“Howdo you feel?” she asked.
“Better,”I mumbled.
Ilooked at Stevanion, his face seemingly more relaxed than before.
“Tania,”I said quietly, “do you think he will die?”
Taniaquickly glanced back at Stevanion. His face remained calm and unmoving.
Shethen stood up and said, “Let’s get some fresh air, shall we?”
Itilted my head, not understanding. The glassless windows and open door enabledplenty of fresh air in the infirmary. Tania passed me by with less than one IP andthen walked to the outside platform. I followed her.
Sheleaned with her elbows on the fence rope, laced her fingers, and looked down tothe green undergrowth below. I came to the rope and leaned on it as well.
“Deathis never easy… regardless of who it happens to, it’snever easy,” she said in a quiet voice.
Wewere silent for a few moments.
Ilooked at her sad features. She must have been thinking of her own past.
“Whatdo you… how do you… with… persons not alive anymore?” My sentence was brokenand frail.
“Youmean, the funeral?”
“Thefuneral?”
“Howdo we say goodbye to dead people?”
“Yes.”
Shelowered her head and closed her eyes, pulling her eyebrows together so that thebase of her nose wrinkled. She slowly wiped both of her hands over her face andthen brought them back to the fence.
“Weburn them.” She opened her eyes and looked at me. “What do you do in yourworld?”
“Idon’t know. There aren’t many deaths there.”
“Peopleused to bury their dead in the ground.” Tania’s eyes were empty as she gazed intothe distance. “But with the Earth’s overpopulation, it became almost impossibleto keep the ground space—any ground space—for the dead… so cremationbecame mandatory. No space for graves.”
Aftera few moments of silence, she turned to me and said, “Sometimes, it isdifficult… not to be able to visit the place where your loved ones are buried.”
Iwas sure she was now talking about herself.
“Butdon’t worry about funerals now, Dora. It might not come to that at all.”
Igave a brief nod. With no clear Vision, I had no idea of how it would end.
Asif reading my mind, Tania smiled softly. “It’s difficult for you now, Dora, isn’tit? There are so many new, unusual, and strange things for you to live through…to process, to absorb. All of this just takes time.”
Shemoved her body forward, leaning over the fence, looking down to the greeneryunderneath.
“ButI think you should still do the trip,” she said. “It will do you good. It willtake your mind off things… it was the same for me.”
Thenshe looked at me and said, “And if you feel unwell in any way, health-wise, please,tell me right away, okay?”
“Iwill, Tania. And I thank you for your assistance with Stevanion.”
“Ofcourse, Dora, you’re welcome.”
Ilooked down again, the setting sun drawing long shadows on the groundunderneath us.
“Ithink I had better go. Good night, Tania.”
“Goodnight, Dora.”
Thenight embraced me in a deep, dreamless sleep, and although I felt rested, I wasglad to be woken by the early rays of sunlight passing through my window. Thenight felt like nothing.
Itfelt like death.
Isat up on my bed and shivered once. I needed to see Stevanion. I needed to makesure he was still alive.
Idressed quickly and walked through the sleeping village to get to the infirmary.Once I reached the thick dark green leaves at the entrance of the cabin, Istopped. My heart was pounding.
Iwas afraid.
Ididn’t know what to expect, which was a real irony, coming from a Visionaire Senthien.
Iswallowed and moved the leaves to the side. Stevanion was still lying in thesame bed. His head was turned away from me, but I could tell he was breathing.
Isat on the bed next to him and then got a fright as he turned toward me. Hisskin was a lot less pale than before.
“Dana.”His voice was harsh as he spoke. “I acknowledge your presence.”
“Stevanion,”I said, nodding slightly. “How do you feel?”
“Myhealth condition is better. I appreciate your concern.”
Hetried to lift himself up but wasn’t able to. I reached down and pushed anotherpillow under his back. When I sat back, I realized he was looking at me withwide-open eyes.
Iclearly broke the IP border without even thinking about it. He neededassistance, and there was no doubt in my mind of what I should do.
“Weare on Old Earth,” I said to break his stare.
“Yes.A person named Tania told me that,” he said, thenstopped for a moment to catch some breath. “I have some reservations regarding itstruthfulness.”
“Areyou doubting that we are on Earth?”
“Earthis dead, Dana. We have seen the videos. And the only people who say that we areon Earth are Humans.”
“Doesthis automatically mean that they are lying?”
“Itmeans… that it is difficult to believe them.”
“Theyare taking care of you, Stevanion.”
“Theyare not doing a good job. I want to port back.”
Ilooked at him, not knowing how to respond. After a few moments of silence, Isaid, “There is a group of Humans who will try and access the computer systems inthe old city.”
“Isthere a porting chamber there?”
“Ido not think so, Stevanion. We are on Old Earth. There wereno porting chambers pre-Ev. But what I am hoping is to fully charge my E-band atthe power source of the computer facility. If I manage, the E-band will haveenough power to create a field.”
“Ahyperspace resonance field? You want to connect to the Mind’s portingchannels?”
“Yes.”
“Theprocess only works on specific planets, Dana, and only on specific locations.”
“Iunderstand that. But it is our best chance to bring us home, and… to take youto the Anas.”
Helooked at me for a long moment and then turned his head away from me.
“Justget us out of here.”
Ilooked at the back of his head and then dropped my gaze to the floor.
Whatdid I expect? That he would blindly trust the Humans, when from the verybeginning he was taught not to? He’s reacting like any other Senthien would.Like any other Descendant would.
Iwanted to sigh, but I stopped myself. I got up and said, “I wish that yourhealth continues to improve, Stevanion. I will see you again once I am backfrom this trip, so we can discuss our departure.”
Heturned back to
