Globe Tracers 6: Chaos Storm

Chapter 67: Set Sail

Jessica:

I slowly woke up, my head hurting like crazy.

'I swear, we get knocked out so often days brain damage should be a given,' came Raven's mental voice.

'Yep- we brained our damage, we brained our damage... Raven... I don't know how to spell numbers...'

'Very funny Jessie.'

'I thought so...'

'Did thinking hurt?'

'Little bit...' Having made my mandatory wisecrack, I slowly got up, realizing I had been resting on a bed... somewhere. "Huh... I don't remember there being actual beds in the storm walker camp..." I said aloud.

"We have a small triage area in the back of the main tent," came another voice. I looked around the room. I noticed the white walls and floors in a room full of white beds with pristine white sheets and pillows. Sitting up behind me, was Frace, gently holding a cup of water and drinking it slowly through a straw. Still, it wasn't Frace who had spoken.

I looked to my left to see- Elain. The pain faded momentarily as I gave a "whoop!" as a cheer and jumped at her, wrapping my arms around her. "I'll call you mom if you- OWWW! WOW! THAT WAS SO DUMB!!!"

I started slowly slipping to the ground as Elain helped me. "Oh dear," she said, with a slight smile as she gently guided me to the floor. She then gently put my head in her lap. "No... I've waited so long to hear you call me that- but I can't just accept it like this."

"Well- you fought for me... isn't that enough?"

"For over a century of neglect? It barely proves I'm a good person." She gently played with my hair and sighed. "I still can't say I'm a mother can I?"

"I mean..." but I wasn't sure how to respond, even now. Of course, just thinking hurt so maybe that shouldn't have been a shock.

"That's what I thought. A mother doesn't only do the right thing when she's sufficiently guilted into it. Not only in a moment of distress where she's likely in trouble too. No... it's not enough."

"Whatever could be?"

"I have to demonstrate that I am willing to work for someone without thanks or reward- to care for someone who depends on me... I have to go to them when no one else will..."

"Oh c'mon- I've done stuff like that. I'm not a mother."

"No- but I suspect you'll make a good one, someday."

"But still..."

"Come- let's go talk with the others- a lot just got... resolved. Some of it, you were not privy to." She helped me to my feet but then turned around. "You think you should be with everyone as we get ready?" She asked of Frace.

"I'll be out. Let me be an old stick in the mud."

My birth mother slowly led me out of the tent.

I squinted my eyes and hissed at the pain caused by suddenly seeing sunlight, and seeing it reflecting off the snow in all directions. I just closed my eyes after a bit, letting Elain lead me onward. "First off, someone needs to have a meeting with you."

I opened my eyes to see a very guilty-looking Kyle standing before me.

He bit his lip. "I went too far this time..." he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The smart thing would have been to abandon the sample and run from Maelstrom from the start. If we hadn't given him ample reason to confront us... my mother might still be alive..."