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Freyja, now shewas going to have to add altruistic to that list describing Kaleb. Althoughmaybe there was a selfish angle behind his motives in being here today that shewas as yet unaware. She would have to wait and see, or maybe torture the answerout of Kaleb later at her leisure.
Hmmm, and why didthe idea of chaining Kaleb up, stripping him to the waist, and playing the badguy with him have Shaw’s libido firing and her nether regions heating upuncomfortably? Must be the stuffy overheated room.
“Okay. Let’s moveon to talking about how important meditation is for good mental health. Haveyou all been practising your breathing?” You could have heard a pin drop asDoctor Agl finished speaking. “Remember as you do so, I want you to picture ameadow. Feel the sunlight on your skin. Smell the wildflowers in bloom. Breathein the serenity… breathe out the negativity…. breath in the serenity.”
The breathingexercise went on for a while. Shaw was pretty sure during that time period nota single Demon sitting in the large group breathed at all. She was beginning tolike these guys more and more.
“Marvellous work,everybody, marvellous. Now, for our last group activity you get free choice.Over there we’ve set up the crafts table. Do ask one of the orderlies if youneed to use scissors. For anyone not feeling in an artistic frame of mind, wehave part ninety-two of Gardening with Green Fingered Pete. I believe today’stopic is root vegetables. Won’t that be interesting?” A large TV screenflickered to life behind the Doctor. An impressively hairy man in dungarees,cradling a large parsnip to his chest like a baby, spoke to the camera. No onelifted their head or moved at all, except for Kaleb, who hopped up and gesturedthat he’d like a moment of the Doctor’s time.
Shaw, curious,moved up behind them to eavesdrop.
“I know youdisagree with my methods, Your Highness, but they are proven… they just needtime to sink in. Your brethren will heal. It requires patience and time.”
Shaking his head,there was no sign of the dimple as Kaleb gazed down at Doctor Agl. “It’s beenalmost a year. Hardly any of the Berserkers-”
“We don’t use thatword here.” Agl reprimanded primly, tiny mouth puckered and pinched.
“Berserkers!” Kalebsaid it again. Loudly. “These chaps were magically turned intoBerserkers.They fought in the Queen’sBerserker Battalion. Fighting twenty/fourseven, many for over six-hundred years. I think it’s a little late in the pieceto try and gloss over the fact that they wereBerserkers.”
“I much prefer theterm agitated as a descriptor.”
“Agitated?”
“They werevictims, if you will recall, Your Highness.”
“See, that’s your problemright there, Aggy. Thinking of Conflict Demons as victims. All this breathingand tranquillity shit is a waste of time. Tell me, in the last eleven months,how many of the lads have been able to leave the hospital and continue theirrecovery as out-patients? Barely a handful, and of them they were generally themost recently transformed, so I assume were carrying a lot less mental andphysical baggage.”
“We can’t keephaving this argument, Your Highness. I will not be party to introducing anyforms of violence into their lives.”
“I don’t believeallowing them to kick a football around is paving the way to Hell. Nor do Ithink letting them watch a few sporting events would damage their psyches anyfurther.”
“Most sports arenothing but thugs beating up other thugs.”
“You need to getout of your office more. What about snowboarding? Competitive, yet theparticipants display a distinct comradery. Plus off the chart tricks to enjoy.Or what about the benefits of watching a team work together like volleyball? Orforget TV, maybe just bring in a ping pong table or two?”
Doctor Agl rearedback as if Kaleb had slapped her. “Bats? Hitting balls at each other?”
“Ping pong balls.Not grenades, Aggy. Conflict Demons are not pacifists, this cold turkey lovethy neighbour approach isn’t working.”
“Doctor.”
“Excuse me?” Kalebfrowned.
“My title, it’sDoctor, and I’m Head of Treatment here at this facility. I know what’s best formy patients, Your Highness.”
For the first timesince meeting him Shaw saw something… other, flicker in the depths of Kaleb’spale blue eyes. This conversation, these Demons, they mattered to him, and hewas prepared to get serious and fight for them. “Then don’t forget I’m a Doctortoo. I might have started a few college courses to meet women but I stayed forthe Master’s Degrees in education, psychology and neuroscience. Perhaps moreimportantly when it comes to this discussion… I’m paying for all this.Therefore, I’m not really asking, Doctor, I’m telling you that I would like tostart seeing some changes in your treatment approach.”
Agl lifted hernose in the air, glaring up at Kaleb. “It’s too early to re-introduce anysort of competition or violence in to their lives, even as mere spectators onthe television. Races that thrive on violence are notoriously unstable,bloodthirsty and have control issues. They have a sixty-seven percent higherincidence of mental instability. Their stress indicators also tend to fall inthe higher percentile bracket. They have problems socialising. Holding downjobs. Maintaining relationships.”
“Is that so?Doctor, I believe I’ve been remiss in not introducing my colleague, Shaw… she’sa Valkyrie. And do you know what Shaw and I have doing for the past thirty-sixhours, Doctor? Organising a baby shower. Hardly the stuff of mass murderersgone wild.”
“Doctor.” Shawacknowledged. “This is a very impressive facility you have here.”
“Th… thank you.”For the first time real worry was reflected on Agl’s face as she glanced nonetoo surreptitiously back towards the orderlies. “Nice to meet you.”
“Don’t worry, I’mjust here as an interested observer. But personally, if you don’t mind meputting my two cents in? Medicating these Demons, insisting they get in touchwith their inner pacifist and denying them any form of aggression? That soundslike a recipe for disaster. But hey, what do I know? I’m just an unstable,bloodthirsty social misfit, right?” Shaw beamed a smile to show there were nohard feelings. Enjoying watching Agl’s pale skin grow even paler.
“Isn’t she wonderful?”Kaleb beamed, the dimple back. “If you hadn’t guessed from my earlier story…this is the Valkyrie I mentioned that I… you know… did… in the linen closest.”
