Fever Dreams (Conclusion)

Now i could literally write stories about Ivan’s Fever Dreams forever with him bouncing around the various parts of his mind and the adventures he would have. However, this is the most important one of those stories, so i’ll share it now, and we visit his altered mental state later on.

A little apartment, somewhere


Amelia smiled softly and assume her typical movie watching spot on top of Ivan. He smiled and pulled her in close. She sighed as his arms wrapped around her waist and they turned on the movie.


“What’s this movie again?” She asked him.


“Casablanca.”


“Never heard of it, is it any good?”



“It won a lot of awards and critical acclaim during the 20th century, I have never seen it personally but Harlan watches it at least once a year.”



“War movie?”



“As i understand what was explained to me, it is a romance story set in the backdrop of the buildup to a war.”



“That doesn’t sound like a movie Harlan would like.”



“He is an odd duck, even for us.”



“Is the color out in the monitor?”



“No, it is a side effect of the cameras they used at the time.”



“It’s supposed to be in black and white?”



“Mmhmm.”



“Weird.”


They watched the movie together in relative silence, basking in the glow of a thousand year old story. The credits finally rolled and the world around them seemed to start again. It was a fine film, Ivan thought, even with his limited understanding of the politics of the day.


“So they didn’t have color cameras at the time?”


“There are a couple of recolored versions but Harlan suggested away from those. He seemed to think that the Black and White cinematography was as much a character in the story as any other element.”


“I liked it, a little different from our usual date night movie choices though.” She smiled softly at her husband.


Ivan felt the tremor run through his arm. “Did we do this right?”


“The movie night? Of course we did. You even managed not to burn the popcorn this time.”


“Did we do this...all of this right?”


“Our lives?”


“Yeah…”


“Ivan, what’s wrong?”


“I can not shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong.”


“About what?”


“About the universe we live in.”


“You served the Clan Military for over fifty years, and then you turned around and worked for Comstar for another fifteen. We have fostered a dozen children from various places that turned out to be awesome people, and our three kids are the best in the galaxy. I think we did this right.”


“You would not change anything?”


“I would have liked to have met you a few years before i did.” She said soflty.


“When i was a younger man...a pirate, a spy, and a dozen other things?”


“I would have liked to have known Vara a little better, but fundamentally i believe you are the same person.”


“I haven’t thought about Vara in years.”


“She was nice from what i remember.” Amelia said with a soft sigh. She laced her fingers with Ivan’s and relaxed into him.


“This has been a very pleasant evening, wife.” He kissed her softly on the neck.


“Yes it has, husband, but i need you to do something for me.” She kissed him softly along his chin.


“Anything.”


“I need you to wake up. The real world is spiraling out of control, and i need you to get back out there and help me make sense of it.”


“What?”


“Honey, i need you out there, with me.”


“But we’re right here, right now.” The tremor rolled up his arm and he felt his body shake.


“This is an illusion your mind has built to keep you safe while you healed. But now it’s time to put these dreams away and face the real world again.”


“What if i don’t want to do that?”


“You’re already slipping, Ivan. Contractions, from a Trueborn? What will the rest of the Clans think?”


“I do not wish to be alive, out there. I want to stay here.”


“Then the Ilkhan will continue his rampage, the Sokolov children will stay with the Falcons and your oldest friends in the universe will suffer terribly because you gave up.” The ice in the words flowed across him and he shook his head.


“No...I know they can take care of themselves! That is not what will happen.”


“How will you know if you never wake up?”


“NO!”


Clan Jade Falcon Medical Facility...Apollo


The room was filled with scientists, doctors and a pair of officers. The process they’d started had finally completed and they were trying to bring Ivan out of the coma. Amelia let out a gasp as the containment shell of the tube was released and she could see him for the first time since they’d arrived. He was younger...much younger and the gene-therapy had erased most of his old wounds. The scientists had told her that was a possibility with treatment, and that they might even trigger his cells into regrowing his lost arm.


Both of his heavy fists were pressed against the glass and Amelia felt her heart stop as his eyes opened for the first time since he’d passed out in his office. She saw the confusion and what felt like agony in his eyes and watched in stunned silence as one of his fists pulled back and slammed into the tank.


“Get him out of there, he’s awake.”


“Emergency protocol, clear the tank.” One of the doctors said quickly 


She watched as that fist pulled back again and the tank cracked. The scientists were rushing around in a panic as the fluids were siphoned out of the chamber and the seals were disengaged. With a hiss of air and steam Ivan was dumped onto the floor of the medical facility and the medical team quickly moved to check his vitals. Ivan pushed them off and started pulling at the breathing apparatus and the tubes that were running through his body.


“Ivan, quit. You’re in a hospital on Apollo. You can hear me can’t you?” Amelia said quickly. He nodded and managed to pull himself up to his feet. With several agonizing sounding cracks and pops he straightened himself out.


“I can hear you, Amelia.”


“Good. You know you’re an idiot, don’t you?”


“I am certainly that.”


“Good, now get yourself back into the medical facility and get checked out. The Doctors have a bajllion tests to run to make sure you’re less of an idiot now than you were when you were bombed out of your mind on Necrosia.”


“Yes, Star Colonel.”


“Don’t think we’re not going to have a conversation about that too.”


“I missed you too.” Ivan wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground. She slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him firmly.


“Eww, now you’ve got this gunk on me.” She smiled as he put her back on the ground.


“We’ll get you cleaned up later.” he said with a wink. His attention finally shifted off of her and he stared into the face of the other officer in the room. He smiled softly as he saw tears flow down cheeks and a lip began to quiver.


“I told you to expect me when you saw me, quiaff Star Commander?”


“Uncle Ivan.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him so hard it hurt her arms. She felt his arms wrap around her in response. “I missed you”


“I missed you too Mackenzie.”

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