The Altian Plague by DM Arnold (best book club books for discussion .TXT) 📖

lecturing on Earth history and culture?”

“So I've heard,” Nyk replied. “Are you considering joining the ExoAgency?”

“Oh, no. I'm not brave or strong enough to spend a tour on that planet. I'm a history major, and I thought understanding the culture and events of Earth before the warp accident would help me piece together the early days of our world after it.” Nyk nodded. “My adviser had to pull some pretty long strings to get me into her lectures. They're not broadcasting them, you know.”

“I didn't.”

“I have a photoimage of her.” He withdrew a handheld vidisplay and pressed the touchscreen. An image appeared of an Asian woman. “She looks so ... so different.”

“She's beautiful,” Nyk replied.

The youth squinted at the image. “I suppose she is, in her own way. Yes -- you can see it once you get past the strangeness of her features.”

“You can see traces of her features in every Floran,” Nyk said. “Floran eyes have a hint of hers.”

Nyk's travel companion looked into his face. Nyk pointed to his eyelid. “Here -- just a hint. Your eyes have it, too.”

His eyes flicked between Nyk and the photo. “Yes -- I can see it.”

“Many of the original settlers had her heritage -- they looked like her.”

“Are you a history major also?”

“An amateur,” Nyk replied. “I hope you enjoy her lectures.”

“It's a unique opportunity for me.” He reached into his xarpa and withdrew an injector. “I almost forgot.” The youth lifted the hem of his tunic, drove the needle into his thigh and pressed the trigger. He removed the needle and massaged the spot with his thumb. “Without this, I'll be space-sick for sure. Does weightlessness bother you?”

“I don't like it but I can cope,” Nyk replied.

“I hope this stuff kicks in soon enough. I should've dosed myself in the transit lounge.”

A shuttle attendant strolled down the aisle, pausing to help a young girl with her restraint. Another attendant made an announcement, reminding the passengers that the flight would involve a period of zero gravity. Nyk rested his head against the viewport and closed his eyes.

A chime sounded and he looked toward the transit platform. The docking tunnel retracted and the shuttle began to move. Shortly it left the influence of the platform's gravity generators. Nyk concentrated, attempting to override his fear instinct from the falling sensation of zero-G. A couple of deep breaths and his anxiety abated. He relaxed, his restraint holding him securely in his seat, and began to enjoy the ride.

The youth beside him wasn't having such an easy time. The color had drained from his face, his lips were white and he was hyperventilating. He closed his eyes and pinched his lips together.

Nyk reached into the pouch of his seat, removed a space-sickness bag and handed it to the boy, who struggled to keep down his gorge. Then, his color began to improve and his breathing slowed. “The drug kicked in,” he said. “I'll be all right.”

Zero-gravity lasted about half the flight, until the shuttle entered Floran's atmosphere, extended wings and became an aircraft. It flew toward Sudal, sweeping past the agridomes under which the Florans grew their food and fiber crops, in isolation from the incompatible native biosphere. The pilot deployed landing gear and the craft touched down on the polymer concrete runway, taxiing to a halt near the terminal building.

Nyk retrieved his case and walked through the shuttleport to the livery area. With a wristscan he ordered a groundcar. One in the lot winked its headlamps and its cowl slid open. He dropped his case into the luggage compartment and sat in the seat. “Car -- The Residence,” he ordered. An image of his childhood home appeared on the screen. “Confirmed -- car, go.”

The groundcar rolled out of the parking lot and onto the spur linking the shuttleport to the main arterial highway. He looked around in the dawn twilight. He could see dark purple fronds from the palm-like plants littering the highway. A few trees were knocked over. Must've been quite a storm, he surmised.

The car drove through the center of Sudal, a city of about 100,000 -- small by Floran standards. He looked at the squat, polymer concrete buildings equipped with heavy storm shutters. The car left the arterial and drove toward an access road leading along the coast. It bore to the right and up a drive to Nyk's childhood home.

He popped the cowl, stepped out and grabbed his case. His wristscan opened the front door. He walked in and up the spiral staircase. A tall, young woman with shoulder-length oat-straw white hair and pale blue eyes greeted him. “Good morning, Andra,” he said.

“Nyk!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“I'm here on business and I thought I'd pay a surprise visit.” He embraced and kissed her; then stood back to drink in her beauty. “You've done something different with your hair.”

“Sukiko cut it for me. Do you like it?”

“Very much.”

“How long are you staying?”

“Two nights -- then I travel to Floran City to pick up my charge.” He held her and caressed her cheek. “I asked you to care for my korlyta and you didn't shirk. I don't know how to thank you.”

“Sukiko is a joy, Nyk. I should be thanking you.” She smiled. “You must sleep with her the first night. I insist.”

“Is she up?”

“Of course. She and I both rise early and walk out onto the bluff to watch the sunrise. I'll get her.”

Andra headed to the back of the house and returned accompanied by a petite woman with yellow-brown skin and waist-length shiny black hair. Nyk's eyes met hers -- deep brown and almond shaped. She threw her arms open and ran to him. He embraced her, pressed his lips to the top of her head and inhaled her scent.

She lifted her face and he kissed her lips. Nyk stroked tears from her cheeks. “I am so happy to see you,” she said.

“Let me look at you.” She stepped back and modeled her white tunic and burgundy lifxarpa. “You look great, Suki -- healthier than ever.”

“I feel great. I've lost some weight. The food on this planet might be uninspiring, but it is healthy.”

“I see muscle definition in your arms and legs -- very sexy. Floran agrees with you.”

She extended her right hand. “Feel.”

He stroked her wrist. “You have an identity chip.”

“Yes -- I'm a full-blown Floran, now. I was dreading it. Andra told me hers is in a bone in her wrist. I was afraid they'd want to drill into me. Instead, they popped it under my skin.”

He showed her his wrist. “It's like mine.”

“The university has been giving me living credits for the lectures. This sash was my first purchase. I'll tell you -- I was a bit shocked in the clothing store when customers stripped naked in the aisles and tried things on.”

“Florans are casual about nudity. You know ... I receive living credits from the ExoAgency. I can't use them on Earth -- I should transfer them to you.”

“But -- Seymor pays you in dollars.”

“Economics has never been a strong subject here.”

She lifted her left arm. “Feel here.”

He stroked the inside of her bicep. “Your contraceptive implant capsule. How are you adjusting to that?”

“Really well -- after the first few days, at least. Floran girls receive these before their own hormones kick in. They needed to make some adjustments on mine. I'm feeling so good, now and I won't miss PMS.”

He handed over the case. “This is for you.”

She popped it open and her eyes widened. “Oh, thank you -- thank you!” She withdrew a brassiere.

“You said when I visited I should bring some bras. These should do for a while.”

Suki pawed through the case. “Quite a while -- it looks like a lifetime supply.”

“You should've seen the look on the airport screener's face when she opened the case.”

“She must've thought you were a lingerie salesman -- or some sort of a pervert.”

“Or, both,” Nyk replied.

Suki untied the ends of her lifxarpa and began unwinding the sash. She grabbed the hem of her tunic and slipped it off, picked up a bra and snapped it around herself. Andra approached and picked up one of the garments. “Oh, this feels so good,” Suki said as she adjusted the straps. “The laws of gravity operate here just as on Earth and there were times I thought I'd be black-and-blue by the end of the day.”

Andra fingered the bra. “Do all Earth women wear these?”

“Most do,” Suki replied. Andra slipped off her tunic, tried on the bra and attempted to hook the clasp in back. “Here,” Suki said and hooked it for her. Andra looked down at the flaccid cups. She grasped and squeezed the surplus fabric. “That's not your size. I wear a 34- C. I'd guess you'd need a 32-B ... or maybe a 32-A.”

“Why do Earth women wear these?” Andra asked.

“You might've noticed,” Nyk replied, “that Suki's breasts are larger than common for Floran women.”

“Well... Yes ... I didn't want to say anything, but...” She looked at Suki. “I feel sorry for you. It must be uncomfortable.”

“Don't feel TOO sorry for her,” Nyk interjected.

Suki smiled. “You get used to them... I'd say by Earth standards -- I'm about average.”

“Average?” Andra asked.

“That's why these were invented,” Suki continued, “to lift you up -- take off some of the load. It's why I've been wearing the lifxarpa -- for some support. It's like a bra worn on the outside. Now I can dispense with the sash.” She picked up her tunic and slid it over her head.

“Yes,” Nyk replied. “The lifxarpa is very much a Floran City affectation. No one in Sudal wears them.”

Andra struggled to unhook the bra. Suki helped her out of it and she slipped back into her tunic. “I was afraid without these, within a couple of years mine would be down to my knees.” She kissed Nyk's cheek. “You were so sweet to remember.”

“I'll bring anything you want,” he replied. “Just ask.”

“Are you hungry?” Andra asked.

“I haven't had food nor sleep since before I left Earth.”

“I'll start some breakfast.”

Nyk sat and scooped some of the breakfast package. He looked toward Suki. “So, how are you adjusting?”

“Oh, Nykkyo -- I feel like I died and went to Heaven.”

“According to Earth records -- you are dead.”

“I know. You offered me the choice of life here or death there. To think I almost chose... I'm so happy here.” She looked toward Andra. “Andra is the finest friend -- the finest companion anyone could want. She knows when I need intimacy and when I need privacy. I can ask her for the truth and she gives it to me -- even if it's something I'd rather not hear.” Suki grasped Andra's hand. “I love her so much. I love you so much. Now you're here and our little love- family is complete -- for a couple days at least.”

“What do you like best about Floran?” he asked.

“The people -- the warmth with which I've been received. I love your people, Nykkyo. They're so kind, so sweet ... so accepting.”

“And, the least?”

“The language,” she replied. “Andra and I communicate well enough with her grasp of English and mine of Lingwa -- we speak to each other in what I call Lingwish. I still have trouble communicating strictly in Floran.”

“She is getting better,” Andra added.

“It's like any activity,” Nyk replied between bites. “You improve with practice. How go the lectures?”

“Amazing,” Suki replied. “The university offered two sections and they filled right away. I had to add a third section. It's not even a credit-bearing course. The students are asking for credit. It's too late for that, now, but next term... I'll offer three sections for credit, so I have to figure out how to test and grade them on the material. Those three sections next term are already filled.”

“And, the language?” Nyk asked. “Is that an obstacle?”

“I write out my lectures ahead of time -- Andra helps me. If I can stand in front of the class and read, I do all right. Questions are the difficult part, but so far I'm doing okay.”

“I rode the Sudal shuttle with someone attending your lectures.”

“Really? Where is he from?”

Nyk swallowed his mouthful. “I didn't ask. He was dressed as a Floran City resident.”

“Would he travel from Floran City to Sudal by shuttle?”

Nyk scooped the last of his breakfast. “Some do. Some prefer it to taking the train.” He set his spoon on his empty breakfast tray and opened a sweet bean cake. “Have you had to make any other adjustments?”

“Well -- the day length took some getting used to, as did the ten-day work mod. Seven days on and three days off -- I'm ready for the weekend -- or, mod-end.”

“The Floran year is about 257 days, so we have twenty-five ten-day mods. At the end of the