The meeting that morning had been exhausting. It was a Q&A for Marc regarding a number of issues and all of them had been difficult. He'd fielded questions on the flattening of the Council and the deaths of Margaret and Maya, the disappearance of Bella, the rescue of Doni and the destruction of his own home during that, the Earthquake and the attack on the Refuge during that rescue.

They'd even asked him point blank if any of the teams responding to the Earthquake had been attacked.  She and he had spent hours going over the possible questions and as a result he'd fielded them all beautifully.

Marc saw Irisa to her office, where they'd planned on a follow up meeting to discuss implications and further strategy, so he was with her when she walked into her office.

Marc's face lit with a smile, before she even saw what was awaiting her on her desk. "You have an admirer," he said, picking up the box and waggling it at her.

She glanced at it as she set down a handful of files, then, looked again. He waggled it under her nose, and she made a grab for it.

"Can I open it?" he asked teasingly.

"Yes you can, of course, but if you do I'll kick you in the shin."

He laughed and handed the box to her with a flourish and leant over her shoulder as she began to open it.

"Hey! I want privacy for this."

He grinned. "Yes, might be the boy's bikini undies. Or did you leave some there..."

She stamped her foot at him and pointed to the door imperiously.

"Until later then. I count the hours. And dump him, quickly. I don't share."

"You don't, don't you..." she leaned out the office door and stuck her tongue out at him. He saw her and laughed as he walked off.

She closed her door and was humming as she walked with the box over to her desk. She sat it down and sat in her desk chair and considered it for some minutes, before she actually reached over to open it. She studied the paper as she unwrapped it, smiling to herself.

"Oh," she said as she saw the lovely clown and seahorse. Then she read the note. "Sunday... Well, we'll see...."

Marc was rather surprised when he got a note in the affirmative to his very, under the circumstances, tentative query.

She arrived right on time, Reno having brought her. She hadn't bothered to dress any differently than she usually did, and she met Marc's eyes quite levelly.

"Hullo, Mabel."

"I'm over it," she replied.

"Ah.  Is she all right?"

"Of course she isn't, you idiot. What do you want?"

Marc winced but said nothing in his defense, since she was right. He motioned her to a seat and took his own safely behind the desk.  "We, uhm, we need someone to run the House."

"I've got a job.  I like it there.  Far from men who ... Never mind."

He felt like a six year old. "Uhm, look. Do you know anyone who is a lot like you who could handle it? Short of kidnapping you, or cloning you..."

She regarded him with narrowed eyes.  "I might know someone. But I'd need to see what the job entailed, and I'd want to speak to the person who runs it now."

"That I can do. Come on."

Marc lead Mabel on a tour through the House. He showed her the offices and the Ops Center, which she declined to disturb, they stopped at the security center where she greeted Trevor like a long lost son, and chatted with him about Maggie and Hugh and someone called Mrs J. Then they went on a tour of the rooms and associated facilites, and lastly to the dining room and the kitchens. She took her time chatting with everyone who was there, noting the coffee bar and that quite a few people were eating even though it wasn't lunch time. She asked Marc about that and he detailed the complex schedules necessary to respond to emergencies and she nodded her understanding.

Lastly he took her over to the new Infirmary.  She admired the organization of the place and its spotlessness then Marc took her in to meet Tabitha, who looked a bit odd to him, sitting on the other side of a desk.

Before Tabitha could either chew him out or start babbling scripture or prophecy, he quickly said, "Tabitha. This is Mabel Barnard. We wanted to clone her to run the House since you've moved over here, but since she objected we thought we might ask her if she knew someone who could manage it."

Tabitha ignored him totally and took her time studying Mabel, who appeared to not mind.  Then, giving a short nod she said, "It's a thankless job but they're mostly housebroken...most of them anyway.  What do you want to know?"

"The things that cause the greatest challenges for the position, and whether or not you were given a free hand as to how to run it, so long as you did your best to reasonably keep within a budget."

Marc tiptoed out and let them get on with it.

"Budget's reviewed quarterly and if needed additional funds are available.  Otherwise it's a free hand totally and decisions are backed up and enforced.  Challenges?  You're catering to, running a dormatory for a bunch of high testosterone males and their female counterparts who sometimes think they're special and get to break the rules or dump their laundry in your lap.  My experience, it only takes once and they stop, however.  The other is that there are times when, for good reason, it gets chaotic, sometimes for long periods.  Staff's good, well trained."

"Thank you for the clear and concise information. By the way, he's always going to be more trouble than he's worth. Unless..."

"Yes.  Odds are looking better there on both issues.  Tell Dinah he's miserable if it'll help, though I doubt it."  Tabitha said.

"She deserves better. Ah well, hearts have their own logic, I'm sorry to say. I've heard quite a lot about you, Tabitha. I hope your new role is one you will grow to like. I gather you were resistant to taking it on."

"She wants the ones she has to fight for."  Tabitha thought a bit before going on.  "I've heard a great deal about you.  I'll miss the job, it suited me, but it's a small price to pay and he was right of course or wouldn't have dared.  It's your cousin isn't it?"

"Yes, but..." Mabel said speculatively.  At Tabitha's look she asked, "There is a sizable expansion in the works?"

"Yes.  New building, I think.  Plus the compound."

"I was thinking that perhaps the twins might be a better fit than their aunt.  The Murgatroyd girls are a little younger than perhaps Marc has in mind but they're hard workers and quite Talented in their own way. And finding positions where they can see one another as often as they like might be a challenge. Do you think that's a possiblity?  Taking them both?"

"Yes.  It'll be Stephen's decision in the end.  And he prefers solutions that look long term, solve emerging problems as well.  He'll want to meet them first, I suppose that's no problem.  I'll arrange their housing."

"Thank you Tabitha. If I can ever be of service, don't hesitate to call. And if you've a need to contact Dinah, I can of course arrange it, but she wishes to be undisturbed by others so ...  She's with friends who will take quite good care of her."

"Don't blame her.  Best thing for her.  Jolene knows what to do.  But soon, I think, there's something....she'll want to know.  I'll be in touch.  Thank you."  Tabitha stood and offered her hand.  "He has a choice.  Let's hope he makes the right one."

"I'll do what I can from my end. I'll have Marc set up a meeting of the girls with Stephen and have him let you know when that is. And, if he does agree, I'm certain they would be delighted if you shared your wisdom with them. They're good girls. Eager to learn, and thankful for wisdom when it is offered."

Tabitha nodded.  "You'll make sure they're prepared?  A model like yours should be fine."

"I understand. They're well trained in all necessary techniques. I'll inform them. They'll be delighted."

Their hands clasped one another's and the two met each others' eyes.

"Soon, perhaps, we will meet and talk of other things.  As for your hopes, it's best to plan early."  Mabel raised a satirical eyebrow and smiled.

Cassidy glanced at the clock and sighed. Damn fool woman, didn’t she know he needed to concentrate? But here he was watching the second hand revolve every five minutes because she hadn’t immediately raced down here when she got back and opened the package, just to fling herself in his arms, thank him and say yes to the circus.

Not only that, the woman was flirting with Marc. With Marc! And Marc was flirting back!  There was a growl from the location of his brain stem and he told it rudely to shut up, this was no time to distract him.  He whirled around and stared out the window, his eyes narrowed, as he considered the situation. It was developing eddies and currents he hadn’t expected….more fool he.  She was likely to make this as hard as she possibly could, from pique and some feminine notion of what was due her dignity.  He grinned suddenly, promising himself she'd pay for it too.  Then he sobered again.  He needed to find a way to deal with them, and whatever else she devised to drive him insane while she persisted in not cooperating with what was plainly her fate...marriage to him forever…incorporate them into his plan would be the best way, but how.  He was still working through various possibilities when someone cleared their throat behind him.

He spun around, just as Marc, grinning, said his name. “Cassidy, earth to Cassidy.”

Cassidy grinned back. “I was just thinking. What’s up?”

"Oh, I just wanted to update you on the Q&As Irisa and I did on Home. Got a minute?"

"Sure, as many as you'd like.  I take it it went well?"

"Yes, it did.  We've been able to continue to avoid the question of the attacked team at the Earthquake. We've simply said there were so many casualties and Irisa has me trained to change the subject. She's amazing really. She seems able to almost anticipate their questions.  We've also gotten good press with the photos she got us of the attackers on the front lawn. We're getting calls regarding them but Trevor is still weeding through good leads and bad ones.   How are the Ops Teams doing?"

"Doing fine.  Four calls so far today and the training teams are in Colorado practicing rock climb maneuvers.  Cal has said he's ready to talk about the new building and what he needs whenever we are.  Also the last of the teams relo'ed from Home today and we're out of space, officially.  Alice, who is definitely not Tabitha is a tad...oh I'd say tense is the best word and I told her we'd talk about it at staffing in the morning.  Might be good if you and Stephen were there.  Then we ought to meet on Ocala."

"Yeah, we should be ready to move folks to Ocala.  I'll see that Effie's informed.  By the way, loved the box you left Irisa. Believe me, she's worth every cent you'll spend on her."

She was?  He had not the slightest doubt, but how'd Marc know?  His green eyes narrowed involuntarily as he registered that question and his brain stem demanded an immediate conference with full emergency powers to...er...negotiate.

Irisa herself joined them then. "Cassidy, I brought you this from Trevor, some report or other.  Marc, we still need to talk about that strategy.  Got a minute now?"

"I'll be along in a minute," Marc said and moved his hand a millimeter as if he were tempted to smack her nice butt as she went by.

Cassidy glanced at the report and set it aside, focusing his attention on Marc, or rather not unfocusing it and sternly reproved his brain stem while demanding the attention of his frontal lobe.  When Irisa was gone he said, "Thank you for sharing that with me, Marc."  He grinned, and it was all teeth.  "I was starting to wonder.  It was very well done, though."

"What was?" Marc asked, all innocence.

"I just admire your management techniques.  I learn things from you they never taught at the Academy.  You might have a career as a guest lecturer someday.  I could recommend you."  Cassidy offered, equally innocent, driving the war between his brain stem and his frontal lobe into the background.

"You're too kind. Good luck with Irisa. Watch out for her ex though. Later."  Marc, whistling, strolled off.

Cassidy waited until he left and then swore softly.  Now what was he going to do?  Marc, of course was jerking his chain.  Wasn't he?  Of course he was.  Wasn't he?

Cassidy cut off that line of thought ruthlessly and forced himself to consider the larger picture.  If not Marc, then certainly there were others, in her past...recent or not.  And he certainly wasn't the only man with brains enough to see Irisa as the amazing and beautiful woman she was.  So what did he expect?  His only hope was to not let it bother him.  Because if it did he'd go insane. Hah! There was no hope of that!

"She's ours," his back brain murmured.   "No one else touches her ever again."  His back brain was in no mood to consider the facts.

His frontal lobe concurred empathically.  Reality, cold and harsh, pointed out it wasn't up to him to decide that.

He needed a plan.  He didn't have one.

He needed a drink.  He knew where to find one and did.

Tommy looked up and saw double. He blinked and it didn’t help. “Uhm…yes?”

“The Misses Murgatroyd to see Stephen?”

“Oh,” Tommy said. “I’ll let him know. If you’d like to have a seat, I’ll be right back.” Then he scurried into Stephen’s office and shut the door.

“Yeah Tommy?”

“It’s twins.”

“Congratulations, you sly dog, and you never let on! Where should Doni and I send the baby presents?  Do I know her?”

“No, outside. Twins.” Tommy explained.

“Oh, so I don’t need to send it? I can hand deliver it.” Stephen asked.

Tommy shook his head and tried again. “Your appointment, it’s twins.”

“You mean my appointment had twins in the outer office and you delivered them? Congratulations Tommy. That’s really a great piece of work. But unfortunately I can’t let you go until after Mabel’s two women get here.”

Tommy was frustrated and let it show. “The Murgatroyd sisters are twins. They’re here.”

“Oh well why didn’t you say so. Let Marc know and when he gets here show them in. And I could use some coffee if you get a chance.” Stephen smiled sweetly.

Tommy clenched his teeth and confined himself to a “Yes, boss.”

Five minutes later Tommy showed the twins and Marc into the office, set coffee on the desk, glared at Stephen and left, shutting the door.

Marc standing nearest them held out his hand. "Hullo, I'm Marc Rogatien."

One took his hand and said, "I'm Martha Murgatroyd, but prefer to be called Murgie. This is my younger sister Minnie. Minerva actually."  Minerva blushed and dropped a half-curtsy, Marc was rather surprised she didn't giggle. But then Mabel _had_ sent them.

Stephen looked from one to the other already imagining trouble and grinned.  "I'm Stephen" he said.  "Thanks for coming.  Why don't we all sit down.  Did you want some coffee or something?"

They both declined.  In unison, shaking their heads and saying no together.

"So, uhm, Mabel is your, what, your cousin?" Marc asked.

"Yes, sir, second cousin, obviously.  She's real close to our mum." That was Murgie. Minnie had yet to say a word. Both had smiles that lit up the room though. They weren't beautiful, but there was something about their smiles that made Stephen and Marc share a look.

"So, I imagine Mabel described the job.  Obviously her recommendation means a lot.  But she didn't provide very many specifics about your experience or qualifications?"  Stephen hinted.

Minnie responded.  "We were brought up helping our mum run the Duke of Edinburgh's households, in London and in Scotland.  Later we trained with her Majesty's household, formally."

Murgie jumped in then.  "Then I went to do for Mrs. Abernathy who recommended me to the Olympic committee.  So  I was given charge of the village last three Olympics.  In between Minnie kept doing for Mrs. Abernathy."

"Ah, well," Marc responded. "And why are you two looking for a new position now?" he asked.

"We prefer America, sir," Murgie said.  "And we're looking for a bit of challenge," Minnie added.  "Plus Mabel said it would be a good idea."

"Well, if Mabel said that," Marc offered looking a question at Stephen.

Both Minnie and Murgie were nodding somewhat religiously regarding Mabel's suggestions.

Stephen nodded too.  Mabel was never wrong about these things.

"When can you start?" Marc asked.

The twins consulted one another and communed however it was they did, and then they said in unison, "Friday."

Stephen and Marc communed more normally.  They looked at each other and Marc said, "That's great."  Stephen said, "Tommy'll get you sorted and settled," as Tommy appeared as if by magic.

The twins smiled at him and he smiled back, to Stephen's amazement.  He wasn't nervous either.  He lead them from the office chatting normally, and with great ease.  Stephen looked at Marc and saw the raised eyebrow. His own rose slowly in answer.

Tabitha, her mind deep in the books now her responsibility with regard to running the Infirmary, looked up. What she saw startled her. Marc avoided her pretty much, so seeing him actually walk into her office made her narrow her eyes and wonder what else he was going to do or say to make her furious.

He sat down across form her and eyed her for a few minutes.

"I've a peace offering," he said.

"Oh? Are we at war?"

"You know we are. Even so, I'm calling for at least a truce. Here."

With that irritating beginning he put on her desk a small glass vial.  She picked it up and stared at it. Then she looked again.  It looked like.... "Is it human skin?" she asked

"No. It is called  'skin' however. It was developed to assist in the sort of healing you do. It is psychoactive and with trained healers it can cut healing time in half. It's also been used to birth babies, for instance, and for intrauterine surgery, at least the Awakened kind of surgery.

"There is enough skin in that vial to wrap a broken leg or arm.  And it's reusable. I've more. But it will take some training for your healers to use it. I suggest beginning with something small. Also, you can utilize a metaconcert on particularly awful cases, like Tommy for instance, and connect healers together through the skin to increase the power of your healers. Generally speaking, it will geometrically increase healer efficiency when used by those trained to use the skin."

"So I could put more healers in the field where they're needed and use fewer here?"  Tabitha speculated, intrigued by the possibilities.

Yes, we could train then so they could go out with the Ops Teams taking it into the field to stabilize New Ones or our people if they are injured.  Let me know if you think it will be helpful. I'll be glad to arrange for your training. Once you understand it you should be able to train the others."

"Thank you," she said, meaning it.  "We're at your disposal for training."

"I'll contact my friend, whose secret it is."

"Thank you," she said again, eyeing him in that way so uniquely hers that made most people squirm.  He merely raised an eyebrow and waited.  It made her smile and feel sorry for his mama whom she wished she'd known...or could know as the case may be and a point to ponder later.  Finally she spoke.  "I apologize.  You were right."

That made him pause. "I was?"

"Yes, most importantly about what I do here.  I am more useful here.  Less importantly, I am too used to having to be cryptic after all this time.  I shouldn't have insulted you so."  That she was sincere was beyond doubt.

"Why have you felt such a need for it?" that he was curious was plain.

"Camouflage, mainly.  We are hidden by choice, I won't deny that, because it made it simpler in the beginning but that will change soon I think.  And safer.  But later, as humanity evolved, to do what I needed to do religion and it's mystic vocabulary was helpful.  It is hardly the thing one would accept readily, what I have seen.  But lately, because often it is important that one comes to one's own understanding of a thing, organically, rather than use someone else's road map.  That helps sometimes to force the uninclined to see beyond the surface. And last, but not least, a gradual emergence of understanding has it's uses as well as acting as a safety measure...like trying to change history without destroying it.

"Are you?" he asked. "Trying to change history? I was under the impression you were merely trying to shape it."

"In their way, both statements are true.  But what I meant was you, like what you are doing...the delicacy of the balancing act you are engaged in...How to achieve your goal with destroying it in the process."

He studied her for a moment, before saying, "I'm willing to work with you Tabitha, but that doesn't mean that if I believe my own long term goals are slipping away I won't revert to seeking them rather than your own. Our ends are not quite the same thing, but very close. And it may be that our means will follow the same path for a time. I cannot see that clearly yet, since there are too many variables hidden from me."

"Do you know, I wasn't trying to probe for an answer to that question.  Or to elicit disclosures in general.  Nonetheless I am grateful for your candor." she studied his eyes for moment, gauging him and his mood.  "History has many endpoints occurring at many points in time, not just one.  So your goals and mine aren't mutually exclusive.  It isn't a zero sum game.  I have other goals as well, other dreams."

"Whereas I have only one.  I do acknowledge that it isn't a zero sum game. That is why I've kept interested in the Awakened through all these years, hoping that somehow... But if your plan works over mine, my world will never exist. Which, considering everything, would not be too great a price to pay."

"It may be that only parts of it will be reshaped.  Do you understand the term vocation, in it's oldest and truest sense?"

"Beyond its religious meaning, no."

"It comes from the root 'vocare' meaning 'to call' or 'a call.'  I prefer it to the term fate or destiny because it retains the sense that the reality of free will, of choice, exists and hasn't been abrogated while also conveying the truth that we are not born for ourselves alone.  We all have a vocation, we are all called to many things.  All any of us can do is to be open to the call and then follow it.  I have always known that no matter what I've seen, I've never seen the whole.  It may be that both are needed for whatever endpoint it is we're tending towards. It may be that neither come to pass."  She smiled, ruefully.  "And I am an old woman teaching a fox to suck eggs."

"And it may be that we cannot change what is set to happen and we are both sucking eggs.  In that case..." he shrugged.

"It may be.  Now, I have another matter I would like to address, if you will spare me another moment."

"I am at your service," he said bowing his head toward her.

"I doubt that," she said dryly.  "But no matter.  I shall need a house."

"I'll see that Cal is made aware of it. Although I dare say _your_ house may have to wait for a new wing on _the_ House. I'm certain he'd be delighted if you gave him a set of plans."

"I'm sorry, but actually it can't.  Not unless you are prepared to wait until then for the twins to start work.  I have promised Mabel that I will be...responsible...for them while they are here."

"Somehow I expected that you two would manage to conspire even over the miles. All right, I'll go on bended knee to Cal. No doubt it will cost me a session with him in regard to Ocala. but I'll survive. Any other impossible demands I can fulfill today?"

She smiled serenely. "No, but if you were to suggest it to Cal, Eli would be happy to solve your...or rather his...problems, now that he is free...expediting your projects and freeing Cal in the process."

Marc's expression as he listened to this offer was quite satisfying to her and she smiled. "Where can I find your Eli?" he asked.

She cocked her head and listened or so it seemed for a moment.  "At this moment he is working in front.  if you were so inclined, you might take him some coffee.  He's ready for a break."  She glanced at his gift.  "Is there anything I might do for you?"

"Utilize it well. Kalket will need permission to come here, and I'm not certain he would even agree to visit. If he prefers to train you elsewhere, would you go to meet him?"

"Wherever is most suitable.  And we will, Marc.  We will."  She consulted some inner sense and then said, "Denial is not a river in Egypt."

His lips twitched. "Is that deep thought for me personally, or for Kalket?"

"You," she said, her lips also twitching.  "I thought you'd prefer to hear it that way rather than wrapped up in the Desert Fathers."

He laughed then. "I most certainly do. How does your Eli like his coffee?"

She laughed too.  "Black and strong.  When you need me, I'm here.   When you've time we can talk about adding more healers to the teams."

He stood then and met her eyes. "I appreciate you accommodating my penchant for plain speaking, Tabitha. I will attempt to grant you the same."

Marc left Tabitha staring at the vial like a child with a new toy, stopped at the coffee bar and got himself a latte and Eli a black coffee with an additional shot of espresso and walked out onto the lawn.

As promised Eli, for it had to be him, was just finishing cutting back some hedges. Marc had a bad moment as his mind shot off to Ocala and Rory, but he'd recovered by the time Eli turned and regarded him.

Marc held out the coffee. "Hullo Eli. I'm Marc. Your wife tells me she wants you to build her a house. And that you would be willing to help Cal add onto the House."

Eli, the world's most perfect James Earl Jones clone, grinned, walking towards him, "She knows better than to tell me."  He nodded his thanks for the coffee and drank some.  "Probably be best if I helped Cal.  I built it, as he knows.  Fixed his plans, too."  He drank some more coffee, openly studying Marc.

"Well, then, I agree. A good thing all round. Do you enjoy this work? I've told Stephen you are free to do what you like."

"I enjoy it, but it's not what I'd choose for a life's work.  Tabitha told me you said that.  I appreciate it.  I saw you that day, helping with Tommy.  Thought then, still think, that for you there's a better way to augment and manage your power needs."

"Oh? I'm all ears."

"Easier to show," Eli said laconically.  "What do you handle easiest, most comfortable with, for an external source?"

Marc frowned. "I've used a variety of sources, but when in an emergency I generally reach for Earth's core."

Eli nodded and dropped his outer shields, opening himself to Marc.  "Now watch, this is what you're doing."  Eli 'reached' and began pulling a thin stream of energy from the earth, and 'showed' Marc, in a kind of mental slow motion what Marc did, the process of it as he drew in power.  Then he let the stream go.  "You understand? You see where your problem is?"

"Ah," Marc said thoughtfully. Then he 'reached' and tweaked the mental way he controlled the power. "Like this you mean.  Yes. Thank you. Far more efficient."

Eli nodded.  "Yeah, now...with that, try it like this," and he showed him, cutting two steps from the process while modifying some others, allowing greater flow control and a larger, faster through put.

Marc tried it and grinned. "Ah. A shame your talents have been wasted for so many years."

Eli shrugged and finished his coffee.  "Needs must.  Anything else I can do for you?"

"There will be.  Thank you Eli."

He nodded. "Tell her, she'll have her house tomorrow.  And just tell Cal."  Then he went back to trimming the verge.

Marc's friend's eyes a clear brilliant blue, his hair golden as a summer morning. He wore it long, gathered in a warrior's tail that nearly reached his waist.  He was tall, nearly 9 feet. He was obviously not human, although his species was close to human. His pupils were more catlike than human, and his hands, as she regarded them had not only elongated fingers, but the joints were quite different than were human joints.

Tabitha stared at this giant of a man as Marc walked into her office beside him.

"Tabitha, this is Kalket. The skin is the secret of his people, and he can therefore teach you far better than I in its use, its limitations and its possibilities. Kalket, this is Tabitha. She is in charge of the  Infirmary  and was eager to learn more on how your Skin works.

The  giant smiled  and his looks were even more astonishing. He bowed to her and said, in a  deep voice that resonated in her office, "Miss?" he said looking at her.

"Ms I think," Marc suggested.

"Ms Tabitha," the giant rejoined, taking her hand in his, it swallowed up in his giant one.  His skin was cool and supple to the touch.

"Please, just Tabitha," she said, smiling at him.  "I'm delighted to meet you.  The hope in the skin, it is a great gift.  Thank you."

Kalket bowed graciously to her. "I am sorry it was not offered sooner.  I was... reluctant to share it, as I did not understand your needs. So I asked to come here to see for myself."

She bowed in return, a movement whose grace belied her form.  "I'm happy to answer any questions you might have or show you what I can.  Some things are not within my purview, however."

Kalket nodded his understanding. "Nor in mine," he added, looking down at Marc obliquely. "We shall find common ground with our healing, I suspect, and that will be enough."

Tabitha registered the exchange, filing it for later.  "Then I am at your disposal.  We'd thought, my team and I, not knowing your preferences, that we'd keep the group small, just three of us.  So tell me where you want to start and that's what we'll do."

"I think perhaps we can begin by placing the skin on one of your three and understanding how minds mesh through it. The true gift of it, is to utilize multiple minds at once to accelerate healing.  Using several healers is particularly useful for wounds or perhaps for regrowing lost organs or limbs. In the field it can stabilize the wounded until they can be brought to the infirmary for more substantive treatment."

"I'll leave you two then, shall I?" Marc interrupted.  Tabitha finally forced herself to look at Marc, as she had been entirely fascinated and excited by this strange healer. Marc's skin was grayish and he looked as if he hadn't slept in a week.  "I'm due to a meeting with Stephen.  Reno will get Kalket home when you're done here."

Tabitha sighed.  He'd certainly accept no help from her for what ailed him, more fool he.  "Thank you.  We should do fine."

Marc left and Kalket watched as he walked out. "A wise man in may ways. In others," he shrugged.  "I am at your service, Tabitha."

"You're preaching to the choir on that one, I'm afraid.  Known him long, have you?"  Tabitha asked, leading the way to a side room.

"A very long time indeed. But still, I do not claim to 'know' him."

"If I asked questions could you...would you answer?"  Tabitha inquired gently, a smile on her face, and already suspecting the answer.

"You can but ask.  I will answer what I know to be true, and what I am free to share."

Tabitha nodded as she opened the door.  "Thank you."

Doni and Greer were waiting.  It was a sun lit room, used both for treatment and for longer term care, so there was a bed, along with several chairs and table.  Tabitha introduced them and then said, "we didn't know what you might need, so well, if this doesn't work, let us know."

"It is quite excellent. I but need a volunteer who will allow me to wrap her in Skin. Then we can begin."

Greer offered, smiling shyly and stepped forward.  She was a trim, petite olive-skinned brunette with warm hazel eyes and a full mouth who'd worked as a healer on Home for years before moving to the Refuge.  She was unobtrusive, calm and competent.  In Tabitha's view, she had the potential to become a lot better and had already taken steps to ensure it.  Apparently, Baylee hadn't found staff development a compelling management alternative.

"Just tell me what you need me to do," Greer said.  "And how not to help, too, if you need to."

"Ah, but I want you to help. If the victim joins the metaconcert the Skin will work even better."  Watch.  Kalket withdrew a small pouch from a pocket. He extracted a thin membrane.  Once he unrolled it, it was so thin as to be nearly as clear as glass. He wrapped it around one of Greer's ankles. He smoothed the Skin against her own and then opened his mind to them. That the mind was alien was clear in an instant. But he guided them through unfamiliar passages to where they needed to be and watched as he activated the skin and connected his healing powers directly to it, and through it to the body of the 'victim.' "Thusly," he said, and showed them.

They studied what he was doing, engrossed, particularly in the metaconcert aspects that linked them and the 'patient' in new ways.  The possibilities fascinated them all.  Linked they had access to each other's abilities and power, something they'd only experienced in links with channelers and sometimes with conscious patients when they needed their cooperation.

The skin acted as a channel for them and Kalket guided them.  Then, suddenly alarms were sounding and the demonstration ceased in a heartbeat.

"What is it?" Kalket asked. He looked as if he'd like to be reaching for a sword.

"Casualties, incoming.  I'm sorry but we have to go."  Tabitha said.

"Perhaps I can help?" he asked tentatively.

Tabitha nodded.  "We can probably use it.  Please, this way."  And she lead him out to triage.

There was organized chaos in the Infirmary. As casualties arrived they were efficiently assessed and then treatment began on the worst of them. They lost two almost immediately. When one was declared beyond hope, Kalket moved in. He held the Skin in his hand and began wrapping it around what was left of man's chest.  The others were too busy to notice until much much later.

Tabitha saw the last patient into Thea's hands and looked around for Kalket.  She saw him still working with the man they'd thought they'd lost.  Joining him at the table she ventured a tentative probe and was immediately added to the link, working with him, a lesson far more effective than a role play.

Kalket had latched onto the bare spark of the man's living soul and was wrapping it in healing power, teasing it toward life, and denying it death. With her powers hooked in to his, the battle for the man's life began to shift in their favor. The heart began a tentative beating as the ventricle that had ceased following the muscles that drove it began once again to respond. How long she fought with Kalket Tabitha was unaware. She did sense Greer join them in the link. And then, exhausted, Tabitha felt her mind released by Skin and Kalket.

"There. I think he's stable," Kalket said. Then added, "I am sorry to put you under so much strain. I was unsure how strong you would be."  As he said this Greer, exhausted beyond measure began to sink to the floor. Kalket caught her up easily, lifting her in his great arms. "She is just very tired. Where can she rest?"

Tabitha gestured towards a room, opening the door for him.  She got her settled and looked at Kalket.  Then she bowed to him, deeply, murmuring, "Alhamdulillah, thank you.  Inshallah.  A man lives because of you."

"Life is a gift not to be rejected lightly. I thank you for the assistance. I could not have done it without your help and that of Greer." Kalket bowed to her from his great height. "Do you feel you have a sense of the Skin now? Perhaps you can teach the others. It will adjust to your mind as you use it, attuning to the minds that meld with it."

"Yes, I think so.  I should take you back to Reno.  We have trespassed to much on your kindness, but what you have shown us will save many lives.  I am in your debt, Lord Healer."

Kalket smiled. "And without answering even a single question."

She smiled mischievously, a smile never seen by anyone but Eli.  "Not a one, but you will be back, I think.  There is time."