Another Test...

Month 5, Day 30

Abdulla

2009 Hrs

Abdulla stopped as soon as the meeting room door closed behind them. “Why does that keep happening?”

But Mac didn’t stop; she walked past Bugalu and MacGregor as she headed down the hallway for the lift. Abdulla joined the men as they hurried after her. Mac glanced briefly back at them. “Do you mean my inability to pass my test? Or that Takor keeps telling us to leave the room?”

“Let’s start with the one that isn’t completely entrenched. Yet,” Abdulla returned. “I work with Takor on the bridge every day.” Until recently. “And Smythe frequently comes to the bridge. But Takor’s never acted like that. Which makes me think he must have a problem with you, Mac.”

“Level 7, east,” Mac told the lift once they were all aboard. “I don’t agree,” she told the other woman. “I might have, a month ago, but not now. He’s been spending time with me on midnights, and he doesn’t act like that then.”

“What do you mean, he spends time with you?” Abdulla asked.

“About a week ago, he started coming to the bridge during my shift, giving me pop quizzes. Sometimes, they take all shift. Other times, we move on to other subjects. Do you realize he has a pair-sibling back home?”

“Don’t change-“ Abdulla started.

“What is the world is-“ Bugalu interrupted.

“You’ve been talking to Takor about sex?” MacGregor asked in surprise, which shut up the other two.

Didn’t think she talked to anybody about that!

“No, not really,” Mac responded. “We’ve compared families and stuff like that. Occasionally, one of us asks a question that - between humans - might be considered sexual. I suppose. But I was curious why the Sciss are considered not to have a gender.”

“Actually, each Sciss has both genders,” MacGregor stated. “So they don’t have any gendered pronouns, which early contacts thought meant they don’t have any gender.” He glanced at Bugalu. “A pair-sibling results from the same sexual act. Since each participant is both genders, it’s infrequent that they don’t both get pregnant. Each mother is the other child’s father.”

“Yeah, that’s the way he explained it,” Mac agreed.

“That’s... mind-boggling,” Bugalu stated as the lift door opened and they headed for the rec room.

“Seems fairer than the human way, though,” Mac stated. “Anyway, what I was trying to point out is that he doesn’t act like that when we’re on the bridge. So I don’t think you can blame me for his acting like that.”

“Acting like what?” Bugalu asked as they found seats at a corner table.

The women looked at each other, and Abdulla sighed. “Everything is fine when we first get started with the test. Takor just sits there quietly, listening, observing. Smythe was almost... flippant tonight. Like he could see the end of some horrible ordeal.”

“Yeah, I imagine that’s how he sees it,” Mac muttered. With a sigh, she rested her head on Bugalu’s shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Well, it seems unprofessional to me. Abdulla cleared her throat and mind. “Then, about the time Mac lost her concentration, Takor ordered Mac and me out of the room.”

“Why?” Bugalu asked.

“We don’t know,” Mac answered. “He doesn’t give a reason.”

“Just you two?” MacGregor asked. “Not Smythe?”

“Just us,” Abdulla confirmed. “What in space it might mean is beyond me.”

“Hey, Shorty,” Tall Bear greeted as he paused at their table. “What’s the news on your test?”

“I failed,” Mac said simply.

“We were interrupted,” Abdulla corrected. “I don’t think tonight should count.”

“Even though Takor’s been helping you study?” Tall Bear asked the redhead.

Mac’s forehead wrinkled. “He hasn’t been helping me. He’s been testing me.”

“That’s all I can do, to help you study.”

MacGregor shook his head. “Takor was sure you’d pass. He told the captain you would.”

Mac considered the doctor as she thought about what he’d said. “Well, I didn’t.”

“I don’t understand. The idea, as I understand it, is if someone of Takor’s rank asked you the questions, you wouldn’t be so... intimidated by questions asked by Smythe.”

Mac rolled her eyes. “I’m not intimidated by rank!”

“So that brings up the other question,” Abdulla stated. “Why can’t you pass?”

Mac shrugged, as if the question wasn’t important.

Tall Bear’s big hand touched Abdulla’s shoulder briefly. “Didn’t you tell me, Abs, that Mac loses her concentration? Shorty, does your mind go completely blank, or do you find yourself thinking about something else?”

Her face crimson, the redhead abruptly stood, declared, “I should study,” and hurried away.

“Wait up!” Bugalu called, and hurried after her.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Tall Bear muttered. “Poor girl.” He moved off, toward the game tables.

Abdulla tried to figure out what Mac’s mind might move to in the middle of a test that would be so embarrassing for the other woman. Or was it just the fact that her mind did move on, instead of staying on track? “She doesn’t need to study! That’s all she’s been doing. What she needs is...” Her voice died, because she still didn’t know what else would help the redhead. She sighed. “I don’t know what she needs, but I need a drink.”

“You’re beginning to sound like her.”

MacGregor’s statement startled her; she had forgotten he was still there. “That’s a splash of cold water!”

“I thought you liked her.”

“I do. But I don’t want to be her. I certainly don’t want to be treated the way Smythe has been treating her. Ever!” Woops. Shouldn’t have said that. It just... slipped out. I expect he’ll have a few words to say to me about it. It’s been a long time since anyone’s given me a dressing down.

“How does he treat her?” the doctor asked mildly.

“I shouldn’t have said that,” she told him nervously. “Forget it. Tell me, exactly what is going on in sick bay that’s put the ship in quarantine?”

“Like the captain announced, we have a few cases of Verasis Flu.”

“Is that illness really bad?”

“It’s not fatal to humans, but it certainly isn’t pleasant. And it’s extremely contagious. Regulations require a ship go into quarantine as soon as we know we have it aboard, until the last patient has been dismissed for 2 weeks. Abdulla.” His hand on hers was not exactly insistent, but his blue eyes were intense. His voice lowered. “What you said does not exactly surprise me. That particular officer has himself made a few... allegations about his behavior. He seems as confused by it as you. Still, if he’s not treating her fairly, somehow can’t manage it, then someone should bring it to the captain’s attention. It might as well be me. I’ll keep your name out of it.”

She bit her lower lip in indecision. Beth seems to think MacGregor can be trusted. I don’t know if he can keep my name out of it, since all I’ve got are my observations during the testing process. Even if he manages it, the captain’s smart; she’ll figure out his source. So will Smythe, but he already knows what I think of his behavior. And if I don’t tell someone, then it’s like I condone that behavior. She scooted her chair closer to his and lowered her voice. “I’ve never seen him act like this before, so don’t think I’m venting old anger, or anything like that. In fact, before Mac arrived, you would never have heard me say anything against Mr Smythe.”

“No, I never have,” he agreed. “Just tell me what it was like during the testing process this evening.”