by D M Arnold
“When I met Andra we were both fifteen years old. I needed a roommate, and she needed a room. We've been close friends ever since.”
A chime sounded and the spacecraft lumbered down the runway. She extended a pair of wings, lifted off and traveled a nearly vertical trajectory into orbit.
“I'm enjoying this flight,” Janna said. “I don't often have the pleasure of being an ordinary citizen. It's one reason I enjoy visiting with Andra -- we can talk and laugh like we did at the academy. And, please -- you must visit Lexal again. Mykko and I would enjoy hosting you.”
Nyk glanced out a viewport and saw his indigo world. The shutters closed and a white indicator signaled the impending warp jump. The indicator glowed blue and the subjump jolted the craft as it traveled from orbit to beyond Floran's heliopause in an instant. Another jolt and the vessel hopped to the vicinity of the comm relay station.
The pilot stepped from the cockpit. “We're in station-keeping.”
“I must be on my way,” Nyk said. “I'll recharge the shuttlecar at the relay station and head for Earth. I don't know how to thank you.”
“Thank me by going to your Earth woman and fulfilling your destiny. Good luck, Nykkyo.”
The pilot escorted Nyk to the cargo bay. He climbed into the shuttlecar and powered it up. The control panel gave a blue “go” condition, but with a low-power advisory. Nyk traded the two-finger Floran salute with the pilot, who stepped through the pressure door. The shuttle's door safety catches engaged and Nyk tested the door seals. The cargo bay depressurized and the clamshell doors opened.
Nyk pulled on the unistick and backed the shuttlecar into space. The doors closed and in a flash the Lexalese vessel disappeared into her warp jump. He tuned the shuttlecar's guidance to the relay station transponders and engaged at maximum sublight velocity.
The relay station was the size of a large house -- larger than a standard comm station. The additional space was necessary as it served as a staging point for ExoAgency missions. In addition to communications equipment, it had an oversized shuttle bay, a decontamination chamber, enlarged living quarters, a wardroom, powerplant, labs and a workshop.
The shuttlecar drew toward the station. Nyk pressed a control and the shuttlebay spacedoor opened. He piloted the craft into the bay, closed the spacedoor and began repressurization. The safety catches released with a snap. He stepped out, connected cables to recharge the shuttlecar's power cells and headed through the pressure door.
“Hello, who's there?” Nyk jumped. A young woman with curly, light brown hair walked toward him. “Hi, I'm Zoa,” she said. “I heard the bay pressurize.”
“I ... I'm... Nemo.”
“Hi, Nemo. What're you doing here? Let me guess -- ExoAgency business, no doubt. You look like an ExoAgent -- you're dressed like one.”
“Good guess.” He regarded the uniform she was wearing, a short and sleeveless jumpsuit with the ExoService Communications Corps emblem embroidered on the breast. “I'll bet you're here on a tender mission.”
“You guess well, too. I'm here performing routine maintenance on the TachNet equipment. I've been here eight days, and the tender's scheduled to pick me up in two.”
“Well, I have a quick transit to make to Earth, so I won't get in your way.” Zoa headed back to the communications control room and resumed her maintenance chores. Nyk entered the wardroom and examined the contents of his pocket -- his wallet and keys. He counted about fifty dollars in bills and fingered his Agency debit card.
He returned to the shuttlebay to check on the shuttlecar. The number two power cell still reported low power. He climbed out of the shuttle and examined the power , mom cables. One of them had a defective fitting. He rolled the shuttle into an adjacent stall, attached another set of power cables and began running preflight diagnostics.
Nyk walked to the comm station living quarters and looked for something to eat. Zoa entered. “I thought you were on your way.”
“The shuttlecar needs a recharge. I'm stuck here for the better part of a day.”
“That's okay -- I'd enjoy some company. You might not believe it, but this is a rather lonely job.”
“I believe it. What're you doing -- tending the fusion reactors?”
“No, they're not due for service this tour. I'm upgrading the TachNet transmitters, to increase the range of this station. There's a new colony due to receive comm service within the next year, and this station will be the primary link. I don't remember which colony it is -- I'm just here to upgrade the transmitters. Tell me about your mission.”
“I'm afraid my mission's classified.”
“Oh, I love it. Here I am, performing a routine transmitter upgrade and an ExoAgent walks onto my station -- surrounded by ... mystery!”
“I have a little chore to do, so if you'll excuse me.” He walked to the workroom, looked through drawers of tools and found a razor knife. From the first-aid kit he retrieved a bottle of healing salve. A glance through the workroom door revealed Zoa busy in the communications control center.
Nyk tested the sharpness of the blade. Holding it in his left hand, he rested his right wrist, palm up on the workbench. With his finger he felt for the new ID chip. He placed the knife blade against the lump it made in his skin, grimaced and drove the blade into his flesh.
With his left thumbnail he pressed against the lump, squeezing out a grain-of-rice sized object. He picked it up and placed it into a stasis capsule. Then, he dropped healing salve onto the wound, wincing from its sting. The cut began to close and he slipped the capsule into his pocket.
A stack of sheet-metal scraps caught his eye. He retrieved a piece of copper, trimmed it and smoothed its edges. Then, he bent it into a broad bracelet, slipped it onto his right wrist and buttoned his shirt cuff over it.
* * *
Nyk walked into the shuttle bay to check on the progress of recharging the shuttlecar. The power level indicator showed no charge in the number two cell. He walked to the station's workshop for the shuttlecar service kit. He used a latch releaser to open an access panel over the power cells.
The compartment was crammed with unfamiliar equipment. He started reading the service manual included in the kit, but it might as well have been written in Greek. He noted a multi-tester service connector on the chassis near the power cells.
He returned to the workshop for the multitester and wheeled it into the shuttle bay. The tester's cable wouldn't mate with the connector on the chassis. He looked at the tester's instructions -- an adapter was required for this model shuttlecar. He returned to the workshop to fetch the adapter.
The adapter fit into the chassis socket and he connected the multitester with the shuttlecar. He switched on the tester and looked at the device's display. “Is something wrong with your shuttle?” he heard Zoa ask from near the pressure door.
“Don't help me. I must figure this out myself.” He pressed the tester's touch screen and initiated a level one diagnostic. The results returned nominal -- no problems detected. He looked at the control panel in the shuttlecar and saw the low power indicator was still lit.
“What's the problem?” Zoa asked.
“I get a low power warning on the number two power cell. I've been recharging it, but it won't take a charge, and I can't see anything wrong on the multitester. I don't think we have another cell in the workshop.”
“You wouldn't want to change a power cell if we had one -- you'd have to dismantle half the power deck.” Zoa walked over to the multitester. She began manipulating the touch screen to run low level diagnostics. “Your power cell looks like it's good... Yes, full charge.” She ran some more tests. “Power is reaching the distribution manifold, no problem...” Her fingers flew over the screen. “I'd suspect the power level sense transducer.”
Zoa rummaged through the service kit. “No sense transducers... Let me switch the number one and two sensors. If the warning moves with the transducer, we know we have it.” She rummaged through the service kit again. “You don'
t happen to have a circlip releaser, do you?”
“I wouldn't know one if I stepped on it.”
“Hold on,” she said and left the shuttle bay. She returned with a toenail clipper and used it to remove the transducers on the power cells. “I swapped them. Check your panel, now.”
“Yes -- the low power indicator's now on the number one cell.”
“Just ignore the warning. Your power's good. Next chance, have this shuttle taken in for service.” She closed the access panel on the shuttlecar and began packing up the tester and service kit.
Nyk sat in the shuttlecar. “I can't get a 'go' panel with that indicator on.”
“Let me see...” Zoa sat in the shuttlecar. She popped open another access panel and began moving circuit shunts. The warning indicator extinguished and the panel lit up in a blue “go” condition. “There -- this'll get you to the surface and back, guaranteed. Just have this craft taken in for service when you come back up. So, are you off, now?”
“No. I've lost the darkness. I'll have to wait here until it's night again. Thanks for your help, Zoa. I'm going to turn in.”
“Any time, Nemo,” she replied and returned to the communications control room.
* * *
Nyk lay, fingers laced behind his head, on a bunk in one of the relay station cabins. He shut his eyes and relaxed, attempting to will himself to sleep. He napped until awakened by Zoa's voice. “Nemo?”
He sat up, startled, “What?”
“May I come in?”
“Come in.” Zoa opened the cabin door. She had removed her CommCorps jumpsuit and was wearing a tunic, without sash.
“May I nap with you?” Nyk made room on the narrow bunk and she lay next to him. “The Communication Corps is a lonely service. It's a treat to sleep with someone.”
Nyk looked at his watch, set to Earth time. “I'll have to be out of here in about five segments.”
“That's all right.” She looked at him. “Do you have someone at home?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I thought so. Man or woman?”
“Why all the questions?” Nyk asked.
“I want to see if my guess about you is accurate.”
He smiled. “Tell me your guess and I'll tell you how close you are.”
“All right... You're from Sudal...”
“How did you know that?”
“My boyfriend's from there. I recognized it right away -- how you talk, how you carry yourself. You can't hide it, Nemo. You Sudalese men are so sweet -- I much prefer you to City men. I don't care much for Sudalese women, though.”
“You're right about Sudal.”
“You also look like the sort who likes women. I'll bet you're married -- in a love match. I wish I could marry my boyfriend, but he's been promised to a girl who's not even reached the age of consent. He loves me -- not her. I've agreed to be his amfin, once my tour is over.”
“I am married, but it's no love match.”
“Oh... I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe I should stop guessing -- I'm not doing too well.”
“You didn't do badly at all.”
“You're sweet -- just like I said -- Sudalese men are sweet.” She smiled and lay on her back. “I have a cramp in my leg. Would you massage it?”
“Where?”
She pointed to her right knee. “Here.” Nyk massaged her thigh above her knee. “Mmm -- that's better. I've had these since I was a kid. My mom told me I'd grow out of it but I haven't -- yet ... here...” She pointed to a spot higher on her thigh. Nyk moved his hands up a bit. She looked into his eyes. “Higher.”
“Zoa, I don't think we know each other well enough.” He lifted his hands. “You are fortunate you never outgrew these leg-aches.”
“It works about half the time.” She smiled and wrinkled her nose. “This is a lonely assignment, Nemo. You're not cross with me for trying, are you?” He shook his head. “I'm sorry we won't have the opportunity to know each other well enough. I think I'd enjoy you.”
“Will you be returning here for other tender duties?”
“I don't know. There are so many relay stations -- I go where they send me. I'm touring the galaxy, one station at a time. One thing for sure -- once my tour is over, I'm planetbound.” She yawned. “I'm going to try to sleep some, now. I have to be up before you -- for a transmitter linkup test. Good night -- and, good luck on your mission, Nemo.” She extinguished the cabin lighting.
9 -- We Have Another Guest
Nyk walked into the wardroom and opened his personal effects locker. He transferred the stasis capsule from his pocket to the locker and examined his identity documents -- a passport and state-issued photo ID. He returned to the shuttle bay and climbed into the shuttlecar. The door seals checked and the safety catches engaged. The bay began to decompress. The spacedoor slid open and the shuttle rolled into the void.
With his subjump coordinates verified, he triggered the subwarp coil and soon found himself in a parking orbit around Earth. He activated countermeasures and piloted the craft on a reentry trajectory, touching down in the countryside near the university in Wisconsin. The craft headed toward the house.
He pulled up to the detached garage and opened the door. Then, he drove the vehicle into the structure and covered it with a canvas shroud. He closed the garage door and locked it. He opened the house and walked in, picked up the telephone, ordered a taxi to stop at 6AM and flopped onto his bed.
* * *
The cab driver sounded his horn and Nyk stepped from the house. He locked the door and climbed into the taxi. “Mitchell Airport,” he instructed the driver.
Nyk watched as the cab pulled onto the freeway and headed for the airport south of Milwaukee. It was mid November, and most of the trees had lost their leaves. The driver dropped him at the curb. Nyk paid him twenty dollars, went into the terminal and stood in line to purchase a one-way ticket to New York.
The ticket agent looked at his photo ID. “How would you like to pay for this, Mr Kane?”
Nyk handed her his Agency debit card. “See if this works.”
She processed his transaction. Nyk tried to modulate his breathing. “It came back declined,” she said. “Do you have another card?”
Nyk looked into his wallet. “No, sorry.”
“Let me try it again,” she said and processed the transaction. “It looks okay this time -- it must've been a computer glitch.”
Nyk signed the credit slip and took his boarding pass. “Concourse D, gate 38.”
He headed up the escalator to the security checkpoint. The metal detector buzzed as he walked through it.
“Empty your pockets.” Nyk dug out his keyring and wallet. “Step through again.” The detector beeped.
“Please step over here. Hold out your arms.” The security agent ran a detector wand over his body. It buzzed as it passed over his right wrist. “Do you have something up your sleeve?”
“No.” He unbuttoned his cuff and pulled his sleeve up.
“That bracelet.” Nyk slipped off the copper band.
The wand buzzed over his wrist again. “I broke a bone and have a pin in my wrist.”
“Okay, go on through.” He slipped on the band, buttoned his cuff, headed for the gate and sat to wait for the boarding call.
The flight took off and headed for New York City. Nyk picked up the airphone and ran his debit card through the device. He punched in the phone number for the house in Queens. No answer. He looked out the windows at the cloud cover below as the plane droned on toward New York. Finally it began its descent over Long Island Sound.
Nyk stepped through the jetway at LaGuardia and stood in a line for a taxi. He gave the driver the address in Queens, and looked at the clock on the taxi dashboard. It read 11:40.
The car pulled up to the house. Nyk gave the driver has last twenty and collected some singles in change. He climbed the steps and pressed the doorbell.
Yasuko opened the door. Nyk's eyes met hers. She broke into a smile and embraced h
im. “Shhh,” she said and beckoned him into the living room. He saw Suki sitting on a sofa, her back to the door. A number of other women were sitting on furniture in the room. “Sukiko... We have another guest.”
Suki hoisted herself from the sofa and headed toward the front door. Her eyes met Nyk's and she ran to him. “Nick! Oh, Nick!” He threw his arms around her and kissed her. She began to laugh and cry at the same time, peppering his face with kisses as he kissed tears off hers.
“I see I'm not too late,” he said as he caressed her bulging belly.
“Not too late -- two weeks and counting. Come in. Mom is throwing me a surprise baby shower.” She looked at her mother. “Was this part of the surprise?”
“I'm as surprised as you are.”
“There are some people we want you to meet,” Suki said, took his hand and led him into the living room. “You know Cathy.”
A slightly built woman with opaque glasses stood and extended her hand. Nyk grasped it and leaned so she could kiss his cheek. “Good to see you again. I'll take good care of Suki's desk while she's on maternity leave.”
Yasuko led Nyk to a pair of Asian women. “These are my friends Fumiko Kurosawa and Linda Tsukasa. This is Nick Kane, Sukiko's fiancé.” Nyk bowed to them.
Nyk approached another middle-aged woman. “This,” Suki said, “is Miss Wallace, my favorite teacher from high school.”
She extended her hand, “Pleased to meet you Mr Kane.” His eyes met hers. She put her hand over her mouth and gasped. “I'm so sorry,” she said. “For a moment, you reminded me of someone I knew years ago... But -- you'd have to be twenty years older -- or, I'd have to be twenty years younger.” She shook her head. “Please forgive me -- I must be in my dotage.”
“Look at all the great baby stuff,” Suki said gesturing toward a pile of gifts in the center of the floor.
“I'll go upstairs and change,” Nyk said. “Thanks everyone, for your generosity.”
“Oh, no you're not,” Suki said. “Sit by me.” She laced her fingers with his. “I'm not letting go of you. I'm not letting you out of my sight!”
