Black Hole Heartbeat

Elizabeth - 92

Elizabeth woke slowly. Her fingers crawled across the chest. Tubes and bandages. A

sarcophagus of plastic vines. Wet. Warm. A hand guided her down.

"Rest."

A needle stabbed her neck.

~*~

Waking was harder this time. Elizabeth felt her skin again. Colder. Dry. Rough. Scar

tissue. A ragged red explosion from her chest.

"Good morning."

It was Ana.

Elizabeth tried to speak but only vomited. Red rose out of her, splashing down Ana's

white front.

"Sorry," she said weakly.

Ana giggled.

"Don't worry about it."

She handed Elizabeth a water flask and a metal pan. Elizabeth squirted the water

into her mouth and spat. More red sloshed around the metal.

"What happened?"

"I... disarmed the bomb," Ana said.

Elizabeth pressed her palm flat against her scars. Ba-Dum. Pause. Ba-Dum.

"How?"

Ana bit her lip gently.

"I shot it."

"You shot me through the heart?"

"Then I fixed it."

Elizabeth took another drink and spat pink.

"How?"

"I'm a doctor."

"No, I mean... how anything? What happened. Where's West?"

There was a hubbub behind her. She turned and saw Rusalka and Krakk.

"You're awake," Krakk said.

"I've got to hand it to you. It takes guts, dying twice," Rusalka said.

"She didn't really die," Ana said.

They rushed forward. Ana tried to push them back.

"Give her some space."

"What did he say to you?" Rusalka asked.

"Didn't I say don't harass her with questions when she wakes up?" Ana said.

"I'm in a question mood myself. How did all this happen Ana? How are we back

here?" Elizabeth looked around, "...This is the Victory Pearl, right?"

"It has changed a little, the past seven years," Rusalka said.

"Seven years?"

"That's not funny, Rusalka," Ana told her, "It's only been a few weeks."

Forr appeared at the door.

"Any progress?"

"Just a little," Elizabeth said.

He rushed in, Roka following.

"Never could've forgiven you if you'd left me here with these guys," he said.

"Not leaving anytime soon. Anyway, Ana? What's going on?"

"Right. When you threw that... thing the first time, I was sent there with you."

"I saw. I tried to wake you."

"Where was that place?"

"I don't think it was anywhere..." Elizabeth said.

"When I shot you, dropping that thing set it off again. We ended up back here and I

started patching you up."

"Why isn't he making us all suffocate? Why not blow the ship?"

"He was nearest the key when you dropped it. Maybe it killed him."

"So what did he say?" Rusalka said.

Elizabeth drooped her legs out of the bed. She moved, unsteady, with Ana's hand at

her back. Elizabeth walked to the window and stared out at the deep purple distance.

Death on the horizon.

"He wanted me to destroy a planet. I don't think the key will work anymore.

Apparently there was a time limit."

"So, it's all over?" Forr said.

Another commotion behind her. She saw Donovan and Nyomee's dark reflection in

the window pain. Nyomee ran for her. Her hair was clean and smelled like oranges.

Donovan shook her hand once Nyomee let her go.

"Knew you'd come back to us."

Elizabeth's eyes rolled over her crew. Ana. Rusalka. Forr. Krakk. Donovan. Nyomee.

Roka. This mission had been full of heartache, but that was life. That would've

happened to her anywhere. So, it's all over. A rebirth.

"Where to, Captain?" Donovan asked.

Elizabeth looked out at the stars and smiled.