Buried History - Chapter 6 'Digging for Answers' [contd]
Beneath Mouyr City, Gedasada
“Doctor.” Janek held out a hand to lead the doctor away.
She protested and focused on the patient in front of her. “I’m in the middle of something here. This woman is days from death.”
Janek looked on at Donna with a wave of admiration. This woman had a warrior’s heart. Her strength and compassion were impressive. She was an unusual mix of fiery temperament and soothing kindness. Janek found it hard to reconcile her opposing character. She displayed such stark polar opposite characteristics. He wondered how the doctor managed to reconcile this split to her personality. No doubt, these attributes forever waged an internal war within the doctor.
“Come this way, I have more to show you. Plus doctor need to rest and you cannot help all these people.”
“I can try! And I can try harder if you release hold of my arm!”
He was not used to being spoken to in such a manner, yet he found himself letting her go as commanded. This doctor had a force of command even he did not possess! He who ordered countless deaths and compelled men to undergo suicidal missions.
“I understand your desire to help these people ...”
As Donna administered the frail woman care and the meagre medicines available she riposted, “Then you’d understand that I could do a lot more good here if you allowed me medicines and equipment. Holding me prisoner here does not help them.”
“As I have stated doctor, you are not a prisoner but I insist on holding you here until the evidence I talk of arrives.”
Finishing with her patient, Donna stood and faced Janek. “As I have stated, I’m a doctor not a conjurer! I cannot magic up the medicines I need to treat these people.”
“We never asked you to render any such assistance.”
“I’m a doctor, I’m obliged to help. It’s my solemn oath. You didn’t really expect me to just sit around until your ‘evidence’ shows up. What’s taking it so long? Not finished fabricating it yet?”
His mood darkened. “We are not fabricating anything. The records we have retrieved show to whom the call from the Tavro moon was made to before the explosion. However, an operative in the Jed’roc Province intercepted the communication. It will take time for him to reach us travelling through the tunnels. In the meantime it does not detract from the fact we know the Gedan were in actuality behind the moon explosion. We know it was made to someone in the Gedan government. When we have the evidence we will show you then and clear our name.”
Archly she replied, “That does not excuse you or your cause.”
“Why ever not?” He tired of debating with the doctor but she kept drawing Janek into another argument. “It proves we were used and framed by someone within the Gedan government. They are responsible.”
“They might have masterminded the explosion if your evidence is true. However, it was your people who carried out the attack, yes? They acted believing they were doing so in the name of your cause. They happily triggered an explosion that almost wiped out all life on this planet except for the fortuitous timing of orbital planes and what not!”
Grinding his teeth, he reined on his mounting temper. “Doctor, we are butcherers. You have seen for yourself the horrors visited upon the Conmenian people by the Gedan. You’ve seen these people as they have been treated, allowed to starve, permitted no medical care, mutilated and hunted as sport through the tunnels by rogue militia groups. You’ve seen the women who have been raped ...”
“You’re not so saintly either Janek. Putting aside the terrorist attacks you have carried out, the medical welfare of these people has been made a secondary priority to you. You don’t care if I treat them or not. You will not permit me to contact the numerous medical tams above and get help down to here. All because you want to preserve your location.”
“When the evidence arrives I will allow you to make contact with your ship. At that time you can have help come here. Until then we cannot risk our location being exposed and the militia men finding us before the evidence is in our hands.”
“How magnanimous of you. I suppose at that time you will have slipped away ...”
“To fight another day. To stop those who starve, murder and rape our children.”
“Pet does not seem to be much older than a child. Yet you lie with her. How does that make you better than the Gedan? You abuse your authority as the ‘rebel leader’ to leer at and bed young female compatriots.”
“I took Pet off the streets where she was turning tricks. She even sold herself to Gedan militia and police constables. A far worse crime in the eyes of many Conmenian, who would have lynched her had I not intervened.”
“How noble and romantic. A story to read a bedtime. Your reward for your act of gallantry is to have her keep your bed warm. You’re disgusting!”
“Pet is not as young as you think doctor. I’m not a monster. She makes herself look so young. She uses it as bait to lure in Gedan militiamen. Then when they fall for her promise of a good time she slices their throats. A small back for the rapes she endured at their hands.” Donna stepped back appalled. “The innocent aren’t so innocent now, are they?”
“And your men still caused all this to happen. They thought they were doing as you bid. So they believed you capable of it. They believed taking innocent lives with the guilty was a small price to pay for revenge. You bear blame for this no matter the outcome.”
“Perhaps.” Speaking more softly, he continued, “I am not a good man. This I know doctor. We all make mistakes. We all have dark moments in our lives. Things people would sooner keep hidden, secret, buried.” Donna’s thoughts flashed selfishly to the revelation she had discovered about herself and the mystery of what it meant. What secrets were hidden from her by the altercation to her memory?
Unaware of the thoughts in her head, Janek continued, “I make myself a willing victim to my darker side. I must be the cruel master, the monster you perceive in order to help protect and yes avenge my people.” Donna listened, she did not accept nor approve, but she listened. “That is why I needed you. I needed someone who was a voice for the weak and innocent to tell the truth of what is happening here on Gedasada. We have our own mole within the Gedan authorities. He has been most helpful and useful. It was he who told us that you would tour the medical facilities as part of trade negotiations. We planned to take you to show you the truth of the Conmenian treatment.”
“That was why you were so prepared when I was there.”
“Correct, sadly for you, it was our intention all along to take you doctor. When the moon explosion occurred are plans had been scrubbed. We intended to take you or one of your medical personnel from the relief centres then. We had to adapt our plans but then one of our spies heard you talking to that man, Dr Medajalan, and ordering the Junsoon Medical Facilities opened to receive casualties.”
Donna’s mind buzzed at their intentions all along. Then noting the sudden fierceness of Janek’s voice at the mention of Medajalen she had to query, “What have you against Dr Medajalen? He did nothing to change the situation but he at least saw some of the injustices of the society towards the Conmenian. He is an exemplary surgeon.”
“I do not doubt the skill of his hand doctor. He used that skill to experiment and kill scores of our people.”
“What!” Donna found it incredulous. The man was perhaps weak willed and afraid to challenge the bigotry of the society he lived in but she did not believe him to be a murderer. ‘How much of what Janek tells me can I believe? He has his own agenda too.’
“Our source within the government has brought to light certain truths of the good doctor’s activities. Did you think our evidence against the Gedan only refers to the moon explosion? Remember we wanted to take you before that had even occurred. We have information pertaining to a facility where Medajalen carried out experiments, testing viruses designed to kill the Conmenian.”
“He engineered biological weapons?”
“Yes. All his words of wanting to help are a lie. He appears a liberal heart in the eyes of many wanting equal medical coverage for all on Gedasada. He only wanted easier access to kill Conmenian patients! You see doctor. The Gedan are capable of any evil!”
Shaking her head in disbelief, Donna protested, “No, no, that cannot be true!”
“Yes it can, and it is. I told you I wanted you to see more. We started getting reports some hours ago and now we have video footage to confirm the rumours.”
“What rumours?” Donna felt her heart beat faster as grew afraid of what Janek might reveal.
“Since you were taken a new medical emergency has emerged. The Federation do not understand it yet. They think it a by-product of the dead bodies and open sewage lines. Disease is inevitable with so many sick and dying in close confines of the medical centres. But they cannot comprehend one thing. Why is it only the Conmenian patients are getting sick? How are similar waves of disease breaking out all over the planet?”
“You mean there’s an epidemic!”
“Not yet, but waves of disease are breaking out across the planet. In each instance, the source of the disease is a medical centre. Medical centres visited by Dr Medajalen as the Gedan head of medical emergency.”
*****
Beneath Mouyr City, Gedasada
“Doctor.” Janek held out a hand to lead the doctor away.
She protested and focused on the patient in front of her. “I’m in the middle of something here. This woman is days from death.”
Janek looked on at Donna with a wave of admiration. This woman had a warrior’s heart. Her strength and compassion were impressive. She was an unusual mix of fiery temperament and soothing kindness. Janek found it hard to reconcile her opposing character. She displayed such stark polar opposite characteristics. He wondered how the doctor managed to reconcile this split to her personality. No doubt, these attributes forever waged an internal war within the doctor.
“Come this way, I have more to show you. Plus doctor need to rest and you cannot help all these people.”
“I can try! And I can try harder if you release hold of my arm!”
He was not used to being spoken to in such a manner, yet he found himself letting her go as commanded. This doctor had a force of command even he did not possess! He who ordered countless deaths and compelled men to undergo suicidal missions.
“I understand your desire to help these people ...”
As Donna administered the frail woman care and the meagre medicines available she riposted, “Then you’d understand that I could do a lot more good here if you allowed me medicines and equipment. Holding me prisoner here does not help them.”
“As I have stated doctor, you are not a prisoner but I insist on holding you here until the evidence I talk of arrives.”
Finishing with her patient, Donna stood and faced Janek. “As I have stated, I’m a doctor not a conjurer! I cannot magic up the medicines I need to treat these people.”
“We never asked you to render any such assistance.”
“I’m a doctor, I’m obliged to help. It’s my solemn oath. You didn’t really expect me to just sit around until your ‘evidence’ shows up. What’s taking it so long? Not finished fabricating it yet?”
His mood darkened. “We are not fabricating anything. The records we have retrieved show to whom the call from the Tavro moon was made to before the explosion. However, an operative in the Jed’roc Province intercepted the communication. It will take time for him to reach us travelling through the tunnels. In the meantime it does not detract from the fact we know the Gedan were in actuality behind the moon explosion. We know it was made to someone in the Gedan government. When we have the evidence we will show you then and clear our name.”
Archly she replied, “That does not excuse you or your cause.”
“Why ever not?” He tired of debating with the doctor but she kept drawing Janek into another argument. “It proves we were used and framed by someone within the Gedan government. They are responsible.”
“They might have masterminded the explosion if your evidence is true. However, it was your people who carried out the attack, yes? They acted believing they were doing so in the name of your cause. They happily triggered an explosion that almost wiped out all life on this planet except for the fortuitous timing of orbital planes and what not!”
Grinding his teeth, he reined on his mounting temper. “Doctor, we are butcherers. You have seen for yourself the horrors visited upon the Conmenian people by the Gedan. You’ve seen these people as they have been treated, allowed to starve, permitted no medical care, mutilated and hunted as sport through the tunnels by rogue militia groups. You’ve seen the women who have been raped ...”
“You’re not so saintly either Janek. Putting aside the terrorist attacks you have carried out, the medical welfare of these people has been made a secondary priority to you. You don’t care if I treat them or not. You will not permit me to contact the numerous medical tams above and get help down to here. All because you want to preserve your location.”
“When the evidence arrives I will allow you to make contact with your ship. At that time you can have help come here. Until then we cannot risk our location being exposed and the militia men finding us before the evidence is in our hands.”
“How magnanimous of you. I suppose at that time you will have slipped away ...”
“To fight another day. To stop those who starve, murder and rape our children.”
“Pet does not seem to be much older than a child. Yet you lie with her. How does that make you better than the Gedan? You abuse your authority as the ‘rebel leader’ to leer at and bed young female compatriots.”
“I took Pet off the streets where she was turning tricks. She even sold herself to Gedan militia and police constables. A far worse crime in the eyes of many Conmenian, who would have lynched her had I not intervened.”
“How noble and romantic. A story to read a bedtime. Your reward for your act of gallantry is to have her keep your bed warm. You’re disgusting!”
“Pet is not as young as you think doctor. I’m not a monster. She makes herself look so young. She uses it as bait to lure in Gedan militiamen. Then when they fall for her promise of a good time she slices their throats. A small back for the rapes she endured at their hands.” Donna stepped back appalled. “The innocent aren’t so innocent now, are they?”
“And your men still caused all this to happen. They thought they were doing as you bid. So they believed you capable of it. They believed taking innocent lives with the guilty was a small price to pay for revenge. You bear blame for this no matter the outcome.”
“Perhaps.” Speaking more softly, he continued, “I am not a good man. This I know doctor. We all make mistakes. We all have dark moments in our lives. Things people would sooner keep hidden, secret, buried.” Donna’s thoughts flashed selfishly to the revelation she had discovered about herself and the mystery of what it meant. What secrets were hidden from her by the altercation to her memory?
Unaware of the thoughts in her head, Janek continued, “I make myself a willing victim to my darker side. I must be the cruel master, the monster you perceive in order to help protect and yes avenge my people.” Donna listened, she did not accept nor approve, but she listened. “That is why I needed you. I needed someone who was a voice for the weak and innocent to tell the truth of what is happening here on Gedasada. We have our own mole within the Gedan authorities. He has been most helpful and useful. It was he who told us that you would tour the medical facilities as part of trade negotiations. We planned to take you to show you the truth of the Conmenian treatment.”
“That was why you were so prepared when I was there.”
“Correct, sadly for you, it was our intention all along to take you doctor. When the moon explosion occurred are plans had been scrubbed. We intended to take you or one of your medical personnel from the relief centres then. We had to adapt our plans but then one of our spies heard you talking to that man, Dr Medajalan, and ordering the Junsoon Medical Facilities opened to receive casualties.”
Donna’s mind buzzed at their intentions all along. Then noting the sudden fierceness of Janek’s voice at the mention of Medajalen she had to query, “What have you against Dr Medajalen? He did nothing to change the situation but he at least saw some of the injustices of the society towards the Conmenian. He is an exemplary surgeon.”
“I do not doubt the skill of his hand doctor. He used that skill to experiment and kill scores of our people.”
“What!” Donna found it incredulous. The man was perhaps weak willed and afraid to challenge the bigotry of the society he lived in but she did not believe him to be a murderer. ‘How much of what Janek tells me can I believe? He has his own agenda too.’
“Our source within the government has brought to light certain truths of the good doctor’s activities. Did you think our evidence against the Gedan only refers to the moon explosion? Remember we wanted to take you before that had even occurred. We have information pertaining to a facility where Medajalen carried out experiments, testing viruses designed to kill the Conmenian.”
“He engineered biological weapons?”
“Yes. All his words of wanting to help are a lie. He appears a liberal heart in the eyes of many wanting equal medical coverage for all on Gedasada. He only wanted easier access to kill Conmenian patients! You see doctor. The Gedan are capable of any evil!”
Shaking her head in disbelief, Donna protested, “No, no, that cannot be true!”
“Yes it can, and it is. I told you I wanted you to see more. We started getting reports some hours ago and now we have video footage to confirm the rumours.”
“What rumours?” Donna felt her heart beat faster as grew afraid of what Janek might reveal.
“Since you were taken a new medical emergency has emerged. The Federation do not understand it yet. They think it a by-product of the dead bodies and open sewage lines. Disease is inevitable with so many sick and dying in close confines of the medical centres. But they cannot comprehend one thing. Why is it only the Conmenian patients are getting sick? How are similar waves of disease breaking out all over the planet?”
“You mean there’s an epidemic!”
“Not yet, but waves of disease are breaking out across the planet. In each instance, the source of the disease is a medical centre. Medical centres visited by Dr Medajalen as the Gedan head of medical emergency.”
*****
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Glad it caught you off guard! Hope to throw a few curve balls but you tend to see most things coming Mistral.
]
