notes. I intended to keep up-to-date in my own field as much as possible.
When Dr. Daniyel finished taking the blood and tissue samples she needed, I went with
her back to our landing site and we worked in the minilab that had been purpose-built
into the shuttle for the mission. It wasn’t really my field, but some kinds of lab
skills are pretty elementary, so I ended up helping a fair bit. It was a good thing
too. I observed Dr. Daniyel and realized that something wasn’t quite right. She leaned
over her work in a way that spoke not of absorption but of exhaustion.
“You’ll get your own DNA in the samples if you’re not careful,” I said lightly. “Perhaps
you should take a break.”
Dr. Daniyel pulled her graying locs over one shoulder with a slow weariness that was
oddly graceful, then stepped back to let me help with the analysis. “There will be
time to rest after the mission’s done. I’ve been pushing for a global genetic registry
for years now. Perhaps this can be the start of it.”
“It’s early in the mission. You mustn’t forget to pace yourself,” I said, expressing
my concern with care. I didn’t want to appear to be telling my boss she looked unfit
for command.
“Oh, this?” She smiled, waving a hand at herself. “Chronic. Still within Service parameters,
but I do have a condition that makes me tire quite easily. That’s why I have Lian
for the heavy lifting, but as for the rest of it, I’m pretty much the only person
with the skill and experience for this job.”
I adjusted the meters and toggled the last few switches. “There. That should do it.”
I looked at her. “With all due respect, ma’am, I can get the results later and save
them to your files for you.”
She seemed amused and gratified at my solicitude, which was good because it could
have gone either way, but then her face changed. “Aggregated data,” she said, her
voice suddenly alert and firm. “We don’t do individual scans. This is an anthropological
analysis, not a medical report.”
“Yes, ma’am. I am familiar with the bioethics section of the Science Code,” I answered
calmly.
She smiled once more, not offended at being humored. “It’s going to be a long mission.
Feel free to call me Qeturah when off duty.”
“I’m Grace,” I responded. “But everyone calls me Delarua regardless.”
The results were interesting. These Cygnians did
not
possess a greater percentage of taSadiri genes compared with those in the last two
settlements, appearance notwithstanding (genetics can be a funny potluck, let me tell
you), but what they did have was a surprising amount of cultural integrity. Tarik
and Nasiha went off to speak to the people, recording words, stories, myths,and customs in a far more detailed and directed manner than Cygnian anthropologists
had yet accomplished. Of course, they had something we didn’t, a knowledge of some
of the more obscure and ancient Sadiri dialects, and with that they were able to make
far more connections and discoveries than we could.
Once the bio tests were all finished, there wasn’t much for me to do, but our stay
was extended so that Dr. Daniyel could satisfy herself with more anthropological data
and the Sadiri could explore the potential for links between their settlements. For
a few days, I just relaxed and took it in. Sometimes I’d watch Joral, who was ostensibly
helping the Science Council officers or taking minutes at meetings for Dllenahkh,
but … quite honestly? Checking out the girls. It was an education in Sadiri flirting.
One in particular must have been his favorite, because he all but disassembled one
of the biosensors in order to spend time explaining its workings to her. Sadiri mating
displays seemed to consist of flashing bright mental plumage at the object of desire
in as cool and disinterested a fashion as possible.
Otherwise, I’d sit on the edge of a balcony staring
When Dr. Daniyel finished taking the blood and tissue samples she needed, I went with
her back to our landing site and we worked in the minilab that had been purpose-built
into the shuttle for the mission. It wasn’t really my field, but some kinds of lab
skills are pretty elementary, so I ended up helping a fair bit. It was a good thing
too. I observed Dr. Daniyel and realized that something wasn’t quite right. She leaned
over her work in a way that spoke not of absorption but of exhaustion.
“You’ll get your own DNA in the samples if you’re not careful,” I said lightly. “Perhaps
you should take a break.”
Dr. Daniyel pulled her graying locs over one shoulder with a slow weariness that was
oddly graceful, then stepped back to let me help with the analysis. “There will be
time to rest after the mission’s done. I’ve been pushing for a global genetic registry
for years now. Perhaps this can be the start of it.”
“It’s early in the mission. You mustn’t forget to pace yourself,” I said, expressing
my concern with care. I didn’t want to appear to be telling my boss she looked unfit
for command.
“Oh, this?” She smiled, waving a hand at herself. “Chronic. Still within Service parameters,
but I do have a condition that makes me tire quite easily. That’s why I have Lian
for the heavy lifting, but as for the rest of it, I’m pretty much the only person
with the skill and experience for this job.”
I adjusted the meters and toggled the last few switches. “There. That should do it.”
I looked at her. “With all due respect, ma’am, I can get the results later and save
them to your files for you.”
She seemed amused and gratified at my solicitude, which was good because it could
have gone either way, but then her face changed. “Aggregated data,” she said, her
voice suddenly alert and firm. “We don’t do individual scans. This is an anthropological
analysis, not a medical report.”
“Yes, ma’am. I am familiar with the bioethics section of the Science Code,” I answered
calmly.
She smiled once more, not offended at being humored. “It’s going to be a long mission.
Feel free to call me Qeturah when off duty.”
“I’m Grace,” I responded. “But everyone calls me Delarua regardless.”
The results were interesting. These Cygnians did
not
possess a greater percentage of taSadiri genes compared with those in the last two
settlements, appearance notwithstanding (genetics can be a funny potluck, let me tell
you), but what they did have was a surprising amount of cultural integrity. Tarik
and Nasiha went off to speak to the people, recording words, stories, myths,and customs in a far more detailed and directed manner than Cygnian anthropologists
had yet accomplished. Of course, they had something we didn’t, a knowledge of some
of the more obscure and ancient Sadiri dialects, and with that they were able to make
far more connections and discoveries than we could.
Once the bio tests were all finished, there wasn’t much for me to do, but our stay
was extended so that Dr. Daniyel could satisfy herself with more anthropological data
and the Sadiri could explore the potential for links between their settlements. For
a few days, I just relaxed and took it in. Sometimes I’d watch Joral, who was ostensibly
helping the Science Council officers or taking minutes at meetings for Dllenahkh,
but … quite honestly? Checking out the girls. It was an education in Sadiri flirting.
One in particular must have been his favorite, because he all but disassembled one
of the biosensors in order to spend time explaining its workings to her. Sadiri mating
displays seemed to consist of flashing bright mental plumage at the object of desire
in as cool and disinterested a fashion as possible.
Otherwise, I’d sit on the edge of a balcony staring
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