Galaxia

by Kevin McLaughlin

  To pass the time and avoid too much thinking, she was busy catching up on a lot of drudge work. The attempt on the life of Ambassador Menendez had to be accounted for to the smallest detail, so the Investigators assigned to the case could track down whoever was responsible and hold them accountable. But that wasn’t all. They were talking about giving her a commendation for bravery because she had saved the ambassador, but they were also talking about giving her a formal reprimand because she had broken protocol by flying off alone to deal with it. They couldn’t exactly give her both, so they would probably just end up doing nothing. That was fine with her, but meanwhile, there were all these forms to fill out…

  And then there were the updates, everything from patrol reports on the latest trash run to flight rotations and schedule conflicts that had to be worked out without pissing anyone off too much. It wasn’t her preferred way to spend her time, but it was better than thinking about what was going on with Paul and Jack.

  And there it was. She was thinking about it again even though she didn’t want to. She glanced up at the clock and was disturbed to find that she had already been waiting for four hours. What was keeping Dr. Jeong? The nurses had assured her that Jack was not in any physical danger, so why wouldn’t someone come out and talk to her?

  She gave the clock a disapproving glare and went back to her busy work. It was just no use. Every time she tried to think about anything other than the situation at hand, her husband’s face or her son’s face floated back into her mind. She would never have expected this to happen to her.

  Paul always had a temper, but he had never been a violent man, at least not to her. T3 society was pointedly egalitarian when it came to relationships, and an incident of domestic violence would certainly be enough to sink someone’s career. So maybe that was what had held him back. But she didn’t think so.

  The thing was, Paul was never really that bad until just recently. He sometimes got angry for very little reason, and he seemed almost incapable of letting something drop and just getting on with life. But her parents had raised her with a good example of a successful marriage, and the firm injunction that all good relationships require a lot of compromise. She had done her best to live up to that lesson, and it was only a short time ago that things had started to get beyond her ability to handle.

  Was Paul’s condition the cause of it all as Dr. Jeong insisted, or would he have been a difficult man to live with under the best of circumstances? Had she even been compromising in the first place, or just putting up with something she should never have to endure?

  She hadn’t pondered it much until she had no choice, and now she didn’t know what to do. Paul was a brilliant engineer — a genius, really — and she was a fighter pilot, one of the most elite positions in the Federation Fleet. How could the child of such a match be anything other than happy and successful? She didn’t understand it. They had all the right ingredients for a perfect family, but in the end, it had turned into pure misery. Her husband was gone, and she didn’t even know what was going on with her son.

  She just couldn’t take it, not if she went on thinking like this. She was a Federation pilot, a proud member of the armed services. She could control her emotions, she could shut them off if she had to. She had done it before and had been doing it for as long as she could remember. She could do it now.

  She composed her face into a mask, let the heartache and fear fade away. She pretended she was flying, with nothing to think about but her Spitfire and the stars.

  Dr. Jeong was standing across from her on the other side of the lobby, staring at her with a peculiar expression on his face. She knew he was only doing his job, but for a man who had just smashed her whole life to pieces, he seemed blandly professional, almost cheerful.

  As for Dr. Jeong, he was thinking about how strange her expression looked. For a woman who had just recently been separated from both her husband and her child, she seemed weirdly unemotional.

  As he crossed the lobby with his hands in his lab coat pockets, he found himself wishing there was something that would make this process easier. Diane Klingerman was so suspicious, so quick to take offense. He couldn’t show it, but Dr. Jeong was a little intimidated.

  People used to have rituals to deal with this sort of thing, he recalled Why don’t we have anything like that anymore?

  Handshaking, for instance. When two people met, they would extend their weapon hands and clasp them firmly, shaking them up and down to show that they were both unarmed. Such a useful social ritual, a simple way to put the other person at ease.

  If he could only show her he meant no harm, that he had the best of intentions — but the handshaking ritual no longer existed, and nothing had arisen to take its place. He tried to put her at ease by smiling, but it seemed inappropriate under the circumstances and it felt false.

  As the doctor approached, the sickly smile on his face made Diane’s skin crawl. Why in the world was he smiling, and why did it look so bizarre? Did he plan to open with a joke before he told her what he’d done with her son?

  Still, the well-being and togetherness of her family depended on this man and his decisions. It wouldn’t do to offend him. She stood up and tried to return his expression as well as she could, and it ended up looking just as strange.

  They stood there forcing smiles at each other for a few seconds before Dr. Jeong realized someone would have to break the tension. “Hello, Mrs… Flight Sergeant Klingerman. I’m sorry to keep you waiting for such a long time, but I’m afraid we’re going to have to keep Jack here overnight.”

  “Is he… alright?” she asked.

  “Yes, of course. It’s just that we need to run some tests. I’m sure you understand.”

  “If you think it’s best.”

  “I’m sure it is. You might as well go home and get some rest. We’ll know more tomorrow.”

  Diane sighed. She’d heard this before. Still, at least her husband and her son were in Federation care. Whatever they were doing must be good for society. That was the whole point of the Federation, after all. She didn’t want to be seen as difficult or obstructive, not when it came to important Federation work.

  “I’ll be back tomorrow, then.”

  “Good night, Mrs. Klingerman.”

  It didn’t even occur to her to correct him this time.

  Chapter Nine

  Early the next morning, Dr. Jeong was in his office sipping his morning cup of macca. The popular stimulant, mixed from a pink powder, was warm and soothing to drink. It tasted slightly sweet when fresh, and a single cup was enough to focus the mind for the day’s work. He cradled the mug in his hand and watched the steam rise and fade away, then took a sip and sighed contentedly. The perfect cup.

  His holo beeped, and his assistant’s pleasantly professional voice disturbed his reverie. “Sorry to interrupt your macca, Doctor, but you have a call from Diane Klingerman.”

  He put the mug down gently on his desk. “That’s quite alright, Christie. You can put her through.”

  He would have preferred not to be interrupted until he’d finished his morning ritual, but he knew better than to snap at Christie about it. At the Federation Academy in Vienna, the professors always hammered in the importance of treating people well to build up social capital.

  Dr. Jeong had learned the lesson well. When you invested in your people, they were much more likely to go the extra mile for you in the future. Human relationships were built on reciprocity, not authority, and even when you had authority officially, it was still better to remember that.

  The question was this: how could he build up reciprocity with Diane Klingerman, so he didn’t have to lean too hard on his legal authority? He had her husband and her son, so she was all but powerless in this relationship. The key point was to make sure that wasn’t too obvious, so she didn’t panic and do something unpredictable.

  In his Academy classes on sociology, they had taught him that all authority depended on force, but that the actual use of
force implied a lack of authority. He needed to proceed with Mrs. Klingerman on that basis somehow, so his authority would never be questioned and would never need to be enforced.

  Christie broke in again, a little flustered. “Okay, she’s here. Sorry for the delay. The call dropped while I was talking to you and I had to get her back.”

  Dr. Jeong smiled serenely. “Of course, Christie. How can I help you, Flight Sergeant?”

  Though he was prone to forget, the use of her military title made Mrs. Klingerman feel respected. It was an easy way to build the reciprocity he was looking for.

  The holographic image of Diane Klingerman appeared in his office. It was an almost perfect depiction, creating the impression that she was in the room with him rather than at home in her kitchen or in some break area at her work.

  Her face was a blank like it had been the night before. He was starting to think this was her baseline state, disturbed only momentarily by what had happened to her family. Now that the trauma of having her husband and son taken away from her was starting to fade, she was already getting herself under control again. Regardless, she had not yet given up on getting back the life she knew. “Can I come in and collect Jack now?”

  He sighed. “I only just got into the office and we need to do a few more tests for the Project, but I’ll update you later this evening. Will that do?”

  She nodded woodenly. “Later this evening.” The image flickered out, much to his great relief, as his mention of the Project had been a huge mistake. She didn’t even seem to notice, and he wasn’t sure she would have reacted if she had. She wanted her family back, but she was learning to accept the situation. Her flat tranquility seemed almost dissociative. It wasn’t pleasant to watch, but it did give him the time and space he needed to complete the preliminary round of tests that might land him the best job in Project Charlie. The culmination of everything he’d ever hoped for in life…

  He brought up a holoscreen and looked over the data, noting with mounting excitement that the early tests looked extremely promising. If his suspicions were correct, Jack Klingerman was the subject they’d been waiting for. This was quite a coup, to be the man who had found the long-sought Subject. The search for someone with these characteristics had continued for quite some time now, with several researchers vying for the honor. If he could prove that he’d done it, he was almost certain to be appointed the head of Project Charlie. When the Project went live, he’d be right there doing the most important research in modern science.

  Working on something like the Project had always been his dream. Even better than that, it was the sort of project that wasn’t likely to be touched by budget cuts if the No-vote won. The prospects of the Charlie Mutation were just too important for the Federation, and the Admirals would be willing to cut from other budget items rather than jeopardize this work.

  Comparing the data sheets from Paul and Jack, Dr. Jeong was even more impressed. Both of the Klingermans were demonstrating cognitive abilities no one had ever seen before. Some aspects of the data even suggested that they might be capable of generating new types of brain waves. Did new brain waves imply new mental capabilities? There was no way to even predict what that might mean, but it had the potential to change all aspects of life if its full potential could be realized.

  As striking as the numbers were, they made perfect sense. Without something like this, it’s doubtful a normal human would have been able to pull off the remote rescue of the asteroid miners. The amount of data involved had been astronomical, far too much for a normal mind to even begin to process in the time they’d been given. Paul Klingerman wasn’t just a genius like his coworkers assumed, he was more like a new type of human being. No wonder he had a hard time getting along without strife in the everyday world.

  Returning to the issue of reciprocity with Diane Klingerman, the outline of a strategy was beginning to emerge. She was clearly a patriot and a strong partisan of the Yes-vote. Most military people were, but with her, it was more like a naïve obsession: she trusted the Federation unquestioningly and never second-guessed its long-term agenda. She didn’t even seem to doubt its means, always assuming they must be for the best.

  She also seemed like one of those parents who saw their children’s career success as an extension of themselves. She’d want the best for Jack, he was sure of that, and a grateful Federation would promise much. All he had to do to win her support for the Project was appeal to her patriotism and her hopes for Jack’s future. The sense that she was doing the Right Thing would do the rest of the work for him.

  Yes, that’s the key! Don’t tell her what to do unless you have to. Just assume she’ll play along, and she probably will. Everything in her life has prepared her to do exactly that...

  Of course, he did have an option if he needed to use it, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to. He felt bad for her, and the disruption this would bring to the lives of Paul and Jack. He wasn’t without empathy. In the end, though, anything could happen on the frontiers of science. He couldn’t allow his instinctive sympathy to interfere with what the science demanded. Between his work and his feelings, there was an iron cage, and nothing could be allowed to breach it.

  The big picture was more important than the feelings of any one individual. It was bigger than his own feelings, it was bigger than Diane’s or Paul’s — and it was bigger than Jack’s. He would do whatever he had to do to make Project Charlie a success.

  Chapter Ten

  Jack’s mother was not as tranquil about the situation as Dr. Jeong assumed. She just wasn’t ready to accept that the doctor was really planning to keep her son. I can understand why they’re holding Paul, she thought, he assaulted a coworker! But not my Jack…

  Until they could treat Paul effectively, he would be a danger to other people. It was a sad situation, but at least they were giving him the best help available. The situation with Jack was not the same at all. Jack didn’t really do anything so terrible. Pushing and shoving, that’s all. Just kid stuff.

  It was not acceptable, but the right way to handle it was through a meeting or two with the socialization expert. There was no reason whatsoever for them to hold him indefinitely. She was here to get him, and she didn’t intend to take no for an answer. But it had already been so long, and she felt her determination slipping away from her…

  In the lobby of the hospital, after a long day’s work, she was waiting, once again, for someone to come out and tell her what was going on. Things didn’t make sense. Surely the Federation must have a good reason for keeping Jack so long, and surely Dr. Jeong must have Federation approval for this operation.

  He had said something about “the project,” but what could that mean? Surely there wouldn’t be a whole project based around her husband’s strange medical condition?

  Tapping her fingers nervously against her leg, Diane was suddenly struck by a bold plan. I’ll check the directory. My military login should get me access. I’ll see what department they’re keeping Jack in!

  As soon as she had the idea, she knew she would act on it. It was too compelling to ignore, even though it was a minor risk. She logged in and checked, surprised to see that this particular Fleet Hospital was more of a research facility than a place for treatment.

  There were indeed a number of projects listed in this department: cognitive functioning, behavioral abnormality research, stem-cell development. It could be under any one of these. Digging too deeply would only raise questions about her loyalty to the Federation, and she didn’t want that to happen with the Referendum coming up so soon now. If the Fleet decided to characterize it as misconduct, she could even be sanctioned. She gave up on her research and closed her device.

  Dr. Jeong came out at last. Diane stood up with the most determined expression she could manage and looked the doctor directly in the face. “I’m here to bring Jack home.”

  Her voice was confident, verging on authoritative. When she used this tone, people generally gave her whatever she wanted. Dr. Jeong
cocked his head to the side and smiled slightly, a gesture that seemed vaguely smug to her. Did he intend to ignore her?

  “Yes, I understand completely,” he began, “but let me explain our findings.”

  She didn’t say anything right away, so he continued. “Jack’s brain structure is very similar to his father’s, but so far he’s not displaying the same symptoms. He doesn’t seem to get overwhelmed as easily by too much stimulation, although there’s no way to tell at this stage whether this is due to his youth or to some other factor.”

  “So… he’s basically okay?”

  “We can’t ignore that aggressive incident, but we’re not certain if that was related to Jack’s brain structure issues. It could just as easily have been triggered by family stress and have nothing to do with his condition. On the other hand, your son could be the key to answering a lot of questions.”

  “What do you mean?” she questioned in a wary voice.

  “Well, for one thing, we still have questions about your husband’s condition, and about the condition of others like him.”

  “But didn't you say his symptoms were unique?”

  “That’s true, they are… but the features that make his brain so different are not totally one-of-a-kind. They’ve been turning up occasionally for years now. We’ve been trying to study it, but until recently we still didn’t know whether this was a hereditary mutation or something else. What makes your husband different is his ability to function at a high level despite the mutation, at least until recently. Where most other people with this condition are scattered and confused, your husband’s condition seems more… integrated.”

  “But what in the world does that have to do with Jack?”

  “For one thing, his scans have established that the condition is hereditary. With cases on the rise, we need to understand the implications as soon as possible. Jack may be able to help us discover what this development will mean for the Federation and its future. He may be able to help us discover how to treat the condition, and what should be done on a larger scale. In short, the lives of potentially hundreds or thousands of people may well depend on our ability to study your son’s condition. His brain scans are already giving us incredible insights, things we’ve been unable to glean from any of the advanced cases we’ve seen in adults.”