PLANETBOUND

by D M Arnold

  “I'll try. She needs love and encouragement. I'm standing by her and helping her through this.”

  “Nick, if anyone's love were strong enough to cure her, yours is.” She shook her head. “Love alone won't fix this. It's a medical condition and she needs medicine.”

  “She'll recover in time.”

  “Perhaps, in time, it will resolve itself. What if it doesn't? What if some medication can help her recover faster?”

  “It must be her decision. Dragging her there will make it worse.” Nyk stroked Nicky's abdomen. “His belly's good and full. Let's see if this holds him 'til morning. Good night, Yasuko.” He headed up the stairs.

  * * *

  Dawn's first light roused Nyk. Beside him Suki was sitting, holding Nicky to her left breast. “Good morning,” he said.

  She eyed him. “I'm sticking to our bargain. You feed him at night, and I'll do it in daylight.” She picked up a washcloth, placed it on her shoulder and held Nicky to it. Then, she offered him her right breast.

  Nyk slipped his arm around her and leaned to kiss her cheek. She pulled away. “I'm going to take my shower,” he said.

  He returned from the bathroom. Suki was holding Nicky. “He has your dark, dark eyes.”

  Suki glanced up at him. “I don't know what's wrong with me. I wonder what I'm doing with this ... thing.”

  “I'll give him his bath and take him down to your mom,” Nyk said and took Nicky from her. She lay on her side and pulled the bedcovers up to her chin.

  Nyk retrieved a plastic tub, set it in the bathtub and filled it. He propped Nicky in the tub, sponged him off, dried him, applied a fresh diaper and slipped him into clean clothes. “I'm on my way to see Seymor,” he said to Suki as she lay in bed. “I'll see you tonight.”

  She wiped tears from her face. “You must hate me, now. I'm such a miserable parent.”

  “I don't hate you. It tears me apart to see you suffering. Suki, there's no shame in asking for some help. If I make an appointment for you to see your doctor, will you come?” She looked away from him. “This isn't your fault, and I'm sure this isn't how you want to be. Think about it.” Nyk headed down the stairs and could hear her sobbing in the bedroom.

  “How is she?” Yasuko asked as she took the infant from him.

  “About the same. She fed him a while ago.”

  “He'll probably need more mid-morning. Oh, Nick -- Jonathan called and asked if you'd stop by the shop.”

  He hopped on a city bus and rode to the block holding Jonathan's shop. The place was closed and the security grates were shut. He paced back and forth on the sidewalk until he spotted Jonathan walking toward him.

  “Good morning, Nick.” Suki's uncle unlocked the grates and folded them back. “I have something to show you.” He gestured Nyk inside the shop.

  “I hope you're not upset with me,” Jonathan said and stepped into a back room. He returned with a small box. “I took the liberty of letting my supplier take one of your stones. He showed it to his cutter.” He opened the box and removed a finished gem. “Look at this! His cutter was so excited when he saw it he worked through the weekend to finish it.”

  Jonathan held it under a magnifying glass. “It's just over three and three-quarters carats, perfect white. Not a flaw -- no cracks, voids or inclusions. And, what a fine cut. Do you know how much a stone like this is worth?”

  Nyk shook his head. “I haven't a clue.”

  “When you appraise a diamond, you look at the four C's -- Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut. This stone has them all. Nick -- the appraised value could easily top fifty thousand.”

  “Fifty ... thousand ... dollars?”

  Jonathan smirked. “Not fifty thousand clamshells. Stones normally trade below their appraised value, but still -- this is by far the finest diamond I've had in my shop. It's truly world class. I could never sell it here.”

  “Jonathan, the stone you made into Suki's engagement ring -- what's it worth?”

  He looked toward the ceiling. “I didn't look at it too closely. It was between one and a half and two carats, if I recall -- a very pretty stone. I sell two-carat diamonds for five thousand that aren't as nice as that one.” Jonathan looked into Nyk's eyes. “You tell me you have more raw crystals like these?”

  “Yes -- some larger in fact.”

  “Larger! How many more?”

  “How many can you use?”

  “You're cagey for a young man. All right, let's try it this way -- What I'd like to do is to work with my supplier to have these cut. We'd pay him in kind for his efforts. If we give him ten raw stones, we'd let him keep three. I'd take the remaining seven and rotate the smaller ones into my stock. You and I could split the profits from any I sell --according to some formula we agree upon.”

  “And the larger ones?”

  “Those I'd try to move into some more upscale shops.”

  “What sort of formula?”

  “I was thinking along the lines of ... fifty-fifty.”

  “Do you think that's fair?”

  “I do, or I wouldn't have suggested it. Do you want time to think it over?”

  “No, Jonathan. Your proposal sounds acceptable to me.”

  “Good. I'll start with the rest of the stones you brought in last week. We'll see how it goes from here.” Jonathan extended his hand. “My supplier said he showed this stone to the buyers at Tiffany's and Cartier's. They've expressed some serious interest.

  * * *

  Seymor inserted the key into the door of an office building and escorted Nyk inside. “Here, lad. What do you think?”

  “It's within walking distance to the house. I'll need a couple of benches. We have running water. A high-speed data circuit would be nice, but not essential. It'll serve, Seymor.”

  “It's quite some distance from the nearest farm.”

  “When I did my initial exobotany tour, I could obtain everything the plant breeders asked for from seed catalogues and online sources. I never had to set foot in the field.”

  “What about wild plants?”

  “There's the botanical gardens and Central Park. This'll do fine -- besides, it's winter.”

  “The lab furniture can be here this afternoon. I have stasis equipment in the trunk of my car. We can hook up the phone in a couple of days. A data circuit will take a bit longer.”

  “I can order material from the apartment in the meantime.” He looked at the windows. “Southern light for the sprouting beds -- we won't need grow lights.”

  “That's just as well,” Seymor replied. “I wouldn't want the local constabulary imagining we're growing dope in here.”

  “What's the top priority?”

  “What has been the top priority -- the potato crisis.” He handed Nyk a diskette. “Here's a list of what the plant breeders are looking for. I'll call and arrange for the furniture delivery.” Seymor headed out the door to use his car phone.

  Nyk pocketed the diskette. He poked his head into Seymor's car. “Would you care to take me to the hardware store?”

  * * *

  His laptop computer connected to the data line, Nyk scanned online seed catalogues for material to satisfy the plant breeders. He placed orders using his Agency debit card. Suki emerged from the bedroom in a long robe. Her hair was stringy and unkempt. “What are you doing?”

  “I'm ordering some seeds.”

  “You're not doing work for ... them, are you?”

  “Yes -- as a contractor and I'm being paid a pretty for doing so.”

  Suki stepped from the nursery holding Nicky. She sat on the sofa and opened her robe. “I am getting so tired of this.”

  “Suki, if you're not having a good time nursing him -- stop. No one's going to think you a poorer mother.”

  “Of course they won't -- how much poorer can I be?” She looked up at him. “I can't do this, Nick,” she said shaking her head. “I can't...”

  “Let's see if we can get you some help.”

  “What would help would be getting ri
d of this smelly, disgusting ... thing.”

  Nyk looked at her with tears in his eyes. “How can you say that about your own child?”

  “I wish one of us were dead.”

  “Don't say such things.”

  “I mean it. He'd be better off without me and so would I.” She began to cry. “I don't know what's wrong with me. Oh, Nick! I'm so unhappy!”

  Nyk sat beside her. “Suki, no matter what happens -- I'm here, and I'll be here. Doesn't that help?”

  “Help ... yes it helps.”

  “Your mom said she'd keep him downstairs any night we wanted a break. Do you want a break tonight?”

  “I suppose.”

  “I'll change him and give him his bath -- then, I'll take him to your mom.” Nyk took Nicky from her and carried him into the bathroom. Holding him in one arm, Nyk filled the plastic basin. He stripped off Nicky's clothes and sat him in the water, supporting his head and shoulders, and sponged him off.

  “Here he is, Grandma,” Nyk said as he handed the infant to Yasuko. “All fresh, clean and sweet-smelling.”

  “How's she doing?”

  Nyk shook his head. “I don't think she's showered all week. She'll break into tears and sleep.”

  “I think her milk's drying up. Don't tell her I'm giving him formula. Nick -- I can take care of Nicky while you try to deal with his mom.”

  Nyk nodded and headed up the stairs. He looked around the apartment and found Suki lying on her stomach on the bed, sobbing. He touched her back. “Don't do that. It doesn't feel good.”

  “Suki -- Do you remember after the Lexal incident? I was suffering from a post-trauma depression. I know how you feel. It tears me apart to see you like this.” He stroked her cheek and she turned her face away. “You and Seymor intervened so I could get treatment. Now YOU need treatment. It's not your fault. My condition was partly my own fault for getting involved with the Lexalese in the first place. Your's isn't -- your body chemistry is having difficulty adjusting, now that Nicky's born. It's affecting your brain. Suki -- I know you don't want to be like this. Let's go to the doctor and get it fixed.”

  “I won't take drugs.”

  “Maybe your doctor should decide that.”

  “I said I'm not taking drugs. Now, go away and leave me alone.”

  Nyk returned to the lower level. “It kills me to see her that way.”

  “I was worse. I'd hear voices -- voices telling me I was evil -- taunting voices.” She looked away. “Voices imploring me to kill myself or run away. I remember as if it were yesterday.”

  “Do you think she's hearing voices?”

  “I don't think so -- yet. I hope she can get treatment before she gets that bad. I do think it's better for Nicky to be out of that environment.”

  “Do you think she'd harm him?”

  “Through neglect, perhaps. I don't think she'd deliberately hurt him.”

  “She doesn't want to see the doctor. I want it to be her decision -- I'm afraid if we intervene she'll resist even more. We'll have to wait until something snaps and she sees the need herself.”

  “Or until something snaps and she has no choice.” Yasuko nodded. “That's what I'm afraid of, Nick. I'm happy to care for Nicky. I wish someone had been here to care for Sukiko when she was his age.”

  * * *

  Nyk carried a cardboard carton up the steps to the Tribeca office building. Seymor greeted him at the door. “Your first set of cultures.”

  “I'll take care of the rendezvous with the packet.”

  Nyk handed Seymor a slip of paper. “My first set of hours.”

  Seymor scanned the sheet. “How many?”

  “Thirty.”

  “I'll write you a check.” He beckoned Nyk to his desk and withdrew a ledger-sized checkbook.

  “Make it out to Nick Kane.” Seymor glared up at him. “Sorry.”

  Seymor tore the check from the book. “Here, lad. It's a bargain. Have a seat.” Nyk sat. “Kronta suspects you're offworld. He's trying to figure out how you did it. He told me if he finds Service people helped you, they'd regret it. They'll spend the rest of their careers swabbing the decks of slow freighters.”

  “No one in the Service helped me.”

  “They've located a rather hapless comm technician who recalls helping an unknown ExoAgent named Nemo repair a shuttlecar. Nemo, Nyk?” Seymor squinted. “Nemo?”

  “I hope they don't punish Zoa. She didn't know.”

  “Zoa's been interrogated...”

  “With truth drug? She's innocent, Seymor.”

  “They know that, now. I hope for your sake you never need to make a transit through that relay station when she's on board. Kronta called again yesterday afternoon. He'd like to speak to you -- off the record.”

  “Would it help?”

  “I can't see how it would hurt, Nyk. I'll place the call.”

  “All right, see if Kronta's available.”

  Seymor sat behind his computer. He said a few words and beckoned Nyk behind his desk.

  “Nykkyo,” Kronta said. “I thought you were offworld. How did you get there?”

  “I found my own way.”

  “We must know how you did it. You seemingly vanished from the face of Floran.”

  Nyk shook his head. “Sorry, Illya.”

  “Someone had to have helped you. Who was it?” Nyk shook his head again. “At least tell me if it involved Service people.”

  “Maybe it did and maybe it didn't.”

  “Nyk, believe me when I tell you I was making some progress with your case. I'm afraid your action has set back your cause.”

  “It's done my cause fine. I arrived here in time to be with Suki when she delivered her baby.”

  “You know Tomyka will send enforcers after you.”

  “I'll take my chances.”

  “Nyk, I'd like you to consider returning here and working with me to clear your name. It can't happen so long as you're a fugitive. Turning yourself in would mitigate the damage you've done.”

  “The status of my name on that world means little to me, Illya. I don't think we have any more to discuss.” The vidphone session went dark.

  “I see that conversation was leading nowhere,” Seymor said.

  “Maybe speaking with him was a mistake.”

  “He is on your side, lad. I trust him. Please, Nyk...”

  “What, Seymor? Turn myself in?”

  Seymor shook his head. “Be careful. Are you still wearing that bracelet?” Nyk held up his arm and pulled back his cuff. “Watch your back, lad.”

  “I'll be careful. I must be on my way.”

  “Wait, lad...” Seymor handed him a package wrapped in colorful paper. “For the baby.”

  * * *

  Nyk sat at the kitchen table cradling Nicky in his arm. He stroked the infant's hair. “Look -- he's tracking my finger.” Nyk brought his finger to Nicky's face and touched his lips. Nicky opened his mouth and began sucking Nyk's finger.

  “Here, give him this,” Yasuko said and handed Nyk a bottle of formula. “Did a night to herself help her at all?”

  “I don't think so.” He stroked Nicky's cheek as he nursed. “Look how fast he goes.” The boy reached and gripped the bottle. “I've never seen him nurse so vigorously.” Nyk smiled. “Listen to him.”

  “I'm surprised he's gaining weight. Like I said, her milk's drying up. He's hungry.”

  “It must be the formula you're sneaking him.” Nyk kissed his forehead. “Okay, buddy, time for a lie-down in your luxury chair.” He set Nicky into the infant seat. “What do you think, Yasuko? Is it time to intervene?”

  “I think it might be past time.”

  “Maybe I should call and make an appointment for her.” Yasuko nodded. “Well, off to the lab.”

  Yasuko opened her arms to him and he embraced her. “I'll see you tonight.” He headed out the front door. His eyes fell upon two men standing on the sidewalk. One held a green card and the other was pointing at the house. Nyk made eye conta
ct for an instant and headed for the corner.

  * * *

  Nyk opened an incubator, looked at the potato cultures and decided they were ready for transport to the homeworld. He set up a wire rack, loaded it with empty polymer stasis capsules and began transferring the cultures. When all the capsules were filled he loaded them into a stasis canister. The lid went on, he switched it to an internal power cell and packed it into a cardboard carton addressed to the FloranCo operative in Kansas City.

  He picked up the phone and ordered pickup service from an overnight delivery company. His laptop computer signaled an incoming message from Seymor listing more requests from the plant breeders. Nyk sat and began looking for suppliers for the material.

  A knock came at the door. Nyk turned the package over to the express driver. He looked at the clock, noted his hours and began packing up the laptop computer. It was a five block walk to the Kyhana household. He slipped on a jacket, locked the lab and trudged down the street.

  12 -- I Feel Like I've Been Through a War

  “Yasuko, it's Nick,” he called as he walked into the house. He saw George sitting in the living room.

  “She stepped out. How's the consultation going?”

  “It's going well. Did Suki go out, too?”

  “No, she's upstairs.”

  “Did Yasuko take Nicky?”

  “He's upstairs also.”

  Nyk trotted up the steps to the apartment. He opened the door and saw Suki sleeping in a ball on the sofa. He opened the door to the nursery and looked in. The crib was empty.

  He went to Suki and shook her. “Suki ... korlyta ... wake up.”

  She opened her eyes. “Nick? Oh, Nick, you're home.” He held her.