by neetha Napew
Somewhere in the middle of the third dance, Terce, who was minding the snocle shed, tapped Adak on the shoulder and he in turn tapped Johnny on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear. The two men left, accompanied by Captain Rhys-Hall, and returned in time to rescue Yana from a fifth dance.
Marmion de Revers Algemeine and two Company corpsmen in dress white uniforms were with them.
Yana and Sean stopped dancing to greet their friend, elegant as usual in a royal blue tunic with a purple underdress, the top heavily embroidered in jade and silver, matching Marmie’s earrings and rings.
‘Marmie! How wonderful that you could come!’ Yana cried and Marmion kissed both her cheeks, then Sean’s.
‘Yes, and in addition to your wedding present, I’m afraid I’ve come to take you away from all this. The CIS court is reconvening a week from now and your testimony will be necessary to augment Commissioner Phon Tho Anaciliact’s decision on Petaybee. I thought you’d want to do it yourself, since going off-planet would be lethal to native Petaybeans.’ She glanced down briefly at Yana’s middle and a look of consternation flowed over her classic features. ‘Oh, my. Time flies, doesn’t it?’
Yana smiled. ‘It does indeed. But I see no reason…’
‘I don’t think it’s wise for you to go off-planet this far into your pregnancy, Yana,’ Sean said, his hand on her shoulder tightening protectively.
Others in the room had joined them by now. Clodagh and Whit Fiske also greeted Marmie with kisses on the cheeks and Bunny pushed her way through to them, trailed closely by Diego, who had stopped playing and slung his guitar across his back as soon as he saw the newcomers arrive.
‘How long does she need to be gone, Marmie?’ Clodagh asked.
‘Not long, I should think. Counting the journey, two weeks your time, three at the most.’
‘Huh,’ Clodagh said. ‘I’d never last that long. Sean neither.’
‘I mean to be there too, Yana, though as an Intergal board member,’ Marmion said, ‘my testimony is assumed to be biased and self-serving in one of those peculiarly bureaucratic fashions that people can’t really explain anyhow. It’s too bad there’s no qualified native Petaybean to testify.’
‘I qualify and I think I could go too,’ Bunny said, pulling at her sleeve. ‘I’m young enough to go off-planet without any ill effects and I know everything that’s happened. I could sing them the song I made about it. Though Diego’s songs are better.’
‘If you’re going, I’m going,’ Diego said. ‘Now’s my chance to show you all those technical things you keep telling me couldn’t possibly work! Besides, I wouldn’t want your head getting turned by all those guys in uniform. And I could see my mom,’ he added with a glance at Marmion, as if the more conventional reason might sway her where his desire to be with Bunny might not.
‘We need Colonel Maddock - or is it Shongili now?’ Marmie asked with a twinkle.
‘I think for courtroom purposes I’d better remain Maddock for the time being,’ Yana said.
‘Yana, you’re four months pregnant,’ Sean said. ‘With my child.’ The emphasis, Yana knew, was not merely possessive. Because of Sean’s dual nature as man and seal, he was concerned just how many of his traits his children would inherit and how deeply an off-planet experience would affect them.
‘Matty women are on duty right up until delivery now, Sean,’ she said, dropping her hand to his arm and giving it a reassuring squeeze. ‘And you heard Marmie, it will only be three weeks. If I have Bunny along…’
Clodagh touched Sean’s hand. ‘It should be OK that long, Sean. And Petaybee needs her to do this.’
‘I suppose so. I only wish I could accompany her.’
‘I’d take good care of her, Uncle Sean. You know I would,’ Bunny said, throwing her arms around his waist.
‘And I’d take care of both of them, Dr Shongili,’ Diego said, with a challenging look at Marmion.
Marmion smiled at him and said, ‘With you as adult guardian, I see no problem in Bunny and Diego accompanying you, Yana. In fact, I’m sure CIS Anaciliact would appreciate all the support he can get. I don’t suppose little Cita…?’
But Sean denied that choice with a firm shake of his head. ‘After all she’s been through she’s much too fragile in my opinion. Cita stays here. Besides, Coaxtl frets herself into moulting mountains of hair if the girl is out of sight for any extended period.’
‘I can tell what needs to be told, to anyone who asks,’ Bunny said at her staunchest.
‘Sean,’ Yana said, turning to look into his dear, worried face. ‘Duty does have a way of calling regardless of personal convenience, love.’
‘I wouldn’t stop you from doing what you think you need to do, even if I thought I could get away with it, Yana.’ His grin was slightly strained and anxious and so were his eyes. She understood his concern, and maybe more than just ‘understood’ after their union in the cave. ‘But be careful.’
Two hours later they were ready to depart, though Yana deeply regretted the necessity of leaving her new husband so precipitously. She consoled herself with the knowledge that what they had between them would keep, on the ice and in the heat, come what may.
Clodagh gave each of them an almost ritualistic kiss and embrace, putting a little leather bag on a thong around their necks.
As she hung Yana’s around her neck, Yana asked, ‘What’s this?’
‘It’s dirt,’ Clodagh said simply.
‘Dirt?’
‘Yes. Petaybee wants you to have something to remember it by. The dirt’s from the cave.’
Not long before, Yana would have been stymied how to receive such a statement, but now she squeezed Clodagh warmly in an embrace of her own. ‘This makes me feel a lot better.’
Then Sean clasped her in a farewell embrace and she, Bunny and Diego boarded the Company shuttle that would take them to Marmion’s executive space-liner, waiting in orbit. In Yana’s carryall was Sean’s wedding vest, to sleep with, and a hastily made town recording to Petaybean relatives in Company service. Bunny carried a frozen fish for her cousin Charlie from his parents and a basket of pemmican from the wedding feast for homesick Petaybeans. Diego carried letters from his father to his mother and a basket of his favourite Petaybean foods plus nutrients to keep himself and Bunny healthy on the journey.
Once aboard the spaceliner, Sally Point-Jefferson, Marmion’s aide, tenderly placed Charlie’s fish in the freezer. Bunny remained glued to the viewscreen, watching Petaybee shrink into a tiny point of light in the vastness of black space. She bent and unbent her fingers against the port in farewell as her home disappeared altogether.
2
Shipside
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Bunny turned away from the window, a little gasp of dismay escaping her throat, her eyes misty with suppressed tears.
‘I never thought I’d see the last of Petaybee,’ she said in such a mournful tone that Diego immediately took her into a warm embrace, murmuring reassurances and some of the silly names that he had created for her.
‘Now, gatita,’ he said, the name meaning ‘little cat’ or ‘kitten’, ‘it’s not as if you won’t be coming back, or anything. It’s only for a little while. And I bet that no-one from Kilcoole has ever seen Petaybee from space like you just did. Looks like one of those stones Aisling polishes up, the bluey ones with the white bands.’
‘Yes, I guess it does at that,’ Bunny said, sniffling until Marmion handed her a tissue. ‘Oh, sorry. Didn’t bring anything to blow into.’
‘What the well-appointed vessel has in quantity - things you don’t remember to bring with you,’ Marmion said kindly. ‘I forget how hard it is to leave a place you love. Only think how excited you’ll be to see it in the viewscreen on your way back. The better view!’
Marmion then organized everyone into doing things: like settling into their cubicles, getting food, getting comfortable. ‘I’ve had Sally acquire clothing for you or you’ll all be over-warmly dressed
where we’re going. It’s also very important, I think, that we choose garments that will seem appropriate to our mission.’
‘What’s wrong with what we’re wearing?’ Bunny wanted to know for she was wearing the beautiful Gather Blouse Aisling had made out of the material Yana had gifted her with. The blouse made her feel very elegant and adult, and Diego said it was the nicest thing he’d seen her in.
‘I’m not suggesting you change your style, dear,’ Marmion said in a conciliatory tone, ‘and that blouse is certainly lovely but you can’t appear every day in it. So Sally and I scrounged around to see what would be you as well as ah… not too conspicuously different. Oh,’ and she gave an exasperated sigh as she saw the defiant look on Bunny’s face, ‘for all I’m supposed to be so diplomatic, I’m not putting this in the right words, am I? But then, where we’re going, one is not often judged by what they are, but what they seem to be. You know what I’m talking about, Colonel Yana dear, don’t you?’ And Marmion appealed to Yana on more than the one count she was trying to explain.
‘I do, indeed, Marmion…’ Yana tried to pull a fold over her belly from the material of her one-piece suit and failed with a laugh. Til need a size larger, I know.’
‘Oh, you’re easy to do, Yana,’ Marmion said. ‘Wasn’t she, Sally?’
The aide laughed and nodded. ‘With trouser pleats for expansion,’ she said. ‘And a tunic tailored just that little bit fuller across the… ah… hips.’
‘It isn’t my hips that worry me,’ Yana said with a grin, hoping to clear Bunny’s troubled expression.
‘Diego, we’ve ordered you the very latest,’ Marmion went on and then giggled in one of those displays of amusement which charmed her friends. ‘In fact, the whole operation was a great deal of fun. Why don’t you and Bunny go see what’s in your wardrobes? We’ll still have time to discard what you really can’t possibly be seen in before you have to be seen in it.’
Diego escorted Bunny firmly to the cabins they’d been assigned. Only when the panel had slid shut behind them did Marmion’s expression alter to one of concern.
‘You do know what I mean, Yana?’
‘Oh, yes, Marmion. I know precisely what you’re trying to do and so does Diego. He knows the drills. So do I. So, now what? Or do we wait for the others to return before you tell us the bad news?’
‘How ever did you know there is some?’
‘Because you’re taking such especial pains to make us seem normal, look normal and yet different enough so we’ll still be “original” as well as acceptable.’
Marmion, hands loosely clasped in her lap, considered that. ‘It will not be smooth sailing, although I have every confidence that common sense, at least this once, will prevail. Intergal, as well as other holding companies that have vast numbers of star systems held in fief as Petaybee is, will be watching. The scientifically acute are fascinated by the idea of a sentient planet. You must know that, with all the paper that’s flooded your desk since they got a name to send messages to.’
Yana nodded ruefully. ‘No kidding. There’s been so much of it I haven’t even begun to read it all, much less answer it. Sean’s been doing a lot of the footwork, I suppose you’d call it, and that leaves Diego as the only other literate person in the north, other than his father and Steve Margolies, who are busy enough with their own work. Loncie Ondelacy is able to do some in the South. Diego’s been teaching Bunny to read and write but, fast as she is, she can’t learn enough in a couple of months to do more than help with alphabetical filing. Most of the letters seem to be from people who want to come to Petaybee for some reason or other - I can’t believe there’s so many out there all of a sudden when the planet’s been so quiet for years. ‘We’ve had several enquiries from drug companies too and I have no idea how Clodagh’s cures can be reproduced at this point. Even with a good growing season this year, the planet so far has provided just about enough to keep native Petaybeans supplied - if we’re actually going to try to farm some of Clodagh’s plants and produce her cures for a wider population we’ll have to do it in some way that doesn’t overtax Petaybee. Clodagh’s not even sure, at this point, if some of the ingredients can live off-planet. I knew this was going to take a lot of work, but it seems to me that someone’s been broadcasting outside the committee a lot of what ought to be classified information about the planet’s sentient nature. It’s pushing us to go much faster than we’re equipped to do at present.’
Marmion said, ‘I understand your concern, and discretion certainly has been urged on all parties where Petaybee is concerned. I’m afraid what you’re dealing with now is only, if you’ll pardon the expression, the tip of the iceberg. Some of our board members are expressing concern that other colonized worlds might try to claim similar status. They’re worried that Petaybee will set a precedent. If there were some way to reassure them that this is a one-off case of planetary sentience…’ and she cocked her head hopefully at Yana.
‘You expect me to be able to answer that, Marmion? I can barely cope with the knowledge that there’s one . . .’
‘And that’s exactly the attitude you ought to take, if I may make such a suggestion. Reaffirming it whenever asked just as you did to me now.’
‘But suppose Petaybee isn’t a one-off…’ Yana liked to know she was telling the truth, inadvertently or otherwise.
Marmion sighed. ‘All the more reason, from the board’s standpoint, for keeping information about Petaybee hush-hush. They’d just as soon not give inhabitants of other terraformed planets any ideas but, at the same time, I expect CIS is going to want some sort of poll to try to determine if other worlds formerly considered habitats are indeed sentient beings.’
She gave a gusty sigh. ‘It all seemed so easy back there,’ and she flicked her fingers in the general spatial direction of Petaybee. ‘Lots of things seemed easy back there.’
‘Mostly because there weren’t so many things to cloud perceptions,’ Yana said.
‘Well, that’s item one, Yana,’ Marmion went on briskly. ‘We have no way of knowing if there are more sentient planets so we’ll pretend Petaybee’s an exception. As such, it will make our job that much easier. I think.’
‘What’s item two?’
‘Matthew Luzon is recovering from his injuries and…’
‘Determined to somehow make us all pay for the indignities he suffered?’ Yana supplied when Marmion hesitated.
‘Yes, not to refine too much on it. That’s why I’ve put some precautions in train. Sally…’ and she gestured to her aide who immediately handed Yana a slim device which had a variety of depressible keys. ‘This is precaution number one. Carry it with you at all times and as inconspicuously as possible. It’ll fit nicely in your brassiere. Put it on the left, depression side up and memorize the positions of the various function keys so you can just…” and she placed a casual hand over her left breast ‘… signal what’s needed.’ She grinned. ‘As you’ll see, it’s got a sensitive recorder and a few off-stage tricks that can be implemented. Rather handy.’
‘Have you needed such a device?’ Yana examined it, noting the icons as well as the abbreviations like REC and MAY which were self-explanatory.
‘Not “needed” precisely,’ Marmion allowed, ‘but I always felt more… secure… when I was in unknown space as it were, with that gadget in place. Then I’ve also appointed you “assistants”,’ and now she did look slightly embarrassed.
‘Assistants?’ Yana cocked her head at Marmion.
‘Yes, well, everyone who is anyone has them…’
‘And I must appear to be “everyone” or “anyone”… And who’s my assistant?’
‘You have three, Sally and Millard Ephasios for show, and someone you don’t need to have named as undercover guardian,’ Marmion explained, finishing with her charmingly ingenuous smile immediately counteracted by a sly wink. ‘And you won’t know who that is.’
‘Hmm. All these subversive measures’
‘Discreet, my dear Yana,�
� Marmion corrected her.
‘Are necessary, you feel?’
‘I don’t like the weather report,’ Marmion said.
‘Have you minders for Diego and Bunny?’
‘I do and I know they’ll suit right down to the ground.’
‘Are you giving Bunny one of these?’ Yana held up the slim device, which was no more than two fingers long and two knuckles wide. ‘She loves gadgetry.’
‘No, their bracelets should be adequate. As I’m sure you noticed, Bunny’s unsettled enough about the venturing forth. I don’t want to upset her further. She’s naturally shrewd anyway and what she doesn’t know about human nature, Diego knows about space-faring ways.’
‘This trip will do her understanding of the galaxy a world of good,’ Yana remarked and, when Marmion gave her a startled look and started to laugh at her choice of words, she joined in. ‘Where’s the galley on this boat? You’d think the way I eat, I hadn’t seen food since break-up!’
‘You go with Sally to see your wardrobe and I’ll just fix a little something to tide you over to dinner time,’ Marmion said.
‘You? Cook?’ Yana said.
Marmion smiled a trifle archly. ‘Actually I’m rather good, aren’t I, Sally?’ And when her aide nodded affirmatively, ‘But I only do it for very special people.’