The trip back to Praxatillus was a quick one, though not as quick as the journey out had been. It was quiet, although Khediva was crowded. Scotty and Mara rested under Khediva's constant monitoring; Cynthia, Bendei, and Danask caught up on much-needed sleep; and Aurora and Tirqwin took turns in the infirmary, much to Khediva's annoyance.
Tirqwin reluctantly turned Mara over to Aurora's charge when they arrived, bowing to her greater expertise with the Crystal, while he settled Scotty into the infirmary and argued with Cynthia, who was reluctant to turn over her patient.
"There is nothing you can do here that the staff cannot do better," he pointed out.
"Except reassure him when he wakes up again," Cynthia retorted, arms crossed. "I fail to see that my whereabouts are any of your concern, anyway."
"Are all Earth people this stubborn? How do you get anything accomplished?" Tirqwin sighed. "Fine. Stay if you like. But keep in mind, we are much more likely to need your assistance when Sabrina arrives. She is fully human, after all."
"Do you know when they'll get here?"
"No. But if you will be reasonable and go refresh yourself, I will arrange to have you notified when they reach orbit."
Cynthia narrowed her eyes at him, then said, "Okay. Here's the deal. I'm staying until Scotty wakes up. Then, if he doesn't need me, I'll go relax in Sabrina's place. You have them call me the very instant she gets here."
"Deal," Tirqwin said, making his escape. He decided to go and check on Mara first, although gaining admittance to Giandrah was likely to prove almost as annoying as composing his report to Homeworld. But he hadn't reckoned with Aurora, who had smoothed his way. He was met at the outermost cavern and conducted straight to Mara's private room, adjoining the Crystal chamber.
"How is she?" he asked softly.
Aurora looked up from the group of Miahns around Mara's bed and came over to him. "She is growing stronger," she said. "But there is something strange that we cannot identify. It is almost as if another entity is living inside her, and yet it is not strong enough to be a separate entity. It cannot be Pharon; there is no longer any trace of that resonance within her."
"Is it any danger to her?"
"Not that we can discern. She may be able to explain it when she wakes." Aurora paused. "At least to you."
"You cannot heal the physical damage?"
"The surgeon did a good job of that. Her body must relearn how to do certain things, however. I know she will find it frustrating. I hope you will help her accept that it will be a gradual process."
Tirqwin smiled ruefully. "Patience is not one of Mara's virtues. Where is Seuréa?"
"In the nursery, I assume. Do you want me to send for her?"
"Mara will want to see her when she wakes. I will get her. I should see the children and tell them what is happening." He turned to go.
"Tirqwin? Is Scotty all right? There were no complications during transport?"
"He is fine, with his very own dragon to guard him."
"Good." Aurora hesitated. "Tirqwin...may I step out of bounds for a moment, and speak as a friend of the family?"
"Certainly."
"In your report, please remember that discretion may be necessary to protect Niavar. I have spoken with Prime Minister Rassir, and he assures me that for our part, this episode will be held highly classified. Even most planets in the Realm will not be told the entire truth. I would not ask you to dissemble with your government, but neither would I have them designate Niavar as a threat."
Tirqwin sighed. "I would be lying if I said this new potential of his did not unnerve me. And I bear in mind that Homeworld was not acting in his best interest when they assigned him this mission. I will be careful in what I say and how I say it. More than that, I cannot promise."
"That is enough. Thank you."
——————————
To her great annoyance, Cynthia had time for two full nights' rest before the Flight of Awani arrived in orbit. Scotty was getting better by the minute, and with the parade of military comrades, Aurora, and various others stopping by to see him, she hardly felt it necessary to sit with him at all. She was, she admitted wryly, getting bored. And she wanted Sabrina's arrival over with. The medically trained part of her knew that the chances of recovery were so slim as to be negligible, but it had quickly become apparent to her that no one she knew on Praxatillus shared that belief. She hoped she would not have to campaign for removal from life support. Although she was sure that Sabrina would not wish to linger as a vegetable, Cynthia was honest enough with herself to know that she would find it very difficult to surrender that last bit of hope. It was something that, thankfully, she rarely encountered in her practice on Earth.
The actual event was surprisingly low-key. Cynthia was notified of Sabrina's arrival in the evening, in the middle of a discussion on Jane Austen with Marie, who found nineteenth-century England a perplexing place. Cynthia felt much the same way, but she gamely tried to explain, wishing she'd paid more attention in English Lit.
Marie, quicker on her feet, answered the com console chime and said breathlessly, "We'll be right there!"
"Are you allowed—" Cynthia began.
"She's my cousin," Marie said firmly. "Besides, you'll get lost if I don't take you."
"It's not my fault you people live in a labyrinth," Cynthia grumbled under her breath. Marie flashed her a smile and led the way.
The infirmary was quiet, even in the critical care ward. Sabrina was already settled in, peaceful and still. She looked, Cynthia thought, like a marble effigy of herself in a crypt somewhere.
Marie took Sabrina's hand and sat down on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb the monitors. "It's about time you came back. So much has happened while you were gone! Oh, and Tristan ran out of food again. The cook made him some fish but he doesn't like it much. I was going to ask Ford to go get him some more, but..." Marie faltered.
Cynthia swallowed the lump in her throat. "Isn't he here yet?"
Marie shook her head. "Father said he would have to stay in Giandrah for a while. He said I must explain it to Sabrina when she wakes up, because otherwise she'll be worried about him."
Cynthia choked on a laugh. "Yeah. She'll be worried about him."
Marie looked over at her and reached for her hand. "Father says we mustn't be sad," she said softly. "He says she'll find her way home. She's just a little lost right now."
So am I, Cynthia thought.
———————————
Cynthia passed a long night, tossing and turning in the guest room she had appropriated in Sabrina's apartment. She didn't have to read Praxatillian to know that Sabrina was only hanging on to life with the assistance of technology. On Earth she would already have been classified as in a persistent vegetative state, and long-term care arrangements would be in progress.
She decided she must talk things over with Scotty, who had more recent knowledge of his sister and a better grasp of what Praxatillians were capable of. By dint of asking nearly everyone she met for directions, she managed to find her way to the infirmary on her own. At the main entrance, she met Aurora.
"Hello, Dr. Grayson. Do you have a moment?"
"Yes. I was just going to see Scotty."
"Good. We can go together, then. I was hoping to wait until Sabrina was better, but... Well, my time is not always my own. I would appreciate it if you would witness the conversation we are about to have. It is rather an arcane requirement," Aurora said apologetically.
"I'm happy to help," Cynthia said, her curiosity aroused. She followed Aurora to the private room that Scotty had acquired after other patients complained about the constant stream of visitors.
"Hey! Finally!" Scotty exclaimed. "Aurora, when are you going to make them cut me loose? I can lay in bed and be bored in my own room, can't I?"
"I will ask again," she said, "after you sign this."
To Cynthia's surprise and, she saw, to Scotty's, Aurora handed him a pad displaying dense script. Scotty frowned at it. "Oh, come on. Is this a test? My High Praxatillian was never any good even when I was studying it."
"Surely you can at least make out the purpose of the document," Aurora said, looking amused.
Scotty made a show of squinting at the document, trying to read it upside down, and scrolling through the numerous pages with disgust. Then he heaved a sigh and applied himself in earnest. "Uh...you're making me sign over my firstborn child?" he guessed.
"Actually," Aurora said, "yes."
Scotty gaped at her. "Really?" Then he frowned at the document again, and his expression cleared. He grinned at Aurora. "Thumbprint okay?"
She nodded, smiling. Cynthia said, "As the designated witness, may I ask what I'm witnessing?"
"This," Aurora said, "is a petition to the Council of Trême for permission to marry. It is necessary for all Miahns to obtain such permission, and in my case, that of the Guardian as well. But I do not anticipate any difficulty there. This may be a long process, so I want to set it in motion before I leave."
Scotty handed back the pad, but Aurora's last words made his grin fade. "You're leaving?"
"I have to attend a Realm summit meeting on recent events," she said, grimacing. "Since the Guardian is not yet able, and I was witness to at least some of what happened, I must represent her. I wish you would give me some pointers, Scotty, on the uninformative report. Commander Mukryilla tells me you are a master."
"Sure, but Rina's really the one—" He sighed. "How long until they let Mara have a look at her?"
"Soon," Aurora said. "Her Majesty has expressed a desire to do just that."
"Maybe she knows what's wrong," Scotty said hopefully.
"Perhaps," Aurora replied. "I must be going, Scotty. Is the witness satisfied that he knew what he was signing and that he did it with full cognizance?"
Scotty turned to Cynthia and made a face, hanging his tongue out of his mouth in his best idiotic expression. Cynthia ignored him. "Surprisingly, yes," she told Aurora. "You're sure you want him?"
"I know it seems beyond comprehension," Aurora said, "but I do."
"Hey!" Scotty protested.
"And," Aurora continued, "recent events have proved to me beyond all doubt that his life is destined to be perpetually at risk and probably fairly short. So I decided we had better not waste any more time."
"Carpe me-em!" Scotty chortled. Then he laughed again as Aurora and Cynthia both rolled their eyes.