“Of course. They often stay on Bathos. Right now, they’re at the Warrish base to skip the crowds.” Tammy laughed and flung up her arms. “Kiron saved her life when her lifepod crashed on the ice crust. We didn’t believe her story about being saved by a man with red hair. I remember the awful shock when Topside was destroyed and we discovered the aliens. It’s been livelier since we became friends with the Warrish.”
Holly nodded. “I like the ones I’ve met.” She gestured at the piles of vegetables. “Can I help with the food?”
Tammy rejected her offer, adding, “You’re due for a break and we’re almost finished with this meal.”
Uninterested in interrupting the intense exchange between Marie and Alita, Holly retired to her cabin to wait for Rosie. She gazed through the porthole at the ocean and meditated on her new accommodations. The station was designed for safety, yet the interior was comfortable. She liked Tammy’s friendly practicality and Director Albright’s casual, yet efficient management. Al’s frequent digressions were amusing and often informative.
Her thoughts strayed to Baswin. Where was he now? Had he flown home in the starship that transported the human casualties? She slipped her fingers into her pocket to touch the case with her scrying mirror. She could locate him, but she did not wish to spy on him. She had never scried for Rosie. And, she could readily visualize his face with his gorgeous eyes and the lines of pain softened by his smile.
Rosie had not returned by nineteen hours, so Holly walked to the galley for the evening meal.
She glanced around the room. Almost half of the tables were already occupied with diners. Rosie was not present. Oba and Keisha were also missing, while the other eight candidates had gathered at two adjacent tables. The Director and Tammy sat at a larger table with Tatiana. Four strangers, two men and two women of diverse ages, were chatting at the fourth table.
Holly slipped into the vacant seat beside Tatiana and opposite Albright and Tammy.
A large bowl of fragrant stew, a platter of fresh vegetables, and a basket of bread lay in the middle of the table. The others had already piled food on their plates.
Waving his stout fingers at the dishes, Al said, “Help yourself.”
Tammy handed her a plate and pushed the basket and bowl toward her.
“It looks delicious.” Holly took a piece of bread and spooned the stew onto her plate. “Do you grow everything on Bathos?”
“We grow the vegetables in the Greenery,” Tammy said.
Al tapped the bowl of stew. “You’re eating a mix of farmed shrimp and Europan eels.”
“We import wheat flour from Earth to supplement our taro root flour,” Tammy explained. “Everything else is grown on Bathos or caught in the ocean.”
Expounding on this theme, Al said, “We drink water purified from the ocean. We extract oxygen for our air from the ocean and minerals for various purposes. Galileo Station is almost self-sufficient. We can survive for months without a shipment from Earth.”
At the tail end of the meal, Rosie, Oba and Keisha walked into the galley.
Her face pale and her eyelids drooping, Rosie dropped onto the seat next to Holly. “I’m exhausted.”
Giving her a sympathetic hug, Holly asked, “Are you hungry? I’ll get something for you to eat.”
Tammy forestalled her by bringing over a basket of breads, fruit and a bowl of shrimp stew. “I saved this food for you. Don’t worry. Our galley stays open for twenty-four hours.”
“It does smell good,” Rosie said, reaching for a bread roll.
“What would you like to drink?” Tammy asked. “We’ve got fruit juices, teas, coffee and beer.”
Rosie shook her head. “Just water, please.”
While Tammy went to fetch the water, Holly said, “When you’ve eaten, I’ll take you to our room. You need to rest.”
“Yes. It was bad.” Rosie rubbed her eyes and groaned. “Those poor soldiers. Some had lost an arm or a leg or several limbs. Some were unconscious. Others were screaming with pain and terror.”
“I’m sure you helped to soothe them.”
“I tried.” Rosie tasted a spoonful of stew and then swallowed a second spoonful. Revived by the food, she said, “Dr. Kumar was helping the other medics to attach artificial limbs. They use tube-grown neurons to connect the limbs to the spinal cord. Then, they teach the patient how to move their artificial joints. Dr. Kumar’s an expert in the technique.”
“That’s why she’s going to Rishalt,” Holly said. “Tripilots need some type of neuroimplants to navigate in hyperspace.”
Shooting her a glance, Rosie said, “Guess who I saw there?”
Holly shook her head. “I haven’t a clue.”
“Owen Davies. He’s badly injured. Lost his left arm and his eye is damaged.”
Torn between curiosity about her ex-boyfriend and reluctance to see the wounded fighters, Holly asked, “Did you speak with him?”
“A little.” Fixing a critical gaze on her sister, Rosie said, “He recognized me and he asked about you. I think you should go to see him.”
Startled by this suggestion, Holly gasped indignantly, “See Owen? The bastard left the village without even calling to say goodbye. Why on earth should I want to see him?”
Undeterred, Rosie coaxed, “He would feel much better for a little kindness from a familiar person. You’ll only have to stay for a few minutes. His mind is fragile and he’s too weak for a long conversation.”
Reconsidering her feeble objections and jumbled feelings for her old boyfriend, Holly firmed her lips and nodded. “Okay. I’ll see him tomorrow. Once you’ve had time to rest.”
“Sure. He’ll be on Topside for another couple of days. The medics want to stabilize all the patients before the voyage home.” After this decision, Rosie finished her stew and ate a second bread roll. At the end, she gave a satisfied sigh and looked at Holly. “Let’s find this submarine berth.”
“I left our bags there. It’s a regular room with two beds. Quite comfortable. There’s a porthole for viewing the ocean life. I saw a shoal of little eels swim past.”
“Anywhere quiet will do,” Rosie murmured.
Linking arms, the sisters ambled out of the galley to their sleeping quarters.
NEXT DAY, AFTER THE Moon sisters had breakfast in the galley, Rosie scheduled a time for her barotherapy. Then, she hauled a reluctant Holly into the Bullet for her visit to the medical clinic on Topside. In fifteen minutes, the elevator rose through the gloomy ocean to the upper level of the station.
Confident of the route from the elevator, Rosie led her sister along the passages of Topside to the bustling medical facility. Med Techs pushed carts in and out of rooms on either side of the corridor. Holly was pleasantly surprised by the minimal signs of a typical hospital ward. Only a mild odor of disinfectant and the bandages, syringes and instruments on the carts suggested the treatment of wounds.
Stopping by the open door of an office, Rosie said, “Hi, Rupert. Is Owen Davies awake? He’s a friend from home and we’ve come to visit him.”
Inside the office, a harried Com Tech paused to check the row of monitors. “Yes, Miss Rosie. Davies is watching the news broadcast from Earth.”
“Thanks. We’ll pop in to chat for five minutes.”
“No problem.” The Com Tech smirked at Rosie. Evidently, he was one of her new pals.
Rosie caught hold of her sister’s hand. “Come on.”
Steeling for an awkward meeting, Holly allowed Rosie to pull her into one of the rooms.
Owen lay in bed, his head and shoulders propped on a thick pillow. A bandage covered the left side of his face, and another wrapped the junction between the stump of his amputated arm and his new artificial limb.
Her tone warm and cheerful, Rosie called, “Hello, Owen.”
He turned his head slowly toward the door. Blinking his unbandaged eye, he said, “Who’s there?”
“Rosie Moon. We spoke yesterday, remember.” She pushed Holly forward. “My si
ster, Holly, has come to see you.”
“Holly?” he murmured.
Propelled by her sister, Holly took the chair by the bed. “Hi, Owen. I’m here beside you.”
He reached out with his intact arm as if he wished to touch her.
Wrung with compassion, she grasped his cold fingers for a second. “I’m so sorry about your injuries.”
“They gave me a new arm,” he murmured. “I’m learning to move it.” To demonstrate his progress, he rotated his left wrist and spread the artificial fingers.
Assuming a hearty tone, she said, “Good. You’re learning fast.”
He sighed, “Can’t be fast enough for me.” Gazing at her in confusion, he asked, “Holly, why are you here? Isn’t this a medical facility?”
“We’re in Galileo Station on Europa,” she explained. “Rosie and I are going to the Warrish home world.”
“Why? It’s a long way from home.”
“It’s because of our psychic abilities,” Holly said. “They’re hoping we can learn to navigate in hyperspace.”
He shook his head, saying fretfully, “I don’t understand. You mean that silly mirror and your weird visions?”
Shocked by his flippant description of her scrying talent, Holly bit her lip. Had he never believed in her abilities?
Rosie’s slight eye roll implied a similar dismay at his ignorance.
Hiding her annoyance, Holly assured him, “It’s important. The governments believe it’s vital for us to travel in space independent of the Warrish tripilots.”
After staring at her in silent disbelief, he asked stiffly, “Have you found another man?”
Her thoughts flew to Baswin, the injured alien she had grown to love. He believed in her and admired her psychic talent. As gently as she could, she said, “I did find a man.”
In the same gruff tone, he said, “Wish you luck with him. Hope he’s kind to you.”
The unspoken implication hovered between them. Owen had implied he had been unkind to her.
He yawned and closed his unbandaged eye as if he were exhausted.
Her voice full of sincerity, Holly said, “I hope you recover the full use of your arm.”
Rosie interrupted, saying, “We’ll say goodbye now. We were told to make this a short visit.”
Cracking his eyelid open, he whispered, “Goodbye.” His arms dropped onto the bed and his breathing slowed.
Holly leaned over him, debating whether she ought to give him a friendly hug or leave him in peace, but Rosie tugged at her arm and breathed, “Time to go.”
They tiptoed out and closed the door quietly.
Walking along the corridor, one of the medics halted. “Miss Moon, will you be helping us today?”
“Not this morning, Dr. Sticklehurst,” she said. “I’m due to have barotherapy. Perhaps I’ll be free to help later in the day.”
When the sisters walked out of the medical wing, Holly burst out, “That was dreadful. He’s so helpless and damaged, but I couldn’t bear to stay and try to console him. He has no clue about our psychic senses. He distrusts the whole concept.”
Rosie squeezed her arm. “No. It would be wrong. You have another important purpose.”
“And possibly another lover,” Holly breathed, envisaging Baswin’s amber eyes and devoted smile.
Chapter 26
IN THE EVENT, ROSIE had no time after her barotherapy to tend to the wounded soldiers.
At the end of the procedure, the Moon sisters reunited and strolled toward the galley in search of refreshments. Before they reached their destination, the intercom spat out, “All tripilot candidates must report to the galley.”
Grinning at her sister, Holly quipped, “No problem. We’re on our way.”
Rosie’s eyes brightened. “Is it the next test? Come on.” She grabbed Holly’s hand and urged her into a faster pace.
They trotted along the passage and halted at the threshold of the galley.
Three strangers were talking with Director Albright, a tall dark human man and two Warrish women. The Warrish women shared slim builds and an elfin beauty. They wore silvery mesh caps on their pale green heads and pine-green tunics over the usual brown leggings.
“The tripilots,” Holly breathed.
Noticing the Moon sisters, Albright extended a welcoming hand. “Come in, ladies, and park your butts on a chair.”
They obeyed, finding seats near Lana. The Lunie girl stared, open-mouthed in fascination, at the Warrish women.
The other candidates entered at short intervals, until only Ruby, Oba and Keisha were absent.
Albright stepped away from the Warrish women and stabbed a stubby finger at Zabrina. “Where are your two partners?”
“Director, I apologize. Oba and Keisha are helping the medics on Topside.”
“Don’t apologize,” he said gruffly. “The soldiers’ welfare is important.”
“Director,” Shauntelle called. “Ruby Hall is also on Topside tending to the wounded men.”
“She’s generous with her talent.” He pursed his lips for a thoughtful moment. “We won’t delay. The healers can pick your brains about this meeting.” Looking around the room, he said, “Reckon we’ll get started.” He waved at the strangers, indicating each one in turn as he spoke. “Meet our visitors, Brisai Mia and Ennis Tikari Viar, Second and Third sisters in the broken Beryl Triale Triad. They’re trained tripilots and bloody good friends. Sci Tech Denton is with our xenobiology research team.”
Gazing over their heads, the older sister, Mia, placed a hand on her heart. “Calm seas, trainees. Our sagacious Prime Tol-Ziral asked us to assess your ability to sense the threads of hyperspace.” Her bell-clear voice, as brittle and distant as if she perceived another world, quivered and she faltered.
The younger tripilot, Ennis, laid a supportive hand on her sister’s arm.
A shiver of excitement prickled the back of Holly’s neck and Rosie clutched her arm in unconscious mimicry of the tripilot sisters.
Inhaling a ragged breath, Mia resumed speaking, “Sensitivity to the fluctuations of hyperspace is a rare talent and highly prized among our people. We do not know if your psychic abilities indicate a sensitivity to hyperspace or an aptitude for navigating between stars. We must test each of you for this ability. Do you understand?”
Several of the candidates nodded. Others called, “Yes,” or “I understand.”
“Let me explain the requirements for the evaluation. In order to regulate the process, we will evaluate you at a special site on the seabed. You must be comfortable swimming in this enclosed ocean. Ambassador Jervaron informed us that you were trained to dive with nostril breathers in the waters near our embassy on Earth. However, the oceans of Europa have different conditions and hazards.” She gestured at the tall man. “Sci Tech Denton has kindly agreed to advise you on ocean dives.”
Stepping forward, Denton said, “Good day, ladies. I’ve set up a short instructional TriD about the animals in the ocean. Some are dangerous predators. Others are highly intelligent and have learned to communicate with us. After you’ve watched the tutorial, we’ll take you out for a swim. It will be safer for you to practice swimming inside the perimeter barrier around Bathos before you venture farther into the ocean for the test.”
Ennis glanced at Denton, who stood beside her. Her fleeting smile pricked Holly’s suspicions. Were Ennis and Denton lovers? Baswin had suggested tripilots did not practice chastity when off duty.
In the pause that followed Denton’s explanation, the psychic candidates shuffled in their seats or whispered to each other.
Questions whirling through her mind, Holly looked at Rosie. Her sister gave a tiny shrug.
Albright’s voice boomed, “Got any questions? Fire away.”
Zabrina said, “Isn’t the ocean freezing cold?”
“Nope. Not around here.” The Director quirked a grin. “’Course, water’s bloody freezing near the ice crust, but not down here. At the level of Bathos, the water temperature i
s comfortable for a swim. You don’t need any special gear.” He shrugged. “Reckon you won’t be diving into the hot vents. Styxish places. Not without a properly insulated suit.”
Lana said, “It’s dark out there. How can we see to avoid the dangerous animals?”
“Goggles,” he said tersely.
Denton held up his hand and explained, “We use special goggles with adjustable lens to see in low intensity light and infrared vision.
Heedless of the interruption, Albright sailed on, “Ocean’s not totally dark. Plenty of sea creatures flaunt their lights. ‘Course, you’ll have to keep your mouth shut. Breathe through your nose and communicate by tapping on your com.”
“We can do all of that,” the Li sisters proclaimed in a chorus.
After exchanging a glance with Ennis, Mia said, “Show us how well you swim, and we can test you first.”
Denton interrupted, “Have you had barotherapy?”
Al frowned at his com. “Tammy’s treated everybody apart from Oba and Keisha. I’ll get them on her schedule for the morning.”
“Okay.” Denton surveyed the anxious faces of the candidates. “We can take six of you out for a swim today.”
Mia explained, “We prefer to test three candidates in one session.”
After a short discussion, Denton and the tripilot sisters decided the Li clones, Lana and the Moon sisters could go for the first practice swim.
Denton said, “Watch the TriD first. It’s only ten minutes. It shows the worst dangers to avoid and some of the local marine animals.” He dimmed the lights and switched on the display.
A shoal of small worm-like creatures swirled through a gloomy forest of tall tubes. Denton narrated the commentary, “The most common animals in this region are the little eel mimics. We call them pseudo-eels, or just eels, and the Warrish call them frellis. In this scene, they’re swimming in a forest of tube worms. Watch out for the stinging tentacles at the top of each upright tube.”
The scene switched to show a huge animal with a serpentine body and a gaping mouth filled with sharp ridges. It dashed after three smaller, hump-backed creatures with moving tentacles.
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