Brides of the Kindred(126)

“Maybe.” Sylvan looked skeptical. “I’ve never known anyone to withstand a Scourge krik-ka`re. But if anyone is strong enough, it would be Baird. Still…” He broke off shaking his head.

“Still what? What?” Liv demanded.

“He might have been acting on autopilot so to speak. I mean, flying a ship is so ingrained in him that he might not need the parts of his personality that make him the male we know in order to do it.” Sylvan sighed. “I’m sorry, Olivia—I just don’t know.”

“Well I do.” Liv leaned over the stretcher, staring earnestly into the tarnished brass eyes. It seemed as though Baird’s gaze focused on her but she couldn’t be sure. “Baird,” she said softly, stroking his cheek. “Baird, it’s me—your Lilenta. Come back to me—I miss you.” Was there a flicker of recognition in the depths of his eyes? Liv wasn’t sure but it was enough to make her hope.

“Olivia—” Sylvan began but she didn’t want to hear it.

“Sit up.” She tugged at Baird’s arm. To her absolute joy, he did. He moved slowly in strange, jerky motions that reminded her of an old Frankenstein movie, but he did move. Soon he was sitting on the edge of the stretcher with his feet planted on the ground. He was still bare from the waist up, wearing only his black uniform pants and boots, just as he had been the last time she’d seen him, Liv noted. There were also fresh scars on his chest where he must have been pierced by the wires leading to the AllFather’s horrible view screen. “Oh, Baird,” she half whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “What did they do to you?”

Baird made no answer nor did he focus on her face when she spoke. He simply sat there, staring vacantly into space and not moving an inch.

“I was afraid of this.” Sylvan looked grim.

Liv rounded on him. “Afraid of what? Look, he’s doing fine. He responded—he did what I told him to do!”

“Following orders would be part of the brain function the AllFather would leave alone. Olivia, listen to me.” Sylvan put a hand on her shoulder. “I know that Baird is responding to direct orders, but that doesn’t mean he’s the male we remember. I’m afraid that what he endured may have damaged his mind beyond repair. Either that or the part of him we knew as Baird is now hidden, buried so far under so many layers of pain and fear we may never see it again.”

“That can’t be right,” Liv argued. “I won’t accept that. I refuse to accept it.”

“You’ll have to,” Sylvan said gently. “Believe me, Olivia, I’ve seen patients that have been subjected to the krik-ka`re years ago, during the Syrinx wars and this is not unusual. They often retain some of their more vital and deeply ingrained skills and the ability to follow direct commands without ever coming back to themselves. The AllFather does that so that he has a mindless slave who can still be of some use to him. In this case, he left Baird his piloting ability.”

“But he used it to steal a ship and take other warriors to safety,” Liv pointed out stubbornly. “There must be some of Baird left in there. I just need time to find it and let him out.”

Sylvan ran a hand over his short spiky hair. “I don’t know if that’s possible. Maybe if you two had already established a bond…but you didn’t. And without that, I don’t think you have much of a chance. I’m sorry, Olivia—I love him too. I just don’t want you to expect too much.”

“Well I have to try.” She took Baird by the arm and tugged at him. “Stand up,” she commanded and then looked at Sylvan. “You can make do without me for awhile, right?”

He nodded slowly. “We just had a shuttle full of new med techs come in. I’ve been meaning to tell you to take a break.”

“I’m taking it now.” Liv laced her fingers with Baird’s, wishing he would squeeze her hand in return and not just stand there. “We’ll be in our suite,” she told Sylvan firmly.

“All right. Good luck. And Olivia—do all you can. Baird is…very dear to my heart as well.”

Liv could see how much it cost the normally stoic Tranq to say such a thing and she nodded briefly. “Thanks, Sylvan. I will. Come on.” She tugged at Baird’s hand gently. “We have work to do.”



Hours later back in the suite she still had no idea what to do. She’d tried everything from slapping him lightly in the face to calling his name to reminding him in exhaustive detail of the day he’d first come to claim her at the HKR building in Tampa. None of her words or gestures seemed to penetrate the catatonic state he was in—even putting Bebo in his lap didn’t help. Although the little animal nudged him with its head and made soft, inquiring sounds, Baird didn’t even look down. As Liv placed the little creature back down on the floor and watched it waddle away, she was beginning to give up hope.