gabriel_tam | (no subject)

(no subject)

The room is fairly nice, all things considered. There are several chairs, a porta-cot set up discreetly against one wall for visitors that for one reason or another are reluctant to leave, and it's clear that whoever designed this particular private room in the first place intended to make it seem as warm and welcoming as possible.

Of course, given that it's a hospital, there's really only so much that can be done.

Currently, the hospital bed is tilted upwards at an angle, with the evident intention of making the patient comfortable. It seems to be working, at least a little, because Gabriel Tam is asleep.

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"We'll all be much warier in the future, Mary. You can rest assured of that."

Galadan means this wholeheartedly.

He has quite a few tapes that he intends to give to Mr U to go over, in the meantime.

The creature's scent was far too wide-ranging to belong to a corpse.

And, of course, there is that flickering light to consider, as well.

Galadan will not forget it.

"You may rest assured -- both of you, for that matter -- that I will pay much closer attention to your recommendations on matters of security."

He lowers his arm from his eyes, wincing slightly as the movement strains his broken ribs and torn chest. Despite that, he extends a hand to Mary.

"I'm sorry that I worried you."

Mary takes the hand, after a moment, and grips it - almost painfully tight at first, then, abruptly remembering his injured state, reluctantly loosening her grip in case it hurts.

"If it had been worse," she repeats, her eyes scrunching shut for a moment before they open again, "I should not have forgiven you."

"Then likely it's better for us all should you never have to prove that statement."

Galadan's voice is very, very dry.

Gabriel gives Galadan another look, then returns his attention to Mary.

He shifts just enough to bring his other hand up as well, covering their linked ones with it in a gesture of reassurance.

"But it wasn't worse. And I'm getting better. Besides, now that both my heads of security are aware of ... certain complications... I don't anticipate any other problems."

A beat, and then more gently,

"It really is all right, Mary."

Mary doesn't say anything, but shakes her head, a very little.

There is not much that is all right, right now. This particular thing could have been worse - it could have been much worse - but that does not make it all right at all.

Galadan, too, is silent.

Gabriel has not heard the last of Galadan being kept ignorant of certain pertinent information, either.

"... or it will be, at least."

Gabriel holds her glance with his own.

"I'll ask you to believe that, if you can."

"I know that you are going to be get better," Mary says, after a moment, pale blue eyes meeting the direct look.

It's not a question of belief at this point, once she's heard it as a statement from people she trusts.

"That does not make it better now that you are ill. And I do not know how long it will be, or what will be happening - and I will have to go home and not know and it will be awful."

Galadan's mouth quirks in slight, wry smile.

"I shall do what I may to keep you informed, Mary. You need have little fear on that score."

"And you're certainly welcome to visit," Gabriel says, then adds, wryly, "As you are now."

"I cannot visit by myself."

She says it almost reluctantly; it seems she's always dependent on other people for news, these days. She wants to be able to do something by herself.

To Galadan: "You will not always be there."

He inclines his head just slightly, eyes level on hers.

"No. Though I do visit often enough."

In his opinion, at the least.

"Well, it won't be too long until I'm out of here and able to come back to Milliways," Gabriel reassures her.

This may be a touch overly optimistic, but he's determined all the same.

"Not as often as I do," Mary says, and then, "How long is 'too long'?"

It's got the same plaintive quality as an 'are we there yet?'

"That depends largely on who is doing the waiting."

Galadn's voice is neutral.

"I'll find out soon."

He squeezes Mary's hand, gently.

"You must tell me," Mary announces, eyes swinging from Galadan to Gabriel relatively indiscriminately - the injunction applies to both of them - "when you do."

And then, finally, a question she hasn't yet thought to ask.

"Who did it?"

Galadan says nothing.

Though his look at Gabriel, one eyebrow raised, indicates that he may be very interested in the Senator's answer, himself.

"Someone," Gabriel says steadily, "who believed that it would be better for a lot of people if I were dead."

Mary's continued expectant look implies that she's waiting for a somewhat more specific answer than that.

Galadan's tiny smile may, for a moment, be directed at Mary.

Her dogged persistence is impressive.

And the Wolflord, too, is waiting for more elaboration on Gabriel's part.

That's unfortunate, as it seems Gabriel has no intention of explaining further.

Not yet, at least. Not until he himself comes to certain terms with what's happened.

"It's still being investigated, I believe."

"You did not see the person who did it?" Mary asks, rather incredulously.

Of course it would have been an assassin, and not the person who sent them; still, it's a start.

"He did, Mary. And so did I. But sorting out endless strings of aliases is a difficult and time-consuming process."

Beat.

"Be patient."