by Thomas Stone
Harry made no comment and Thanopolous continued.
"The reason we're talking about this now is that we'd like to send you out on the next mission to the Bedoran system. What I need to hear from you is something to assure me that you can handle it. What's going on in that head of yours?"
Harry smiled. "I'd like to go to Bedor again. I'm the most logical choice to lead the next mission there. If your concerns about my state of mind are giving you reasons to reconsider, then you can rest easy. I'm fine."
Thanopolous eyed Harry and slowly nodded. "I believe you. I want to believe you. We need you. You know, of course, we'll be watching."
"Of course."
"One other matter, before you go."
"What?"
"Any sign of Fagen? Any reason to believe he's about?"
"Stephen, it's been fifteen years..."
"Did you detect any ion traces in free space?"
"The board already questioned me about that."
"Yes, so they did."
"No, there was no sign of Fagen."
The older man looked askance at Harry. "You wouldn't be holding out on us, would you? Trying to carry out a little personal vendetta perhaps?"
Harry didn't say anything.
"That would not be wise. Above all, we would prefer that he be brought back with the ship intact. The ship is the most important thing."
As much as Fagen knew, the alien ship was worth far more to the Corporation than any individual's life. Harry remembered the alien starship as the most fantastic piece of technology he'd ever seen. It was a conglomeration of alien sciences, far beyond anything conceived on Earth. That's why the Corporation was still as interested now as it had been fifteen years earlier when it was first discovered, then stolen by Fagen and Blane.
"I didn't see anything," Harry repeated.
"So you say," said Thanopolous, "so you say."
After the meeting, Harry stumbled to his quarters and collapsed into bed. Two hours later, not nearly enough time to recover, he was awakened by the persistent buzzing of his phone. Bleary-eyed, he turned over and threw a pillow at the annoying instrument. He missed and it continued to buzz. Finally, joints aching and head throbbing, he picked up the receiver.
"This better be good."
"Were you sleeping?" asked Kathleen.
"How'd you guess?"
"Oops, sorry. Do you want me to call back later?"
Harry ran a hand over his face. "No, I'm awake. What is it?"
Kathleen told him that she was keeping Yoni and then told him why. "I'm not sure they have any intention of allowing him to return to Bedor."
"Don't worry about it," said Harry, "I'll take care of it."
"How?"
"I'm leading the next trip to the Bedoran system and I'll have some say so in regard to the function of the trip. We'll take the boy back."
"That's good. Uh, I don't think I'll be going with you."
"What? Why not?"
"They've given me a promotion. I'm a mission commander. I suppose I'll be leading my own missions now."
"Well, it was a long time coming. Congratulations. I can't say I'm surprised. Still, maybe we can get you assigned to the Bedoran mission. Other than myself, there's no one with any Bedoran experience."
"That's not the way it works, Harry. They'll never allow two mission commanders to serve together."
Harry's head felt heavy. Currently, he didn't want to think about anything except getting more sleep. "Can't we talk about this later?"
"Sure. I just thought you'd want to know."
"I do. We'll get together later and discuss it."
"Okay. I'm sorry I woke you. It's just that, well, you know, I'm not sure what's going to happen to us now."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we'll be going our separate ways..."
Harry recalled a similar conversation they'd had some years ago when they'd decided to divorce. They hadn't gone their separate ways. They'd continued to work together, sleep together, and even to spend the majority of their off time together.
"Please, Kath', let's talk about this later."
"Well, I'm sorry, Harry. I thought you'd be more concerned. Go back to sleep." She abruptly hung up.
As tired as Harry was, he had a hard time going back to sleep. When he did fall asleep, there were no dreams. Perhaps he was too tired, or perhaps there was another reason. There was a new part of him, a part that he didn't understand yet, but whatever it was, it seemed to take care of him. And now, it knew he needed rest.
Chapter 12
Harry felt better than he had in weeks. Over the past few days, the Corporation had given him time to relax and recuperate. He'd spent it sleeping and eating, preferring to stay in the light gravity of City-Two rather than taking a shuttle down to Earth. Of course, his decision had something to do with the fact that the Corporation insisted on putting Yoni through a battery of tests.
He visited with the boy at off-times during the day, even taking him twice to one of the station's recreational facilities. After overcoming his fear of flying, Yoni soon learned to enjoy playing tag in zero gravity. Kathleen joined them, although she remained a little cool towards Harry.
By the end of the week, Harry was called away to begin organizing the next trip to Bedor and they didn't see so much of him.
Kathleen stayed close to the Bedoran boy, insuring his safety and watching closely as first the bioscience people non-intrusively inspected the boy's anatomy, and then as the behavioral scientists talked to the boy and dutifully recorded all his answers.
They were surprised to learn he had an IQ equal to a human boy of the same age. Yoni showed no fear, but after a week of tests and a rigid schedule, he began to grow weary of the constant probing. He missed his freedom and told Kathleen so. One day he asked her when he could go home.
"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "There's a lot we can learn from you."
The boy was surprised. "From me? I know about hunting, preparing food, but very little about anything else. What else can I tell you about?"
"It's not me, Yoni, er, Arai. It's the people who command me."
Yoni waved his tail in irritation. "I want to go home," he repeated.
"I know you do. Maybe soon. Harry is preparing to return to Bedor and they've run all the tests on you they can. Maybe you'll be going back with him."
Kathleen's answer only partially satisfied the boy. He wanted to know where Harry was.
"He's busy with his new crew. It takes a while to prepare for the next mission."
Yoni believed her, but fretted anyway. As time wore on, Kathleen became acutely aware that Yoni would never be able to adjust. It became obvious that in the boy's best interests, he should be returned to Bedor. Kathleen expressed her feelings to Ms. Roan, but the woman remained noncommittal.
Meanwhile, Harry became more and more engaged in his activities. The Corporation supplied him with a list of candidates for the next mission and he spent several days interviewing. It was decided he should return to Bedor with a full survey crew. That meant, in addition to himself, a contingent of no less than six people. Of those six, Harry was to choose four. The other two would be determined solely by the Corporation.
The first selection was for mission co-commander. Harry requested Kathleen but was turned down flat.
"We're considering Commander Casey for another mission," explained Ms. Roan. "Besides, there are plenty of qualified co-commanders."
"But she's who I want," argued Harry. "She has the experience, she already knows what to expect in the Bedoran system..."
Roan cut him off. "This is out of my hands. Commander Casey is not accompanying you this time. You have a list of qualified individuals from which to choose. If you are unable to choose someone, we'll choose for you."
Harry stared hard at the woman. It was apparent Ms. Roan took a great deal of pleasure in being a conduit of power. There was no arguing with her, and as much as Harry hated to admit it, he was stuck w
ith the list of candidates that was supplied to him.
After interviewing a dozen or so men and women, Harry settled on a man with whom he'd shipped out before. Jeb Stuart was his name. Born in New Florida, Jeb had served in the Corporation for twelve years, notching four successful missions to his credit. Although Jeb's experience as co-commander was limited, Harry trusted the man and saw him as a competent individual knowledgeable in all facets of celestial mechanics and starship engineering.
With Jeb's help, Harry continued to interview candidates from various disciplines. He talked to people he immediately liked and not a few to whom he took an instant disliking. Jeb was helpful, pointing out useful talents the candidates held and sometimes things that might be considered drawbacks.
"I like this woman for our biosciences officer," said Harry, indicating a name on his list.
Jeb looked at the name and frowned.
"What's the matter?"
Jeb shrugged. "I hate to speak poorly of someone."
"If there's a problem, I want to know."
"No, no problem. It's just that she's a little too aggressive. I've trained with her. She makes decisions that go beyond her expertise. If you ask me, she's got a feminist axe to grind. She doesn't like men and she doesn't like to take orders."
"She seemed friendly enough in the interview."
"I thought so too the first time I met her."
"Well, the only other candidate with higher scores doesn't have the experience." Harry followed his finger down the list. "Ah. There she is. Roberta Long. Let's see. She has high scores in all the relevant areas. She's athletic, smart, says here she served a stint as a riot control officer before being accepted by the Corporation. She seemed personable enough. Psych profile indicates a disciplined personality with a high desire to please. No family."
"I know her. She's competent. I wouldn't think twice about shipping out with her."
"Good. We'll call her back. If Roberta works out, with the other two we've already chosen, and the two selected by the company, we can start training exercises in two days."
"Who are the company's choices?"
Harry tapped the computer console and a personnel dossier appeared on the screen. The face of a young man accompanied the file.
"This is Serge Ilyich."
"Russian?"
"Yes, well, he prefers to be called Ukrainian. Actually, he's from Kansas. He's served as a navigations/communications officer and he's experienced in mechanics. Holds degrees in astronomy, physics, and linguistics. Hmm. He's done some good work in alien languages. Great psych profile. Controlled, astute, good sense of humor."
"Sounds good."
"I think so too, even though the company picked him." Harry hit a combination of keys and the Ukrainian from Kansas disappeared. His face was replaced by that of a serious-looking black woman. "This is Utme Umbomba."
"Don't tell me. She's African."
"Well, an African from Ontario. She's a big woman, six-two and close to two hundred pounds. Placed third in the New World Olympics last year."
"Oh? What event?"
"Jujitsu. She's a converted security officer. Expert in weapons, martial arts. She's also a botanist."
"She's not much to look at."
Harry agreed. "That's true. But she's got experience: two previous missions. Psych sheet says she's quiet, likes to meditate."
"Do you anticipate trouble?"
Harry glanced at Jeb. "Why?"
"Well, looks like her strong point is combat. Physical stuff."
"You never know." Harry avoided Jeb's gaze and stared at the monitor. "You just never know."
*
The full crew sat in the simulator strapped to their crash seats and hanging on for dear life. The simulator pitched and yawed, tossing them violently in one direction, then another. The monitors blinked with emergency messages while klaxons blared.
"Turn off the alarm," Harry calmly said.
Jeb reached forward and punched a button. The annoying sound abruptly ceased.
Harry faced the others. "That's what'll happen if your entry coordinates are off a hair. They've got to be perfect. Don't assume the first set the computer gives are the correct set. Always run the numbers twice. More if you've got the time." Harry looked at the faces of his crew. He was going over old territory and they were bored. They tried to look attentive, but after a long afternoon of emergency drills, they were ready to call it a day.
"Any questions?"
They mutely looked back at Harry. "All right. Let's break for two hours and meet at the number four airlock at..." Harry glanced at his watch, "nineteen hundred hours. Bring your environment suits. I want to see how everyone moves in weightless vacuum."
They filed out of the simulator, Harry in the rear. Although they hadn't been together very long, the crew seemed to be working well. Sometimes that's the way it went; a group who had never worked together before sometimes clicked right away. It looked like this was going to be one of those groups.
Harry had been concerned about the two crewmembers the Corporation picked. After working with them for a few days, he believed his fears were unjustified. Both Serge and Utme turned out to be competent, helpful, and easy-going. Serge smiled a lot and Utme had a tranquil exterior that tended to calm those around her.
The other two team members were Dr. Christine Ferguson, medical science and biology, and Jareem O'Neill, an ex-semi-pro basketball player from the Bronx. O'Neill might have had a shot at the pros had he been tall enough, but at five feet ten inches none of the teams wanted to give him a chance. Dr. Ferguson liked to be called Doctor and bristled somewhat when Harry referred to her as Sawbones.
"I really don't like that," she told Harry.
"How about if I call you Doc?"
"Doc's okay. Chris is okay too. Sawbones makes my skin crawl. It sounds medieval."
"Good enough for me."
"You can call me anything," piped in Jeb, "just don't call me late for dinner."
"Speaking of which," said Harry, "anybody want to grab some chow?"
"Sounds good to me," said Jeb.
Serge sighed. "Can't," he said, "I have to make some adjustments to my environment suit. I'll grab a bite later."
The others agreed and accompanied Harry to the cafeteria which was located the maximum distance from the station's hub. Mankind had lived in space long enough to figure out that food settled better in gravity. Additionally, the view from the cafeteria was spectacular.
When Harry entered, the first thing he saw was Yoni. The boy ignored the stares and pressed against the plexiglass, peering at Earth far below. Kathleen sat beside him, a concerned look on her face. She saw Harry and waved him over.
"What's going on here?"
At the sound of Harry's voice, Yoni spun around. He saw Harry and jumped from the bench and into Harry's arms in two bounds, signing frantic greetings.
"Hello Harry," he chittered, "I am ready to go home now. When can I go home?"
Yoni had never been so overtly affectionate before. Harry was a little stunned. He looked at Kathleen. She shook her head.
"He's not happy. He misses his people."
Harry scratched Yoni on top of his head. "Bedor is cold," said Harry in Bedoran.
"I like the cold," replied Yoni.
"Do you miss Bedor?"
"Yes. I am ready to go home."
"We can't go now."
"Why?"
"Preparations must be made. It takes a while to get ready."
"How long?"
Harry didn't want to lie to the boy. He was certain the Corporation wanted to keep Yoni. Not because of scientific value, but because of the sideshow atmosphere that had formed around the boy. After all, he was an intelligent extraterrestrial and good public relations for the Braithwaite Corporation. They'd paraded him out in front of reporters a couple of times already. Yoni was in top form and entertained everyone, but now Harry could see that the boy's attitude had taken a turn for the worse. The company might
not see him as an asset if he started defecating on the floor at will.
"I don't know... Arai. Soon, I hope." Harry set the boy on the bench and handed him a piece of hard candy.
"What are we going to do? I don't think they're going to let him go back."
"We'll get him back." Harry didn't know how, but one way or another, he knew he was going to do it.
"How's the team coming along?"
Harry glanced to the cafeteria line. His survey team grabbed plates of food and joked as they decided what to eat.
"They're a good group. I think we'll have a good trip."
"I wish I was going."
"So do I."
"Harry, have you thought any more about the second planet?"
Harry glanced around and lowered his voice. "Yes. I'm certain it needs a detailed survey."
"What are you going to do if you find them?"
"One thing at a time, Kath'. I want to get Yoni back first."
The boy was pressed up to the glass again.
"He thinks it's Bedor. I tried to explain that it was Earth, but I guess it was a little more than he could handle."
Sugar-filled saliva dripped from his mouth onto the reinforced plexiglass. Harry pulled him away from the window and looked back at Kathleen.
"Why don't you let him sleep in my quarters tonight? I'll be finished by nine-thirty or so. I thought we could spend some time alone."
"Hold on Harry. Just because I'm speaking to you again doesn't mean that you can invite yourself over. Besides, Yoni's freaked out. We can't leave him alone." She took the boy by the hand and stood. "Call me tomorrow and tell me what we can do about Yoni."