Scales of Empire
Page 20
She nodded. ‘I’ll assign you to him until the ship departs for New Europa. His mother’s on her way, but you and he have shared experiences to talk about to keep him occupied while he recovers.’ She pointed at the scale I was holding. ‘And you can give him that after we’ve made a full study of it. He has a decision to make.’
I looked down at the scales in my hand. Richard could choose to return to Shiumo, accept the biological body parts she’d offered, and forsake his position and security clearance – and probably his mental freedom – to keep Shiumo happy and working with us. He did have a big decision to make.
‘You don’t see me as a security risk, ma’am?’ I said.
‘Of course we do. But your psi ability will be invaluable on a planet without a breathable atmosphere, and you’re the only psi we can spare. If you can call Shiumo, and she will arrive immediately, you’re doubly vital. The security risk is worth it. We’ll just adjust your clearance.’ Her emotions filled with sadness. ‘Commander Alto, on the other hand, is really only useful to Shiumo.’
The general took me to the secure section of the military hospital to visit Richard after his surgery, and we stopped at the nurses’ station on the way.
‘Hello, Nurse Chandra. How is he?’ the general asked a young South Asian man.
‘Awake, and driving all of us bonkers.’ He smiled. ‘You have no idea how good it is to see him giving us hell. Is this Corporal Choumali?’
‘That’s right,’ the general said.
‘He’s been asking about you,’ the nurse said. ‘He’ll be glad to see you.’ He sobered. ‘I can see you’re military and probably accustomed to injuries, but I need to inform you that his appearance can be extremely disturbing for some people. Be ready, Corporal, it’s not pretty.’
‘Is he in much pain?’ I said.
‘His physical pain is being managed. He’s on high doses right now; we’ll be weaning him off soon, but don’t expect too much in the way of conversation. Mentally?’ He shook his head. ‘I hear you’re psi. I hope you can help him.’
‘Me too,’ I said.
I followed General Maxwell along the corridor and into a dimly lit single room with a hospital bed and a curtained window.
Richard was covered by a blanket, but it was obvious that his body ended at the hips. Two catheter tubes travelled from beneath the blanket to jars under the bed: one was a fluid drain, full of blood-stained liquid; and the other was for urine. A bulge on his lower abdomen indicated a colostomy bag. His left arm was outside the blanket with an IV in his forearm, but his other shoulder disappeared inside his hospital gown. Half of his lower jaw was gone on the right side, and his upper teeth and tongue were visible through the large gap in his face. Saliva dribbled from the gap onto a bib the staff had placed on him. The right side of his head from the cheekbone up was a scrunched-up mass of fresh skin grafts.
His eye opened; he saw me and tried to grin. He made a soft sound of pain and the smile collapsed.
‘Jian,’ he said, the word almost unintelligible from his half-destroyed mouth. ‘Thanks for coming.’ He turned away. ‘Sorry you have to see this.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ I said, and went to his left side. I took his hand and held it. ‘I’m your friend and I’m glad to help you through this.’
He sniffed, obviously moved, then turned his head towards the general. ‘Ma’am.’
She nodded in acknowledgement. ‘Let the staff know if you’re in too much pain. Don’t be more of a hero than you already are.’
‘Dunno about that,’ he said, working around his speech difficulties. ‘Not really heroic falling for an alien shapeshifter.’
‘Shiumo is keeping her word about creating the colonies; she’s helped Earth more than we could have expected,’ the general said. ‘Your role in this cannot be underestimated, mind control or not.’
‘Don’t go back to her, Jian. She’ll control you,’ Richard said. ‘She messed with our heads.’
‘I won’t be,’ I said, squeezing his hand. ‘I’ll be stationed on our new colony on Wolf 1061-c. We’re calling the planet New Europa. I’ll be psi communications expert and security officer.’
‘And promoted to second lieutenant,’ the general said.
‘Good,’ Richard said. ‘About time.’
‘And all thanks to you, Commander,’ I said. ‘If you hadn’t taken me with you for First Contact, I would not be here today.’ I raised his hand slightly. ‘Thank you, sir.’
He didn’t move. ‘Sir?’
He’d fallen asleep, his breath whistling through his ruined face.
‘Are you sure about staying with him, Choumali?’ the general said. ‘It’s your choice.’
‘Of course,’ I said. ‘Will they at least give him some sort of facial prosthetic so he won’t scare small children?’
‘They’re working on it. Hopefully he’ll be in better shape by the time you leave for Wolf.’
‘I hope so too, ma’am.’ I settled back in the seat and pulled out my tablet. ‘I’ll be fine.’
18
I spent two weeks sitting with Richard, using the time when he was asleep to catch up with the colony briefing notes. The previous night had been a bad one: Richard had refused the opiates and only accepted milder painkillers, and I’d stayed up with him, doing what I could to help. It was dawn before he finally slept, and now I sat at his bedside struggling through the briefings and fighting exhaustion, the words blurring on the screen.
The colony commander was being particularly severe on me. He was convinced that my clearance to learn remotely instead of on-site was due to my connections with General Maxwell and Richard, and that I’d end up a poorly trained liability. I needed to be able to quote every fact perfectly.
The lichen we will use to establish the first life cycle is a red strain developed specifically for the harsh conditions, I read. It is a symbiotic combination of a fungus and two algae, and should be able to live in the dry oxygen-barren and carbon-dioxide-rich atmosphere of Wolf 1061. Once the lichen is established, it is hoped it will spontaneously spread across the continent, taking root on the land mass and altering the environment.
The details of the lichen’s life cycle and techniques we will use to cultivate it are in section 29.1.
If the lichen is found outside the initial growing area in the first generation of colonists, section 34.1 contains optimal results strategies.
If the lichen survives within the initial growing area but does not spontaneously spread, section 63.1 contains sub-optimal results strategies.
If the lichen fails, section 104.1 contains crisis strategies.
For all other scenarios, turn to section –
My tablet pinged, and I flipped to the comms. It was General Maxwell.
‘Choumali, your spouses are here to see you. Conference room three.’
My stomach fell with dismay. The time had come to formally end it and leave for the colony. I nodded to her. ‘Ma’am.’
She smiled. ‘They understand, Lieutenant.’
‘I wouldn’t, ma’am,’ I said, and went to the hospital’s small consultation room.
Victor and Dianne were sitting in chairs at the table, and the room was heavy with their emotions – a combination of misery, guilt and betrayal.
I closed the door and sat across from them. Dianne’s pregnancy was well advanced – her stomach bulged beneath her tent-like maternity dress – but she looked healthy.
There was an uncomfortable silence as I was unable to look them in the eyes. Eventually Dianne grabbed my hand, making me jump.
‘You look exhausted, Jian. Don’t lose sleep over us,’ she said.
‘I’m not.’ I rubbed my eyes and grinned ruefully. ‘Richard had a bad night and I stayed up with him.’
They shared a look.
‘We’re so glad you’ve moved on,’ Victor said through acid jealousy.
‘He’s just my friend,’ I said. ‘A member of the Psi Corps has been training me –’
‘And he’s taught me to ease pain,’ I continued. ‘I’m helping Richard through his transition after the operations until I leave for my final examination to be confirmed for the colony.’
Their terror eased, tinted with compassion, but it was still there. I’d completely lost them.
‘When do you go?’ Victor said.
‘In four weeks. But I have to pass a simulation test first, to see how I’ll cope on the colony.’
‘You’re doing the right thing,’ Dianne said. ‘We’re cheering you on.’
‘Dammit, Jian, you’re saving the human race,’ Victor said. ‘We understand.’
I shook my head, my eyes stinging. ‘Your emotions don’t say that.’
‘It was my idea to ask you to marry us,’ Dianne said. ‘I’m sorry, Jian. I didn’t mean to push you away.’
‘You didn’t push me away,’ I said. ‘I ran.’
‘You’re running to the stars, lovely,’ Victor said. ‘You’re doing something heroic and wonderful. Hey.’ He tapped the table, and I looked up into his clear blue eyes. He smiled. ‘You’re a soldier, right?’
I nodded.
‘We always knew you could be mobilised. We talked about it a long time ago.’
I nodded again, my throat too thick to speak.
‘This is the same thing. Your career comes first. You’re an officer now, Jian, and you’re doing something that hardly any humans are qualified for.’
‘You told us six months ago that you were going to Wolf 1061, and we agreed to it,’ Dianne said. ‘This was happening anyway. But now you’re going with a clear conscience and no relationship to distract you. We support you.’ She squeezed my hand.
‘I’ll miss you guys,’ I said, my voice breaking.
‘We’ll be able to send letters back and forth every few months. You told us that yourself,’ Victor said.
‘I want to hear how our son is,’ I said. ‘Is he healthy?’
Their emotions went from guilt to joy, and they shared a smile, which lifted my own heart.
‘He’s healthy and strong and kicks like a little bugger,’ Dianne said.
‘We’ll be able to tell him that his other mum’s in outer space,’ Victor said with pride.
‘How much can you tell us about the planet you’re going to?’ Dianne said, and both of them went from sadness to interest, tinged with excitement. They were genuinely thrilled to hear about my upcoming adventure, and happy about the baby. My spirits lifted even further.
‘Tell me if I get boring,’ I said. ‘Everybody else is tired of hearing about it.’
‘We won’t be. Tell us everything!’ Victor said.
‘Yes!’ Dianne said. ‘We want to know.’ She put her hand on her belly. ‘So we can tell your son what a hero he has for a second mum.’
‘Well, the planet has an atmosphere but it’s not breathable,’ I began, and they listened, rapt.
The technician gently fitted the prototype prosthetic over Richard’s face, and secured it into position with what appeared to be duct tape.
‘Colour is still slightly too dark,’ she said to her tablet as she checked around the edges. ‘A4 two millimetres ventral. B4 is three millimetres too close.’ She stepped back to study him. ‘How does that feel, sir?’
‘It’ll feel better when it’s secure,’ Richard said, opening and closing his mouth. He pointed at his right eyebrow. ‘It’s loose on the muscles under here.’
The technician lifted the prosthetic from his face, studied the back, then leaned in to see. ‘Got it.’ She marked the prosthetic, then put it back into its case. ‘The only thing really accurate is the eye colour. It’s a good match.’
Richard nodded, obviously restraining himself from commenting.
‘And without a working second eye, you’ll never see in three dimensions again,’ she said. ‘I understand, sir, and we’ll work on it, but the connections on your nerves …’
‘I know,’ he said, resigned. ‘Too much scarring there already.’ He raised his good hand. ‘You’re doing a great job, Clarence, and I appreciate it.’
She sealed the case. ‘We’ll do our best, Commander.’
He nodded. ‘Thank you.’
The doctor came in. ‘Blood pressure time,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Is this lovely person finished?’ He flashed the technician a quick grin, and she smiled back.
‘All yours,’ she said, and winked at Richard. ‘I’ll be back in two days to install it. I think we’re at the final version now.’
‘I’ll be as glad to reach the end of this process as you are.’
She nodded to him and went out.
‘Did it take as long the first time you had the prosthetics fitted?’ the doctor asked Richard as he placed the blood-pressure cuff on his arm.
‘I was unconscious for most of it, but it took more than a year from start to finish,’ Richard said. ‘So yes, it took longer. But those prosthetics were powered and responsive.’
The doctor removed the cuff and noted Richard’s blood pressure on his tablet. ‘Soon have you up and around, Commander. A bit of exercise and fresh air will do wonders. And then we’ll get some legs fitted and have you walking unaided, eh?’
‘Yes,’ Richard said, and leaned his head back.
‘Lieutenant Choumali, we have a stack of documents for you to sign at the nurses’ station,’ the doctor said. ‘Something to do with the colony. Do you mind?’
‘Not at all.’ I took Richard’s hand and squeezed it, and he squeezed back without opening his eye.
I followed the doctor to the nurses’ station, but he gestured towards his office. ‘In here, if you don’t mind, Lieutenant.’ He pulled a chair out for me and closed the door. ‘I’d like to take your blood pressure as well.’
I rolled my sleeve up and he placed the cuff on my arm.
‘Something’s wrong, isn’t it?’ I said. ‘I’ve been feeling lousy ever since I left Shiumo – and Richard’s not improving. What’s wrong with us?’
He waited for the cuff to deflate, then noted the numbers. ‘We can’t find any toxins in your system, so it doesn’t appear to be poison. But you’re right. In the four weeks since you left her, your blood pressure has gone from eighty …’ He saw my blank expression. ‘From disturbingly low to the very bottom end of normal. Same with your blood oxygen. We would have expected you to be back to full health by now, but you’re recovering very slowly. We’re concerned she’s done something to you.’
‘And Richard?’
‘At first we thought he’d given up,’ the doctor said. ‘I know it sounds ridiculous, but I’ve seen it happen with bad cases of PTSD – they decide not to carry on any more and just fade away. But Commander Alto’s a fighter, and he wants to get back on his feet and help the colonisation effort.’ He pulled the details up on his tablet. ‘He’s like you: low blood pressure, low oxygen, reduced iron, reduced metabolics – everything’s fading. But unlike you, he’s degenerating instead of recovering.’
‘She poisoned both of us?’ I said.
‘It’s exhibiting more like withdrawal.’
I took a sharp breath in. ‘That’s what it feels like. Withdrawal. We were addicted to her?’
‘Seems like it.’
‘But Richard will beat this, won’t he? I never heard of anyone dying from …’ I saw his face. ‘How long does he have?’
‘Hard to say. This is the first time I’ve seen anything like this. Three months? I don’t know.’
‘Do you think returning him to Shiumo would fix it?’
‘There’s only one way to find out. On the other hand, you’re both sure she was using mind control on you. If it was me, I know what I’d prefer, regardless of how happy my little zombie self might be with her. I’d want to keep my personality intact, and die with my boots on.’
‘That is one
hundred per cent what Richard would choose,’ I said. I wiped my eyes. ‘Damn. Has anyone talked about this with Shiumo? Maybe she has a cure.’
‘The alien that did this to you in the first place?’
‘It’s possible it wasn’t deliberate.’
‘And it’s possible it was.’
‘But what’s her angle?’ I said. ‘Why would she make us addicted to her? She’s been no threat, and has no plans to harm humanity. There’s no reason for it.’
‘That’s what I want you to find out,’ General Maxwell said. I hadn’t noticed her enter the room behind me. ‘We want you to ask her.’
‘I don’t want to go back to her! She was controlling me,’ I said.
‘You’ll have to be in her company when you go to Wolf 1061. I want you to find out what she’s up to.’ The general gestured with her head. ‘Let’s go for a walk in the garden, away from all the electronics.’
I’d spent many hours in the therapeutic garden, walking or sitting beside Richard’s wheelchair and discussing the plans for the Wolf colony.
The general linked her hands behind her back as we walked. ‘Sometimes I could kick myself for being so thorough. I put everything you two reported on Shiumo into my report, and the politicians,’ she spat the word, ‘instantly latched on to the reproduction thing.’
‘What about it?’
She looked grim. ‘What sort of mind takes the fact that Shiumo can breed with humans to produce dragons, and leaps immediately to: “Oh yes, great idea, let’s use her to make our own starship engines”?’
I stuttered in shock. ‘They want to start a breeding program? That’s insane! What happened when they asked Shiumo? Did she storm out?’
‘They want to clarify something before they ask her.’
‘What’s that?’
‘That having sex with her won’t kill the volunteers.’
‘Richard,’ I said. ‘He slept with her and he’s dying. I didn’t, and I’m not.’
‘Precisely. So your job is to ask her –’
I opened my mouth to protest, and closed it again. I’d suggested asking Shiumo only five minutes ago.