Facing the Problem (Part 1)

Month 6 Day 16

1317 Hours

Smythe

Smitty entered sick bay reluctantly. He’d skipped lunch, hadn’t wanted to talk with Jane, nor have MacGregor discover his ‘assignment’. Why in space is the captain involved? She usually lets me make my own decision. I didn’t want lunch anyway. My stomach’s not happy.

Only Temple and another nurse were visible. Temple opened a cupboard and 2 packages fell out. “Karu, I told you girls to re-organize these shelves.”

“We did. All shifts. We took one unit each.”

“Well, this section is a mess,” Temple stated. “Figure out who was supposed to do it, please.”

No need to bother them. He slipped into the ward room, stopped short. What’s he doing here?

The Chief Security Officer stood beside the occupied bed, blocking Smitty’s view of the patient. He spoke quietly, but Smitty heard him. “Aboard a few months, and you already know the ship’s dark holes and secret passageways. My men never knew where you were until they stumbled into you. And then you beat them to a standstill. We should talk about that.” His hand caressed the shape of her leg.

Her leg jerked, but restraints didn’t let it go far. Smitty heard ragged breathing, and a hopeless little call for ‘Matt’. Who-? He was suddenly sure the girl was sleeping. “Get away from her!” he growled. He strode across the room, pushed the other man away, placed himself in front of the bed.

Winthrop regained his balance and scowled. “This is none of your business, Smythe.”

“It is my business,” Smitty contradicted. “She’s mine.” Winthrop gave him a suspicious look, and Smitty realized how he had phrased it.

“Your lover?” Winthrop wondered. “I knew that when Tall Bear kept finding her in your quarters.”

“My subordinate,” Smitty clarified. “She’s in sick bay for a reason, so leave her alone.”

“It’s a friendly visit,” Winthrop stated. “She never said I wasn’t welcome.”

“She’s asleep!” Smitty shot back. “If you’d asked before you barged in, you’d know she wasn’t receiving visitors.”

From the doorway, Beth coldly said, “This patient can have friends visit only if she’s awake. ‘Friends’ doesn’t include you.“

“Smythe is included? Even when she’s asleep?”

“He’s her commanding officer,” Beth responded. “It’s expected he’d check on her.”

“Get out, Winthrop.” MacGregor appeared behind Beth. “Don’t come back. You’re invading my territory.”

“I keep remembering that Ms MacDowell outwitted and out-fought two of my best men. But she hasn’t passed her probationary test. Maybe she should transfer to security.”

Not while I’m alive!

Winthrop grinned, and Smitty flushed, realizing he had spoken aloud. “Be careful what you wish for, Smythe.” Winthrop finally left.

Smitty took a deep breath. Behind him, Colleen uttered a long, “Noooo.” He turned to her as the others approached. He didn’t know how she could still be asleep after that, but it didn’t look restful. Her head jerked as her face contorted. “No!”

“Blast Winthrop. He ruined my experiment,” MacGregor muttered.

“Experiment?” Smitty queried.

“Thought I’d found a way to help her sleep,” MacGregor said. “But she’s having that nightmare again, and probably-“

“Matt!” Colleen bolted upwards, but the restraints slammed her back onto the bed. Tears streamed down her face.

“I didn’t know the restraints would stretch,” Beth stated.

“They don’t.” Smitty lifted the top restraint at least an inch above the girl. “Usually.”

“That’ll be a bruise,” MacGregor surmised. “Beth, get a cold pack.” Beth left.

Colleen took a shuddering breath and raised one hand to feel the restraint belt across her torso. “What happened?”

“Your nightmare,” MacGregor told her.

“No. A nightmare, yes, but not that one. This time, I felt... unsafe... filthy... couldn’t breathe. I needed help, but I couldn’t find...”

“Matt?” Smitty offered.

Her eyes popped open to look at him, then shut tight again. “Yes.”

Okay, she’s got another boy friend, besides Bugalu. And MacGregor. Smitty cleared his throat. “What’s his last name? I’ll send him round for a visit.”

Pain twisted her face, and tears resumed, leaving Smitty confused. MacGregor explained, “Matt’s her brother. He was assigned to the Flame when it was... lost.”

“I’m sorry. I... didn’t make the connection.” Because I only glanced at her file!

“Where’s Bugs?” Colleen’s voice squeaked. “He was here, right?”

MacGregor’s eyebrows rose. “I didn’t think you knew he was here. That was his lunch break, he had to go back to his station.”

“I miss him.” She could barely be heard. She swallowed. “It’s almost time for negotiations?”

“Getting there,” MacGregor told her. “I’d hoped you’d sleep through it, but Winthrop ruined your nap.”

“Winthrop! Oww!” She had tried to sit up, was stopped again by the restraints.

Smitty took hold of her shoulders to hold her down. “You’re going to hurt yourself!”

“She doesn’t need these.” MacGregor released the bands around her body and legs.

“Why let Winthrop in?” Colleen demanded. “I didn’t want to see him. Even if I’d been awake!”

“I didn’t,” MacGregor started in self-defense.

Temple returned with a 2-foot wrap that exuded long curling tendrils of condensation. “Winthrop snuck in. But Mr Smythe arrived and chased him out.” She placed the cold pack over Colleen’s ribcage.

Colleen’s eyes got huge, and she started spouting words Smitty didn’t know. Don’t think that’s Gaelic. Or even just one language. She started stuttering, and wrapped shaky hands around his wrists as her eyes closed tight. Surprised he still held her shoulders, Smitty started to pull away, but she wouldn’t let go.

“I- I really- don’t handle- cold- well,” Colleen stammered.

“What did you set it for?” MacGregor asked Temple.

Temple looked confused, then concerned. “Minus 5! I couldn’t find any already cooled, and-”

“I didn’t want her frozen.” MacGregor adjusted the control. “Mac, that should be a reasonable temperature. I was trying to avoid you getting a big bruise across your ribs.”

“Too late.” After a deep breath, Colleen gave Temple a mock glare. “Betty, I owe you a dirty trick for trying to freeze me.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Temple protested. “And my name is not Betty.”

“You are Betty until I get payback.”

Temple stared at the younger woman. “You won’t put a smelly concoction in my shower like with Bugalu, will you?”

“No,” Colleen stated as her lips curled into a smug smile. “I don’t have any more of that. I’ll think up something special.”

“I’d better ask Bugalu what I can expect,” Temple stated to herself.

“It’ll be a couple days before she’s out of here,” MacGregor stated. “At least.”

“Plenty of time for her to concoct something nasty,” Temple returned, and left.

“Mac-” MacGregor began.

“She’s safe,” Colleen told him. “I was trying to wake her up. She’s been out of it lately.”

MacGregor paused to think. “You’re right. Let’s hope it works. How’s that cold pack feel?”

“I’ll live.” She let go of one of Smitty’s wrists to adjust the cold pack’s position and closed her eyes.

After a long moment, MacGregor whispered, “She’s lucky you came in, Smitty.”

“I...” Smitty searched for something to say. “She’s lost her brother. Does she have any sisters?”

“No sisters,” Colleen answered, eyes still closed. “7 other brothers. How many do you have?”

Jane didn’t say she’d ask questions back! He kept his answer brief. “One sister, one brother. 4 nieces and 3 nephews.”

MacGregor lowered his voice even more. “Don’t ask about her family. She’s got unresolved issues with them.”

“No, I-“ She stopped. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

“We’ll keep a closer eye on your door, to avoid unwanted visitors,” MacGregor stated. “I have research to do. Try to rest until negotiations, okay?”

“Sure. I’m only half frozen; it’ll be easy to relax.”

“Yeah,” With a final glance at Smitty, MacGregor left.

Now what do I talk about? Not her family. Not work. What else is there?

“Do you-“ Colleen started, but didn’t finish.

“Go on,” he urged. Why keep her eyes closed? She obviously knows I’m here.

“No, it’s a stupid question.”

“There’s no such thing as a stupid question.” I say that a lot, but some new people have asked real doozies. Still, better than those who don’t ask and should.

She swallowed. “Do you, ah, make a habit of saving women from Winthrop?”

“Not as a habit, but I do when I know he’s bothering someone.” He patted her shoulder reassuringly, realized he still held her shoulder, with her hand wrapped around his wrist. Embarrassment crawled up his neck. “I... This doesn’t seem... appropriate.”

She frowned, but nodded. “That we’re alone.”

Takor’s Experiment

Month 6 Day 1

Takor

0733 Hours

Takor knew, without consulting a chronometer, that the end of the shift was approaching. It could feel the touch of fatigue in the humans on the bridge, along with the first stirrings of anticipation. However, Lt MacDowell, who was deep in an explanation of her extended family in response to one of its questions, had an enormous weight of fatigue in her body, and seemed to experience no anticipation for the shift’s end.

Takor had its own growing anticipation, but not because of fatigue. Its main reason for coming to the bridge tonight was to be here during the shift change. Over the past week, it had not noticed a change in personal human pheromones that would explain... Except for last night. But its curiosity was aroused, and therefore, it would not leave the bridge until after the day shift arrived. Then, it planned, it would check at its office, give some instructions to its yeoman, and go to bed.

It realized MacDowell had stopped talking. “It seems very complicated. How do you keep them all straight?”

“I do have a large family,” she admitted. “But surely there must be parallels in your own culture. You have 2 parents, as do I. Other than your pair-sibling, what do you call other children of your parents?”

“Siblings.”

She gave a small nod. “Humans call them brothers and sisters, depending on their gender. In my case, I don’t have any sisters, only brothers; all my siblings are male. What about the parents of your parents?”

“Normally, we use that person’s name, but we do have 4 different phrases we could use, depending on which parent of which parent we mean.”

“We call them grand-parents. Although, we, too, have phrases to designate which grandparent we mean, if that’s necessary. What about the siblings of your parents?”

“They are simply members of the clan. Tribe. I don’t think humans have an exact word for what I mean.”

“Probably not. Clan, tribe, kin, relatives, extended family... Multiple words with multiple meanings, depending on who’s using them and what they are trying to say. Many times they don’t even translate exactly into another human language.”

“How many languages do you know?”

“I grew up with Gaelic and English, as well as Welsh. After 4 years at the Academy, I had a working knowledge of almost all the Earth languages. Except the native North American tongues and indigenous Australian. Turns out few of those wander into space, but Tall Bear thinks that will change. I’ve picked up enough Apache from him to make myself understood. Mostly. Working on tugs didn’t give me much chance to learn any languages, and I haven’t had any real opportunity to study any of the colonial dialects while here, but I do appreciate the few words of Sciss that you’ve taught me.”

“Scisson,” Takor corrected. “We are the Sciss people, we speak the Scisson language.”

“Everybody on your planet speaks the same language?”

“With some minor regional differences. We have traded and mated with each other since we emerged from the sea. Neither would be easy to accomplish if our language became unintelligible to each other.”

“Mac, I-“ Lt Bugalu came to a sudden halt as he approached the communications console, apparently because Takor was there. “Good morning,” he greeted blankly.

“Good morning, Lt Bugalu,” MacDowell returned politely.

Takor considered that greeting as the helmsman headed for his own assignment. “You used rank and full name,” it observed.

Mac nodded. “I can’t use nick names on duty.”

“He is not on duty yet,” it stated.

The redhead flashed a big smile. “But I am.”

“Not really. I’m here to relieve you,” Abdulla stated, leaning against the equipment.

MacDowell turned her seat to the newcomer. “Are you sure? You don’t look well.”

Takor turned his attention to the darker skinned woman, decided she did look paler than normal.

“You know we’re under quarantine,” Abdulla stated. “The way I understand it, we’re all likely to catch this... what did McGregor call it? Verasis Flu. Or was it Verasis Measles? Can’t remember. Anyway, I figure I’ll work until I absolutely can’t handle it anymore, and then I’ll report to sick bay. No telling just how long this quarantine will last.”

“It’s probably measles,” MacDowell returned. “Gaelund’s Port City had an outbreak a few decades back and put itself under quarantine. After a month, some rich guy decided he was losing money, being unable to import and export, so he started having ships from the space station use the New Dublin airport.”

“He had space ships use an airport?” Abdulla repeated.

MacDowell considered that. “Well, it was before I was born, so I could be wrong, but I think he built a couple landing pads and extra-long runways right next to the airport, roads to get stuff to and from, warehouses... No telling what all he had to build. At first, he was the only company using them, but within a week, I think, other companies did, too. When passenger ships started using it, he turned it over to the airport authorities. So, before Port City lifted its quarantine, Gaelund had a 2nd space port, on the other side of the globe, and they both keep pretty busy, these days.” She paused. “That was a long way of saying I’ve heard of Verasis Measles, but not Verasis Flu.”

“It really doesn’t matter what it’s called. We’re all expected to come down with it,” Abdulla responded. “Except possibly you, Mr Takor.”

Takor gave a slight nod. “There has been no reported cases of any Sciss contracting Verasis Measles.” It had moved a little closer to the two women, could smell their perfumes intermingling, as well as their individual body odors, and there was nothing similar to the pheromones that had made him halt the test last night. He had not noticed anything like that between these two when they greeted each other on previous mornings, so he hadn’t really expected it to happen this morning.

“Let’s hope it stays that way,” Abdulla stated. “Come on, let me sit, Mac.” MacDowell obediently stood, and Abdulla plopped gracelessly into the chair.

“Lt Abdulla used a nick name,” Takor observed softly.

“She outranks me; she can call me anything she likes,” MacDowell returned, and began the pre-shift check for her friend.

“You’re right, Mr Takor, I shouldn’t have,” Abdulla stated. “Mac- Dowell, I’m supposed to be doing that!”

“You don’t look like you can keep your eyes open, let alone concentrate. I really think you should stand down and let me take this shift for you. It’s not like I have anything else to do.”

“And I think you should go to sick bay, get a sedative, and get some sleep!” Abdulla bit back.

“Be stuck in my nightmares all day? No thanks.”

“How can you be so stubborn?” Abdulla demanded. She looked over when the lift door opened. “Mr Smythe! Would you please tell Mac- Dowell that I am here for my shift - or as much of it as I can manage - so she can leave?”

Takor saw MacDowell stiffen as Abdulla greeted the chief engineer, and an interesting smell began to tickle its nostrils. Smythe stopped at the greeting, stared at the redhead, and reluctantly stepped forward. The aroma changed as another intermingled with it, and Takor felt the stirrings of-

Where’s Mac?

Month 5, Day 11

Bugalu

1522 Hours

Bugalu finished the letter to his younger sister, Makena, and told his computer it was ready to be sent so it could be transmitted out by the night shift communications officer - Mac. He grinned at the irony, and wished she were here so he could share the joke with her.

Only I wouldn’t dare. Why did I ever let my family know she’d been reassigned here? In fact, when did I- He frowned in sudden understanding. That’s right. I made that brief remark to Dayo that I didn’t get to date Ivy that weekend because she was helping Mac study. He sighed and shook his head. Dayo probably read that a few dozen times and then let everybody know that Mac was back in my life. Now they’re all fishing for information. I should have just written one letter and sent it to all of them. Next, they’ll be trying to get the 2 of us married. It was bad enough at the Academy. As soon as I mentioned Matt’s little sister had arrived as a cadet, Mom was hinting that Mac might make a good daughter-in-law. And then Dayo started. At least, back then, Makena and Ssanyu didn’t make insinuations, but they’ve joined in now. He uttered a long, sad sigh. How do I get through to them that I’m not likely to ever get married?

Or for that matter, Mac isn’t likely to ever marry, either. Not after the brainwashing her father did on her.

His stomach growled quite audibly in the silent room, and he frowned down at it. Pipe down, you. Mac isn’t here yet, but will be any minute. Then we can go have lunch and get started on her studies. Or, with luck, help her take another nap.

Bugalu moved over to the sofa and picked up his book. You watch. As soon as I get immersed in this book, she’ll come in. He opened it anyway, and turned his eyes to the words. But instead of being interrupted by the redhead bouncing into his quarters, he thought he heard someone in the bathroom, which he listened to for several minutes. Is Tall Bear... taking a shower? What time is it?

His chronometer said it was nearly 3:30 pm, now that he finally consulted it. He tossed the book aside and stood, suddenly worried and uncertain what to do. Where is she? She promised to meet me here so we could have lunch. Probably earlier than that, she said, because she gets so frustrated trying to sleep, but that’s what she was going to do this morning. Try to sleep.

Maybe she actually managed it today.

Why today? Why would she manage it today, and not some other day? Well, that’s circular thinking. Even Della says Mac is a horribly restless sleeper, waking up about every half hour, and seldom staying in bed more than 2 hours at a time, if that. So, if today is a normal day, she would have given up and climbed out of that bed around 1030, 2 hours after breakfast. She’s never forgotten our arrangements before, so where is she?

Take it easy, Bugs. Now she’s got me calling myself that! He shrugged. He’d grown accustomed to the nickname long ago, and only continued to complain for fear she’d find something even worse to call him.

She couldn’t have left the ship. Doc didn’t call to say she was in sick bay. Okay. Let’s start looking for her.

He sat down at the desk and tried to call Mac’s computer. Out of service?. I guess she used it so much to study these past weeks, she drove it over the edge.

He turned to the intercom and dialed the Harris/McDowell quarters. There was no answer. Okay. She’s not there. So where? Maybe Tall Bear has some ideas.

When he knocked on his bathroom door, the shower stopped. “You in a hurry, Bugs?” Bear asked through the intercom.

“No, I just need to ask if you’ve seen Mac.”

No sound came from the bathroom for a long moment, then the lock clicked and Bear stood in the open doorway, a towel wrapped around his hips and another draped over his head. “I do not believe you just asked me that.”

“Why?”

“Because I just climbed out of bed. And if I answer you truthfully, then yes, I have. But, she wasn’t actually there.”

The AmerInd was covered in goose bumps. “You took a cold shower, “Bugalu guessed. “Good dream?”

Bear rubbed his hair with the towel with one hand. “Relax, Mac wasn’t my... partner.”

“You just said she was there.”

“She kept interrupting us.”

Bugalu grinned at the mental image. Yeah, that sounds like Mac. Didn’t realize Bear was that astute. “I thought Doc was going to talk to her about sex,” he muttered to himself. Bear froze in the middle of towel-drying his hair, his eyes showing a mixture of confusion and shock. “She’s been so protected by her family, she has no idea what it involves or how it’s done,” Bugalu explained.

Bear let out a breath and continued drying himself. “What’s that got to do with my dream?”

“She keeps telling me that the easiest way for her to learn about it is to watch me. With someone else.”

“There’s a mental image I didn’t need,” Bear told him. “Anyway, she wasn’t watching. She kept falling. Like, out of the sky, off a cliff or balcony. I’d have to catch her. And even though her falls kept interrupting me and my date, I was always fully clothed when I caught her. And so was she.”

“After you caught her, did she deck you?”

Bear stared at him for half a minute. “Bugs, we are talking about a dream. So, why are you asking me, who just got up, where Mac is? It’s your day off, didn’t you spend it with her?”

“She fell asleep 3 times walking to the mess hall, so it didn’t take much to convince her to take a nap. But she’s been sleeping so poorly, we were positive it wouldn’t last past noon. She was supposed to come get me for lunch, but she hasn’t. Her computer is off-line, and she doesn’t answer the intercom. I don’t know where to look for her.”

“Bugs, has it occurred to you that if - IF - she is actually getting some sleep, she wouldn’t be awake to answer the intercom? Make sure she isn’t there, sound asleep, before you go running around the ship hunting for her.”

Bugalu smiled sheepishly. “You’re right. Sorry to interrupt.”

“That’s okay. It’s been... educational.”

The bathroom door closed and Bugalu walked out of his quarters, headed for Mac’s.