After Dinner Treats

Marthinus listened to Nova talk up a storm. Talking with her was always relaxing and her stories were always full of excitement, but that was probably because of the way her face lit up when she was in a good mood. Marthinus was not looking forward to showing her the beast.

They walked casually around the back of the building, almost hestitating on purpose. Marthinus decided to tell her a little about it, in hopes of helping her brace herself.

'The Beast is surgical steel and stands about nine feet tall. We've developed a transfusion system much like dialysis. A trickle of blood in to keep the vampire alive but not quite regenerate, then an exit IV to drain the vampire. The entire cycle is a slow one but theoretically we could bleed a vampire out for enternity.'

He mentally kicked himself, that was far from comforting. He was always in the habit of speaking clearly and to the point. Ellis demanded it and it was his nature.

'It is good at what it does, although we have not tested it yet.'

Marthinus opened the door and led them to the Beast's secured room.

Nova listened carefully to the CEO's description, and found it was helpful to have that mental image in her mind rather than the vague monstrosity she had conjured in her mind.

The workings of The Beast seemed simple enough, which was more of a concern than a relief. Creating a machine that worked was easy; just fudge it around until you achieved the desired result. Understanding -why- it worked was the challenge, and without comprehending the mystery of vampire blood regeneration, they were taking shots in the dark. One could argue that they didn't need to know the hows and whys when the effects were right in front of them, but Nova felt that was an argument from the days of spontaneous generation theories. "It just does" wasn't a good enough answer.

Devil is in the details.

She followed Marthinus into the secured room, unconsciously matching her gait to his rather than the speedy walk she normally adopted so that she would stay behind him.

Marthinus reached the doorway to the Beast's room and stopped. He touched the door knob and then smiled nervously at Nova. He couldn't help but be just a little proud of the creation. Despite what its pupose was, it was a wonderous piece of equipment. Its value alone in furthering synthesizing blood and advancing medical technology was staggering. He knew Nova had to see that.

A panel, similiar to the Domicile's entry pad, was to the right of the door. With his right hand he inserted his hand and spiked readers came down and sampled his blood. Marthinus waited for the click of the door unlocking and he opened it.

He could barely speak. 'Dear....God.'

It was gone.

There was a small part of Nova that hoped fervently that Marthinus had entered the wrong room, but his reaction sent that hope crashing down.

What the...oh...Mother. Fucker.

Her mouth hanging open, she put one hand to her cheek, fingertips denting and sagging her skin. Trying to recover from the shock, she walked furiously into the empty room, looking around as though expecting The Beast to magically appear before her eyes.

Where the...who the...oh fuck.

The one thing, the -one- thing that had prevented Nova from fearing the worst of The Beast was the belief that, while aggressive, Dubine Industries was responsible and intelligent. While she might not like this particular approach, she could at least respect that they could, with her help, move forward from here in a disciplined manner.

The Beast in the wrong hands was like giving a rocket launcher to a cave man.

Who in the holy -fuck- did this?

The sound of the empty room was deafening. Marthinus could not believe his eyes. It was gone. The Beast, was gone. NO ONE had authority to move it, no one but him.

'Its gone...it'...gone.'

Marthinus took several shakey steps forward.

'The machine, its gone.'

He could hear his heart beating in his ears, the rush of his blood in his heart. His leg muscles felt like jello and he fell to his knees as he approached the center of the room. He was just here, days ago with Ellis and Simon.

'Ellis.' Marthinus bent over and vomited on the floor. The room began to spin and his chest was so tight. His vision tunneled.

'Can't...breathe.' He reached for Nova, his eyes heavy now. He was going to pass out. He felt his stomach tighten again and he managed to find his voice and yell out.

'ITS GONE!'

Then finally the darkness closed in on him.

Aw holy hell...come on Marthinus, wake up buddy, come on...

Nova had pulled out of her stream of cursing, intermingled with Marthinus's exclamations, in barely enough time to catch him before he crumpled to the floor. He sank in her arms, yelled out his mantra one last time, and fell silent and limp as Nova slipped to one knee in her efforts to support him.

He wasn't breathing, and wrenching fear struck her when she did not feel a pulse.

Come on man, you gotta wake up, you gotta breath now, aw Jesus, come on...

She laid him out on the floor, knowing enough medical science to understand that humans needed to breath in order to live, and pinched his nose, tilted his head back, and covered his mouth with her own. Ignoring the bitter taste of vomit, she breathed for him, and again, and then compressions, and again, until Marthinus took a shaky breath of his own. He was still unconscious, but he was breathing, she felt a pulse now, and that was somewhat encouraging. Still trying to fend off panic, she put one arm under his knees, the other under his neck, and lifted him. And then she was running, her sight blurred, running to her Firebird, still talking rapidly and entirely unaware of what she was saying.

You're gonna be okay man, doctors going to fix you right up, it's alright man, going to be alright...

She hefted Marthinus up onto her shoulders to open the car door, then slammed the front seat down and foreword. After stretching his still unconscious form across the back seat and having the hysterical thought that she had no way to fasten his seat belt, she jumped and slid over the hood of her car to the driver's side.

She drove like the hounds of hell were on her heels.

Her head cleared somewhat on the brief drive to the hospital, enough to grab her phone and hit the speed dial to emergency page Simon before tossing it aside in favor of having both hands on the wheel. Panic melted into white fury as she flew down the road; she continued to speak mindlessly, pounding a fist on the steering wheel for emphasis.

I'm gonna rip thump their fucking thump throats out.thump. No fucking thump right to thump do this to you aw buddy you're gonna be alright I swear it you're gonna be just fine we're gonna be at the hospital soon buddy I'll get you there soon...

She pulled up to the emergency entrance of the hospital, letting the Firebird slide parallel and hit the red curb, and pulled Marthinus out of the back seat. And then she was running to the entrance, yelling her full head off for help.

Simon didnt hear his cell phone ring over the loud music playing on his cd player in his jag. He had picked up his phone to call Ellis when he noticed he had a page.

*911*

It was from Nova and about 10 minutes old. He dialed her number and perched the phone in between his chin and shoulder as he turned down the music.

His blue jaquar pulled slowly up to a stop light as her phone rang. He was about to hang up when she finally answered.

'Hey Nova! Are you back in town yet?'

Nova leaned her head back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling, cell phone pressed to her ear.

Yeah...yeah Simon, I'm back in town.

'Though this is the last place I wanted to be,' she thought bitterly.

Marthinus had been swiftly removed from Nova's hands and whisked off to a trauma room. It had taken three orderlies to convince her to remain in the waiting room.

Nova hated the whole concept of waiting rooms. Might as well call it The Room of Complete and Utter Impotence. Worse even than being helpless, though, was the fact that she had no information on what was happening. There had been nothing to do but sit and feel the rage and fear, which she had planned to take out on the responsible party, seep out of her.

Listen man, I think you need to come to the hospital. That's where I am now. Something happened, and he's going to be alright, but...well it's Marthinus. He collapsed tonight, and he's pretty sick. Doctors are taking care of him now, but...well I think it would be good for you to come out if you can. There's...more, and I gotta be honest, this night's gone all wrong in some real bad ways. Sure could use your ear, and I know Marthinus would be eased some when he wakes up if you were around.

She realized she was rambling, that her voice was shaking some now. Realizing how Simon was likely to take this bad news was enough to make her understand her own state of mind, and she suddenly felt deeply sad and vulnerable.

'Marthinus...?' Simon whispered to himself. He suddenly felt the need to vomit. Marthinus was his human child. The light turned green and a car horn startled him.

'Ten minutes,' he said to Nova and he dropped his cell phone and peeled out into the intersection. He was heading in the opposite direction of Nachton General so he whipped the Jag's steering wheel and turned the car 180. The stream of car horns and people screaming filled his ears but he heard none of it.

'Marthinus.' He said again and floored his Jaguar up onto the sidewalk, avoiding on coming traffic. He made it there in five.

He held his arms out questioning, walking directly to her. 'Where is he?' This was one of the thousand he had for her but he needed to keep it together. He put his hands on her shoulders and saw she was more than just rattled.

'Oh my god, come here.' He pulled her close and hugged her. Kissing the top of her head he said, 'it's great to see you, I'm sorry.' He needed the hug more than her, his flesh in blood was in there fighting for his life. He tried to concentrate on Nova as she spoke.

Nova jumped out of her chair as soon as Simon entered through the automatic doors and met Simon's embrace halfway.

He's in one of the exam rooms; they wouldn't let me go back.

She realized she was stammering a little as she spoke and did her best to pull herself together. Simon's hug, while much needed, crumbled what little composure she had gathered in the waiting room.

For now, Simon's main concern would be Marthinus. Though she would have to break the news regarding The Beast very soon, she felt she should explain as much as she knew about the CEO's condition.

She did not let go of Simon completely, though she pulled away enough to look him in the eyes while she explained.

He collapsed at the Dubine warehouse and stopped breathing for a minute. I was pretty scared out of my mind so I'm not sure, but I think his heart might have stopped as well. I got him going again and drove him here, and he was breathing and had a pulse when I brought him in.

Doctor Lambert walked out into the waiting room, where the triage nurse directed him to two people currently locked in a supportive hug. It was not an unfamiliar sight to him, and while he hated to think he would ever become jaded to the sight of human pain, he supposed he had become at the very least accustomed to it.

He could at least take comfort in having good news to deliver this time around.

He approached the pair and stayed a respectful distance away, holding his clip board with a serious expression and only a hint of a smile.

You brought in Mr...Steyn?

He's going to be just fine. He had a minor heart attack but will make a full recovery, though some lifestyle ages may be in order. We expect him to be out of the hospital in a matter of days.

We strongly recommend that he get a very minor, common procedure that will help his recovery process and may prevent further incidents. It's called an angioplasty; what we'll do is find the blockages and inflate a balloon to give the blood vessels more room.

I have the paperwork here, I just need Mr. Steyn's next of kin to give consent.

He looked back and forth between the man and woman, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

For a painful moment, Simon could not breath. He disengaged from Nova and turned to the Doctor who was holding his clip board out at them. He reached forward and took the Doctor's pen.

'That,' he paused a moment and flicked a look at Nova, 'That would actually be me. I'm his...son.' Simon watched his hand reach for the clipboard and marveled at how suddenly everything was in slow motion. It was an easy lie but the truth of it shattered him. He signed his name quickly and with a shakey hand.

Simon returned the pen and clipboard and unconsciously wiped his hands on the sides of his trousers. 'You'll do everything you can, I am sure.' The Doctor nodded and gave Simon a lingering strange look.

He didnt look at Nova for a moment. He just watched the Doctor walk back thru the swinging double door. He would have to tell Ellis. Reaching for his cell phone, he started to dial. Simon wasn't altogether sure how Ellis would take it. He finally looked at Nova and put the phone up to his ear. As an after thought he spoke softly to a still very distraught looking Nova.

'Where were you when this happened?'

Nova watched as the doctor walked briskly away, but turned her attention to Simon when he lifted his phone to his ear. Not wanting whoever was on the other end to hear something they shouldn't, she reached out and pulled his hand down, looking the Tacharan XO in the eye and speaking in a low voice.

We were at the Dubine Warehouse, in -the- secured room. Simon, I should tell you...something went very wrong there, that's what set him off.

Nova was of the opinion that Simon should probably hang up the phone and hear the rest, but it wasn't for her to say which was more important, the call or hearing the accounting. Marthinus's cries still echoed in her ears, the sharp panic in his voice coming back full force. Before he could bring the phone back to his ear, she spoke once more.

It's gone, Simon.

She released his hand. It had not been her intention to break the news this way, but Simon needed to know their predicament and she had really waited too long. She had only wanted to make sure Marthinus was alright, but thoughts of revenge were again overwhelming her now that she had the doctor's assurances.

'It's gone, Simon.'

He stared at her, not quite understanding what she was saying. 'It's...what?' His forehead crinkled and he could feel the rage simmering in him. 'What?' He closed his phone and took a step towards Nova, standing very close to her.

He pointed at her, suddenly very angry. 'You and Marthinus were at the warehouse and you found The Beast missing?' Simon tried to check his anger, this was Nova he was talking to but with the sudden 180 in emotions, he could not help but let that rage spill over.

Simon wrapped his fingers around his cell phone and squeezed. The phone shatterd in his hands and Simon let his hand drop. He turned away from Nova and slowly walked up to the wall and rested his head on the cool surface. He could smell the laytex from the old, worn paint. Deep, long breaths. Simon closed his eyes and exhaled.

A moment later Simon turned around, facing Nova. His eyes were calm and cold. For as long as he lived, Simon never took stock in revenge. It just wasn't his thing. It was always frought with unnecessary danger and an empty victory. Ellis lived for it, Simon dealed. But now the need for vengence was seeping slowly into whatever heart he had left. The anger radiated from him. Not only was his clan betrayed but his mortal ties were affected by it. He could feel it behind his eyes, the rage consuming him.

'It was Hillman.'

Nova simply nodded stupidly at his questions, apprehensive of mentioning anything more until she was certain he could handle it. She couldn't help but feel a slightly frantic relief when he decided to take out his fury on his cell phone. While she could completely relate to the anger Simon was now showing, considering it was very much shared, vampires had a tendency toward the unpredictable when emotions got the better of them. And the always cool to the core Simon rarely showed his feelings, in Nova's presence anyway.

However, Simon seemed to mostly collect himself after crushing his mobile. When he turned back to her, his eyes still flashed, but the rage seemed to run cold rather than hot.

She blinked at his next words. Her first instinct was to ask who in the fuck Hillman was, but then she decided it didn't matter; he was nothing but a very dead man as far as Nova was concerned.

He's gonna pay for this. We'll give him a mother fucking reckoning.

She took a breath and realized that she was putting her personal feelings ahead of the rather significant problem of The Beast in the wrong hands. It probably didn't matter as the ends were one in the same, but she couldn't let herself forget about the dangers of the situation.

Need to get our machine back too, before he fouls up that whole operation.

Simon tried to keep the rage from interfering with logical side. First he had to contact Ellis. Well first he needed a new phone, he mentally rolled his eyes. He'd need to pick up the pace with The Wolf and get his information, so he'd need to contact Alfarinn and Thaddeus. He felt like he was on some sort of irritating quest. I'll give you this, if you get me this, but you need to get that from this person first. Only he didnt know what his end result would be.

He took a deep breath and explained everything. 'There has been recent developments within the clan. There has been several high level betrayals from our Merc squad. Someone is trying to get our attention and that person is Hillman. He wants our territory and stealing The Beast means he has upped the ante and pushed up the timeline. We need to find him.'

Simon gave her a sheepish grin and finally felt the anger in him subside. 'Can I use your phone?'

Nova laughed, more from the sudden break in tension than anything else, and found it somewhat hollow in her ears. She snapped her bright yellow phone from her belt loop, frowned at the mockingly bright cheeriness of the color and the pharmaceutical stickers plastered all over it, explaining the various interactions and risks associated with god only knows what, and handed it to Simon, equally sheepish now.

Sure, Ellis is five on speed dial.

That accomplished, Nova's thoughts turned to this 'Hillman' character. It thoroughly disgusted her that he would hold science and progress hostage just to get attention and territory, though this sort of bullshit wasn't really surprising. At the very least Nova could hope he didn't have any plans to use The Beast for himself, because a jackass like that was sure to just screw it up.

Politics and science were rarely a good mix, and yet one seemed to be abused at the expense of the other all too frequently. Even during those rare times when scientists could work together with like minded individuals, there would always be someone pushing for selfish advantage. It was really quite disgusting, and Nova could hardly wait to prove to Hillman there were consequences for such actions.

Just like there were consequences for fucking with a force of nature. Nova's mouth quirked in a half smile at the memory of her former teacher using those exact words to describe her.

Simon took Nova's phone and walked outside. As he exited, he debated whether or not to tell Ellis over the phone or just have here come to the hospital. He knew her reaction would be just a hair under a nuclear war, but they needed move, especially now since Hillman had the The Beast.

He dialed her number and closed his eyes.

'Darling!' she erupted as she answered her phone.

'Ellis...something's happened.' He looked down at the sidewalk.

Her tone immediately changed, 'What is it?'

'It's Marthinus.' He waited but didnt respond. 'He's been admitted into the hospital, he had a mild heart attack.'

'Oh dear,' she replied. Then gently said, 'Is he alright, Simon?'

Simon nodded, 'He needs an angioplasty but he'll recover, but that's not the bad news.'

'Oh,' she said.

Simon hated dramatics and he knew Ellis did as well. You took your facts and dealth with them. You could get emotional later. 'It's gone, El. The Beast.'

She did not hestitate, 'It would appear that Mr. Hillman is forcing his hand.' Ellis paused. He could imagine her, standing totally still, thinking of her options which weren't very many. 'Find him, Simon and arrange a private meeting. Him and I.'

'I dont' have to tell you...'

'No, you dont.' Her voice was firm.

'I will find The Wolf and make it so.' He replied.

Simon returned to Nova and put his hands on her shoulders. 'Are you ok here with him? There things I must do now.'

Nova worked her way through any number of responses as she regarded her Maker. She was, surprisingly enough, hurt that Simon was going on without her; she had assumed she would have some part to play in delivering retribution, and wanted to object. In fact, she opened her mouth to do so, but in a rare moment of discretion closed it again.

Of course she wouldn't be asked to go along. There were many in Tacharan far more suitable to assist, after all; she was a scientist, not a merc, not a warrior.

Yeah. Keep the phone.

The words came out more bitterly than she intended, and that alone gave her pause. Here Simon was handing over the care of his human child to her, a compliment of the highest order, and she was getting sulky because she didn't get to get her hands dirty, didn't get the pleasure of ripping apart the person responsible herself?

That's just messed up Nova. Come on.

Her features softened and she gripped Simon's arm reassuringly.

He'll be alright. I'll stay, someone's gotta make sure these assholes get it right.

Simon watched the disappointed and rather annoyed expression pass over Nova's face.

'He'll be alright. I'll stay, someone's gotta make sure these assholes get it right.' She replied.

Turning Simon walked quickly out of the hospital and to his car. Taking out the yellow cell phone again, Simon dialed another number. It was answered on the first ring.

'Find me The Wolf.'

The clear, elf like voice of Carol replied, 'I'm on it.'

Simon ended the call as he approached his blue Jaquar, his hands curled into tight fists, threatening Nova's cell phone as he got in.

((OOC Simon out))

'Excuse me.' The doctor had returned again and was looking at Nova with a curious expression. He watched her for a moment before speaking. She had seemed to completely slumped in the chair and was resting her head on the wall. The next of kin, Simon Huntington, had apparently left.

He walked up to Nova and stepped on something that cracked. He looked down and saw the remants of a cell phone. He had seen worse reactions to family members being hurt, almost all were violent.

'Mr. Steyn is awake for the moment, if you'd like to speak to him. He's asking for you...well I'm assuming it's you. He wants to speak to a 'Nova?'

The prick of a needle woke Marthinus. He looked up quickly, or as quickly as he could, and with a rush of pain to his head, saw the nurse adjusting his IV. 'Where...?'

'You're in the hospital, Mr. Steyn,' she said. 'You've suffered a heart attack and were brought in. The doctor will be in momentarily to explain everything to you.' She finished checking his IV and vitals and left.

Marthinus looked around, dizzy from the pain in his head and in his chest. He reached and rested his hand on his chest. With a sigh he remembers, falling to the ground, exactly on the spot where The Beast should've been.

'My word,' he mumbled, shaking his head. Suddenly he remembered Nova. Where was Nova? He looked around, looking for the call button, finding it on the bed coiled up in the side bar. He pressed the button and moments later a voice chimed in.

'Yes, Mr. Steyn?'

'The woman who brought me in, is she still here?'

'I belive so, Mr. Steyn.'

'Could you send her in, please?'

'Yes, Mr. Steyn.'

He laid back onto his hospital bed. It was flat with very letting support. He could already feel his back protesting. Marthinus looked up at the ceiling, thinking of what Ellis' reaction would be. This was Hillman's doing. For a brief moment, Marthinus pitied Hillman for the wrath he was bringing down on himself. He knew that Ellis would never stop, nor would Simon once he found out.

He mourned the deaths that would lead up to Hillman's capture. Marthinus had no doubt the blood shed would be unspeakable.

Ellis put her cell phone onto her lap as she sat in her Domicile office. Her legs were crossed and wrapped in soft, vintage leather. 'Hillman.' She thought deeply and with much anger. Looking at her top, she brushed away an errant piece of hair. She had chosen a tight black three quarter length blouse that dropped to just below her breasts, accenting her waist and hips as her leather pants hung precariously onto them. Ellis started to bob a buckled boot as she considered her options.

Open her phone, she dialed Carol's number. Within one ring, Carol picked up. 'Yes, ma'am?'

'Call the hospital, Carol. See to it that Marthinus wants for nothing and that Duibne sends its best doctor's to assist.'

'Yes, Ellis.'

'What orders has Simon giving you?'

'To find the Wolf, ma'am.'

'Good,' Ellis purred. 'That will be all, Carol.' She closed her phone again, reaching out with her mind, trying to feel the presence in the Abby but her anger was distracting her. She shook her head and made a promise.

Hillman will be the first human to feel The Beast.

Nova looked up at the doctor with a somewhat grave expression.

Yes, of course I'd like to see him. How is he?

She got little in the way of answers from the doctor, who kept his story to a simple 'Right now, he's alright and out of the woods.', which did little to ease Nova's mind. They walked briskly to the recovery ward, where the doctor directed her to Marthinus's room and went on his way down the hall.

Nova approached the room with trepidation. The door was open when she arrived, and for some reason that annoyed her. She stepped into the room and shut the door firmly behind her, then turned to look at Marthinus.

She was not sure of what she had expected. Tubes and machines and IVs everywhere, she supposed. Instead, there was a single monitor, clipped to one finger, and while there was a stand for holding IV bags nearby, he was currently free of any sort of tubes.

The two friends regarded each other for half a moment before Nova sat down hard on a chair and promptly burst into tears.

Much to his dismay, Nova started to cry. 'Oh...dear...' was all he could think of saying as he reached out and tried to comfort her. He did not do well with tears, especially from vampires.

'Nova.' He gently touched Nova's head, stroking her hair. Marthinus struggled with his words, his chest aching him with every breath.

'Ellis?' He managed to ask. Marthinus was tired, so tired. 'Did you tell Ellis yet?'

Horrified at having an emotional outburst that was not terrible wrath or bellowing laughter, Nova sniffed mightily and did her best to stiffen her upper lip. She eventually collected herself enough to realize that Marthinus was comforting her rather than the other way around, and mentally kicked herself in the shins.

Sorry...sorry...she sniffed again...yes, Ellis sniff knows, or I assume she does, Simon must have told her...he was here, but he's gone now, he went to get sniff Hillman, he's the one that took it, I don't know who that is, but god, Simon was worried about you, everyone is sniffs and when he found out what happened he was so -angry- sniffs.

But...god, look at me, I'm so sorry, I just...are you alright? Are you in pain?

With a weary smile, he took a labored breath and sighed. 'I wont lie, it hurts more than I'd like it to.' Marthinus touched Nova's hand and thought of Simon. He could not imagine what his kinsman must be feeling. Their akward conversations over the years always gave him the impression that Simon chose not to discuss their heritage. Simon was always uncomfortable around him, never making eye contact. Marthinus took it as a simple fact of life that Simon was ashamed of what he was and mourned his humanity when ever he saw Marthinus.

'My son, Jacob, must be notified. If things do not work out, he must step up into my role.' Marthinus raised a hand to stop Nova from any protesting. His death, whether far off or waiting quietly in the shadows, must be dealt with appropriately.

'I do not believe doctors, Nova. I never thought of them as scientists, but more,' he thought a moment, 'heretics waiting to cut me open.' Just then, there was a knock on the door. Marthinus' doctor poked his head in.

'I am sorry to interrupt, but Mr. Steyn I must speak with you regarding your results.'

Marthinus looked at Nova and grimly said, 'See, what did I tell you. Heretics.'

The doctor walked in on Marthinus and Nova speaking softly, undoubtedly about what to do if things progressed and worsened.

Which they had. 'I hate this part,' the doctor thought to himself.

'Mr. Steyn upon your arrival you were given a MRI to check the status of your heart functions.' He paused, moving his fingers along the edge of the folder, rotating it clockwise in his hands.

'Mr. Steyn you're suffering from congestive heart failure. The angioplasty will not be sufficient enough to clear the damage that was done to your arteries. This is a type of heart surgery. It's sometimes called CABG or "cabbage". The surgery reroutes, or "bypasses," blood around clogged arteries to improve blood flow and oxygen to the heart."

'We'll have to take a segment of a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body and make a detour around the blocked part of the coronary artery. We'll take that part more likely from the vein in your leg. Recovery is typically within 4 to 6 weeks.'

The doctor took a moment to let it sink in. He followed with a low, soft voice. 'Mr. Steyn you're heart is dying, but we have the best medical technology available here and we've received notice that your medical facilities best doctors will be assisting.' He smiled, 'You are very fortunate to have high powered friends who want to see you well.'

Taking a step back he made his exit, 'I'll let you confer with your family and friends, but we would need to do this as soon as possible. I'll be back when you're visitors have left to discuss any questions you might have.' Nodding, he opened the door and left quietly.

Nova frowned, but did not interrupt, when Marthinus explained the need to contact his son. She would, of course, help with that in any way she could, but that did -not- mean he was going anywhere. She reached for her phone before remembering that she had loaned it to Simon.

Damn.

She could understand Marthinus's opinion of doctors; it was not an uncommon belief by any means, and Nova herself found it dangerous to overestimate them.

And then, speak of the devil, a doctor came in.

Nova was somewhat relieved now that her crying jag seemed to be over and done with. It would have been worse in a way to dissolve into tears when the doctor was delivering his news. As it was, she was able to listen with reasonable objectivity and only had the slightest of urges to punch a whole through the wall at the unfairness of it.

She paused for a moment before speaking, letting silence hang thick in the air after the doctor's exit. She was unsure of how to bring this up, how to approach the subject in a reasonably tactful way.

I suppose you know that you have options beyond what the doctors can offer, Marthinus...

She trailed off, suddenly worried that her tears were not over after all, but managed to pull it together.

I'm behind you in whatever you want to do at this point, you know that. I'll help in any way I can.

Just don't die. Don't choose that.

She managed to keep that thought to herself.

"I suppose you know that you have options beyond what the doctors can offer, Marthinus... " Nova said.

Marthinus looked down at his hands and took a deep breath. Yes, he knew what those options were.

Marthinus was quiet for a long while. He listened to his jagged breathing and thanked whatever God for being gracious enough to let him breath on his own. If he had been worse, he knew for certain Ellis would have turned him. She told him as much. But here he was now with a choice.

A choice.

Life and certain early death or eternal death as he is now, forever...damned.


"I'm behind you in whatever you want to do at this point, you know that. I'll help in any way I can." Added Nova.

An offer? He looked at Nova, the sincerity in her eyes. 'I would never ask that of you, dear. It would not be your place,' Marthinus said softly but with a grateful nod.

'I do not...know...what to do.' Marthinus sighed.

Nova simply nodded her head and looked at her feet while Marthinus took in both his situation and her words. While she understood his reasoning well enough, she was having a hard time worrying about protocol and did not regret her implied offer.

She looked into her friend's eyes, thinking for a moment, before she spoke.

This is -your- life. No one else's. God knows I want you here more than I can put in words, but if there's anything you have do to for yourself and no one else, it's this.

It was a hard thing to say, tempting as it was to urge him to take the offer.

She looked up at the clock, sighing reluctantly. She would likely be booted out soon, and needed to go anyway if she hoped to see home at all; it was near dawn.

I should go. Don't worry about anything else; I can ask Carol to contact your son and let work know what's going on.

You just rest and think about you right now.

Marthinus smiled and tapped Nova's hand. 'That I will, dear.'

He looked down at his hand and noticed the wrinkles on it. He closed his eyes and felt the shuddered beating of his failing heart. His body was struggling, he could feel it. Suddenly his room felt very small. Is this the life he wanted? To be trapped in the confines of a broken body until he finally dies? To watch his body atophy along with his heart? Marthinus had never questioned his role as a familiar, not in his entire existence of knowing. Did he want to live forever?

Then he thought of Simon, how his kinsman struggled with his family. How was it, to watch your children die before your own eyes? Marthinus then thought of his son. He was as close to his son as any father, but his birth was done out of family necessity, not love. The mother was chosen for her physical qualities and intelligence, he didnt even know her. His son was taken into the Tacharan clan and raised to be his successor. That was the norm. Over the years he spent as much time as possible being a role model to his son. Trying to be more of an example than a father, but loving his son just the same.

Marthinus was a familiar for a reason. He led the public human side of Tacharan. Jacob would have to act in his place if he chose to do what Nova was offering. Can I watch my own flesh and blood die and not feel the pain Simon does?

Marthinus' smile faltered. 'That I will.'

Nova stood up, resigned.

I'll come back and see you soon.

She leaned over and kissed Marthinus once on the cheek, gave him a shaky smile, and left quietly.

/ooc Nova out

Marthinus watched Nova exit. He looked around his room again. The pale walls and the darkened window did not give him the impression of home or stir him into deep thought. With a sigh he laid back and stared at the ceiling.

(( Marthinus out ))