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

different species are more closely related than the skin and nerves of a single being. The animals on this world are more like sophisticated colonies of specialized organisms. However -- each organism must arise from a master pattern contained in the gamete.”

“The egg and sperm,” Nyk mused.

“That's what we're investigating, and I believe the species I discovered will serve as a laboratory in which we can study how the genetic makeup differentiates as the creature grows and matures.” A tone from the cockpit called Andra. “We're getting close.”

Suki inhaled. “We must be getting close to something. I can smell it.”

“Yes,” Andra called from her perch. “It's a rather large area of underwater vegetation. Maybe you can keep an eye out for some specimens.”

“What are we looking for?” Nyk asked.

“You'll recognize them when you see them...” She pointed. “Over there are some!” She guided the boat in that direction.

Nyk looked into the water. He reached down and grasped a melon-sized shell with a tangle of tentacles writhing from its bottom.

Andra put the boat into station-keeping. “Yes -- that's one. I discovered this species the other day. It grazes on the sea vegetation.”

Nyk looked at the animal. Andra pointed out features. “Here are the male and female organs,” she said. “This rotary rasp is the mouth it uses to harvest its food. Here, Nyk -- put it in this.”

He plopped the creature into a holding tank. Andra leaned over and plucked some sea leaves and dropped them in with their specimen. She climbed into the cockpit and began a patterned sweep over the seaweed.

Senta and Suki approached the tank and peered in. “It's amazing,” Suki exclaimed.

“Yes,” Senta replied, nodding. “The reproductive organs are large and easy to study.”

“Over there!” Andra shouted. Nyk and Senta headed toward the port railing. He reached down, snagged another specimen and dropped it into the tank.”

“Here's a different variety,” Senta called. “I'll see if I can grab it.” She leaned over the railing, reached into the water and grabbed the shell. The animal refused to give up its grasp and she fell overboard.

“Senta!” Suki shouted.

“I'll haul her in,” Nyk replied and began drawing in her tether. Her empty flotation belt dropped onto the deck. He looked back and saw Senta floundering in the water. “Andra!” he shouted. “Stop the boat!”

“I'll try to get close to her,” Andra replied. She began to turn the boat but Senta disappeared beneath the surface.

Suki unhitched her belt, stripped off her tunic and dove into the water. Nyk watched as she swam toward the spot where Senta sank. “Suki!” he shouted.

Andra joined him and watched, biting her knuckle. Suki tread water for a moment, took a deep breath and dove under.

Nyk looked at Andra. A tear rolled down her cheek. “The belt was supposed to save her,” she said. He gazed, slack-jawed at the sea.

Suki's head popped above the water. She took another breath and dove under again. Then, she surfaced and began swimming a backstroke toward the boat with Senta in a lifesaving grip.

She reached the boat. Nyk and Andra lifted Senta on board. Suki shook her head, gasped and retched. “That water is NASTY!”

Nyk extended his arm and helped Suki back into the boat. She stood over Senta as she lay on the deck, turning blue. “Quick -- turn her over!” Nyk flipped Senta onto her stomach. Suki pressed down on her shoulder blades and a gout of water gushed from her mouth. “Now -- on her back!” Suki began mouth-to- mouth and compressing Senta's chest.

Senta gasped and coughed. Her color returned. She began to sit up, retching and gasping. Nyk handed Suki her tunic. “I didn't know you could do that,” he said.

“I was on the varsity swim team in high school,” she replied. “Lifesaving was a requirement.”

Senta regained her breath. Suki helped her sit on a bench. “Senta,” Nyk said. “Suki saved your life.”

“Thank you ... thank you...”

Suki sat beside her and held her as she trembled. “She's terrified,” Suki said in English. “Maybe we should go back.”

Nyk nodded. Andra climbed into the cockpit and headed the boat toward Sudal. She climbed down and approached Suki. “You MUST teach me how to do that,” she said. “To be in the water with the life I study -- it would be wonderful!”

“Here,” Nyk said and handed Senta her flotation belt. “The clasp was loose. I tightened it.”

“Thanks,” Senta mumbled, fastened the belt around her waist and resumed leaning against Suki.

Andra piloted the launch into its berth. Nyk hopped onto the dock and lashed the vessel to a cleat. “Senta and I will take these specimens to the lab,” Andra said. “We'll meet you at the house.”

Nyk stood at the edge of the bluff and looked down at the sea as the sky darkened in the evening twilight. He felt a hand on his shoulder, turned and saw Suki. “Howdy, stranger,” she said. “Thanks for sharing those photos of Nicky. I had a great time looking at them, and so did Andra.” He nodded. “Is something wrong?”

He shook his head. “I've just been thinking.”

“Sometimes a dangerous activity.”

“Especially when I do it.”

“Thinking about what?”

“How when I was a boy I spent many evenings here, watching the sun set - - or, walking the beach picking up shells. I was happy then -- with my mom and dad and my two friends -- friend and a half, really. I had no idea ... none ... not a clue...”

“Idea of what?”

“Of what Destiny had in store for me -- of the role I was to play in the founding of this world. As Nicky's stepfather I'm forming him -- I'm forming the forebear of the man who will found this world. I never expected to bear such a load.”

“Neither did I,” she replied, “and I'm the one who gave birth to Koichi's forebear. He is developing into such an adorable little boy.”

“Your mother has started speaking to him in Japanese. She wants to see if he can grow up bilingual.”

“Oh! I am so jealous. Why didn't she try that with me?”

“Your mother had her share of difficulties bearing you -- she told me about them. She didn't want you to know. Now that you're 'dead' I suppose it doesn't matter. She spent months in a mental institution recovering from debilitating post-partum depression.”

“Poor Mom -- I had no idea. It's like what happened to me...”

“Only worse.”

“It's like the sins of the mother cast onto the daughter.”

“I wouldn't call them sins. Afflictions, perhaps. It must run in the family. Now, with time and distance -- she can offer Nicky what she couldn't offer you.”

Suki leaned against him and embraced his arm. “Nykkyo -- are you happy, now?”

“Humph,” he snorted. “When Andra and I were on Lexal I asked Princess Janna if she was happy. Her reply was, 'Happiness has nothing to do with it. I'm doing my duty.' I could say the same. I'd be happier if you were still ... alive ... on Earth and we could be together in that little apartment above your parents' house. Those were the happiest days of my life.”

“What's done is done,” she replied. “I accept my fate. At least -- you can come home. That's not something I can do.”

“Except, it's not my home any more. It's your home, now -- and Andra's. Now, I'm an outsider here. The furniture is rearranged, and all signs of my mom and dad are gone.” He shook his head. “I promised you that, one day after Nicky's grown and my work on Earth is done I will return to you for good. I'll have to wait for my happy days. Unless... No -- I don't want to think about the alternative.” A tear rolled down his face. “Now, I'm maudlin. I get this way when I'm over-tired.”

He held her hand and they walked together to a rock. He sat and she sat on his lap. He ran his hand down her long, raven hair. “Senta asked me to sleep with her tonight,” Suki said.

“I figured she might. She owes you her life, Suki. Florans hate being indebted to another. She wants to start paying her bill.”

“She has suggested it before but I've turned her down. Tonight I think accepting is the right decision.”

He nodded. “Yes, it IS the right decision. Remember -- here, just because two people sleep together doesn't mean there's any obligation to...”

“I think she expects it. If she offers that, I'll accept it, too.” He nodded again. “You're not upset are you?”

“Of course not. That's also the right decision. I'm delighted -- friendship with Senta would benefit both of you. Well ... you are in for an experience, making love with her. She is good at it.”

“I've been reflecting on your confrontation with her this morning. I understand the depth of her hurt -- her anger. She loves you, Nykkyo.”

He shook his head. “No -- we were never in love. We were never right for each other.”

“The fact of love and the act of love don't always mesh. The fact is, she did love you and she still does. It's sometimes difficult to express love -- especially for someone with as complex a personality as Senta's. She is the injured party in all this -- and I'm an accomplice. That became clear to me this morning.”

“None of us had a choice. This whole thing was pre-ordained. We each play our roles. What will be ... has been. We're following the paths Destiny traced for us -- Senta included.”

“Don't you feel a little sorry for her?”

“I suppose I do.”

“Andra says she'll sleep with you tonight. You're not disappointed -- are you?”

He chuckled. “THAT sounds like a no-win question.”

“To an Earth person, perhaps. You've spent too much time there. A Floran would know how to answer. You, Andra and I have formed a love-family. Making love with her IS making love with me.”

“And, Senta making love with you is her making love with me.”

“In a way -- yes. It's one reason I feel I should accept.”

“You ARE assimilating here. No -- I'm not disappointed. I'd love to spend the night with Andra.” He smiled. “Did I get it right?”

“You certainly did.” She kissed his cheek. “You and I can catch up tomorrow night. Besides -- it'll be after you've had a chance to get some rest. I can't believe you'd be on top of your form tonight.”

He hopped off the rock, took her hand and headed toward the house. “You're probably right about that.”

He reached the back entrance. Senta was standing there in a short, sleeveless robe, her red mane tied back with a green ribbon. Suki approached her. She extended her hand and the two of them headed up the spiral staircase.

Andra approached him. “Your place or mine?” she asked.

“I have a better idea. Let's sleep under the stars. It's a mild night tonight.”

“Have you forgotten? They're ALL mild.”

He took her hand and headed toward the door. “Wait a moment,” he said and opened a cabinet. “Do you recall me telling you that Senta and I first tried to loose our virginities under the stars? I had no clue how big an obstacle a few grains of sand could be to that sort of endeavor. Senta has never liked Sudal -- she's only now learning to tolerate it. I've always felt that experience was part of it. Things might've been different...” He poked around behind the cabinet door.

“Might-haves don't count,” she replied.

“True, true. Nonetheless...” He withdrew a lightweight blanket. “Things might've been very different if I had the foresight to bring this along that night.” He draped it across his forearm, took her hand and led her out onto the bluff and down to a bowl-shaped depression lined with sand. There he spread the blanket, mounding sand beneath it to form a pillow.

He grasped her tunic and slipped it over her head, and she returned the favor. She lay on her back and Nyk beside her. They both gazed up. “Floran's night sky is the one feature I miss when I'm on Earth. In New York City -- even on the best nights -- you can only see a dozen or so stars ... not thousands.” She pressed her palm against his and he laced fingers with her. “Andra -- are you happy?”

“Mmm... I'm very happy. How about you?”

“I'm happy ... that one of us is very happy.”

“I've found my true destiny -- studying the sea and caring for Sukiko. I love her so much, Nyk. Together, you and she complete something in me -- give me my purpose.”

“Here we are, you and I ... alone together -- and we talk about Suki.”

“Not so strange -- when she and I make love -- we talk about you.”

“Do you two make love often?”

“When she needs it.”

“What about when you need it?”

“I have different needs, Nyk. Mine are satisfied by my