room, Eriane looked back at Jaeger.
“Please stay with him,” said Eriane. “I’ll be back shortly.”
Jaeger nodded. “I won’t leave,” he said.
Eriane smiled wearily and left, following the medic and accompanied by two of the soldiers. The other two soldiers remained behind and stood at attention, watching Jaeger and Djaisiuk. The door closed, and silence fell over the room.
Jaeger looked down at Djaisiuk for a long moment, then walked around the bed to stand at Djaisiuk’s right side, feeling rather nervous after the contact made with his injured left arm.
“Djaisiuk,” he said at last, speaking softly. “You’ve been braver than any of us. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through over these last few days. There are so many questions that I’d like to ask you, but I won’t. I do still trust you. And I won’t question you.” He smiled. “You said that we needed to wait. I wish that I knew whether you meant that we should wait for our people to arrive. I can’t help but wonder: did you know? And, if so, is this the 'sabotage' of which Kandryl accused you?”
Djaisiuk still did not look at him. Jaeger continued to smile.
Suddenly, both were startled to hear the door open and two shots fire, all at nearly the same time. Jaeger turned quickly towards the door at the front of the room in time to see the two soldiers fall to the floor, both having been shot. Djaisiuk turned his head a little to the right, but he was lying at such an angle that he could not see the door. He had given the slightest start at the sound of the gunshots, but the surprise did not register on his face.
As Jaeger watched, Kandryl entered the room.
Kandryl was carrying two small hand weapons which he had apparently just used to dispatch the two soldiers. He now stepped silently into the room, glancing carefully around him. He held Jaeger’s gaze for a moment, then turned and closed the door, sealing it from within. Turning back to look at Jaeger, he continued into the room, walking around to the left-hand side of the bed, opposite Jaeger, and looked down at Djaisiuk.
Jaeger tensed, looking more like a wild-cat than ever, obviously ready to leap across the bed, if necessary. Djaisiuk simply turned his head slowly to the left to look up at Kandryl. There was no fear in his eyes, but neither did he look quite normal for him. He looked very tired, and the pain still showed somewhat in his otherwise indifferent expression.
Kandryl looked up at Jaeger again. “Get out,” he ordered calmly.
“No!” exclaimed Jaeger indignantly, seeming shocked at the order. “You can’t possibly imagine that I’d leave him alone with you, especially now!”
Kandryl raised the gun in his left hand to point across the bed at Jaeger’s forehead. “I’ll kill you, if I must,” he said calmly. “I no longer have any need of you alive.”
Jaeger lifted his chin and stared at Kandryl defiantly. “I’m afraid you must then,” he said in a low, firm voice, “for I’ll not leave otherwise.”
Djaisiuk had inhaled audibly at the first part of Jaeger’s reply and, with a little effort, lifted his right hand and placed it over the gun, his hand resting partly on Kandryl’s as well. Kandryl gave a slight shudder at the touch.
“No,” said Djaisiuk hoarsely, in the same strained voice with which he had spoken earlier to Jaeger, though now it no longer trembled. Then, turning to look at Kandryl again, he swallowed and said slowly, “What?”
Kandryl looked from Djaisiuk to Jaeger and back again for a moment, then slowly lowered the gun. “I want to speak with you alone,” he said to Djaisiuk. “Only for a moment.” Then, looking up at Jaeger again, he continued, “I swear that I won’t try to hurt him.”
Jaeger gave a short exhalation of incredulity and contempt. “And do you expect me to believe you?” He shook his head. “No, I won’t leave. Do what you will, I won’t leave.”
“Please,” said Djaisiuk softly, looking up at Jaeger. He then motioned toward one corner of the room, indicating that he wished Jaeger to at least step back to let them talk.
“Djaisiuk, you can’t possibly trust him,” said Jaeger incredulously.
Djaisiuk held Jaeger’s eye for a moment, looking even more tired, and again motioned toward the corner of the room.
Jaeger looked from Djaisiuk to Kandryl and back again, still hesitant and openly distrustful of Kandryl. Finally, he withdrew to the far corner of the room, still watching closely, ready to leap forward quickly if necessary.
Once Jaeger had withdrawn, Kandryl pulled the tall stool up to the bed, sat down on it, and leaned forward to be able to speak to Djaisiuk in a whisper such that Jaeger could not overhear. Djaisiuk had allowed his gaze to again settle on the far wall, and this was just as well, considering the fact that neither would likely have enjoyed looking into the eyes of the other at such close range.
“Djaisiuk,” whispered Kandryl in his usual purring voice. “You have succeeded. You have shown that you are not only as great as your friends suggest; you are better. You have defeated me and lived to tell the tale, although perhaps only just barely.” He smiled briefly and paused for a moment, then continued, “I have come now to issue you a challenge, Djaisiuk. You have performed the very difficult; now perform the impossible. There is one who will be executed now, because of what you have done. I challenge you to save him.”
The slightest hint of a reaction passed over Djaisiuk’s face at this last comment, but Kandryl continued quickly.
“I am not speaking of myself,” he whispered firmly. “No, I am not afraid to die. But you know what will happen now: I will not be the only one to die. No indeed, there will be many others who will suffer for your success. There is one here who is young, and who has many years ahead of him, and it is of him whom I speak.” Again he smiled. “Come, perform the impossible once again. Say that you will do it.”
Djaisiuk’s face had relaxed entirely by this time. It still showed some small amount of the pain that he was feeling, but it betrayed no tension. His eyes were half-closed, and he did not look at Kandryl. As the latter finished, Djaisiuk slowly closed his eyes completely. Kandryl frowned.
“Djaisiuk,” he almost hissed, still whispering. “Do you not understand me? I’m not asking for myself. I’m asking for you to save the life of a boy: your assistant, Kiacyl. Think of him. He’s young. He’ll be executed now, and you’ve accomplished it! You can’t be sorry that you’ve killed me. But he has done you no wrong, and it is for his life that I now ask. Yes, Djaisiuk, I’m asking you to save him. There is no one in the world now who can help him except you, and if you refuse, he will die, and you will have accomplished it.”
Djaisiuk did not move or open his eyes as Kandryl spoke. He continued to lie perfectly still. He did not react either to Kandryl’s words or to the increasing urgency in his voice.
“What do you want from me?!” Kandryl hissed through clenched teeth, glancing nervously at the door as he spoke. “Do you want me to get down on my knees and beg for his life?! He’s a child! And you are a Komislavian, even if you don’t act like one. Show some pity! You can save him. Don’t try to deny it. If you leave him here, then you alone will be responsible for his death. His blood will be on your hands! Djaisiuk, I beg you to save his life.”
In his agitation, Kandryl took hold of Djaisiuk’s left arm that lay before him. Djaisiuk gasped and opened his eyes, and Jaeger leapt forward immediately. Kandryl quickly let go and glanced at Jaeger. The latter stopped, but looked at him cautiously. For a moment, the two regarded one another. Then Djaisiuk’s voice interrupted them.
“Yes,” said Djaisiuk softly.
Djaisiuk had not been ignoring Kandryl’s request; he had been thinking. What Kandryl had asked was, indeed, very nearly impossible, and it required a great deal of thinking and planning to judge whether even Djaisiuk himself could hope to accomplish it, particularly in the state in which he now found himself. Also, there was the question of whether he ought to do it. The consequences would be far reaching indeed. So many factors had to be considered.
With the great loss of blood that Djaisiuk had sustained from the tortures of the last two days, thinking was far more difficult than was normal for him. The transfusion he had received was helping, but he was still far from well. Even so, his mind was still the greatest that Komislava had ever known. And it had not failed him now.
Kandryl turned back to Djaisiuk and frowned uncertainly.
“You will do it?” he asked.
“Yes,” replied Djaisiuk.
“And will you swear to me that he will not be harmed?”
Djaisiuk was quiet for a moment. Before he could answer, footsteps were heard in the hall. A noise was then heard outside the door as someone attempted to open it. Knocking was heard, and this quickly changed to a pounding, and Eriane’s voice was heard outside, calling to Jaeger and Djaisiuk. The voice of at least one Vukasovian was heard, calling to the guards within the room. Jaeger started to move forward but stopped, looking to Djaisiuk for instruction.
Kandryl rose quickly to his feet but looked down again at Djaisiuk, waiting for an answer. Djaisiuk looked up and met Kandryl’s eyes.
“Yes,” he said simply.
“He’ll be waiting for you in the hall as you leave this room,” Kandryl whispered hurriedly to Djaisiuk. He then turned and walked swiftly out of the door at the back of the room.
Djaisiuk looked at Jaeger and gave the slightest nod. Jaeger then rushed forward to open the door.
“What happened? Are you both alright? Why did you seal the door?” asked Eriane as soon as the door was opened. He stopped in shock at the sight of the two soldiers lying motionless on the floor. “Jaeger, what did you do?”
“I didn’t do it this time,” answered Jaeger. “We had a . . . an unexpected visitor.”
The two remaining soldiers who had accompanied Eriane had apparently already sent for assistance, for the officer whom they had met earlier entered the room almost immediately with several more soldiers. He looked over the situation darkly.
“What happened here?” he demanded of the remaining soldiers.
The two soldiers explained that they had left the room with one of the Komislavian boys, leaving the other two guards with the remaining two Komislavians. They had returned to find the door sealed, and, once it was opened, they found that their companions were dead.
The officer stepped up to the medical table and looked from Jaeger to Djaisiuk.
“What happened here?” he asked again, directing the question this time to them.
“Kandryl decided to pay us a visit just after Eriane and the other three left,” said Jaeger matter-of-factly. “He came in here with his guns blazing and shot those two before I even realized that anyone had entered the room.”
Eriane looked up in shock. "Kandryl?!" he exclaimed. "He was here?"
“Are you certain that it was him?” the officer asked.
Jaeger gave a short laugh. “His is not a face that I’m likely to forget for a very long time.”
“Why did he kill them and not you?" continued the officer. “And where did he go? Do you know where he is now?”
“He said that he came to talk to Djaisiuk,” Jaeger shrugged. “They talked. He left. He did threaten to kill me, and I don't know why he didn't. I don’t know where he is now, and I really don’t care, as long as I never see him again.”
“Did you seal the door then when he left?”
“No, he sealed it when he entered; I would assume that it was so that he wouldn’t be disturbed. He left through the back door there, and I opened the front door when Eriane came back.”
The officer dispatched several of the soldiers through the back door indicated with instructions to find and apprehend Kandryl before he attempted any more mischief.
“He won’t evade us for long,” said the officer, turning back to Jaeger. “This base is large, but there are only so many places where he can hide. We’ll have him in custody within the hour.”
The officer then turned to Djaisiuk, asking Kandryl’s reasons for wanting to speak with him, but Djaisiuk would neither answer nor even look at the officer. This frustrated the officer at first, but Eriane quickly intervened, saying that Djaisiuk did not speak much under normal circumstances, and, as he had recently been under an extreme amount of physical and emotional duress, the officer mustn’t expect him to offer any sort of explanation on any subject at this time. He gave his opinion that if Djaisiuk knew anything about the whereabouts of Kandryl, he would surely have volunteered the information. Djaisiuk had little enough reason to like Kandryl, Eriane assured him, the latter having been the one directly responsible for Djaisiuk’s current condition. The officer had reluctantly acknowledged Eriane’s logic and had then ceased his questioning. He assigned all of the remaining soldiers to remain with the young Komislavians and to accompany them to their ship as soon as they were ready to move. He then went himself through the back door to follow the soldiers whom he had sent “in search of the traitor.”
Eriane had, by this time, examined Djaisiuk again quickly and assured himself that he, at least, had not received any further harm. He then became calm and very business-like. Eriane and the medic no longer argued with one another – indeed they scarcely spoke to each other at all. Eriane produced an anesthetic which he would then have given to Djaisiuk, but the latter shook his head and lifted his right hand to waive the drug away.
"Djaisiuk, this is only a simple anesthetic," said Eriane. "It will enable us to move you to the ship. You can't possibly want to be conscious when we do that; it would be unbelievably painful."
Djaisiuk did not answer, but neither did he lower his hand.
"Djaisiuk, please let me administer this," said Eriane.
Again, Djaisiuk shook his head.
Eriane looked at Jaeger and frowned questioningly. Jaeger merely shrugged. Eriane considered for a moment, then sighed.
"Djaisiuk, I'm going to have to overrule you on this," said Eriane at last. "You know that I can, when it comes to anything medical. I'm not going to have you moved without an anesthetic."
"Chair," rasped Djaisiuk.
"What?" asked Eriane.
Djaisiuk swallowed painfully and repeated, "Invalid's chair."
"Absolutely not!" exclaimed Eriane. "Djaisiuk, I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm not going to allow it."
"He's insane," said the Vukasovian medic scornfully. "I've seen it happen many times. With the tortures they used on him, it's almost to be expected."
Eriane frowned at this, but he did not answer. He turned instead to Djaisiuk. "Whatever you want can be done once we're on the ship and these wounds have been treated," he said. "In the meantime, seeing the condition that you're in, I'm taking charge."
"Jaeger," said Djaisiuk in a strained voice.
Jaeger stepped up to the bed again, and Djaisiuk looked at him with what was -- for him -- an almost pleading expression.
"Djaisiuk, I don't know what you want me to do," said Jaeger.
In response, Djaisiuk lifted his right hand, reaching toward Jaeger. Jaeger accepted the hand, still looking confused, and Djaisiuk pulled as if trying to raise himself.
"Stop!" exclaimed Eriane in horror, taking hold of Djaisiuk's shoulder to hold him down. "Djaisiuk, stop! What are you doing?!"
The medic shook his head. "He's insane."
"Djaisiuk, please; tell me what is so important," pleaded Eriane.
Djaisiuk lay back again, breathing a little heavily with his recent exertion, and shook his head.
Jaeger swallowed. "Eriane, I think that he'd rather walk to the ship than have you give him that anesthetic."
Eriane licked his lips uncertainly and looked from Jaeger to Djaisiuk. The medic sighed in disgust and murmured something about "stupid Komislavians." This rankled Eriane, but he bit his tongue, took a breath, and nodded.
"Alright, Djaisiuk," he said. "I'll trust you, if you're sure that this is what you want."
Djaisiuk opened his eyes, looked up at Eriane, and whispered, "Thank you."
Eriane's eyes widened in shock. He glanced up at Jaeger and saw that he was just as surprised. This must be something important indeed, if Djaisiuk would speak unnecessarily for it. With another nod, Eriane turned to send for an invalid's chair.
With the medic’s help, Eriane carefully fitted Djaisiuk’s leg with a metal brace that would keep it from moving or causing further damage when he was moved. Eriane had ruefully to admit to himself that it was hardly possible to cause any more damage to the leg than had already been caused. Even so, movement of any kind would be excruciating, and, with Djaisiuk wishing to remain conscious, it was best, he reasoned, to keep it as still as possible until he was aboard the ship. This done, they then fitted a similar but smaller brace onto his left arm. Once they had finished their preparations, Eriane and Jaeger carefully transferred Djaisiuk to the invalid’s chair. This was a chair on soft wheels whose power was controlled by the occupant. There was an addition in the front which Eriane raised on which Djaisiuk’s right leg could lie, so that it would not have to be bent.
As soon as all was made ready, the three left the room, Jaeger walking on Djaisiuk’s left side and Eriane on his right. The soldiers walked with them, some in front and some behind. The medic left to return to wherever it was from whence he had been summoned. They had not gone far when they saw Kiacyl, standing to one side of the hall, watching them. Eriane opened his mouth to say something, but stopped as Djaisiuk extended his right hand towards Kiacyl and beckoned him to follow. Eriane and Jaeger exchanged silent glances of confusion, but asked no questions. The soldiers made no attempt to hinder Kiacyl, so he walked with them, a large silent group, down the halls and to the docks.
No comments:
Post a Comment