by Robert Culp
Before the door closes, Gwen asks, “Why is the Captain afraid of me? I wanted to ask earlier, but you said to ask you first about other people.”
“I think it’s more that the Captain doesn’t understand you, sweetie. And—well, he’s had some bad things happen to him. Things he doesn’t understand frighten him.”
She ponders. “That makes sense. Thank you. I hope you have a good day at work. Oh, you may want to have Ginny check the transducer in power conduit A9 in the vicinity of junction 327.”
Why would she say that? “I will thank you.”
I get to Engineering and announce we have an inspection at 1545. “If it isn’t working, get it fixed, documented, or both,” I say. Ginny informs me that all the damage we suffered in the attack is fixed, aside from some minor cosmetic things. Ginny recommends she and Gorb grab mops and touch up the deck plating.
“Ok! ‘Gorb always helps!’ Everybody says so; it must be true.”
“All in good time,” I tell him. “First, I want Ginny to inspect the transducer in power conduit A9, vicinity junction 327.”
“Why? The board shows all green.”
“I didn’t ask you to inspect the board. Humor me, please.” I say leveling my gaze at her.
“On it, Boss.” Ginny packs a tool kit.
Aria walks in as Ginny walks out. Why is she here? It’s not time yet! “You said I had six hours.”
“I will do another one at that time.” She’s just as reliable as a portable scanner and easier to work with. I may have to invite her to follow behind us more often. I follow her through the drive room. She points out some discrepancies. I show her the corresponding work orders. “All is well here, Sonia. You are doing a great job. The Captain is very pleased with you.”
“That is good news, on all accounts. Can you tell me—” my perCom bleeps with an emergency tone. It’s Ginny, so I thumb the speaker on. “Yes, Ginny?” Gorb looks in our direction.
“Good hit, Boss. In another minute this thing will blow wide open and a plasma fire will engulf half of cargo bay three. I need an emergency re-route of power through junctions 326 and 328, isolate 327. The seepage burned the sensor, hence the green light.”
“Got it, Shownya!” Gorb hurries to the flow board to make the necessary adjustments. “Lights out, Ginny.”
“Outstanding, Gorbster. Boss, this will keep me busy for an hour or so.”
“Understood. Keep me posted. Out here.” I put my perCom back in its holster.
Aria looks at me with one eyebrow cocked and asks, “An aggressive inspection program?”
“I can’t take credit for what I didn’t do. It was a tip from Gwen.”
“A most timely tip. You were saying?”
“What was I saying? Oh, yeah, can you tell me what happened between the Captain and Gwen this morning?”
She opens her mouth to reply when my perCom starts screaming. It’s the Captain’s personal assistant, Jeanette Friday. The Captain is calling for me to come to his office. Alone. Now.
“It can wait!” I call to Aria over my shoulder as I run out of Engineering. “Please let him know I’m on my way!” I get to his office as fast as my feet will get me there.
Friday is nowhere to be seen. I’m preparing to knock, when from within, I hear, “Come in, Sonia.” So I do. “Back here.” He calls to me from the room adjacent to his office. He is wearing a thick black robe with a huge hood covering his face. Just listening, I perceive he has neither his respirator collar nor any of the ornamental garb he normally wears. Either the Boss is sick, or he took the afternoon off. “Please, sit. Would you like a drink? Anya!” A stunning brunette comes through a doorway. She is strikingly similar to Aria, but shorter, slimmer, and petite. Another android?
“Oh, uh, apple juice, please?” I stammer. Anya disappears back through the same door she used earlier.
The Captain doesn’t wait for her to return, he ticks off talking points on his fingers. “First, let’s discuss my son, Gorb. I am told that you are kind to him. I am appreciative and grateful for that. Please continue to nurture him. I regrettably do not have the time.
“Second, Gwendolyn. As hard as it is to believe, she appears to be one of the Ashkari. That’s theoretically impossible, but having seen her, I’ve no choice but to accept it. The Ashkari were a very rare race of extraordinary psionics. They were, prior to discovering Gwendolyn, thought to be extinct. At her current age, she can be persuaded to do anything with the right guidance. If I chose to embrace the Negative side of the Source, I could use her to rule a galaxy. I—at this time—choose not to do so. Rather, I wish to nurture her in a positive direction, and see her raised as a good, moral person. Hence, I am placing her in your charge for the moment. Truthfully, you are more capable of that than I. But I reserve the right to change that at my convenience. Now, I am sure you have questions of me. I will allow two. Please ask, but choose carefully.” Anya returns with a glass of juice for me and a steaming mug of coffee for the Captain. She places each on the desk between us and leaves.
“Sir, it’s no great task being nice to Gorb, he’s a beautiful person. But you’re welcome just the same. I knew Gwen was special, of course but I had no idea she was that special. And I’m more than happy to care for her, it’s just...I know I’ve only known her for a few days, but I’m getting very attached to her and I’m not sure why. I don’t have any questions about her, just one request: When you decide to separate us, her and me, I don’t want to know when. I’d rather just return to an empty stateroom and a message of notification.” I chew my lip nervously, “You are correct, I do have two questions. One, what happened to you? And two, why don’t you make time for your son?”
“The answer to your unasked question, I offer at no penalty: You are growing attached to her because she knows on a subconscious level that she needs care and direction. You are capable of providing both. She is telepathically imprinting herself on you. Fear not, it isn’t malicious.” He takes a sip of his coffee. “You ask very personal questions, Sonia. I do make time for Gorb. Sadly, it is not often enough. The demands of a starship captain are many. Perhaps you will learn that firsthand some day. What happened to me? The list is quite lengthy and just as impressive. In a nutshell, I was captured and tortured to the brink of death in the Great War. A healthy, whole human man has two lungs that between them have five sacks that enable him to breathe. I have one lung, and it has one functional sack. The tendons of my wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles were all severed, with an inch resected from each. My pelvis was pulverized. I sustained numerous other fractures, each rib among them. Each limb has three major bones. All twelve of mine were broken at least once. Those are the ‘biggies,’ as they say. Suffice it to say: my enemies decided I was not meant to live. I was rescued while I was waiting—praying—to die. Mind you, I experienced all of my torture while conscious. Anytime I passed out—which was often—I was awakened and the torture resumed. Upon release from hospital, I was, of course, medically retired. Following some research, I overcame my fear, incapacitation, and pain by mastering the ways of the Shre pa La. I would be surprised if you are familiar with them. They are an obscure race of people on a very distant planet. The journey cost me my entire pension. They taught me to use my mind as the great tool I learned it could be. As to the second, a significant portion of my day is devoted to survival, more to the running of this vessel. If—or rather when—you have your own command, you will agree with me. Now, we are both busy. Good day.”
“Thank you for your candor, sir. Good day.” That’s a lot to take in. I make my way to the LEO, calling Ginny to meet me there.
“What’s up, Boss?” She is standing outside the door when I get there.
“It’s time to expand your responsibilities a bit. I’d like you to take the lead on the daily maintenance requests. When we get somewhere with a starport, I’ll try to get some more mechanics and technicians hired. Between us, I think we have the propulsion engineering parts covered. It’s just getting the
actual physical labor done that is getting to be a bear. This will put the maintenance droids under your umbrella, of course. I don’t have much of a say in your compensation package, but I’ll talk to Aria about an increase. What do you say?”
“All sounds good to me, ma’am. I will strive to be your best student.”
“I’m sure you will. Get out of here and start fresh in the morning.” When she’s gone I sign into the library computer to see what I can learn on the Source, the Ashkari, the Shre pa La, and telepathy in preadolescents. The computer displays the “working” imagery, then returns an article on the first three topics.
R1) The Source: A belief that the energy of the multiverse is centered in a controlling microverse, in an unknown location, which distributes energy to those who know how to draw upon it. See also ‘Sorcerer,’ ‘Psionic Power,’ or ‘Ashkari.’
R2) The Ashkari: A rare race of humanoids native to the Brandell System (Mythological). They are a race commonly referred to colloquially as ‘Psuper Psionics.’ At last library data update, archaeologists have agreed to proclaim the race extinct.
R3) The Shre pa La: A group of Mystical Martial Artists (see also ‘Warrior Monk,’ ‘Sorcerer,’ and ‘Martial Artist’) who believed they could directly channel energy from the Source (see The Source). This is religious belief (theory) and has been challenged by scientists and theologians alike. The last physical evidence of living Shre pa La was documented in 9815.
On the second page I see: Telepathy in preadolescents: There are 543,757,343 entries. Please narrow search parameters.
I’m not that interested right now. But I am hungry. I call Gwen. “Are you hungry? Shall I come get you, or do you want to meet me in the chow hall? Think you can get there by yourself?”
“I will meet you there in twenty minutes, hotpants.” She clicks off. I sit there stunned. I could not have heard what I just think I heard.
I stride to the chow hall, my boots ringing down the metallic corridor. As I enter the cafeteria, I see one of the spacers sitting with Gwen. When I left her, she was still wearing the dress she had worn for the Captain. She has changed into white short-shorts and a red tank top with nothing under it. Granted, she’s only six, but there are standards to maintain. I fix him with my “this-mama-bear-is-ready-to-kill-you” gaze. I have seen the spacer in the cargo areas before, but don’t know him. “I don’t know you. Disappear. Now!” Gwen has a plate of spaghetti in front of her.
“Oh, c’mon, Sonia. I’m just looking for a little company.” He smirks and looks at me in taunting contempt. He’s made no move to leave the table. He has one hand on Gwen’s knee. Gwen giggles. Although I want to believe her innocent, she has a look of mischief on her face that I neither recognize nor understand.
“That’s ‘Chief MacTaggert’ and I said disappear.” He grins at me with a smug look. That did it! I angrily punch down on his nose. The snap is audible.
He reels backward with pain and embarrassment. Blood runs from his nose. “Ow!” He cups his nose with one hand. With the other, he grabs a fork from the table. “You bitch! You will die!” He lunges, and then stops suddenly, as if stricken by a stroke. He falls to the floor, flailing in a convulsive seizure. The fork falls. I kick it, and it skitters away harmlessly.
Gwen looks at me with the most innocent look a child can give. “And you!” I shout, “I will deal with you later. Sit right there, eat yer supper, and don’ give me reason to say another ward to ye!”
I grab my perCom and call Medical. “Medical emergency in the chow hall. Apparent seizure, visible convulsions.” I follow that with a call to Aria. I give her my report, omitting no details and taking full responsibility for initiating the physical conflict. She acknowledges me and says a security Trooper is on her way. A crewmember is standing ready to give first aid to the convulsing spacer. Two medics rush in. They load the fallen crewman onto an anti-grav gurney and hurry out with him.
I sit down and try to collect myself. I count my breaths: ten in and ten out. Then I address Gwen. It is a struggle for me to not yell. “I will admit it: I am now very upset with you. I have cooled down a bit on the walk here. That individual” (I point in the direction the twitching spacer went) “hasn’t helped. I don’t know where you picked up the term ‘hotpants,’ nor do I really care.” I hear myself slipping into the brogue again. “But I’ll nae be hearin’ it come out o’ yuir mouth again. Ever. Do we understand each other?”
She looks down. “Yes, ma’am.”
Sherri walks in and sits down with us. “Hey, Sonia. Hey, Gwen. Which of you is going to tell me what happened?” I tell her exactly what happened: Everything from calling Gwen in the LEO to calling Medical.
Sherri makes some notes then asks Gwen, “Have you seen him before, Gwen?”
“I saw him in the hallway earlier, when we were leaving the Captain’s office this morning. He’s why I’m wearing this.” Sherri looks at her. “I just picked up on what he was thinking. I didn’t want to, but it was so strong, I couldn’t stop it. He was thinking about me in some of the clothes Sonia has. I found them in the drawers at home. I tried them on, but they’re too big for me.” She looks at me. “And I didn’t want you to be mad at me for wearing your underwear. I heard ‘hotpants’ and ‘poonana’ in his mind. I’m sorry, did I do wrong? I didn’t mean to. But I knew it would make him happy. You weren’t there for me to ask, and I just didn’t think to use the holoCom like you showed me.” She picks up a crust of garlic bread, with an expression of regret and confusion on her face. She dips a crust of bread in her spaghetti sauce and chews it slowly.
Sherri’s gaze goes from me to Gwen and back to me. “Girls, there is going to be an investigation. Since psionics are involved, I’m guessing it will be lead by the Captain. He is, of course, the subject matter expert there. I’ll put what you’ve told me in a report and hand it up the chain. Prepare for interviews with Aria and the Captain, at a minimum.” She smiles weakly and adds, “Don’t leave town.” She gives me a pat on the shoulder and Gwen a kiss on the top of her head, as she leaves.
Gwen and I quietly finish supper. When we’ve eaten all that we intend to, I send her back to the stateroom, explaining I have to stop in at Medical.
I find Doc Traynor. “I need some help and advice. I think I just lost my Mom’s Club membership card.” I want to cry on her shoulder and whine about being a horrible mother and a bad person in general.
“Sorry, Sonia. I have a patient to deal with right now, I’ll call you…” A steady electronic wail comes from the exam room.
“Mom!” Avi calls from the exam room. “Cardiac failure!”
I know when it’s time to leave, so I do.
I’m on my way to our stateroom when my perCom screams again. It’s the Captain. “Gwen goes into isolation now. Cell 11. Security personnel will meet you at your stateroom.”
I acknowledge the order. Damnit!
Then Sherri calls me. She’s to meet us at our place and escort Gwen to Detention. In the hall, I meet Sherri as I’m opening the door. “What’s going on?”
“The spacer you slugged? He’s dead and no one knows why yet. His autopsy is underway. Well, his convulsions snapped his spine, but the cause for the convulsions is unknown. I got the directive from Aria. That’s all I know.” We go into the room.
Gwen is sitting on the chair, hugging her teddy bear, rocking back and forth. “Gwen, I need you to come with me, please.” Sherri says.
“I know,” Gwen says. “Can Sonia come too?”
“Of course.”
I can’t stop myself from asking, “Gwen, did you cause his convulsions?” She starts crying as she throws the bear across the room. It bounces off the wall and falls to the floor.
“I didn’t do anything wrong! You said so! Now I’m going to be punished! It’s not fair!! You lied to me!!!”
The temperature in the room goes from 70F to 120F in seconds. The emergency coolers kick on. I feel an invisible hand close on my throat. Other unseen hands lift me in
to the air. My vision is blurring.
Through the blood pounding in my ears, I hear the zip of a pneumatically propelled dart. Gwen and I fall to the floor. Sherri stands beside me with a tranquilizer gun. The room cools, I’m standing on my feet. My eyes clear. My legs are stable under me.
“Do you want to carry her, or shall I?” Sherri asks.
Rather than answer, I pick Gwen up, her head on my shoulder. I nod to Sherri. She leads the way to Detention.
16 BAINERA’AH IV
Now I understand why Gwen was locked in a TMOD. I buzz the Captain’s door at 1900. Friday shows me in. I’m so upset I forget my manners until it’s too late. I start before he can stop me—or my confidence wanes. My words erupt like machine gun fire. “Sir, it shouldn’t surprise you that I’m here. I’ve been put in charge of Gwen, so I have to act in her best interests. With the abilities she has, I know in my heart, she caused that crewman’s seizure that led to his death. Just like I know she caused the temperature to skyrocket in my stateroom. But, sir, I don’t think she knows she’s doing it. With the crewman, I think she believed—correctly—that he was going to hurt me, so she stopped him. In the stateroom, she was very upset; she blamed me and lashed out in anger and despair. Her mind is responding to her emotions. Sir, she needs to be taught to harness her mind. There is more to discipline than punishment; there is also training. We found her locked in a TMOD, and I suspect she had been in it for a while because the crew of that ship couldn’t control her either. I can teach her what she needs to know. We’ve started on ethics, discretion, and a few other basics, but I truly feel she needs to be taught control first. And, not to be blunt, sir, but if there’s someone else on the ship better qualified than you, I don’t know who it is. If you’ll forgive my effrontery, if the situation were reversed, you would want me to move Atlas and Goliath to help Gorb. Please, sir. She may be a very powerful psionic; but that psionic is contained inside a living, growing child who needs your help.”