by Robin Roseau
“Yes and no. No, I’m not chastising you. But yes, you should make sure you have permission. You do when coming here, but some villages will be upset. Would you do it at Sudden?”
“No. You’re right. I should have asked. I’m sorry.”
She offered a little hug. “It’s fine.”
* * * *
I went looking for Cecilia. She was in her bungalow with Sartine. When I arrived, the governor had clearly been fretting. Her brow was furrowed, and I could swear I could see bite marks on her knuckles. I came to a stop, considering. “Is there bad news?”
“Maddalyn,” Cecilia said, her voice an echo of normal. “What are we going to do?”
I sat down, facing her. Before I could say anything, Sartine said, “There isn’t any particularly bad news. No one died.”
I nodded. “What’s wrong, Governor?”
“We have sixteen pods.” Okay, so. Every planet called the rejuvenation devices something else. I guessed on Centos Four, they were pods.
“Yes.”
“I fought tooth and nail to get those sixteen. They’re horribly expensive. I can’t buy more, not with my own money.”
“Okay,” I said slowly.
“The doctors are predicting up to two weeks per patient, not one.”
“Ah.”
“We need to process forty thousand people a year, and we have enough capacity to do five hundred. And we were hoping to use the center to bring in tourism.”
I nodded. “Cecilia, listen to me. We are in the process of saving sixteen lives, people who were all going to die within the next ten years. We are giving those people fifty years more. This is good news, Cecilia.”
“We need twelve hundred machines. I got us sixteen.”
“That’s sixteen more than Talmon had before you arrived,” I said.
“I can’t even blame anyone,” she said. “I can’t blame the technological planets for this. Every planet wants more. People want to be able to take more changes without having to pay for them. That means each planet would need greater capacity. But we’re going to ask them to give that up and send us those machines instead? Why would they do that for people they’ve never met?”
She turned her head. “Vendart,” she said to Sartine. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Cecilia,” she said. “You do what you can. No one can expect more than that.”
“It’s not enough! People here are going to die because someone on Centos Four wants a tail!”
“No, Cecilia,” I said. “That’s not fair. This isn’t a matter of Talmon not receiving machines because Centos Four is taking them. The companies that make these machines would make more if people were willing to pay for them.”
“People are going to die.”
“Yes, Cecilia,” Sartine said. “People are going to die. But sixteen people aren’t going to die that were. Not all sixteen will require two weeks. In a week or ten days, five or six more of our people will enter those machines, and after that, it will work out to about ten a week. Every week, ten people won’t die who otherwise would have.”
“I wonder how many die to farming accidents,” I injected.
Both of them looked to me. “What does that have to do with it?”
“I have absolutely no idea. But there are accidents.” I turned to Sartine. “Right? People get hurt. People die.”
“Yes, Maddalyn. People die.”
“How many people die in farming accidents? How many women die in childbirth? How many babies die at birth?” I turned to Cecilia. “I’m going to make your problem worse. People are dying long before they would get to rejuvenation. What are we doing about that?”
“You’re not helping,” Sartine said gently.
“Oh, yes I am. If this is about saving lives, what are we doing? Cecilia, on Tarriton, I learned something. This isn’t something I knew anything about. We don’t have farming on Frantzland. It’s all vats.” I made a face. Cecilia knew what I meant, but Sartine wouldn’t. “But everywhere else, there are farms, and they’re automated. That I knew. What I didn’t realize was that farming corporations periodically replace their equipment, and used equipment is available far less expensively. A lot of time, the machines are perfectly good, but they aren’t as efficient, and so you can buy them for a song. Oh, no one on Centos Four wants a forty-year-old auto combine, and no one would ever think of shipping it. I can’t imagine what that would cost.”
She stared at me.
“Governor, if I find auto combines, can you convince someone to bring them here?”
She moved quickly, pulling me into her arms and squeezing the stuffing out of me. “Why didn’t I think about this?”
“Because it wasn’t the first priority,” Sartine said.
“Sartine,” I said. “How often does someone from Indartha die from a blizzard?”
Cecilia pushed me away but held onto my arms, looking into my eyes.
“We lost three last winter,” Sartine said. “Stupidity on their part. They tried to make it home when they should have dug in.”
“Two words,” I said. “Portable. Heater.”
Cecilia continued to stare at me. I think she realized I wasn’t done. “We don’t have anyone to ask,” I said. “I wonder how many people die to storms at sea here. I wonder how many get lost in the fog and crash into shoals or something.”
“I don’t know,” Sartine said.
“Positioning systems,” I said. “Modern exposure suits. Modern boatbuilding.”
“What are you doing?” Cecilia asked.
“People die on Frantzland,” I said. “It makes the papers. Nearly always, the death was preventable, if only this safety control had received more frequently maintenance, or someone hadn’t had too much to drink, or if this, or if that.”
“Cecilia?”
“You can’t do everything at once,” I said. “Rejuvenation is the flashiest thing we can do, and it’s the most obvious, and ultimately everyone on the planet stands to benefit, not just farmers or fishermen or people who live in the mountains. We don’t need twelve hundred machines; we need four thousand. I, for one, do not want to go more than ten years. It’s going to take at least two decades to acquire those machines, and probably longer. But Governor, it’s going to take a hundred to get all the automated farms and modern boats and portable heating units and all the rest. That’s a fact, and maybe it sucks.” I poked her in the chest. “Today we have sixteen. Now, let’s see what we can do to save some farmers. And while we’re at it, maybe we should see who knows someone who knows someone. Get the right stockholder or CEO or whoever out here, and she can make things happen for us.”
I poked her in the chest. “Didn’t I hear that your mother is a former imperial governor of Centos Four? That seems like someone who knows someone. Who makes rejuvenation pods on Centos Four. Get that person here. Let him or her fall in love. Introduce him to some old people. Maybe he’s heartless, but you have to be truly a despicable person too come here and not fall in love.”
“Delilah didn’t.”
“Delilah isn’t despicable. She’s selfish, stupid, and lazy. That CEO might be selfish, but he isn’t stupid nor lazy, is he?”
“No,” Cecilia said. “How did you get so wise?”
“I didn’t. I just wondered something. What would Cecilia say, if I were the one in a snit?”
She snorted.
“Cecilia, Maddalyn makes good points,” Sartine said. “I was very impressed by the farm you showed me.”
“Governor, I think there are societal implications,” I said. “Let me collect more information, and perhaps we could host a gathering of vendarti from this section of Talmon. We won’t be able to import masses of automation, but we can acquire some.”
“Every bit will help, Cecilia,” Sartine added.
Cecilia nodded.
* * * *
Our initial patients required from ten days to just over two weeks before they were decanted, so to speak, from rejuvenation, and s
ent into recovery. The process for each of them was similar at that point, so I will speak of Mistalarn.
Fandorid, Luradinine, and I were at Mistalarn’s bedside when she slowly woke. Luradinine was the first to notice, and she said simply, “Fandorid.”
The man stood and hurried to the bed, taking his grandmother’s hand. I moved beside Luradinine. I waited a moment then leaned a little closer. “Hello, Mistalarn. Can you hear me?”
Her eyes shifted to me. She opened her mouth to speak, but then before any noise could come out, she drifted back to sleep.
It was all quite anticlimactic.
“Grandma?”
“She’s sleeping again,” I said. “She’ll be like this for a day or two.” I reached across the sleeping woman and said, “This part can be disconcerting. From my own experience, I know it’s nice if someone is here.” I turned to Luradinine. “The next two days are not critical in any medical sense, but I always hated waking up alone.”
“Maddalyn,” she said. “Could I trouble you to retrieve a few more residents of Beacon Hill?”
“Of course,” I said. “Whom?”
“My daughter and her Galatzi wife,” she said. “And my son. Are you willing to make more than one trip?”
“Certainly.”
“There is a large, gentle man named Yorudano. He has a Galatzi wife from Sudden. Darratine knows them. And ask my daughter to find one or two more people. You can take four per trip.”
“We’ll put the giant in front,” I said. “I’ll go now.”
“Tell them to plan a week. There is room here, is there not?”
“Ample room,” I said, “if sharing is not a problem.”
“No one will mind sharing,” she said. She smiled. “Fandorid and I will stay here with Mistalarn. What should we do if she wakes up?”
“Talk to her. She will almost certainly blink a few times then sleep again. If she wakes long enough to ask for anything, summon a nurse.”
“As you say,” she said.
* * * *
I told Cecilia what I was doing. I was in the air when a call came in from her. “Why?”
“Because I hate waking up alone,” I replied. “And some of these people don’t have enough family with them, as far as I’m concerned. It’s their first time, Governor. They have to be scared. I would be. I was nervous, every time, and I at least understand.”
“You’re right,” she said. “I’ll call you back.”
“Are you telling me not to go? I’m already passing Sudden.”
“No, no,” she said. “I’m going to talk to the vendarti.” Then with no fanfare, she clicked off.
Darratine answered her tablet. “Is there news?”
“Mistalarn is in recovery,” I said. “Darratine, I’m already in the air. Your mother wants me to bring eight more people down here.” I gave her the run down.
“I understand,” Darratine said. “I have exactly the right people in mind. I’ll send them to you on the green as soon as I find them.”
“I need the two largest in separate flights.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t want to be stuck between Yorudano and his brother, that’s for sure. I’ll see you shortly, Maddalyn.”
By the time I set down on the green, Farratain was waiting along with another woman and a man I knew had to be Yorudano. I set down and popped the canopy then climbed out.
“Hello, Farratain,” I said, closing the distance.
“Hello, Maddalyn. This is Yorudano and his Galatzi wife, Bellatarn.”
We exchanged greetings, and then I asked, “How much do you know?”
“Just what Darratine could say in about three sentences,” Yorudano said. “We are going to this place with doctors, where Mistalarn is becoming young. Is she okay?”
“She is,” I said. “But we need help. I’ll explain on the way. Did you have time to pack a bag?”
He nudged a duffle bag with his feet. “We don’t need much,” he replied.
Just then, Wenelopid ran up, carrying two duffels, one over each shoulder. He came to a stop, panting heavily. “Darratine said to go with the four of us. I have your things, Farratain.”
“Good. Perfect.” I led the way to the jumper and opened the storage area. Yorudano gently set his duffle inside then took one from Wenelopid. “Yorudano, I need you in front. Who is offering to take the back seat?”
“I will,” Farratain said. “I’ve been flying before.”
“Very gracious,” I said. “In you go, Farratain.”
It was cute. Yorudano helped her and then helped his wife. Wenelopid climbed in behind me, and then I leaned over and helped with the various buckles. Farratain knew what to do, so she had herself and Bellatarn all buckled up by the time I finished with Wenelopid.
I moved around to Yorudano’s side. He smiled down at me. “Are you going to help me in?”
“No, but it’s easier to help with the buckles from out here.” I waited while he climbed in and settled into place, and then I reached past him and worked on his buckles, adjusting them. “You’re the largest person who has flown with me since I bought this.”
“This is your carriage?” he asked.
“Yes. As jumpers go, it’s not at all fancy, but I’m very proud of it.” I got him settled in then moved to my side. I turned sideways in my seat. “Flight time from when I power up to when I let you all out is about a half hour,” I said. I talked about avoiding becoming airsick and assured them this was an easy, safe flight. “Is everyone ready?” I checked with them one at a time.
“All right.” I did my buckles and powered up.
I was halfway back when Cecilia initiated another call. “Where are you?”
“Passing Sudden inbound to you. Can you send someone to escort my passengers?”
“Yes,” she said. “Maddalyn, I want you to collect a few more people.”
“I want to be there when Mistalarn really wakes up.”
“She won’t be coherent for at least a day and probably two.” I thought about it and didn’t respond. “Maddalyn, she’ll have Beacon Hill’s best with her.”
“You’re right,” I said. “I know you’re right. But they haven’t done this. They don’t understand. Cecilia, have you ever had anything this drastic done to you?”
“No,” she said.
“And it’s their first time.”
“Why am I not thinking about these things? We could have done this ahead of time.”
“We were thinking about what was necessary. We have that handled. Now we’re handling what makes this easier for our patients. Where do you want me to go?”
“I sent Arthur to Indartha,” she said. “And River with her ‘little’ orbital jumper I sent to West Bluff.” That was on the opposite coast. My jumper couldn’t have gone that far without sitting for three days collecting sunlight halfway there. Indartha was as far as I liked to go, and that was reasonable only because I could receive power on arrival and didn’t depend on a few small solar panels. “I need you to make a couple of trips to Fessen, and I want to know if you’re willing to fly people from Sudden. It will save them a couple of hours.”
“Of course, Governor,” I said.
“Good. No one at Fessen knows, so I’ll have a note for you. You can drop it off during your second trip to Beacon Hill and they should have someone for you by the time you get back up there.”
“Got it. Two minutes out.”
“I’m standing beside a ground vehicle, waiting for you,” she said.
Two minutes later, we came to a stop beside her vehicle, waiting beside the runway. Cecilia was beside Yorudano by the time I had the canopy open, and she helped on that side. I helped Wenelopid, and by the time he was out, Yorudano had the luggage from the back.
Cecilia pressed paper into my hands. “Have you been to Fessen before?”
“I’ve flown over it.”
“There’s a village green,” she said. “It’s alongside the ocean, much like the one at Indartha.”
“I can’t imagine you’ll land and not acquire an audience,” she continued. “Ask for Hazelvarn. She’s the vendart’s granddaughter. She’s young, only 17, but she’ll handle this.”
“I need permission to land on the green,” I said.
“You have it,” she said. “Ping me when you’re on the way back and I’ll have someone waiting.”
“Got it.” We nodded to each other, and I hurried to my jumper. I had plenty of runway available, so I made sure everyone was well clear, and I took off from my current location.
* * * *
I received quite the gathering at Fessen. As soon as I stepped from my jumper, a man ran up. “What’s wrong? Did something happen to Benstolopid?”
“Nothing is wrong,” I said, raising my voice. “Nothing is wrong, but Governor Grace and Fessen Vendart have sent me with a message for Hazelvarn. Does anyone know where she is?”
“I’m here,” said a woman, pushing through the crowd.
“I am Maddalyn,” I said. I held out the note. “Governor Grace’s assistant. Please read this.”
She took the note and read it. She looked up and grinned. “Now?”
“I need to collect my next load from Beacon Hill. I’ll be back in about forty-five minutes. Can you find eight people?”
“Yes,” she said.
“If any are especially large, they should be in separate flights.” I invited her over to the jumper. “One in front here.” I gestured. “And the other three in back. Even with modest women, it can be cozy.”
“Supplies for a week?”
“No. Clothing and personal needs for a week. We have food for you.” I pulled her to the back and showed the space I had for storage. “And weight matters. If you bring four women our size, they can bring whatever they want. But if you bring four large men, then they’re sharing clothes.”
She laughed. “I understand, Maddalyn.” She turned and lifted her voice. “Our Vendart needs us. When Maddalyn comes back, eight of us are flying to the rejuvenation center.” She had to work slowly to say those words. “We’re going to help surround the patients with love so when they wake up, they know they are with friends. Flarsain, may I take your two eldest?”