Obligations

by Cheryce Clayton

  “Thank you,” Nogina said in Sansheren before she turned and fled the room.

  “Thank you for trying to help me, it was just a nightmare,” Enrico said in English but did not elaborate, and the other children knew enough about their own nightmares not to press.

  “I need your help,” Aldera said once more in Sansheren.

  “I understand help. Why?” he sat up straighter and reached for the handle of his chair.

  “A human is about to burst, she cries in pain from the infant. You must explain to the other humans that we would help.” Aldera braced the chair as she spoke.

  “Human create infant, you help?” he asked, and Aldera’s nod confirmed his grasp of the situation. He dropped into his chair and started toward the door.

  Aldera move to the doorway and turned off the lights.

  “Enrico, you promised to play tomorrow. You promised,” Tracy whispered from her bed.

  “A human woman needs my help Tracy. I have to go. When I get back, okay?” he moved his chair parallel to her bed.

  “Okay,” she said, and he knew she remained unconvinced as she turned away from him in the now dark room.

  #

  Tracy was asleep when Enrico returned to their room, he noted gratefully. He had been awake for the entire night and well into the next day.

  The human woman had indeed been in labor, luckily there were no complications to the birth. The little girl screamed almost before she was clear of her mother.

  He was hard pressed to explain to the Sansheren medics that the human woman didn’t need any help.

  He was stumped for Sansheren words he did not know, and it had been very frustrating to make eye contact with Alistair, the old man who had taught him most of the little Sansheren he did know. Alistair had at first pretended not to know him until Enrico told the room of humans he was not going to betray any information they held. Alistair then muttered that knowledge is power before coaching him by spelling out, in English, the phonetics of some Sansheren words.

  He thought Aldera noticed the hints, but she never said anything. Her attention was on trying to help the mother. Enrico watched how hostile the adult humans were towards the Sansheren, and told the room that they were there to help, and that his sister died in childbirth and they should be thankful for the help. Things had gone a bit smoother after that, and only one man called him a toad, to be silenced by looks from Alistair.

  Aldera accompanied him back to his room the following night. After he had repeatedly explained to her and the other Sansheren medics that they would not succeed in separating the mother from her newborn. He had tried to pay attention to the route they took while explaining to Aldera that human mothers stayed very close to their babies for years, that the baby might die if they took it away. That human children needed parents. He still didn’t know if he made himself clear when they reached his room, and he said good night.

  #

  “Where is Stripes?” Enrico had planned to visit Aldera at the preschool room, when he noticed another absence. He found himself visiting daily since little Teresa’s birth two weeks prior.

  He and the other three children had been moved in with the adult humans as soon as he woke the day after the birth. Tracy and Gerry flourished; Gerry had someone who spoke his language. And Enrico succeeded in convincing some of the humans to sit in on the quick language classes Yolunu offered when she had time. Now, almost half of the humans joined the classes, and most of the rest listened.

  “Stee-ripe-ees,” Nogina said phonetically, “choked on her dinner.” Aldera’s aide, Nogina placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to soften the blow of the lie.

  “Choked? You mean dead?” Enrico shrugged the weight off his shoulder as he raised his voice.

  “Yes, I know you liked her, but these things happen,” again she tried to place her hand on his arm in comfort, to be stopped by his expression.

  “You know nothing. Where is Aldera?” he left the room and started toward her office.

  “I will tell her you want to see her; you might wait in her nursery.” Nogina moved to intercept him and steered him into a different room.

  #

  “He is waiting with your wife’s children. I didn’t think you would want to explain to him as head of the nursery. My Lady, I hope I have not overstepped my position to assume that you would want to speak to him as a friend.” The aide kept her head bowed as she blurted out the situation and glanced up at the end of her rehearsed explanation.

  “You did well to anticipate, my friend.” Aldera placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder in passing and missed the look of adoration cast her way.

  #

  “You wish to speak with me?” she stood in the doorway, her eyes on the darkened window across the room.

  “Why you kill older infants?” Enrico tried to tell himself that it didn’t matter if the alien children were dying, but it did matter to him if his alien friend was responsible.

  “Because they’re still infants. They still hunt.” Aldera sat down on the lounge opposite his and sighed.

  “Infants hunt, stripes hunt, older no hunt.” He tried hard to organize his thoughts into Sansheren words.

  “Steripes was not an infant anymore. She still tried to hunt others, to eat others. She was a regressive. Like we’d thought you were,” Aldera said.

  Enrico noticed for the first time how old his friend was. “Stripes older? Know better no hunt?” he sat staring at his friend.

  “Yes, Steripes should have known better. A regressive does not grow up, does not become an elder, family. It is better they die, they are too dangerous.” Aldera leaned her head back and closed her eyes as she spoke.

  “Regressive, kill, regressive are not old? Not Patches?” her silence answered his question.

  “Furball?”

  No answer.

  “Annunu and Innura?” he tried again.

  “Annunu and Innura will be fine, they have each other.” Aldera sat forward and smiled toward the dark glass.

  “Tadesde infants die.” A hard edge entered his voice when he realized that orphans were the only ones dying.

  “Not all, only those who were born alone. Those who were hungry too long. Some of ours will die too, infants always die. It keeps us strong,” Aldera said, but to Enrico it sounded as if she was talking to reassure herself.

  “Infants born hungry, alone die? Tadesde infants born hungry, alone. Lots?” he thought about the conditions toward the end of the war that might have caused Tadesde’s people to give birth alone. He understood far more than he wanted to.

  “Yes,” Aldera said, and Enrico allowed her to put a hand on his shoulder, this time.

  Chapter Thirteen - Sheresuan - 2012

  “We are pleased to hear that you have finally chosen to search for your first family. It has been an honor and pleasure to father you, my dearest child. And now, we are in agreement that your House demands the resolution of your history. It is my sincere wish that you find success in searching for those who meant so much to you,” Neadesto said from where she stood leaning against Nealoie.

  Morgan paused in the doorway of the private audience chamber and considered her response. A large room, outfitted with many cushions for petitioners, the chamber would have fit unnoticed into a corner of the formal audience room in which Morgan had declared the forming of her own House.

  “I will always honor you first, my dearest father. I would beg loan of a ship from you with which to accomplish my travels,” Morgan said as she knelt in front of Neadesto.

  “Stand. Child. You rule a House now, to bow is mockery.” Neadesto frowned as she reached forward and held her hand out to Morgan.

  Morgan took a breath to push down the fear.

  “To bow shows all where my own allegiance falls.” Morgan stood, and took care not to put weight on Neadesto’s frail arm.

  “Your allegiance must now fall to your own family and House, my dear. Neadesto moved toward the only lounge in the room.

&nbs
p; “Do you then divorce me, my father?” Morgan asked, and her voice echoed Neadesto’s chastising tone. She sat beside the older, more powerful leader, and forced herself to relax.

  “Never. But I will not loan you a ship. It is not seemly for so neutral a House as mine to grant loans. I will give you, my adopted child and apprentice, the good ship Yonxine. She has been in service almost as long as I have been Twelve. She is not fast, but she will serve you well.” Neadesto smiled as Morgan felt her fear and disappointment shift to excitement and pleasure.

  “The Yonxine was Neavillii’s first command, you know. She speaks of it frequently. I am afraid she will not want to attend to Bystocc when she finds that I will be traveling in her first love,” Morgan said with a smile and Neadesto echoed her with a soft laugh.

  “Your bold and daring wife is recovering nicely, I am told. You have done well; triplets have not been born in this House for over a century. Tell her I would be honored if she would present them to me herself,” Neadesto said.

  “I will convey your message, my Lady,” Morgan said with a brief but sincere bow of her head.

  “Have you thought toward a crew for your new possession?” Neadesto asked, and then turned to whisper something to the kneeling Nealoie.

  “I did not know I had this new treasure before you told me; it will take some time to find a crew worthy of such a wonderful craft.” Amused suspicion crept into her voice as Morgan watched Nealoie cross the room and speak with someone in the doorway.

  “The current crew is very fond of her, you might try asking them,” and Neadesto chuckled as Nealoie, followed by four others, walked across the room.

  “If it pleases your most wonderful ladies, I would present, Vilhade, the one who fathered my most loved aunt, Neavillii.” Nealoie bowed before turning to indicate the eldest woman behind her.

  “Indeed,” Morgan said, to Neadesto’s soft laughter.

  “I am honored by this audience, my great and loving aunt. And I am doubly honored to meet again the young apprentice who so recently wed my lovely daughter.” Vilhade, like Neavillii, was tall by Sansheren standards, four feet, eight inches. Her bones were thinner than most and Morgan always suspected her of spacing before she was matured.

  “Vilhade, the honor is mine as well.” Morgan leaned back into her chair.

  #

  “You’re awake, shh,” Isaac said with a smile to the still groggy Sam. “I thought the two of you would sleep all day.”

  “What day?” Sam asked as he shifted his weight. “I feel like I’ve been out for weeks.” He was careful not to disturb Tansea who nestled against his side.

  “It’s been nearly a month since we rescued you.” Isaac moved to the side of the bed, and tried to be quiet as he removed the various tubes that were connected to Sam’s body.

  “I don’t remember much, just a dream that wouldn’t go away. Your friend said Morgan was.., real?” Sam grimaced as the tape came free from his hand.

  “Shock. You shut down until you could deal with everything. Morgan will be by later, to visit her wife. She doesn’t know you’re awake yet. I thought we might surprise her.” Isaac smiled as he removed the last of the tubes.

  “I’m game. Think I could get a shower first, though?” Sam ran his hand over his face, feeling his scant but long facial hair.

  “Shit, shower and shave coming right up.” Isaac laughed as he moved toward the door.

  “I don’t need the first now, but I appreciate the others.” Sam also smiled.

  “Wait until you eat the food here. You’ll need it.” Isaac shared a laugh with Sam before leaving, and Sam hoped it was to make arrangements for the promised shower.

  #

  Isaac stood in the doorway to Iedonea’s office and watched the Sansheren work. Iedonea’s coloring was unusual, he noted, streaked with red and faint hints of green.

  “Morganea asked me to notify her when Sam regained consciousness,” Isaac told Neadesto.

  “And has she?” the older Sansheren looked up from her work with an impatient frown.

  Isaac met her frown with an annoyed looking human smile. “My grasp of your wonderful language must not be as strong as I thought. Sam is awake, Morganea requested I inform her immediately,” Isaac said while staring the other in the eyes.

  “You may petition her any time you wish, but I am sorry to note that my niece is taking her obligations of House far more seriously than her obligations of family. She has not even visited her spouse, the lovely Neavillii, yet today.” Iedonea set aside her work with the new frown.

  “A new House is an intimidating obligation. It is possible she wants to have things under control before she relaxes and indulges her personal obligations,” Isaac offered, thinking in human terms.

  “The obligations of the Sansadee are the obligations of the House. She shames herself,” Iedonea said and picked up a model flier from her desk.

  “You’re a pilot?” Isaac asked in surprise.

  “I have little time to indulge such passions now. I second Neadesto, it is better that I do the desk work.” Iedonea set the model aside.

  “Most pilots I have known consider flying a desk worse than death,” Isaac said.

  “I would agree, but the work must be done.” Iedonea stroked a claw-tip down the wing of the model before returning her gaze back to Isaac. “Is there anything else you would ask?”

  “No. But thinking of Morgan, what if we were to shame her?” Isaac asked with a polite smile and watched as Iedonea returned it with far more enthusiasm. It took several minutes to finalize their plans.

  #

  Sam stared at the door, waiting, until an overwhelming itch began in his left stump. Moving slowly, he attempted to shift his leg enough to rub the stump against the bedding. This caused the itch to intensify and to be joined by one on his other stump. He shifted again and succeeded in knocking the blanket that was spread over his lower body onto the floor.

  “Damn. Well, I see I’m a bit shorter now,” Sam said as he stared at the bandages that now ended above his knees.

  “It was needed, believe me, please.” Tansea opened her eyes and smiled up at Sam before stretching and sitting up.

  “Yeah, no doubt. The doc was here, I think he’ll be right back.” Sam was not embarrassed to be in bed with a person he did not know, but the intimacy combined with the realization that the other person wasn’t human left him uncomfortable.

  “Doc? Doctor? Isaac?” Tansea made no move to leave Sam’s side.

  “Yeah. Um, what species are you? If you don’t mind my asking ma’am. Uh, I mean, um.” Sam felt his face flush as he tried to twist to face Tansea.

  “Ma’am is fine. I am from Greos.” Tansea made no attempt to face Sam, but instead leaned toward him until they were in contact again.

  “Um, I- That is-” Sam continued to stare at her small head as she snuggled into his side.

  “Are you uncomfortable with her presence?” Isaac said from the doorway. “Tansea, move your cold-blooded little butt.”

  Tansea stuck her long tongue out at the returning Isaac before moving to make eye contact with the confused Sam; she then resumed her previous position.

  “It’s okay, doc.” Sam smiled down at Tansea’s head before noticing the wheelchair in the doorway behind Isaac.

  “Morgan is so busy she hasn’t even stopped by to see her spouse yet. So I thought we’d surprise her a bit.” Isaac moved the chair to the bed while smiling at Sam’s puzzled expression.

  “What have you planned, you devious child?” Tansea climbed out of the bed and took Sam’s blanket with her.

  “Yeah, doc. What gives? Shower?” Sam tried to lift his weight and transfer himself to the chair, but the months of near starvation followed by weeks of confinement had weakened him far more than he realized.

  “Hey, wait until I get someone to help us.” Isaacs’s voice showed his strain as he shifted Sam back onto the bed and then went to the door and flagged down a passerby.

  “Gently. You
still haven’t explained your plan,” Tansea said, first in English and then again in Sansheren in politeness to their assistant.

  “I’ll tell you on the way.” Isaac then thanked the Sansheren and pushed Sam out of the room.

  Tansea was forced to jog to keep up.

  #

  “It is my opinion that a father who does not attend her ailing child is not worthy of the title,” Iedonea said in a disapproving voice from behind Morgan and Neadesto.

  “I was just at the nursery less than an hour past. Tell me you’re mistaken, my most loving and caring aunt.” Morgan stood and turned to face Iedonea even as all conversation in the room came to a halt.

  “I have just left the most beautiful and distraught Neavillii, who is even now being forced to discuss, alone, the distasteful concept of disposal with the nursery staff.” Iedonea continued to frown, and Morgan heard Nealoie’s gasp as Neadesto struggled to her feet.

  “It is not our place to interfere, most loving father to us all. This is a matter between spouses,” Iedonea said to Neadesto, and Morgan cringed at the cold tone in her voice. “I do trust you will go and take the burden from the brave Neavillii’s shoulders, my niece?” Iedonea left no doubt that she expected instant obedience from Morgan, who was already halfway to the door when Iedonea finished speaking.

  Bowing, out of habit, Morgan allowed the door to swing closed of its own accord and took off running down the hallway.

  “Why was I not contacted?” Morgan shouted at the Sansheren medic who was just leaving the nursery corridor.

  “My most kind and lovely Morganea, we know you’re very busy, and your lovely wife insisted-”

  Morgan pushed past the surprised older medic whose words trailed behind her. Racing down the corridor, she neared the crossroad that led to her spouse. Grabbing the side of the archway, she threw herself around the corner and then avoided colliding with a somber-faced Banessa.