by J. Naomi Ay
“Improved Meyer Lemon tree,” he said again, making the cut weep. A drop of his blood fell on the dirt. He replaced the bandage. Then, he held out his hands and magically, they pooled with water. He released the water on to the dirt in the same place. I stared at the wet red dirt and waited for something to happen.
“The Karupatani continent here was decimated,” he said, almost reverently. “The ecosystem is dead. I need to bring it back. Once I do, once it begins to rain over there on its own, the whole planet will be restored.
“How are you going to bring it back?” I asked, still watching the dirt.
“In my blood, my plasma, there are proteins that are…not common.”
“Not common?”
“Well more than that. These proteins are what…” he paused.
“What make you different?” I offered, looking up at him.
“There it is.”
“There what is?”
“Your Improved Meyer Lemon tree,” he said and knelt down to cradle a tiny sprout rising out of the dirt. It grew as I watched it, first a seedling, then two small leaves and then two more.
“Holy moley!” I gasped and turned to stare at him. “You did that?”
“I did all of this,” he waved his hand at our garden, the lawn, and the forests surrounding us with towering firs. “I did this in Kalika-hahr and now I am doing this in Karupatani which is why I have cuts on my arms.”
For a moment, I was speechless.
“I don’t always go around breaking things and killing people. Sometimes, I can even create things and heal people.” He smiled and took my hand. “Come on.” He led me back to the gazebo. “I have a little problem though.”
I shook my head. “A little problem? Your blood creates life and you have a little problem.”
“As I use the proteins I make more. And, as I make more, I need to get rid of them otherwise they will continue to build up and then possibly…usually…if I lose control…they sort of erupt and I will have a seizure and then…”
“Then what?”
“Things happen.”
“You have a seizure and things happen?” I squeaked.
“Mhm,” he nodded. “So, what I need to do is get the proteins out before that happens. Bleed them away. I can feel them building up again now so while you are in space, I will be spending a great deal of time in Karupatani…seeding.”
“Seeding,” I repeated and collapsed on the swing chair, sending it wildly into motion. “Seeding?”
“Sort of,” he shrugged.
“And you’re going to be doing this in between all your meetings and speeches and surgeries?”
He shrugged again. “It doesn’t take me long. I only have so much blood.”
“Right,” I nodded. “And how do you feel them building up?”
He sat down beside me and lit a cigarette. “It is almost like having high blood pressure. I get headaches, migraines and…and there is a constant noise. I hear everything, every thought. I have to be very careful that my own thoughts do not materialize.”
“And when you bleed it out, you feel better?”
“Ay yah.” He blew a puff of grey smoke into the air. “Much better for a while, until it builds up again.”
“What chapter was this in your user's manual?” I sighed.
“This was in one of those appendices.” He took a long drag on his cig. “The one right after the chapter entitled, How Sehron Controls the Weather and Other Planetary Functions.”
“You have got to be kidding me.”
He just smiled.
“Hi Katie, it's Gina,” the woman said. I didn’t recognize her.
“Hi?”
“Listen, Berkan is coming in town for meetings with Thad and he's bringing his wife, Luci. We're going to go out to the Cowboy Corral for drinks and dinner, maybe someplace else for dancing and dessert later. You guys want to come?”
“Um…Gina? I'm going back to space.” By this time, I had figured out Gina was Thad's wife.
“I heard that but Thad said you weren't going until Monday. You want to come out with us on Saturday? Come on! It'll be fun!”
Fun? Thad was a fun guy. Berkan was okay. Gina, I had met once and didn't say anything beyond hello, despite her casually greeting me as if we were old friends. I had never even heard of Luci. I wondered if Senya would like to do this. We had never gone out with anyone before. Actually, we never went anywhere. He wasn’t kidding when he said all he ever dreamed of was a house and wife. He had no interest in films, dancing, music or restaurants. He liked to come home from work, eat dinner and go back to work in his home office. The only diversions from work that he ever took were to spend time with me and to listen to a football game. I would have liked to go out with friends. It would be fun to eat at a restaurant and get drinks and maybe go dancing. I had missed socializing even though mostly I was tired from working all day at the Landbase and being up half the night as a newlywed.
“Okay,” I agreed. “What time on Saturday?”
After I hung up on Gina, I went to find Senya in his office. The room was completely dark even though he was at his desk typing away on his netbook. The light from his screen reflected in his glasses and I could see Rozarian words scrolling across his lenses. I turned on the light. His desk was covered with scale models of some equipment and there were drawings that had been discarded on the floor. There was also a brain in a jar on the corner of his desk. As I moved closer, I saw that the brain was in several pieces.
“That is so gross,” I said and tried not to look at it.
He waved his hand distractedly and the jar flew past me and into a cabinet. Before the cabinet doors slammed shut, I saw other jars lined up in there.
“Your spare parts?”
“No.”
“How would you like…”
“No, he repeated. “I do not want to go to dinner with Thad and Berkan and their wives.”
“Can you at least give me a half a second to ask the entire question before you answer? And why not? It sounds like fun.”
“No,” he spun around in his chair and grabbed another glass jar on the credenza behind him. Inside it was a long red and blue worm looking thing. “I am busy now.”
“I can see that,” I mumbled as a surgical tray now soared across the room, landing in front of me. He pulled a pair of tongs and a scalpel out of his desk. Taking the tray, the thing, the instruments and one of the devices from his desktop, he got up and went into the adjoining room which was set up as a lab.
“What are you doing?” I stood at the door, not sure if I wanted to follow.
“This spinal implant device is not working correctly,” he snapped, holding up the device. “And those bleeding idiots who are each earning six figure salaries from me to develop these things cannot determine what is wrong.” He reached in the jar with the tongs and pulled out the worm thing, slapping it down in the tray and then shoving the device into it. I watched data start to stream across one of the overhead vids because watching what he was doing to the worm thing with his scalpel and the device was making me ill.
“So about dinner, Thad and Berkan are your best friends. Why can't we go out with them?”
“I do not like Gina or Luci.”
“I will talk to Gina and Luci. That’s my job. You don't have to say a word to either of them.”
“I like to eat at home.”
“But that's no fun,” I protested. “We never go out anywhere.”
“You are going away and you will not cook for me for six months.”
“What if I made a bunch of stuff for you and put it in the freezer? Come on, Senya. I want to go out with friends for once.”
“Ah! There it is!” He held up the scalpel and then rattled off a bunch of numbers and things which the vid displayed. “Always, it is in the software.” Tossing everything aside and then washing up at the sink, he came back into his office, sat down at his netbook and started typing away again.
“I'm going to give y
ou a haircut before we go out to dinner.” I stood behind him and finger combed his hair, pulling it into a pony tail. “It's getting too long.”
“Lucky me, we are going to play beauty parlor again,” he mumbled.
“Is it okay? Can I? You're not like Samson and going to lose all your cool powers if I cut off a couples inches or so?”
“No, Delilah. My cool powers do not reside in my hair.”
I got a clean set of surgical scissors from his sterile tray and proceeded to chop off a good four inches. It curled around his collar. Any shorter and he'd have to go to someone who knew what they were doing. I liked it though. I admired my handiwork as I dropped the clippings in the trash. “Maybe I should hold on to these,” I teased. “The famed black hair off the head of the great and wondrous Prince of Podunk could be worth a lot on eBay, don't you think?”
“Ay yah, it would be,” he replied and then swatted me on the bottom. “Go on now and let me finish what I am doing.”
Chapter 3
Berkan
Luci had called home five times in the last five hours to check on Marik. He's fine, I insisted, but she didn’t believe me until she heard my mother's voice telling her the same thing.
“What are you so nervous about?” I asked as we walk into the Cowboy Corral in the Takira-hahr Fashion Mall. Thad liked this place although I couldn’t say that I really did. The beer was inexpensive, not that we needed to worry about our finances any more. Both Thad and I could buy the entire Fashion Mall and every store in it if we desired. Luci looked around with awe at the Cowboy décor and for a moment it distracted her from her unreasonable worry about Marik.
“You're right, I am worrying too much,” she decided, reading the menu items scrawled on the chalkboard above the bar. She was proud to be able to speak Rozarian better than I, even though I had been here many times and this was her first trip outside of Mishnah, let alone the entire planet. “I would like a big burger and fries too,” she proclaimed. “And a milkshake. Yes, I would like a milkshake better than a cocktail.”
Thad and Gina arrived just then and so I waved to the hostess and told her we were ready to be seated.
“No, we're not,” Gina called after the hostess who had already gathered menus and commenced to walk away. “There are six of us.”
“Well, let’s go wait at the table,” I suggested and followed the lady in the cowboy jeans with a hat and bandana covering hair that was slightly green and inappropriate for an Earth Western theme.
“Did you have to invite Mom and Dad?” Thad grumbled. We took a seat at a large booth, Luci insisting I sit next to Thad so we could discuss business. Gina sat on one end and Luci next to me in the middle.
“Mom can sit next to you, Luci,” Thad said. “She'll spend the entire time quizzing you on Rehnor so be prepared.”
“That's fine,” Luci smiled and then gasped. She started to rise and knocked the table. Our water glasses and the candle in the shape of a horse fell over.
“What's the matter?” I said.
“I didn't invite Mom and Dad,” Gina replied. “I invited Katie and Ron.”
“Blessed Saint!” Luci shrieked as the table dripped water on to the floor. She struggled to get out from the booth but I grabbed her arm.
“Not here, Luci,” I said sternly as Katie and Senya walked toward us. Katie was holding his arm and practically pulling him.
Luci looked at me with wide eyes. “What do I do?” she cried.
“Act like he is normal. He is just one of our friends.” I held her leg down so she couldn’t jump up again as the waitress wiped up the table.
“What do I call him?”
“Sir,” I said. “Just call him Sir.”
“Good evening,” Katie said cheerily while sliding in next to Luci. “You must be Luci. I'm Katie.” She held out her hand.
Luci was speechless, probably for the first time in her life. She stared wide-eyed at Senya.
“Give me your jacket, Kate.” Senya hung his on the peg at the corner of the booth. He was wearing a black short sleeve t-shirt and the enormous Karupta eagle burnt into his arm made quite an impressive tattoo. When she saw it, Luci’s mouth dropped open. Katie slipped out of her coat and handed it to Senya. Then he sat down next to her. “What are we drinking, Thad?”
“Cowboy beer, Ron,” Thad replied, telling the waitress to bring us a couple of pitchers of Coors beer as well as chicken wings and potato skins.
“So,” Katie said, picking up the menu and holding it between herself and Senya. “What's good here?” She looked at Luci. “What are you two getting?”
Luci blinked rapidly. She closed her mouth. She swallowed hard and looked to me. Her hands were shaking so I clutched them in my own.
“A burger, fries and milkshake,” I replied, to which Luci nodded emphatically.
“You want a burger?” Katie turned back to Senya.
He shrugged and lit a cigarette. “I don’t care.”
“They have fish here too, Ron,” Thad suggested. “Maybe if we ask them nicely, they won't even cook it for you.”
“You like sushi, Dr. Ron?” Gina asked.
“Yeah, he loves sushi,” Thad laughed as the beer arrived and glasses were passed around. “Except hold the rice, hold the seaweed, hold everything else and just bring him the fish, preferably still alive.”
Senya took a long drag on his cigarette and the rest of us smiled awkwardly at Thad. We placed our dinner orders. Katie decided on a burger and fries for herself and Senya. The wings and potato skins arrived. I put some on a plate for Luci. She stared at them as if she had no clue what they were.
“So how are you liking Rozari?” Katie turned back to Luci. “This is your first time here, right?”
Luci opened her mouth again but nothing came out.
“It's alright, sweetheart,” I said in Mishnese. “You can talk to her.”
Luci turned to me and her eyes were filled with tears. “I can't, Berkie,” she whispered. “It's not allowed.”
Senya sighed and made a move to stand up. “Come on, Kate. Sorry, Berk. You enjoy your dinner.”
“What?” Katie and Gina protested.
“Ah, come on, Ron,” Thad cried. “Luci's just a little nervous. I mean, we all would be if our favorite pinup poster boy showed up at our dinner table. She'll chill out in a minute, right Berk, right Luci?”
“What?” Gina asked.
“Ron's a bit of a rock star back home,” Thad told her.
“Oh?” Gina said. “I didn't realize you could sing, Ron.”
“Like a bird,” I replied, putting my arm around Luci. “Luci will be fine. Please, Sir, don't leave on our account.”
“Actually, it's more like a screech,” Thad mused.
“Sit back down please, Senya,” Katie ordered and then put her hand on Luci's trembling one. “You've got a little boy, right? Did you bring pics of him?”
Luci nodded and reached into her purse for her cell.
“His name is Marik,” she whispered, glancing at me as if for permission to continue. “Here he is already standing up all by himself. That's his favorite toy, that puppy.”
“He's adorable,” Katie said. “And what gorgeous hair! Same color as yours. Is your mother watching him now?”
“No, Berkie's mum is watching him. They live in New Mishnah of course, like we do, and my mum is in Korelesk and still has all my brothers and sisters home, so she's got quite a houseful as it is and my dad is no help at all. Berkie's mum's got no one, so it's easier for her and if she needs some help, Berkie's dad will just send over a maid or two from the Palace, so it's right convenient for her.” Luci took a deep breath.
“What?” Gina asked again. “Berkie's dad will send a maid from where?”
“The Palace,” Luci replied, finding her courage. “Berkie's dad is the Captain of the Palace Guards. He's practically the most important person there outside of the King and…and…” She looked askance at Senya and her courage wilted.
“Y
our father works at a palace, Berkan?” Gina gasped. “How cool is that?”
“Um, quite cool,” I replied, taking a long gulp on my beer. Thad snickered. Katie's eyes narrowed and her mouth turned hard. Senya put some wings on his plate and drank his beer.
“You wanted to stay,” he reminded Katie, sucking on a wing.
“So do you get to go visit the Palace sometimes?” Gina asked.
“Well, I don't yet,” Luci replied. “But I hope that when Madame is in residence I might be able to serve her.” She smiled at Katie with a hopeful expression. “If it pleases her, of course.” Katie glared back at Luci as if she were insane. Senya chuckled and drank beer.
“This isn’t funny.” Katie turned on him abruptly.
“Actually it is,” Senya replied and ate another wing.
“I think it’s hilarious,” Thad remarked.
“Berkie goes quite often really,” Luci continued speaking to Gina. “Actually, Thad, you’ve been there too now, haven’t you?”
“What?” Gina cried.
Thad coughed loudly. “Palace Hotel Gina. Remember, I told you, we always stay at the Palace Hotel.”
“Oh right,” Gina said as the green haired cowgirl waitress set our burger baskets down in front of us. “Palace Hotel.”
“Well except that,” Luci started to say. “It’s not a hotel.”
I pinched her leg. “Eat your burger, dear, before it gets cold.”
We ate in silence for a few moments.
“So, Ron,” Thad said, tossing French fries into his mouth. “I heard you figured out why the spinal stimulator wasn't working. I tell you, Berk, make sure you've got good software people. A few misplaced 1's and 0's and the whole thing is shit.”
“But it's working now?” I asked.
“Yeah, Ron found the error and we've got it fixed and I'll get it certified this week. It should be a pretty good little product. I've got quite a few orders on them already and our own neuro guys are clamoring for them. Take a few back home with you and show them to your guys, Berk. I'll make you a heck of a transfer price if you want them.” He laughed since our transfer prices were all preset. “Are you going to present it at your conference next week, Ron?”
