A Rumor of Peace

CHAPTER 39

SUMMARY : Reactions to Roark's action.  Roark wakes up in the Caprican Military Life Center.  He learns what happened on Aquaria.

"I can't keep them out much longer, Ethan," came his brother's voice in his ear.  "They're boiling to get in there."

"Thanks, Rohan," he replied, pressing blood covered hands down on the wound in Roark's chest even as Severus began to hurriedly empty his carrying case of potions and other medical things.  "Rodolphus, you have to GO.  NOW!"

He shook his dark head, his face white, his own blood covered hands under Ethan's, his horrified eyes on his lovers white, unconscious face.  "I can't."  Came his rasping answer, his emotions no longer contained, running wild.  "I just can't leave him.  Not like this."

"Yes you can," Harry told him as he knelt at his side, reaching out to lay a hand on his forearm.  "We know who you are, Rodolphus.  Who you BOTH are.  We know what happened in here, but those Warriors outside?  They have no clue.  They know only that you two are Terminator's, that you were hired to kill me and Rory.  THAT," he pointed at the bloody knife that lay a few inches away.  "THAT, Rodolphus, is one of your knives, and it is the only proof they'll need to start shooting first and asking questions later.  You're not going to be able to help him if you're killed.  Rabastan, you can't help me either if you're killed too.  PLEASE.  I NEED both of you to go."

He lifted his head, turning it to meet Harry's emerald gaze, saw the fear there, the desperation...the fury.  "I...I know...but Harry--"

"No further buts, Major," came a new, deeply authoritative voice.  "You and your brother are to get out of here.  NOW!"

"I love him, Lt. Colonel," he said, seeing the pins on his uniform, including the viper pilot pin, he also saw that he was another Durin, but at this moment had no clue as to which one he was.  "How can I leave him like this?"

"By trusting us, Rodolphus," Sebastien said as he a nd Severus now brushed aside both his and Ethan's hands, each swearing when blood welled up immediately.  "We are ordering you out of her, Major.  Ordering the both of you out of here.  We WILL take care of him, you have my promise on that."

Severus, a pair of scissors now in hand, cut quickly through Roark's uniform shirt.  "Go, Dolph.  We will do everything that we can to keep him alive," he told him as he reached for a blood red crystal bottle, pulled the stopper, and poured it's bright red contents into the wound.

"They aren't waiting a micron longer, guys.  They know Roark's been hurt and they're coming in, orders or no."

"GO!"  Aiden ordered.  "Get yourselves to Caprica, a nd once you're there, we'll sort this all out."

That was several doors crashed open to admit Apollo, Zac, Starbuck, Boomer and the Warrior's from the Garrison.  Rabastan grabbed his brother, pulled him to his feet and the two of them, Rodolphus looking behind them longingly, disappeared behind shipping crates.

"This fucking bleeding just won't stop!" Sebastien snarled, glancing over at Severus, who was frowning.  Wasn't that potion supposed to stop the bleeding?  Or, at the very least slowed it?"

"It was supposed too, but...We have to get him to the Aquarian life Center.  NOW!  I need to run some tests.  If I'm right about this, we're going to have to go about this completely differently."

"What are you thinking we have, Sev?"

"Bleeder."  Was all he had to say to make them all go white.  Bleeders tended to die.  Very quickly.

                                                                                         cccVccc

He opened his eyes slowly, blinking several times to bring the room dim room into focus.  There was soft lighting in the room, and the sound of a steady beep...beep...beep of a life monitor at the head of his bed reached his ears.  He also became aware of the i.v. line in the back of his right hand.