Somewhat the Beginning (A Falling Skies Fanfiction)

The Deharnessing Chamber

I sat at my desk, with my leg shaking up and down furiously. I've done this for as long as I can remember whenever I get nervous. There was a team of fighters out on a mission to save harnessed kids from a quarry, and that group included Hal, Tom Cochise, Matt, Danny, Ben, and his new partner Deni. I would be pacing the floors worrying about Ben if she wasn't there. Deni and Ben are a great combat duo, and she was a really sweet girl.

"Ashley, there is no need to worry." Anne assured me, sensing my distress.

"I know, but every time they go out of the city I'm worried."

"So am I, but trust me, our men will come home to us." She smiled.

I smiled back, "Thanks, Anne. And thanks for being there for me, you've been a better mother to me than my own parents and foster parents."

Her smile got bigger. "I'm glad to help. The team should be back soon, want to help me set up for the deharnessing?"

I agreed - and after I struggled to get out of my chair - I helped Anne. She turned on the Volm device while I set up the gurneys and moved the medical carts to the wall to make more room. I entered the deharnessing chamber to see if Anne was done. I saw her at the end of the long machine.

It was a dull metallic grey, and it's shape resembled that of the mouth of a trout, wide with a gradual decline until it got to the computer that controlled it. With a few final presses of the complicated screen, the machine hummed and the inside lit up blue.

There was the sound of footsteps rushing down the hall to Anne and I; show time.

"We're back!" Weaver called when he entered, followed by the group, filling the small room.

Anne pulled out the table from the machine. "Put the first patient here." She commanded.

Even though I have seen this procedure done over a dozen times, it still amazes me. Two soldiers placed a familiar man on the table and push him into the machine.

"Ok, I'm going to need some of you to get out." I said over the commotion. I ushered the group through the glass doors into the recovery room as Anne started the machine.

The machine buzzed and electricity attacked the harness so suddenly it made me jump. I stood near Anne so I could try to remember how she worked the machine.

There was rapid tapping on the door leading to the hallway and I rushed to open it. Weaver's daughter, Jeanne, rushed in.

"Is Diego ok?" She asked, looking at the man in the machine. It clicked, that's where I had seen him from! He was the leader of the triplet's group. And speaking of the triplets, they rushed into the room as well.

"Girls, Diego is fine, the harness is almost detached. We looked at Diego and the procedure was almost complete. I rushed to put on sterile gloves and move to the machine.

After the buzzing ceased I reached inside to grab the shriveled harness that laid limply on Diego's back.

"Can you get someone to put Diego in the recovery room and bring the next patient in." I told the girls and they did it quickly.

There were a dozen patients we deharnessed, and I noticed the ages were older than we were used to. The Espheni must be trying to get more people to control.

"That went well." I congratulated Anne.

"Thank you." She smiled. "If it wasn't for the new technology the Volm provided, we wouldn't be able to deharness half those kids in the amount of time we did today."

I nodded in agreement and went into the recovery room with her to check on our patients.