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Brian thumbed his communicator and tried to contact Miles, but was told the Captain was unavailable. He left a message to return the call ASAP, saying that a key event had occurred.

He studied the alien as she interacted with Kevin; this was the so-called Enemy that Miles had so quickly imprisoned? He wondered if the man had any common sense at all. There was procedure and protocol, but instinct should have played a larger part. Physically, she just reached Kevin's shoulder height; her bone structure was fine, almost delicate. Her hair was raggedly cut, and not in a fashion sort of way; her uniform fit so loosely that he was sure it wasn't originally hers. How had Miles mistaken her for someone who was a danger to ship and crew?

He watched as the alien drew back from Kevin and looked around uncertainly. She made a few signs in the air, and waited until he nodded.

“We need some space,” Kevin explained, turning to his crew and Aleta. “It's a little overwhelming at the moment.”

“We can give you some privacy, sure,” Brian said. “We can wait in the hall for-”

“Better idea,” Aleta interrupted. “How about we all take a trip back to Sickbay, ah... Vosh?... included.”

“Actually, it's V'sh,” Kevin said. “But... it always seemed easier to say Vosh. And yeah, I think the sooner we leave this cell, the better.”

“Can you remove a prisoner from the cell just like that?” Howie asked, looking towards Aleta.

“I can, and I will. She's been unjustly imprisoned, we now have first-hand proof. Kevin needs to lie back down, despite what he's getting ready to say,” she said, shooting a glare at Kevin. “And I never was able to do a more thorough exam of Vosh. Sickbay is the logical destination.”

Kevin nodded in reluctant agreement and, good hand still clasping Vosh's, moved to the cell door. He sat down carefully in the float chair, fatigue suddenly evident on his face.

The alien cast a quick glance around, still wary. When her eyes met Nick's, he gave her a smile. She stared at him for a moment, then focused back on Kevin. A few quick gestures.

“Yes, they're all friends. My crew,” he said. “They won't hurt you. I trust them.”

She nodded, then looked at Kevin expectantly.

“Let's go,” he said.

With that, the group left the prison cell behind.

~*~

With Aleta, Kevin and the alien in the lead, the others trailed behind. The trip was made in relative silence, everyone lost in thought.

AJ had been woken from a sound sleep by the call not fifteen minutes earlier. Although he'd been trained to go from sleep to alert mode in a matter of seconds, he found his thoughts rather chaotic at the moment. He hadn't even seen Kevin conscious until they all arrived at the prison cell; to find his friend and comrade awake, alert, and thinking clearly had been a huge relief. He'd had no desire to see the alien; he'd bought into Mile's reasoning hook, line and sinker. At that thought, he scowled. The man should have better judgment. He was responsible for hundreds of men and women under his command... how had he gotten into such a position?

Clearly the small alien imposed little or no physical threat to anyone; he could see the ugly bruises and multiple cuts that marked her exposed skin. The handmark on her face made him angry. He'd seen enough of those kinds of bruises to know exactly what had happened.

The connection between Kevin and the alien... no, Vosh... had been evident. He wondered just how deeply it went; for sure, there was no hatred or animosity there. He got the impression that the story would be a long and complex one.

He glanced over at Howie, gaging his friend's reaction to all of it. He was, predictably, focused solely on Aleta. AJ gave a slight smile; his shy shipmate had it bad, no doubt. He'd have to pull his closest friend aside and get the true scoop. And if a little matchmaking needed doing, he'd be right there.

AJ shifted his focus to Brian and Nick, who were talking in low tones. Although he couldn't catch the words, Nick was gesturing as he spoke. It wasn't hard to guess the subject was Kevin. He imagined they'd all have a lot to talk about on that very topic, and soon.

The group reached Sickbay and Aleta asked the crew of the Parrin to wait in the outer room while she and a few medtechs got the other two settled. Kevin's ineffective protests started the moment he was transferred to his bed, but she ignored them. When he asked to sit up a bit, though, she complied. She knew he needed to keep Vosh in clear view.

Once Kevin was settled in, and his pain medications applied, she turned to Vosh. When Aleta indicated that she wanted to tend to her wounds, however, Vosh shook her head. The petite woman stepped over to Kevin's side, her face stubbornly set.

“Vosh,” she said in her friendliest voice, “I really do need to check you out. At the very least, we can get you new clothes and give you a chance to clean up a bit.”

The woman listened to the words, then turned to Kevin. She made a series of gestures.

Kevin shook his head, and said, “No, I'm fine. It's your turn.”

Another gesture.

“Vosh...”

She pointed to his bandaged hand defiantly, then made several rapid motions.

Kevin sighed. “I know, but Aleta's already begun fixing it.” At Vosh's obvious look of disapproval, he said, “You can't, anyway. Not now. Let Aleta look at you.” Then he made a few awkward signs with his left hand and touched her shoulder. At that, her expression shifted.

“Yes?” he asked.

Reluctantly she nodded.

“Good,” he said, easing back into his pillow. “It'll be okay.” He turned to Aleta. “A definite yes on the new clothes and the clean-up. Go slow, and she'll probably let you examine her afterwards.”

“You understand each other pretty well,” she said.

“We had a lot of time to practice,” he answered.

Aleta let her multitude of questions rest; time for details later. She led Vosh away to a private area, taking things slowly as Kevin had suggested.

“Hey, guys,” Kevin called once Aleta was gone, “come on in.”

He smiled as his four friends joined him. It had been far too long since he had seen them... a lifetime.

“Well, you're just one surprise after another,” Brian joked.

“I'm surprised I'm even alive,” the oldest confessed. “This has all been like a dream to me.”

“A nightmare, maybe,” AJ said.

“Some of it, yeah,” Kevin said. “But this is a good part. A very good part.”

“It's good to see you, Kev,” Howie said sincerely. The others nodded in agreement.

“Bring me up to date,” he asked. “How goes the war?”

Brian raised an eyebrow. “Don't you remember, I told you that the war is over. The O'mosk was the last battleship the Enemy had in our system.”

“I don't recall that,” Kevin said with a scowl.

“Well, it's true,” Nick said. “And we're headed back now. We're about eleven days from home.”

Kevin stared at the ceiling. After a long pause, he said, “Thank God.”

The others echoed the sentiment.

Kevin's fatigue was obvious to his friends, so the subjects of conversation were kept light. Time enough later for the more serious issues.

About ten minutes later, they heard a rather frustrated exclamation from beyond the privacy screen. Kevin, who had nearly drifted off to sleep, became instantly alert.

Aleta appeared, calling for a medtech. Kevin frowned; he would have automatically bolted off the bed save for Brian's steadying hand preventing him.

“What's wrong?” he demanded.

“She passed out... or something,” Aleta said. “I say something because one second she was sitting there on the bench, the next she's lying prone and not responding whatsoever.”

“Oh,” the older man said, relaxing. “She's probably Sleeping.”

“People just don't drop off to sleep like that,” Aleta said. “She's deeply unconscious-”

“She's Sleeping,” Kevin affirmed. “It's the way she heals. For her, it's natural.”

“But she-”

“Isn't quite human, remember. Trust me, I was as alarmed as you are the first time it happened, but I eventually figured it out. She'll wake when she's finished.”

“I didn't even get the chance to examine her,” Aleta protested.

“Leave it for later,” Kevin advised. “Did she manage to get out of that uniform?”

The doctor rubbed her forehead. “Yes, but she forbid me to touch her or help her in any way. She insisted on privacy. I'd have thought she would have trusted me.”

“It's not you,” he said. “It's... complicated. Privacy was something unheard of for us, a luxury none of us knew. Prisoners were considered less than trash. And trust... it just doesn't come easily. Especially for Vosh.”

“But she trusted you,” Howie observed.

“That was a hard won battle. And I don't take it lightly.” He closed his eyes for a few seconds. “Aleta... the uniform.”

“Yes?”

“Incinerate it.” His eyes drifted shut again. Distantly he said, “Neither one of us want to see anything like it ever again.”

After a moment of debate, she decided to grant his request. Before she could speak, however, she realized that Kevin had fallen asleep.

“Well,” she said in a quiet tone, “I think they have the right idea. We could all use some rest. I'm recommending the four of you go and sleep, relax, whatever. I'll have a medtech on watch; Kevin won't wake alone. We'll all be better able to deal with it with fresh minds.”

“You'll be going off-duty for a while too, right?” Howie asked, concern on his handsome face.

She gave him a smile. “Yes. I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't take my own advice. Although I don't think I am ready to sleep just yet.”

AJ watched Howie, expecting him to take the perfect opportunity that had been laid at his feet. But when the Comm officer didn't speak, he suppressed a sigh.

“Well, anyone up for a little recreational libation?” he asked.

“Libation?” Nick asked with a scowl.

“Means drink,” Brian said, snorting.

“Oh.”

“That sounds good to me,” Aleta said.

“Yeah, sure,” Howie said quickly.

AJ grinned. “First round's on me.”

~*~

Brian leaned back after draining his glass. “You know, so much has happened in the last couple of days, I'm having a hard time adjusting.”

“There are times I thought the war would never end,” Aleta said with a nod. “Now that we're on the way home it just feels surreal.”

AJ grinned. “Just imagine the parties back home,” he said. “Word is, they'll be giving all of us out in the field an immediate honorable discharge from the service. I personally plan on celebrating for at least two weeks.”

Howie rolled his eyes. “Sounds like way too much of a good thing,” he said. “But I guess it does raise the question... what is everyone going to do, once we get discharged?”

A thoughtful silence swept over the group.

“There's bound to be a lot of work to do,” Aleta said. “Healing, rebuilding, trying to get things up and going again. I don't know how chaotic things are... entire cities were destroyed. Surely the survivors will need to relocate, new towns and cities built.”

“I wouldn't mind getting into some relief work,” Howie said. “Setting up med centers, food distribution, temporary housing, stuff like that.”

Nick nodded. “I'd much rather do something like that than go back with my family,” he said. “Um, not that I don't love them and all, but fish farming just seems... well, it doesn't seem like enough, you know?”

“When you've seen what we have, and done what we've done... no, it wouldn't be enough,” Brian agreed. “I'd like to build a youth center or two, where kids can come and work things out. I imagine the war left a lot of traumatized kids, not to mention orphans. Some sense of normalcy would be welcome in their world.”

“That's a great idea,” Nick said, his eyes alight.

“It is,” Aleta agreed, then paused. “You know, there's no reason we couldn't all work together on this. We could start something from scratch, and go from there. I'd take care of the medical aspects, clinics and such...”

“I've got experience in food services, the supply and demand aspects of it,” AJ said. “My family owned six restaurants before the war. I grew up in the business.”

“I don't think there will be much call for an historical researcher,” Howie said, “but I can organize things pretty well.”

“It'll take a lot of organization,” Aleta assured him. “Your input will be vital.”

“I'll help in any way I can,” Nick volunteered. “As long as we can stay together, I'll dig ditches or paint walls or whatever.”

“I like the idea of staying together,” Brian said quietly. “And I think that Kevin will want to join us as well.”

“He'll need time to heal, and all the support we can give him. Doing something positive and constructive will do him a world of good,” Aleta said.

Nick stirred the ice in his glass. “And what about Vosh?”

“I imagine she'll stick with whatever Kevin does,” Aleta said. “We don't really know anything about her, personally.”

“You know, as weird as it is for all of us to be going home,” Howie mused, “for Vosh, it'll be a totally alien place. It's going to be hard for her, I think.”

“Then we'll have to make her feel at home,” Aleta declared. “As much as we can.”

~*~

She came to awareness in a snap; it had been a small Sleep, but had done much in the way of healing. Taking a deep breath of air, she wondered at the odd scents around her. She knew it was a healing place, but the smells were sharp and cold to her senses. Where were the fragrances of herbs and leaves, of roots and extracts? Perhaps these people had no knowledge of such things. She looked upwards, considering the lights. They were bright, but she felt no heat... just like on the Enemy ship. So, the magic was not unique. She wondered what other amazing things K'vn's people had created.

She sat up, removing the blanket that the Healer, L'ta, had covered her with. She sorted through the rhythmical noises, all from machines, trying to find a sign of someone. Then, from beyond the curtained wall, a soft cough came. It was male, but not K'vn. Silently she stood, moving towards the source of the sound. Quietly pushing the curtain aside, she took a few steps into the next room.

He was there, the man who had coughed, sitting near K'vn's bed. She studied him for a moment; he held a flat object in his hands, which he seemed to scan back and forth with his eyes. It made no noise, but whatever it was, he was quite interested in it. She decided, after another few heartbeats, that this man was there to watch over K'vn. But this time, unlike others, there was no threat, no cruelty. That was good. K'vn had endured more than enough.

She saw that K'vn was deeply asleep, his breathing even and slow. That was good as well. She hadn't been able to help him, before. It was all she could do to get him away from certain death aboard the Enemy ship. She knew she wasn't strong enough to heal all his wounds, at least not yet, but perhaps she could do... something. He'd been in so much pain...

Taking in a breath for strength, she moved her foot on the floor, making the man in the chair aware of her presence. He looked up, a surprised expression on his face. He put the object down, then stood cautiously. He spoke, gently, and offered her a smile.

She understood most of his words, but it was his eyes that made her move closer. They were clear, without malice, something she'd rarely seen in recent times. When she took a step nearer to K'vn, the man stood back to give her space. It was a gesture that did much to set her at ease.

She came to K'vn's side and studied the man she knew so well. With infinite care, she brushed some stray locks from his forehead, wondering at the slight frown that graced his face. His dreams were full of relived torment, of pain and fear and loss. As much as she'd been able to do for him, she'd never been able to help with the nightmares. The best she could ever do was to be there for him when he woke, and try to anchor his spirit.

K'vn stirred a bit in his sleep as his breathing rhythms quickened. He made a small noise of distress, which caused her to frown. Then the man stood on K'vn's other side, checking out some machines near the bed. He studied one of the lines that led to K'vn's arm, and pressed some buttons on the machine it was attached to. In a very short time, the frown eased from K'vn's face and his breathing steadied. She could tell he was in a peaceful sleep once again.

It was interesting that K'vn's people had machines that could do such magic. She was glad they were helping him in ways that she couldn't. Then, a thought occurred. What if K'vn didn't need her any longer? What if their magic was all he required now?

He had been her focus for so long that she hadn't thought beyond the present. He was with his own people now; he had spoken often of his friends, and how he wished he could see them again. Now that it was possible, where did she fit in?

He wouldn't need her to survive, not in this place. He wouldn't need her protection or knowledge or healing ways. A wash of grief traveled through her as she realized the truth of it. She pushed it aside; like everything else in her life, it was something she would have to face and accept.

But this, she knew, would be among the hardest to deal with. The minute they'd gained their freedom, the loss had begun.

She considered his hand, wrapped in bandages. The memory came, unbidden, when one of the Guards had cruelly smashed it, anger bringing too much force to the blow. Instead of simply causing great pain, it had pushed K'vn into unconsciousness, thwarting the attempt at retrieving information. She didn't understand why they kept at him... of all the prisoners, he was the only one who had never given in. Perhaps that was it... his refusal to speak made them think he had important knowledge. But she knew better. K'vn didn't give in because his spirit was strong, and his pride ran deep. His conviction, his loyalty to his people, would not allow him to give anything to the Enemy.

Gently she touched the bandages. He'd told her that it had already begun to heal, but she could tell that it wasn't right. The flow was all wrong, the energies tangled and darkened with damage. Some repairs had been made, but it hadn't been enough. He had tried to tell her, on the Ship, how he had used his hands in his work before the war, before the Enemy had come to his people. While she hadn't understood what it was, exactly, he had made, she knew it took great skill and precision. Pride had shone from his eyes when he spoke of the work he did, carrying on a tradition from his father. If K'vn's hand did not heal properly, he would not be able to continue the work he so loved.

This, she understood. He needed healing for his future; with their inevitable parting on the horizon, it would be the one gift she could give him. If he were awake, she knew he would forbid a complete healing of his hand; but the man's magic had settled him into a deep sleep. She could work without resistance.

But what about the man? He still watched with sharp eyes. Would he prevent her? She placed both hands on K'vn's damaged arm and looked a question at the watcher. He didn't seem to understand.

She tried a simple gesture. Pointing to herself, then to K'vn, she brought her hands together. Pointing to the man, and then the door, she nodded. Amazingly, the man understood; after a moment of hesitation, he nodded and walked to the other room.

Once she was alone, she turned all her focus on K'vn. She closed her eyes briefly, centering her mind and spirit. When the flow was good and right, she placed her hands on his damaged body. It took a while for her to match energies with him; their magic, no doubt, had changed things a bit. Finally she found the proper rhythm and began concentrating.

The damage was complex, and at first sight she doubted her ability to sort it out. But this was K'vn, so she moved forward. There, the solid strength of bones, interrupted... the continuity stopped, the flow of support and structure missing. Carefully, delicately, she began realigning the threads.

Blood lines came next, bringing life energy to the bones and flesh. Muscle and sinew, damaged by force, slowly were reoriented, their flow now going in the proper directions. She reached in to the most delicate, tiny sections, knowing that restoring energies on that level was vital. K'vn must be able to use his fingers and hand with steadiness and skill.

The flesh, bruised and painful, would be allowed to heal with time. The true damage had been repaired. Now he needed strength and new energy; this, she would give. Knowing that K'vn would forbid it if he were awake, she concentrated on transfer. She felt the flow change, and directed it in the way she had been taught so long ago. As his field brightened, hers dimmed proportionally, as it was meant to be. Regretting that she had only so much to give, she finally ended the transfer, feeling the effects on her own body as she disconnected. Now, she would Sleep. Properly, deeply, fully.

She managed to curl up on the floor before Sleep took her.

~*~

Aleta heard the tiny chirp as her comm unit activated. She answered it immediately.

The others watched her with curiosity; they couldn't hear the other end of the conversation, of course, but Aleta's reactions sparked their interest. After half a minute, she disconnected and stood.

“Apparently Vosh woke up and came to be with Kevin,” she reported. “She managed to ask my medtech Williamson to give her some privacy.”

“She spoke?” Nick asked.

“More like pantomimed,” Aleta explained. “Williamson did as asked, but went right to the monitors to see what was happening. He wants me up there.”

“Something wrong?” Brian asked with a frown.

“He didn't say wrong,” she said. “Just... unusual.”

“Well, if you-” Brian stopped mid-sentence as his own comm unit went off. He paused and answered. “Yes, it's important,” he said a second later. “We should meet in Sickbay.” He listened for a moment, then rolled his eyes. “Yes, Captain, I know you have a lot of things to attend to. But this really is a priority. Littrell, out.” He stood. “Miles is going to meet me in Sickbay. Aleta, I'll walk you up.”

“No way are you leaving us here,” AJ said, setting down his glass. “If it concerns Kevin, it concerns us all.”

“And if Miles is going to be eating his words about the so-called Enemy alien, I want a front row seat,” Howie said.

Aleta grinned. “Why Howie, that sounds rather vindictive of you.”

“What can I say... the man just rubs me the wrong way.”

She laughed. “You're not the only one. Okay, then, let's go.”

~*~

Williamson met the five in Sickbay's outer room. “You've got to view the vid recordings, Doc. The alien-”

“Her name is Vosh,” Aleta corrected.

“Sorry, Vosh, did something... well, I'm not exactly sure what. But when I saw her lie down on the floor, I went in to check on Captain Richardson. And, well...”

Aleta looked at the confused young man and patted him on the arm. “It's okay,” she said. “Let me see for myself.”

She saw the change as soon as she came to Kevin's beside. His color was vastly improved, and many of the bruises that had been on his face and shoulder had lightened immensely. His breathing was light and even, and his face seemed relaxed for the first time since he'd been brought aboard.

“I didn't move her,” Williamson said softly from alongside. “I wasn't sure what to do, and I thought I'd let her sleep for a bit until you got here.”

Aleta looked at the figure curled up on the floor next to the bed. In contrast to Kevin, Vosh looked quite pale, and dark circles appeared underneath her eyes. The doctor knelt down and did a quick vitals assessment.

“I think she's doing that Sleeping thing again,” she declared. “It's probably pretty safe to pick her up and get her onto a cot.”

Williamson nodded and lifted the woman with ease. In less than a minute, she had been settled across the room and covered with a light blanket. He returned to the doctor's side.

“I think you'd better take a scan of Captain Richardson's hand,” he said in an odd voice. “I ran one already, but thought it was wrong. But the second scan said the same...”

“Is something wrong? Are the-”

“Please, doc,” the medtech said. “Just scan him.”

Puzzled, Aleta grabbed a portable scanner and swept the device across Kevin's damaged hand. She stopped, frowned, and pressed a few buttons. Slowly, she did another scan. Her hazel eyes widened as she read the scan results again.

How...”

“Now might be the time for watching the recordings,” Williamson said.

Brian, who had been watching the entire exchange with curiosity, finally spoke.

“So what's the big mystery?” he asked. “He hasn't suffered a set back, has he?”

“I wouldn't call it a setback,” Aleta said, crossing the room.

When everyone had gathered around the viewscreen, Williamson activated the recording.

~*~

Silence was left in the wake of the end of the recording. Without a word, Aleta went back to Kevin's side. She did a tentative physical assessment of his damaged hand, still not entirely trusting the earlier scan or what she had just witnessed. She finished and shook her head slowly.

“Is he... is his hand okay now?” Howie asked in a low voice.

“It shouldn't be... but it is. We only did the first surgery, which was mostly exploratory and very basic.”

“Nanites?” Brian asked.

“We hadn't introduced that stage yet,” Aleta said. “It was Vosh...”

“Littrell, this had better be good,” came a loud voice from the outer room. “I'll have you know that my-”

“Miles,” Brian answered, turning to the man who had just crossed the inner threshold. “So good of you to respond so quickly to my requested meeting.”

Miles stopped, giving the shorter man an appraising glance. He was used to an undercurrent of sarcasm from the officer, but there was something extra in his tone this time.

“So what's the so-called important issue?” he asked. “I'm scheduled for a-”

“Miles,” came Kevin's voice. “Don't you have a volume control?”

“How are you feeling?” Aleta asked instantly.

Kevin paused. With a slight lilt of surprise, he said, “Actually I'm feeling pretty good. What kind of drugs did you give me?”

“It's more than drugs,” she began explaining. “Your-”

“What is this prisoner doing in Sickbay?” Miles demanded, pointing to Vosh's sleeping form. “This is an unsecured area! Bringing her here is a direct violation of my express orders!”

“Although this might be incomprehensible to your ego,” Brian said, “she's not, and never was, the Enemy. You wrongfully imprisoned her. She's a proven ally, and you made a huge mistake.”

“Don't be ridiculous,” Miles fumed. “It's obvious-”

“That you were completely wrong,” Kevin interrupted. “Vosh isn't the Enemy. She saved my life, and not just the last time. I couldn't have escaped without her.” He locked gazes with Miles. “She was a prisoner on the Ship.”

The Captain blinked in disbelief. “But what about-”

“Nick said that he caught my ident signal, briefly... and Howie picked it up later in full. That wasn't my doing.” He glanced at his still bandaged hand. “It was Vosh. She helped me to rig up a sender, and it was she who sent the code. We were interrupted the first time...” His eyes clouded a bit. “I don't even remember how she got us out of the cells. I don't remember reaching the escape pod. She must have dragged me over half the ship...” He took in a deep breath. “Once she launched the pod, she must have kept sending the code. I vaguely remember that. Then there was this terrible shaking, things spinning... the power went out.”

“Maybe that was when I hooked on to you,” AJ said. “When I tried to tow the pod back to the Parrin.”

“Maybe,” Kevin said, nodding slightly.

“But with the power off, wouldn't life support be off too?” Nick asked.

“Yes,” Aleta said. “But Kevin had a rebreather on when we cracked the seal on the craft.”

“The pod was meant for a single being,” Kevin said. “There was only one rebreather. Vosh must have put it in my mouth.”

“You've been through an understandably traumatic time,” Miles said, frowning. “Perhaps your mind is confused... she was wearing the uniform of the Enemy. Doctor, isn't there a possibility of selective amnesia, or brainwashing? After all, being a prisoner for half a year would surely break even the strongest of men.”

“I wasn't brainwashed!” Kevin said angrily. “And I'm not confused. The things I don't clearly recall were due from being unconscious, not from amnesia.” He peered at Miles. “And the reason she was in that damned uniform was because it... it was her only choice.”

“That's absurd,” Miles snapped. “Are you saying she had no other clothes, and willingly chose an Enemy uniform to wear?”

Kevin sat up and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. He narrowed his eyes and said, “That's exactly what I'm saying.”

“She's not human,” Miles said, not backing down. “The good doctor here verified that. She's got to be the Enemy, no matter how attached you ended up getting to her.” He gave Kevin a sneer. “So what was it... you found out, during those long six months, that you needed a bedwarmer? Something to pass the time with? Granted, she isn't much to look at, but beggars can't be-”

Kevin exploded off the bed, anger blazing in his eyes. Faster than anyone could react, he reached Miles and swung a punch, hitting the man hard on the jaw. The Captain was knocked to the floor in less than a second.

You son-of-a-b-”

“Kevin!” Howie shouted, holding his friend's arm in a tight grip.

“Let me go!” the enraged man grated.

“This isn't going to help,” Howie continued, not easing up. “He's provoking you, let it slide!”

“He can't say that about Vosh,” Kevin said, twisting to free himself. “It's not true, any of it!”

Aleta stepped in. “We believe you, Kevin,” she said. “Miles had that coming, but if you do any more, it's going to mean trouble for you. Please.”

“I'll have you court-martialled,” came the growl from the floor. “Striking a superior officer-”

Brian reached down and hauled Miles roughly to his feet. “You're not a superior officer, just a higher ranking one,” he hissed. “And if you don't want this to turn uglier than it already is, I'd suggest you shut up. Now.”

Miles regained his balance and glared. “No one does this to me, on my ship. I'll have you spend the rest of the trip home in the brig.”

“You'll do no such thing,” Brian said in a hard voice. “Or have you forgotten that the war is over? We'll be going home, yes... and once we're there, the truth will be known about how you treated an ally, how you locked her up and endangered her. How you insulted a rescued prisoner of war. Kevin and Vosh will be given due honors, and you'll be the most hated human Captain in history. Is that what you want?”

Miles' jaw clenched but he kept silent.

“I didn't think so,” Brian continued. “At the very least, you owe Kevin and Vosh an apology.”

The Captain shook off Brian's hand and stepped back. “I'm not going to-”

“If you have any political aspirations at all,” Howie cut in unexpectedly, “you most certainly will. And you'll do it publicly. Anyone can make a mistake, but if you don't try to make it right, it'll come back and haunt you. You know as well as I do that would be the death knell of such a public career.”

At that, Miles hesitated. Howie saw his expression and continued on.

“Miles, this has been a long and tiring war. We all understand that. But you made a major error in judgment; if you don't fix it, they'll think of you not as the man who ended the war, but as the man who insulted everyone who sacrificed their lives for it. You belittled what Kevin endured as a prisoner, you insulted the woman who saved his life and helped him to escape, demeaning her in both word and action. Explain to me how that's going to help you once we get home.”

Brian folded his arms. “For once, listen to reason, Miles. Take this opportunity, or kiss your future goodbye. It's up to you.”

Miles scowled, then turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

“You should have let me at him,” Kevin said, still upset.

“You got in a great shot,” Nick said with a small grin. “Awesome punch.”

“Yes, it was,” Aleta said slowly. “How does that hand feel, Kevin?”

The tall man shrugged. “Tingles a little, but...” He stopped, realization dawning on his face. He stared at his hand. “But I...”

“Before we were so rudely interrupted,” Aleta said, “I was trying to tell you something. It seems that Vosh did something to your hand earlier. According to the scans, it's-”

“Healed,” he breathed. “She healed it... she...” He stopped, then turned to where Vosh was still asleep. “Damn it.”

“Thought you'd be happy,” Nick said, confused. “I mean, your hand's fixed, right?”

“There was a lot of damage,” he said, studying the woman. “She shouldn't have done anything that complex. Look at her.”

“She's pale, and sleeping deeply,” Aleta provided. “But she seems to be all right.”

Kevin began unwrapping his bandages; Aleta came to help him remove the final layers. Carefully he stretched his hand, testing each of his fingers for flexibility and movement.

“That's amazing,” Aleta said, taking a close look. “Other than some surface discoloration where my incision was, I can't detect any lingering damage.”

Kevin glanced at Nick. “Vosh has the ability to heal by touch,” he said. “It's very difficult to do, and it drains her own energy greatly. If she's hurting, or sick... it can weaken her too much. She nearly died once...” He trailed off for a moment. “She always tried to heal me, after the interrogation sessions. Once I found out the price it cost her, I wouldn't allow it. But she'd just wait until I passed out and did it anyway. No amount of arguing stopped her. Even when I got mad.”

“What about the other prisoners?” AJ asked, his voice low. “Did she heal them, too?”

Kevin shook his head. “No,” he said. “I never understood why. I had no idea she had the ability until I'd been a prisoner for probably about two, two and a half months.”

“Is that why she didn't fix your knee?” Brian asked.

The oldest looked down at his leg. “It got banged up in the crash,” he said. “I tried to set it, keep it immobile as best I could, but it healed all wrong. By the time I met Vosh, I think it was too late for her to help.”

“I wonder why she chose you,” AJ said thoughtfully.

“She wouldn't explain that to me,” Kevin said. “Although I did ask. She only said that it had to be right.”

“Right?”

He turned to Aleta. “That's what she said. No further explanations, just that. But then again, she knows a lot more about me than I know about her. Communication is a bit difficult.”

“How much do you think she understands of our language?” Nick asked. “When I talked to her earlier, I got the impression she wasn't really catching much.”

Kevin shook his head. “Honestly, I'm not sure. We developed a kind of sign language so we could talk to each other, but I think she relies more on tone and eye contact than words.”

“I take it speaking is difficult for her,” Aleta said, folding her arms.

“It's hard for her to actually talk,” Kevin said, sitting back down on the edge of his bed. “It's a physical thing. She was less than forthcoming with an explanation.”

Aleta sighed. “Well, until she wakes up again, we'll have to put all this speculation on hold. In the meantime,” she said, giving a significant look to Kevin, “I think it's time for a new physical assessment.”

He scowled. “Come on,” he said, “you've picked and poked at me enough in the last couple of days.”

“And I need to do it again,” she said, undaunted. “Just think about it this way... the sooner I can give you a clean bill of health... that is, when you're in decent enough condition to move out of Sickbay permanently... the sooner you'll be able to leave.”

“Then we can all go back to the Parrin,” Brian said. “That is, if you want to, Kevin.”

“There's no way I am going back home aboard Miles' ship,” he declared. “I want to be where I feel at home, and that's with all of you.”

Brian smiled. “Well, as soon as the good doctor here declares you fit for transfer, we're out of here. Doc?”

“I'll do the exam right now,” she said. “Out, all of you.”

Happily, the four men complied, leaving the fifth under the watchful eye of the doctor.

~*~