Times of Tribulation
Fleeting Glory: Part Three

Asher had heard the disturbance out in the lobby from his place within the cafeteria. He had dashed through the doors, burnoose billowing behind him, in the chance that someone would need his assistance. "He's Dead." Was all he said as he stood and stared down at the body of the churchman.

Moving to the body, he knelt and patted his hands over it, grabbing the pistols and stashing them in his burnoose. Next item was a comm unit, which received a chuckle from the young man. Further digging through the dead man's pockets netted him several rounds of ammo and a small leaflet of some kind. "Oh my God." He then removed a small playing device, like his own, but new. He removed the body of the leather holsters, another small electronic device and several assorted drugs. Chuckling, he untied the dead Churchman's boots and pulled them from his feet. Tying them together by the laces, they were slung over one shoulder. "The Lord did indeed giveth."

In a corner of the lobby, Dr. Jansenn motioned for Quent to sit, who complied, drooping to the tile floor in a half-sit with his eyes closed. Jansenn cut away Quent's shirt with scissors and cleaned the wound with a swab. He carefully applied medical wrap and Quent opened his eyes, looking at Jansenn. "I'm ... so-r-r . . . " His voice trailed off and his glance shifted to settle upon the Doctor's wounds. "I ... should have helped better."

"You did fine, Quent. You shouldn't have though, you coulda hurt yourself." With the bandaging complete, Dr. Jansenn helped Quent down the hall and to a bed in an ER cube.

Quent chuckled slightly and opened his eyes a bit wider. "Could have?"

"You could have been hurt worse, this is only a scratch. When you're feeling better, step out."

"I think I'm feeling better." It was an obvious lie, but Quent stood up anyway and staggered slowly out into the hall on unsteady legs.


"Elliot call Chumba, he's needed to mop up in the lobby." Dr. Jansenn ordered the computer.

"Chumba, please report to the lobby for cleanup, thank you." Elliot said, his voice calm, cheery.

Moments later, Chumba arrived, pushing his cart in front of him. "Glory be, is it that
time again?" Chuckling, he heaved the body from its pool of blood and dropped it into the reclamation chute where Lector would handle the rest.

"Please remember to deposit the remains in the proper recycling container, Chumba." Elliot reminded him.

"Already Did Elliot." Chumba chuckled, "This party is as good as any
other."

"Thank you, Chumba."

Chumba took up his mop and cleaned up the blood, following that with a good sanitization. He set out a 'Danger Wet Floor' sign and then leaned heavily against his cart, looking about.


In the Cafeteria, Lex was quietly eating his meal. Thoughts of planned projects flashed systematically though his mind. When Asher strolled in through the door and greeted him with a 'Hey, Lex' it surprised him. He looked up from his phlupp stew, "Did I miss anything?"

"Nothing, actually. Except my getting the myriad treasures off that dead soldier." Asher grinned.

Lex leaned back in his chair, his thoughts now focused on obtaining a shower card and a bed. "Anything useful?" He asked, a bit sourly, not subscribing to the scavenger ethic.

"Well, I got an extra pair of boots, some electronics, armor, a holster harness, a dagger, and two pistols ... I detect some derision in your voice, Lex."

Lex waved a hand, "Don't mind me. What sort of electronics?" He tipped forward in his chair, the back legs coming up off the floor.

"What's wrong with taking from the dead? I didn't murder. I actually tried to prevent it. But he was dead, and so I-- Oh, it's interesting, actually, because," Asher took out the once-empty pouch filled with the minor items from the loot.

"Yes, yes. I understand. What have you got?"

"A perfect condition music player with other tracks. A communicator unit with channels, and a small controller."

"Indeed . . . "

Asher pressed a button on the remote control, and a light flashed. Lex leaned further forward to get a closer look, his elbows perched to the table top.

"I hope that isn't some kind of detonator." Lex smirked sardonically.

"It might be."

"Or perhaps a homing device? Well, if it doesn't blow up in our faces . . . "

"Homing." Asher's eyes widened. "Do you think they could? Would they track me down? Maybe they have a magnetic chip in every one of these pieces. The pistols, the armor."

"He would be carrying these things for only two reasons. They work and served him in some way ... or they don't work, and he was keeping them for trade."

"Well, the music machine is . . . " Asher pushed a little red button and held the device up against his ear and listened for a moment. "What trash."

"Perhaps they are listening to you as you speak"

"You think? No, a listening device would be in clothes. This is for playback and indoctrination."

Lex just grinned with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Hear?" Asher held out the device. "Listen. Garbage."

"The Church moves in devious ways, my son." Lex said in imitation of a certain CoNM leader. "A comm unit perhaps."

"Nope. It's for listening. It's some book, or something being read."

Lex listened for a moment. "Sounds like a vacant radio channel."

"Vacant? Let me hear that."

"Nothing being transmitted at the moment. If you listen a while, it may reveal it purpose, and it's users."

"I don't think it's a transmitter, see?" Asher took his turn to listen and then began reciting, "Chapter 29, Book 5, Verse 11. And for those that disobey that about which we speak, there shall be nothing but death, and rightful death."

"Could you identify its owner with any of the factions?"

"I can stop it, too." Asher clicked another button. "Those weren't its exact words, but you get the idea."

"Well, it belongs to the Church, perhaps it's a broadcast receiver to allow the Reverend to indoctrinate the masses ... Or its minions."

"This, I think, is the radio." Asher pointed to a radio with a receiver and transmitter, with a channel dial. So, a portable disk player, a radio, and a control."

"Ah." Lex suddenly became very interested.

"Two pistols, scores of rounds of ammunition, and armor."

"Doubtless he was a soldier of the Church. I am surprised he was wandering around alone, they generally travel in packs."

"Well, that one seemed to be familiar." Asher looked up towards one of Elliot's cameras. "Elliot!"

"Yes?"

"Elliot, what can you tell me about our Churchman friend?"

"The Gentleman is deceased, apparent cause of death is a gash through his throat,
however an autopsy will be performed in the morgue."

"Did he ask for anyone?"

While Asher was conversing with Elliot, Lex continued his examination of the listening device. "Hmm." He found the ON/OFF switch and flipped it a few times causing a similar number of squelch bursts.

SCREEEEEEEEEEEE!!

"Venexx!" Startled, Lex jumped as the loud screech emitted from the speaker.
Asher whipped his head around at the noise and the two men stared at each other for a moment, until Lex turned his head one way then the other, looking about with suspicion.

"Uh-ohh." He quickly turned the comm unit off.

"Well, I need to be going. I don't think I need to be here, and it is rather late." Asher rose to leave.

"True. I must get my seedlings up to the hydroponics lab before they dehydrate."

"I'd be careful with this." Lex handed Asher the comm unit. "And don't push any buttons other than ON/OFF."

Asher yawned as he took the music machine and control from the table and the radio from Lex. Placing them in his pack, he turned on a heel and started off in the direction of the door with a glance over his shoulder to Lex, "I know you're one of many witnesses, but that man was recycled with all of his gear on, okay?"

"I was in here. I saw nothing."

"If the Church comes by to collect, that is. Thanks." Asher flashed a smile and ran from the cafe, through the lobby, and out into the streets

"Night ... Tsk." Lex wondered, somewhat casually, if the comm unit had detonating capabilities. He stood and dropped his utensils into a bus card, retrieved his pack and pushed out of the cafe. Wandering down the hall toward the rear wing of the hospital, he started out in his search of a shower and a bed.


The front doors of the Hospital whisked aside and a small, dirty figure skittered inward. Worn boots skidded to a stop and the girl looked around with crystalline eyes darting about wildly over the lobby.

Elliot's electronic eye panned over in the girl's direction. "Good Evening." The syrupy sweet voice resounded from the speakers.

The girl blinked and glanced up at the ceiling. "Ah. . . " She chewed absently on a filthy lower lip, frowning up in the direction of the voice. Her pale eyes slid over the lobby again as she skittered further across the floor. She was searching for something and wasn't finding it.

A frown descended over her dirt-smeared face and girl muttered quietly to herself. A turn and she headed off in the direction of the Cafeteria. Maybe in there she would find what she wanted. Slowly, carefully, she pushed one of the Cafe doors inward and peered inside.

Chumba decided to amble into the Cafeteria to fetch himself some water and pressed around the peering Josi. Leaning against his cart, he contemplated the events of earlier while emptying the glass and watching the others gathered. He finished his musing and dropped the glass into a tray and made his way back through the door, his cubby the final destination.

Dr. Jansenn pushed into the Cafe just as Chumba was leaving and they exchanged brief pleasantries.

Quent followed closely behind Dr. Jansenn. He felt rather hungry and had to steady himself with a hand against the doorjamb as he passed through. He stumbled on unsteady legs to finally lean against the counter where the food was set out and while patting his hand across the surface, he managed to grasp a spoon and bowl. The bowl was quickly dunked into the pot of phlupp stew and with the spoon in the other hand, he wandered to the closest unoccupied table.

"Oh look, it's the loon," Josi thought to herself. Maybe he would know.
Thoughtfully, she chewed on her sorely abused lip and considered this new plan of action whilst still peering.

Quent slumped down into a molded plastic chair and set his bowl down on the table with a clank.

Josi pondered to herself that Quent didn't look even in the mood to stand, let along begin a conversation. With an irritated sigh, she pushed out of the Cafeteria and ran down the hallway toward the lobby.

Instead of using the spoon, Quent opted to scoop the stew up with his hands and as he fed, he cast a gaze around the cafe. His sight finally settled on Dr. Jansenn across the room who was eating a piece of rather sickly, unripe piece of fruit and running his other hand over the bandaged gash he received earlier from the red skinned girl.

Quent rose upon finishing his stew and crossed the room in the direction of Dr. Jansenn with his newly acquired uneven gait. He slumped into a chair at the Doctor's table and asked, "Is it all right if I sit here?"

"Sure." Dr. Jansenn replied, his voice cracking slightly as if he were under a bit of tension or nervousness.

"Th-thank you." Quent took several long, slow breaths and it helped him to regain his strength. He looked at the Doctor and just watched him for a long moment, thinking to himself. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, not really to anyone, but he kept his gaze on Dr. Jansenn.

"I've heard it before." The Doctor said softly.

"I know you've heard it before. But I've never understood what it meant."

"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me."

Quent winced a bit and coughed, his eyes still on the Doctor. "I've heard that before."

"I've said it before."

"But is it wrong to be fooled by the fool?"

"It's going to take a lot of time to regain trust Quent."

"I know that doc, but I want you to know that if there is anything you ever need ... I'm here to help you."

"Fair enough." Jansenn said with a nod.

Quent cleared his throat and spit into his empty bowl. He craned his neck to look down, examining it. There was a small amount of his own blood in the spit and he knew that was a bad sign. "Excuse me." Rising to his feet, he staggered out of the Cafeteria and as he shuffled down the hallway he had to use his hand to steady himself. Still so weak


Josi Putter looked around the lobby with a worried expression on her young, dirty face. Softly she muttered, "Heck, where can she be?" She tossed the thought of asking the computer around in her head for a moment or two. Her dirt smeared lips parted to ask her question when she noticed a female in a white lab coat emerge from the hallway.

Adeline had slipped into the lobby from the psyche ward, rearranging her hair up into a tight bun at the base of her neck and forcing on that cool mask of control.

Blinking in surprise, Josi all but vanished into a grouping of chairs made for waiting.

"Are you okay?" Adeline asked her as she watched the girl fall into the chairs.

Josi's wide, pale eyes inspected the other woman carefully. "Ah, Yeah ... I'm 'kay."

Adeline extended one of those lovely hands before her. "My name is Adeline. What's yours?" Her voice was soft, full of sugar.

"P-Putter. Josi." Her tiny crouch slowly relaxed.

Adeline let the hand drop when Josi ignored the gesture. "What an interesting name. How did you come by it?"

"Um, ah . . . " Josi glanced around the lobby quickly then back up to Adeline. "I putter with stuff. Fix stuff, improve stuff." She stood up quite suddenly and blurted out, "Do you know where Ash is? I gotta talk to her."

Adeline opened her mouth to say something, then with a shrug, decided against it. "I'm afraid I haven't the foggiest. If I see her I will let her know you were looking for her. Is there anything I can do?"

"I gotta talk to her. I made, I made these bombs ... For not very nice people."

Adeline blinked and there was a momentary flash of something in her cold blue eyes as she was caught off guard by the remark. "Why, what ever for?"

Josi pulled a small device out from inside her ragged clothing. "I brought this for her ... well for the hospital." She continued to babble on. "It'll jam the signal." She held out the device for Adeline to take, quite certain she had explained everything perfectly clearly. She smiled.

Adeline reached out that slender hand to take the device. "And you'd like me to give this to Ash?"

There was a rapid nodding of Josi's head as she reached over to flick a switch. "Just flip it, like this." The device suddenly hummed to life. "And it'll block the radio transmitted detonator. In case they plant any bombs here." She smiled, quite delighted.

Addie stared at the thing, half expecting it to explode in her hands. "W-why I . . . " She blinked, looked up at Elliot's speakers, then back to the girl.

"You give that to Ash, 'kay? Make sure she gets it. Don't want no bombs going off in here. No way, no way." Josi was practically beaming.

Adeline nodded, taking a moment to gather her wits about herself. "This is rather kind of you Ms. Putter. I thank you for the hospital."

"Well, seeing as how I made the bombs, it's the least I can do." Josi said, grinning all the while.

Adeline blinked again and cocked her head to the side, then decided to brush the situation off. "As you say."

Quent wandered into the lobby and ahead of him he saw Adeline talking to the small figure clothed in rags. "Don't turn it off." He heard the girl tell Adeline. He tried to wave to the Doctor but decided to wait until he had moved down the hall closer to them.

"No, of course not. I'll give it to Ash as you ask." Adeline's gaze drifted to fall on Quent. She frowned deeply and dropped her gaze to the floor before Josi. "I'll make sure."

"Doc?" Quent was just within earshot of Addie.

"But don't turn it off." Josi's pale gaze grew suddenly intent. "You can't turn it off!" She was growing agitated.

"And I won't Ms. Putter. Haven't a fear of that." Adeline started slightly at the sound of Quent's voice and Josi's gaze swung toward the sound of the voice as well.

Swallowing hard, the girl glanced back to Adeline. She just wasn't sure it was a wise choice in leaving the jamming device with her, but it was too late now.

"Will you excuse me?" Adeline eyed the younger girl. Josi skittered around Adeline and dashed along the wall towards the front door. She would have to come back later and make sure Ash had gotten the device.

Quent tried again, this time a bit louder. "Doc? It's me."

Adeline only half raised a brow at the sudden departure of the girl. With do-hicky in hand she turned to Quent, carefully, not making eye contact. "Evening Quent."

"Hi Doc." Quent looked at the Doctor with pleading eyes. He was nearly in tears.

"Look Quent, I just ... I wanted to say how sorry I was for the other evening."

Quent coughed again, a bit of blood trickling out from between his lips. "It's all right Doc, I-I did a horrible thing, I deserved what I got."

Adeline raised a hand to adjust her glasses over the bridge of her nose when she caught sight of the blood. "I ... God's Quent, what's wrong with your lip?"

"Oh, it's not my lips, it's my chest." He unbuttoned the shirt of his uniform to expose the bandaged wounds.

Adeline gave him a wide eyed blink. "And your coughing up blood? That's hardly healthy."

"The Devil-girl did it when I tried to stop her."

"Shouldn't you see someone? I . . . " Adeline eyed the wound, such things were beyond her expertise.

"I know, but I think it's just a bloody-nose. Dr. Jansenn fixed me up already."

"Bloody nose in your chest? It doesn't hardly work that way."

"Well, she hit me in the face too I think. I don't remember much."

Adeline sighed, her shoulders sagging. "I'm sorry to hear that Quent. Listen, I need some . . . " She paused for a moment. Any number of things could end that sentence. "Coffee I guess."

"Okay, can I come with?"

"As you wish. I do still think you should have the cough looked at." Adeline turned slowly and headed for the Cafeteria.

"Okay." Quent shuffled along beside her. With hands shoved deep into her pockets and shoulders hunched, Addie shouldered the door to the Cafe open.

Dr. Jansenn heard the soft whoosh of the doors and turned a smile to her. "Well, hello stranger."

Addie's gaze drifted up to the sound of the voice. There was a slight brightening of her face, though only a very slight brightening. "I could say the same to you."

"Come to join me on the night owl shift?"

Quent glanced back and forth between the two, smiling. "I should leave you two alone."

Jansenn grinned brightly. "We should just move in together and get married, we see each other as about as much as those types do."

"I . . . " There it was, that marriage thing again. She stopped dead, caught off guard.

"A joke Adeline."

Adeline allowed herself to resume breathing. "Not very funny." She mumbled.

Quent started to shuffle off out of the Cafe, but stopped to drop a small slip of paper onto their table. He then left and made his way up the stairs to his room.

"Wasn't meant to be a funny ha-ha joke, just a making light of us never spending time joke."

Adeline slipped into a chair beside Jansenn. "Krrall thinks she's having kittens ... I've been busy with her."

"Krall?"

"A kid in the ward. Too many of them lately."

"Is she a patient, or a woman impregnated by a feline? I wonder if it's some wonder drug on the street."

Adeline blinked. "I didn't think one could be so impregnated. Uck."

"I don't think they can either, but you know, who's to say I'm the wrong one in that thinking."

"I think the last thing we need are half breed kitten-children."

"Sometimes I wonder if it's already begun." Jansenn winked.

"Really? Seen something?" A brow wings upward.

"Not really, just some really peculiar acting people."

"Yes, like the red child. Say, she attacked Quent or something?"

"There was a Churchman in here earlier and she went nuts. Quent tried to stop her, I tried to push him out of the way."

"I can understand that."

"Some other guy tried to stop it too. I got two gashes. Quent got one to his chest."

"You're hurt?"

"I taped him and cleaned the wounds." He showed her the bandaged arm. "Just a gash here, some scratches on my chest. Poor Church guy. His throat was ripped out."

"Oh." Adeline reached out a slim hand to touch the bandage, pulling short at his last words. "He's dead? Did ... Did you know who he was?"

"Not really. His last words I heard were, 'Project Penance, she's supposed to be dead'. His body's in the morgue. If you want we can go take a look."

"Better I not know, really. Gods forbid he's one of my boys."

Jansenn nodded and Adeline forced out a weak smile. "Well, no matter. How deep are your wounds?" Finally that hand finds its way to his arm, resting there gently.

"It's just superficial. I'm not even going to need stitches. Shouldn't even scar." He smiled at the simple human touch. "Have you seen Angel?"

Adeline shook her head slowly. "I'm afraid I haven't. No matter what I say, she likes her freedom to come and go as she pleases."

"She's going to. I don't think she comprehends a strict set of uniformity."

"I think she knows it all too well and I'm glad to be free of it. You've seen the mark haven't you?"

"I saw it when we examined her."

Adeline desperately tried to sound offhand. "Church's mark for a 'witch' ... heh, I think she was a captive of theirs a time ago."

"Probably. I'm assuming it was one of them who removed her tongue."

Adeline nodded. "She 'told' me as much. She talked too much." She frowned slightly but brushed it away.

A tear formed in Jansenn's eye, but he blinked and it was gone. "It's like she's ours isn't it. She's a grown woman Adeline, all we can do is help her when she asks."

Adeline swallowed, the reality of that was just a little too heavy for her to think of:

"We want what's best for her to shelter and protect her."

"She needs me, Joseff. I need that feeling."

"She needs you Adeline, she really does. I need you too and I don't mind sharing you."

Looking up at him, she managed a weak smile. "Cad."

"But I'm your cad." Jansenn smiled.

"Unless you're sharing." She dropped a little wink.

"Whom am I going to share with? You'd rip their livers out if I tried." Jansenn blew her a kiss.

"That was low, boyo." Adeline said through a pouty frown.

"It wasn't meant as an attack."

"I know." Her hand drifted to settle over his knee.

"I think I'm falling deeply in love with you Adeline, please don't make me stop."

Adeline blinked and then cleared her throat. "Uh ... Somehow I doubt I could even if I wanted too."

"I just wanted to tell you. I thought you deserved to know."

"Deserved?" A faint blush touched Adeline's cheeks.

"Well, as the object of my affection, Yes."

"Just don't go around hitting people with wrenches and I don't mind at
all. Though if I catch you staring at me though houseplants, you're in trouble." She told him with a chuckle.

Jansenn laughed. "What if I'm peeking into your room through a keyhole?"