Chapter 14

Brynn felt a bed underneath her as she woke. She didn't hurt, but she felt very dizzy. She tried to open her eyes, groaning quietly.

She heard voices around, but not nearby. She managed to get one eye opens and saw a door that lead out into a well-lit room. Her room was dim and white. The bed was white. The bars on the side of her bed. Wait, bars? Why were there bars?

Then she remembered the last few moments, and realized her head was hurting.

Then someone was by her bed. "Hello. I'm Colonel Horn, Ma'am."

She turned to look at him, but she was still struggling to see. She squinted until the image sharpened and she saw him. "Hi. What's going on?"

"You're in a seclusion room. We didn't know about... well, your Gift. Captain Idris hadn't briefed us, or Commander Darren. Otherwise, we would have been prepared."

She shook her head again. "I... I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

He frowned. "You do not have to hide here. We're familiar with those who have abilities like yours, but we don't treat them like aberrations like some places do."

"I... no, I don't have any Gift. That... the woman on the radio... she took it from me."

He looked confused for a moment, but then laughed. "Took it from you? You can't be serious."

She blinked and then looked around, shaking her head in disbelief. "What? Of course I am! Why would I lie about-" She groaned a little and threw her head back on the pillow before rolling over to look at him again. "Fine. Whatever you want. But what would telling you have accomplished."

"Well, for one thing, we would have been prepared."

"Oh really? Prepared? How?"

"The Ulratians have shared their suppression technology with us, at least to some degree."

She wrinkled her forehead at him. "Your what?"

"Suppression. Technology." He shook his head and then held up his hands. "Anyway, just let us know when you are feeling better and we can help you transition back to your ship."

She reached for him. "No, wait. I... I feel fine, I am just tired. But that's not..." She stopped herself. If Idris was gone, then she would need Attulanta, and Ophelia, to get back to him. "I mean, that's not what I had in mind. I didn't think we were ready to go."

"I was told that you were in the middle of boarding when we were attacked. Is that not true."

She shook her head. "Sorry, I forgot. Does that mean I can go now?"

"Only if you are you sure you handle the transition without using your powers, or losing control."

"I'll be fine. Where are my clothes?"

"They've been moved aboard your ship."

She made a face, but decided that what she wore was fine. The white smock and long, white pants covered her well enough even if they were not especially comfortable.

"Lead the way." she said quietly, gently pushing off the bed.

Brynn took a few steps, paused, then began to walk again much steadier. Arms crossed once again in front of her and although her color wasn't improving, at least she was walking in a straight line. She caught the Colonel's glance at her and she shook her head again.

"Stop staring at me as if I'm about to keel over."

He shook his head. "Apologies, Ma'am, but I am afraid that you do not look well. But if you are confident you can follow me..." He surveyed her one more time, frowning, and then began to lead her down the hall again.

After two different lift rides, threes hallways, and about a hundred doors later, they were standing at the door to the landing deck. She walked out onto the deck and allowed the colonel to guide her back to Attulanta.

She made her way up the landing ramp again, seeing Idris' things there, right where he had left them. She felt a stab of pain inside of her and looked back to the colonel. "Thank you for your help. I'm fine."

He nodded to her and held up his hand. "If you should need anything, simply contact us by radio."

"Yeah, thanks." She turned and slipped through the door. She looked around and made her way back to the galley, where her and Idris had spent so much time. As she sat down, she saw Ophelia show up on the table as before.

"Miss Phytrelia. I am glad you are back. Where is Captain Chariton? Is he with you?"

Her eyes already beginning to sting with tears. She shook her head as they began to fall down her face. "No. He's not. Ophelia, they took him. He's gone!"

Brynn spent the next day or so lying in his bed. She let herself fall completely apart. Curling up on the bed, she sobbed hard, not sure what else she could do or what was even going to happen to her. She'd have to go on. Have to find another planet to live on until she got into trouble and had to start again.

Her sobs had dimmed to whimpers when she heard the soft tone. Sitting up, she stared at it for a moment, then slowly got to her feet, feeling shaky. Hands reached up wiping at her face, hoping she didn't look as awful as she felt. And yet she couldn't wipe away the red in her cheeks, the puffiness of her eyes.

"Ophelia? What's that noise?"

"It's the ship comm. Would you like me to answer it?"

She hesitated, but then nodded. "Yes. Go ahead."

She heard the voice of the captain. "Hello. Are you receiving me?"

"Yep. What do you want?"

There was a short silence before she answered. "I want to help you. Whatever happened out there today... who ever it was on that ship... why they wanted Captain Chariton..." She shook her head. "These are all answers that I have every intention of finding. I've already contacted General Durron, and he is just as concerned as I am. We need to know what they wanted him for. Until then, I'd like for you to stay. I assure you, as long as you are in our care, you'll be protected, your every need catered to. I would hate for you to run away and have to explain to Captain Chariton, when we find him, that I allowed you to run off with his ship."

"I do not know why they'd want him either. Maybe he's already dead. There's no reason for me to stay here. Protected or not. Needs met or not. I'm better on my own." Her voice was filled with an angry, sad bitterness that was uncommon for Brynn. "Besides, what do any of you care about him? You were all cruel with him. I don't trust any of you, and would much rather fend for myself than stay here alone with you."

She was defensive, and mean right now. She didn't want them to know she'd been sobbing, that she was absolutely terrified and hurt. Brynn had to be tough right now, as she tried to mend her life in a few short hours.

"I do not understand why you want to keep me here, but if you insist, I will stay for a short period of time. I do not plan to make this ship my permanent home by any means."

"Thank you, Miss Phytrelia. I appreciate your cooperation."

The radio cut off with a brief noise.

Then Ophelia appears on the bedside table, very concerned and almosgt guilty. "Please, Mistress, you should lie down. Your stress levels are extremely elevated and I do not believe it is healthy for you to remain wound up so tightly. Is there anything I can do for you? The repair crew made a few modifications to the ship, not just the advanced energy weapon array, but they also refilled my reserves, the fuel, and the material and consumables. In addition, they cleaned... well, everything save for Captain Chariton's quarters, including the refresher chamber.

"I am stressed, very stressed. I..." She looked towards the doors of the bedroom she felt her heart skip a beat. "I'll lay down. I... I'll just rest. Ophelia..." She swallowed her words as she lied down again. "Idris..." She whispered, and pressed a palm to her forehead as she walked to the bed and slowly lay down. "Ophelia, I am to be contacted if there is any news of Idris. Please let me know before anyone enters the ship."

"Access to Atalanta has been restricted. If you like I can update the security to allow you to exit and enter on your own volition using your own voice so you no longer require the assistance of launch deck personnel. Also, I have rescinded all maintenance access codes. No one will be able to get in, save Captain Chariton himself, unless you allow them to. Would you like me to make any other changes to the security, or to any other part of the ship?"

"Please change security so that I may come and go on the ship. Is there anyway that anyone will be able to inform me if there is news on Idris?" She stared up at the ceiling as she waited for Ophelia's response. She was glad to be away from the Avenger and sleeping on Atalanta, but she didn't want to risk them finding Idris and her not being around.

"I have already adjusted security to allow for you to be able to come and go as you like. As for being notified and updated on any viable intel, Avenger's crew would be quite capable of hailing us and providing information."

The image nodded at her. "Yes, of course, Mistress. If we are contacted, you'll be the first to know. I still recommend that you sleep now. I will wake you if your presence is necessary or if anyone attempts to contact us."

Breathing a sigh of relief, she nodded back at the image and pulled the blanket over her. "Thank you so much, Ophelia." Pulling the blanket up to her chin, she curled beneath it, taking a deep breath as she tried to relax.

"Of course, Miss Phytrelia."

She was silent, and the only thing that could be heard was the thrumming of the ship's generators and ventilation systems. As Brynn drifted off to sleep, she would hear a voice, a voice that didn't sound like it was in the room, but moreso, in her mind, like Idris' and Aria's voices had been in her mind before in the captain's office.

"Brynn? Brynn... are you there? Can you hear me?"

Frowning at the voice, she groaned softly, and nodded some. "Yes... what do you what?" She whispered furrowing her brow as she tried to shake the words off. You're going a little crazy, she thought to herself and sighed again as she burrowed further under the comforter of the bed.

She felt someone crawl into bed next to her, those familiar arms wrapping around her. The voice was more familiar now as it became more clear. "I want to make sure you keep dreaming, of course..."

Brynn sat on the edge of the bed for what felt like hours, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. The room around her was still and quiet, save for the faint hum of Attulanta's systems -- a sound that normally faded into the background but now filled the space like an oppressive weight.

Her eyes stared blankly at the floor, seeing nothing, hearing nothing beyond the pounding ache in her chest.

When she finally forced herself to move, she dragged herself beneath the covers, curling into a ball on the wide bed that suddenly felt far too big -- far too empty. Idris' scent still lingered faintly in the sheets, as if he might step out of the shadows at any moment, as if none of this had ever happened.

But he wouldn't.

She sank deeper into the bed, pulling the blankets up to her chin as if they could shield her from the emptiness pressing in around her. The ship's soft humming filled the silence, broken only by the occasional whisper of the ventilation system.

As her eyes drifted closed, she felt it again -- the faint dip of the mattress behind her, the weight of someone settling in close. She didn't have to look to know who it was.

A warm arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her gently back into a chest she had memorized. The scent of leather, metal, and something uniquely Idris filled her senses. She could almost feel his breath against her neck, hear the low rumble of his voice as he whispered:

"I just want to make sure you keep dreaming... of course."

For a moment, she let herself believe it. Let herself sink into that illusion, pretending she wasn't alone -- that she would wake and find him really there, smirking at her like nothing had changed.

But when she reached for him, her hand found only empty sheets -- cold and hollow, the faintest imprint already fading.

Her breath caught in her throat as she turned quickly, scanning the darkened room, her heart pounding. "Idris?" she whispered, her voice thin and broken, barely rising above a breath.

Silence. No warmth, no answer. Only her own voice lingering in the emptiness, swallowed by the stillness pressing in on her.

The truth hit her then, sharp and suffocating, like all the air had been ripped from her lungs. He was gone.

She clutched the blankets tighter, pulling them close as if they could shield her from the ache inside. But it was too deep.

Her body folded into itself, and as the first tears slipped down her cheeks, the dam inside her cracked open.

Soft at first, trembling -- and then the sobs came, raw and jagged, shaking her to the core. She buried her face in the pillow, trying to smother the sound, but it was no use.

There was no one left to hear her fall apart.

And for the first time since she was a child, she let herself break completely.