The Way Back (Champions of the Crystal Book 4)

Chapter 9.3

Something woke Sabrina much later, when the infirmary's lights had dimmed to signify the ship's night. Ford's deep, rhythmic breathing told her he was asleep, and she wondered what had woken her.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and shifted her head slightly, discovering that her neck was stiff and sore from sleeping in such a strange position. The whisper of fabric nearby was familiar in a long-ago way, and she was not surprised to identify the face that bent to kiss Ford's forehead as Mara's.

"Mara," she murmured, sitting up and rubbing at her neck.

Mara looked up, smiling a little. Sabrina was shocked to see how drawn she looked even in the dim light. "Mara?"

There were more faint rustlings as Mara quickly moved around the foot of the bed to where Sabrina sat and embraced her. "Oh, my friend. My dearest friend," Mara sighed. "How I have missed you! And what a poor welcome I gave you. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course I do, Mara," Sabrina said, hugging her hard. "Oh, it's so good to have you back! I missed you dreadfully. It's been so long!"

"Too long," Mara agreed. "But you are home now."

"How's Scotty?"

Mara pulled back and caught Sabrina's hands in hers, looking down at them. "He still lives. He is stubborn; I am glad to see the years have not changed that."

"I don't think he's changed very much at all," Sabrina smiled. "When can I see him?"

Mara took a deep breath, started to speak, then simply squeezed Sabrina's hands. She didn't meet Sabrina's eyes.

"Mara?" Sabrina faltered, feeling a deadly chill begin to spread from the pit of her stomach.

"I...did what I could for him," Mara whispered, her voice thick and unsteady. "We all did. But...." She looked up at the ceiling, and Sabrina saw the anguish in her expression. She felt her dread gel to cold certainty. Mara took another deep breath. "It was not enough."

Sabrina just stared at her, as a tear rolled down the Queen's cheek. Mara looked at her, finally, then away again. "And I never got to tell him—" she added, her voice breaking at last.

"Mara..." Sabrina said, her own voice barely audible, "there must be something—"

"No." Tirqwin was there suddenly, laying a warm, heavy hand on Sabrina's shoulder. "Sabrina, there is too much damage, at a cellular level, to be repaired. Mara tried. The doctors tried. They have put him in stasis for now, in hopes of finding some way to treat him enough that he can be conscious to say his good-byes."

As if from a great distance, Sabrina heard the strain in his voice, but she couldn't feel anything except her own growing horror and the frantic denial that was being slowly overwhelmed. "He can't—he can't die—"

"I am afraid he can," Tirqwin said gently. He knelt beside Sabrina's chair and put his arm around her shoulders. "Sabrina...there is nothing in Praxatillian medicine that can save him now. He has extensive genetic damage, from the tachyon radiation, in addition to the physical damage from the explosion. He cannot survive long enough for it to be repaired. And there is no way to replace the parts of his genes that have been destroyed."

Sabrina was staring straight ahead, dimly aware that Mara had leaned her head against her knee and was beginning to cry quietly and that Ford had awakened and was watching them all in horror. "There must be a way..." she said dully. She looked at Ford. "They saved Ford. They can save Scotty. It's the same thing—"

"It is not," Tirqwin said. "Niavar is Miahn and Wayfarer. It did not affect him the same way, and the Crystal was able to repair the damage done to his genetic code. But that will not work for Scotty. Mara has tried." He shook his head and added hoarsely, "I am sorry. More than I...more than I could ever say."

A high, thin sob escaped Sabrina, and she closed her eyes and tried to steel herself against the next one. But Tirqwin took her in his arms and held her tightly, one hand gently cradling her head, and she went limp against him and let the tears come.

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A few minutes later, she became aware that Ford and Tirqwin were having an argument. She felt vaguely indignant that they could do so in the face of her grief, which they ought to be sharing, and she wrenched herself upright, fanning the spark of anger to fill the void inside her. "Stop it!" she demanded, her voice so ragged as to be almost unintelligible. "How can you be so insensitive? I've just lost my brother!"

Neither of them paid any attention to her. Ford said, "Father, we have to try, at least!"

"And get her hopes up for nothing? I will not put her through that!" Tirqwin retorted.

Mara was getting to her feet. "Tirqwin," she said, "when has there ever been anything but hope for any of us? And Sabrina has made an art of impossible hopes."

"What are you talking about?" Sabrina snapped, wiping at her streaming eyes.

Tirqwin scowled. "There is a faint chance—a very faint chance—" he added, glaring at Ford, "that Homeworld may be able to help Scotty."

"Homeworld?" Sabrina echoed, grasping at his sleeves. "Tirqwin, will they? You must make them! Oh, Tirqwin, please—"

"Sabrina, understand, they may refuse even to try, no matter what I say. And even if they do try, it would be highly experimental. The chances of success—"

"He has no chance now. Any chance is better than that!" she said. "Please, Tirqwin. Please."

He heaved a sigh. "Very well, Sabrina. I will do my utmost. But please, try not to hope too much."

"I will," she promised, "but I—I have to hope a little! Oh, Tirqwin, when can we leave? Right now?"

He had gotten to his feet and was trying to dislodge her grip on his sleeves. Sabrina struggled to get out of her chair as he pushed her back down. "Sabrina," he said, "you do not understand. You cannot go."

"He's my brother! I have to go! I will go!" she protested, some of the old strength creeping back into her voice.

"There is slim enough chance of their being willing to help him as it is, Sabrina. If I bring you along, against all law and custom, they will most certainly refuse. Aliens are not permitted in Homeworld space."

"But I am your kinswoman," she said tearfully, with an imploring look.

"Yes," Tirqwin said gently, kneeling beside her again and taking her hands. "But you are still an alien, and they will not allow it. As my kinswoman, you must trust me, and let me do as I think best for Scotty."

"I have to go!" she repeated.

Tirqwin exchanged glances with Mara, then stood up again. "Sabrina, I know you cannot think clearly right now. I hope that when you can, you will forgive me. Scotty does not have the time for me to persuade you." He bent and kissed her forehead, then vanished.

Sabrina sprang out of her chair, overbalancing and nearly falling. Ford lunged forward in bed and grabbed her around the waist, hanging onto her as Mara moved to take her shoulders. "Sabrina!" Mara said. "Be reasonable. Tirqwin cannot—"

"Make him come back!" Sabrina cried.

"Sabrina!" Mara actually shook her this time. "Tirqwin is right. You must trust him." She paused. "Besides, he is already gone. Khediva sends you her love and assurances that she will do everything possible to help Scotty."

Sabrina began to cry again, and Ford and Mara lowered her into her chair. Ford held onto one of her hands, and Mara stroked her hair and wiped the tears away as they fell, ignoring her own.