by Chris Hechtl
“The patient is under and is stable,” the anesthesiologist reported. “Doctor Asa and two students are ready to assist,” he said with a nod to the team.
Helen glanced at them and then back to the patient.
“Okay, let's get to work then,” she said as she moved in. The free clinics were great teaching places for her students to get experience with a variety of maladies and species. They also got to improve their doctor-patient interface. “Who can tell me what's going on here?” she asked as they pulled up scans of the puppy and overlaid them over the patient. She focused on the problem area.
“The blood vessel is the womb. It is used in the womb to support the fetus, but it is supposed to go away after birth. We have to operate to remove it,” one of the interns stated as a nurse finished setting up the surgical instruments.
“Exactly,” the doctor said as she checked the patient's vital signs. All was good. The patient was underweight for his age, which was a concern. The faster they got in and out, the sooner they could take him off the anesthetic before something happened.
“Which means we have to operate. Given the small size of the patient and the area we have to work in, it is tough and tight quarters. That's why you are going to assist me. Now …”
Several hours later the doctor sighed in relief. The puppy had been one of two dozen patients that had been run through her OR. She knew her focus was a little fuzzy; she needed a break and a breather. She used her elbow to push the valve close to stop the water, then shook her hands out gently before she took a towel and washed up.
“How are we?” she asked over her shoulder to their host.
“So far so good. And we've got a handle on the parvo outbreak as well, Doctor,” Doctor Asa stated tiredly.
Helen smiled. She wanted to get off her feet and rub the small of her back and her feet, but she couldn't. They still had a dozen more patients to see. “Good, excellent even.”
Parvo was one big problem in the Neo communities. It was also deadly. Doctor Kraft had called in navy medical support to nip the problem in the bud. He was also putting out educational material and calling for more vaccinations.
“I'm going to miss you, Helen,” Asa said as he leaned his hip against the wash basin. “You've done a bang-up job here bringing our world kicking and screaming back into the modern ages.”
“Spare me blushes. It was a team effort,” she replied.
“Still, you will be missed. Is there going to be a party before you go?” he asked politely.
She snorted. “You're buttering me up and saying you'll miss me and then asking if there is going to be a going-away party?”
He grinned. “I can't help it. I like a good party. Besides, it's a good place to meet women,” he teased.
She chuckled softly. “Yeah, all in our profession. I'll let you know.”
“Right. You will try to slip out quietly. I'll just check in with your cronies if you don't mind.”
“Feel free,” she said with a shake of her head as her stomach grumbled. He glanced at her and then snorted again.
“Are you taking a lot of people with you?” Asa asked.
“Why, are you volunteering?” she asked. He shook his head. “Afraid of the long journey?”
“More like scared of being cooped up with you for that long a period,” he teased. She mock glowered at him. He pretended to shy away. “No, I can't leave my family. Mom's …,” he grimaced and then shook his head.
She patted his arm in sympathy. “I'm sorry.”
“We can fix a lot; we can even reset the clock, but not for everyone. That sucks,” he grumbled. “But she wants to go this way. She insists it's unnatural to live for centuries.”
Helen shrugged such considerations off as a nurse came in. “Yes?”
“We've got ten more patients who just arrived. They are asking if we're sticking around,” the nurse asked with a hint of concern in her voice. “Are we, ma'am?”
Asa looked at Helen. Helen shrugged. “Give me a water bottle and an energy bar, and I'm good for another round,” she said.
“That's the spirit,” Asa said with a pat on his shoulder. “Once more unto the breach and all that,” he said as they went back to work.
Chapter 40
Antigua
April stuffed her hands in her pockets as she went around a corner. She was running late, but she needed to get to the drop point. It was in a shady part of the station, dark filled with really dark back alleys and such. She had several routes mapped out on her HUD. She ducked her head as she passed a couple people. When she rounded another corner, she heard someone a dozen or so meters behind her pick up the pace.
A superstitious look over her shoulder as she paused at an intersection told her that the person instantly slowed down. She became suspicious. The guy was obvious, and he was maintaining separation between her and him.
Again, someone was following her. She tried to keep her face impassive, but it was hard. She'd seen it all too often before. She swore under her breath. It meant the drop was off; she couldn't do anything with a GSN or PI on her tail.
She swore at that. Then she wondered for how long it had been going on before she noticed and why. That scared her. Then she realized there might be others too, others she couldn't see. Her handler had warned her they were there.
She felt someone bump into her and looked up in alarm to see a massive male human. He looked down at her coldly. “Hi,” she said softly as she tried to get around him.
“Where you goin', sweetcakes?” the guy asked, dodging to block her.
“Away. Look, I don't want any trouble,” she muttered, backing up and then trying to go around him as the other guy who had been tailing her suddenly sprinted to them.
“Awe, come on, a little celebrity like you? I gotta admit, that admiral guy has great tastes. Let's see what it's like for you to spread your legs for a guy like me. When we're done, you can tell me who's bigger and better,” the guy said.
“You're sick,” she muttered, trying to punch an emergency signal out through her implants but finding her signal was blocked. “Look, I'm an important person. You can't do this.”
“Oh, no, we can,” the first guy said as he grabbed her arm. The second guy grabbed her other and they pulled her into a back-alley area.
She was feeling intense feelings of fear. Her ears rushed as her heart began to pump fast. “Let go of me,” she started to snarl, voice rising.
“Shut up, bitch.”
“Remember, we've got to make it look like a mugging,” the first guy muttered.
“I know the drill. But I'm going to get my rocks off so we do it my way,” the big guy said as he lifted April off her feet. She kicked and tried to struggle, but the guy was a mountain.
A third man came around the corner, but he was carrying a camera he had on a strap around his neck. He instantly raised it and began to snap photos or video.
“Help..!” April didn't get much further as a hand was slapped over her mouth.
“We're just playing with our friend. Taking her to a surprise party,” the big guy said, turning away.
“Yeah. I'll need the camera,” the second said, pulling a small dark pistol out of his coat pocket.
He started to point it at the cameraman. The cameraman's eyes went wide in fright, and he ducked away through the intersection.
The tail swore and went to follow. When he was out of sight, there was a grunt.
“Just you and me, sweetcakes,” the big guy leered, kissing her ear. “I bet you like it from behind don't you?”
There was a second grunt and then a thump. After a moment, there was a slow sliding sound.
“Come on, man, get him around the corner. This is gonna complicate things!” the big guy growled.
April managed to step on his instep, stomping hard enough to make the guy swear. But his grip didn't loosen. She tried to bite his hand, but he slapped her in the face.
“Uh, uh, none of that. Bitch likes it rough,” he growl
ed, pitching his voice with the last sentence to his partner. He pinned her arms with one arm and used his free hand to feel April up as he pulled her back to the corner.
“Secret Service! Release the hostage,” a voice snarled, placing something to the guy's skull as he peeked around the corner.
He froze and then swore as he slowly released April. April fell to the ground and then crawled away as agents swarmed around the corner and took the guy into custody.
~~~^~~~
April was shook up enough that the Secret Service detail put a call into Admiral Irons once the paramedic was through with her face and physical. He dropped by, and she smiled at him wanly before she rushed into his arms. “Hi,” he said gruffly, hugging her. “I'd like to say I was in the neighborhood but damn.” She chuckled. He nuzzled her and felt her squeeze him. “Nice to see you too though I wish it was under different circumstances. Always with the drama,” he said.
She poked him. “Not funny,” she grumbled. “I know I'm popular, but I didn't know there was so such a thing as too much of a good thing until now,” he joked weakly. Apparently her third tail had saved the paparazzi and taken the first guy out. The sounds she and her big attacker had heard was him being stunned and dropping to the deck and then being pulled away.
“You know the drill. The public tends to tear heroes down to bring them to their level. And you've got competition and enemies,” he said with a shake of his head.
“Toni,” she grumbled darkly, eyes flashing in anger.
“From what I heard, no, not her in this case,” Admiral Irons said firmly, stomping on her growing rage. She frowned and then bit her lip.
“So, who then?”
He shook his head. “You are running with the president of the Federation, Red, take your pick. What did you think was going to happen?”
She blinked and then looked away. “But still …”
“You are a reporter; you make enemies, April. You know that. But in this case, your competitors will be looking for dirt. And yeah, security is keeping a discrete eye on you.”
She turned her soulful eyes on him. “They are?”
He snorted. “Of course! You heard about what happened to Mindy on ET, right?”
“Um … who is Mindy?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.
“Sorry, Mindy is a friend of mine. She was kidnapped on ET by the mob in order to force Faith Meikle to give up control of the ETMI shipyard,” Admiral Irons explained as he tucked her under one arm. She wouldn't have it though; she hugged him and then stepped a little away to continue to face him.
April nodded slowly. She remembered the story.
“It would never have flown. Whoever dreamed it up was terminally stupid. The way the mob plays for keeps there, most likely definitely terminated. But, the point is, she was exposed. Someone could try that with you. They could just try to kill you to piss me off.”
“Oh,” she said quietly.
“So, yeah, you are being watched. You've been watched since I became president,” he stated.
“Oh,” she said again in a soft voice, dismayed by what that meant. But, she had to stay in character, so she punched him in the arm.
“Owe!”
“You had someone tailing me and never told me?” she demanded.
“Yeah,” he said, rubbing his arm and ignoring her aggrieved tone. “I just said that. I thought you of all people would have figured that out earlier to be honest.”
She punched him again. “Owe! What was that for?” he demanded, trying not to chuckle. She knew just where to hit too.
“For insulting my intelligence,” she said, pouting.
“And should I point out you are supposed to be observant, being a reporter?” she brandished her fist, and he reeled back laughing with his hands up. “Okay, I'll keep that one under wraps.”
She growled, but he smiled at her. “You are safe, so chill.”
“Right. You are just trying to get me to lower my guard again.”
She snorted but then looked pensive. She looked at the guards around them. After a few moments, she looked down and toed the ground.
“How discrete are they? Didn't I read somewhere that the Secret Service doesn't report on the activities of the protectee? And aren't I supposed to ask for it?”
“First, they aren't all Secret Service. No, that bit about not reporting doesn't apply. And no, you didn't get a choice.”
Her green eyes flashed fire as she looked at him square in the face. “Oh, that's just nice! How am I supposed to work now! Contacts will see I've got a tail, and I won't be able to talk to confident sources anymore!”
“You couldn't before; your competitors were watching you. Besides, you are on the administrative side of things, April, not a field journalist. Those days are mostly behind you. I know you haven't done a field story in over a year. You prefer to sit at the anchor desk or manage things behind the scenes.”
“Producer. Gee, thanks,” she muttered, ducking away. “So, you watch my show?” she asked shyly, hoping to change the subject.
“Yes, I do when I've got the time,” he admitted with a shrug.
The distraction didn't work. “You know I'm still mad at you.” she finally said as they walked towards the vehicles.
“Bull. You just want to get all hot and bothered to feel self-righteous and roast me over the coals,” he teased her.
“Would I do that?” she asked, mock innocent.
“In a heartbeat if you thought you'd get one up over me,” he laughed. She pretended to pout but then took his hand and slipped hers into it. She felt their fingers twine together and she squeezed. Thanks,” she murmured.
“Sometimes I have to protect you from yourself. Remember that,” he said as they continued on their way.
~~~^~~~
“Someone is going to have to act soon, sir,” Protector murmured to Admiral Irons after April had settled down.
“It's not time yet. It could have been a legit mugging.”
“It wasn't. I've seen the download from her implants. They were definitely planning on killing her. Neither man is talking. There is no record of them in Antigua Prime. No sign of entry nor were they residents.”
“It's still not the Guild.”
“She was sent there. ONI knows this.”
“It's not enough.”
“With respect, sir, you've been putting this off. I know it is painful. Allowing her to put it off isn't good. For her own safety, it has to be done. For the safety of the Federation, it needs to be done soon. For your own career, it should have been done long ago.”
“Not. Yet.” he ground out between gritted teeth. Protector realized he wasn't going to get any further so dropped the matter.
~~~^~~~
Midshipman Far Seeing checked the inbox and then spent a cycle processing the thoughts of the various shipyards. She was finally getting a handle on the paperwork for the yard, taking a lot of the load off of some of the staff including Captain Sindri.
Unlike the other A.I. who apparently had yet to bond to their principles, she had some sort of bond with Admiral Creator of Things. She had found it by expressing interest in ship design. It had been an offhand comment to illicit conversation. His interest had been piqued, and they had spent a comfortable moment conversing about the various ship designs.
That had been a week prior. So, taking Protector's advice had helped to some degree. She was rather busy though, so it was hard to find the extra processors to explore the matter further. The admiral was also interested in a long brief about production so she focused on that for the moment.
ETMI and the other civilian yards were producing Liberty class hospital ships at a comfortable rate. The next set from the ET yard was going to carry Commodore Richards and staff to Tau.
She wondered in a side simulation if Captain Sindri would go with her. His reassignment to Tau's yard had been floated she knew. She had witnessed the conversation. No decision had been reached about his future. The same of Commodore Montgomer
y. For the moment, both officers were operating in a sort of limbo, remaining in their current position.
Pyrax's military yards were at the saturation point. Antigua was on the verge, but they were expanding slowly but steadily. Bases were being set up as well. There was a recent request to place a picket as well as some sort of repair facility in Avalon or New Texas.
Bek was also up in the air, though she was glad that BuShips had agreed that they skip building dreadnoughts and go straight to the super dreadnoughts. There was also some debate about building personal transports to move more military personnel through the rapids.
She ended the speculation simulation and then pulled up an overview of the Sun Tzu class. Admiral Irons had left the blueprints with Admiral Zekowitz, but it had been a slightly older version. Updates were still being transmitted through the ansible.
The Sun Tzu class was a modification of the Leviathan II class, taking in the Lemnos updates into account while also adding some of Admiral Iron's and BuShip's tweaks. She was aware of the debate in Bek about how it would stack up against the sublight SDs they had in system.
Back to the base issue though. It was curious to see that the Marines didn't plan on any other major base construction outside the one on Antigua, Kathy's World, and Agnosta at the moment. There were minor bases in Protodon, Triang, ET, Seti Alpha 4, Gaston, and recruiting outposts elsewhere, but nothing like the multitude of proposed army bases. The Marines did not have much of a dedicated base in Bek either. They had one training facility in Bek A but most of the personnel were assigned to bases, ships, or stations in groups no larger than a squad. Could that explain their rank and chain of command issues? She wasn't certain. She filed the question to fire off with the other A.I. when they had a free-for-all debate.
She let the matter drop when she realized she was rambling. Was this what organics did with daydreaming? She wasn't certain.
She checked on the Ptah mission. The ship had been launched and was undergoing trials. Her escorts were a problem as well as the supporting ships.