Playing at Grown ups

A Pink Dormouse Production

Chapter Twenty Three

Marianne

The Sprocket and Piston was the same as always: a few new faces, most of them a little younger than the more familiar regulars but that was to be expected now the Tech Dev Co had the factory up and running. Vila was collecting glasses so she wandered over to him.

"Hello, you, how’s it going?"

"Marianne!" He put the glasses down on a table and hugged her. "I was wonderin’ when you’d get back. How was your trip?"

"Very successful. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, I just fancy a quiet evening of drinking tonight."

"Hello, Marianne." Avon walked up behind Vila and placed one hand on his partner’s shoulder.

Matching rings: how quaint... "Hello, Avon. Been keeping yourself busy then?"

"Reasonably. I had a few new ideas while you were away but I’m acting as a project manager and letting others do most of the R and D these days. I’ll tell you all about it later: I have a pool tournament to win." Avon gave Vila’s shoulder a proprietary squeeze and headed back to his game."

"Is it me or is he suddenly a lot calmer?"

"Good old fashioned Lithium. Someone pointed out that it was one of the few things he’d never taken. Works quite well, doesn’t it? Course he’ll get bored of takin’ it sooner or later but at least we’re all getting a rest an’ he’s talkin’ a lot of stuff through from what a certain other person tells me. Just have to be careful wi’ him still; he’s very sensitive about some subjects at the moment."

"I’ll bear it in mind. Look, you get back to work and I’ll grab a beer and watch the boys playing pool."

Dariel was already watching the pool tournament, or at least watching Avon.

"Been back long?" Marianne asked him.

"Three days. Not only was he pleased to see me, he didn’t waste time playing games before showing it."

"Amazing what the correct pharmaceuticals can do, eh?"

"Did Nils come back with you?"

"He’s finishing his report: should be available in about half an hour."

"Excellent. I wonder if Avon..."

"Only one way to find out, Dariel. I’m sure I can keep Vila suitably occupied."

"So, Marianne, what’s this big news you’ve got for us?" Vila asked, settling himself on the sofa next to Avon. Due to the various activities of the previous night it had taken until after midday for the three to assemble in the living room of the flat. Marianne swallowed a mouthful of coffee.

"After the Winter Solstice you both asked me to pass on anything I heard regarding the whereabouts of a certain burial site." Avon leaned forwards.

"And?"

"I know where it is; I didn’t visit the grave but I’m assured that I would be able to... and to take one or two companions with me."

"It’s on Horizon, isn’t it?" said Vila.

"Of course," said Avon, "there were rumours of a rebel base on the planet back when we were on Xenon. If Blake had made contact with them... I meant to liase with them myself, maybe if I had-"

"You never told me," said Vila.

"You were a little hostile towards me at the time."

"Oh. Wouldn’t’ve hurt to try though," Vila muttered.

"How soon would you be wanting to go?" Marianne tried to get the discussion back on track.

"How soon would you be ready to leave?" Avon had obviously given up trying to conceal his enthusiasm.

"I need to give the main drive a quick going over, restock everything, pick up a couple of items as tribute for Ro and Selma. How does tomorrow sound?"

"I can manage that."

"I’ll go speak to Gems now, shall I?" asked Vila. "Make sure there’s someone to cover for me."

Vila

"Nervous?" Marianne asked as she brushed her hair.

"A little. Not sure why; I mean I know comin’ here’s not goin’ to be some miracle cure for Avon but..."

"You think it’ll help?" She dropped her voice and looked over at the door to the sleeping quarters. "Is he okay in there?" Avon had hardly been on the flight deck other than for watch duty the whole journey.

"Yeah. Couple of times before, when we were with the others, we’d get a rumour that Blake’d been killed somewhere. Avon’d insist on us rushing off to investigate then just disappear like now. I think he’s just preparing himself. That or just bein’ even less friendly than he normally is."

"Well, you’d better go and get him: we’ll be in orbit in ten minutes."

Vila went over and tapped on the door then, without waiting for an answer (unlikely to be forthcoming) slid the door open and entered. Avon was sitting on one of the beds, backed up into the far corner of the cabin.

"Hey," said Vila. "You ok? We’ll be there soon." Avon looked at him, or rather, straight through him. "Look, it’s ok. Whatever you want to do’s fine by me. I’d just prefer it if you’d warn me first: I won’t try to stop you or anythin’ if that’s what you’re thinking."

"Don’t worry, Vila," said Avon, unfolding slightly. "I have no intention of killing myself in some grand gesture."

"Sure?"

"Quite sure. I suppose Marianne wants me on the flight deck?"

Avon

He let Vila go to the grave first. Marianne said she would pay her respects some other time and withdrew into the trees. When Vila had rejoined her, Avon walked up to the plain marker stone and knelt on the green-brown moss that covered the forest floor.

"Blake. I don’t know what I can say. To be honest I don’t see the point of saying any of it. I..." I just want to make a stupid, pointless gesture. Somehow, although there was no one to hear him, he was unable to speak the last part aloud. He pulled the knife from his boot, unfolded it and rolled his sleeve up. This is for you, I don’t know whether you would want it, but I don’t know what else I have that would start to make things right. He rested the point of the blade just below the point of flexion of his elbow, took a deep breath and drew it diagonally around to his wrist. It hurt like hell. There had been a brief pause when he felt nothing, then the pain blotted out all other senses, even the realisation that he had almost certainly let the knife bite too deep.

He blinked as the trees and moss swirled out of focus, then he was somewhere else.

Avon looked at the blood on his hands. There was an awful lot of it.

Real or still dreaming? Hard to say. Maybe he was tired of hiding. His being officially dead for a year could have left a few Federation security systems a little complacent. Now there was just the worrying matter of how to get out of this hallucination.

Avon pulled the roll of bandage from his pocket with more than a little fumbling. He bound his arm as best he could, then stood up unsteadily and went to find the others.

Marianne

As soon as they had got back to the Sappho, Vila had rebandaged Avon’s arm without comment, then led him into the cabin and closed the door firmly. Marianne had played a few hands of cards with Virginia, losing badly, unable to keep her mind from wandering onto the subject of what the boys were talking about. The walls were thin enough for her to know that was what they were doing but not so thin she could make out words, even if she had wanted to.

Marianne was a little displeased with Avon, having lost interest in Grand Gestures after Kip’s death, but was impressed with how calmly Vila had handled the situation. Things had gone very quiet through there.

"Crew Status, Viginia."

"The other crew members would appear to be resting, Marianne. I suggest that you do likewise before we have to re-enter Federation Space."

"Thank you, Virginia. When I need your opinion, I’ll ask for it." AIs could be irritating at times...

Marianne tapped lightly on the door, then slid it open. Avon was curled up on the bunk, his head in Vila’s lap. Obviously the blood-loss had tired him a little. Vila, meanwhile was staring intently at one of Marianne’s collection of graphic novels.

"Now that just can’t be possible."

"Let me see," said Avon, opening one eye. Vila handed the reader to him. "Oh, that’s do-able."

"How would you? You haven’t... not with Dariel?"

"Certain substances may have been involved," said Avon handing the reader back to Vila and going back to sleep.

"So what are you boys planning next?" Marianne asked Vila.

"Not sure," he said, "could do with some fun. Maybe if we found a bank to rob or something..."

Marianne smiled to herself and walked out. The other two seemed to have resolved their issues without any interference and, if anything, seemed more together than ever. She thought about Jayrel’s proposal once again...

On to Chapter Twenty Four

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