The adventures of the Star Traveler Andromeda that started in Among the Stars, Beyond the Farthest Planet, So Far From Home and The Voyage Home continues in Earth in Turmoil.
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Chapter 22
"Has she come Tim?" The old man asked
"Aye, that she has. Shannon is with her and taking her through. They will be here shortly."
"Do ye think she will be staying?"
"I am not knowing the answer to that Brian. Shannon will give her all that she needs to know before we ask her decision."
"We have watched her below, Tim. She is out of surgery. From what we have learned she will need more surgery. Also she saved many women and children before the cave in. She belongs with us." Another said.
"That is a decision that she alone must make. Ye all know the rules. We can not force her to remain or influence her in any way."
"We know that Tim. But we are her family, she belongs here with us."
"No Seamus. Kirsten has a wife and four wee ones. She belongs with them."
"Ye speak as if ye do not want her to stay."
"I do Seamus, but I can not ignore that she has responsibilities to her family and country. Her life has just started. She is needed more there."
------------------------------ --- The two women walked out of the hall and climbed the small hill to the large building at the top. Kacey stopped walking.
"Granny wait." She said and leaned against a large rock.
"Is something wrong child?"
"Yes. You are wrong about me."
"How so?"
"No matter what you say, I am no hero. Do you know how many deaths I caused in space?"
"Aye, we all do. Kirsten nothing ye have done went unseen by us."
"Then you understand what I am saying."
"What we have seen is that every battle ye were in was in defense of your ship, it's residents and citizens of far off worlds. Why do ye insist on belittling your bravery?"
"It was not bravery, Granny. Not when I was safe inside a ship with advanced weapons and defenses."
"Oh and what fancy weapons did ye have when ye rescued those women and children. Or when ye rescued a very stubborn Queen from her planet? Or when ye freed not only yourself, but Katie, Anya and Rhea when ye were all kidnapped? Or even when ye stepped up to run the ship when Katie was injured. That is what heroes do, Kirsten. Know this child, no true hero ever thinks they are heroes."
"If you know what happened in space you also know that I killed an unarmed man."
"A man who had just brutally raped and beaten a woman and who if left to live would rape again. Why are ye so determined to see yourself as less than ye are?" The old woman asked. Kacey shrugged. "Or is this because Katie is still on the very tall pedestal ye put her on that ye feel small next to her. Kirsten, ye are beautiful, talented, and brave. We see that in ye, it is time ye see it in yourself. Ye think about that. In the meantime, there are family waiting to see ye. Come along."
Kacey pushed away from the rock and followed her great grand mother.
------------------------------ Days past without any improvement in Kacey's condition. The family visited as often as the hospital allowed. Dr. Durand checked her progress several times a day. She hurried through the door of I.C.U shortly after receiving the early morning call. Doctor McCloud was waiting for her in Kacey's room.
"When did the fever start?" She asked as she walked into the room ignoring the soldiers still standing guard duty.
"About an hour ago, doctor. Since then her temperature has risen two degrees."
"Felicia, there is some sort of infection taking hold. I do not think we should wait for any antibiotics to combat the fever."
"I concur Olive."
"I will call her family." Doctor McCloud stated and left the room.
"Contact the O.R. and tell them we need to bring General O'Malley back in for additional surgery." She typed instructions into the hand computer and handed it to the nurse.
She looked at the computer. "I will contact the pharmacy and imaging immediately."
"Help we with her gown, I need to see her spine." She said to the nurse still in the room. They opened the back of the hospital gown. Doctor Durand ran her fingers over the swollen, hot and red area near the surgical site. "There is something in there." She looked at the readouts of her vitals. "Damn her vitals are not the best. How long have they been fluctuating like this?"
"Right after the fever started, Doctor."
"Not the best conditions for surgery, but if we wait, her vitals may decline even more. As soon as the antibiotics arrive start the I.V. drip. Once the scanner arrives we can get a better picture of what we are dealing with."
"Kacey's family will be here shortly." Doctor McCloud stated as she walked back into the room. "O.R. seven is being prepped and will be ready in about ten minutes."
"Once we see the scans, we will talk to her family. Will you assist again Olive?"
"I have called in a surgical team and anesthesiologist. Do you plan on fixing her pelvis today?"
"If she can tolerate the surgery. Are all your little wonder tools charged and ready?"
"They are."
The doctors moved out of the room as the scanner was wheeled in. "Concentrate on her lower back and pelvis." Doctor Durand ordered. They walked out of the room to watch the monitor as the machine hummed to life over Kacey. "There is the problem" She pointed to the screen where the infection showed.
"That looks like intestinal fluid, but I am not seeing any bone chips that we missed."
"No, there are not any chips, but look here." She pointed to a small cut. "No bone chip did that."
"Are you saying that nick was deliberate?"
"It is a possibility. Maybe that pompous ass general was correct that she was in danger." Doctor Durand said. "Damn look at her pelvis. We have to fix that today before it heals wrong."
"Any other areas that you want scanned Doc?"
"Yes can you do a quick scan of the discs we replaced." The tech repositioned the machine. "That area looks good, and healing nicely. The artificial disc are being integrated into her spine. Thank you Joe. Will you send those scans to O.R. seven?"
"They are on their way doc."
"Get her prepped while we talk to her family. Start the antibiotics as soon as they arrive."
They walked out of I.C.U. and to conference room where Kacey's family waited. ------------------------------ --
Kacey stood inside the room as yet another relative walked up to meet her. The line of relatives came to an end after what felt like days. Everyone who came up to her placed a drink in her hand. She had long ago lost count of the glasses of the smooth amber liquor she drank. Yet she did not feel the slightest buzz.
Granny remained at her side throughout the introductions. She whispered their names to Kacey as each person walked up. As the last man approached granny leaned over and whispered. "Seamus O'Malley, your Grand da's brother."
Kacey nodded and held out her hand. "Uncle Seamus."
"Welcome to ye lass. Tis grand for ye to be here."
"Thank you, but..."
"Tell me lass have ye made a decision yet?"
"Decision? "
"Seamus." Granny warned him off.
"Granny what decision did he, did almost everyone ask about? Why after everything I drank, do I not even feel drunk?"
"This is a in between place. You can eat and drink as much as you want and feel no effect? Ye will not need sleep either."
"But when I arrived yesterday, I was hungry and slept. Then earlier today, we had breakfast."
"Aye tis true, but ye had just arrived and that takes a lot out of a spirit. Earlier, it was just an easing into this place. Time has no meaning here"
"Oh. Tell me, what decision do I need to make? You mentioned it earlier and said it was not time to make it yet."
"It is still not the time. Ye have one more place to see, come along." They left the room and walked a short distance to another building. The outside looked like all the others, made of solid stone with just one door directly in front of them. The door opened as they approached. They entered the large and empty room. Large windows in all the walls let in sunlight.
"What the hell?" Kacey swore and stepped out the door to look at the solid walls. She re-entered the room. "How?"
"These are special windows that allow us to look at those in the living world. This tis how we have watched over you and your family."
"Then I can see my family?"
"Aye child if that is what ye wish."
"It is granny."
"Then stand in front of a window, close your eyes and think of the person ye want to see most of all. Then when ye open your eyes ye will see that person."
Kacey stood in front of a window, closed her eyes and thought of Natalia. She heard a bell tinkle and opened her eyes to see Natalia as she paced what looked like a conference room. Kate and her parents were with her. She watched their mouths move yet no sound reached her.
"I cannot hear her. Why can I not hear her? She looks worried? What is happening?"
"To see her you thought with your mind. To hear her listen with your heart, child and not your ears."
"How?"
"Do ye love her?"
"With every fiber of my being."
"Then let your love guide ye."
Kacey closed her eyes again and thought about holding Natalia, kissing her, loving her and she felt the love grow and opened her eyes.
"Kacey has developed an infection that we need to take care of. She is being prepped for surgery. We need your permission again Mrs. O'Malley."
"Will you fix the rest of the breaks when you operate?"
"If she is strong enough, yes. Once all the breaks are fixed we will allow her to wake up."
"What about her legs? Will she be able to walk?"
"We are unable to answer that until she wakes."
Natalia signed the form and handed it back to the doctor. "We will see you after the surgery."
Kacey watched as her family surrounded Natalia with love and support.
Granny watched as Kacey did. "Granny can anyone see what we are watching?"
"No child. Just like I can not see Natalia because I do not have a physical connection to her. No one else can see what we see."
"Mom, dad and Kate are there, you had a physical connection to them."
"Yes but the person ye thought about was Natalia, not your parents or Kate."
Kacey looked at the window Granny watched. "Is that me on that table?"
"It is."
"Granny when I was in that tunnel and the rocks came down, I felt my legs break. The pain was intense, then the rock hit my back. I felt it break, then nothing, no pain, no feelings at all." Kacey said. "Will I..." she paused. "Will I walk again?"
"That I do not know child. We cannot see the future here, just the present" Granny told her. "The time for the decision is drawing nearer. I can not tell ye what ye should decide to do. Only that when the time comes ye must decide whether your spirit will stay here with us or return to the land of the living."
"If I cannot walk, how will I be able to protect my family?" Kacey asked.
"How can ye protect them if ye are dead? Granny asked her in return. "What of your children? Would ye leave Natalia to raise four wee ones by herself?"
"No that is not what I want to do, but...?"
"Kirsten there can be no buts. If ye no longer have the use of your legs, will ye be medically discharged the Marines?"
"No but I would be stuck behind a desk."
"Would that be so bad?"
"It is not who I am Granny."
"Then ye change who ye are. Ye are talented and can support your family with music. Ye do not need working legs for that." She scolded. Kacey turned away from the old woman to look at the window. "Look child we do not know what the future holds for ye, and as much as I wish ye to stay, I cannot and will not influence ye in any way. I am your guide and I am forbidden to do that." She said softly. "Kirsten, I know ye are the type of person who stands by her word." Kacey nodded. "You pledged to protect the queen, and to love her, did ye not?" Kacey nodded again. "Then trust that when the time comes ye will make the right decision."
Kacey remained silent as she watched Natalia pace the room. The older woman went back to watching the operation.
"How long have I been here Granny?"
"Time has no meaning here child."
"How long ago was the cave in? Talia said five days. Is that true?"
"Yes the cave in was five days ago in the living world. You went through eleven hours of surgery that first day. You body has been in Intensive care since then."
"Now this surgery. This is where I will need to make the decision to stay or go isn't it?"
"Aye it is. Before you ask, if ye decide to stay, your body in the living world will die"
"That would mean going back on my word to Talia."
"Aye it would."
--------------------------------
"Her blood pressure is falling Doc. It is down to ninety over fifty two."
"Damn. Hang on just a little more Kacey." Doctor Durand stated. "Olive how are the bone repairs going?"
"Just one more in her pelvis and I will be finished."
"Heart beat erratic, B.P seventy over forty six."
"Prepare a syringe five milligrams epi and get the crash cart ready. We will not lose her now."
"B.P continues to fall. We are losing her doc."
"Prepare the paddles. Olive how are you doing?"
"Finished Felicia."
"Get her on her back. We can close once she is stabilized."
The placed another surgical table over her and the whole surgical tables turned until she was laying on her back. The machines emitted a loud whine.
"She has flat lined."
---------------------------------------- "The time has come child. You must decide to stay or go." Granny said.
" I want to return."
"Come along we have only a short time."
The room around them dissolved and they were on the hilltop overlooking the bay. Her great grand father waited for them. Kacey hugged him tightly.
"I love you grand da and miss you."
"I love ye also, lass. Have a long and happy life."
Kacey went to her great grand mother and hugged her with tears in her eyes.
"No tears child. i love ye and will watch over ye."
"Thank you Granny. I love and miss you. I have one last question. Is this real or have I been dreaming?"
"Of course you are dreaming, but that does not mean tis not real. Now go child and be happy, no matter what life throws at you."
"I will granny, I promise."
Kacey watched as a fog rolled in over the old people. Her last sight was of them standing with their arms around each other and tears streaming down their faces.
---------------------- "Charge to two hundred." Felicia ordered. She placed the paddles against Kacey's body. "Clear" She ordered and pressed the buttons on the paddles. Kacey's body jumped as the current coursed through her.
"No change Doc."
"Charge to three hundred."
"Three hundred doctor."
"Clear." Once again Kacey's body jumped. The Anesthesologist shook his head no. "Again. Do not do this Kacey. Clear."
"Nothing doc. Do you want to call it?"
"Hell no. Charge to four hundred. Do not give up Kacey. Clear."
The heart monitor recorded the blips as Kacey's heart started again. They all released the breaths the held.
Heart beat forty B.P. fifty over twenty eight and rising.
"Keep those numbers coming."
"Heart beat seventy two B.P ninety over forty and still rising."
"Let's finish."
The bed turned again and the second table removed.
"Good job Felicia. Ready to close?"
"Lets do a final scan to make sure there is nothing we missed." The scanner moved into position and slowly moved up Kacey's body. The doctors watched the monitor intently.
"Everything looks good, Felicia."
"Lets close and get her back into I.C.U."
"When will you allow her to wake up?"
"We will give it a few days. By then the pain and swelling should not be a problem."
"Will you allow General Millhouse to move her?"
"Absolutely not."
"Good."
"They finished closing the incision and disconnected Kacey from the machines before moving her out of the operating room. The doctors followed her to I.C.U.