“I’m afraid I’ve been quite the poor conversationalist,” Natori Kaczynski said as he and Veera arrived at a large bulkhead that sported the word ‘hydroponics’ in bold, green lettering.
“That’s alright, Admiral. I’m not feeling much like conversation myself. Thank you for helping me remove those feathers.”
“And thank you for letting me keep them. I will pass them along to Dr. Dupuis and the other biologists aboard the ship. It would be a crime to not seek some good from this unfortunate incident. Ladies first,” the Admiral offered as the door slid open on its own with a pleasing hiss. They walked into a corridor that felt slightly warmer and more humid than the one they’d just left. The gravity was marginally lower given their location, a belt of several growing bays that circled the middle of the ship about halfway between the core and outer hull. Veera did not have much issue adjusting her stride. She and Natori had walked from the armory, taking the ‘long route’ as Veera found the transit system of the ship to be far less agreeable than sledding. She had taken it with Russell to Dr. Lamont’s office, but had decided that one trip was enough for that morning. Just inside the bulkhead, Natori gestured to his right and Veera followed him into a small office, which was occupied by a young woman with caramel skin, long, black hair and glasses.
“Admiral Kaczynski, sir!” She gasped, standing quickly from her chair which clattered a couple inches back from the force. “Is something the matter? The Ghaelen was just here a short while ago. I allowed him into bay number two as you specified. Ah, is she one of…”
“At ease, Engineer Prakash,” Kaczynski urged as Veera looked about at various inscrutable knobs and dials as well as a six screen monitor linked to dozens of feeds from throughout that most vital section of the ship. The human woman watched her closely, but said nothing as she did not reach out in an attempt to learn by touch. “There is plenty wrong, but thankfully not in hydroponics.” The Admiral checked his device briefly. As he’d said, the system was reporting all green.
“To what do I owe the visit then, sir?” Anita requested politely. He nodded as though suddenly reminded of something quite important.
“Yes, of course. My mind is elsewhere at the moment but I am still met with the pleasant task of escorting Veera around the ship for a time. Veera, this is Engineer Anita Prakash. With the help of our onboard computer systems, she is the overseer of our plantation, if you will.”
“You must be very important then! My name is Veera,” the Cauthan concluded the introduction herself, extending a paw to the Indian woman who glanced quickly at her Admiral for guidance. He managed the barest of smiles in reply, and so she took the offered greeting gently. “The color of your skin is very pretty. I haven’t met many humans, and even fewer look like me,” Veera continued, gazing down at their joined hands and comparing her golden fur to the engineer’s bronzed complexion.
“I…thank you,” Prakash stammered in reply. “You speak English?”
“My husband taught me!” Veera confirmed, willing to speak only good of her mate around other humans after what had happened. Much was still unknown regarding the resolution of Russell’s fight.
“Veera is married to Lieutenant Winters, the surviving crew member of the Lancer we contacted about a week ago,” Natori clarified. “We would like to spend some time in bay number seven, Miss Prakash. Veera’s world does not have flowers, at least in her own habitat, and I find myself needing a place to collect my thoughts.”
“Of course, sir. You don’t need my permission,” Prakash said softly. Natori waved her off.
“But it is polite to ask regardless. Should I find myself in dire need of a flower, be assured that I will bypass your authority,” he joked lightly. Though the words made sense his face offered none of its usual softness or humor, leaving the Event Horizon crew member looking between him and Veera with a touch of nervousness.
“O-ok, sir. Is there anything else you need from me today?” She tried to move the conversation along.
“No, thank you for your time,” he said. “Veera, if you would?”
“Sure. It was very nice to meet you,” the Cauthan assured the human with a ruffling of her feathers. Her right forearm experienced a mild amount of pain at the gesture, but with the offending feathers removed it was hardly an issue. Natori moved briskly towards bay number one and took a right, moving at a pace that bordered on uncomfortably fast. Veera was more than able to keep up, trying to remember the last time she’d grown in new feathers.
While the other hydroponics rooms were certainly a feast for Veera’s senses, full of unknown structures and surfaces, bright lights, hissing mists of water, floating plants, and row upon vertical row of earthy soil flush with greenery, it was nothing compared to the small room that served as their destination. Whereas the other labs had been large, standardized spaces dedicated to feeding the population of the Event Horizon, the room before her reminded her of festival days, with curios all arrayed for display. Each plant she could see was radically different from the next, and as she drew close to one in particular, her nose bumped up against a cool, solid barrier. Taking a step back in surprise, she looked around and managed to find better angles on the other glass cases that surrounded the greenery, finally internalizing that something both clear and solid was blocking her way. Natori chuckled briefly behind her. “That is a rose bush. Its flowers are an ever-present symbol in human culture. Beautiful petals guarded by thorny branches,” he mused.
“It’s amazing,” Veera whispered. “How did you get it to make different colors like that?”
“I did nothing of the sort, Veera,” Natori replied with humility. “But if I had to take a guess, Engineer Prakash likely took a red, pink, and white rose bush and grafted them together. Such a process is difficult, but as you can see the results are quite rewarding. Roses are frequently given as gifts between family and romantic partners,” he continued, his words catching Veera’s ear.
“The whole bush?”
“No no, not usually,” Kaczynski laughed. “But I am sure that’s happened before. Typically one will give a single flower, or a group of them. If I recall correctly, white is meant to symbolize innocence, the pink is admiration or appreciation, and red is love.”
Veera found herself lost in a momentary daydream, imagining Russell handing her a red rose. She wondered how he might go about it, a man capable of significant destruction handling something so delicate and tender. A polite clearing of Natori’s throat interrupted her. “Do feel free to explore to your heart’s content. I must take some time and…fully review what transpired between your husband and my squad of Jumpers.”
“If you need me to help in any way I can-”
“That is very kind of you, Veera. Thank you.” Natori held up a hand to forestall her. “But this is something that I must do alone as the Admiral of this vessel. Additionally, and regretfully, you were a participant in the altercation, and my review of the event must be completely impartial. Should you or your husband find the conclusion unsatisfactory he will have the ability to appeal for trial by court martial but…I sincerely doubt that will be necessary. Oh, and if you wouldn’t mind could you hit the white button on the display over there? I’ve been meaning to water that friend of mine for a couple days now.”
“I…sure. What is it?” Veera asked, gazing upon a rather unassuming and droopy-leafed plant. Along its branches she could just make out clusters of small red growths.
“It is a coffee plant, and the only life in here that I can claim credit for. If your species is found to be capable of consuming caffeine safely, perhaps you will understand why I chose to bring that ugly little shrub along.” Though his words left Veera with more questions than answers, the permission to touch anything was quite appealing in and of itself, and she was further set at ease as he called out into the space around them. “Io?”
‘I am here, Admiral.’
“I presume you have pieced together full audio and video of the altercation?”
‘Yes sir. I have video feeds from the hallway cameras, one of the armory cameras, and my operator’s visor. Audio was also acquired from those sources. Typically he wears it so that I can communicate with and accompany him on Mara when he is not in his armor. I find it very kind of him to compromise his appearance in such a way for me.’
“Is that so? I’m simply impressed it managed to remain intact. I will begin a review of the footage now,” Natori requested somberly, seating himself on a non-descript bench with no back that rested against a wall in the middle of the shipboard greenhouse. The view of orchids, roses, strelitzia, daffodils, and other flowers were welcome, but they were wholly unable to disperse the growing storm clouds in his mind.
‘What will you do to him?’ Io wondered.
“Your Jumper, or mine?” He asked tersely.
‘Yours.’
Natori clasped his hands together, rested his elbows on his knees and breathed out a long sigh as he watched Veera water his coffee plant, tail waving happily as she discovered that pressing the white button resulted in a brief shower of water within the plant’s casing. “That depends on what you show me, Io.”
-----
“Why did you do it?” Winters demanded quietly, sitting with his legs dangling from his gurney as a medical bot reviewed the various contusions growing on his skin. A quick once over from one of the ship’s military doctors had ranked both him and Private Mendes low on the triage totem pole, and so they had been left to stare at one another from opposite beds while Lipper was taken to a separate room for emergency jaw surgery and Rex argued with the doctors that he didn’t need anesthesia for something as trivial as a rhinoplasty. An aggravated doctor shouted him down.
“Have you looked in the mirror, Private? We’re not just shaving a bit off here and there. We’re ripping part of your face off and slapping it back on!”
“Yo…that’s pretty metal,” Rex replied, awestruck. “It’s that bad?”
“What you have right now would make the Hunchback of Notre Dame look like a prom king,” the doctor assured him.
“Fine just…make sure it hurts at least a bit. Lipper’s gonna suffer after this…shouldn't be alone.” The doctor in charge of the heavily muscled Jumper shook his head in disbelief.
“Well, I suppose the Admiral won’t mind us using less anesthetic. Nothing’s free in space. You gonna come willingly or do I have to knock you out?”
“If I had to deal with you and an Omega in one day…I’d airlock myself. Let’s go,” Rex agreed, allowing himself to be led off to get his own face repaired in privacy. Russell’s eyes never left him.
“Huh…so why’d you do it?” He demanded again. Mendes met his eyes.
“Do what, Lieutenant?”
“Don’t play games with me, Private. You know as well as I do the moment that hunk of meat-”
“Rex,” Mendes quietly interrupted.
“Excuse me?”
“His name is Rex, sir. And he’s my brother.”
Winters stared at Mendes for a long while before a twisted but honest smile broke on his face. “Sorry for your loss. Now answer my question. Why didn’t you take me out while I was fighting with Private...Rex. You had every opportunity.”
Mendes allowed himself to take the slight in stride, chuckling under his breath. “If you were the enemy, Lieutenant, I wouldn’t have hesitated. But you aren’t. And we weren’t fighting to kill. Or were you?”
“Your Sergeant made a persuasive case for murder, but he won’t be a Sergeant much longer if I have any say in it. No, killing any of you would have just made my life more complicated,” Winters agreed casually, sending the same shivers down Mendes’ spine that had been there just before all hell had broken loose. “So what, you wanted to fight me one on one? For honor or something like that?”
“Yes sir. And if it’s all the same to you I’d like to dance again when this is all over,” Mendes affirmed, wincing as he lifted his elbow level with his shoulder. “Meu Deus, you never know how many ribs you have until someone tries to play you like a xylophone.”
“Let’s stick to dancing, Private. I’m a terrible musician,” Winters told him. The two men watched one another closely, their chests rising and falling heavily as their bodies began recovering from the brief but fierce confrontation. Winters had refused an IV drip with painkiller, opting instead for water. After taking another swig, he found Mendes’ hand extended across the gap between them.
“Private First Class Rodrigo Mendes, sir. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”
Winters stared at the Brazilian Jumper for a moment, narrowing his eyes. “Come off it, Private. There’s no more proper introduction for two men like us than beating the shit out of each other. Russell Winters, First Lieutenant, Omega Division.” As Winters’ pale hand clapped together with Mendes’ bronze one in a show of grudging respect, Private Orlova scoffed from her position leaning against the bulkhead of the medbay, blowing a stray lock of hair from her eyes. “Who’s the ice queen? She afraid of a scrum?”
“No sir, she just prefers to end fights before they start. Private Natalya Orlova. She’s a certified pilot as well,” Mendes informed him.
“Hmm, understood. Private Orlova!” He called officially. She glared at him as a mother bothered by a child, but saluted nonetheless.
“Lieutenant?”
“When all of this gets sorted out I could use your particular set of skills in retrieving something of mine I was forced to leave behind planetside. And thank you for the kind words you offered my wife.”
Orlova’s manicured brows rose high on her head at the proffered olive branch. “Yes sir.”
“Why are you hanging around with a bunch of losers like us?” He demanded.
“Private Mendes already told you. Those brutes may be idiots but they are my squad. And if I know Admiral Kaczynski there is no point in leaving this place. Judgment will arrive swiftly.”
Winters glanced at Mendes who nodded. He shrugged. “Suppose I’ll have to re-evaluate my impression if that’s the case.”
“The Admiral is a good man, sir,” Mendes insisted.
“I would say the same thing about a man who scooped me up and made me a Jumper if Delta or Omega wouldn’t have me,” Winters shot back, earning a furrowed brow from Mendes. His silence confirmed to Winters that he’d gotten close to the truth. “And yet you managed to hold your own better than your Sergeant or Private meathead.”
“His name is Rex, sir.”
Orlova, Mendes, and Winters frowned at each other as doctors came and went, not speaking another word until the long awaited Admiral appeared in the doorway. All stood and saluted, though Mendes and Winters were a tad underdressed without shirts.
“Private Orlova,” Kaczynski said quietly, not even turning to face her.
“Yes, Admiral.”
“I have reviewed your behavior today and have found no reason to subject you to disciplinary action. You may go.”
“Yes, Admiral,” she replied, knowing that his allowance was an order. With precision she strode from the medbay, not sparing either man another look.
“Lieutenant Winters,” the Admiral continued, walking over to their gurneys.
“Yes, sir?”
“I have reviewed your conduct today and while your…dismantling of Sergeant Lipper and Private Rex was warranted, you attempted to incite Private Orlova to join the brawl and forced Private Mendes to intervene on her behalf. My sparring facilities are open to you and my team at any hour of the day but I will not tolerate schoolyard scrums. I will speak with Antoth to ensure that you observe your week of latrine duty. There will be no other reprimand for your actions today. Know that a full report of today’s incident will be submitted to Doctor Lamont. I will inform you when he delivers his final recommendation to me. You may challenge this ruling via trial by court martial.”
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
Mendes looked up at Winters with a hint of fear in his eyes, his suspicions confirmed. The Omega Jumper wore an impassive mask over his face, but nodded curtly at Kaczynski. “Yes, sir. Where is my wife?”
“She is chatting with the engineer in charge of our hydroponics facilities. Once you are cleared by medical staff you may seek her out and return to the surface at your leisure pending Pilot Cromwell’s schedule. I believe she is set to take Madame Dupuis in the late afternoon and has one other trip scheduled just before midnight.”
‘I am watching over her, sir. You need not be concerned,’ Io added, causing Winters to absently run a finger along his visor. He was sure he looked ridiculous wearing it given the circumstances, but her concealment was paramount.
“I’ll make arrangements once I’m discharged. Is that all, sir?”
“For now, Lieutenant. Private Mendes?”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“In my evaluation you chose to engage the First Lieutenant to divert him away from Private Orlova. Is that correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Lieutenant Winters, do you agree with my assessment?” Kaczynski demanded, taking both men off guard. The Jumpers glanced briefly at one another.
“Yes sir.”
“And what was your opinion of his hand to hand combat ability, Lieutenant?” Natori continued. Mendes’ mouth hung open slightly.
“Better than the other two,” Winters replied tersely. “He wouldn’t have lasted though.”
“Anytime, Lieutenant,” Mendes offered proudly.
“Enough!” Kaczynski silenced them both. “There will be time for the two of you to settle this score officially, later. Private Mendes, in light of the Lieutenant’s testimony I have decided to rescind your week of latrine duty. That punishment will be transferred to Rex assuming he is cleared by the medbay staff. I would like you to meet me in my quarters at 17:00 hours assuming you are discharged. If not I will find you here.”
“Yes sir,” Mendes saluted, wincing slightly as Winters chuckled. Behind them, the team working on Lipper emerged from one of the several operating rooms lining the back wall of the medbay. Natori adopted a grim expression and stiffened his posture.
“Now then, if you two gentlemen would excuse me…I must speak with Sergeant Lipper.”
-----
When Lipper blinked awake and found Kaczynski standing at his bedside he immediately looked away. The admiral sighed and sat at the foot of his bed. “Modern medicine is quite miraculous, isn’t it?” He began, looking confidently at Lipper and making it clear that he would do so for the foreseeable future. “A broken jaw and yet here you are not a couple hours later awake…”
Natori pressed a couple buttons on his device to access Lipper’s charts. “And you’ll only need to eat through a straw for a couple days as the artificial sealant sets. We’ve come so very far…and yet we are still human, aren’t we Sergeant? Don’t bother replying, it would be bad for your health. At long last you must sit through one of my monologues without making a sound. I do know that alone is likely punishment enough.”
Lipper grunted defiantly in his throat, drawing a sad smile from the admiral. “You have always been the man to do precisely what others say is impossible, Thomas. Your ability to charge headlong into danger and emerge victorious, your desire to take risks and deliver results, those traits won you the first command assignment of a Beta Division HEL Jumper unit. I had hoped that the burdens of leadership would temper the less desirable aspects of those traits, but it appears that I was wrong. Did you really believe that I would allow an Omega Jumper to walk around this ship without giving you a chance to challenge him appropriately? Did you think I would allow Marshall Winters’ son to go uncontested forever? Of course not! Even were it not for the existing rivalries between our divisions I would be a fool if I allowed an opportunity to hone you and your squad go unused. All you needed to do was show a modicum of patience. Instead you cornered a mass killer and laid your hands on his wife. Oh? You didn’t know that did you, Sergeant? Did you know he killed a creature larger than a Delta main battle tank? No, I can see well enough in your eyes you didn’t know that either. Why do you think he was aboard today, visiting Doctor Lamont? He is a competent and violent man. You are lucky to be alive.”
Natori paused, listening to the steady beeping of machinery that assured him Lipper was indeed alive and well. “It’s been a week, Sergeant. You could not wait even one week. I do not have any sons, but I hold you and your squad dearly in my heart. At this moment I feel I understand that tired cliche. I am not mad, Thomas. I am disappointed. I don’t think I need to explain to you what would have happened had you pulled this stunt on Earth. You would be dishonorably discharged and suffer all the consequences that follow. What I was not prepared for was what the ramifications of your actions would have been had you laid your hands on Veera while on Mara. The chieftain’s wife called for your head.”
Again the Admiral waited, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in. Lipper watched him silently with clouded eyes. “I pleaded for mercy, Sergeant. Those pleas fell on receptive but unyielding ears. In the end their chieftain chose to spare your life because of the contributions of Alice and Russell to their society. Your actions have mandated a rapid realignment of my plans for the integration of our two species and, as I said earlier, you owe Alice Winters a life debt. And don’t look at me that way, Thomas. I would have given you to them, and wept privately after your funeral.”
Natori threw his hands in the air as Lipper grunted in surprise. “What should I have done, Sergeant?! We just signed a treaty with them with a Ghaelen envoy present! You managed to track down the one Cauthan on this boat and commit a capital offense! Were it not for Antoth’s show of mercy I would be left debating the possibility of a mutiny aboard this vessel and what would happen if we returned to Earth and Qul’Roth reported to his people our flagrant disregard for agreements between species. We are both fortunate it did not come to that. Instead of losing everything forever…you will lose everything but the chance to earn back what I watched you work so hard to acquire.”
Lipper breathed in haltingly as Natori’s tone shifted to one of unvarnished sorrow. “I still remember your first day of Jumper training, you and the others. I remember your graduation, watching you paint your armor. I know how much blood, sweat, and toil you poured into becoming the first Sergeant in Beta’s Jumper corps. Which is why it pains me greatly to inform you that you are no longer a Sergeant. You are demoted to Private effective immediately, along with all associated reduction in pay and privilege.”
Kaczynski closed his eyes as Lipper leaned his head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling. “Private First Class Rodrigo Mendes will assume command of the Event Horizon’s Jumper squad following a promotion to Lance Corporal. And don’t ask about the alternative. I doubt Lieutenant Winters would have accepted command of your squad. Yes, I see in your eyes that would have been unappealing. In that case I am sure you will give Lance Corporal Mendes your full support as we attempt to move on from this unfortunate incident. Rex will clean toilets for a week, as will Lieutenant Winters. Private Orlova received no punishment. I will offer them all, including you, the right to appeal my rulings via trial by court martial. No...I didn’t think you would either. Thank you for at least confirming you are not that stupid, Thomas.”
Natori stood and dusted off his pants, watching Lipper’s face. He could only see pain, emotional and physical. “The remnants of teenage Natori Kaczynski that live somewhere within me thought that your derogatory ‘fluffernutter’ was inspired in its infantile crudeness. I hope one day we can laugh about this, I do. I see it in your eyes, Thomas. I can see the storm surrounding you, the hurricane born of a single flap of a butterfly’s wings. As your Admiral I have said what I needed to say and done what I needed to do. As Natori Kaczynski, stripped of pomp and circumstance, I am sorry, Thomas. I don’t know what caused you to do what you did. Some will surely say it was malice, or cruelty, or perhaps abject stupidity, some irredeemable trait. Bullshit. I will, privately, choose to believe that in your zeal to champion your cause...our cause, against a perceived rival you made a grave mistake. Maybe it was Veera’s quick wit that got you. It seems to have been sharpened by her time amongst her own people’s soldiers. Maybe it was her comparison of you to the Ghaelen. Whatever compelled you to act in that split second…I believe you regret it. I believe you regret it now and will only come to regret it more in the future. When they ask me why I didn’t strip you of all rank and throw you in the brig until returning home I will tell them that my evaluation of the Seil system was one that mandated every armed man and woman be ready to respond to unknown threats at all times. It is an explanation that will hold significant weight given the anomalies currently affecting the warp point of the star. Io?”
‘Yes, Admiral?’ She replied, causing Lipper to suddenly become alert and aware, searching for the source of the strange new voice.
“A moment of true privacy, please?” Natori requested.
‘I already deactivated audio recording in this room, but as you command, sir. I will see you when I return to the surface. I feel you are being too soft on him, but he is your Jumper, not mine.’
“Thank you, Io. That will be all,” Kaczynski said firmly, returning his gaze to Lipper. “I believe this will be the most expensive lesson on incomplete information in the history of the Jumper corps. But I have belabored my point long enough. Io is classified, by the way, for when you regain the use of your mouth. I will allow you to rest, but you deserve to know why I have chosen to allow you to remain a Jumper. It is because I believe in you, Thomas Lipper. I believe that you have been faced with your first real defeat, your first monumental setback since joining Beta Division. And no, I don’t mean your broken jaw. You failed to master yourself in a crucial moment, and both Rex and Rodrigo suffered on your behalf. You conducted yourself in a manner that I know will cause you shame for years to come. But I am hopeful, Private Lipper. I am hopeful because at all times, in all moments, no matter what else may come to pass, a Jumper can master and improve himself. I have made mistakes in my ascent to Admiralty, Thomas, many more than you. Though I admit mine were not so flashy. This once, and only this once, I have chosen to give you a second chance…just as I was given long ago, back when the Event Horizon was just a collection of sketches. I look forward to seeing what you will do with it. Goodbye.”
As Natori reached the door to the room he turned back. He found Lipper sitting straight up in his bed, saluting crisply as his eyes shimmered with what the Admiral hoped were tears of regret. After a brief moment of contemplation, Kaczynski spun to face Lipper directly and honored his salute with his own before departing silently.
-----
“Hey, what’s that you’ve got there?” Russell asked kindly, finding his wife chatting with an unknown engineer as he stepped through the main doors to hydroponics. He’d never been there before, but between the publicly posted signage and Io whispering directions in his ear, finding it had been no issue. Most of all he felt relief that Veera had been taken care of in rather unfamiliar environments, and he concluded that Lipper was likely an exception and not a rule.
“It’s a rose. Anita let me take one from her growing room. Red means love,” Veera told him with a hint of shyness, extending the flower to him. He took the stem carefully between his fingers as the two of them dodged the thorns. “My human in shining armor.”
“Oh…oh my,” Engineer Prakash couldn’t quite help herself as the unknown man before her, clearly a soldier, embraced the alien and kissed her flush on the lips. The two of them seemed quite pleased with themselves, though the moment passed quickly and he composed himself.
“First Lieutenant Russell Winters, Omega Division. Thanks for looking after her while I was busy,” he said.
“Of course. It was no problem. Not like I was…you know, babysitting or anything uh…she is, are we…aliens?” The engineer attempted to ask about a thousand questions at once. Russell bobbed his head in thought.
“Short answer? Yes.”
“Oh, Russell, come this way! I want to show you something!” Veera insisted, dragging him by the hand as Anita tagged along. Through the growing bays they went, with Winters begrudgingly admitting that Natori and his shipbuilders had put together a technological marvel. Eventually they arrived at bay number seven, with Veera leading him past all sorts of exotic and colorful plants. Eventually they arrived at the least remarkable enclosure in the space, a smaller greenhouse with no plants at all, just some fresh soil that had recently been watered. A bit too excited to use her words, Veera pointed to the control panel for that growing space. Winters bent down to read it.
“They gave you your own plant?” He wondered.
“I’m going to grow orchids!” She exclaimed happily, causing Io to appear on his visor holding a teddy bear in the image of a young Cauthan with golden fur and black feathers. She was squeezing the stuffed animal tightly to her bosom, looking adoringly at the two of them.
“Is that right?”
“Mmhm! Originally I asked if I could take some seeds back with us, but Natori and Anita said I couldn’t, something about invasive species. So we compromised!” Veera reported, clearly not too bent out of shape regarding the arrangement. He nodded.
“Something tells me you’ll have more success here than on Mara. Not sure where you live would be great for flowers anyway. How often will you have to come up here to water it?”
“Well the automated systems will take care of everything if you like,” Prakash offered.
“No no, that’s no fun! I’ll come to water it. How often?” Veera asked. Russell tried to shoot a surreptitious look at Prakash to indicate there was no need to humor Veera on such a matter, but she didn’t seem to mind.
“Well, with the temperature and moisture levels we set it should need watering once or twice a week.”
“That would be about three to five times per cycle,” Russell converted before explaining the situation to Prakash. “The Cauthan calendar, if you will, consists of seventeen day lunar cycles. Twenty one hours a day.”
“You have no idea how annoying it was adjusting all of my irrigation systems to work on a twenty one hour cycle but…it was something interesting to do,” Anita admitted. “Don’t worry, Veera. If you can’t make it up here for whatever reason I’ll make sure it gets water, just like the rest of them.”
“Thank you!” The Cauthan replied happily, waving her feathers and bowing slightly. Anita, who was shorter than both of them, seemed unaccustomed to such attention.
“Something tells me that you’ll be seeing more of her kind going forward,” Russell guessed. “Veera, we should be going now. The next shuttle to the surface will depart soon. Engineer, I think we can find our own way.”
“Oh, of course,” she replied, seeming somehow a bit put out. “It was really nice meeting and talking with you, Veera. And you too, sir. Don’t be a stranger now?”
“Of course not! Until we meet again,” Veera assured her, taking Russell’s hand as they bade Prakash a final farewell and exited bay seven into a smaller access corridor that would take them to a nearby tube station.
‘Based on the crew logs she doesn't seem to get many visitors other than the Ghaelen. I think the two of you made her happy. I will procure a shared pod this time. I apologize, Veera,’ Io offered once they were relatively alone.
“It’s fine, Io. My stomach just…was not ready for that. I will be more prepared this time, especially if I'm to keep taking care of my flowers,” Veera insisted as the pod pulled up.
“Io, can you take us back to our place in the quarantine zone? I wanted to put this in some water,” Russell told her, holding up the rose. Io smiled.
‘Let me locate the nearest courier drone…perfect. There will be an extra water bottle waiting for you when you arrive, sir. There should be a pair of scissors in your cabin.’
“We have Veera’s claws,” he reminded Io, smiling at his wife as she looked a tad confused.
“Why would you need my claws for the flower?”
‘I shall add a brief introduction to xylem and phloem to the list of scientific topics we should discuss in the near future. Veera, the crude explanation is that slicing off a small portion of the stem will allow the flower to drink better. While I cannot be certain, it stands to reason that the plants of your world operate on similar mechanisms, pulling water from the soil and eventually releasing it into the air.’
“Hmm? But plants don’t cry,” Veera noted as their pod arrived.
‘I do so enjoy the two of you,’ Io replied as they hauled themselves in. ‘Perhaps we can get all the villagers together one day and explore the finer points of plant biology and agriculture.’
“You mean school?” Russell joked as the hatch sealed shut. Veera took his hand. “Not a bad idea actually. Just gotta completely re-engineer their society so that the majority of them don’t have to spend all day farming.”
‘I enjoy a challenge,’ Io assured them in a sultry, bedroom voice as the chamber around them had the air in it evacuated and they began their journey back to the fore of the ship. Veera found it much more enjoyable the second time around.
-----
“Good afternoon, dears. How are you? So good to see you again,” Yvonne called out as Russell and Veera entered the hangar. She was there with her husband, the two of them waiting patiently for Pilot Cromwell. Russell shook Gerard’s hand and then Yvonne’s. Veera did the same, only to have Yvonne pull her close and quickly plant a kiss on each cheek. Gerard chuckled heartily as Veera took a step back in surprise and confusion.
“Russell?” She requested an explanation.
“It’s a common greeting among her people,” he explained. “Though I think it’s reserved for people you consider to be friends and family.”
“Close enough,” Gerard agreed.
“You are Alice’s sister now, yes? I am sorry if it was not to your liking. Old habits got the better of me and we are both of the fairer sex, non?”
“Yeah, at a minimum you won’t end up like Lipper,” Winters agreed. The Dupuis couple shared a look.
“Did something happen to the Sergeant?” Gerard wondered. Russell tried to answer as neutrally as possible.
“You’ll see soon enough.”
“I…didn’t really mind,” Veera added for Yvonne’s edification, tapping a single talon on the metal floor of the hangar. “It was just surprising is all. I wasn’t under the impression that women kissed each other. You said it’s a greeting?”
“Only for people I consider close,” Yvonne clarified. “I do not believe a day has gone by where Alice has not had something kind or exciting to say about you. She allows you your privacy, on the other hand,” the matron informed Russell. “I would like to chat with you sometime as well.”
“I think we’re about to get such an opportunity,” Russell informed them as one of the interior doors slid open and Cromwell emerged dressed in her pilot’s suit. “Are you coming, sir?”
“No no, I am merely here to see off my wife on yet another grand voyage. I will actually be quite busy over the next couple of days. The Admiral informed me that he acquired two Cauthan feathers today and that I am to get first crack at them. Even my moustache is trembling with excitement. I hope you don’t mind my saying, Veera, but you have quite the impressive set yourself.”
“I do, don’t I?” Veera agreed happily, flaring her crown and arm feathers to their full radiance. Russell smiled silently at her side, knowing well that her plumage was a point of pride for Veera, despite or perhaps because of her history of discrimination on account of her appearance. She didn’t want to let a chance to show off go by.
“Oh ho! I see why Alice is so smitten with you!” Gerard laughed, extending his hand. Yvonne swatted him away.
“Gerard, read your email! No touching the females!” She hissed with the patience of a woman well acquainted with her husband’s excitable side. Gerard returned to stroking his moustache.
“Oh yes, my sincere apologies. I suppose I’ll have plenty of time in the labs,” he reasoned as Cromwell began preparing the shuttle for its departure. Veera extended her arm.
“Here, you may,” she offered, causing Gerard to snap his head towards Yvonne, no doubt looking for permission. His wife shrugged and indicated he should follow the lead of the Cauthan. With some hesitation, Gerard took Veera’s lead and reached out gently, allowing his fingers to run over her arm feathers from wrist to elbow, not wanting to bend them backwards. Veera giggled as Russell watched closely but kept to himself. After spending many nights with her, he knew her feathers to be sensitive to certain kinds of touch, and he was happy to not have to punch a second person in the face that day.
“All aboard!” Cromwell called, breaking up the moment of scientific inquiry.
“Bon voyage, ma chatounette. I am but a call away,” Gerard insisted, embracing his wife and kissing her softly. Veera cooed appreciatively at the couple before Russell shook Gerard’s hand in parting and the three of them entered the shuttle.
“So what brings you down to Mara?” He wondered as they strapped themselves in and Gerard bounded back to the hangar door.
“I have been given permission to speak with and possibly examine one of the pregnant women in the village. You are familiar with her, I believe?”
“Asha?” Veera gasped happily. Yvonne nodded.
“Indeed. Is there anything I should know?” The frenchwoman wondered as the shuttle kicked off the ground and slowly turned for the forcefield and the vacuum of space beyond.
“Just take good care of her,” Russell insisted darkly, recalling how he and Zolta had killed to save Asha and her cub. Yvonne studied the lines of his face, drawing upon many years of raising two boys.
“I will treat her as I would any of my patients,” Yvonne assured them, defending her professional record. Russell nodded as Veera leaned her head against his shoulder, thinking of the rose they’d left on their bedside table.
“Good.”