Chapter 14

Xi Pegasi
Colony One
August 20, 2057
“If you think I’m going to stay here one more minute, think again!” Lenna swung her legs over the side of her bed and sat up. “I may not be a neurosurgeon, but I’ve convalesced all I’m going to!”

Devin sat up in his chair. “Look, I think they’re just worried about you. It’s only been two weeks.”

“I’m going nuts in this place,” she turned on her husband, who had begun to grin, “and you’d best not comment about that.”

“Maybe I can help,” Faith said from the doorway.

“I take it you heard,” Devin grinned.

“I think they heard out in the parking lot,” Faith stepped into the room and leaned against the doorjamb.

“Funny.” Lenna grumbled. “Don’t laugh unless you’ve tried it.”

“As it happens, I may have a job for you.”

Lenna looked up at her. “Job? Here?”

“Well, you are a doctor.” Faith raised a hand to still Lenna’s retort. “Look, I do need some help with a ... situation I’ve uncovered. Interested?”

“There you go,” Devin clapped his hands together and sat back. “Something to do, as ordered.”

Lenna ignored him and glared at Faith. “He,” she tossed her head at a smirking Devin, “didn’t have anything to do with this, did he?”

Faith shrugged. “Not really.” She straightened as Lenna made to reply. “Look, I do need your help. I’m running outside my specialty on this one, and Kelly Peters is the only other actual doctor here besides you and me, and he’s a surgeon.”

Lenna leaned back, bracing herself with her arms. “Tell me.”

Faith closed the door and leaned against it. “I can’t tell the two of you what to do, but I don’t want to let this out too soon.” She ran her hand through her hair as Devin and Lenna watched her closely. “Basically, we’re not having kids. I know it’s early to worry about it, but I know - people - have been trying.” She reddened a little. “I’ve tested Saburo and myself, and something isn’t right.”

Lenna’s eyes narrowed. “How many other people have been tested?”

“Ten couples. I’ve been trying to do it slowly, but I know the word is getting around. I got a comm call yesterday from a woman I hadn’t tested yet.” Faith shrugged. “I told her it was just an experiment.”

Lenna rose and walked to her closet. She stripped off her robe and began dressing.

Devin arched an eyebrow. “Be careful, okay?”

Lenna pulled on a sweatshirt emblazoned with a drawing of the Wells and stepped into a pair of loose pants. “You have my shoes?”

Devin stood. “Sure. They’re in my room.” He stepped out the door and closed it behind him.

“You’re a reproductive specialist. I’m a forensic biochemist. Why do you need my help?”

Faith put her hand on the door latch. “I’m hoping you can tell me.” She opened the door. “My lab is the last door on the left behind the nurse’s station.”

Lenna nodded. “All right. Let me get my shoes and I’ll be there.” She padded out of the room in her bare feet.

Lenna stood up from the lab chair and stretched her back. “What time is it?” She yawned widely. “Sorry.”

Faith glanced distastefully at her watch. “It’s nine at night, but who knows if it’s light or dark outside.”

Lenna waved her hand. “I keep meaning to tell Devin to change that, but he’s been very tired since his heart attack. We’ve been at this all day, and I need some coffee. As I recall from my residency days, I can actually live on the stuff with no sleep for weeks at a time.”

Faith chuckled. “Right this way. We have tinted floor cleaner that serves the same purpose.” She stepped into the hallway and entered the door diagonally across the hall. Opening a cabinet, she produced two ceramic mugs and handed one to Lenna. “What happened to Devin, anyway?” She poured Lenna’s coffee first, then her own. They both sat at one of the tables.

“Thanks.” Lenna held the mug in both hands and inhaled the wonderful aroma. “He had a mild infarct that disrupted his sinus node.” She sipped her coffee. “This is good. Anyway, it kicked him right into a ventricular rhythm. He hadn’t been using the centrifuge enough, and he started getting blood clots and arterial blockages. I damn near throttled him when I saw the med scan. He’s been getting nanny treatments to clean up the mess, and I’m thinking about making him stay planetside for a while. If they can spin the new station, then he’d be okay.”

“He is a grown man, you know.”

Lenna shook her head. “I know, but he just won’t listen sometimes. I had to practically shake a dead chicken over him to keep him going out there.” Faith giggled, and Lenna grinned wryly. “He scared me, and it’s bad form to scare your doctor.”

Faith set her cup down and ran her finger around the rim. “So, what do you think?”

Lenna sipped thoughtfully. “I don’t know, and that scares me more than if I did.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “The ova problems are serious, but half of them are still viable. The spermatozoa aren’t. I’ve never seen anything like that. The blood work is normal, but the reproductive cells are damaged.”