Moonday

by J F Clayton

  Peter nodded and gave a sign that he’d apologise to Patrick after the meeting.

  Absentmindedly, Maria suddenly added, “I have to take care of the gardens, without me they’ll have problems.”

  Paul looked at Maria and said, “I’d like to take Astro when I return. If it is possible.”

  Steve almost exploded with contempt, “There is not enough room in the escape pods for all of us, and you want to take your toolbox instead of a person?”

  Paul looked embarrassed but also indignant, “No, of course not.”

  Peter distracted them by asking Europa, “Do you have any feedback from the infrared Earth observation?”

  If Europa was honest, she hadn’t been making any regular Earth observations for a while because it would interfere with her real work. She looked Peter straight in the eye and made an educated guess, “The observations show an unexpected growth in the intensity of vegetation.”

  Maria was interested, “What do you mean unexpected?”

  Europa closed her eyes briefly and let her mouth open a little as she thought. She breathed in and out deeply before explaining, “There is a greater than normal vegetation cover in the cities.” That was true, or at least it was when she’d recorded the Earth during the last observation window.

  Maria seemed satisfied, but the others looked concerned. Paul was worried and asked, “Have people stopped living in the cities?”

  Europa frowned, “I don’t know. There may be another explanation, or the instruments might not have been working properly.” She was getting the feeling that she was going to have to redo her observations after all.

  Steve changed the subject back, “Are we stuck here simply because Patrick’s too young to travel?”

  Peter reacted calmly, “We can fly home in the escape pods any time we want. Of course, only if it’s near-Earth day and you’re right. Patrick is too young to return.”

  Steve interjected, “then it’s no return for Patrick.”

  Peter ignored Steve’s comment, “My impression is that you all would like a contract extension.” He smiled at them and continued in a friendly tone, “To be honest, I’ve gotten used to life here, and I’m starting to like it.” He still missed his wife and wanted to go home, but he knew it wouldn’t help if he mentioned it. He had the feeling that the mood was increasingly turning towards going home. Peter added, “We’ve no hurry to go home. We have enough supplies for years. We can wait for Patrick to turn sixteen and be old enough to travel.”

  Peter looked at them to see their responses. The small smiles and gentle nodding gave him the impression that they liked his suggestion. It was a decision that meant they didn’t have to change anything and could continue on as normal. Peter smiled and thought we’re all a little afraid of change. He was pleased the meeting had gone better than he’d expected. Peter slid his chair back away from the table.

  Beatriz knocked gently on the top of the table with a clenched hand and said, “Before you go. I just want to say, that you are all welcome to come to the infirmary for your annual medical examination.” She looked over to Europa and Peter before adding, “Liam has helped me set up a Robotician that was destined for Mars. This means we can do better eye tests.” She smiled proudly and took something out of her top pocket before saying, “We can even make improved glasses and contact lenses.” She put on her glasses and glanced over to Maria. Then she nodded before adding, “Your necklace is beautiful.”

  Peter picked up his captain’s hat and held it in his hand as he went back to his office. He sat down at his desk, put on his captain’s hat and waited for who would come. He didn’t have to wait long and was surprised when it was Liam who stopped by first. He only stayed briefly and thanked Peter for inviting him to Patrick’s birthday party and trusting him. Peter nodded and smiled. He remained quiet because he was unsure what to say.

  As Peter expected, Steve came after Liam had left.

  Still standing Steve announced, “I want a bigger pay rise. I don’t think you are offering enough.” He had a serious expression on his face.

  Peter smirked he understood Steve’s game this time and replied, “You need to justify why you deserve a bigger pay rise?”

  Without pausing Steve answered, “I work harder than the others and achieve more. I’m qualified enough that I can do most jobs on the base. I want you to give me an incentive to want to stay.”

  Peter asked, “How much do you want?”

  Steve looked him straight in the eye and said, “An extra ten percent.”

  Peter didn’t flinch and countered with, “Five percent.”

  Steve nodded he was satisfied with five percent, but Peter could see there was something else bothering him.

  Steve sounded unsure as he asked, “What’s happened to the list of returners? You haven’t mentioned it lately.”

  Peter reassured him, “It exists, and your name is on it.” He made a mental note to write a list.

  Peter sat there looking at the door waiting to see if anyone else came. He was just about to give up waiting and get on with something else when Beatriz came by.

  She walked into his office and explained, “Sorry, that it took me so long to get here. I needed to plan a couple of medical examinations.” She smiled at him. “The terms of the employment contract are fine, and I have no problem with it.”

  Peter was relieved, and she said, “I just came by for a little chat.”

  Peter nodded and shut the door automatically. He offered Beatriz one of the chairs and she made herself comfortable before she asked, “Have you ever thought that Patrick might be colour-blind because his choice of clothes is sometimes unusual.”

  Peter looked thoughtful as he replied, “He doesn’t have any influence from other children or from fashions. Maybe it’s perfectly normal.”

  Beatriz replied, “Well he isn’t colour-blind. I did an eye test and the results were a little surprising. He has a wider visual range at the violet end of the visible spectrum.” She looked at Peter to see if he had anything to say. He remained silent, so Beatriz added, “I was just thinking that maybe we might need to give him contact lenses. John was red/green colour-blind. That’s why I asked Dervla for permission to test him.”

  Peter nodded in silence, looked at his watch and poured himself a glass of whisky. Beatriz shook her head, she didn’t want any.

  Beatriz watched him sip his whisky. She hadn’t trained as a dentist, but over the years she had to learn more and more, “Liam and Paul have finished building a new automatic dentist. We installed the machine yesterday. I wanted to mention it in the meeting but forgot.” She smiled and continued, “It was destined for the Mars Base. We also have a good supply of self-building peptides for tooth enamel repair and a hydrogel, which has similar mechanical properties to a natural tooth.”

  Peter wasn’t really interested, yet he managed to smile politely and replied, “Does that mean I can eat more sweets?”

  Beatriz laughed politely, but sounded a little stern as she explained, “It’s been ten years since we arrived, and your enamel reinforcement coating will not last forever.” She looked sternly at him in a motherly way.

  Peter didn’t notice, his thoughts were elsewhere, “Do you ever think about what you’ll do when you get home?” He looked at her.

  She kept silent. She wanted to know where he wanted to go with this before she answered.

  Peter sighed and spoke quickly, “Who you’d hug, what you’d eat, whether you’d go swimming in the sea? Or even go for a walk barefoot so you can feel the grass between your toes when your feet touch the ground?”

  Beatriz observed Peter carefully. She was a little concerned.

  He continued, “Patrick has only ever breathed cleanly filtered air. Never the variety on Earth.” Peter looked at Beatriz and stressed, “He was never ill. He’s never been vaccinated.” He thought briefly, “Maybe there are vaccinations destined for the Mars Base that we can use for Patrick.”

  Beatriz smiled. She was be
coming less worried about Peter, “There certainly are.”

  Peter turned serious, “The supplies are now over ten years old. Isn’t there an expiry date for vaccinations?”

  “If the drugs are stored at optimal temperatures and conditions, the expiration date can be prolonged, and the vaccinations don’t lose their effect.”

  Peter nodded, thinking briefly before asking, “Will Patrick’s muscles and bones be strong enough to withstand gravity on Earth?”

  Beatriz shook her head, “In that respect he won’t have any problems. His muscles and bones are stronger than normal.”

  Peter nodded and leaned back in his chair, then he sat upright, and his eyes lit up as he smiled. Then he said, “He sounds like Superman. Stronger than normal and with a broader visual spectrum.” He laughed softly at his joke. The comparison made Beatriz laugh too.

  The laughter helped them relax and Peter sipped his whisky enjoying the flavour and thinking of what he would do when he got home. He turned to Beatriz and said quietly, “Can you remember how air smells and feels when you can see a rainbow? I think I’ve forgotten.” He looked sad and went silent.

  Beatriz was worried. It seemed that today had hit Peter hard. She wished she could help him.

  He just sat up straight and said, “Everyone seems to be getting along well. The meeting went better than I thought it would.” He looked distant.

  Beatriz felt worried, “You know, most of the time everyone is either taking antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication. Sometimes both. And if we’re not taking medication, we’ve found our own way to deal with our emotions.” She looked pointedly at his whisky bottle.

  He smiled half-heartedly and looked a little guilty.

  After Beatriz had left, Peter sat alone in his office. He’d requested Meichun remain inactive. He wanted to be left alone. The captain’s hat was on his desk, and Peter was looking at it. It’s getting old, too. It’s over 11 years old and still looking good. He smiled. He took good care of his hat. He tilted his head to one side and thought the cap hasn’t put on weight and doesn’t need whisky to get through the day. He poured himself another glass and drank it in one, then twisted his body on his chair and it occurred to him that it was time to increase the maximum size setting in his clothes again.

  Moonday Ten

  Date: Saturday 2nd October 2151 – 09:30 CET

  Location: Alpha 12 – Moon Base

  Beatriz was sitting in the sick bay staring at nothing on the wall. She felt like she’d forgotten something and was frowning. She massaged her temples with her fingers and felt the pain as she pressed down harder. It bothered her. She wasn’t used to forgetting anything.

  Patrick came skidding into the room and came to a stop when he hit the wall. He straightened himself up and greeted her with a big grin.

  She looked surprised to see Patrick and gave him a friendly smile before asking him, “What are you doing here?”

  He grinned broader. He’d pulled himself up to his full height and sounded very proud as he said, “It’s Moonday 10. My birthday.” His eyes lit up and his shoulders led his body into a mini-wobble dance manoeuvre. Beatriz couldn’t help smiling at his antics.

  Was that what she forgot, or was it something else? She suppressed the uncertain feeling and nodded in a way that matched the severity of the situation, “Of course, let’s start right away. Sit yourself down.” As soon as he had sat down she started the examination. Like every year she measured his weight directly in the chair and then got him to stand up, so she could measure his height and scan his muscle and bone strength. The results of the tests were available immediately and came as no surprise to Beatriz. Every year, the results were above average for his age. She congratulated him on how well he was growing and told him that he was stronger and taller than an average ten-year-old boy.

  He grinned proudly, and his eyes shone. He was enjoying the attention. Beatriz thought he behaved like a normal boy. Being the only child didn’t seem to have damaged his development. She laughed softly as she thought probably because Paul acts like a child most of the time, and it was good that they had a lot in common. Patrick also had a similar body size to Paul, she wondered if it had something to do with the fact that they spent so much time together.

  After the examination was over Beatriz noticed a package with a note stuck on it sitting on her table. She turned to Patrick, and before he ran away to find Paul, who was organising something special for Patrick’s birthday, Beatriz put her hand gently on Patrick’s arm. He looked at her questioningly. His muscles were tense. He was trembling a little. He wanted to go.

  “I have something for you.” She ripped off the note and put it in her pocket before she handed him the little package. She thought he looks cute when he’s confused.

  “A gift, but I thought the examination was my gift?”

  Beatriz declared affectionately, “This year you’re getting something extra.”

  Patrick beamed and took the package and asked, “Can I open it now?”

  With twinkling eyes Beatriz advised him quietly, “Wait for the party. And another thing. Don’t forget that the asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter.”

  Patrick promised not to forget and ran off. He ran into the large meeting room but when he saw Paul he stopped abruptly and dropped the package. Paul laughed, it looked like he’d run into an invisible wall. Paul tilted his head and smiled at Patrick before asking gently, “Is anything wrong?”

  Patrick looked disappointed, “I thought I was getting a present, but there are so many people here.”

  “Yes, and so you will.” Paul’s tone was understanding, and he pointed at the package on the floor and added, “Pick up the package,” as he continued speaking you could hear the laughter in his voice, “This year the theme of Europa’s lesson is so interesting that the others wanted to participate as well.” He nodded towards Maria and Charlie.

  Patrick smiled, visibly relieved, he picked up the package and sat down excitedly between Paul and Maria.

  Maria tapped gently on the top of the parcel and raised her eyebrows as she said, “I hope nothing broke.”

  Patrick looked at her suddenly worried. He picked up the package and shook it next to his ear concentrating hard to see if he could hear anything shaking.

  Paul shook his head and let it fall into his hands in an attempt at disapproval, but he couldn’t hide his smile, “Stop shaking it. You’ll only make it worse.”

  Full of energy, Europa walked into the room. She glanced at the CET clock on the wall and nodded to them before smiling at her audience, which scared Paul a little because it was so unusual.

  “Today’s topic is the difference between celestial bodies located in our solar system.” She pulled up a huge picture of the solar system on the visual display, before pointing at the picture and explaining, “We see here the eight planets and Pluto-Charon, which is the nearest thing we have to a double planet system in our solar system.” Europa liked the Pluto-Charon double planet system, she thought it was somehow romantic. Europa turned to her students and looked sternly at them, “We’ll start with a test. We have eight planets in our solar system, two belts, and a cloud. You need to name them all.” She looked at Patrick, “We’ll ignore the dwarf planets.”

  Patrick grimaced. He was a little scared and covered his face with his hands. He was sure he wouldn’t know the answers. He looked at Paul nervously and then started chewing his thumbnail. Patrick’s eyes were wide and watering, and without making a sound, he was moving his dry lips uncertainly. Paul saw him and smiled before patting his hand.

  Europa suddenly turned and faced Charlie. She hit the table with her flat of her hand making a loud banging sound.

  Charlie jumped, sat up straighter, paying attention and looked scared.

  Europa asked, demanding, “The first planet from the Sun is?”

  Charlie sounded insecure when he barely audibly whispered, “Mercury.” He looked at Europa questioningly. He was worried that the answer
might be wrong.

  Without smiling, she nodded and left him with the feeling that if the answer had been wrong then he would know about it. She turned to Maria and asked just as sternly, “The next planet is?”

  Maria felt a shiver run down her spine and forced herself to relax before answering in a confident voice that hardly quivered, “Venus.” She managed to smile half-heartedly.

  With a severe expression, Europa looked at Patrick. Her voice sounded softer but not much, “And the third planet from the Sun?”

  Patrick visibly relaxed and even smiled as he sat up straight, pulled his shoulders up and answered, “The Earth.”

  Europa nodded and said, “Correct. Well done.”

  As Patrick beamed and relaxed, Charlie looked over jealously.

  Europa turned to Paul and abruptly asked, “And what’s the fourth planet called?”

  Paul shook his head lightly from side to side as he looked at Europa and thought she’s enjoying this.

  Europa raised her eyebrows.

  He answered hurriedly, “Mars. It’s Mars.” He knew the answer was correct, yet he could feel the beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

  Europa turned to Charlie and demanded, “What lies between Mars and Jupiter?”

  Charlie bent his head and looked at the table. He apologised and stuttered, “I don’t know.”

  Patrick breathed in quickly. He knew the answer. He almost jumped up in his seat. He wanted to answer but wasn’t sure if it was allowed or not. Excited and uncertain, he looked questioningly between Paul and Europa.

  Paul smiled encouragingly and nodded exaggeratedly with both his head and with his eyebrows.

  Patrick started wriggling and twisting in his seat. He raised and lowered his arm. Would she see him? Was he allowed to answer? He was so excited, and the words burst out of him, “I know it. I know the answer. The asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter.”

  Europa smiled and congratulated Patrick on being so clever. He knew something Charlie didn’t know. She looked at Charlie disapprovingly.