The missing Omegan doctor

From Joah's tablet and sheaf of GrrBrool's notes, written in pencil, and ringed with tea stains.

I walked into the library, having fed, expecting a quiet evening. What I found instead was a red-haired man, head down, wearing a mask behind which came a whirring noise. To me he was an unfamiliar figure, but I gathered from the Omega’s expression, not an unknown one. He sat in a chair across from the fireplace: slumped masked and wrapped in clothes. I quietly settled in and watched him carefully, listening to the whirring and coughing, waiting to see what he would say. Mirah sat by the fire, fur bristling, and eyes wary.

GrrBrool entered the Library and began sniffing. He frowned and crossed behind the man, taking a seat on the central cushion, back to the fire. The Lady's chair was to his right, the stranger before him. I learned later that Grr and the stranger had exchanged words the night before in the Diner, brief but telling. The stranger’s name was Dominic Salming. A doctor. The missing Omegan Doctor, in fact.

Grr's posture neither was that of encroached territory, nor hostile nor threatened but ill at ease. As the stranger gave no introduction, GrrBrool watched and waited. A deep sigh and a whirring from the face of the stranger finally stirred Grr to speak. "Ya seem ta sit there pretty comfortably, like yer used to it." A mumbled response to the affirmative came from the man, eliciting a frown from the Praetor. "Not been here fer a while then?" Another monosyllabic sentence came in reply.

Grr blinked incredulously at the stranger, then looked to his right to Omega and back. "I guess ya've missed out on a lot of things then." Again, muttered answers, followed by more whirring from the man's face, behind the mask of cloth. Grr bristled slightly and pressed on, "So, where have you been?" Yet another unhelpful answer grumbled from the man. The frown on Omega's face could have cut glass. GrrBrool flattened his ears and continued "Awright then, what’s that whirrin in yer face? I ask cause I worry it could be a bomb, ya never know. And yer all covered."

With a great huffing, coughing and dramatic sighing the stranger unwrapped his face and sullenly exposed his noisy-cybernetic optics. GrrBrool was quite irritated at this point and was in no mood for further evasion. "Look, after our talk last night I checked the files. I know who ya are so why dontcha give me a report?” Once again, the man muttered a less than helpful response: "Research." GrrBrool looked again to Omega, whose expression had smoothed to the cold indifference reserved for the most tedious of interlopers. "Maybe ya don't know me, maybe that’s what’s got yer gander up, well I’m GrrBrool, Praetor of Tha Institute and THIS" he gestured expansively with a paw, "in case ya fergot, is Her Ladyship Omega, who's Institute ya serve, so I suggest ya start reportin where ya been and whatcha been doin."

It was Omega's time to speak. "Oh, the Doctor knows very well who I am." Having enough of it, the Omega rose and crossed the room. “If you've no intention of sharing your research, and in fact will not even announce yourself, as is courteous . . . I wonder - why are you here?”

The man called Dominic Salming let out a tired yawn. "Good to visit every so often ain't it? Also, my notebook got full." It was the most he’d said thus far.

The Omega spoke quietly and with authority. “As a member of this Institute, certain things are expected of you. The disclosure of information, as you know, is one of them.”

I looked toward Dominic, not knowing what to expect. Frankly, I’m unaccustomed to seeing disrespect of the Omega by one of her own. I knew the Lady would not brook it.

"Sorry. I must have forgotten while I was away. Please forgive me.” Dominic yawned again, but this time he took out his notebook. “Most of this would be hard to understand anyway."

“Well, with you here to explain it, I'm sure we'll manage. Won't we?” Omega held out her hand. Dominic placed the notebook in her palm, grumbling and swearing under his breath.

With a small nod, Omega took the notebook and handed it directly to GrrBrool with a smile. “Thank you,” she nodded to Dominic. “Now you've gotten yourself into quite the mess.”

The doctor turned, pointing to Grr. "Rip any pages, and I'll be coming for you."

Mirah’s hair began to stand straight up as she said softly, “You may want to rethink those words.”

“I can assure you Dominic, My Praetors are not in the habit of damaging things I place in their possession. And I dare say if you were foolish enough to ‘come for him’ as you say - you would find it to be the last error you made.” Omega’s words were steel. “Things have changed since you were away. Or perhaps you have changed.”

The Lady raised her hand and the books began to rumble. Small arcs of lighting danced on the shelves and down the pillars of the library. “You will not threaten me or mine again. Do you understand me?”

The doctor's one good eye narrowed as he nodded slowly, “Perfectly.”

I studied the group: All were quiet. Even GrrBrool blanched at the dressing down that the erstwhile Doctor had received. Mirah’s eyes never left the the man. Hers was the stillness a cat ready to pounce on prey. Suddenly, the Omega bared her fangs at Dominic, closed her raised hand into a fist, and the Library stilled. I thought of Nareth’s burned hand, knowing that the Omega’s commands are not to be breached lightly.

The doctor’s cybernetic eye twisted and buzzed as it focused on the Omega. "Glad to be home at last." He words were full of double meaning.

“I'm sure you are,” Omega replied in a cold voice just above a whisper. “Let us hope we can share in your sentiment soon.”

I silently agreed.