Adams would be in charge of the administration, and Ferris would be in charge of the production, of the primary medication protocol. He would send the sentries with the team as gofer bodies. He would lead the landing party to ensure that Yee Odalis and Yee Akadar could cooperate with each other, and that manufacturing plants were producing and transportation services were shipping.
Dr. Lam, originally associated with the UMA group, was the Cinconian’s chief medical consultant, and he was responsible for hiring several leaders from each medical community around the globe to engage them in the program.
“Excuse me, Gentlemen,” Jackson said to his twittering helmsmen, “but is there something you want to tell me?”
“No, Sir,” Chen said and quickly took his station.
“No, Captain,” Jean said. Jackson eyeballed them back to their stations and settled back in his chair. He would pilot the Osprey. No need to bring the galley or maintenance staff either, but two of Quixote’s engineers could be awfully helpful with design and setting up the manufacturing facilities. Sargent York was a versatile team member also. Scott Gregory would also accompany. Of course, the bridge crew would remain, the two children, Mills, Henderson, and Rianya would remain aboard.
“Status, Lieutenant?”
“No change, sir, low geo orbit and thrusters on standby. All ships systems online and within normal parameters.”
“Maintain orbit.” Jackson left for his office, and was surprised to find his perpetual carafe of coffee empty. Checking the chronometer on the wall it was well past 14:00 when Anne Wallace should have brought his fresh Columbian nectar from the galley. He sat in his desk chair and the nearby motion activated his computer monitor. He touched the screen a few times until a duty roster appeared. He selected A shift, 07:00-19:00.
Ø Jackson, Commander
Ø Lee, Helmsman
Ø Rougeau, Navigator
Ø Watson, Communication
Ø Quixote, Chief Engineer
Ø Painter, Engineer
Ø Campbell, Maintenance
Ø Campbell, Galley
Ø Bowen, Armory
Ø Jackson, Medical
Ø Adams, Medical
Ø Henderson, Medical
Ø Stone, Quartermaster
Ø Graham, Cook, Steward
Ø Harchett, Steward, Hydroponics
She wasn’t there. Must be B shift, 19:00-07:00.
Ø Gregory, Commander, Navigator
Ø May, Helm/Communication
Ø Chin, Engineer
Ø Byrd, Engineer
Ø York, Armory/Security
Ø Wagner, Security
Ø Barone, Security
Ø Ferris, Medical
Ø Mills, Medical
Ø Wallace, Housekeeping
Ø Baumann, Maintenance
Ø Harris, Maintenance, Housekeeping
When did this happen without his knowledge? Why would she be on the night shift when she was supposed to care for officers’ quarters while they were not sleeping in them? He pressed the intercom button.
“Galley, Campbell.”
“Bailey, is my coffee ready? I can come get it. I just realized Wallace’s shift is now the overnight.”
“Oh, I wondered where she was. Yes, Captain, it’s been here waiting. I’ll make you a fresh carafe.”
“No, no, it doesn’t go bad that fast. I’ll be down in a minute.”
He couldn’t start his afternoon without coffee. His brain wouldn’t cooperate unless it had something to run on, and that was some sugar and caffeine suspended in the brew of roasted and ground berry seeds from the southern hemisphere of Earth. Just the thought of it encouraged him to quicken his pace down to the galley.
When the elevator door opened, he smiled when he saw Rianya standing inside.
“Hello!”
“I was just coming up to see you,” she said.
“I saved you the trip. Come on, I’m going to the galley.” He slowed his pace a little and put one arm over her shoulders. “What’s on your mind?”
“Seems Dr. Adams has been able to sen ta, sin, sent-”
“Synthesize?”
“Make the vaccine for the Yersinia.”
“Great news. How many can we make here?”
“I’m not sure,” she said. “It depends on how much time we have.” The mess had finished its mid-day service and the hall was empty. At the rear of the room the galley was visible and an open fire burned under a huge aluminum stock pot of something most likely to become dinner.
“Just for you, Captain,” Bailey called as they entered the kitchen. She held up the carafe that should have been taken to the doyen’s office an hour earlier. “Are you sure you don’t want a fresh brew? Hi Rianya.”
“It’ll be fine, thank you, Bailey.”
“He pours so much sugar in it you could have made it yesterday and he wouldn’t know the difference,” Rianya teased.
“It’s my only vice, give a man a break,” he teased back.
“I have some cheesecake just out of the cooker I’d be willing to cut for you,” Bailey said in a hushed voice. Her round face and pink cheeks established that she could only be the chef on board.
“Dinner, Bailey, for sure,” the captain said with a nod. “Thanks again,” and he saluted her with the carafe a few centimeters up and out.
“Doesn’t Anne bring you the coffee every afternoon?” Rianya asked.
“Yes, but somehow she ended up on the night shift and no one came in her place.”
“You could have called me,” Rianya said. “I would have brought it up for you.” Tom stopped, she stopped. He turned to look at her squarely. Her face seemed soft, peaceful, sweet.
“You’re not a servant.”
“As a favor,” she said, and turned to walk down the corridor to the elevator. He kept up with her.
“Maybe we should make afternoon coffee a regular thing,” he hinted, leaning into her while reaching for the call button.
“I don’t like coffee.”
“I know, but maybe we could work something out,” he said as the door slid open. “Bridge level.” For the few seconds it took to ride they just stared at each other with smiles in their eyes, communicating without words. They arrived together at the bridge.
“What have you been keeping busy with besides Zalara the last couple days?”
“I tackled the mummy again. I’m trying to trace the human part of its genome. I think once we’re back to Earth the descendants, or before-families, might want to be contacted.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. Nice idea.” Tom garnished his coffee and had a test sip. He sat at his desk; she sat in the softer furniture near the window. “Why were you coming up here?” He hadn’t forgotten she was coming to see him.
“It’s about the mission.”
“I was going to ask you to come up and talk about it also.” Tom hesitated, not certain if he should be wearing his captain’s hat or his husband’s hat. The captain’s hat was so much easier. “It’s going to involve staying on the planet for a while, and we could be in direct contact with the infected. I don’t think we will, but it’s possible.” God, she was beautiful. “Do you want to go?” She looked down at her hands and then back up at him.
“Yes, but I won’t. If you are going to be there, I need to take care of Zalara. And like you said, no sense in fighting this bug in more species than we have to.” A block of cement fell off Tom’s shoulders and he leaned back.
“I think you’re making the right choice,” he said gently, leaving his desk and joining her on the bench. She had on her medical wardrobe today, the blue surgery scrubs and a long white lab coat.
“This wasn’t an easy decision,” she uttered.
“There will be more missions, more interesting, less life threatening.” She nodded.
“I’m at peace with it. I can do a lot on the ship, and between Mills and me we can take care of anyone sick up here while you’re all down there playing with the germs.”
“Well, somebody has to make a sacrifice. I’m glad I didn’t have to order you off the mission. Thank you for that.”
“I am interested to know more about Hero,” she said, standing up. Tom’s brows shoved together. “I named him Hero. I got tired of calling him ‘the body’.” That was not unexpected of her.
“We’ll be going down as soon as Adams has a hundred thousand vaccines to administer.”
“How long will you be there?”
“A few days at least, maybe five, six, seven. Not certain yet. However long it takes to get them set up and rolling.”
“Zalara and I will miss you.”
“I’m just a com chat away.” Tom walked her to the office door, leaned against it so she couldn’t escape, and snugged her up close to him, nestling his face in her hair that always smelled of fruit or plants or citrus or something delicious and earthy.
“I have to get back to sick bay soon.”
“I might be here late tonight. You and Zalara get to bed, don’t wait for me.”
“How about I come visit after Zalara goes to bed?”
“Then I won’t get any work done.” He stepped aside from the door.
“Come back to our quarters and work.” He kissed her cheek and ushered her out.
“Like I said, I have to get some work done.”
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