A Home That Far

Chapter 6 The Gathering Storm

Duncan sat in a chair at Kale's bedside, watching her breathing intently. He'd not been here for several days, escorting her group of friends around Eternia, gathering pods as they were registered on the scanner. Before that, he'd spent many days and nights trying to integrate the scanner into their own systems to increase the range. It wasn't until they found a man named Forge that the process was made easier. Forge was a genius scientist, and had actually input a failsafe into the smaller scanners. If anyone tried to do, just what Duncan was trying to do, the scanner would send a feed back pulse, and scramble the readings on both ends.

Finally with the new system up and working, the group teamed up with other Masters, and spread out around Eternia, looking for more pods. Stratos had woken from his coma and had recovered enough to assist, even if it was to co-ordinate the search in the Avion and Andreenos regions from the safety, and well observed area of his control room.

Kale, during that time, was kept sedated, and had undergone several regenerative treatments. At dawn the specialists would come into her room, inject more sedative into the IV bags, transfer her to a gurney and take her away to a medical lab away from prying eyes. Including his. There, he was told, she was submerged in a liquid, that was rich in amino acids, platelets, white blood cells, and other medicinal compounds. The energy matrix connected to the system somehow triggered her body to absorb the needed cells and medicine from the liquid she was in, and quickly regenerate her own cells.

When he asked why he wasn't permitted to be there when she underwent her treatment, her original doctor told him it was because she was submerged without clothing, and they felt it best for her that only medical staff be witness to her treatments. The old man didn't have the heart to tell him that beneath the bandages, there was so much tissue loss that in many places, you could see her bones and inner organs. The only thing that held them all inside her body was a thin layer of artificial skin, which he himself had applied when she was first placed in his care. Even he had trouble looking at her.

Though, now twelve days into her treatment, many of her wounds had healed, the specialists had only three more sessions to complete before they would permit her to wake for any length of time.

Duncan looked once more to his dinner that Randor had sent in. He contemplated eating, but couldn't find his appetite. He looked again to the girl on the bed, wondering why he felt so strongly toward her, and insisted on being at her side. He'd only known her as his horse. A beautiful white mare, with long silk like mane and tail, and a temper to rival that of his daughter in battle. Gingerly he took her left hand in his, and looked through his pockets once more for the Owner's Ring key. He knew he'd had it somewhere. But for the life of him, he couldn't find it. He even elicited Orko to find it, when he turned up at the palace.

When Orko asked who Kale was, and why she wore his horse bracelet, all Duncan told him was if he returned from Tralla more often, he wouldn't miss so much. Orko was well known for findthinthings, even lost items like keys that he'd never seen before. He wasn't sure how he did it, but it kept the floating sorcerer busy, and made him feel needed in this crisis.

Duncan stopped sifting through his pockets. Even if he did find it, he didn't put it in his clothing. Carefully he pressed Kale's hand to his brow, finally feeling the fatigue that clouded his mind. He was about to get up and leave, when Kale's hand twitched in his grasp.

He looked up to see a lovely pair of green eyes slowly open to the world. Her right eye was marginally swollen from her injuries, and showed a pattern of white skin across her face from where the tissue had been regenerated. Carefully he put her hand down, and waited for her to register that he was there. She sighed heavily, and a tear escaped her left eye. Gently he wiped it away, dabbing it with a tissue from the box beside him. "Don't cry," he said softly. "You're going to be fine."

Kale sighed again. "I wish, you understood me," she said softly, almost too quiet to hear.

Duncan leaned closer to her, suspecting that loud noises were hurting her ears. "I can understand you perfectly, Kale," he said, using her true name, instead of the one he'd given his horse. "You changed back. You're not a horse any more."

Kale ed sed several times, trying to keep the cries she felt welling up in her from escaping. "You do?" Duncan nodded. Kale tried to smile, but the bandages prevented it. "I need your help," she said at last. "My people...lost all over...you gotta help me find them!"

"Take it easy. You don't have to worry about that right now. Your people are being found as we speak. And they are all being brought back here. You'll see. You just rest. You've been hurt pretty bad, but your recovery is coming along wonderfully. You just need a few more days of rest, and you'll be back on your feet. Two feet this time, instead of four." Kale tried not to laugh, but she couldn't help it, and earned a sharp pain across her chest and stomach. She coughed trying not to scream, but as the tears fell from her eyes, she gave up.

Duncan patted her hand, and tried to sooth her as best he could. Without picking her up, there wasn't much he could do. Just then the door opened, and the specialists filed in. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"It's time for her treatment s"
"

"That's not till tomorrow. Get out!"

"Sir, it is tomorrow. The sun has been up for some time now. We're actually late."

"She just woke up," he complained, realizing he'd stayed awake all night for the fourth night in a row. "Can't you leave her for a while longer?"

"I'm sorry sir," the doctor sighed, injecting the sedative into the IV line. "If we miss a day, we won't be able to get back on track."

"No!" Kale gasped. "Please...I don't want to sleep!"

"Kale listen to me," Duncan pulled her attention from the swarming white-coated people around her. "Do you trust me?" Kale nodded. She did trust him to not let anyone hurt her. That much she was certain. But did it matter if she were in her true form, or just her horse form? Shdn'dn't want to think about it. "Than please, trust me now. These people will take good care of you. They're trying to make you better. It will be alright."

Duncan had to speak quickly, for in her freighted emerald eyes, he could see the guise of forced slumber creep over her. His final words uttered, she closed her eyes, releasing her grip on his fingers. The doctors lifted her out of the bed, and placed her on the gurney. Duncan watched as they took her away, to a place he was forbidden to go.

"Has your father slept?" Adam asked, as he helped the young captain unload the latest pods from the cargo shop.

"I'm not sure," she red. \d. "I haven't seen him since I left three days ago."

"Well, I think you better talk to him. He's looking a bit stressed. Everyone else but He-Man has tried, but so far he hasn't listened."

"I'll brief him on my mission, but you should know by now, Adam, my father will sleep when he's good and ready, and there's nothing you or I can say or do to change his mind."

"Is there a reason this pod isn't in the lab?" The pair turned abruptly at the sound of Duncan's irritated question.

Adam shrank back as Teela stepped forward. If anyone knew how to handle Duncan in his present state, it was her. "We were just getting it off the ship, father. Scott Summers insists that all pods be inspected by him first, before it is turned over to Doc. McCoy."

"Oh?"

"Yes!" Adam quipped at last. "He said that if the pod had a red patch inside, it could go directly to storage, and not take up space inside."

"Very wise," Duncan concluded. "I'm pleased that he's starting to come around. How many more pods are out there?"

"Doc. McCoy hasn't made the updates available yet," Teela informed, standing to one side as Scott and another man, coated in metal, came and took the pod away. "But at my last count, with these five pods recovered, there's still some seventeen pods still out there."

"Very well. Carry on." Duncan continued passed his daughter & Prince, and preceded into his lab, all the while gaining a hideous look of distain from Scott.

"I see what you mean, Adam," Teela whispered. "I'll talk to him."

It had taken Teela till mid afternoon to finally get a chance to speak privately with her father, and even then, he wasn't in the best of moods. "Teela, you don't have to be so concerned," he snapped, storing more of his tools away. "I'm fine."

"Really? She stepped in his path to get a good look at his face. "Your eyes are red. You've not slept, the cook said you've not eaten, and the boy from the barn has been avoiding you like you were Skelator himself. Now tell me again that you're fine, and I might believe you."

Duncan slammed the doors to the tool cupboard, causing nearly all of them to fall out onto his workbench once more. Teela put a worried had no his shoulder. She'd seen him like this only once before. When she'd helped him put his wounded brother in a flyer, after he'd crushed his hand saving the Masters, who'd been caught in a rock fall. "Its what Kale did? Isn't it?" she asked softly. "She saved you, and you feel responsible for her being hurt. Just like you did with uncle."

Duncan clenched his fists. "I treated her like a horse," he stated.

"As far as you knew she was. Would that have made a difference? I remember all the stories you told me about Byron, and how loyal he was. If Kale were JUST a horse, the horse you called Lightning, and she still saved you, would you still feel guilty? And if so, than why?"

"You don't understand..."

"No, I don't. So help me. Help me...to help you...understand, cause it tearing you apart." Teela pulled out two work stools and pushed her father to sit.

Duncan buried his face in his hands, not sure really where to begin. For the last few weeks, he was the proud owner of the most strikingly beautiful horse in all of Eternia. Her coat was as white as snow, her mane and tail as soft as Andreenid Silk, and her hooves as black as ebony. She had intently beautiful green eyes, that were the same shape as a human's, and a temper to rival that of a stallion herding his mares. She was tough, she was gentle, and she was smart. What more could he have wanted in a horse?

Then it struck him how ironic his current situation really was. A few weeks prior he was the one helping Teela sort out her feelings for the handsome therapist, who he'd learned was named T'near. He'd spoken with the young man as well, privately, just to make sure of his intentions. It suddenly felt silly to speak of the same concerns, when the rolls were reversed, and all over a horse! Or was it?

Finally he just started laughing. He'd tried to suppress it at first, and Teela thought he'd suddenly burst into tears, but as his smile broadened, and suppressed chuckles erupted into all out laughter, she wasn't sure what to do. She never laughed during his heart to heart with her over T'near, it wasn't fair that he'd laugh when she'd try to help him.

Finally able to control himself, his sides aching from the force he'd exerted on them, he wiped the strained tears from his eyes and turned at last to his daughter's baffled expression. "Oh Teela," he said, pulling her to a hug. "You are precious. Don't ever change."

"Ah...ok? I wont."

A moment later Duncan got up and began anew on organizing his tools. "Thank you," he said when he noticed she was still sitting there. "I really needed that."

"Ok," she answered, total perplexed. "Glad I could help. I think."

"Man-at-Arms! Man-at-Arms!" called a child like hysterical voice. "I found it! I found it! I knew I would. I mean, if anyone needs anything found, they always come to me, cause they know I can find it, and find it I did!"

"Found what Orko?" Duncan asked, having to grab the floating elf's robe just to pull him down close enough to talk face to face.

"The key of course!" he shrieked, reaching up his sleeve and pulling out what looked like a pair of pliers with a tube like grip for tips. "See!"

Duncan took the tool in his hand, examining it carefully. "Thank you Orko. This is...my key. Thank you for finding it."

"Now you can get your owner's ring off that girl's arm, so you can get a real horse."

Duncan tucked the tool in a pouch on his belt. "Later," he said, turning back to his tools, sounding rather sad once more. "She's in her treatment session. She wont be out till tonight."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad I could help."

"Yeah, he's grateful Orko," said Teela, seeing her father lip back into his brooding mood. "He's just got a lot on his mind. Come on, you can help me organize the empty pods."

"Ah, sure. You know if you wanted to find the rest of those pods really fast, you should let me come along."

It had been three weeks since his absence. Duncan had opted to lead the search for the last nine pods himself. If for the most important reason, than the area of Eternia that had not been searched, were Snake Mountain, and the surrounding lava river valleys. Some of Skelator's followers still resided in the mountain, mainly cause they couldn't hide anywhere else.

They had already located six of the nine pods, and were heading closer to the serpent-decorated mountain. The scanner before him showed a steady beep, as the ominous spire rose closer in the distance. Suddenly, it started to move. Quickly Duncan grabbed his viewers, and scanned the ground ahead of them. He half expected to see one of the un-captured evil minions making off with the pod, only to be partly relieved when he saw a chunk of land floating down one of the rivers.

Quickly he motioned Stratos to the area, and the Avion Lord secured a line to the pod. Normally they would be more careful in retrieving the devices, but there wasn't enough time for that. The line secured, Duncan flicked a switch, and the line retracted, the pod rising off the floating land raft, and finally being secured in the cargo hold of the ship.

Duncan then readjusted the scanner, and noted where the final two blips were coming from. "Pod seven is secured," Stratos announced, being followed by one of his men at all times of late. Though Stratos was strong, he'd been in a coma for some time after the final battle with Skelator, though now he seemed fully recovered, those of his people closest to him worried about him suffering a relapse, especially his overprotective guard captain. The only way he'd been able to do anything lately, was with the constant supervision of at least three of his people who had medical training, otherwise he'd still be grounded at his home in Avion, forced to organize recovery efforts from a chair in a control room.

"Thank you Stratos," replied Duncan. "The last two pods aren't far away. We should be able to head back by mid afternoon."

"That's a welcome relief. I'd very much like to meet the people who would blindly launch themselves into space, only to end up scattered on a distant world."

"Oh?"

"Well yes, I thought that Skelator's minions were the only crazy ones on Eternia, by the sounds of these people, they're down right insane." Duncan threw his viewing glass to the control panel and stalked out of command. Stratos looked from the closing door to one of the pilots. "Something bothering him?"

"I'm not saying a word," the pilot answered, and directed the cargo craft away from Snake Mountain.

Duncan started at the set of pliers on his desk. They weren't just any pliers, this pair would unlock the gold band around a certain young woman's wrist. Though he'd resolved to remove the device, Kale had insisted that he leave it, but not before her doctors had given her a dose of sedative. Her reason for wanting to keeps the ring was lost to him, as she drifted off to sleep.

Now, left with just the key, he sat at his desk in his makeshift quarters, wondering if he really wanted to remove the ring after all. A small, but growing, part of him found it strangely exciting to have his owner's ring on her. Not that he condoned open slavery, he found his heart would race at the thought of her being bound to him. However, the more people saw the device, normally worn by horses, he felt that people were looking down at him for treating someone like a piece of property.

He took the key in his hand once more, turning the handles around in his grasp, completely ignoring the knocking at his door. He opened the tips, watching the specialized light beams spreading from tip to tip. Did he really want to take the ring back? He paid for her after all, why should he give her up just because she was human after all.

The knocking on his door became more insistent. "Come in," he said, dropping the key into a drawer and releasing the lock on the door.

Stratos stepped inside, not really having anyplace else to stand in the small space, he opted to sit on the cot along the wall, at Duncan's directed wave. "I feel I owe you an apology," he said, trying to keep his wings out of the way.

"No you don't," Duncan stated. "Only some of these visitors are crazy."

"I see. Duncan, you and I have been friend for quite some time. Correct?" Duncan nodded. "And that friendship has been strengthened by our trials and triumphs in battle, and in life."

"Yes."

"And you now that whatever you tell me, is in complete confidence. Right?"

"As is whatever you tell me. What's your point?"

Stratos made sure the lock was secure on the door. Satisfied he settled on the cot once more. "I've overheard some of the younger guards lately," he said. "They say that you OWN one of these people. Care to fill me in?"

Duncan scowled at the Avion leader, but he couldn't stay mad at him. At least he wasn't making accusations. "She's angeangeling," he said. "She was in the shape of a horse when I found her. I bought her. I put the ring on her leg, after she changed back, I couldn't find the key to release it. So she's still got it on."

"I see. I suppose you wont find the key at the palace, when you keep it in your desk here." Duncan shot him an accusatory stare. "I saw you studying it late one night when your door was open."

"Oh."

"You feel something for her. Don't you?" Duncan didn't answer. "I understand. I too have felt the confusion, and the desire, for a beautiful woman, though I must admit, I've never found myself in your position before."

Duncan didn't move. "She's beautiful," he said at last. "I mean she was beautiful as a horse, and I loved her that way. But when I saw her, despite her wounds, she was even more beautiful than any woman I've ever seen."

"Wounds?"

"It's a long story. Thing is, I find her very...but I only know her as a horse. And she only knows me as..."

"...as the man who bought a horse?" Stratos finished when Duncan remained silent. H nodded. "Have you spoken to her?"

"No. Her recovery has been difficult. Most of the time she's been unconscious. I'm not sure if she'd appreciate what I've put her through."

"Was it harmful?"

"NO! Just...horse training. She'd probably be embarrassed to even look at me."

"You won't know..." Stratos said, unlocking the door. "...unless you talk to her."

The recovery of the final pods completed, uneventfully, Duncan's cargo was safely unloaded into the lab, as the last three sleeping visitors were found and taken to be awakened. Duncan found his way through the palace halls to the exercise room, where T'near was busy helping Kale get her strength back in her newly re-grown muscles. Although as you listened to Kale, you'd think he was torturing her. "You've got another thirty seconds," T'near stated.

"I'll give you thirty seconds," she snapped, trying to keep her balance between the parallel bars.

"Oh come on. If Teela can survive my sessions, so can you."

"Teela's got more patients than I do."

"Ten more..."

"I'll turn into a cat, and..."

"No you wont," Duncan chuckled. Kale looked to the door, and her strain faded all at once. Duncan couldn't get over how beautiful she looked, despite the spider like pattern of pale flesh over the right side of her face. Her bright white hair spilled over her shoulders, framing her face, and giving striking contrast to her sparkling green eyes, as she took in the sight of him. A gentle smile spread across her lips as he came closer to her.

"You're back!" she gasped, placing more of her balance on her left side.

"Kale! Equal pressure...Balance out equally!"

She quietly growled at him, but obliged. "How did it go?" she asked Duncan, as he strode confidently across the floor.

"All pods have been recovered. The last of your people are waking up even now."

"I'm glad. Thank you." Duncan stretched his arms to the bar on her far side, grasping it firmly, traping her within his outstretched limbs. Quickly she grasped his strong arm in front of her. "I've helped Teela at the end of her sessions before, T'near. Is it much the same for Kale?"

"Well, yes. But she needs a rub down as well."

Duncan felt a twinge of delight tickle his senses. "If she'll let me, I think I can manage that." Kale nodded, happy to be rid of her slave driver. As T'near left, eager to meet up with Teela, Duncan guided Kale to the mat, where she more than happily laid down for him. As T'near had told her before, she rolled onto her left side, giving Duncan unobstructed access to her recovering side. He began at her neck and shoulder, gently massaging her muscles, feeling them tense beneath his touch.

"I'm sorry," she began, as he kneaded her flesh through her almost sweat soaked pyjamas, "for deceiving you. It wasn't my intention at the time."

For a moment he'd said nothing, allowing his hands to explore the softness of her skin. He was just glad she wasn't angry with him for treating her like a horse. "Thank you, for saving my life."

"I couldn't let Scott kill you. I'd never forgive him."

That was odd. "Kale, if you don't mind, why didn't you change sooner? Why wait till he nearly killed you?"

Kale swallowed hard. Even Hank hadn't figured that part out yet. "I was stuck," she said, for lack of anything better to explain it. "For some reason, my powers went crazy. I couldn't change back. Hank is still trying to figure out why."

"You're not mad at me though, are you?"

She turned over laughing, as his tender touch tickled her side, as he worked his way down her body. "Why would I be mad at you?" she asked at last, as Duncan continued his ministrations on her thy.

He shrugged, though with is movements against her leg, it wasn't noticed. "For treating you like a horse," he said.

"Well, if that's all it is, don't worry. To be honest, I'd be jealous of a horse that you would own, if that's the way you'd treat them."

"I put you in a stall, I had you running in circles! I put you in a race for Eternian sake."

"So? I was a horse after all. Did you want me to sleep at the foot of your bed? As for running in circles, it helped my conditioning, and the race was my idea. I love to run."

"The king and I contemplated on breeding you to the King's prized stallion."

"Now THAT I wouldn't stand for."

"I know. But..." He moved farther away from her leg, as he continued, worried that perhaps there would be some of her horse's strength in her limb to kick him for what he was about to say. "There are other ways, of breeding horses."

Kale pulled her leg from him, not out of fear or anger, but her feet were extremely ticklish, and he'd began his treatment against her foot, very gently. "I wouldn't have allowed it," she said gently, sitting up with her arms around her knees. "I was worried that you would miss understand me, what with me being what I am."

"Being a shape shifter? Why would I mistrust you over that?"

"Well...it's a long story," She said, then brightened up, with a slightly mischievous smile gracing her lips, "and better told over a cup of hot chocolate at a fire place?" Her statement was more a question really, hoping he'd get the hint that she still wanted to be close to him.

Duncan gently reached out to her left arm, and took the key from his pocket. "You wouldn't let me remove this before. But it is a bit embarrassing for a human to wear an owner's ring on her arm. Let me take it off."

Quickly Kale grabbed the key, and threw it out the window, as hard as she could froere ere she was across the room. Duncan looked at her strangely. "No," she said. "You can honestly tell people that you don't know where the key is."

"Kale..."

She drew closer to him, her hand against his chest, leaning in to inhale his scent. "There's a tradition among some of the people where I come from. If you save their life, your life belongs to them, until the debt is returned."

Duncan relished the closeness of her. Without realizing it, he drew his hand to stroke her hair, but caught himself before she could tell he'd touched her. "Than your debt to me has been paid already," he said. "I found you at the wrangler's yard, you were beaten, and they were trying to kill you for your strong spirit. I stopped them, and brought you here, where I placed that bracelet on you. If you believe in the tradition you just mentioned, than your debt to me is paid, for you saved my life, just as I had save you.

I've no choice but to remove the bracelet. Once I find the key."

Kale pressed closer to him, hearing his heart pound in cheschest, only stronger than her own was pounding in her own breast. "I like your smell," she said at last, barely a whisper. "You smell like Sea Breeze."

He gently pushed her away, turning and picking her up to place her in her wheel chair. Until she could get more work into her leg, she couldn't walk, and was provided the device to get around. "I'll take you back to your room. I'll see what I can do about something to drink. You can get cleaned up and changed while I'm gone."

Duncan met with Queen Marlana in the hall, and was given a box for Kale, requesting that he deliver it to her, for she had to settle some kind of dispute with the cook over who was cooking dinner. Obligedly he agreed, and continued on his way, a tray with cookies, and two hot drinks. He didn't have hot chocolate, whatever that was, but found something just as comforting. He hoped.

When he entered Kale's chambers, he didn't see her. Before he could call her name, he heard splashing from the bathroom. Peaking inside, he saw her sitting in the tub, her back to him, trying to wash her back. He put the box on her bed, the tray on the stand, and proceeded into the bathroom. Deftly he removed his gloves and rolled up his sleeves. "You know, it's a good thing they put a lot of bubbles in the water," he said as he took the cloth from her, and gently ran it over her tender skin.

She didn't even jump when she heard his voice, she just leaned forward slightly and lowered her arms. Normally she'd scream for someone uninvited to get out of her bathroom, but with Duncan she'd make the exception. "I know," she said softly. "There's enough in here to sink a horse." Duncan looked at her for the remark, then gave a chuckle along with her.

"The skin is darkening up nicely. Though I thought it was too cold to sunbathe now."

"Normally it is, but the Queen said that I could use the green house. There's an open space in the middle of the centre display. The plants are high enough that when I lay down, no one even suspects that I'm there." He'd have to check that.

"I see. There you are. Let me get you a towel."

"Thanks, but there's no need for you to stay. I can get out of a bath tub just fine, even with one leg and one arm."

"You sure?" he asked, severely disappointed.

"I'm sure. I'll be right out." He nodded and left her, closing the door, and taking the tray and box nearer to the fire pit, in the middle of the room.

Shortly she emerged, rolling along in the chair, he'd built, to join him at the fire. Quickly she hoped out of the chair, curling to the floor, among the blankets and rugs she'd gathered there. Duncan handed her a cup, and placed the tray on the floor with the cookies. "Dinner will be soon, so don't spoil it."

"I heard that Peter and some of the others were trying to commandeer the kitchen. Something about pizza night?"

"I'm not sure about the meal, but there is a debate going on that the Queen has gone to settle."

"Oh man. Don't get between some of my people and pizza. It will be all out war."

"What?"

"A food fight. Most likely, Kurt will start it. I heard he was quite the little hell raiser when he was little."

"I see. What else can you tell me?"

Straight to business. Yes, that was Duncan. She put her cup on the lip of the fire pit and sat up to face him. "My people," she began, "are frightened. We're running for our lives. No only that, we haven't had time to morn the loss of our friends, and others like us that were killed."

"What happened?"

"Well...the humans of my world, aren't as open minded as the humans of your world. The only thing that made me believe that I wasn't on my home world any longer was the fact there was an extra moon in the sky, and a planet with rings that you could see. Where I come from, there's only one moon, and you can't see Saturn from the ground, not without a powerful telescope. We...we weren't even sure that we'd made it off the ground, till we woke up here."

"Maybe, you can start at the beginning. It would be better."

Kale nodded, took a quick sip of her cup to steady her nerves, took a deep breath, and began. "Well, to us, it started to end about a year ago..."