The Initiative: Book One of the Jannah Cycle

by D. Brumbley

  “It is.” He took a few more bites of his breakfast in silence, but he was still mulling over what she’d said. “What ends up killing the kids, if there’s no indication of CV in their systems?”

  “There’s no one thing that ends up happening to them.” She eventually put her plate aside on her large bed and moved away to grab her communicator so she could pull up the research. “Since the Consortium is so desperate for an answer, they request additional yearly testing after a child is born CV-free. Nothing too invasive, just more blood tests, a few more physical checkups. But as you can see, they die of different things. Some of them by pure accident, car wreck, farm accident, but most of them die of different kinds of illnesses that they should be able to fight off naturally even if they had CV. Pneumonia, Influenza, Chickenpox. The data doesn’t say, but it’s almost as if their immune systems don’t work at all, but logically, their immune systems should be better than everyone else’s. The only way I could see complete immune failure was if somehow their immune systems were suppressed, but I don’t see any evidence in their workups of other diseases that would cause that either.”

  He shook his head, both agreeing and deferring to her expertise. “If there’s no pattern, then there’s no pattern. But that is a lot of dead children, which is sad enough all on its own.” He shook his head and leaned his head back against the wall behind him. “You should keep at it, though. I know how much you love digging into a problem, and that’s definitely the big one for this millennium.”

  “It’s a lot of research and a lot of data. I don’t know if I’ll have time to do much when we start our training, but I’d like to try.” She shrugged and then kissed his cheek afterward. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you are so supportive. I’ve been friends with lots of doctors who don’t even care to hear about my research. Some doctors just like to do their jobs and go home and not worry about anything else, but not much would get done in the world if we all did that.”

  That brought a smile back to his face that the discussion of dead children had certainly chased away. “I feel like if you’re in a job you plan to do the rest of your life, you’ve got a personal investment in trying to figure out how to do that job better than anybody else, and an obligation to push the boundaries a little for both yourself and the next guy. Even more true about medicine than about piloting, but I have my tricks that I’ve definitely developed over the years.” He gave her a mischievous grin and started in on the bacon she’d cooked for him, perfectly as always. “And if there’s one person I’ve ever met who’s both smart enough and stubborn enough to move the needle a little on finding a cure for CV, it’d be you.”

  “A permanent cure, at least.” There was already a process of eradication, if people were willing to come up into space like the initiates they were going to earth to retrieve, but it could only reverse damage in those younger than twenty-five, and even then it wasn’t a complete guarantee. People given CV treatments who continued to live on Earth showed only a moderate increase in life expectancy, but the treatments were incredibly expensive since they had to be shipped down from space facilities to Earth. Most people on Earth couldn’t afford it. “One of two things has to happen to help Earth. We either have to pinpoint the cause, or people have to become immune. It’s hard to do either one of those things. Even with decades of research.”

  Orion nodded, and leaned back against the wall with one arm around her as she finished her own breakfast, scratching idly at her back. “I worry about Jannah.” He admitted quietly. “It’s a chance worth taking, in case it really does work, but if the Crisis affected all of humanity, at a basic cellular level, killed everyone who couldn’t tolerate it and left the rest of them just passing the same thing back and forth until it kills them, then what happens if it makes the jump to Jannah? It’ll just be Earth all over again. Same lifespans, same limitations…I just worry. The Initiative doesn’t seem concerned about it because I’m sure everyone is going to be screened on the way there, but we’re talking about millions of people potentially coming along to Jannah eventually. Something is bound to get through with those kinds of chances, on a long enough timeline.”

  Mercury agreed completely and she nodded after he spoke his concerns. “That’s why it’s important to me to figure out some answers with this research. It’s the only way of stopping CV from ruining Jannah and the only way to save Earth.”

  Orion’s fingers moved up over her back to brush her hair over her shoulder and continue their caress along her neck. “Very serious day. Start with a very serious breakfast, talk about saving the world, then make a lifetime commitment later in the afternoon.” He grinned over at her as his caress continued over her shoulder and down to her side. “Pretty heavy shit, all around. But I don’t mind, so long as it’s all with you.”

  She laughed softly and curled into him after abandoning her plate of food. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t talk about such serious things today. Today is a special day.” Mercury ran her fingers over his bare skin and thought about the commitment they would be making in just a few hours. “Are you excited?”

  “Yeah, I am.” He said as he set his own plate aside, a few bits of bacon left that he would get to later. For the time being, he just wanted Mercury as close as possible. He pulled up the sheet to adjust it around her, both to keep her warm and because that meant it wouldn’t be in the way between them, and just held her with his arms around her back. “Hanging out with your family makes me nervous, no reason for me to lie about that, but I’m pretty good at being on my best behavior when it matters. I’m also just mostly nervous about not somehow making a complete ass of myself in front of the Station Captain. I didn’t even know they performed weddings, but your dad’s strings must be pretty strong to pull that one in. I’ve heard she’s pretty scary.”

  “My father insisted that I meet her when I first moved here, she’s not that scary. And you don’t need to be nervous about my parents or worry about your behavior. I want them to know you for you. You’re important to me and that’s enough for them, I’m certain.” Mercury kissed along his jaw. “Just don’t talk about all the things we do in the bedroom, and you’ll be fine. I’m also certain my parents don’t want to hear about that.” She smiled as she teased him, since she knew that he would obviously avoid the topic just on principle.

  “Right, that’s good advice. I’ll have to alter my plans. I was definitely planning on going up to your mother during the reception dinner and thanking her for passing these on to you.” He reached up with both hands to get a thorough grip on her breasts as she kissed him, enjoying them, and the rest of her, as always. “But now that you mention that, maybe I’ll just talk about the weather instead.”

  Mercury grinned and kissed him a little harder. She enjoyed his touch just as much as she enjoyed his humor. “I am glad you appreciate them so much. And that you know what to do with them too.” She sighed against his lips before she kissed him again. “It’s happening so fast, but in some ways, not fast enough.”

  “I know what you mean.” He moved to get comfortable and then pulled her completely into his lap just to have her close while they talked. It was something they had gotten good at over the course of their relationship. He enjoyed her being naked as much as possible, but they also talked to each other more and more as the days went on, so naked conversation ended up being a pleasant middle ground between them. “For me, I want to savor as much of this time as we can before we go into the Initiative, just make time stop for a while so I can have as much time with you as humanly possible. On the other hand, I’m anxious to get moving. To be your husband, to get started with the Initiative, to get out of orbit and onto a ship headed for the other side of the galaxy, all of it.” His hands continually roamed over her, caressing along her sides and her hips and the slightly tamer edges of her breasts in a constant exploration of his soon-to-be wife. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ve been a pilot too long. We’re used to being in motion.”

  “The ceremony
won’t take too long. They never do here, I’m not sure what you’re used to.” A few more lingering kisses were shared between them before she slowly slid off of his lap. “I want to show you your ring. If you don’t like it, I don’t want you to feel as though you have to wear it.”

  He definitely pouted a little as she pulled away, but he didn’t move from his place on the bed as she went to get it. “Do you want to see yours too, or would you rather be surprised?”

  “It’s up to you. I don’t mind either way.” She retrieved a box from her desk that had arrived the day before and opened it as she brought it over to him. The ring inside was a ring made from black stone, with tiny flecks of diamond embedded around it. “I know that we don’t know each other very well yet, but when I think about you, I think about being curled up with you, looking out into the beautiful beyond with stars shimmering in front of us. I thought this looked like a little piece of the space around us, a piece you might want to keep when we’re on Jannah.” She looked down at the ring again and wondered if she sounded ridiculously cheesy and insane, but she was trying to be romantic.

  He took the ring from her and looked it over for a long time with his mouth partly open, just admiring the quality of the work and the detail. “That’s amazing.” He finally said, obviously trying to resist the urge to put it on already. When he finally looked up from it and pulled her down into a heated kiss. “It’s perfect. I’m…completely speechless. And you know how often that doesn’t happen to me.”

  Mercury knew from the kiss that he really meant what he said and she was happy that he loved it so much. It was expensive, but Mercury had saved her salary for a long time with little use for it. Anything made with material that came from Earth came with a steep price, but it seemed like one of the best uses of her money she could think of. “I’m so relieved that you like it. I was worried that you might think I’m crazy for spending so much time thinking about it.”

  “I don’t think you’re crazy. Not unless I drive you that way, at least.” He said with a grin that reached his eyes. “Here, yours is over here.” He got up from the bed with her, both of them still completely without clothes, and half-walked, half-bounced across the room to get to his belongings. Her rooms were closer to the center of Seven than he was generally accustomed to being, and the gravity was much lower as a result. It was one more thing that put him out of his comfort zone, but it had made life…interesting…at the same time.

  He dug through his bag for a while, turning over his clothes inside and digging for the tiny box. He clicked it open to take the ring out so she could see it, and held it up for her between two fingers. “I saw some of your other jewelry when we first met and I thought this would suit you.” The ring was of a kind of dark rose gold that truly left it looking like it had fire burning behind the brilliant sheen of the metal. Due to the speed of their relationship and the conventions of orbital culture, he had gotten her a single ring, with a fairly narrow band that looked like it was braided in on itself. There were diamonds of significant size placed throughout the braid, with a single crowning diamond in the center with a circular setting that alternated between brilliant white diamonds and deep green emeralds. The whole ring was designed so that it wouldn’t be terribly obtrusive on her finger, but the stones involved were certainly significant, especially the central piece. “I looked at some that were more elaborate, but this is the only one I could see you being able to get a glove over when push comes to shove. Literally, in your line of work. It just seemed so alive when I first looked at it. Reminded me of some redhead I know.”

  Her cheeks flushed as she looked at the ring. When she tore her gaze away, she looked into Orion’s blue eyes with obvious awe. She really hadn’t expected anything so extravagant, and just the fact that he said the beautiful ring reminded him of her left her speechless. “Orion, it’s…” She had to force herself to take a breath because she was feeling a little overwhelmed, not only from the ring, but just the reality of everything. It was one thing to say the words, to tell someone that you wanted a future with them. It was another entirely to actually do it. “Just looking at it makes me realize how real this all is. It’s not just words.”

  “I’ve never been much good with anything that’s just words.” He said with a grin, still holding the ring between them. “Anybody can talk a good game and make promises. I prefer more tangible results.”

  “Me too. There isn’t much progress in the medical field without tangible results.” Mercury looked down at the ring again and she touched it lightly with the tip of her finger. “Can I…just try it on, maybe?”

  He grinned at how tentative she was being about it, and pulled her into a kiss first. “It’s already yours. You don’t have to ask.” His lips sealed against hers as he took her hand in his and slid the ring onto her finger slowly, focusing on the feeling of the ring instead of the sight of it.

  “Wow.” She said as soon as it was on her finger, and they were kissing frantically, which only reminded her that they were already naked. She paused to grab his ring and then slid it on his finger, since she wanted to see a ring on his hand too. It fit perfectly. They fit perfectly. She didn’t care about some official ceremony, all she cared about was their commitment to each other, and she was looking at it.

  Orion clenched his fist a few times just to feel the ring on his hand, and he grinned at the way it stood out in its own unique way. He had never pictured what his wedding ring would look like aside from some plain band, but it really was the perfect thing to suit him. He picked Mercury up in both arms easily, considering the dramatically lower gravity in her quarters, and carried her over to the small dressing area just outside the walk-in closet of her unit. The entire place wasn’t much bigger than his own rooms back on Three, but every inch of it was a thousand times better maintained, every appliance new, every fixture spotless. It was the same with the floor-to-ceiling mirror that took up part of the wall beside the door into her closet. He leaned back against the opposite wall and stood her up in front of him just so they could get a good look at each other, then wove the fingers of his left hand with hers, their rings clinking against each other as his free arm laid itself across her chest to hold her back against him. His tattoo showed on his shoulder, and her vibrant red hair spilled down over his arm as he held her, leaving them as dramatic a contrast as ever. “You think we could get away with getting married just like this? We could cause quite the scandal, but if you ask me, you’re perfect exactly the way you are right now. No dress required.”

  “We can get married like this. Just the two of us here, however we want.” She looked at their reflection and then she turned around so she could gaze into his depthless blues. “I’m not taking off this ring now. I hope you know that.”

  “Did you think I was letting go of mine now? That’s not happening.” He laughed as he held her against him in the corner, the world a warm place between their pressed bodies. “They’ll work around it in the ceremony, I’m not worried about it. All that matters at the end of the day is that I’m yours.” His hands moved up to caress her sides, up to her neck to hold her in a kiss that was almost uncharacteristically gentle before he looked her in the eye again. “I love you, Mercury.” He said quietly, and the words sounded a little strange on his lips. “I’ve never said that to a woman before, not like this. And it’s my firm intention never to say it again to anyone but you. I don’t claim to be good at it, but I’m damn sure I’ll learn quick. Whatever kind of love it is you need, whatever kind of husband it is you need me to be, I’ll be. And it’s going to be a beautiful world, whichever world it is.”

  Mercury was stunned to hear that kind of declaration from Orion, especially because he didn’t seem the type to make a declaration like that, but she grazed her lips against his in reply. Once the kiss broke, she placed her forehead against his and closed her eyes. “I have a feeling that the future is going to be really rough for us, with all of the things that we’ll be doing for Jannah, but I still want tha
t future.” She ran her fingertips along his stubble and kissed along his jaw. “I love you too. As much as I know how to love another person, anyway. I don’t claim to be good at it.”

  “Well good. We can suck at loving each other together, and get better at it by way of practice.” He laughed against her fingertips and turned a little to kiss them. “I look forward to it.”

  Mercury kissed him until her lips started tingling from the roughness of her kisses, but a light chime interrupted them. It rang throughout her unit and a very calm, collected voice spoke. “Guests Marcus and Claire Finnegan arriving in ten minutes.”

  Orion pulled back just slightly at the voice. “Does that mean arriving here in this unit or here on the Station?” The way Seven worked continued to confuse him at every turn, but he was slowly learning to just roll with it.

  Mercury slid away from him quickly so that she could get dressed. “Arriving at the unit. They could have alerted us sooner, but this is just a computer proximity alert. So we have ten minutes to get presentable.”

  Orion sighed, but followed her anyway to go retrieve at least a jumpsuit, which was the easiest thing to put himself into at the moment. “Seven doesn’t have rules about allowing visitors after the wedding and the reception are over, does it? Because that’s one batch of traditions that I don’t think I’m gonna be okay with.”