“We’re going to start running out of supplies soon,” Lieutenant Murphy warned.
Commander Sussman nodded. “I’ll speak to Chief Officer Martinez about resupplying the ship from Broumas Station.”
“We’re also running low on fresh vegetables,” Murphy added. “We’re planting fresh stuff as fast as we can, but it’ll be at least six weeks before the new crops will be ready to eat. We hadn’t planned on needing produce after we arrived.”
The commander rubbed her forehead. “I’ll see if there’s anything Chief Officer Martinez can do about that as well.”
“I’ve already had to patch up three or four people who’ve been fighting. I don’t know how much longer the crew is going to be able to take this,” Dr. Caisson said.
“We all want to get off this ship,” Commander Sussman said sharply, then looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, Louise, I just got word that my mother’s had another stroke. They’re not sure how much longer she has left.
“The union says that they’re fighting the quarantine, but they can’t override Survey security. Now, is there any more urgent business?” the commander asked, returning to her usual brisk tone of command.
There were no replies.
“I suggest that you keep the crew as busy as possible; it’ll help keep them out of trouble. I know how hard this is on all of you, and I appreciate everything you’re doing to keep up the crew’s morale. I want to assure you once more that I’m doing everything in my power to lift the quarantine. Thank you.”
With that, the meeting broke up. Juna waited until the staff officers had all expressed their sympathy to the commander for her mother’s illness.
“Commander Sussman,” she said. “I’m sorry to hear about your mother. Is there anything I can do to help?”
The commander shook her head. “You could figure out a way to get us off this ship,” she replied with a wry smile.
“I’ll work on it, Commander,” Juna said.
Ukatonen sat in the garden. Finding the strength to get out of bed had taken all his will power. But being here was no better than being in the cabin. The cold and lifeless ship still surrounded him. There was no escaping it, not even in the shelter of his own mind. Even with his eyes closed in the midst of the garden, the dryness, the plastic and metal and sweaty human smell of it filled his nostrils. The deep bone-throbbing hum of the life-support system and the rush of the air in the ventilators clamored in his ears and under his feet.
It was all too much for him to carry any longer. It was time to let go. Slowly, painfully, he got up. He needed to find Moki and tell him of his decision.
“He’s done what?” Juna exclaimed, when Moki told her what the enkar had done.
“He’s gone to sleep until they let us out of here,” Moki repeated. “I’ll be feeding him through my spurs.”
“Where is he?” Juna demanded. How could he leave her alone to cope with all of this?
“In the garden, siti. In the middle of the sunflowers.”
“Take me there,” Juna said.
Ukatonen was lying curled in the center of the sunflower circle, covered by a thin layer of dead leaves. Crouching beside him, Juna brushed the leaves away from his face. His color was good but his breathing and pulse were very slow.
“En? En? Wake up, en!” Eerin said, gently shaking his shoulder. “Are you all right?”
Ukatonen’s eyes slid open. “There is nothing more that I can do to help, so I am going to go to sleep now,” he said in skin speech. “Moki knows how to take care of me. He’ll feed me and make sure that I don’t dry out. Do not worry. I will be perfectly safe. Wake me when we get out of quarantine.”
With that, his eyes closed and his breathing slowed as he slipped back into unconsciousness. Juna sat back on her heels, furious at Ukatonen for abandoning her.
Moki hesitantly touched her elbow. “What do we do now, ski?”
“We need to tell Commander Sussman, and I want Dr. Caisson to examine him.”
“But he’s not sick,” Moki said. “He’s just gone to sleep for a while.”
“It doesn’t matter, bai. Commander Sussman will want the doctor to look at him anyway.”
Dr. Caisson folded her probe and put it in her pocket. “He’s unconscious. His heart rate and breathing are extremely slow but otherwise strong and regular. If he were human, I’d say he was in a very deep sleep, possibly even a coma. I’d like to attach him to a monitor, if I may. I have a portable one that will work out here.”
Juna nodded. “Of course, Doctor. Is he going to be all right?”
“I don’t know what’s normal for his species,” Dr. Caisson said uncertainly. “It sounds like a voluntary state, though, and you said the little one isn’t worried. We can only hope that we get out of quarantine soon, and that this state doesn’t cause him any permanent damage.”
“I’ll have to report this to the officials in charge of the quarantine,” Commander Sussman said. “It’s bound to affect our chances of getting out of here. I only wish I knew whether it will affect them for better or worse.”
Juna sat slumped in her desk chair with the lights dimmed, thinking things over. Her family had once had an old irrigation pump that seized up at the slightest provocation. Juna, who had been in charge of irrigating the section served by that pump, had to kick the pump until it ground into motion again.
The Survey still refused to explain or clarify the reasons the ship was in quarantine. Now Ukatonen had retreated into hibernation. The situation was well and truly stuck. The question was where and how to deliver a good swift kick to get things moving:
She couldn’t do much imprisoned on the ship. She needed to find someone outside who could get things unstuck for her, someone who could do the serious digging needed to ferret out the people behind the Survey’s ruling, and someone with the clout to expose what was going on.
She turned on the computer and set to work.
“Bruce, do you know anyone on the ship who can help me get around the security system on the comm channel?” Juna asked.
Bruce rolled over onto his side, and looked down at her, his face pale and moonlike in the darkness.
“Juna, are you crazy? You could flush your whole career out the airlock trying a stunt like that.”
“I’m the only one that Ukatonen and Moki will work with. The Survey can’t fire me.” Juna sat up in bed. “Going through official channels hasn’t gotten us out of this situation. If the Survey won’t listen when we ask them politely, it’s time to get in their face. It’s time to do an end run around the bureaucracy. The Tendu are headline news, but people are only hearing what the Survey chooses to release. We need to get our side of the story out.”
“It’s risky, Juna,” Bruce warned. “This whole thing could blow up in our faces.”
“The Survey could sit on us for years if we let them,” she pointed out.
“I know a computer tech who might be able to help,” Bruce admitted.
“Thank you,” Juna said.
Bruce shrugged. “I was planning on quitting after this trip. I’ve nearly made my nest egg and the Survey is no place for people who want to raise a family.”
Juna looked down. Her own marriage hadn’t survived the long Survey missions. The worst part about coming home again was realizing how much she envied her brother and the big, wonderful family he had married into. It was impossible, of course. She had the entire future of Tendu-Human relations resting on her shoulders. There was simply no time for any more family than she already had.
She kissed Bruce gently on the cheek. “I hope that whoever you settle down with brings you happiness,” she told him.