After some feedback, I decided I needed to rewrite this chapter. This is the "fixed" version. The first half is the same, the second half has been entirely redone, though the ultimate conclusion is nearly identical how we get there is much better I believe.
5/8/1100
At some point, I actually thought that James and I would never reach Victoria. It just seemed like there was an endless parade of obstacles and sidetracking, to the point where I was certain we’d end up in Sargon or Bolivar instead of Londinium. However, after what felt like ages, but was only a day or two extra after we departed Siracusa, we landed in Londinium.
I actually hadn’t been to Londinium before. While I was involved in the Crisis several years back, my role was back on the Landship, treating incoming casualties, not deployed as a field operative. My recollection of the Crisis is an endless series of bloody wounds and broken bodies, as I worked for weeks on end to try to save as many lives as possible.
What we found was a massive, sprawling series of city plates that seemed to stretch on kilometers. This was larger than even the Lungmen city plates, which was the biggest metropolis I had ever seen, mobile city or otherwise.
I described what I saw to James, and asked aloud, “Just how many people live here?”
“Five point eight million, approximately. The population dropped by over a million during the Crisis,” Doktah supplied.
“Damn, that is a big city. And the whole thing moves? What about the cannons? Are those still there?” James asked, his blind eyes darting about, but mostly staring at the fuselage instead of the window.
“The walls are mostly intact, and I can see gun emplacements. We’re flying over one now,” I told him. Indeed, the massive cannons looked like they could almost fire a smaller landship themselves.
Almost six million souls, though…that would make Londinium twice as large as any city in Siracusa. The only places that would rival it would be in Yan or Ursus, not even Leithanien has a single city with that many people. No wonder Victoria was able to colonize so much of the world and put Gaul to the sword. And that was after the population dropped by more than that of Palermo.
“And it seems they’re all waitin for us,” Emperor said, his own beak pressed against a window. “That’s a pretty big reception party waitin’ at the landing pad.”
As we swooped in, I could see that there were indeed a number of people waiting for us on the landing pad. James looked nervous, so I fussed over him a bit once we touched down, getting him in his chair, adjusting his glasses to hide his eyes, and smoothing his admittedly rumpled lab coat.
“Really not right I’m making my pregnant wife push my wheelchair,” James muttered. That made my tail wag, though I did my best to huff.
“I’m not even a month along yet, and we’re not married either,” I huffed, though I was also grinning like an idiot. I would be Mrs. McCoy before too long. Well, the other Dr. McCoy. He could still be Bones. I was not being Mrs. Bones. There were far too many lewd jokes that could come from that, none of them funny.
The ramp lowered, and Texas took point along with Rosmontis. Doktah and Skalter (a name James had given this new Skadi that seemed to fit) came next, and I had started to wheel him down when I just about jumped out of my fur as a full military band began to play. James gripped his wheelchair, face white, head whipping about. He could not, of course, see the band, as none of them would be infected.
“It’s just a little pomp and circumstance,” I whispered in his ear. “Apparently, Siege is rolling out the red carpet for us.”
I meant that literally, as there was indeed a large red carpet at the edge of the landing pad.
“Huh, that is ‘Pomp and Circumstance’, now that you mentioned it,” James whispered back as I took stock of who was waiting for us. I could see Siege, or rather, Vina Victoria, in her formal garb as speaker, along with Indra, Morgan, and Dagda, with plenty of other important Victoria officials. I also saw a large Taran contingent, with Loughshinny Dublinn, better known to me as Reed, at the forefront with Harmonie and the Duke of Wellington. The Victorians were on our right, and the Tarans on our left, with a clear separation between both groups.
I also saw Hildegard and her Leithanien contingent off to the side, which made me more than slightly nervous. This was a lot of very important heads of state coming together in Londinium. I knew that James was providing the cure for Oripathy, and that the Doktah had a plan for all this, but…I felt very small. I only had a few more years of experience as a doctor than James did, and I’d spent nearly all of it treating patients on Rhodes Island, not dealing with international politics.
And yet…here I am, pushing the Savior on his wheelchair as a band plays…what had James called it? Pomp and Circumstance? That probably was the name of an Earthling song, but it sounded about right.
Oh, grandmother’s fluffy tail. Now I’m calling James the Savior in my head! Don’t let him ever read this, I’ll never hear the end of it.
Doktah walked out from, hands in the pockets of his coat as always, though he had Skalter clinging to his arm. She had that besotted look while she grinned up at him, the sort that only very silly girls in love have when they’re gazing at the man they’re fond of.
“I don’t look at James like that, do I?” I whispered to Ingrid, who had fallen in beside me.
“Only when you can see him,” she said with a straight face, which made me glare at her. I was not some love-sick girl! I was a professional doctor!
“Do not pout so. I look at my husband the same way. It is a natural part of being in love. Especially when it is still fresh.
“I can hear you both, you know,” James said as we neared the dignitaries, not bothering to keep his voice down, even if the band probably covered it.
I thought of something choice to say, but right at that moment, the conductor waved his baton and the band fell silent. Vina and Loughshinny stepped forward in unison, with Hildegard moving to stand alongside them. All three queens regarded the Doktah, who nodded to them.
“Reed. Siege. Hilda. Good to see you all again,” Doktah said, nodding to each. “This is my wife, Skadi. Call her Skalter. We’re on our honeymoon. It’s a working holiday, but I figure I can show her the sights, and that curry place you took us to last time we visited, Siege.”
All three women blinked at the Doktah for a moment, completely taken off guard by the apparently inane remarks. Reed was the first to recover, smiling and taking Skalter’s hands. “I never thought I would see the day. I had long known you carried a torch for the Doktah, Skadi of Aegir, but I had not thought to hear this happy news so soon. Congratulations.”
“Ah, yes, I recall meeting you with this body, once, long ago,” Skalter said in her somewhat absent drawl. “That was before I was reunited with my true self under the waves. Yes, it was that form’s longing that allowed us to be reunited, and for me to claim my beloved.”
Hearing Skalter speak, Hildegard narrowed her eyes, then reeled back in horror. “Bei Ottos Eiern! Das ist ein Seaborn! Gesetzeswächter, zu den Waffen!”
Let it not be said that the Leithanien’s are unprepared. On hearing the word “Seaborn,” the Royal Guard immediately charged, swords drawn, arts flying. Hildegard wasn’t waiting around either: She charged Skalter and the Doktah, swinging a great zweihander in a mighty overhand blow that cracked the concrete under Skalter’s feet as she casually caught the sword one-handed, then flicked Hildegard with a tentacle that sent her flying back into a sousaphone with a comical whump.
Vina had her sword out, a dozen giant beasts with tawny fur and great means appearing about her. Reed and created a massive barrier of flames, as the Victorians and the Tarans both closed ranks and drew weapons, the crowd suddenly screaming in panic.
YOU DARE THREATEN MY BELOVED! Skalter rumbled, rising up on a mass of tentacles as an eerie song began to play, the air distorting around her. THE WAVES OF MY WRATH SHALL DROWN YOU ALL, AS I-
“Uh? Honey? Remember that talk we had about not killing all the landwellers, or assimilating them all?” the Doktah’s voice shouted, rising above the tumult.
Skalter paused, as did the assembled troops. She slowly lowered herself back down, her song fading. “But, Beloved, they, they would harm us!” she protested, looking rather petulant.
“Yes, but if you do things like that, how are we supposed to have our honeymoon in Londinium? I did promise to take you to that curry place,” Doktah said. They leaned towards Vina and said in a conspiratorial stage whisper, “She loves curry. Spicy food in general, actually. I told her, Londinium has the best curry.”
“I…Doktah, are you, you know…well?” Vina managed, looking both confused and a bit exasperated.
Doktah’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I’m trying. I…you know Kal’tsit is dead? She…she was like a daughter to me. We had just…well. We finally saw eye to eye. And then…this. I feel responsible, you know?”
“And so you made a pact with the Sea Terrors!?” Hildegard hissed, black lightning crackling on her fingers, her posture still on guard.
Doktah straightened up, and put an arm around Skadi, who stopped sulking and melted into her…husband? Let’s go with that. They raised a hand, and the crowd quieted. “Yes. I made a pact with the Seaborn. More specifically, with the Bio-Autonomous Terraforming Network. Which was a Precursor project to transform the very hostile Terran seas into something more hospitable to human life, and as a competing initiative to Project Originium. The primary project I spearheaded in my past life as the Oracle, though I was a Director with the Bio-Autonomous Terraforming Network project as well.”
“You sure you should be blabbin’ about all this, Hoss?” Emperor grunted, having waddled up beside Doktah.
“The time for secrets is past,” Doktah said quietly. “All the pieces we have are in play. Either we make the winning move, or we forfeit this world. And I am not willing to leave any potential asset unutilized in this final battle.”
“But, the Seaborn…they are the enemy of all life on land,” Hildegard said, still wary, but lowering her hand slightly. “They caused the Profound Silence sixty years ago. They are terrifyingly powerful. Even Aegir fears them, and I have strong reason to believe it is not as legendary as we might suppose.”
“Mmm, yes, this body was of Aegir, once. I was an Abyssal Hunter, I believe,” Skalter mused aloud, and everyone’s gazes and weapons shifted towards her. “But this body was made of flesh stolen from true form within the Arbor. We have reunited into a single being.”
“The Arbor!? Doktah, this is- A Firstborn!? This is Ishar-mla!? Are you MAD!?” Hildegard hissed, her face even paler than usual.
“By your standards? Probably,” Doktah said, shrugging slightly. “But what is a Firstborn?”
“Ancient beings of incredible power,” Reed said, her flames still burning in her hands, eyes locked on Skadi. “The leader of the Seaborn. Ishar-mla is said to be a great sea-dragon, long as the world. He is called the Corrupting Heart, and he-”
“She,” Skalter corrected.
Reed paused, eyeing Skalter dubiously. “I’m sorry?”
“Yes, when I was Ishar-mla, I was male,” Skalter said, closing her eyes and smiling slightly. “But I have abandoned that form, and I am Ishar-mla, the Great Migration, no longer. I have found my home. For it is with my beloved. I will search for a place to belong no more. So it shall be for my children, my people. They shall settle in the sea, becoming the Many Who Were One, instead of the One That is Many. We shall be as the Aegir, as you land dwellers. For this is the only way that we may know love, and belonging.”
“I…beg pardon, Miss…Skalter?”
“Mrs,” Skalter corrected again, grinning and opening her eyes until they were half lidded. “I am married, after all.”
Hildegard regarded them both for a moment, snorted, and raised her open hand and waved it. Reluctantly, the Gesetzeswächter stood down, though they still looked suspicious. “That is not a Seaborn, or even a Church of the Deep Bishop or Cultist. Though she is still a Feramut. A mad god, yes, but not an Enemy of All that Breathe. This is not the conversation I thought we would be having this day. Wasn’t there supposed to be something about curing oripathy?”
Eyes shifted from Skalter, who was sighing and rubbing her cheek against Doktah again, to James and myself.
“In fairness,” James said, apparently sensing everyone was looking at him now. “I about pissed my pants when I realized I was on a plane with a Seaborn Firstborn. So it’s a valid crashout.”
“This is the Savior? I thought he’d be taller,” Vina laughed, which broke a bit of the tension.
“I would be if I could stand up, but I’m a little tired, your Majesty, so you’ll have to forgive me sitting,” James said.
Vina made a face, and her companions groaned. “I’m no queen. Just the Lord Protector and Speaker.
James cocked his head to one side. “Really? Because you had that whole Saber Alter vibe going on, what with you being a genderbent King Arthur and all…”
“Ignore him,” I told Vina. “He is a very good doctor, but the oripathy, it has damaged his mind.”
“He is not too damaged to teach us the cure, I hope,” a strange voice said, and a unicorn woman stepped up next to Vina, her eyes narrowed at James.
“I can do it right now, if you’ve got some Elders handy,” James said. “I can only see Reed though. I’ve only got Oripathy Vision left. So I’ll have to infect anyone who wants to learn the cure.”
That got a lot of whispers, though no screams like Skalter had.
“The cure requires infection?” Vina asked, glancing at the various Elders she had around her.
Reed, however, nodded in understanding. “It requires sacrifice. Just as my flames do. I have heard you take the oripathy of others upon yourself, then burn it away. So, you can also give it to others?”
“Only half,” the Doktah said. “Elders can learn how to burn Originium in exchange for powerful arts. They will be able to cure their own oripathy, but also to teach ancients how to burn originium, provided they too can learn healing arts. As with all arts, not everyone can learn this, but it is at least a cure for some. Amiya has the other half of the cure, but we’ll explain more of that later. For now, we need to teach as many as possible how to burn Originium, in order to combat the threat that’s growing in Laterano.”
“Half?” the Unicorn said, stepping forward and glancing at Emperor.
“I ain’t tellin’ you shit, hornface. What are you even goin’ by these days? Still Eartha?” Emperor snorted.
“Clovisia,” the unicorn said, with a slight frown.
“You won’t be able to cure oripathy,” James repeated. “But, you’ll be able to heal anything short of death. Once you get the other half, you’ll be able to work together to cure oripathy.”
“And for what reason do you not give us this second gift?” Reed asked, her voice soft as usual, but fire smoldering in her eyes.
“It’s only for the original children of Terra. Those who defied the Precursors, and brought their curse down on their heads,” Doktah said. “The children of Old Earth cannot learn such arts.”
That was confusing to me, as James himself was an Earthling, right? There was a lot of this I didn’t understand, but it seemed that the Doktah did, and had a plan.
“My casters are willing to become Infected to learn these arts,” Hildegard said, nodding her head. “I myself will become Infected if it means I have a chance at saving my sister using these arts. All for the Die Stimmen Leithanien.”
“I am willing to bear this burden as well. My fire burns for the healing of all,” Reed agreed.
Vina nodded in agreement. “I myself am Infected already, though I do not know if being an aslan counts for the purposes of these arts. We are not usually counted as an Elder race.”
“I mean you’re named after Lion Jesus, it should count for something,” James said, prompting another sigh from me.
“We do this properly,” I said, glaring around at the overeager lunatics. “In a medical facility, not out here. You can have the cameras and reporters outside of the OR. But we run this as the medical procedure it is, not a media circus.”
Thankfully, everyone listened to good sense for once, and we were taken to a series of large vans. They even had one that had a wheelchair lift for James, for which I was very grateful for Vina’s foresight. James and I were put in a car with Texas, Sora, Ingrid, Murmura, and Lisa, for which I was grateful. I did feel somewhat safer in Londinium than in Siracusa, strange as that may sound, but I don’t know that I will ever feel truly safe anyway again. As such, Texas and Ingrid being there was quite the balm. They may not be the deadliest of James’ guardians, but they are the two I get along with best.
Much as I try, Red and Rosmontis, while sweet girls, are rather unnerving.
“This is it, isn’t it?” James asked as we sped along towards the hospital. He looked down at one of his hands, ravaged by originium, scared by crystals, and trembling visibly even now. “After this…not only am I not special anymore…but the cure is out in the wild. I’m not needed anymore.”
“Don’t say that!” I immediately protested. “You’re still the one responsible for the cure! Without your sacrifices, none of this would be possible!”
James chuckled and shook his head. “I didn’t mean that like it was a bad thing, Lucia. I mean…I can rest. Sure, maybe I do cure a few more people, eventually. But…it’s not on me, anymore. I just go back to being a resident…wherever the next Rhodes Island pops up. Me and you…we can just practice medicine. Shoot, maybe we open a small clinic in Palermo and you can see your sister more often.
“This adventure was too scary,” Murmura opined. “I thought it would be more fun. Instead, it was just scary and I didn’t get to eat very much or play.”
“It’s a lot like my adventure in Wolumonde,” Lisa agreed with a nod. “That was not a very fun adventure, until later. It was also very scary! Until I learned that Mudrock-san is not as scary as she looks.”
“Adventures do be like that,” James agreed tiredly. “I’ve only had…well, the last three months have been an adventure, but I think I’m all adventured out for the rest of my life, thank you.”
“Ah, but you can go so many new places, and meet so many new people on an adventure,” Ingrid laughed. “Without adventure, how would we find love?”
“Preferably at a nice quiet mixer,” I muttered, then blushed. That was certainly not how I’d ever met any of my boyfriends, and especially not James. Would I even have given him a second look if we’d not met as we had? Yes, he was tall and handsome, but he wasn’t a vulpo, and he is, well, at times…a bit of a blabbermouth idiot.
But he is also kind, brave, gentle, and patient to a fault. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who was so willing to give of themselves to others, even those they had never met before. He can’t even use the excuse he knew us from a video game. I’ve been able to suss out that Andry very definitely wasn’t a character in this Ark Soldiers or whatever it is called, and that James just saw a sick child and couldn’t help himself.
“I wouldn’t mind a few quiet mixers with you,” James told me, taking my hand with his left and squeezing gently. “How does a quiet retirement sound?”
“We’re too young to retire,” I sniffed, then smiled and kissed him. “But a quiet life with you sounds perfect.”
We arrived at the hospital, and all the staff turned out to greet us. There was a whirlwind of introductions, from the Victorian Minister of Health, to the head of the hospital to several senior physicians from all three nations present, and on and on. Several people felt the need to make speeches, and a fight nearly broke out when the Duke of Wellignton mentioned that this would “cement Taran independence”.
Doktah made a few jokes and remarks, and everyone quieted down. I think Skalter glaring at anyone who tried to gainsay her beloved helped. It turns out that having a Seaborn god, or whatever it is Skadi is, on your side is a rather strong bargaining chip. People weren’t utterly terrified of her at the moment, but everyone was cautious around her.
Then, James, Reed, Clovis, and a. Dr. Albrecht Hasenkranz, went to the OR with myself and the Doktah. I had not met Dr. Hasenkranz before, but he was a Wolpertinger, and I had read their paper, Hematological Treatments and Their Application to Originium Toxicity Mitigation, which had been a very insightful look at blood treatments for treating oripathy.
“Well, how shall we proceed?” Reed asked. They had drawn lots, and Reed would be the first to undergo the procedure. They hadn’t been made to change into hospital gowns, but they were dressed in lab coats.
“It’s pretty easy, actually. We’ve recently discovered a trick where you don’t even have to watch me heal someone. Hold out your hand,” James said.
Reed did so, and James inserted a small sliver of Originium into Reed. She gasped, eyes going wide. “It burns! I can feel the flame within me! This fire, it is a familiar one, and yet, one I have not felt before! It is as though the primordial flame itself has kindled within me!”
Reed stepped back, flames playing on her fingers, and Clovis stepped forward next. She shoved her hand into James’, watching him suspiciously. “This is for the good of Victoria.”
“Sure, and the rest of humanity, too,” James said, and put a splinter into the unicorn.
She gasped and shivered, convulsing slightly. “I…I can see it all! So much…so much information, I…it’s open to me, now. All of life…the body…what couldn’t I do with this?”
“Hopefully, not more war crimes,” James said dryly.
Clovis shook her head, her lips thinning. “Hmm. I will have to think on this. But, as promised, I will pass this gift on to the people of Victoria.”
Last was Dr. Hasenkranz, who wept when the shard was put into his hand. “The music! I can hear the music now! It was always there, in the crystal, in the air, but now…now I can hear it! Yes, this song, it must be shared with everyone!”
Then, the three split up. I followed Reed with James in the wheelchair, as she went to an OR with Taran doctors, and a variety of sick and wounded Tarans.
“Let this light show you the way, that your flame may bring warmth to all the people,” Reed said, and demonstrated her own twist on James’ healing arts. Her healing arts burned away disease, corruption, and sickness, but they were just as effective as other methods.
All the doctors there were able to mimic James’s art. It went exactly as we had hoped. A miracle.
Before long, James had taught a dozen other doctors how to use the healing arts. Doc, who had sprouted wings in his hair after what Skalter had done to him, also showed several groups how to use the arts, though quietly. Ash and Tauchanka had been dispatched elsewhere: Ash to Columbia, Tauchanka to Lungmen. Doc would shortly be going to Sargon. The cure would spread, especially once the Sarkaz began to do their own work.
“We’ve done it,” I said, tears in my eyes as I hugged the tired James. “I’m so proud of you.”
After the tears and congratulations, there was, of course, a grand ceremony and banquet with all of the assembled dignitaries. We were driven to the Sineselde in the vans, where there was an absolute circus waiting for us. I changed into a red velvet gown, while I had to help James into a charcoal suit. It wasn’t nearly as nice as the Siracusan one Texas had gotten for him, Londinium tailors are fine, I’m sure, but they do not have the true artistry of a Siracusan.
“You look amazing,” James told me, grinning dopily as I adjusted his cravat.
I rolled my eyes at him. “James, you’re blind. You’ve told me you can’t even see my clothing.”
“Yeah, but you told me this was a low-cut ballgown, and I know you look sexy in red, so I’m imagining something very lewd. Dynamic 6★ outfit, one-hundred percent.”
I blushed at that and sniffed, but my wagging tail probably gave me away. James gave me a kiss, and we lingered in the changing room for a moment. Not pawing at each other, but just holding one another, enjoying one another’s company.
“We really did it,” James whispered. “The cure is out there. Guess all that’s left is for you to write the papers on it, huh?”
“Not on my own. You’ll be coauthoring them,” I told him, but the prospect of getting to write up On the Cure for Originium Using Advanced Medical Arts and Originium Absorbtion did have my pulse racing.
After that, we stepped outside, Texas and Sora waiting for us. Texas was dressed in a suit herself, while Sora had on a black cocktail dress and high heels.
“You look great, Lucia! And very dapper, James,” Sora said, smiling at us.
“Thanks,” James said as I helped him back into his wheelchair. “Feels like we’ve made it, you know? I guess there’s still Priestess to worry about, but Doktah’s going to recruit some new friends, then smash her with a grand plan, right?”
“I’m sure,” Texas said with a nod, though she didn’t sound convinced.
We made our way out to the ballroom, where there were plenty of snacks, and a full 81-piece orchestra. There were a few couples dancing, but Texas stuck to us, and Sora seemed happy to stick to her. Red and Rosmontis trailed us at a respectful distance, but they were vigilant as well. Rosmontis had changed into a flattering dress, and to my shock, so had Red. I could see Ingrid’s hand in their choice of clothing and tasteful jewelry, though apparently even Ingrid hadn’t been able to convince them not to wear running shoes. Which, well, made sense. They were here as bodyguards.
Speaking of, I saw Ingrid in a suit and tie herself, along with Lisa and Murmura, who were chattering with one another excitedly. They waved to us, but were more interested in the snacks and fizzy drinks than anything else.
“Well, well, well, look what the fang beast dragged in! Lucia! I thought you’d take better care of your resident! He looks like six kilometers of bad road!”
I gasped and whirled about to see none other than Gavial standing there and grinning at me. She too had traded in her combat armor for a ball gown, and had her hair done up in a fancy bun instead of warrior’s braids. At her side was a grouchy looking durin man with dark hair, who seemed to be sulking at having to be forced to come to a party.
“Is that Dr. Gavial?” James asked, and I hastily spun his chair around so he could see her.
“It’s me, kid,” Gavial said, shoving the durin forward. “This here is Stich Canvas, who is very happy to meet you, I’m sure.”
The durin muttered something that did not sound like a greeting, but James cocked his head to one side and said, “Minimalist? Wait, you guys finished Ideal City? Did he try to kill you, Gavial? I kinda forgot to warn you about that part.”
“How did you…!? You said you wouldn’t tell anyone!” the durin, apparently Stich, or Minimalist, I wasn’t sure, spluttered, going red in the face and glaring up at Gavial.
She just laughed and shrugged. “I didn’t! My careless resident here has Weird Alien Knowledge. You get used to it.”
“Hrmm,” Stitch grumbled, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets and slouching so he was even smaller than normal. “Can we go now? You said I just had to make an appearance at this stupid party. I should be back on the landship, finishing my designs! The interior decorating is GHASTLY! Never let a Victorian do your interior design! Just look at this place! They have no taste!”
“Now, now, behave, Stitch,” Gavial chided, which only made the durin grumble. “Or I make you sleep on the deck again.”
“...I could just get my own quarters,” Stitch grumbled. “Your bed is too hard anyway.”
I blinked, and James almost fell out of his wheelchair. Gavial and this…well, little malcontent? I cleared my throat and changed the subject. “So, ah, what’s this about a landship?”
“Oh yeah!” Gavial grinned and slapped Stitch on the back, which made him yelp. “Stitch here is from that durin city under my old tribe! We went and tipped them off the whole place was about to blow!”
“It wasn’t about to blow, it was a vein of originium that had infiltrated the dome and was going to contaminate the entire place! Why am I telling you this, you’re the one that dragged us out of our homes and into this hellscape!” Stitch complained.
“Eh, same difference,” Gavial said with a shrug. “Anyway, we evacuated the whole city, and brought a bunch of the little buggers here to Victoria! Turns out, Kal’tsit bought a whole ass landship years ago, and it’s almost done! The durins are hard at work down at the Londinium docks putting the finishing touches on, drum roll please…the Rhodes Island II!”
I gasped in shock and delight, then felt a tear come to my eye. “You…you mean it?”
“Yes, and the new landship is superior to the old in every way. It would have been even better if I’d been involved in the design from the start, but we’ll have to make due,” Stitch huffed.
“Eh, I’ll miss the old girl,” Gavial said, her voice rough, and she had to wipe away a very real tear. “The new girl is bigger, shinier, and purpose built as a hospital craft…but it’s not the same.”
“I know,” Stitch said, and clumsily took Gavial’s hand and squeezed. “But just think: We’ll make her the most magnificent structure to ever travel the surface, you mark my- put me down! I don’t consent to this! I am not a toy! Put me-HURK!”
Gavial had picked up Stitch and given him a bone-crushing hug, which seemed to knock the wind out of the durin…engineer? Interior designer? I wasn’t quite clear as to his role, but he did calm down and reluctantly hug Gavial back before she set him down.
“Anyway, good to see you both! You’ve gotta tell me the whole story!” Gavial laughed. “And Texas! Congratulations! How’s my favorite Lupo?!”
“I’m Sarkaz now,” Texas deadpanned as she reluctantly accepted Gavial’s hug. She did miss the double take Gavial did, which was probably for the best.
“Hello, I’m Aliza Texas-Springs, though you can call me Sora,” Texas’s wife said politely to Stitch.
“Hmph. So, your kind is free on the surface too, are they?” the little misanthrope harumphed. Texas spun, pure murder in her eyes, as Sora recoiled in shock. Then, the little idiot continued, “I’ll never understand those who pursue frivolous arts like pop music. It’s so ephemeral. At least your music is tolerable, which is fortunate as Gavial made me listen to your entire CD collection on the trip here.”
“You…don’t like her music?” Texas asked, her eyes narrowed. I think she was still deciding if she were going to murder Gavial’s new…uh, friend.
“I didn’t say that. I said it was tolerable, if ephemeral,” Stitch huffed. “Trust me, you should switch to a genre that will leave a more lasting impact. Music, of course, isn’t as enduring as architecture, but at least some genres have more staying power than pop ballads.”
“I…I’ll keep that in mind,” Sora said, putting a hand over her mouth to hide a smile, and a hand that had a white knuckle grip on Texas’ shoulder to keep her wife from murdering Stitch.
He didn’t seem to notice the danger he was in, launching into a lecture about how architecture was the only real artistic endeavor of lasting merit, and all other arts were really inferior or in service of the true genius of building construction.
“Are you seriously sleeping with him?” I whispered to Gavial.
“Oh man, he’s so sexually repressed, he’s completely feral in the bedroom. The first time he was drunk out of his gourd, and absolutely horrified that he’d slept with me. But then he realized his designs had improved when he wasn’t so pent up, so he did this thing where he pretended like he wasn’t interested, but was coming on to me, so I-”
Texas’s ears suddenly pricked up, while Gavial turned, her hand going to the haft of an axe that wasn’t there. Rosmontis and Red dropped their plants with a clatter and ran for us, Ingrid tackled both girls to the ground. I had just grabbed James’ wheelchair when I heard a roaring noise. A moment later, the glass skylight above us exploded, and the screaming began as a dozen Lateran Gun Knights roared in, their weapons blazing.
“COME ON!” Gavial roared, grabbing James out of the wheelchair and tossing him over one shoulder, while she picked up the frozen Stitch and tucked him under the other arm.
Two Gun Knights were battling a great tentacled monsters from where Skalter and the Doktah had been dancing, and an eerie song had replaced the now quiet orchestra.
Explosions rocked the hall, and two more Gun Knights headed right for us. Rosmontis swatted one down, but the other fired a barrage of missiles that sent me flying. I landed hard, but managed to get to my feet, my dress now tattered. I had already kicked off my heels, but the floro was now littered with glass and debris. I ignored the pain, running after Gavial, who had stayed on her feet. Behind me, Texas and Red were dueling another Gun Knight, who had some sort of beam weapon and a flamethrower that they were using in the close quarters.
“Dr. Gavial! Dr. Sussurro! This way!” a familiar voice called. Gavial changed directions and ran towards Plume, who had her spear out and was dressed in Rhodes Island battle gear, her purple halo lighting the way for us. When she had arrived I didn’t know, but I’d been on several missions with the Liberi operative, and was grateful to see her now. I reached her first, scrambling over the broken floor, and Plume grabbed me, pulling me towards an exit.
“Come on, there’s a security detail waiting!” Plume told us. “Here, let me help you with Dr. McCoy.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Gavial coughed, not handing over James, but following Plume into the side corridor as the battle raged outside.
“I don’t know! But orders are to evacuate high value assets to the new landship,” Plume said. She let go of me, reaching for something behind her back as she moved to help Gavial with James, her wings shining behind her.
Wait…Plume wasn’t a Sankta. Why did she-
“KNIFE!” I screamed, even as Plume drew a black dagger and tried to plunge it into James’ side. I tackled her, and we struggled for a moment. I felt a burning sharp pain, and coughed, the breath driven from me suddenly as I sagged and fell. I heard swearing, and a moment later, Plume was wrenched off of me by a snarling Gavial, who disarmed her easily
“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!?” Gavial snarled, pinning the strange Sankta who had looked and sounded just like Plume to the wall.
I couldn’t breathe. My vision was blurring, and I looked down to see the black hilt of a dagger sticking up out of my sternum. Oh. I…I was dying. But, the baby. James’ baby. I couldn’t die. Not yet.
“Lucia…Lucia…” James whispered. He was red faced and seemed to be shouting, but I could barely hear him. I tried to tell him to speak up, but I couldn’t. He’d dragged himself over to me, and had his hands on the dagger.
“Don’t pull it out,” I tried to tell him, even as the wound began to crystalize. “It’s originium. And I’ll just bleed out faster if you remove it.” But I couldn’t talk. My mind began to run in circles.
I watched as James yanked the dagger free. He put his hands to my chest and began to heal me. But it wasn’t enough. That dagger had been pure originium, by its black crystal blade. I tried to reach up and tell James not to do it. Not to try and heal me. But he just stuck his hands into the wound, where the crystal was already filling my body, turning me to stone.
Then, I saw him take all the originium into himself. He began to heal me faster, even as crystals raced up his arm. Lesions appeared on his face, his eye sockets became black crystal, but he kept pulling. I began to gasp, breath returning to my body as I was healed.
“No! James!” I gasped, sitting up, even as he collapsed. I cupped his face, but it was black, hard as stone. “No! No, no, no!”
“L-l…o…v…y…” James rasped.
Then, his face crumpled inwards. I scrabbled at James, crying out in panic, even as his body dissolved into black dust.
I heard laughter, and spun to see Plume grinning at me. Her eyes were a haunting, glowing purple, and her irises were strange rectangles.
I picked up the dagger, hands trembling with rage. “I’ll kill you!”
“Oh, please do. This subject has already fulfilled its purpose. Returning her to crystal would spead up the harvesting process,” a voice with clipped tones and a vague accent I couldn’t trace said. I paused, looking up at Gavial, who still had Plume pinned to the wall.
The ground shook slightly, rattled by another explosion, and the din of battle was still everywhere. I leaned in closer, gripping the dagger.
“Who are you?” I demanded, my rage burning cold for once.
The thing that looked like Plume sighed. “How disappointing. I would have hoped you’d at least be intelligent enough to deduce my identity. Ah, well. This is a prerecorded personality implantation anyway. I did hope that this message would be delivered directly, but I’ll have to trust that you are both at least competent enough to survive my little distraction.”
“Talk fucking sense! Who sent you?!” Gavial demanded, shaking Plume roughly, but my heart sank as I began to realize who, or perhaps what, we were talking to.
Plume, or rather, Priestess, smirked at us. “Tell the Oracle they have failed. I have reclaimed my administrative privileges. The model will be updated, and then, this experiment will properly conclude. I hope the Oracle enjoyed rutting with that primitive skank they call a wife. I’ll make sure she’s given proper accommodations in the Simulated Universe. But the Oracle will be mine for the rest of time. And beyond.”
Our captive shuddered, and the halo over her head suddenly dimmed, the wings vanishing completely. Plum shook her head, blinked, and looked around at us. “I…where am I? Dr. Sussurro? Dr. Gavial? What are you doing to me? I…I was back in Laterano, visiting my parents, I…where am I? I can’t remember…my head…it hurts so bad…”
“DON’T PLAY FUCKING DUMB WITH ME!” Gavial raged, but I put a hand on her arm, feeling numb.
“That…that wasn’t Plume who…who…” I sobbed, then leaned over and vomited. Sora barged in, dragging a wounded Texas, a limping Red at her side.
“What’s going on? Where’s Bones?” Sora gasped, her dress torn and burnt, her face smeared with soot and blood.
I couldn’t answer. James…James was gone. I knelt by the dust that had been his body and scooped up double handfuls of it as I sobbed, trying to scoop it into a pile. I don’t know why. Maybe…maybe I thought-
“Fuck! Get her away from that! That’s pure originium dust!” Gavial snarled.
“Let me go, I can help!” Plume begged. “What’s happening? Is Laterano under attack? Where are my parents!?”
“SHUT UP!” Gavial snarled, even as Sora and Red pulled me away from what was left of James.
I felt numb. I don’t know what happened next. Myrtle appeared and treated me. I was taken to a cot somewhere. There were medical personnel around. I should be helping. Doing something. But I couldn’t. Myrtle had to leave, squeezing my hand, tears in her eyes, and then she was off, treating someone wounded worse than I was.
“We…we never even…we were going to get married,” I mumbled, putting a hand over my womb.
Murmura was there, crying and hugging me. Lisa and Ingrid too. I barely acknowledged them. A part of me knew I was in shock. There were treatments I should follow. They did wrap me in warm blankets, but I just sat there. What…what was I supposed to do?
Time passed. I’m not sure how much. Myrtle came back to help me go to the bathroom. Murmura fed me, and left. I slept. I don’t know for how long. When I woke up, I just lay there, curled into a ball. I knew I should so something, but I was too numb to even think.
“Dr. Sussurro. I need you to get up.”
I blinked, and looked up to see Amiya there. When had she arrived. She looked grim, with that black crown on her head, and she was armored for battle.
“I…” I shook my head, and got to my feet. “I’m sorry, Amiya, I…I should be treating patients…”
“No.” Amiya put a hand on my chest to stop me, and I blinked up at her in confusion. “There is still a chance. A small one. Priestess has not won yet. We’re mounting a rescue operation to Laterano.”
“But…but James is dead,” I said stupidly, tears leaking down my cheeks.
“Not quite,” Amiya said, shaking her head.
“You don’t understand, he turned to dust before my eyes!” I wailed, losing control again. Amiya hugged me, keeping me on my feet.
“He was taken into the Simulated Universe. Priestess still needs him. The transfer was incomplete. I studied his remains, as did the Doktah. There were errors, but it’s possible Bone is still alive. If he is, Priestess is even now trying to extract from him the Administrative Privileges he somehow gained. We have to act quickly: we’ve already lost precious time. But, if we can get to Laterano, and enter the Simulated Universe from the distortion there…there is a chance. But we will need you to find Bones.”
I didn’t understand. But I didn’t have to. There was hope. A chance. “I’ll do it. Whatever you need me to do.”
“Good. It will be dangerous, but I know that together, we can accomplish anything. Now come on,” Amiya said, and holding my hand, led me forward.
My heart pounded, and tears still wet my cheeks, but I raced after Amiya. Whatever was happening, it was beyond my capacity to comprehend.
But I understood fighting for those you love. And I was ready to jump into hell to drag James back. One way, or another.
“Hold on, James. We’re coming.”