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

year we have an intercalary mod of six or seven days. The whole planet shuts down for an extended party.”

“I can hardly wait,” Suki replied.

“Today is a rest day,” Nyk added. “Do you have any plans?”

“Andra was going to take the Sea Research launch out and collect some specimens. We were going to leave as soon as Senta is up. She wants to join us.”

“Senta?” Nyk asked. “Senta's here?”

“Yes,” Andra replied.

“Why? I thought she had a new home in Sudal. And a new lover.”

“Her lover left her,” said Suki. Nyk winced. “Then the storm wrecked her place.”

“I thought I saw storm damage on my ride from the shuttleport.”

“Enough buildings were damaged that the hostel is full -- they're putting two and three people in a room.”

Nyk smiled. “Senta would NOT go for that arrangement -- unless she could pick her own roommates.”

“Andra offered her the use of the guest room here,” Suki continued.

“I thought it was a way to start mending the ways between us,” Andra added. “Senta is an unhappy woman.”

“She brings unhappiness on herself,” Nyk replied. He turned toward Suki. “How are you and she getting along?”

Andra answered, “Senta doesn't blame Sukiko for what happened between the two of you. She blames you, Nyk -- and, herself.”

“She and I are cordial toward each other,” Suki said. “Otherwise she wouldn't have accepted Andra's invitation.”

Nyk sipped some green tea. “What sort of specimens are we collecting?” he asked.

“I ... I don't know how to describe them,” Andra replied. “About twenty- five kilometres southeast from Sudal I encountered a shallow area with sea vegetation near the surface. I found them there. We have discovered something interesting about the native fauna, Nyk.”

“What's that?”

“They're hermaphrodites. Every species we've encountered so far is this way.”

“Hermaphrodites?” Nyk asked.

“Yes -- every species we've catalogued follows the same pattern. The organism has both male and female organs and can mate with itself, or with others. It seems to be a fundamental aspect of life on this world.”

“Most Earth plants are hermaphrodite in that way,” Nyk observed. “I wonder why that characteristic didn't cross over to Earth animals.”

“We believe in the deep sea are creatures much more advanced than we've imagined.”

“Intelligent?”

“No, not quite intelligent -- but sentient -- creatures aware of their own existence, as opposed to operating on stimulus and response -- and, they're undoubtedly hermaphrodites, too. It's a strategy that enables a species to be solitary yet maintain reproductive critical mass.”

Suki poured some tea. “It makes me wonder. The division of male and female is so basic to life on Earth. I wonder, should this world's life evolve into intelligent beings -- what sort of societies would arise without the dynamics of the sexual dichotomy?”

Nyk sipped his tea. “I can imagine parents catching their kid masturbating and worrying if an unwanted pregnancy would result.”

Suki and Andra stared at him for a long moment. “Now THAT,” Suki said, “sounds like a remark coming from a man.” Andra put her hand over her mouth and giggled.

The guest room door slid open and a slightly-built woman emerged. She shook her head and ran her fingers through a mane of kinky red hair that extended to her shoulder blades. Rubbing her eyes, she strolled into the kitchen, glimpsed Nyk and stopped short.

“I didn't know HE would be here,” she said to Andra. “Tell him to leave. I won't stay under the same roof with him.”

“She said...”

“I heard what she said,” Nyk replied. “Senta -- don't be ridiculous. This is my house. You lost your rights to it during the divorce. Technically, you are here as MY guest.”

“Tell him I'd never have granted the divorce without that ... that blasted genealogy. I only did it so I wouldn't be accused of temporal interference.”

“Senta -- that document proves I was destined to divorce you and marry Suki on Earth. If you want to blame someone for what happened -- blame Destiny Herself.”

“Ask him how he knows HE'S not the one guilty of interference. Ask him how sure he is things are better than if he hadn't...”

“Would YOU be willing to take the risk to find out?”

“Tell him to shut up!” Senta glowered at Andra.

“I didn't know he was coming here,” Andra protested.

“Tell him either he goes or I do!”

Nyk looked at Andra. “Ask her where she'd go. Her house is being repaired and the hostel is full.”

“Tell him I'll sleep in the town square.”

“Tell her she'll be arrested for vagrancy.”

“Tell him I'll take the train to Floran City.”

“Tell her...”

“This is STUPID!” Andra exclaimed. “You two obviously can hear each other. Why not start a dialogue?”

Nyk glanced at Suki. She shrugged. “Leave me out of it.”

Senta turned her back and folded her arms. “I am NOT going on the launch if HE comes too.”

“Senta,” Andra replied, “you ASKED to come along. It's the only opportunity you'll have to observe these creatures. The launch is big enough to accommodate the four of us without getting in each others' ways.”

“She asked?” Nyk replied.

“Yes -- Senta and I are collaborating on a research project.”

“Collaborating? What sort of a project?”

“Tell him in happier times I'd enjoy discussing it with him. Under the present circumstances -- he'll just have to wait until my results are published and read it for himself!”

He looked toward Suki. She folded her arms and made a downward nod that said, Take THAT!

Nyk put his hand over his mouth and began laughing. “STOP IT!” Senta shouted. Her lip trembled and tears flowed down her cheeks. “Tell him to stop laughing at me,” she said turning to Andra. “He's had nothing but fun at MY expense since the divorce!” She began wiping tears from her face.

“I'm not laughing at you, Senta. I'm laughing at the absurdity of the situation... You know... When you cry and your face gets red like that -- your eyes look even greener.”

“He enjoys making me cry,” she said, sniffling.

“I do not. Please -- now that our marriage is behind us ... let's dispense with the arguing and try being friends.”

Suki picked up the tea pot and a cup. “Some tea, Senta?”

Senta brushed the last tears from her face and turned toward Suki. “No thank you,” she said pleasantly and smiled. “I'll go take my shower.” She headed toward the bathroom.

“Whew!” Suki exclaimed.

“Not a pleasant sight, was it?” Nyk asked.

“Is she always like that?”

“She gets like that when things don't go her way.”

“I shouldn't talk,” Suki replied. “I can be that way.”

“I've seen you that way.”

Her eyes narrowed; then she smiled. “I'll try not to be in the future.”

2 -- Sea Research

The groundcar rolled onto the access roadway and headed toward the coast south of Sudal. Nyk could see the other car ahead -- Andra's white hair on the left and Senta's red on the right. He rested his hand on Suki's knee. She grabbed and held it. “How's Mom doing?” she asked.

“I guess as well as to be expected. For two months after the attack I slept with her.”

“You've been sleeping with my mother?”

“There never was anything physical, Suki. She needed to feel someone's warmth next to her -- someone to scare away the demons that lurk in the middle of the night.”

“I know something about those demons.”

“We stopped a few weeks ago. She wanted us to quit before Nicky started talking. She didn't want him to blurt out that his grandma sleeps with his daddy.”

“So, now she sleeps alone.”

“We both do. I'll tell you -- I also enjoyed feeling her warmth beside me. Now -- sometimes I lie awake and can hear her downstairs, sobbing. It breaks my heart. It'll take her a long time to get over it.”

“She'll never get over it.”

“Maybe not. I am wrestling with whether I should take her into our confidence. I know she'd have an easier time if she knew you were safe. I don't know if I can take the risk. I've already pushed the temporal envelope farther than my comfort.” He shook his head. “Just losing George is a big enough blow for her. Your parents did love each other, Suki.”

“I know they did. I know you'll do the right thing.”

“She has Nicky. He is, after all, half you and a quarter George, so both you and he do live on, in a way. He's what keeps your mom going.”

“Did you bring pictures?”

“Of course -- we can enjoy them after dinner.”

She rested her head on his shoulder. “You know -- assimilating into this world has taught me something about people. I have a much greater appreciation now of how closely linked are language and culture.”

Nyk nodded. “Mmm... I suppose you're right.”

“For example -- the pronouns in Lingwa are all gender-neutral, and that reflects the equality of men and women here. Florans have shed much of the male bias of Earth's culture. Here, we've attained a balance between the sexes that won't happen on Earth for hundreds of years.”

“You've no need to lecture me on Floran practices,” Nyk replied.

She smiled. “I suppose not. I've tried to teach my students about the power aspect of sex on Earth. It's difficult for them to understand. And -- the freedom of sexual expression here -- speaking as an Earth lesbian, I can say it's the sort we could only dream of.”

“That sexual freedom came at the cost of much personal liberty. I prefer the personal freedom experienced on Earth. I hate the way Floran Central Admin micro-manages every aspect of our daily lives.”

The groundcar came to a halt beside Andra's. Nyk popped the cowl and helped Suki out. Andra led them toward a dock. Tied to it was a launch built on a pair of pontoons. It had a box-like cabin in the center and a broad fan-tail with a low rail. He held Suki's hand as she stepped aboard.

“Here,” Andra said and handed them foam floatation belts. “Safety first.” Nyk clasped his belt around his waist. Andra hooked one end of a tether to the belt and the other end to an eye on the rail.

Nyk fingered the tether. “What's this for? In case we fall overboard you can haul us back in?”

“Exactly,” Andra replied. She climbed to the cockpit atop the cabin and manipulated controls. “Untie that rope,” she directed.

Nyk slipped the rope off a cleat on the pier and the boat cast off, silently riding the low swells.

“This boat is so quiet,” Suki remarked. “Everything here is so quiet -- compared to Earth.”

“Most vehicles are powered by inertial sinks,” Nyk replied. “It's a device that can create or absorb momentum. Andra pushes the stick forward and the inertial sink creates momentum in that direction.”

Andra stepped from the cockpit. “It's on auto-pilot,” she said. “It'll take a while to reach our spot.”

“Tell us about your research,” Nyk said.

“Senta and I are working on the genetics of the life here. It's the first time it's been studied.”

“The vast majority of our people have no interest in the native biology or ecology of the world that's hosted us for five thousand years,” Nyk remarked. “The fact no one's studied it 'til now is proof. I think it's a shame.”

“The native flora is fairly well studied,” Andra replied. “Senta's thesis advisor did his dissertation on it. Ours is the first look at the animals on this world.”

“Why is that?” Suki asked.

“It's because the animals live in the sea and Florans hate getting wet,” Nyk replied. “What have you learned so far?”

“The animal biology is based on cells, like humans or Earth plants. The cells have no nuclei -- genetic material is scattered throughout.”

“Do you mean DNA?”

“A DNA analogue,” Andra replied. “Senta has begun to figure it out. The molecule differs in structure from DNA, but the function is the same. There are twelve base units instead of four. The most remarkable thing we discovered is that each tissue structure in the animal has its own genetic signature.”

“You mean there's a skin DNA and a nerve DNA and...”

“Exactly -- and the genetic material for a given tissue is nearly identical from species to species. The skins of two