The Last Night Chapter 14 Terratu

The Last Night 

Chapter 14

Terratu

 

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   “No no no. I do, I.” Sleep melted slowly from his mind. He turned away from the Captain and focused his attention on the Doctor. “Wait, wait. I thought. I thought I was on Earth and…”

  “Earth? You know of Earth?” She smiled as her sparkling blue eyes softened. “Did not know you were a student of antiquities.”

   “You’re pretty,” Wyatt said, surprised by his own words. “I’m sorry, Doctor. Sain? My mind is spinning. I’m not married. I’m not old.” He fell back against the bed.

   “Typical teenager,” The Captain grunted. “But you are not typical. You disappeared right in front of me your mother and the Doctor, three days ago. How did you do that?”

  “I’m calling Mrs. Faraday and his father, should have already called them.” The ruby red Alurian said as she rose from the bed. “Rest. Captain. He needs rest. He needs his family, not an inquisitor.”

  “Mam there are over five hundred people on this transport vessel. I am responsible for each and every one of them. The expedient Repatriation of Terratu is of profound political importance. Do you know how many lives were lost, freeing his home world.”

  She spun toward him her red cheeks suddenly tinged with green, her blue eyes now deep red. “I lost my husband on Terratu. Do not preach to me about risk and sacrifice.”

   The Captain slumped, “Of course, I am sorry. Call his parents in, my inquiry is ended, for now.”

    Wyatt sat up, “Mama is alive, Daddy too. What about Ariel Macon and Drias…?”

  Captain Fletch glared at him, then looked at the Doctor. “Something strange is happening with this kid.”

   “I know but we must let him settle back into life at his own pace.” 

  “Yes I suppose.” With that the Captain stormed out. 

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  She tilted her head letting one of her tentacles whip up jerk then slide back into place against her head. “Your parents should be here soon. They are quite worried about you.”

  “Ariel what about my wi, what about her?”

  She shook her head. “There is no record of an Ariel in your family profile. And that other name, Drias. That is a Strion name, most curious. I’m surprised the Captain did not respond to it. He was so upset he must have simply missed it.” She chuckled.

   Wyatt was just about to ask her about the significance of the alien’s name when Martha and Forrest entered the cozy brightly lit hospital room. 

   “That fool of a Captain would not let us see our own son,” Martha declared when she marched up to the Doctor. Forrest standing behind her, shrugged and mouthed a silent, ‘I’m sorry,’ to the Doctor.

  “Protocol. He had no choice.” The doctor replied, unintentionally defending the captain. 

  Wyatt turned toward his parents. They were much younger now. “Mama I, I’ve lost Ariel.”

   She stumbled back, jerked her head then regained her composure. “Ariel? Dear there is no Ariel.” Her words sounded hollow, even in the Doctors ears. 

  “That was quite the trick son.” Forrest said, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Wasn’t trying to trick anyone. But you know that, don’t you.”

   “What was, was. What is, is.” Forrest said flatly, his eyes narrowing as he spoke.

    Wyatt nodded. None of this was lost on Doctor Sain. 

  “You know something do you not?” She asked, her tentacles rippling as she spoke.

  “A dream that is all.” Martha replied, “but the dream is gone. We are awake. We are going home. That’s all that matters.”

  “May I touch your son’s mind?” Doctor Sain whispered.

  “What about protocol.” Forrest asked. “You’re alien, such intimacy is strictly forbidden.”

  “Funny, intermarriage, perfectly accepted. My late husband was human. But what is it you humans still call it, the woo woo stuff, cant go near that. Your people’s strict naturalistic 

 

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world view will not serve you well in the future. Which, I suspect, is why our atheistic Captain was so upset. We all witnessed the impossible. And he can’t handle it. Your dream, wasn’t a mere dream, was it?”

  “No,” said Martha, “but like I said before we are awake now.”

  “We must be where we are.” Forrest added.

  “What about Ariel, Macon Drias?” Wyatt asked a little too loudly.

  Doctor Sain settled back on the bed. “I will put in a request to be permanently stationed on Terratu. There we can pursue this matter without unwanted scrutiny. Alurian and Terran relations are still a bit strained. Conflicting philosophies and world views will do that, but I promise you Wyatt I will do everything I can to find your Ariel. If she exists, we will find her. But that must wait, for now. Okay dear one?”

 “Thank you.” 

   Doctor Sain Siss bent over and gently stroked his brow with one of her tentacles, an expression of deep compassion from her world Alura.