Personal Favors

Month 9 Day 24

0808 Hours

Ivy Wilson

Mac was laughing when she walked into her own living room from the corridor, with Bugalu behind her. “...always watching me,” she finished saying, and then saw Ivy sitting on the sofa. “Hello, Ivy.”

“I hope you don’t mind. Della said I could wait for you.” I had hoped by waiting in her quarters, I might manage to avoid Bugalu, but... never mind. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

“Not at all. I’m glad to see you. I have a favor to ask.”

“If you and Bugalu are busy, I could come back another time,” Ivy offered. Space, that’s cold, to talk about him as if he isn’t here. “Hello, Bugalu.” Her voice almost cracked, but she got it out.

“Hello, Ivy. Like Mac said, it’s good to see you.” He turned his attention to the redhead. “Listen, I walked you home. Now I’m going to enjoy my day off while you chat with Ivy and then sleep. I’ll come back around 4.”

“Don’t feel you have to leave on my account,” Ivy blurted out.

“I’m not,” he returned. “Now that Mac can sleep, we’re learning to give each other some space. Okay, so, later, Mac. See ya around, Ivy.”

They watched the helmsman leave, and then Mac eagerly sat on the other end of the sofa. “Okay, so here’s the thing, Ivy. Smit has been... a little... slow... about getting me cross-trained. Bugs suggested I study up on my own. Suits me, but I’d like to have someone who can make sure I’m not... mis-learning. Is that a word?”

Ivy smiled. “Whether it is or not, I know what you mean. I’d be happy to help. Send me any questions you have, and I’ll answer. If it seems you need more than that, we can find some time to get together. Just so I know what he’s done so far, what has he had you trained on?”

“He had me tested on computers. I passed that. And he had me assist as he installed a GR142 in my bed so I can sleep in Gaelund gravity.”

Ivy blinked in surprise. That’s not slow, that’s practically standing still. But I can’t let her know that. “Oh, is that why you have some extra bounce in your walk these last few days? I’ve noticed you looking well rested, but somebody said Dr MacGregor had you sleeping under a cold blanket.”

Mac laughed and shook her head. “Rumors! He had me spend a shift under a cold blanket because I’d fallen out of bed so many times, I was a mass of bruises all down my back. The weight of the cold blanket allowed me to sleep. The next day, Smit installed the GR142, and now I can sleep in my own bed! I feel well rested, and happy, and sane. It is such a relief!”

“I imagine so. I don’t know how you could function, without any sleep all those months.”

“Actually, it came on pretty slowly. Then we discovered I could sleep - fairly well - if Bugsy sat next to my bed and read and held my hand. I can imagine the rumors going around about that, but that’s all it was. And I was unhappy about having to monopolize his time so much. Especially since I didn’t remember spending that time with him. Well, anyway, you said you had something to ask me. What is it?”

She’s still trying convince me she and Bugalu aren’t lovers. “Do you remember what you and Kolla did to the equipment on the bridge to separate and become yourselves again?”

“Oh, yes. I not only have my memories of it, but if need be, I can dip into Kolla’s memories about it. Why?”

“I was hoping we could get together and go over that. Smythe still has the drawings of what you did...”

“Drawings?”

“Abdulla and I took it apart on the auxiliary bridge and tried to reconstruct it on the main bridge, since that’s where Kolla’s body was at, according to the charge that remained in the ruined communications console. We made very detailed schematics and notes.”

“Oh, I’d love to see those! And explain what we thought we were doing. Hoped we were doing.” She gave Ivy a broad grin. “Maybe I should start by giving you a copy of the paper Kolla and I wrote about it.”

“There’s a copy in the library,” Ivy told her. “I’ve read it, but now I’d like to really get into the details of it.”

“Happy to do it. When do you want to get together?”

“My days off are ship’s Monday and Tuesday,” Ivy stated.

“Mine are Sunday and Monday.” Mac paused and then suggested, “Next Monday? I’ve developed the habit of sleeping B shift, so do you mind if we make it during C shift?”

“Monday on C shift will be fine. I also sleep during B shift.”

“Do you think we could use a briefing room? I don’t need Adams or Jones interrupting us to tell me why what I did couldn’t possibly have worked. Or I suppose we could use a privacy room.” She shook her head. “No. We’ll probably want to spread the schematics out, maybe even make new ones, so a nice long table for plenty of room.”

Ivy stood up. “I’ll find a place for us to meet.”

Mac stood up also and gave her a brief hug. “I’m glad we can still be friends, Ivy. I mean, Bugsy is my brother, and Della is my roommate.”

“I was mad at Della,” she confirmed. “At first. But I finally realized she was working hard to show me - not just tell me - that LaPour was not as serious about me as he pretended. So I shifted my anger to LaPour, where it belonged.” I don’t dare say anything about Bugalu. I might start crying.

“Okay, find a place and pick a time to meet and let me know. And don’t forget to bring those drawings!”

“I’ll have them,” Ivy promised, and left, relieved to be headed for her own bed. I was a fool to break off with Bugalu, but I can’t expect him to forgive me.