Impulse, page 13
part #12 of First Colony Series
Shetrian was the name the Mekaal had given the city. It used to be home to a couple of million Ovarrow, but the Mekaal population was just under fifty thousand, and there was plenty of room to expand.
Isaac and Julian scanned the room as they carried their trays of food, spotting Ella eating with Jordan. The interns stuck together as much as they could. Kanin grabbed a seat next to Jordan, leaving an open seat next to Ella. Julian inclined his chin in the direction of the open seat, and Isaac sat down next to Ella.
Jordan yawned, her mouth opening impressively wide. “Good morning,” she said.
“Had the night shift again?” Julian asked.
Jordan nodded. “Last time.”
“Townsend is such a hard ass. Why can’t you work the day shift like everyone else?”
Jordan shrugged. “It’s not as bad as all that. He didn’t insist I do it. I volunteered to help keep us on schedule.” She looked at Isaac. “Weren’t you his intern for a while?”
Isaac shoveled a large helping of scrambled eggs with hot sauce into his mouth and nodded. He chewed and swallowed. “I survived for two months before getting the boot.”
Kanin giggled. “Two months and then he got rid of you.”
“I was late a few times, which he didn’t appreciate.”
Ella sipped her coffee and then gave him a sidelong look. “You’ve done much better with Dr. Rostova.”
Isaac nodded.
Julian grinned. “Who wouldn’t?”
Ella set her cup down and frowned, managing to make such a simple thing elegant and beautiful. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Julian rolled his eyes and took a large bite from a biscuit he’d stuffed a few pieces of bacon into. “Come on. We’re just supposed to ignore the fact that she’s a beautiful woman?”
Isaac tried to focus on the food on his plate while failing to ignore that the three girls were watching him with the intense scrutiny that could only be achieved by members of the opposite sex.
Julian smiled and nodded. “There, you see. Isaac agrees.”
Isaac lifted his gaze. “No, I don’t. She’s a lot nicer than Townsend.”
The girls looked unconvinced.
“Working in Townsend’s lab, you felt like klaxon alarms were about to go off if you made the slightest misstep. We work just as hard for Dr. Rostova, but she’s nowhere near as high strung as Townsend.”
“And she’s gorgeous,” Julian added.
“Right,” Isaac said and frowned. “No…” He shook his head. “I give up.”
Julian tilted his head to the side. “All this could have been avoided if you’d just admitted that she’s drop-dead gorgeous.”
Ella stared at him for a moment and then her eyebrows lifted. “You’re blushing,” she said, her eyes gleaming. “He’s blushing. You’re attracted to her.”
This was going to be one of those days where Isaac wondered how he’d gotten here. “I am not.”
Ella’s gaze narrowed and she giggled, then said in a small voice. “Isaac has a little, itty bitty crush.”
Isaac laughed, finally giving in, and the others joined. “Now you know my secret. You’ve all figured me out.”
Curtis walked over and sat down at the other end of the table near Kanin. “What secret?”
“Isaac’s in love with Dr. Rostova,” Kanin replied.
Curtis regarded them for a few moments and then took a bite of his sandwich. “She’s easy on the eyes.”
Julian slapped the table a few times and laughed.
“You guys are so lucky,” Jordan said. “We’re stuck with old Townsend and happily married Dr. Solomon.”
“Weren’t you leering at Agent Franklin the other day?” Isaac asked.
Jordan’s eyes flicked toward Ella, and Isaac saw that her cheeks went slightly pink.
Ella looked as if she’d gotten caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
“Oh, I get it now,” Isaac said with a grin and then added, mimicking Ella’s tone, “Someone else had a little, itty bitty crush, too.”
Ella laughed and gave him a playful slap on the arm, her eyes gleaming, and he felt his mood lift considerably.
They finished eating breakfast and headed over to the labs in the basement of the embassy. Curtis, having arrived later, stayed behind. Jordan kept him company, getting another cup of coffee.
Ella walked next to Isaac. “Something happen this morning?”
Isaac arched an eyebrow. “Could you be more specific?”
Ella’s eyes went skyward for a second. “You and Curtis seemed to be ignoring each other more than usual at breakfast.”
Isaac shrugged. “Oh, that. That’s nothing.”
Ella regarded him, looking unconvinced.
Julian and Kanin headed toward the labs at the far end of the corridor.
Sometimes when he was around Ella, he couldn’t get comfortable in his own skin.
“Honestly, it’s nothing. Just a little argument in the bathroom before breakfast.”
“Oh,” she said.
Isaac frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Ella was about to respond when a nearby door opened and Dr. Townsend walked out. He propped the door, and his gaze flicked toward Isaac for half a second before settling on Ella.
“Good morning, Ms. Kingston. Mr. Diaz.”
“We’re right on time today. All is well with the world,” Isaac said.
Ella’s gaze darted toward him.
Townsend twitched his head to the side. “Thank God for small miracles.”
Isaac gave a half-hearted laugh that died away as Townsend walked past them. Once he was out of earshot, Ella said. “What are you doing?”
“I don’t know why I said that. It just came out.”
“You’re in rare form today.”
Isaac nodded. “I think I’ve been cooped up for too long.”
They walked into the shared lab. The wide space had been divided up according to the visiting professor’s specialty. They heard a few people speaking from inside one of the cubicles.
“Deasira, you have to be patient,” Dr. Rostova said.
“I have been patient. We have irrefutable proof that this can work.”
Isaac slowed down just outside the door, and Ella gestured for them to go inside. He walked in first and saw Dr. Rostova standing by a workstation with Deasira, whose jade-colored eyes looked more feline than reptilian.
The Mekaal population was only thirty-three percent female. Female Ovarrow had more delicate features than their male counterparts. They had pebbled skin similar to a reptile but were warm-blooded. Less pronounced pointy protrusions stemmed from their shoulders and elbows. Their brow lines were much less severe than their male counterparts, making their heads softer and less angular. They were lean and strong. Ovarrow weren’t graceful by any stretch of the word, but the females of the species managed to display a little finesse in their movements. Like humans, Ovarrow were omnivorous, but they preferred to consume more animal-based proteins.
“Do you need to be alone?” Isaac asked.
“No,” Deasira said. “You need not be shielded from our discussions.”
“She’s right. Come in and get started,” Dr. Rostova said and then turned her attention back to Deasira. “We proved that it’s possible, but the original plan was for the changes to be temporary until we could find a better solution. At this point, we can’t reverse the changes.”
Isaac went to a nearby workstation and Ella took the one next to him. He logged in and checked the list of tasks for him that morning.
“You think because I want to move forward that I don’t understand the potential outcomes? I assure you that I do,” Deasira said.
Dr. Rostova shook her head. “I know you do. I just want to do this right and minimize the risk to your people.”
Deasira was silent for a few moments. “Our population is in decline. It’s not going to get better. The data we received from the Konus prove that. They’ve been out of stasis for much longer than we have.”
“Can you really rely on their data?”
“We have no choice.”
“Yes, you do,” Dr. Rostova said. “You do. There’s always a choice.”
Isaac shared a glance with Ella as they both tried to focus on their workstations. He felt like this was a conversation that should be had without them in the room, but the Ovarrow were different in that they didn’t hide uncomfortable conversations. They treated anyone who reached the age of maturity as an adult. And with so few Ovarrow children being born, most of his interactions with them had been among adults.
“We lose ground to the Konus with each passing cycle.”
“I know that, but the effects on you—”
“Are worth the risk for our survival. Animals across Bhaneteran use a heat cycle to procreate. I know you think it’s primitive. We’d be introducing a primal base that could have enduring consequences for future generations. You might be right about it, but at least there would be future generations of Ovarrow. We’d get the one thing we need.”
Isaac had heard similar discussions about their work. They were trying to increase fertility rates among the Mekaal. The most promising method included increased hormones, which would affect their behavior. The Ovarrow had used a primitive method for stasis that had had severe side effects, one of which was rapid aging. Colonial scientists had solved that one, but infertility was something that had taken years for them to recognize as an issue. Infertility had only affected the females of the species, who had trouble becoming pregnant, and an even smaller percentage of them carried to term.
“We’ll need to collect more blood samples,” Dr. Rostova said.
Isaac recalled when she’d been against the project and tried to convince Ovarrow scientists to be more cautious, but they hadn’t agreed. Dr. Rostova was now trying to help them as much as she could while minimizing the risks.
“Agreed. We need a baseline to establish how much genetic diversity there is among my people,” Deasira said.
“It’ll take time. We’ll need to visit the clinics to collect the samples.”
Deasira didn’t reply right away, and Isaac could feel the Mekaal’s gaze on his back. “They can help us. We can leave this morning and meet back here by the end of the day.”
Isaac looked away from his workstation and Ella did the same. Dr. Rostova regarded them.
“Dr. Rostova,” Ella said, “I’ve been trained to collect blood samples. Deasira’s right. If we split up, we could reach all the clinics today.”
Dr. Rostova pressed her full lips together in thought. “You can’t go out alone.”
“I can help her,” Isaac offered.
Dr. Rostova’s lips twitched. “So helpful, Isaac. Thank you. Ella will need assistance with carrying all those samples.”
“He’s good at lugging stuff for me,” Ella agreed.
Isaac looked at Ella and saw that one corner of her mouth quivered. He turned back toward the others. “I’ve been reviewing the training for collecting samples. I could do it, too.”
Ella’s eyebrows raised as she looked at him.
“Good,” Dr. Rostova said. “You can both go, but you’ll need a protective detail to go with you. Get your kits ready and meet us at the entrance.”
They closed down their workstations and set about gathering the equipment they’d need. Deasira and Dr. Rostova left them.
Ella laid the stuff she was bringing on the table and then looked at Isaac. “I didn’t know you were doing that kind of training.”
Isaac shrugged. “I’ve been studying.”
“For what?”
He hadn’t told her about the placement tests. Julian and Curtis were the only ones who knew.
“The placement test for the medical program in Sierra,” he said.
Ella’s eyebrows pulled together in a thoughtful frown, and then she smiled. “Really? That’s wonderful. So that’s what you’ve been doing,” she said and then added, “I was wondering what you’ve been up to. You must have been working on this since we got here. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“We were all busy and… I didn’t want anyone to know.”
“Why not?”
Isaac sighed. “Because if I don’t do well enough, they’ll reject me.”
“Then you just take the test again and apply again. I think you’ll do well, though,” Ella replied.
Isaac felt the urge to smile, and he stood straighter.
“I wished you’d told me sooner. I could have helped you study.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t want anyone’s help.”
Ella arched a dark eyebrow and tilted her head to the side, exposing the lovely lines of her jaw. “Because you’d have to thank them?”
Isaac frowned. “What? No!”
“Yes, it is.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Nope, I know how you think,” she said, and then she made her voice low. “I’ll do it on my own or not at all!”
Isaac’s jaw slacked a little, and then he grinned. “My voice is lower than that.”
Ella laughed. “I can still help you.”
“Maybe I don’t need your help.”
“Yes, you do. I’ll quiz you. When are you taking the test?”
Isaac had never thought she’d be so insistent on helping him.
“What’s that look for?”
Isaac shrugged. “I just didn’t expect … this.”
Ella’s gaze slipped into some sort of calculation. “Oh, I see. That’s what you and Curtis were fighting about.”
How had she guessed that?
“No need to confirm. It’s not that important. So, when is the test?”
“It’s after we get back to Sanctuary.”
Ella nodded. “Not much time, but we’ll have to make do.”
“Ella, why are you helping me?”
“Not the best way to show your appreciation.”
“No, I appreciate the offer, but you don’t have to do this.” He was used to doing things on his own.
Ella sighed and just looked at him for a moment. “I know you were having a hard time when we left Sanctuary. Now, don’t go thinking I’m taking pity on you. I’m not. But I had a study partner when I prepared for my placement test, and it really helped.”
Isaac considered it for a few seconds and then nodded. “Thanks,” he said.
The bonus part of this whole thing was that he got to spend more time with her. That had to be worth something.
They finished assembling their field kits and packed up two duffle bags with a cooling core that would preserve the samples they were going to collect. Isaac swung on his backpack and then picked up the heavier duffle bag. He shifted his shoulders a few times, moving the padded section so it was comfortable. Ella did the same and grabbed the smaller duffle.
Isaac eyed her for a moment. “Want to switch?” he asked, lifting his bag toward her.
Ella’s dark eyes flicked down to his arms. “You could use the workout.”
Isaac glanced at his arms. They were lean, but he didn’t have an overabundance of muscle. “In that case, I’ll take yours,” he said and made as if to grab her bag.
Ella grinned and moved out of the way.
They met Dr. Rostova and Deasira near the entrance to the colonial embassy. Two embassy rovers waited for them.
Dr. Rostova walked toward them. “Do you have everything you need?”
“I think we’ve got it covered,” Isaac replied.
Dr. Rostova glanced down at their field kits and then accessed her wrist computer. She gestured toward the duffle bag that Isaac carried, and a packing list appeared on her holoscreen. She repeated the gesture toward Ella’s bag.
“Looks like you’ve got everything you need. Some of the clinics have already collected the blood samples we need, but you’ll need to collect some. You’ll be meeting with a healer named Jori. I think you might have met him before. He’s worked with colonists a lot over the years,” Dr. Rostova said.
“I know him,” Isaac said and raised his hands above his hips, shaking them.
“What are you doing?” Ella asked.
Isaac smiled. “Jazz hands. Jori learned it from someone. I saw him do it before as a greeting.”
Dr. Rostova smiled. “You’re just full of surprises. Look, I know you’ve explored the city many times, but please be careful. Pay attention. Situational awareness—”
“Constant vigilance,” Isaac and Ella said at the same time.
Dr. Rostova regarded both of them like a proud parent. “Good luck, and remember, this jaunt into the city wasn’t planned. Keep that in mind.”
Dr. Rostova walked to one of the rovers and looked at the driver but shook her head and hastened toward the second rover with a determined stride that made her ponytail bounce. “Switching rovers. You guys take that one.”
Isaac walked toward the first rover and opened the storage compartment in the back. He unslung his duffle bag and loaded it in the back of the rover, helping Ella place hers next to his.
The driver’s side door opened and someone stepped out.
“Come on, Kat, don’t be like that,” Agent Hunter Franklin said.
Dr. Rostova ignored him and climbed into the second rover.
Agent Franklin rolled his eyes and shook his head. Then he shrugged and smiled a greeting at Isaac. “Hey, kid. Looks like you guys drew the short straw. I’m your protective detail today. Climb aboard,” he said and got back into the rover.
Isaac grabbed the handle, opened the rear door, and gestured to Ella. “Got your chariot right here.”
Ella smiled and shook her head as she climbed inside, scooting across the back seat to make room for him. Isaac climbed inside and closed the door. A Mekaal soldier sat in the front passenger seat.
Agent Franklin gestured toward his companion. “This is Cohsora. He’ll be with us today.”
Cohsora didn’t turn around. Instead, he kept watching the area just outside the embassy gates.
“That’s very good, Cohsora. Constant vigilance even though we’re in this peaceful city,” Agent Franklin said.
“Luck favors the prepared,” Cohsora replied.
Agent Franklin grinned. “You’ve been reading that book I gave you.” He looked back at Isaac and Ella. “Famous quotes. A little bit of human philosophy.”
