affectioNATe [eleven]

VI - SPACE EGG

- affectioNATe -

vi || SPACE EGG

‒  –  —  ―

"The Kahler. I love the Kahler. They're one of the most ingenious races in the galaxy." The Doctor started, and Kahler-Jex smiled weakly, "Seriously, they could build a spaceship out of tupperware and moss." He smiled at me, and I nodded back. He was like a small child in a candy shop.

"All right. How did you get here?" Amy said, and Jex's face darkened slightly.

"My craft crashed about a mile or so out of town. I would have died if Isaac and the others hadn't pulled me from the wreckage." He looked at Isaac and smiled. I was still wary. Why did the Gunslinger want him? I wanted to ask, but I wanted to let the Doctor ask what he wanted to know first. He got a bit antsy if I interrupted.

"On my world I was a surgeon, so it seemed logical." Jex said, and I realised I had missed one of the Doctor's questions, "And it gave me an opportunity to repay my debt to them."

"Listen to him. Talking like it was nothing. Tell them about the cholera." Isaac interjected proudly, and now Jex decided to act modest

"Now, Isaac, I'm sure our guests are-"

"Two years after he arrived," Isaac said "there was an outbreak of cholera. Thanks to the doc here, not a single person died."

"A minor infection we'd found a treatment for centuries ago." Jex said, looking at me. Why was he looking at me? I wasn't doing something, was I?

"No, no, what, what do you call them? The electrics?" Isaac asked, trying to show off.

"Using my ship as a generator, I was able to rig up some rudimentary heating and lighting for the town."

"So why does the Gunslinger want you?" I asked, having had enough of this act.

"It don't matter." Isaac replied firmly.

"I'm just saying, if we knew that-" The Doctor said, but Isaac was having none of it.

"America's the land of second chances. We called this town Mercy for a reason. Others, some round here, don't feel that way." Isaac told us, and I could feel the shame he felt due to the people in his town. He hated it, them turning on Jex. But I couldn't help feeling they had a point. I didn't like him, not one bit.

But did that mean he had to die?

"Now, Isaac, we've discussed this." Jex said.

"People whose lives you've saved are suddenly saying we should hand you over."

"They're scared, that's all. You can hardly blame them."

"Them being scared scares me. War only ended five years back. That old violence is still under the surface. We give up Doc Jex, then we hand the keys of the town over to chaos." Isaac said, and I understood. He just wanted to keep everybody safe, not just from the Gunslinger, but from each other.