Emperors Space Station: Orbiting Tarra.
The old Zargozian looked at the charts displayed by the terminal, also looking intently was a very young one as well. She seemed to be doing all the talking to Afain's amazement.
Cleo was hovering above Afain taking readings and trying to make sense of what was going on in within Afain's body. But since it was not a physician and had only a partial data base on certain subjects it was almost impossible to come to a conclusion as to what was going on.
The two Zargozians approached her. Kira was absent and had been told to wait outside, she wished that she was here now though.
"Oh my!" The older one said as she felt Afain's abdomen.
The little one did the same, "You're right Tolare." She was smiling, too much so for Afain.
At this point Afain began to panic. "What is it? Is something wrong?" She didn't want to hear that anything was wrong with her hatchling, "Don't just stand there do something, you're physicians!!!!!!!"
Tolare spoke trying to allay Afain's fears, "Do not fret young one, it's just that we are witness to something that hasn't happened in years."
"What tell me! Is my hatchling ok?"
"Oh they are fine. In fact they are doing well." Tolare said in a comforting tone.
Afain was totally confused and upset, "Ok, if someone doesn't tell me what's happening I'm going to scream."
Shearah saw Afain's elevated state and stepped in to ease her discomfort. "Your hatchling split into two."
Afain's eyes opened wider than she thought possible, "What!! That's not possible!"
Shearah sighed, "Yes young one it is and has happened many times before but not as of late. You and your mate are both morphers are you not?"
"Yes." She didn't know why but there was something different about this young Zargozian.
"It is more common when both parents are."
This was something that Afain had never heard of; she wasn't a physician. She wasn't sure if she should be relieved or worried.
"You have seen this before?…I'm worried."
"They are fine……ah….???"
"Historian #1 Afain." She assumed that the young Zargozian was perhaps a prodigy and that the older one Tolare was her tutor. "Are you a phzar "?
Shearah chuckled, "No….I'm….mmrrfpphh" Tolare had intervened and clamped her paw around Shearah's muzzle.
"Historian #1 Afain, I need to speak with my friend here for a moment." She dragged Shearah out of hearing range and into another part of the room. Which was a monumental task considering her age. She gently let go of Shearah's muzzle. As soon as it was released Shearah took a deep breath.
"Tolare what is the meaning of…?"
Tolare put up her finger to silence Shearah, "I'm sorry, but I have to inform you. The Historian is the one responsible for your rejuvenation. I remember the name the Emperor told me, it's her."
"Are you sure??"
"I am but I'm not sure she knows……the process has not been attempted in years. I'm sure she wasn't even born when the last time this was tried." She began to pace the room, "I think it's best for this first meeting that we not tell her. But…."
"But what…."
Tolare sat down on a chair, a look of great concern flowed over her face. "I was going to wait to tell you." She sighed.
Shearah looked overwhelmed, "You're not ill?"
She shook her head, "No but the Emperor has ordered that I undergo the rejuvenation process as well."
Shearah's eyes lit up, "Really!!"
"Yes but…" Tolare's eyes began to water and she began to shake.
Shearah was quick to comfort her, "Tolare, what is wrong? This is a fantastic opportunity."
She found it hard to compose herself, "I'm not a good candidate for this. Like you I'm very old and ……..well they weren't even sure it was possible. I went over the figures and theories myself and with all that knowledge it still puzzled me. There is a good chance I will not survive the procedure." She looked into Shearah's eyes, the love was still there, she could see it. "With you so happy with your new found youthfulness……I don't want to leave you alone." She sobbed heavily in Shearah's arms.
Shearah had not thought of this…..she too did not want to leave Tolare's side. The love between them still flowed, "I won't let it happen, I'll be there by your side Tolare in every step of the way."
"I knew you would." For the first time in a long time she kissed the other and it was like the first time, wonderful.
England: Ti Kent's Residence
Late Evening.
Again Ti's slumber was interrupted but to a pain like no other, agonizing and sharp. She screamed for her mother but she was too far away to hear her daughter's cries. The talk she had with her had calmed her down to allow her to sleep but now sleep was far from her mind. She swallowed hard and stopped knowing it wouldn't do her any good. As she moved the pain ran down her right arm. It was the arm that Mother had severely lacerated and had caused a great infection in it. The doctors were able to get it under control but it had never been the same after that. She had felt twinges and slight tremors in the arm itself, ever since that fateful day.
In many ways she regretted tackling Mother but she had made up her mind to try and stop her, she didn't know that Mother would turn and attack so viciously. She had almost died and at that time, she felt that she should have. She let everyone down, she should have been able to defend herself better but that hadn't happened and she had barely escaped the grim reaper's scythe. The wounds were still there; she knew each one, where it was and how deeply it had penetrated her being. Each one hurt but she showed no emotion when out so no one could tell the difference. She took pain killers constantly, which subdued her torture but only slightly. Her thick black and white fur covered the scars but it didn't hide them from her. But now something entirely new was terribly wrong.
She staggered to the wall and flicked on the light switch, she was having trouble with her vision; it had to be shock she thought. She looked at where the pain was originating and her stomach turned, her arm was offset; not a lot but it was obviously broken. Her stomach let go and she fell to her knees in agony. She struggled, crawling through the mess that now covered the floor to her bedside phone. Now all she had to do was to remember his number. Her mind was awash with figures of all sorts but finally she was able to isolate the one she needed. It was torture to get the numbers pressed but finally it connected and began to ring on the other end.
The phone rang and it woke Richard up out of a lovely sleep. He sighed and gently rolled over to answer it. His tail wrapped around his leg, bunching up the sheets. He growled softly to himself, he hated when that happened. He gently took the receiver off its cradle.
"Hello." He heard heavy breathing then Ti's voice came through shakily.
"Help Richard."
His eyes opened wide as he threw off the covers. "Ti ……LOVE!!!!"
"I need help Richard, please come."
He heard the terror in her voice, "I'm coming Ti……hold on…..Love I'm calling the ambulance…" Her breath was heavy and he was sure she wasn't going to argue.
"Hurry."
He wished he could fly at the moment as he heard the phone drop and Ti scream. His heart raced for he had never heard such agony in a scream before. He only hoped he would make it there in time. He didn't like to hang up on her in her time of need but he had to call the hospital for the ambulance. His paws shook as he pushed the buttons.
The Emperor's Space Station: Orbiting Tarra.
They broke apart eventually, but they still had watery eyes.
"We are a good pair." Tolare said wiping away her tears.
"I know, I never gave up the hope you would return." Shearah took Tolare's paw and held it gently. Her fingers were thin, a subtle reminder of her true age.
"I didn't think you would, but remember we had that talk Shearah; I felt I had a different destiny."
"I know you did, I felt your needs but how about now?? Has life fulfilled itself for you?"
She hung her head; she had indeed found what she needed in her life a long time ago but in her heart she felt a black place. She had thought about returning to Shearah but she had read at the time she was at the peak of her career in teaching. No time for love, a family….so she had left the system and started a clinic on one of the far colonies. It was a demanding time and she enjoyed and hated that place. In time she forgot about her dreams and traveled the path of loneliness; so much for her destiny. Now it seemed she had another chance at life…a life with Shearah who with love in her eyes still reveled in her company. Maybe just maybe this was her intended destiny.
"It has my love." She stroked the young face. "I want to be by your side forever more."
Those are the words Shearah wanted to hear, "But first I think we should comfort the young one next door…don't you think?"
A look of shock came over Tolare's face, "Yes my love, yes I forgot about her. Our sudden departure must have her worried." They returned to Afain who was using a computer pad.
"Oh you're back."
"I apologize for our sudden departure." Tolare said sincerely. "We want to reassure you that you are in no danger and that your hatchlings are fine."
Afain looked suspiciously at the two Zargozians, they were quite the pair. One as ancient as almost one could get and a child who seemed to know more than she let on. "I've had Cleo research my condition. There have been only 24 cases of this in the last 200 years. There is something you are not telling me."
Tolare hung her head then looked at Afain, "We did not want to alarm you, the process of division of a hatchling is complex process that can effect the bearer. You see your body tried to reabsorb the dividing hatchlings because it detects them as abnormal yet their hormones remain at normal levels. You got brunt of their…..fight so to say. The condition is so rare that physicians trained today are not able to recognize the symptoms." Afains face lacked all expression. Tolare took her paw, "There is no need to worry now, everything is all right. Now you can see why we are so excited, it is a rare opportunity to see this happening."
"But why me….I have enough problems as it is." Afain allowed Cleo to reform back to a sphere to the fascination of the two Zargozians. "It's a guardian….I think that's what the term is for them; the Emperor gave me this one. I call it Cleo."
"Ah…" Tolare said. "I have heard of them but I haven't seen one close up. Can it monitor your vital functions?"
"Cleo?"
"I can monitor any of Afain's bodily functions, is there something specific I should be looking for?"
Shearah was overjoyed because it was just what they needed. "Yes there is Cleo, if we might talk for a bit I can update your data base with the information necessary to keep Historian #1 Afain and her hatchlings healthy."
Shearah and Cleo moved off to a console and began talking.
Tolare took this as an opportunity to talk with Afain. "So have you been a bearer before?"
"No this will be my first, it's weird." Afain said rubbing her tummy.
"I know, I have heard that from many a bearer."
"What about you?"
Tolare sighed, "No Historian #1 Afain I have not, time never permitted me the luxury."
"I don't know if I could recommend it, due to what's happened to me lately but in the end a new life will be worth it." She laughed, "Two new lives I guess now."
"I'm sure your family unit will be pleased to hear the news."
"Well you're looking at it right now."
"Oh…"
"I've been a loner most of my life, I had one relationship that went astray. Although I see there might be hope in rekindling it."
"Ah…that is good to hear."
"Think we can call her in now?"
"I don't think there is a problem with that. Oh, her name?"
"Kira."
Tolare nodded.
Kira entered and quickly went to Afain's side, "Are you ok, what's going on?" She took Afain's paw.
"Well looks like our one has become two."
"What?" Kira said astonished.
"Our Hatchling split in two."
"Really….oh….are they ok?"
"The physicians think so, but I am going to have to be monitored."
"Well I'm glad you're ok….ah you are ok?"
"I'm fine Kira, just tired but relieved to know what happened to me."
"Then I'm glad too." She moved in closer and rubbed her face against Afain's. She breathed a sigh of relief that no real harm had come to her.
England: Local Hospital
Early Morning.
Richard was approached by a large brown bear who he assumed to be the doctor on call. The large bear doctor approached Richard Conrad. "Hello, you're the fur who brought Miss Kent in?"
"Yes, that's me." He put out his paw and the doctor shook it. "Nice to meet you, do you know anything about Ti?"
"Not a lot Mr. Conrad but we have made her comfortable."
"What happened?"
"That's what I would like to know, her arm was broken in 3 places and severely fractured in others."
"Oh no…"
"We have managed to put it back together, but it's going to take a long time to heal. We're going to do a bone density test tomorrow to see how strong and what condition her bones are in. This is highly unusual to see such damage in someone so muscular. Usually someone of this size is quite healthy. Miss Kent's bones in that particular area are extremely brittle and they shouldn't be."
"So what's been done for her?"
"Well the breaks in the bones were partial they hadn't separated. (huh? If they were offset enough to see then they would have to be separated) We reset them and applied a new form of ….sounds strange but glue to the bones. It's really a remarkable substance, saves us from drilling and causing more damage than we have to. We have placed a cast on the arm. It looks quite monstrous on her but we don't want it to move. A smaller cast will be put on in a couple of days."
"That's good, you said she is comfortable?"
"We gave her a sedative."
"Oh….I better warn you, medication for Ti seems to last about half or even less than it should."
"Oh yes I saw the note in her chart from the states, we have given her an IV to help control that, she should sleep through the night."
"That's good."
"Mr. Conrad, are you a relative?"
"I'm her fiancé."
"Ok…Mr. Conrad there is one other test we are doing on Miss. Kent. There is a disease that affects the bones much like what has happened here. It spreads slowly and continues to destroy as it flows through the body."
Richards's face turned to one of horror. "You think she has this disease?"
"We don't know but if she does we will have to amputate her arm at the elbow to prevent further spread of the disease." Richard was stunned, this wasn't happening. "I'm sorry Mr. Conrad." The doctor put his paw on Richards's shoulder giving him some emotional support.
End Of Chapter 7
"No bones about it two hatchlings are better than one."
"Hey bro, slide me some skin… oh ick"