She gave him a warning look, as if to say she'd heard all she wanted to on the subject. Koenig sighed and nodded. He'd gotten her away from Alpha and away from work. That held importance over everything else. And they were alone for nearly a week. Slowly John smiled, a rather disarming smile that he knew could change Helena's mood in seconds. It worked this time - as always.
Helena chuckled, wrapped her arms around Koenig's neck, and kissed him again. Then she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood.
"Is there any coffee?"
"What about the romance?"
Helena sent a grin over her shoulder. John stood and followed her, slipping his arms about her waist. She sighed and leaned back against him.
"I want to be completely awake for any romantic moves you may make."
Koenig placed a kiss on the side of her neck, then released her.
"I can't argue that logic. I was about to make a fresh pot. It's rather dull..."
John's statement was interrupted by the sounding of the sensor alarm. He glanced toward the pilot section.
"I'll make the coffee, John."
He nodded, then strode forward into the pilot section of Eagle 2-5, expecting the sensors had detected nothing more than some interstellar dust or planetary debris. He was wrong.
The first external impact was aft, and it sent John careening to the side just as he was inches away from the pilot seat. He reached out and grabbed hold of the chair, pulling himself toward it. Another impact, this time from below, almost knocked John off his feet, but he held on tightly and was able to buckle himself into the pilot chair.
"Helena! Safety restraints!"
He heard her cry out as the Eagle sustained another impact. Koenig fought with the controls, trying to get the craft out of the path of the small objects that continued to buffet the ship. He glanced at the sensors, taking in the jumble of data they presented, then relied on his instincts as a pilot to prevent further damage to the ship.
Straining to bring Eagle 2-5 under his control again, John set course for the shortest and fastest way out of the danger area. The impacts continued, becoming less severe, until they stopped completely. John did not relax. Alarm bells were sounding and lights warning of system failures were flashing.
"Helena! I need your help! Get up here!"
Koenig began activating back-up systems, cursing when those too indicated possible or imminent failures.
"Helena!"
John glanced over his shoulder, fear stabbing his chest. There was no reply, no movement at all from the passenger section.
"Helena!"
Still no answer. John forcibly pushed his concern for Helena to the back of his mind, knowing if he didn't get the ship functioning on some level, they would both die.
Consulting the sensor information, John was able to sort through the jumble of conflicting readings and locate a solar system. It was not near enough to have taken much notice of before, but the ship had been pushed much closer to it as a result of their encounter with whatever it was.
John knew he'd worry about what hit them later. Grateful the sensors were still working, Koenig turned them toward the solar system, hoping conditions were suitable and he could put the ship down. It was rapidly becoming un-space worthy.
"Helena! Answer me!"
There was again no reply. John was torn between getting up to go see how she was and staying with the controls. The decision was made when the sensors scans reported a breathable atmosphere on the fifth planet of the eight planet system.
Setting course, John realized he could not leave the controls, nor the cockpit, as many of the ship systems had to be manually monitored and re-set. Resigned to not leaving his spot, John closed his eyes briefly and silently asked whatever being or beings who ruled the universe to protect Helena and keep her alive until he could get to her. Then John reached forward and activated the distress signal and homing beacon on the Eagle.
The planet drew near and all John's attention was riveted on making a safe entry into an atmosphere he knew next to nothing about.
Maneuvering thrusters were nearly gone - working at only 27% capacity - and John knew he would not have the luxury of looking for a suitable landing site. The planet surface was nearly obscured by the approaching darkness. Seeing a flat area of land with open water nearby, John headed the sluggish ship toward it. As precisely as he could, Koenig positioned the Eagle far enough away from the shoreline so there would be a safety margin, then began landing procedures.
His arms and hands were beginning to shake with fatigue; the strength needed to keep Eagle 2-5 under some kind of control was excessive. Watching the instruments carefully, John swore loudly when the landing thrusters gave out. The ship dropped the last 100 feet and hit the surface hard enough to snap three of the landing pods before the Eagle settled into the crater it's descent created. The ground trembled under the heavy impact, and John saw trees shake violently. He simply held on tightly out of reflex, and waited until the shuddering stopped. He looked through the forward viewport into the last rays of daylight. That approaching darkness was echoed inside Eagle 2-5.
Closing his eyes and sighing heavily, John slowly unlocked his grip on the controls, released his safely harness, and pushed the seat back. He climbed out, standing on unsteady legs, and reached up to activate the emergency lighting. The lights flickered briefly, then came on and stayed on at half power. Reaching for a flashlight, John carefully made his way into the passenger section.
Anything that was not secured had been tossed around the cabin. But at that point, John's only concern was finding Helena. Using the flashlight to add to the emergency lighting, Koenig began to search the module.
Eleven minutes later, John found her. Helena, unable to get to the passenger seats, had curled into a ball and retreated to the confines of the leg space below the wall of computers along the outer bulkhead. She'd wedged one of the chairs into the space too, in an attempt to keep herself from being tossed about too much. The effort to protect herself had partially worked. She was still secure within the confined area, safe behind the chair barricade, but loose debris was blocking John's access to her.
"Helena!"
No reply. John aimed the flashlight on her to see she was curled on her side, blood on her face. Her eyes were closed, but she still breathed and seemed to be in no distress.
John began talking to her, as much to keep himself calm as to let her know he was working to free her. When he removed the final piece of debris and worked the chair out of its protective position, John reached for her wrist and felt for a pulse. He found it, reassured that she was alive.
Deciding it was best not to move Helena until he had a place to put her, John bent close and kissed her cheek, then turned to survey the damage to the passenger section. Various items had come to rest on the bed, but there was little damage to it and it was still functional as a bed. Koenig set about clearing the sleeping area of debris, as well as clearing a safe path from the computer bulkhead to the bed. John was about finished, sweeping the dust from the bedding when he heard a moan and movement from behind him.
Koenig turned and knelt by the opening in time to see Helena's eyes flutter open.
"Helena."
"John..."
"I'm right here."
He knelt lower and reached out a hand to her.
"Take it slowly, Helena. You have blood on your face, in your eyes."
"Help me."
John placed one hand on her shoulder, the other on her hip, and rolled her from the small hole and into his arms. She moaned softly as pain sliced through her, but she smiled when she felt John's arms about her.
"What happened?"
"I'm not totally sure yet. How badly are you injured?"
Slowly Helena took inventory of herself. She flexed and stretched her limbs, straightening carefully and fighting dizziness. She breathed deeply, then met John's gaze through the blood that partially impaired her vision.
"Nothing broken. There seem to be no immediately detectable internal injuries. You?"
"Bumps and bruises and very tired muscles. Can you stand?"
"Yes."
Carefully he helped Helena to her feet then over to the bed. She sat gratefully and gave John a stronger smile.
"Have you seen my medical kit?"
Koenig shook his head, straightened and started to look for the kit, beginning where it was usually stored, hoping it had not somehow broken lose and been damaged. He gave a small cheer when he found the kit where it should be, and undamaged. He smiled at Helena.
"We're in luck."
John pulled the kit from its storage space and picked his way back to Helena. The emergency lighting dimmed, flickered a bit, then dimmed more. Helena glanced at John, who shrugged, and grinned sheepishly.
"Set low for that romantic atmosphere."
Helena chuckled, then winced slightly as her head throbbed. John handed the kit over to her and Helena placed it beside her on the bed, opening it. She cleaned the blood from her face and washed it from her eyes as best she could. John followed her instructions to help and soon Helena was able to direct John on how to disinfect and bandage the scalp wound she found just below her hairline.
With the bleeding all but stopped, and the wound covered against infection, Helena was able to concern herself with her overall condition, as well as John's. She ran the medical scanner over herself, then John, satisfied with the results.
"Well?"
"No concussion, minor cuts and bruises. No internal damage... The same for you. I think, John, we were extremely lucky."
"I can't argue that."
Helena took a deep breath and put her hand to her head, closing her eyes in pain. John's hand came to rest on her arm, his eyes wide with concern.
"Helena?"
"I'm just a little dizzy, with a headache."
"Here, lie down."
John assisted Helena to lie down and adjusted the pillow under her head and neck. He took her hand and smiled at her.
"Better?"
"Yes. What happened, John?"
"I really don't know. I was able to find a planet with a breathable atmosphere and sort of landed on it."
"Sort of?"
"Don't ask. It wasn't a big crash, more of a... semi-controlled fall."
Helena smiled and John continued.
"We should be near a large body of water, but it was just dark when we landed, so exploration will have to wait. I did get a distress call off to Alpha, and the homing beacon is active. The problem is we're rather far off our original course, so it may take them awhile to find us."
"Well, you did promise me some time alone with you in an Eagle."
"And I'm a man of my word. Are you hungry?"
Helena wrinkled her nose and chanced a quick shake of her head.
"No. I think... I need to let the headache go away first."
"All right. I'm going to do a quick check of ship systems and status, then secure for the night. I won't be long."
He gave Helena a quick kiss, then stood, taking the flashlight with him.
Thirty five minutes later John was back, having made certain nothing was going to short out and start a fire or explode. He'd turned the emergency lights off to conserve power and now sat beside Helena to remove his boots. She studied him as she moved over to make room for him on the bed.
"Everything okay?"
"It will keep until morning. You?"
"All right. The dizziness is better, the headache fading."
"Good. Would you like your boots off?"
"Mmmm, please."
Koenig obliged, removing his uniform belt, then Helena's and stretched out beside her on the bed. He pulled the blanket over them then gathered Helena into his arms, resting his head against hers on the pillow. In minutes they were both asleep.
* * * * *
Only partially listening as several Command Center staff members discussed the most recent attempt to correct the malfunctioning sensors, interjecting theories and reasons why the attempt failed, Tony Verdeschi sat at his security post. He could have occupied the chair behind Koenig's command desk, but he was more comfortable where he was. The responsibilities were the same - no matter where he sat - when John was off base, but he liked his own chair better.
He'd just glanced up at the big screen, out of habit, when the external comm channel began flashing to indicate an incoming message. Tony reached to activate the link and the Command Center was immediately filled with the sound of Eagle 2-5's distress call. Sandra scrambled back to her station in an attempt to gain what information she could while Maya began trying to get a fix on the craft's position. Tony was on his feet, leaning forward, anxious for news.
"I am unable to decipher any details, Tony. It is the Eagle's automatic distress signal, nothing more."
"Maya?"
"Position coming through now... they are quite far off course."
"Get me a scan of... Damn!"
Tony had been about to order a sensor scan of the area when he remembered the sensors weren't working. That's why John and Helena were out there in the first place.
"Sandra, keep monitoring that channel in case they were able to get off a more detailed message. Put a booster on the reply message -- tell them we're on our way. Maya, check Eagle 2-5's last report, see if there is anything mentioned that could cause such a drastic course alteration. Carter..."
The Chief Eagle Pilot's face came up on the small screen at Tony's desk.
"Carter here."
"Alan, I need you to prep a Medical Rescue ship. Eagle 2-5 is in trouble. No details yet."
"I'm on it, Tony. She'll be ready and on the pad in fifteen minutes."
"Thanks, Carter. Medical Center."
Bob Mathias' face replaced Alan's on the small monitor.
"Doctor Mathias."
"Bob, we've just gotten a distress call from Eagle 2-5. Coordinate with Alan Carter as to Medical Rescue needs. If we have any more details before you launch in fifteen minutes, we'll let you know."
"Understood."
Verdeschi cut the link, knowing the rescue operation was in motion. There was little he could do now but worry.
Eleven minutes later, Alan Carter let the Command Center know Medical Rescue Eagle One would launch in four point seven minutes, as soon as the additional equipment Doctor Mathias was bringing along was stowed and secured.
Tony acknowledged the report and looked at those assembled in the Command Center. He was tempted to go himself, but knew he would be superfluous. Mathias would choose his medical team carefully and include those who were trained for more than one function, including someone who was flight certified. There was no need for extra crew. Tony glanced at Maya, wanting to send her along too, but realizing she would be more helpful if she remained behind to analyze the incoming data with Sandra. He sighed heavily and sat behind his desk. He hated waiting.
No additional information as to the status of Eagle 2-5 was available when the Rescue Eagle lifted off. Command Center wished them speed and much luck, and promised to keep them appraised of any new information they received. The repeated automatic distress signal gave them some hope. Eagle 2-5 was still intact and still had power -- or at least that had been true when the signal was sent, over eight hours before.
* * * * *
Helena cracked her eyes open, expecting it to be daylight, but darkness was all she could discern. She sighed heavily and glanced over at John, who was still sound asleep, curled beside her under the blanket. Helena blinked, and shifted about, trying to get more comfortable. It wasn't easy. She seemed to ache all over, and there were more than a few extremely sore spots where she was sure she would find bruises.
Restlessly she threw off the blanket, feeling too warm with it spread over her entire body. But her feet were cold so she kept those covered. Helena sighed heavily again. She had no idea what time it was, but didn't really feel sleepy.
Slowly, so as not to disturb John, Helena sat up. Dizziness washed over her and with a groan she lay down again. Arms and shoulders beginning to feel a bit chilled, Helena pulled the blanket back over her and rolled onto her side. She curled against John and tucked the blanket under her chin. It was going to be a long night.
John woke slowly, realizing his arms and shoulders were stiff -- an after effect from the strain of trying to hold the Eagle on a steady course the day before. He blinked and rubbed his hand across his eyes, then glanced through the darkness to where Helena lay beside him. He had the vague memory of her being rather restless during the night, but she seemed to be sleeping peacefully now.
Not wanting to wake her, John sat slowly and reached over the side of the bed to where he'd placed the flashlight the night before. He turned it on, but left it on the floor as he reached for his boots and pulled them on.
Koenig picked up the flashlight and stood. He turned to look at Helena more closely and bent over to place a gentle kiss on her temple. John straightened, glancing about the cabin. He carefully made his way toward the pilot section. Through the front view port he could see it was just past dawn. John sat slowly. He began to check out the instruments and controls more carefully and completely. The night before his concern was Helena. Now that he knew she was all right, he could concentrate on other things.
By the time full daylight arrived, John had enough data concerning their new environment to share it with Helena. He stood and took the information with him, returning to the passenger section. Helena was just beginning to stir, so he checked the water and power supplies, then made a small pot of coffee - enough for one cup each.
The aroma roused Helena and she rolled over, peering up at John through half open lids.
"Good morning."
He bent over and kissed her cheek, handing Helena the cup of coffee as she slowly sat up.
"Thanks. How long have you been up?"
"An hour or so. I've been checking out our surroundings. Here's the sensor data."
Helena studied it as she sipped the coffee.
"The atmosphere contains a higher percentage than what we're used to of some trace elements, but it shouldn't have any adverse affect on us. The relative humidity may be a problem though. It's quite high, and will make breathing more difficult, especially with any kind of physical exertion. You said there was a body of water nearby?"
"Yes, about two hundred yards from the ship."
"I'll need samples to ascertain if it is safe for us or not."
"I thought we'd explore in an hour or two. I want to run a complete systems check, to see what's working and what isn't. We should also try to send another message to Alpha."
Helena nodded, then put her hand to her head, closing her eyes. She felt John's hand on her arm as she swallowed back the nausea.
"Helena?"
"My head still hurts. I must have hit it on something yesterday, even though the scans showed no indications whatsoever of a concussion. I don't seem to have any of the other symptoms of a concussion, but I want to double check."
"Would you rather rest?"
"No, I'll be all right. Concentrating on other things will help. And, we'd better eat something."
Koenig nodded and reached for two ration packs.
"Might I interest you in breakfast in bed?"
He held a packet out to her, Helena made a face, but forced the nourishment down. She was going to have serious words with Kate Goldburg about these space rations. Kate might be base dietician, and her best friend, but something had to be done about the taste of the rations.
John glared hard at the Eagle systems analysis. He didn't like what he saw, but knew he could not change it. By using the solar batteries of Eagle 2-5, they could keep the internal environmental system running. They would have heat, air conditioning, air circulation, and minimum lighting. External sensors blew out when they were trying to get a more detailed breakdown of the trace elements in the atmosphere, and the communications link fried out just after they sent another distress call toward Alpha.
"I hope the signal was powerful enough for Alpha to detect it."
"They'll be monitoring for another one, won't they?"
John nodded, thinking to himself they would only be monitoring if they had received the first one he sent. And he wasn't at all certain that first message had been strong enough either. But he would not say so out loud, not wanting to worry Helena.
"We're going to have to sacrifice computer power. The solar batteries won't support environmental systems and the computer. To store any power for night, we can't use what's gathered during the day.”
"With external sensors gone, we won't have much use for computer systems anyway. But before you cut it off completely, I want to run that water sample through."
"Good idea."
"And we should go before the sun reaches zenith. With the high humidity level, even a relatively cool daytime high will make it less than comfortable out there."
John nodded his agreement and moved to put all internal systems on minimum. They would conserve power as long as they were going to be out. Helena reached for her medical sample kit, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her head. She would have to re-examine herself before computer power was cut. The scan she took the day before must have missed something.
"Ready."
John smiled, then opened the external hatch. A blast of humid air rushed in, followed by a strong breeze.
"That breeze will help. Let's go."
Together John and Helena left the Eagle, closing the hatch behind them.
Alan Carter kept the Rescue Eagle's comm link open in the hopes of receiving another signal from Eagle 2-5. It was a bit of a drain on power, but he felt justified. The sooner they knew the exact location of the ship, and their situation, the better prepared they would be for the rescue. So far there had been no additional signal, but Carter was ever hopeful.
Helena had been right about conditions outside the Eagle being less than comfortable. Even with the brisk breeze, the humidity level made any activity difficult. They'd both worked up a good sweat by the time they reached the edge of the water, and knew they wouldn't be able to return to the comfort of the ship any time soon.
Helena knelt to take water samples while John concentrated on various forms of vegetation. He glanced over his shoulder a couple of times to be sure Helena was all right, and to be certain they hadn't moved too far away from one another. With all the unknowns, Koenig didn't want to chance being separated by distance. He turned back to his sample taking.
When he next looked in Helena's direction, John swallowed hard. He turned and quickly hurried over to her. She was hunched down on the shore, head held in her hands, fingers shaking.
"Helena!"
John knelt beside her, hands resting on her shoulders.
"Helena..."
She didn't seem to hear him, so John reached up to remove her hands from her face. They were full of mud from the shore where she had been kneeling, collecting soil samples in addition to the water samples. John brushed dirt from her cheek and away from the cut on her forehead. He lifted her chin and spoke to her again.
"Helena. What's wrong?"
She just looked at him and John noticed her face was lined with pain. Tears stood in her eyes and she was shivering.
Koenig laid his hand against her cheek. Helena's skin was hot to the touch. She had a high fever and no longer seemed aware of her surroundings.
"Helena, it's John. Talk to me."
"My head hurts...."
"Come on, let's get back to the Eagle."
John helped Helena to her feet, leaving her medical kit on the ground. He'd come back for it and the samples later.
The distance back to Eagle 2-5 was not all that great, but it was slow going as Helena seemed unable to keep her balance. She leaned heavily against John and more than once tried to change the direction they walked. Only John's firm arm about her waist kept her on course.
John paused outside the Eagle only long enough to open the hatch, then he hurried Helena into the ship and over to the bed. Gently he eased her down, then re-activated the internal systems, bringing the air circulation and cooling systems back on line. He raised the light level enough so he could adequately see, and returned to Helena's side.
She moved about restlessly, hands held to her head as if the external pressure would help ease the pain. Gently John moved her hands away again and met Helena's confused gaze.
"Helena, tell me what's wrong."
"My head hurts, from the inside out."
John shook his head, uncertain that he knew what she meant. So he held her hands and talked quietly to her. Gradually Helena became less restless and perhaps a bit more coherent.
"John."
"I'm right here."
"Find my medical kit."
"I left it outside, by the water."
"Would you get it, please?"
"Yes. Helena?"
"I'm not sure, but I think the scan I took yesterday missed something. Hurry?"
"I'll be right back. You stay there."
Helena moaned and nodded, hand coming back to her head. She curled on her side, whimpering softly when the movement brought more pain. Not wanting to leave her, but knowing he had to, John turned away and hurried from the Eagle.
He'd only been gone a short time, but when John returned to the Eagle and looked over toward the bed, he was startled to see Helena gone. He glanced around the cabin as he put the medical and sample kits down, then stepped over to the closed bathroom door. He knocked.
"Helena. Answer me. Are you in there?"
There was no reply, and John listened hard, hearing no movement inside. He reached to open the door, and when it slid aside, John found the small area empty.
"Helena!"
Moving cautiously to avoid tripping over the debris he'd yet to clear away, John carefully searched the small area of the passenger section, finally finding Helena in the pilot section. She stood behind one of the chairs, hands gripping the back of it as she tried to maintain her balance. She stared out the front view port but saw nothing.
"Helena."
Carefully, not wanting to startle her, John reached up to place his hands on her shoulders. He turned her toward him, studying her closely.
"Helena, come with me. You should be in bed."
She didn't acknowledge him so John turned her further around. He took her hand and was about to lead her back to the bed when her knees buckled and she went to the floor.
"Helena!"
John knelt, lifted her carefully, and carried her back to bed. He got her as comfortable as he could, then grabbed her medical kit from where he'd left it and sat beside her. John opened the kit and looked down at the contents.
He was out of his element. He'd seen Helena use the instruments contained in the kit numerous times, but really had no idea of how they functioned. Reaching for the medical scanner, John activated it and passed it over Helena, as he'd seen her do. He studied the readings. At least they were relatively straight forward. Her temperature was elevated and her respiration rate was a bit fast. Pulse, heart rate, and blood pressure were still normal. That really didn't help, for John already knew Helena was running a fever.
Koenig sighed. Had they more reserve power, he would run these readings through the computer for more detailed information. As it was, he'd just have to rely on his basic first aid training and common sense. And his common sense was telling him he needed to keep Helena quiet and get her temperature down. To do that, he would need lots of water to give her cooling sponge baths. But he didn't want to risk using up their on board water supply, and didn't know yet if the native water was safe for them or not.
While he debated what to do, John reached for a clean gauze square and the bottle of antiseptic he'd seen Helena use on her head cut the night before. He gently cleaned away the dirt from the wound, making sure it was as clean as he could get it.
Finished, John closed the medical kit and watched Helena for a long moment. She seemed to be resting peacefully. He didn't know how long that would last though. Standing, John removed Helena's uniform belt and her boots, placing them off to the side. Then he covered her with a light weight blanket and brushed a few strands of hair away from her face before he straightened.
Turning away, John crossed to the external hatch and made certain it was securely locked. He didn't want to risk Helena wandering around and possibly leaving the ship. Satisfied with the security measures, John picked up the sample case, initiated power to the computer, and set about analyzing the water samples Helena had collected. Results would not be immediate, so while he waited, John turned his restless energy on some constructive activity. He began to clear away the debris and clutter created when the Eagle crashed.
"Rescue Eagle One to Moonbase Alpha. Do you copy?"
Verdeschi came to his feet as Alan Carter's hail sounded in the Command Center. Sandra immediately opened a channel and nodded to Tony that he could reply.
"Command Center here, we read you Carter. Any news?"
"Tony, we just intercepted a second distress signal from Eagle 2-5. I'm relaying it to you now."
Verdeschi glanced at Sandra, who nodded the signal was coming through. She and Maya worked to get what useful information they could while Tony waited less than patiently.
"Tony."
"What have you got?"
"The second signal was sent from several hundred thousand kilometers further out than the first one. We have approximate coordinates. Sandra is relaying them to Alan now."
"Any details as to what the problems are?"
"I'm sorry, Tony. It was just the automated distress call with locator beacon piggy backed on. There's no verbal message attached."
Verdeschi frowned. He didn't like the sound of it, but knew there was nothing he could do.
"Carter."
"From our present position, using the boosters, our ETA to the approximate location is 26.4 hours. But I'll see if we can shave some time off that."
"Keep in touch, Alan."
"Will do, Tony. Rescue Eagle out."
The transmission was cut and Verdeschi sighed heavily as he glanced around the Command Center, meeting the worried gazes of the staff.
He gave them a determined nod and what he hoped was an encouraging smile. Then he sat back down while everyone returned to their duties. At least there had been some small progress in getting the long range sensors back on line. He hoped they would be fully functional in time to be of some help to John and Helena in Eagle 2-5.
* * * * *
Koenig had tidied up a small area of the Eagle by the time the computer analysis was complete. He studied the results carefully and checked them against computer records. The native water was safe for limited consumption, but over time would cause mild poisoning. John didn't like the news, and went over to sit beside Helena, hoping she was coherent enough to help him.
"Helena..."
He reached out to touch her face, aware her fever was up. He had to make a decision. Looking at the results again, John knew he would have to risk it. He would use the native water to bathe Helena, hoping the poisonous elements would not be absorbed through her skin, and keep the on board water supply for drinking until he could find some way to purify or filter out the dangerous elements from the planet's water.
Standing, John double checked to be sure Helena was as comfortable as she could be, then he found a couple of containers in which to carry the water. Moving to the outer hatch, John released the security lock and opened the door. After he stepped out, he re-activated the lock.
Hurrying toward the water, John was determined to make this trip as quickly as he could. He didn't want to leave Helena alone for long.
Koenig placed the filled water containers on the ground just outside the Eagle hatch. He removed his commlock from his belt, entering the security code. The door slid silently open and John stepped inside. He looked immediately toward the bed. Helena was not there.
"Damn!"
Bending down, John retrieved both water containers from the ground and stepped into the ship, closing, then re-locking the door behind him after placing the containers on the floor. He looked around the cabin more completely, but could not see Helena anywhere.
"Helena! It's John!"
There was no reply. Not bothering to knock this time, John checked the bathroom. Helena was not there. Standing near the access hallway to the pilot section, John began to visually search the passenger section of the Eagle. He saw nothing disturbed or out of place, so changed his position and repeated the visual search. This time he spotted her. Helena had crawled back into the small space under the computer console where he'd found her after the crash. She was curled into a small ball, laying on her side, shivering.
John carefully made his way over to her and knelt down, reaching in to touch Helena's shoulder. She pulled away, whimpering.
"Helena, let me help you out of there."
He touched her shoulder again and she pulled further back, trying to get away from him.
"No... no..."
"Helena. It's John."
She just whimpered and shook her head. Reaching in with both hands, John grabbed Helena under the arms and firmly but gently pulled her out. She tried to curl into an even tighter ball but John persisted and dragged her from under the console. Helena continued to resist, to shake her head and to say 'no' to something.
Helena was curled so tightly that John couldn't get her into his arms securely enough to lift her from the floor to the bed without the risk of dropping her. Not wanting to chance further injury, John decided he would have to do what he could for her while she was on the floor. He walked over toward the hatch and picked up one of the water containers, then placed it on the floor near Helena. John next crossed to the bed and pulled the blanket from it. He tore a strip off the end and put it aside, placing the rest of the blanket over Helena to help stop the shivering.
John sat on the floor beside Helena and eased his hand along her shoulder and neck until he could feel her skin. Her fever seemed to be up, despite her shivering. John knew what he had to do.
Koenig found the zipper on Helena's uniform top and ran it down, exposing her shoulders and upper chest. Using the blanket strip, Koenig folded it, got it wet, then wrung it out just enough so it was no longer dripping, collecting the excess water in the cover of her medical kit. John carefully, slowly, and methodically began to bathe all of Helena's exposed skin. John removed Helena's socks and bathed her feet as well. The gentle stroking helped to sooth Helena and she soon stopped moaning and protesting. As she calmed a little, Helena began to relax and uncurl, allowing John to reach more of her skin to bathe it.
He'd been sitting beside Helena, attempting to lower her fever for two hours before she relaxed enough to allow John to lift her from the floor and put her back on the bed. He'd been careful not to allow any of the native water near Helena's head, not wanting to risk her ingesting any of it through nose, mouth, or the wound on her forehead.
When John had her settled on the bed, he poured a small cup of water from the on board supply and eased Helena's head up to wet her lips. She swallowed a small sip, but that was all.
John reached for the medical kit and ran the scanner over Helena again. Her fever was still above normal, a tenth of a degree lower than when he'd checked it the first time. Looking at the various medications contained in the kit, John shook his head. He wished he knew if any would help her.
"Helena,... I need your help on this. Don't give in. Fight. Come back to me, tell me what to do,... what more to do..."
John's words had no effect, and he closed his eyes, sighing heavily. She was a strong healthy woman, normally, but she'd been so run down and exhausted... He had to believe she was strong enough to keep fighting this until help arrived, in spite of her exhaustion. Help had to arrive soon. It had to.
* * * * *
Despite John's efforts, Helena's fever continued to rise. He kept using the water to sponge off her skin, hoping the evaporation would have some effect, but John could detect very little progress. Each time he used the medical scanner, her fever seemed to be higher, even though, initially, there had been a slight drop. Wondering if he might be using the scanner incorrectly, Koenig turned it on himself and got a normal reading.
Sighing heavily, John closed his eyes as he tilted his head back to ease cramped and tired neck and back muscles. Far from relaxed, but feeling better, John stood and went to get more water. The second container was nearly empty and John sighed again.
He turned around to look at Helena. She seemed to be resting quietly for the moment, and John returned to her side. He didn't know how long the calmness would last, so he had to take advantage of the opportunity. He needed more water and now was the time to get it.
Making certain Helena was well covered, John kissed her lightly on her feverish cheek and stood. He gathered up the water containers, making certain the hatch was closed and locked after he stepped outside.
Thirsty, her mouth dry, Helena slowly opened her eyes. She was in the Eagle, but it wasn't right. Something had gone wrong. Sitting cautiously, aware of the dim light around her, Helena let her glance roam about the cabin. It was a mess. There was debris everywhere. She frowned, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. They would be coming for her, those who had caused the crash; those who had taken John and would be back for her.
Unaware of her semi-clothed state, Helena swung her feet over the edge of the bed and stood. Her legs were wobbly and she fought to gain her balance. It took a moment, but she was able to stand steadily, without leaning against a wall or chair for support.
Helena assessed her situation. She was alone in a wrecked Eagle. She didn't know how long she'd been there or how soon it would be until they came for her. She wouldn't let herself think about what they were doing to John, and didn't understand why she'd been left behind. It didn't matter. If she was to have any chance of helping John, she had to keep from being captured.
Moving across the floor to the weapons rack, Helena pulled a stun gun from the place it was stored, wondering why the weapons were still on board. She didn't care, so long as she had one. Preparing to clip the weapon to her belt, Helena realized she was not wearing it. She looked down, wondering why she was half dressed. What had they been doing to her?! It didn't matter, she'd worry about it later. She had to stay alive.
Turning, Helena scanned the area near the bed, spotting her boots, belt and uniform top. She stumbled over and put everything back on, then returned to the Eagle hatch. Wishing she knew what awaited her outside, but knowing she had to be well away from the ship before they returned, Helena took a deep breath. Dizziness washed over her for a moment, but she shook it off. She was ready.
Stun gun in hand, Helena reached out and touched the control pad that would open the Eagle hatch. A gentle hum could be heard, but the door did not move, and a lighted message flashed. It told her to enter the security code. Closing her eyes, Helena tried hard to remember what the security code was, then entered her all purpose, medical over ride code. It didn't work. She tried several more, and none were successful.
"Damn!"
Glancing around, Helena realized she had only one option. She stepped into the hallway leading into the pilot section. She pressed herself up against the near wall and waited.
She didn't wait long. Helena heard the electronic notes of the security code being activated, then the Eagle door opened. She took action.
Helena raised her stun gun and steadied it, then released a shout as she darted around the corner. Her target in sight, Helena fired, satisfied when a painful cry filled the Eagle cabin. Crashing and clattering followed the cry but she didn't wait to find out what had fallen. Helena dashed forward, arms held before her like a battering ram. She charged the figure in the doorway, hitting him hard and knocking him to the floor. She was out the door and running hard, ignoring the fact someone was calling her name. In her fevered delusion, she didn't recognize the voice.
The Eagle hatch slid aside and John stepped in. He glanced up at what sounded like a battle cry, then shouted in pain and surprise as a stun beam hit him mid-chest. He dropped the water containers and stumbled forward, only to be knocked down when someone came charging at him and continued out the door. Helena!
John struggled to his feet, turning, trying to watch where she went.
"Helena! Stop! Helena!"
John started to follow her, but lost sight of Helena when she darted into the forest and the dense cover of vegetation.
"Helena!"
Only the sounds of the planet answered as John tried to regain his breath.
* * * * *
Hoping to somehow track Helena, John carefully studied the ground outside the Eagle hatch. He could see the indentations of her booted feet where she landed hard after rushing him. She took off running from there, but she soon came to an area of loose rock and pebbles. John tried to follow her path across that terrain, over to where he'd seen her disappear into the forest and underbrush. He was successful for a few yards, but the ground cover soon grew thick and dense. He lost her trail.
"Damn! Helena! Helena! Answer me! It's John! Helena!"
Having already checked, John knew Helena did not take her commlock with her. At least she was dressed - tunic, pants and boots, so she wouldn't be completely exposed to the alien elements.
"Helena!"
His shout echoed briefly then died. John bent over at the waist, hands braced on his knees, trying to catch his breath and keep from passing out. The stun effect was beginning to catch up with him. He was running on adrenaline as it was.
"Helena..."
Desperation and despair were evident in John's tone, and he didn't try to deny it to himself. He had to find her. He couldn't leave her alone out there to face whatever dangers this planet held. But he didn't know how to find her. He too was injured and no longer had the strength for a long search.
His breathing coming closer to normal, no longer feeling so light headed and dizzy, John slowly straightened and stared into the forest, as if by sheer will he could locate Helena.
"Rescue Eagle One to Eagle 2-5. Do you copy? Eagle 2-5, do you copy?"
The unexpected sound startled Koenig, and he grabbed for his commlock. He didn't care that the transmission wasn't as clear and strong as it should be. The fact Eagle One was in communication range was enough.
"Alan! Am I glad to hear from you. How far out are you?"
"We'll be entering orbit in seventeen minutes. We have Eagle 2-5's position and will land as close to her as we can."
"Good. Be prepared to launch a full scale search operation as soon as you touch down."
"What's wrong?"
"Helena was injured in the crash. She's been running a fever and is delirious. She's run off and didn't take her commlock with her."
John saw Carter frown, then the pilot's gaze flickered from the screen to the instrument panel in front of him. He looked back to the screen.
"Understood, John. We'll be there straight away."
"I'll meet you at Eagle 2-5. Koenig out."
John cut the link and sighed heavily. He quickly gathered together some debris to mark the place Helena had entered the underbrush, then John took a last look into the forest before turning back toward the ship. He would reach it just about the same time that Rescue Eagle One was due to land.
Pausing to catch her breath, Helena ducked behind the large, thick trunk of a tall tree. It had feather-like branches that hung down to waist height. She breathed slowly and deeply, listening hard, daring to glance back the way she'd come.
Her escape had been too easy, she realized that now. They were following her and would not be happy when they caught her. So she wouldn't let them catch her.
Breathing deeply several more times, Helena looked around her. The forest growth was much the same as that through which she'd already passed. Thick enough to make pursuit difficult, but it wouldn't provide adequate cover to shelter or conceal her for long.
Oblivious to her mounting fever, Helena looked upwards. The lowest branches were just above her head, but if she jumped...
Glancing back the way she'd come, certain those chasing her weren't close enough to see her yet, Helena took a deep breath. She crouched down, arms poised, then straightened her knees and sprang upwards, reaching out to grab the lowest branch with hands and arms.
In her delirium, Helena grabbed the branch, pulled herself up onto the limb, and climbed up several levels until she was well off the ground and concealed by the tree canopy. In reality she leapt up and grabbed one of the feather-like branches of the tree. Her hands clasped around it and the knife sharp edges cut into her flesh. Still holding on, she slid back down to the ground quickly. Unprepared, Helena lost her footing and fell hard to the ground. She was unconscious, her cut and bleeding hands slowly losing their grip on the tree branch.
* * * * *
John heard the roar of Eagle engines just as he neared his own craft. He stood well back to avoid the heat and blast of the rockets as the ship set down on the beach, only a few dozen feet from Eagle 2-5.
When he heard the engines shut down, John started forward, going to stand by the hatch of the downed Eagle. He watched and waited until the Rescue Eagle hatch opened and the crew stepped out. Koenig waved to them, and they hurried over, Alan Carter in the lead, followed closely by Bob Mathias.
"Commander!"
"I'm all right, Doctor."
"No, sir, you're not. Inside."
Mathias took Koenig by the arm and led him back to the Rescue Eagle. Once inside, the doctor set about examining his commander. John took the opportunity to brief everyone on what had happened and how he'd come to be hit by a stun beam.
"I marked the spot where I think Helena went into the underbrush, but..."
John shook his head, then met Mathias' gaze when the doctor administered some kind of medication.
"Bob?"
"This should temporarily neutralize the effects of the stun beam, and keep you on your feet until we find Helena."
Koenig gave Mathias a rueful smile, glad he wouldn't have to argue with the doctor. After all this time, Mathias knew it was no use to try and get him to rest when Helena was in danger. Mathias just nodded.
Alan looked at the rest of the crew, to see they were all prepared. Each team was comprised of a medical member and a security member. They carried an emergency medical kit, and were armed.
"All right. We follow the Commander to the last known location of Doctor Russell. From there we spread out, keeping your partner in sight at all times. Stay alert for signs that she might have passed your way - footprints, broken or bent branches or foliage, pieces of her uniform, stray hairs, anything that might mark her trail. If you find anything, let the rest of us know immediately."
John nodded his agreement with Alan's orders, then they all left the Eagle, following Koenig to the edge of the forest.
The teams spread out, hoping they would find some indication of the direction Helena had gone rather quickly. Koenig, Carter and Mathias stayed close together, Mathias wanting to keep a close eye on his patient and John wanting to be with Mathias when he was called to Helena's side. Alan kept an eye on them both and acted as the security member of their team.
They'd been searching less than ten minutes when the first sign of the path Helena took was spotted. Several broken twigs lay on the ground, strands of blond hair tangled in the ends of the twigs. The call went out to the others and soon they all converged on the spot. Further searching revealed indentations in the soft ground made by the heels of Helena's boots.
Alan glanced at John, seeing him tense. His worry for Helena was clearly evident, and made worse by the fact he felt responsible for the crash, responsible for Helena's injuries, and responsible for allowing her to get away. From what Koenig had said, there seemed to be little he could have done to keep Helena in the Eagle. She surprised him, stunned him, and was gone before he knew what hit him. Alan was sure Koenig would come to see he was not at fault for any of it, but that easing of guilt would only come in time, after they'd found Helena and gotten her safely back to the Eagle, safely back to Alpha.
"Doctor! Commander! Over there!"
The shout came from slightly ahead and to the left of them. Mathias and Koenig followed the pointing arm of the med tech with their gazes, and saw a crumpled body on the ground beneath a tree with feather-like leaves.
"Helena!"
They hurried through the underbrush toward her, Mathias and Carter arriving seconds after an orderly and a nurse. John was a few steps behind. Everyone but the necessary medical personnel moved out of the way so he could kneel beside Helena.
John reached out and touched Helena's head, feeling the fever that had hold of her was even higher. He glanced at Bob whose concentration was on Helena. He could do nothing but wait.
* * * * *
Certain Helena was in good hands and he was not needed to help, Alan Carter took his co-pilot and they headed back toward Eagle 2-5. Carter wanted to assess the damage and determine if the craft could be easily salvaged. That assessment was nearly complete when he heard the rest of the rescue party returning. Alan emerged from the wreckage of Eagle 2-5 to see Bob Mathias lead the team into the Rescue Eagle. John was close behind, unwilling to let Helena out of his sight. Alan turned and went back inside. He was nearly finished and would have his report ready when John could concentrate on something other than Helena.
Ten minutes later Carter entered the Rescue Eagle to find Bob and the nurse working on Helena while John paced restlessly nearby. Knowing Koenig would not leave the ship, Carter caught his eye and John joined him by the hatch.
"Alan?"
"2-5 is in pretty bad shape. Given time, I think I could get her airborne high enough to lift her up and piggyback her to this ship, but that would slow us down on our return trip. The last projected course for the moon would bring us close enough to this planet so a salvage operation won't be out of the question. With several teams down here working on her, we'll more easily be able to bring Eagle 2-5 home."
"Do what you can now to cut your time on the surface later when the moon is closer."
"We're already just about finished with it. Zeke will join us here when 2-5 is secure."
Carter gave John an encouraging smile, then stood beside his friend and commander, watching as the medical team continued to treat Helena Russell. Alan could feel the tenseness John was trying to hold in check, but could do nothing more than sympathize with his friend. It was up to the medical people now.
Finally Bob Mathias straightened and turned to face the commander. Alan felt John tense even more, his gaze going past the doctor to rest on Helena.
"Commander, she's stable for the moment, but the sooner we can get her back to Alpha and the Medical Center, the better."
Alan gave John's shoulder a compassionate squeeze, glancing toward the hatch as Zeke Ulsrud entered. He gave Carter a thumbs up signal to indicate Eagle 2-5 was secure. Alan nodded in acknowledgment.
"Lift-off in ten minutes."
John nodded, knowing Alan would probably be ready in less time. He moved aside so Alan and the co-pilot could pass, heading into the pilot section of the craft. Then John met Mathias' gaze, urging him to continue. He did.
"Helena's fever is still quite high, but we should have that down a few degrees by the time we get back to base. Her hands were badly cut by those tree feathers. As far as I'm able to determine at this point, the wounds were not contaminated by any plant matter. We have taken samples and will double check as well as run full scale toxicology screens when we get back. Her chances look good, John. You did all the right things for her early on, and that's helped."
Koenig only nodded, not really believing the doctor.
"May I see her?"
"Only briefly. I want you to rest during the trip back. The medication I gave you earlier will be wearing off soon, and you'll really begin to feel the stun effects again."
John silently agreed and followed Mathias back to Helena's side. Bob stepped back a bit to give them some privacy.
Koenig bent close, touching Helena's hot, feverish cheek with one hand, settling his other hand over her bandaged one. He studied her closely, then leaned in to kiss her gently, speaking softly to her.
"I'm here, Helena. You'll be all right. I love you."
He kissed her again, then straightened. Mathias stepped in, and with the nurse's help, John was soon lying down, not too far from Helena. He was drifting toward sleep when he felt the engines come to life and Rescue Eagle One lift off.
* * * * *
Koenig entered the Medical Center and crossed to Helena's bed. She was sitting up, and smiled when she saw him. Bob Mathias stood beside her, doing a final check of her condition. She'd been a patient there for over a week, needing adequate recovery time after her injuries and illness on the planet. Once they returned to Alpha and were able to make use of the medical facilities there, tests revealed Helena's fever had been caused by a mild infection that was introduced into her blood stream when she cut her head during the Eagle crash. Her exhaustion allowed the infection to spread more quickly than normally would have been possible had she been well rested and her natural defenses at normal levels. Aggressive treatment resulted in a quick recovery from the infection. There had been, as Mathias speculated, no contamination of her wounds or her bloodstream by the feather-like leaves of the native tree. Helena was beginning to get restless and it was time to send her back to quarters.
During that same week, Alpha had come close enough to the planet so Alan and his crews were able to salvage Eagle 2-5, and bring her back to Alpha. The long range sensors were finally repaired. John spent some of that time on sick-call as well, recovering from the stun blow he'd taken, and the stress and fatigue he'd experienced while tending Helena. John was more than anxious to have Helena released so they could finally be alone.
As he neared the bed, Helena held out a still bandaged hand, and John carefully wrapped his fingers around it, bending close to kiss her cheek. They both looked up at Mathias, who carefully studied Helena's readings.
"Bob..."
He smiled slightly at Helena's impatient, exasperated tone, then shifted his gaze to look at them both. Finally he nodded.
"Provided you don't even try to return to duty for at least ten days, I see no reason for you to stay here any longer, Helena."
He gave her a pointed stare and Helena nodded.
"Understood, Doctor."
Mathias chuckled, then moved off as John smiled down at Helena.
"About time, too."
Helena grinned, then swung her legs over the side of the bed as she slowly sat up. Gently taking her hand, then placing his other hand under her elbow, John helped Helena to stand. She took a moment to be sure of her balance, then smiled. John held out her bathrobe, helped her slip it on, and tied the belt around her waist. Until her hands were completely healed and the bandages no longer needed, she wasn't able to do much for herself. John was planning to take some time off to be with her, and secretly liked the fact it was he who would do the fussing over Helena for once. Too often it was the other way around. John slipped his arm about her waist and they walked slowly from the Medical Center.
His arm still protectively around Helena's waist, John opened the door to their quarters, allowed Helena to go in first, then followed her inside. He closed and locked the door behind them. John steered Helena over to their bed and helped her get comfortably settled. In minutes he was changed and crawled into bed beside her, pulling the sheet up over them both. He wrapped his arms about her and drew Helena close, placing a tender kiss on the side of her head.
"I was so scared, Helena, so afraid I would do something that would harm you further..."
"You didn't, John. You did everything you could to help."
"I felt so... inadequate."
"Basic first aid is mostly common sense. You have always been very sensible, John."
"Except where you are concerned. I suppose if it had been anyone else, I wouldn't have been so uncertain. I still would have worried, but...
Helena smiled gently, reached up and pressed John's hand as it rested on her arm.
"Different motivations."
"Yes. Helena, I never told you how proud I am of your coup."
"My coup?"
"Yes, in figuring out a way to increase Life Support capacity to allow new births here. It's something we've wanted for a very long time. I'm glad we'll both be around to see it."
"As am I. The entire Medical Center staff will need a refresher course in obstetrics and pediatrics. Somehow I don't think anyone will mind."
"Neither do I. Helena, I'm sorry that romantic trip off base turned into something far from romantic."
"It's hardly your fault, John. Did we ever find out what caused the problem, what hit us?"
"Yes. Once long range sensors were back on line, it wasn't much of a mystery. We crossed the debris trail of a comet that passed through the system a little over a year ago. The comet was long gone, but the debris it left behind wasn't. On board sensors didn't pick up the mini-meteors until it was too late."
"Hmmm. Are you willing to give me a rain check on our romantic get away?"
John rolled Helena onto her back and stared down into her eyes. After a moment, he bent his head and kissed her tenderly.
"Of course, but you should know that any time we have a chance to be alone is very romantic in my book."
Helena smiled slowly and relaxed into John's embrace.
"Now that is a line if ever I heard one."
John smiled as well, then chuckled and nodded.
"It does sound like one, doesn't it. But it is also the truth, Helena."
She reached up and touched a bandaged hand to his cheek, her gaze meeting his.
"I know it is."
She brushed her lips against John's. He smiled, kissed her again, then settled down beside Helena, happy just to be with her. So long as they were a part of each other's lives, John knew they would be content.
Amanda Russell
June 1, 1998