Dangerous Illusions

Chapter Three: Recovery

"How long until we land, Maddox?" Linx asked as he walked up to the controls. He looked through the front shields as the ship penetrated the clouds.

"Within the hour, Sir. This planet does have signs of life, Colonel, but where we are going showed no sign of recent civilization. Plant and animal life, so hopefully food won't be much of an issue beyond what supplies we have."

Linx nodded. "Good."

Maddox looked over at her friend and C.O. "Have you tried talking to him, Sir?"

Linx sighed tightly, pursing his lips together. "No. Not since the night we got back on board." He shot a warning look to her that she chose to ignore.

"Linx, you really should-"

"You really should concentrate on the mission, Maddox." He glared at her one final time before turning on his heel and exiting the room.

Zimmer watched him go before glancing at Maddox. "You shouldn't push him so hard, you know."

Maddox glanced at him. "He knows I'm right. He can't ignore Kiy forever." Zimmer grinned slightly at her irritants.

"He isn't ignoring him, Sam, " Zimmer said quietly.

"No? By his own admission, he hasn't spoken to him to three days. How is that not ignoring him?"

"Because when we're here flying, where do you think he goes? Where do you think he's going now?" Zim smiled as he spoke, turning halfway around to see Linx vanish from sight. "He doesn't have to speak to be there for him. He just has to be there." Maddox turned her eyes from the shield to him, the anger in her eyes prominent. "Look, " Zim continued, "I know how you feel about Kiy. He's a brother to me and I took the oath with you and Linx to protect him as well. But there's only so much we can do. Linx has always been the one to bring him back from the brink. What makes you think this is any different?"

Maddox set the craft on auto-pilot and stood, her anger and guilt at what happened to Kiy weighing on her more than she let on. "Because for the first time Linx is scared, Zim. Not just worried, but scared. I mean...have you seen the look in his eyes? Has he told you what happened?"

"No, " Zimmer said quietly. "I have an idea though." Zimmer glanced back to where he saw Linx vanish. "Kiy's acting similarly to when we were all first teamed up."

Maddox looked at Zimmer and nodded. "Yeah." Whatever else she was about to say was interrupted before she could get the first word formed by a terrible scream. Both Zimmer and Maddox sprinted towards the sound, their hearts racing, blood full of adrenaline.

As they burst into Kiy's stateroom Maddox ran straight to Kiy, Zimmer stopping by the entryway where Linx pressed himself into the wall, eyes transfixed in horror as Kiy screamed, his face contorted with a type of terror he had never before seen on another living creature. When Kiy's arms wrapped around Maddox, Linx turned and ran.

"Linx!" Zimmer called chasing after him with one backward glance at Maddox and Kiy. It took several minutes to locate his friend and team leader, and when he did he was in a frenzied rage. Blood-curdling screams erupted from his bowels as he laid punch after punch into the workout bag that hung from the ceiling. Zimmer watched not daring to get in his way. There had only been once before had he seen Linx go into this kind of mania. They had been no more than sixteen, and Linx wanted revenge.

With a great metallic ripping sound, the workout bag went soaring across the room as Linx landed one final throw. As the bag landed so did Linx, dropping to his knees. Zimmer knelt down beside his friend, one hand coming to grip Linx's shoulder in a comforting manner.