Chapter 131

We’re Not Happy, Until No One Is Happy

“Hello.” Jess number 14, otherwise known as alternate Jess, said. As she spoke, she gave a somewhat nervous wave of her hand. This is the sleeping beauty Jess that I awoke at the beginning of this restart, since she was knocked out for the entire chain of events she slept through the times with my Jess and sexy alien Jess saved our three universes in rapid suggestion. I want to call her sleeping beauty, but thinking about it, I guess that roughly describes all Jesses in my life at this point.

If there was ever a poster child for what a sacrificial heroine would be, it would have to be her. Yes, she, or at least her universal equivalent and I would have to be what I consider our universes’ equivalent of karmic toilets. Yes, that is right, we are meant to be used to flush away a build up of fecal matter, then totally forgotten about until the next disaster hits and the bowl once again needs to be used.

Fortunately, I think I have broken us of this cycle. At the very least, I knew I could rest assured knowing that at least one of me got to rest peacefully. That was my one event that I could always rest assured, knowing that I hadn’t messed up. So, when this universe’s version of Jess appeared, I naturally looked to Día. Día for her part at least had the wherewithal to look apologetic at the sudden arrival.

“Hello.” I reply, also giving my own awkward wave. Then I look to the sides to wait for the next logical member of the crew. While dealing with 14th Kyle might be awkward again, it is nothing that I haven’t already gone through once before. By now, I think I know all the right buttons to push, in order to keep alternate Kyle in line and motivated. Also, it’s not like he would be attracted to a cougar like Día, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Also, most of the other women on the team are somewhat hesitant around men. I am one of the few exceptions, though I will admit that only Delila the woman with oracular visions is the only one who will go out of her way to greet me.

All of the others seem to either associated me with my brother, or with realizing that they were victims. In part, I guess that might often be the worst part, at least at first. The moment when people realize they have been victimized, then trying to prove we are there to save them. In a way, I am glad it was Día who I first saved, this would have likely gone a lot worse if it had been someone else, or if I had only run into her after the event occurred. As it was, I felt we made pretty good business partners.

Clearly she had another angle, people like her always seemed to have multiple angles for any course of actions they took. But I liked to believe we had at least gotten to the point where we were business partners in this whole enterprise. While I could technically fight my way through security and enter temples on my own, that would often be a lengthy process that could end up with me getting black listed by different alien governments. So far I had only been black listed by the Dwenvarians, an action that was rescinded after a hefty bribe to the Dwenvarian queen herself. While we were close to getting black listed by the Beastkin, Día used her pull and influence to prove that we were actually causing people to get better. It didn’t hurt that the AI that governed the medical rooms of the planet’s initial entry space hub not only agreed with her statements, but also insisted on us making a good will tour around the planet. This of course was done so we could heal impacted communities before more of the mana draining zombies. Also, after our records strict laws were immediately put in place that as soon as someone died from the disease, they were to be incinerated within 90 minutes of identifying who they were and assessing their biological condition. Such methods seemed a bit extreme, but then again considering the fact that even I had a hard time doing much if anything to them, I felt these rules were easily justifiable.

“Good, you two came. We could use the help. Actually, having a powerful Wizard on staff might just be what we need, especially if we run into more mana stealing zombies.” I say.

At my words, Jess pauses, as a look of confusion comes over her features. “I am not a Wizard.”

I roll my eyes. “Obviously, but Kyle is. Well, your Kyle is…” I say.

At my words, a look of resignation crosses Alternate Jess’ features.

I realize there is something here, so I turn to Día who looks flustered and instantly tries to change the subject. “Unfortunately, we only had the ability to get Jess here.” Día states, “now come on. We are already late for our helping to stop the spread of Crippling-Z.”

“Crippling-Z?” I ask, hoping that I heard her wrong.

“Yeah, that is what people are calling the disease that is quickly spreading across the universe, Crippling-Z on account of the fact that it turns you into a zombie.” Día said.

At that I nod. “Well I thought people’s nicknames for me were bad, apparently they are just as terrible for viruses that turn people into mana leeching zombies.”

I thought I spoke that in my mind, but both Día and Jess look at me with confusion. Finally, after a second Día asks me, “just what nicknames have you been given?”

At that I visibly balk at the question, before I answer, “oh you know, the usual. Dashing, daring, Mr. Dependable.”

Jess looked at me like she wanted to believe me but couldn’t.

“Don’t worry, he is lying.” Día says.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, he has a tell…” Día said.

At that I roll my eyes, “you can’t use the same joke twice. It is just bad form.”

“It isn’t when she hasn’t heard it before.” Día says a bit defensively.

“Wait, let me guess, it is when he has that constipated look on his face?” Jess asks.

“What?”

“Yeah, that one!” Jess says, pointing to me and in particular, at my eyebrows.

“Hahah. Oh that is good. Yes, I didn’t see it before, but yes that is good, much better than what I was going to say. Also, yours is likely more accurate than mine.” Día admitted.

“Oh, what were you going to say?” Jess asked.

“Don’t we have people to say? You can laugh at me later.” I interject.

“Quite right. Yes, we do need to get moving. Also, if this is anything like last time where you had exploding zombie guts fly into your mouth because you were too good to wear a hazmat suit, that is all on you, and the inter-webs. I am so going to load that footage, once it clears screening.”

“You are heartless, you are going to laugh at the exploding remains of perfectly good people. That is a bit heartless.” I admonish.

At that Día looks like she is about to say something, but then closes her mouth and looks down in shame. “Yeah, you are right. I was just so frightened at the time, and well. I needed that release of tension. Otherwise, this whole thing would be extra scarry.”

“Sorry.” I say.

Hearing that, I can’t help but feel like a bit of a jerk. I did want to change the subject, but seeing her so vulnerable I almost say something, until I see her chest rising up and down. I stare, because well, yeah. Then I realize she is barely containing her laughter.

At that, I realize “you know, you can heal these people yourself. I am out…”

“Please?” Alternate Jess asks.

I turn to her and see a sincere look of concern in her face. “I am not sure how to deal with you either. Just what happened, and how did Día continue to break it further?” I ask, as I begin walking out the air latch and to our waiting Beastkin guards.

Beastkin as it turns out are an odd hybrid between Dwenvarians and Endarians. What do I mean by this? Well they seem to have the same exact physical augmentation abilities as the Dwenvarians do, while also having a few of the psychic capabilities that Endarians did, along with one or two nature themed Magical abilities. At least that is what I got from viewing the guards and citizens around us.

Of course, I don’t speak a lick of the language around here, but Día and Jess seem to be expert interpreters as their psychic abilities allow them to easily traverse the language barrier.

This lack of my ability to read minds as easily as Día and Jess can, means that I am subject to being the third wheel in this entirely human integration initiative.

Our first place we go to is a mechanical clinic. I had never heard of these before, but apparently for most space faring races they are almost standard procedure. A doctor screens patients from a different room, after receiving multiple readouts from mechanical constructs. The mechanical constructs, aided by AI guidance proceed to care for the patients that are deemed to be extremely contagious. Given the state of how everyone is at the moment, only those that are dying or have been identified as having the Crippling-Z virus go to these clinics. In the case of those who are identified either by the government mandated apps, or other methods, those people are forcefully picked up by vehicles, along with every member of their family. No quarantining in place, no self-containments, just straight up take everyone to a mechanical facility designed to give you sedatives and burn your remains when you die.

Honestly, hearing about the place I can’t help but feel that it is a bit much. But then again, seeing as Healing magic is rare, and healers with a Power rating anywhere near my own are all but non-existent and I could see the need for such extreme measures. Though I did not like the idea of such measures being taken.

Still with everyone being drawn into such facilities it was clear that spacing would be a top priority. Many of the quarantining medical facilities were already overcrowded, even as they waited for people to slowly succumb to their disease.

With so many people and only the one of me. Día and Jess work out an idea of a contained healing room. The idea is that I go into a room with literally a hundred sick and dying beastkin, heal them. Then leave through a self-sealing room that treats me for contagions before I head onto the next self-sealing room. This is the most expedient method for curing people and making sure they remain cured. Of course, for this, everyone is packed in like sardines and forced to get super close, before being allowed to leave my immediate vicinity and head to the back of the contained room. In all the process from going in, getting sealed in, and then healing everyone takes just over five minutes. Of course, we take a full ten minutes to be certain, but that is a minor task.

Happy beep.

The AI controlling the room gives a happy beep when it is absolutely certain that the contagions within the room have been purified. From there the three of us enter the decontamination chamber that links the first room of now healed users, to a second room of fully sick individuals and we repeat the process. I eventually pull find myself pulling out my violin and playing a slow tune at first, then slowly changing the pace as it is time for the people who are near me to leave while others take up their spot behind them.

So it goes, twenty-four hours of forced healing like this. During the course of the day, we end up healing all the infected residents of Crippling-Z. After which we are finally allowed to meet up with the rest of our team at the nearest temple.

Of course, Día makes promises that we will do this again once we leave the temple. To heal any people who are reinfected with the virus, or those who are sick in other nearby cities.

Honestly I am tired on my way back and while I feel that the day was wasted. Well wasted in terms of my goal of finding a way to heal the two Jesses, I still feel oddly okay with myself.

“If I had to waste a day, I think there are plenty of worse things to do.” I find myself admitting. Of course, both Día and Jess don’t have my Endurance, so they got tired, even with all of my Rejuvenation, and Cleanse spells cast on them.

“Yeah, but I am going to enjoy my nap while you and the others make your runs through the temple.” Yawn. Día says, as she yawns, before snuggling up next to me.

Seeing her, I almost want to push her away, but decide against it. Día was a huge help today, and honestly I don’t know if I could have done nearly as well without her.

Our escorts are driving us in a limousine. Or at least the Beastkin equivalent of a limousine, we are floating off the ground on a vehicle that has enough room to comfortably seat our entire temple running team. So while Día is resting against me, Alternate Jess is just staring at the two of us.

Seeing us, and our semi-casual interaction, Alternate Jess nods to herself.

Realizing that she isn’t going to talk, I decide to break the ice with the question that has been bothering me since Alternate Jess got here.

“So, why are you here, versus living the dream life with Wizard me?”

At that question a slight scowl crosses Jess’s face, before she relaxes and lets out a long breath. “Where do I begin?”

“Generally, at the beginning. You could do one of those beginning at the end things, but we are already here and that would come across as redundant.”

“Right…”