As the impact of what Loni had revealed hit home to Da, he began to moan in anguish, groaning as if it were he with the death sentence. He began carrying on so loudly, sobbing unrestrained, brokenly, inconsolable; Loni felt the very depth of his grief.
When Loni tried to comfort, Da drew away almost angrily, pushing his arms away, rejecting the offered comfort. There was no consoling him.
****
Gradually, Gem's abilities had been returning. She could now see her surroundings quite clearly, hear the sounds around her, the waterfall, the birds in the trees. She could even, once again, read Loni's thoughts. At last, she was beginning to feel comfortable around him again, safe.
But, what was that god awful racket that had awakened her?
Sleepily, she had been remotely aware, when Loni had moved away with Da; she had lazily, slowly, eased back from slumber to reality. With full wakefulness came clarity.
That's Da! Why is he so upset?
Gem sat up. Vaguely, she could make them out across the trampled dirt of the camp, under the spreading spruce tree, standing there, near Da and Lydia's bed. Still unsteady, she got to her feet; over balanced by the weight of her baby, she nearly went down again, but managed to right herself quickly. She moved quietly over to the pair, unnoticed.
Before she got to the struggling men, Gem noticed Lydia. For a moment, the woman's condition brought her to a shocked standstill beside her friend.
From the simple, unshielded mind of Da, Gem instantly read all that had happened. He had never been able to cloak his thoughts, or his memories, against her probes.
And Loni also was easy, being so preoccupied with quieting Da, and not realizing the necessity to close his mind to her. Gem immediately found, and knew, what needed to be done.
Before Loni was even aware of her presence, Gem had knelt beside the dying girl, taken Lydia's hand, and traded damaged female organs, for better health and vitality. The Healer only stopped short at replacing her own baby for that which had been lost...
As Gem slumped to the ground beside the pad, Loni turned, finally noticing her.
Chapter 30
Loni let out a howl of despair, when he realized what Gem had done. All he had accomplished in his days of gentle care had now been undone...almost.
He knew, now, she really needed a physician's intimate care, but...he couldn't bring himself to subject her to that. He dare not take her to them; he knew what they would do to her. She would never be safe in their hands.
The races under the domes had always had things backward. The real Healing gene was in the white skinned race; the dark males envied the ability, and tried desperately to usurp it. Instead of venerating the competent female talent, they did their best to eliminate the genuine Healers. It had never been because they were female; not about man verses woman; only the white skin, supposedly inferior, and the brown skin superiority, but no matter how hard they tried, all they had done was demonize the craft with their horrific experiments, and imitations.
The dark ones had the dense gene.
No, Loni couldn't take Gem to them!
He knelt, grieving that she had healed too soon, yet knowing, the life of the other was important, also. He lifted Gem to his arms, and quietly moved back to his own pad.
So, once again, Loni began his gentle ministrations. She was hemorrhaging; bad for the baby. It must be stopped quickly.
He sent Da for more towels. Life took on the constant ritual of the sickroom.
****
Lydia was not her cheerful self. The loss of her second child weighed heavily still, even though Gem had healed her body. If they let her, Lydia would stare off into space the whole day long. So every chance he got, Loni used her and Da to fetch and carry. Sometimes, he sent the two together, or most often, he split them up, leaving Da to guard Gem, and taking Lydia with him.
Today was such a time. Loni and Lydia were getting the day's rations.
Loni had just loaded Lydia, and was about to send her ahead. They had developed a system, using the backpacks, and all four plates, and cups, so they could take more at a time, and would not have to return every meal.
He hadn't yet sent her on her way; Loni was grabbing the last fruits, stuffing his pack full, when he was seized rudely from behind, and spun around to face the burly guard.
"What you think you are doing, Flaw?" the man yelled in Loni's face.
Instead of showing attention immediately, Loni quickly, mentally projected an order to Lydia: "Run! Get out of here, before he notices you."
And for once, whether from past memory of abuse, or what, Lydia came out of her lethargic inattention, and obeyed promptly. She quickly slipped among the trees, and was gone.
At least the others will get fed.
Loni played the mute, humbly standing by submissively, as the enforcer pawed through what he had in his backpack. It wasn't much, only fruit; Lydia had the rest.
"Fruit?" the man muttered disdainfully. Then, after thinking on it for a minute, he challenged. "Where is your mate, Flaw? You get her back? Is she hidden, so you can keep her?"
The man laughed, making certain Loni saw his face, and his lips move.
Loni nodded vigorously.
"Where you staying, now?" the guard asked. "I checked your lodgings. It's been wrecked by water; you haven't been there in months. Can't say I blame you," he added. "For not staying in there. It smells of mildew, and the walls are growing mold, but...where the heck ARE you living?"
