On The Way Home

Month 16 Day 14

13:44 Hours

Capt Jane Burke

After a pleasant visit with Capt Valentine on the St Elmo, the emergency was declared over, and the 2 captains continued their conversation on the way to the shuttle bay. As they walked past med bay, they were joined by Drs MacGregor, Davis and Fong, and the Fireball nurses who had been helping. Further along, a lift door opened, and the Fireball's engineering team joined the back of the group. Smitty worked his way through the group to join Drake just behind the captains.

The Fireball personnel had been thanked by the departments they had assisted, and expected nothing further but a quiet shuttle ride home and a return to their regular duties. They were surprised when they entered the shuttle bay and found 3 shuttles waiting, while one section of the bay had been set up for a party, complete with cake and punch.

Jane turned to her host. "This wasn't necessary."

"A verbal thank you alone seemed insufficient," Capt Valentine returned. "My department heads would never have forgiven me. I realize we took you away from your regular assignment for over a week, so even this seems inadequate."

"It would be bad manners to leave in a hurry when you've gone to so much trouble." Jane turned to her 2 lieutenant commanders. "Mr Smythe, Dr MacGregor, would you be so kind as to cut and serve the cake and punch?"

Looking startled, they moved toward the table. "I'll serve the punch," Smitty decided.

"What makes you think I can cut cake?" Drake asked him.

"You know how to use a scalpel," Smitty pointed out.

"I've never used one on a cake," the doctor returned. But before long, cake and punch were being served.

Various members of the St Elmo's crew entered, to speak with the departing Fireball crew and enjoy the refreshments. But the St Elmo crew had their own duties to get to, so they didn't stay long.

Eventually, those coming to say good-bye slowed to a trickle. Most of the Fireball personnel had already opted to take one of the St Elmo shuttles home. Those were now jockeying into their parking spots. Most of the cake and all of the punch had been served. Jane decided it was enough, and said her final good-bye to Capt Valentine, then followed the few remaining of her personnel into the Fireball shuttle.

She found Smitty and MacDowell sitting together in the back of the shuttle, holding hands. Each sat up straight in their seat, but their eyes were closed. MacDowell had dark circles under her eyes and looked exhausted. Smitty looked tired, but not as bad.

Jane moved forward and sought out Drake, pulled him into another corner so the two of them could talk. "How's MacDowell?" she whispered.

Drake hesitated before answering. "She's at her rope's end," he admitted. "Between 12-hour days, recuperating, and starting a new life—in more ways than one."

"What do you mean, more ways than one?"

"She's been looking for a new job for when she has to leave the Fireball."

"I applaud her forethought, but where did she find the time?"

"During her meal breaks. She's been eating her meals in the St Elmo's library, using the computer. She's pretty worried about it."

"She has a right to be worried. Does she need some time off from her duties in engineering?"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Two days, at least. Being able to sleep in her own bed should help. She is getting some help, looking for a new job, so that should give her time to catch up on her emails about that, too."

"Who's helping her?"

"Smitty. Bugalu. Myself. And Mr Facchini."

"The St Elmo chief engineer?"

"After her injury, they shared the St Elmo Intensive Care Unit. She seemed to impress him."

"Really? I understood his protégé was in the brig, because of her."

Drake sighed. "That's a story. Which you probably ought to get straight from Smitty. He's the one who sent him to the brig."

"Okay. You're sure 2 days will be enough?"

"No, but I don't feel like having a fight with her until I have to. I'll keep an eye on her during those 2 days, and then I'll re-evaluate."

"Sounds good." She let him return to his seat and made her way to the back, turned a seat around to face Smitty. Neither of them moved, but the girl's head was drooping now. Jane touched Smitty's knee and whispered, "Is she asleep?"

"Yes," he answered softly.

"No," MacDowell refuted, and took a deep breath before her eyes managed to open. "What can I do for you, captain?"

"You look exhausted," Jane told her. "It's to be expected; you've got a lot going on in your life, and a week of 12-hour days is grueling. I want you to take the next 2 days off."

"Okay," she agreed readily, a tiny smirk on her face.

Jane studied her suspiciously. "MacGregor didn't think you'd agree so easily."

"The next 2 days are my regular days off," MacDowell revealed. "I just need to get through until 1600 hrs to get to them."

"No, you don't," Smitty broke in. "You've already worked 12 hours today. You're off duty." She opened her mouth to say something, and he ended with, "No arguing."

She closed her eyes and stifled a yawn, or tried to. "Thank you, Smit."

"Does that suit you, captain?" he asked.

"Actually, no," she decided. "Since the next 2 days are your regular days off, I want you to take the next 2 days after that off, also. As sick days. Check in with Dr MacGregor on those days, so he can see how well you're recuperating."

"But—"

"I'll see that she does, captain," Smitty stated.

MacDowell sighed. "Looks like I have to."

"Good. Now, try to rest for the remainder of the trip." Jane got up and moved forward again to find a seat that would afford the lovebirds a tiny bit of privacy. When she glanced back, MacDowell's head was on Smitty's shoulder and her eyes were closed. She looked relaxed.

The Contest (Part 1)

Month 9 Day 9

(Shore Leave Day 10)

1330 Hours

Bugalu

Bugalu reached Mac’s side just as the AmerInds finished their game. “Don’t feel bad, YD,” TB told his rival. “I’ve been playing this game since the Academy. You gave me-“

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” came a loud voice over the arcade’s internal speakers as the lights began to dim. “Today, we have two teams lined up for a game of Survival!, and this could prove to be a game to remember! First, the team of challengers, all members of the crew of the SS Fireball. Starting with the Medical position, Head Nurse Beth Temple!” Beth had already been standing in the correct space, and when the spotlight hit her, she tried not to blink in the sudden bright light. Much applause surrounded her.

Bugalu grabbed Yellow Dog’s arm and placed her in a spot a couple feet from Temple. “Stand here.” She gave him a strange look, but stood where he left her.

“Security for the challengers will be handled by Lieutenant- no. This can’t be right. Security is a yeoman? Do they have yeomen in security? Friends, this list says the challengers’ security will be handled by Yeoman Yellow Dog.” The tall AmerInd folded her arms and stood stoically as the spotlight hit her. A spattering of uncertain applause greeted her.

It only took a second for Mac to realize Bugalu had placed her in line with the other 2 women. “What are you up to, Bugs?”

“Just stand here and go with the flow, Mac,” he said as he stepped away.

“Engineer for the challengers will be Lt Coleen MacDowell.”

As the spotlight found her, Mac’s head whirled to her adopted brother. “Engineer!”

“Think of it as Nooto for engineers,” he told her.

“But I…” A belated smattering of applause drowned out what she said, but quickly petered away.

“And the one who issued the challenge, Lt Boogaloo.”

“Close enough,” Bugsy muttered as the spotlight hit him. Applause surrounded the group, as fellow crew members realized he was leading the group, even if 2 of his choices seemed… odd. Perhaps they thought he was confident that Temple and himself could pull the other 2 along in this game.

“And now to introduce the team that’s been challenged.” There was a brief rearrangement of shadowy people in the darkness in front of the line of challengers. “Medical will be handled by Dr Drake MacGregor!” The spotlight found him and applause thundered. As a real doctor, he was already the favorite in that category. And if he was in the game, had Bugalu finally challenged senior officers?

“Security is in the hands of Lt Tall Bear!” Bear was larger than Dog, and instead of greeting his ‘challenger’ with stoic disdain, he held up a hand in a greeting of peace. Once crew members realized it was not Winthrop handling security in this game, the applause was thunderous.

“Engineering will be Lt Cmdr Smythe!” The spotlight showed a red-faced Smitty, who ignored his opponent to glare at her team captain.

Not far from where the teams were lined up, Capac groaned. “Bugalu, what are you thinking? 2 of your team members don’t even belong to the field where you’ve assigned them!”

Bugalu turned and gave him a big grin. “I think they’re going to surprise you.”

“But can they win?” somebody else called out.

“Watch and see,” Bugalu returned easily. But winning isn’t my major reason for doing this. Not any more.

“And finally, the challenged team captain; Captain Jane Burke!” The captain smiled and waved at the audience, made some quiet comment to Smitty, who strove to put a more pleasant aspect on his face. It obviously was not easy for him.

“Well, how about that, folks? A team of men led by a woman and a team of women led by a man. I don’t know if that will make any difference to the game. Will the team members please shake hands and enter the game room!”

Smitty stepped forward and thrust his hand out. “If I’d known you were part of this, I wouldn’t have started with computers,” he mumbled.

Mac took his hand tentatively, pulled hers back quickly. “Okay,” she squeaked.

“You’ve made some interesting choices,” the captain said.

“I think they’re up to it,” Bugalu returned.

“We’ve been here before,” MacGregor told Beth. “You should go to med school.”

“I like what I’m doing,” Beth returned. “I wouldn’t mind some respect, though.”

“You can do this, Dog,” Bear told his opponent.” She gave a slow nod of acknowledgement.

They all turned and entered the ‘gameroom’. It was actually 2 rooms facing each other, a wall between them. The outer walls were one-way vision, so those outside could see what the team members were doing. Each room had 4 stations. Each station had a pair of ear buds and one ear bud had a microphone attached to hang next to the wearer’s mouth.

“Okay, friends, we are the crew of a ship,” Bugalu stated as he reached for his ear buds. "Well, more like the senior officers. The bud with the microphone goes in the left ear; that’s how we’ll hear each other. The other bud goes in the right ear and lets us hear the other team. We start out on routine patrol, then something happens. The other team will be involved in the same incident. Probably. But we won’t know if they’re a friendly ship or an unfriendly ship. It’s our job to hold our ship together and try to avoid losing any crew. Afterwards, for an additional charge – which I’ve paid – we’ll get a copy of this game, so we can study how we did, so above all else, this is a learning experience. Now take a minute to get acquainted with your stations and get comfortable.”

Mac put in her earbuds quickly, sat down and began to study her controls. “You’re going to pay for this, Bugsy.”

“I know,” he stated, making sure the console was the same as it was the last time he had played as team captain.

“You’ll have to help me learn everything I mess up during this game,” she went on.

“I can find much better tutors for you than a helmsman,” came Smitty’s voice over the right earbud.

“Of course,” Mac agreed at once. “But that wouldn’t be punishment for Bugs.”

“It wouldn’t be as confusing for you, is my thought,” Smitty returned.

“Mr Bugalu,” came Captain Burke’s calm voice. “I believe we are ready on this side, as soon as you are.”

“Are we ready?” Bugalu asked his team.

“Ready,” Beth answered. Yellow Dog nodded. Mac stood up and kicked her chair away.

“What’s wrong?” Bugalu asked.

“If I sit down, I can’t reach half the controls. I have the feeling speed is a component in this game.”

“It is,” Smitty answered. It might have been a mutter; everything coming through from the other team was at a lower volume.

Bugs glanced at Mac’s boots, which had tall heels. “You want to take your boots off, too?”

She stuck out her tongue at him. “I’ll manage. Anyway, if I take them off, I won’t be able to reach the console at all!”

Probably there was laughter outside the game as the arcade patrons watched. They could hear what went on inside the game, but the teams could not hear anything beyond their ear buds.

“Go easy on shorty, Bugs,” Tall Bear suggested. “You’ve put her in a tight spot.”

“Don’t you talk to my captain like that!” Mac replied. “The mood I’m in, I’m likely to remember you two are best friends, and find a reason to be mad at you, too!”

“Mac...” Bugalu stated.

“Right.” She took another look over her console, twitched one rocker switch. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“We are go,” Bugalu stated.

“We are go,” Captain Burke repeated.

The lighting in the game room became a bit more yellow, and the consoles all came to life.

Freak Allergy

Month 9 Day 6

(Shore Leave Day 7)

1458 Hours

McGregor

Drake draped the damp towel around his neck as the lift door opened and he stepped into the first aid station’s lobby. Not sure where to go, he paused at the desk. “You paged me? I’m Dr McGregor, of the Fireball.”

“Thank you for coming so promptly,” the nurse answered. “I’ll take the towel, and here’s a lab coat for you.”

Drake half pulled the towel off, but paused to consider the lab coat she held out. “Lab coat?” he muttered.

“Patients respond better when the doctor is in a lab coat rather than a swimsuit.”

That makes sense. “My patients are used to seeing me in a uniform, but I take your point.” He made the swap to tug the lab coat on. “Now, who is the patient, why are they here, and where are they?”

The nurse hesitated for a nanosecond. “We aren’t sure who she is; everybody seems to have their own name for her, but they claim she belongs to your ship, and her commanding officer asked for you to be notified. Respiratory distress.” She passed him a medical pad that presumably had the details. “Down the middle hallway, 3rd door on the left.”

“Thanks.” Drake consulted the pad as he started down the hallway. Female, late 20s. Okay, we’re down to about 1/3 of the crew.

“Drake!”

He looked up in surprise, saw that Beth had just emerged from the room he intended to visit. “Beth! Are you the reason I’m here? What’s wrong?”

She gave him an embarrassed smile. “I’m not the patient, no. I was coming out to see if they could cancel that page. You got here quickly, but the medicine they gave her seems very effective.” She glanced back at the room. “Even if she is acting weird.”

“Who?”

“Oh! I guess- Mac. She drank half of Bugalu’s milkshake, which was made with a native berry. Shortly afterward, I noticed she seemed disorientated, and by the time Tall Bear got her out of the water, she was mostly unconscious, struggling to breath.”

Drake hurried for the room. He stopped short in the doorway. Mac was sitting on the bed, both her arms wrapped around Smitty’s upper arm, her head against his shoulder. She was whispering. Smitty’s back was to Drake, who couldn’t understand this strange tableau.

“I can’t understand what she’s saying,” Beth whispered. “I don’t think Smythe does, either. It doesn’t sound like what little Gaelunder I’ve heard her use.”

“Any Gaelunder she’s used on the ship was probably cursing,” Drake muttered.

“Right, but it’s got a certain... sound to it that this doesn’t have. But I’m not a linguist.”

A door on the opposite side of the room opened and a young man in a lab coat entered, his eyes on the medpad he held. Smitty pulled his arm away from the redhead and took a step away. Mac watched him with a deep pain on her face.

“Okay, the customary medication for Oyrt berry allergy handled most of the symptoms. Our biochemical tests, however, indicate you might experience some of the more unusual reactions, so the lab is working up a cocktail to handle those. It shouldn’t take long to get that ready.”

“What unusual reactions?” Drake asked. The young doctor finally looked up, and Smitty turned, his face red. “I’m Dr Drake McGregor of the Fireball. The patient is Colleen MacDowell, communications, and Smythe is Chief Engineer.”

The youngster smiled, seemingly more at ease with someone in his own field. “I’m Dr Quince.” He offered his hand, which Drake briefly took. “First, less than 1% of the population is allergic to oyrt berries. A higher number for visitors, so facilities that serve oyrt berries keep a broad spectrum anti-allergen on hand, just in case. This patient had a pretty severe reaction, but the worst of it was receding by the time she got here, since the life guard had given her that anti-allergen. Still,  I’m afraid our bio-chemical scan indicates the possibility of a mental side effect. It appears her brain chemistry is possibly changed, producing some confusion or unexpected emotions. The lab should be here shortly with a fix. Assuming, of course, that she’s acting... odd.”

“Absolutely,” Smitty stated, and both doctors turned to him. He added, “I can’t get her to speak English! It’s like she doesn’t understand me.”

“Well, if English isn’t her first language...” Dr Quince began.

“It’s not, but she learned it in elementary school,” Drake returned. “So it’s not a recent acquisition. She’s quite a linguist, so losing a language  could effect her career. Is that the type of confusion you meant, that she might forget what language to use?”

“Um, no. Understand, there’s only been a few individuals whose minds were - temporarily - affected by this allergy. There’s no mention of it affecting their language, only that it seemed to send them back to an earlier period of their life, a time of mental turmoil.”

Has there been a time in her life that didn’t includ mental turmoil? Could she think she’s back on Gaelunde? I wouldn’t think she would have dared hold any man. “How long does that last?”

“If we don’t straighten out her brain chemistry? That’s hard to say. Days. Weeks.”

“Black space,” Smitty bit out. “We’ve only got 9 days left of shore leave!”

“Then we’d better get the cocktail right,” Dr Quince stated, and glanced at the doorway. “Is that one of yours, too?”

MacGregor glanced behind him. “Another crew member, yes. And one of Mac’s best friends.” He turned to address Yellow Dog. “Any idea where Bugalu is?”

“Yes,” YD answered, and slipped forward to consider Mac, who had laid down when the doctors started talking.

“Doctor, I realize a ship’s crew can be tightly knit, but I don’t believe it would be in the patient’s best interest to have all her friends visit right now. Depending on how far in her past she thinks she is, it could deepen her confusion. Which could lead to complications. I mean, further complications.”

Yellow Dog spoke briefly, but not in English. When the redhead started to answer, the AmerInd winced and put her hand over Mac’s mouth. Green eyes glared up from the bed, but YD mildly told her, “Not Kolla. Mac.”

“Kolla?” Drake asked. “She thinks she’s Kolla? Again?” At least she’s not reliving her life from years ago.

Dr Quince asked, “Is that a... separate personality that’s manifested before?”

“No,” Drake answered. “Well, yes, but not like you’re thinking. Never mind, it’s a long story. But if it makes any difference, that means her mind has, ah, returned to about 6 or 8 weeks ago.”

The youngster’s eyebrows rose. “That recent? From the state of her biochemistry, I would have guessed much older memories. But we’ve never had a Gaelunder visitor before, and her brain chemistry has deviated from Human normal.”

Deviated? Drake turned to Beth. “I don’t remember any deviations from Human normal when she came aboard.”

“No. You commented on how normal she was. Except for her density, of course. But you didn’t specifically analyze her brain chemistry; you expected the computer to point out any differences that might need to be known.”

“And it didn’t point any out, so she must have been within human parameters.”

“But Kolla’s body chemistry is considerably different, isn’t it?” Smitty asked. “So, if she’s back to being Kolla, perhaps it’s because her brain chemistry has been changed to be more like Kolla’s?”

“I don’t understand,” Dr Quince stated. “If Kolla is a different person, how can this woman have returned to thinking she’s that person?”

How do I make it believable? Even Fleet HQ had trouble with it, and if we hadn’t all been saying the same thing... “Well, if we have time, I’ll try to explain. But for now, don’t be in too big a hurry with that chemical cocktail. It might make things worse instead of better. Beth, find a computer and pull up that original exam from the Fireball files. Let’s compare them to what they found here at the first aid station.”

“I can’t,” Beth told him flatly.

“Why not?”

“Because the ship is shut down,” Smitty answered for her. “So it’s a good thing I’m here. Only the captain can open the doors wide, but I can get you into the medical files. Dr Quince, where is a computer terminal we can use?”

“Over here.” He led them to the far corner.

Drake considered the redhead, who was again sitting up, watching the trio gather around the computer terminal. “I’m beginning to think Bugalu is right.” She turned her attention to him at the mention of the helmsman. “You don’t look for it; trouble comes looking for you.”

She considered him blandly for a moment, but her sudden smile seemed to agree with him.

Unavoidable

Month 9 Day 6

(Shore Leave Day 7)

1439 Hours

Smythe

Smitty glanced at the man reading in the beach chair next to his. How can he read in a place as noisy as this? He cleared his throat. “I would think your hotel room would be more conducive to reading.”

MacGregor turned off his pad as he looked up. “Probably.” He glanced up at the sky - what appeared to be the sky. “This isn’t what I expected. They must use a lot of power simulating a sun and wispy clouds.”

Oh, there’s lots of ways they could do it. Smitty leaned his head back to consider the blueness that seemed to go on forever, and the flimsy bits of white that only added to the illusion. He realized Drake was speaking again, and lowered his head. “What?”

“I said, I was surprised to hear from you. Jane gave me the impression you were solidly booked this shore leave with a paid companion. She wasn’t even sure you’d remember we have a contest scheduled.”

Smitty’s mouth thinned as he remembered how... disappointed he had been with Caroline. He had cancelled the rest of the booking and sent her back to her agency after breakfast this morning. Still don’t know what I was thinking in the first place, but... none of it was her fault. “I’ll be there.”

“Good. Because I expect Wilson will be on the other team.”

“Probably,” Smitty agreed. “And she’ll be a force to reckon with. For me. Not your field, of course.”

“It’s a team effort.” Drake set his pad aside. “You know what? There’s no UV in this manufactured sunlight, so there’s no reason to sit under these trees, whether they’re real or not. Seems a shame to not even get wet. A dozen different water slides here, and I feel like trying every one of them. Join me?”

I think I’ve had enough jolts of adrenaline running through my nerves these last few days. “Not in the mood for that, but you go ahead. I think I’ll try the river.” He stood up and looked around, wondering which direction it might be in.

“The lazy river?”

“I am here to relax.”

“Well, to each their own. I find the lazy river boring. After the slides, I’ll probably try out the not-so-lazy river.”

“The what?”

“It’s a stronger, faster version of the lazy river. I understand you can put on feet protectors, stand in the river and let the current push you around the course while you try to dodge squirts of water and islands.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

“Probably not,” Drake responded. “Can’t go injuring your customers.”

“Maybe. But I can’t do either one if I can’t find them.”

“Same for me with the slides. Come on. There’s a sign over there that will point us in the right directions.”

Smitty followed his friend, but the sign split them up. The slides, it seemed, were forward and right, while the rivers were to the left. Smitty walked quietly, noting various types of flowers, bushes and trees. And occasionally, an off-color leaf on the ground. He wondered if Drake would notice those signs that the plants were real. Or maybe he doesn’t really care.

The sound of laughter caught his attention, and he raised his head to look over the bushes, found himself walking between 2 ‘rivers’. On his left, smiling guests rode a gentle current on several different designs of flotation platforms. But most of the laughter came from his right, where the current was notably faster and all the guests wore flotation vests as the water propelled them forward. Some tried to stay together by holding hands, but that didn’t seem to last long. Still, the rapid pace produced squeals and laughter from everyone.

Smitty paused to watch. That must be what Drake was talking about. What did he call it? The not-so-lazy river? Good name for it. Everybody seems to be enjoying it. Maybe -

“Hey, have you see Mac?”

Smitty winced. I should have known. I can’t get away from her, no matter what I do.

“She has more friction on her water shoes,” Abdulla answered Bugalu, and grabbed hold of the curbing opposite from where Smitty stood “She might be with Tall Bear.”

“I thought I heard her call me,” Bugalu stated, grabbing hold also and working his way back toward the woman.

Abdulla grinned. “She probably wants to finish your milk shake you had her taste.”

“Too late, it’s already gone,” Bugalu replied. “Although I wouldn’t mind-“

“Medic!” came a clear call from somewhere ‘upstream’. The voice was definitely that of Nurse Temple; Smitty had heard her use that tone during one or two medical emergencies. He saw Bugalu heave himself onto the bank and help Abdulla out of the water, but Smitty was already headed back along the path, hoping he wouldn’t have to force his way through too many bushes to find the nurse.

He saw 2 lifeguards ahead, just a few feet off the path at a point where the river curved away. They seemed to be trying to pull someone out of the water. One of them grunted. “Heavy.”

“She’s a heavy-worlder,” Temple explained. “Bear-“

“Got her,” Bear answered. Smitty could see half the man’s head above the bushes, then he dipped, and there was lots of splashing as he lifted someone to the bank. “Beth, she didn’t even struggle.”

“Can’t you hear her wheezing?” Beth answered as the AmerInd helped her onto the bank. “She’s barely able to breathe. I’m Head Nurse of the SS Fireball. This woman is a crew member. What’s your protocol in these circumstances?”

“Is she asthmatic? COPD? Allergies?” one lifeguard asked. The other was preparing a stretcher.

“No, no and none listed,” Beth answered. “What’s next?”

“Has she eaten anything that might have become lodged in her throat?”

“All she’s had since she got to the park is half my milkshake,” Bugalu called from the other bank.

The 2 lifeguards shared a glance, and the one asking questions opened a first aid pouch on his chest. “What flavor?”

“Uh... something local. Oyrt berry?”

“That figures,” the lifeguard stated, and pressed something against Mac’s neck. “That should help, but we’ll need to get her to the first aid station, get her checked out. Occasionally, an off-worlder is allergic to oyrt berries, which are native.” Bear had moved the redhead onto the stretcher, and the other lifeguard strapped a mask onto her face. “Sath, I’ll take her to the station. I won’t be long.”

“Right.”

The lead lifeguard glanced at Smitty and set the controls on the stretcher, which started to rise on an anti-gravity field. “Did you need something, mister?”

“Smythe, of the Fireball. That’s one of my subordinates. How fast can you get her to a doctor? Our chief medical officer is in the park, is there a way to find him? Come on, don’t dawdle! She needs medical care!”

“Smitty, she’s breathing easier,” Temple broke in. “She’s not as blue...”

The lifeguard adjusted the stretcher controls so the stretcher would float over the bushes and started to steer it towards the pathway. “The medicine works pretty well,” the young man said as Smitty followed him. Beth was only a step behind. “And the mask is giving her a heavy dose of oxygen to keep her system oxygenated.”

“This wouldn’t have happened if you warned people of the risk of those berries,” Smitty growled.

“Hardly anybody is allergic,” the youngster replied. “And if you’ve never had them, how would you know you’re allergic? So a warning doesn’t do much good.” He started down a small incline, the stretcher tipping downward as it followed. Colleen’s hands rose in the air and Smitty hurried forward, afraid she might roll off. But her hand grasped his wrist and she settled down. Temple moved forward on the other side and put a hand on Colleen’s shoulder.

“Your ship’s doctor is in the park?” the young man asked over his shoulder. “If you’re sure, I can make an announcement that he’s needed.”

“He was going to the slides,” Smitty stated. “Dr Drake MacGregor.”

The lifeguard pulled something else from his first aid pouch and spoke quietly into it. Not more than 2 steps later, a very loud voice reverberated throughout the park. “Dr Drake MacGregor of the Fireball. Please report to the First Aid Station. Dr Drake MacGregor, you are needed at the First Aid Station.”

“Okay, here we are,” the lifeguard said as an unmarked door opened before them. But the room inside was small, hardly large enough to accommodate 2 stretchers and a handful of pedestrians. The door closed and the elevator started down.

Time for Fun & No Hiding

Time for Fun

Month 8 Day 30

(Shore Leave Day 1)

0800 Hours

Jane Burke

“Attention all hands. The USS Fireball has docked with Port Station Gortia of the Ulseess system. All crew members are hereby relieved of duty for 2 weeks of shore leave, due to return by 1201 on day 17. Set your personal alarms, get out there and have fun!”

As the enthusiastic announcement faded away, Jane pulled her chief engineer to one side of the open docking ramp. “What do you mean, you’re not going?”

“I’m deep in the midst of the Yukosk transporter ray, captain. I’ll just stay here-“

“Did you even make any plans for this shore leave?” she demanded.

“I did,” he returned, his face turning a brilliant red. “I’ll simply cancel them and swallow the fees. I’m not worried about that.”

“Well, I am worried about the health and well-being of my chief engineer!” she returned. “This isn’t just a 2 or 3 day layover, Smitty. This is an all-out shore leave! There won’t even be a skeleton crew aboard! When I leave, this ship needs to be empty!”

“I’m aware of the protocols, captain. But I don’t mind being alone. I’ll be able to focus without interruptions.”

“Maybe. For about 12 hours,” she shot back. “Until you got hungry. Or thirsty. Have you forgotten that the only piece of this ship that will still function will be the maneuvering jets? Which have been slaved to the space station’s controls. Everything else will shut down. The lifts, the lights, the drink dispensers, the kitchen… all will be completely off. You’d starve before we got back.”

“I asked Ann- Uh, Chef Hamara to leave me some sandwich fixings…”

“And I told her not to! There’s a reason why we periodically get 2 weeks of shore leave, and I intend for all members of my crew to take advantage of it! The Yukosk machine will still be here 2 weeks from now, but the opportunity for R&R won’t! Now march yourself down that ramp and have fun!”

Smitty hesitated. “Ahhh… I haven’t packed, captain.”

“You’ve got 10 minutes to get your necessities! Or buy whatever you need on the planet! Get going!”

“Aye, captain.” He turned and started off, against the flow of people who had already started across the room and down the ramp.

Drake pulled out of that stream to join her. “Smitty tried to cancel his shore leave?”

“I thought I’d broken him of that,” she muttered. “Hope he doesn’t waste his entire 2 weeks stewing over the project I’m making him leave behind.”

“I hope he’s given serious thought to this shore leave,” Drake stated.

“What’s that mean?”

For a moment, Drake looked flustered, but he pulled himself together. “Occasionally, one faces something they thought would never happen. They need to find a way to get through it, whatever they decide.”

“Which tells me exactly nothing.”

Drake considered that. “One, it’s not my problem to tell you about, captain. And two, give him a chance. He might figure something out.”

Jane sighed. He’s not going to tell me anything. One of the problems of my rank. “Go. Have fun.”

Drake grinned. “Don’t have to tell me twice.” He inserted himself into the flow and started down the ramp to the space station.

No Hiding

Month 8 Day 30

(Shore Leave Day 1)

0900 Hours

Bugalu

He was beginning to get impatient. A full hour since she got off shift, and she hasn’t come home yet. Where is she? Bugalu shifted his position on the couch and continued to wait. In less than a year, she’s gone from not believing she’d ever get any shore leave to refusing a full-length one. She was enthusiastic about making plans a month ago, so what’s happened? If Abdulla hadn’t managed to crack open that time-delayed message she found on her personal device, Mac would have been locked on an essentially dead ship. I imagine Mac sent us all a similar message, but the rest of us don’t have Abdulla’s hacking skills. His personal device beeped. He raised it toward his mouth. “Bugalu.”

“Have you found her?”

Hard to tell if the captain’s peeved. “Not yet. If she doesn’t come home soon, I’ll start hunting for her.”

The captain sighed. Definitely out of sorts. “If it comes to that, let me know. I’ll make a ship-wide announcement that might convince her to join the rest of us. In the meantime, there’s only 2 or 3 others who haven’t yet left.”

“Understood, captain.”

He broke the connection just as the door opened to the vaguely lighted hallway and a familiar shape came in. Mac didn’t seem concerned that the lights in her quarters didn’t come on, and by the time she reached her desk, the door closed, cutting off even that sparse light. After a moment: “Who turned off my computer?”

“The ship did,” Bugalu answered, and heard her chair clatter against the floor. “It’s just me.”

“I recognize your voice,” she snapped. “Computer, lights.” The room remained pitch black.

“Those are mostly off, too,” he told her. “Computer, emergency lights.” The room became discernible as a dim yellow glow began.

Mac picked up her chair and put it under her desk. “What are you doing here?”

“Abdulla broke the time-lock on your message canceling all those plans we made for shore leave.”

“Blast.”

“You really want to disappoint all your friends?”

“No, I… want to be alone,” she answered. “I want to work on my projects. And just… be alone.”

“Well, you can’t.” He got up and approached her. “I know tugs don’t get 2 week shore leaves, so maybe you’ve never been told. Once we attach to a port station, there’s no crew left aboard and everything shuts down. Even the emergency lights will go out in a couple hours, along with the lifts, drink machines, doors, food prep, computers-“

“Those appear to be off already.”

“Even life support. The ship’s so big, you’d have air, but it’d get chilly. Especially near the hull. And if you decided to leave, you couldn’t. She’d be locked up tight. Anyway, the captain won’t let any crew member stay aboard during full shore leave. So change your clothes. I promise we’ll find time for your projects when we get back.”

She sighed. “I don’t have any choice?”

“Nope.”

Her shoulders slumped and she turned for the still-dark bedroom. “Help me pack some things.”

He grabbed his duffel to follow. “Computer, emergency lights in the bedroom. Shut off lights in the living room.” He entered the bedroom to find Mac had already shed her uniform tunic, and was shoving her arms into a thick sweater. “Not that. You’ll be too hot.”

She turned to look at him, lowered her arms. “Where are we going?”

He grinned. “A botanical garden. It’s on the equator, so… pretty warm.”

She backed her arms out of the pullover and tossed the sweater to him. “Pack it, then. I don’t know what Yellow Dog has in mind.”

“Where’s your duffel?”

“In the closet.”

Bugalu poked his head into the closet, and took his time sweeping her uniforms aside to get the duffel off the floor. When he finally emerged, she had removed the rest of her uniform and was pushing her legs into a pair of slacks.

“Could you toss me the blue shirt with long sleeves? I’ll take the green and the red shirts. A couple slacks from my bottom drawer. Some underwear. I can buy whatever else I need. Like a hat. Sunlight doesn’t like my skin.”

Bugalu took the duffel and shirts to Della’s bed to start packing. “You mean your skin doesn’t like sunlight. I’ll buy the hat. One with a large brim. I know you wouldn’t go to a botanical garden except to humor me.”

“There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for you, Bugs,” she said softly as 2 pair of slacks landed on Della’s bed. Mac’s bed creaked, and she was pulling on a pair of half-boots. As she stood, her hands released her hair from its constraints. She opened the top drawer of her dresser, tossed a handful of lace into the duffel and closed it up. “Okay, let’s go. Can I get some whiskey on the way to the botanical garden?”

Bugalu grabbed his own duffel. “Sure. Try not to get drunk on the elevator. You’ve got 2 weeks to drink.” The door opened to let them out. “Computer, lights off,” he instructed as they stepped into the quiet hallway.