Chapter 26

Jack stepped into the medical center and saw Pri working at the terminal on the front desk. She was in her long grey medical coat, with a few basic instruments in a breast pocket. She looked up and gave him a smile as he walked up to her.

“Uh, hey, is the doc in?” He asked, a bit comical.

“Looking at her, currently...” Pri gave him a peculiar look.

“Oh, uh, well, see, I got this thing see, might be worms in the butt...”

“Oh...” Pri kept a professional appearance but inwardly she fought to break into laughter, thinking this was a ruse but concerned that, if it was real, she would be out of line.

“You uh, can help right?” Jack let out an embarrassed huff.

“Can.” Pri stood up and directed Jack into a room where he took a seat on the bed. “Describe nature of worms.”

“Uh, well, see, they go up in there at night, but in daytime they like to come out and try to talk to me. One on each shoulder. One says, ‘don’t prank Pri’ while the other always whispers seductively ‘Priprank is best Prank. Must prank Pri. Must Priank...” Jack shrugged and Pri gave him a thousand-yard stare for a moment.

“Oh. Sounds like bad case of Vexworms. Best remedy, big needle.” She began reaching into a desk and Jack stood up.

“Whoa, whoa, just uh, kiddin there, Doodle.”

Pri closed the drawer with a momentary grin “What is actual malaise?”

“Got a pretty heinous toothache, I think it might be a cavity.” Jack tapped at the left side of his jaw.

“Understood. Follow me to dental chair. We shall take a look at concerning tooth.”

Jack followed Pri into a room with numerous pieces of dental equipment and a chair in the middle. He took a seat, and she pulled up a stool, rose the chair and tilted him back so she could look at the tooth in question. She used a tool to test the tooth and felt some softness in the area Jack had identified, alerting her to some tooth decay.

“Cavity is culprit, Jack.”

“Weeeee! Cavity!” Jack sighed.

“Will need to apply filling. Time is available to carry out procedure at present, if desired.”

“Yeah, what the hell. Let’s do it.” Jack nodded.

Pri pulled out the required tools and set to work putting a dam in place to keep anything from falling down Jack’s throat. She applied a powerful nerve sedative with a soft tipped stick around his gum and gave it the required couple of minutes to work before she was ready to go.

“He haw a hakka haw?” Jack asked through the rubber dam.

Pri looked at him curiously for a moment.

“Haw?” Jack asked and she shook her head.

“Beg pardon Jack. I do not understand speech.”

“Ho, how hout his? Hehaw oher haw hielhing?”

“Unclear.”

“Uh, how hout ... hith hy hutt?”

Pri shook her head.

“Hith hy hutt?” Jack said again, slowly.

“Hit butt?”

“Ho, hith it.”

“What?” Pri had a blank expression.

“Scath hand hith.”

Pri looked at him oddly. “You desire me to scratch butt?”

“Heah!” Jack shook his head but spoke like he agreed.

“You do not require scratch?”

“Ho!” He sounded like he was saying no but nodded his head.

“Was development stunted at some point in formative years?” Pri asked finally, and Jack grinned the best he could with the dam in his mouth.

It took Pri about fifteen minutes of work to get the cavity taken care of, with some waiting here and there, making the actual time closer to thirty minutes to complete the process. When it was all taken care of, Jack felt his cheek and let out a sigh at the discomfort of the numbing agent.

“Thanks Doodlie,” He said when he finished filling in details on a digital screen.

“Is part of expected conduct,” Pri bowed her head to him momentarily. “Gratitude is not required.”

“Naw, it is.” Jack replied. “You thank others when they help you. Try wearing a return gesture for once. See how it fits. You deserve it, putting up with all our bumbling injuries and self-inflicted sicknesses. If not for you fixing that, my all-nighter on watch would have been pretty uncomfortable.”

“Understood, Jack.” Pri gave him a thoughtful look.

“Ok thanks, bye!” Jack said humorously and left, leaving Pri to look over the desk with a bit of a grin.

About ten minutes later Kazlaena entered the medical center and waved at Pri.

“Allo Pri!” She grinned.

“Eyevenin’ Sheyrrif!” Pri managed to say in a bit of an accent. “What calls ye over round theyse parts?”

“Ha, ha, ha,” Kazlaena keeled over and Pri smiled brightly. “Sat’s pretty good Pri.”

“How is Little Golden Heart this eve?”

“Um, I am ok. ‘ow bout Pri?”

“Pri is ok too,” Pri gave her a wink.

“I um...” Kazlaena stopped talking when she saw Pri set a cream bottle on the counter for her.

“Doc feels regrettable about current situation with ‘hotspots’. She was sure of another bottle of desired skin cream being present somewhere in supplies. Spent nearly an hour in search but bottle was located.”

“Oh! Sat’s awesome!” Kazlaena stepped up to the counter and took the bottle in one hand. “Jack’s um, bum cream was ok, but it was not strong enouse.”

“Jack’s bum cream?” Pri’s eyes widened.

“Um, I sink ‘e was just being funny. I don’t sink it’s really sa bum cream.” Kazlaena replied. “I ‘ope not, anyway.”

“Shared sentiment,” Pri replied and Kazlaena giggled, then lifted her other hand up to place a plush creature on the counter.

“Sere’s sa buddy for you sat can keep you company ‘ere.” She stated.

Pri smiled as she reached out and took the plush creature, looking like an oversized, round canine with a soft, squeezable body.

“Is like fluffed pillow!” Pri was astonished at how soft it was.

“Um, if you are alone and any bad feelings come, give ‘im sa ‘ug, yes?”

“I will,” Pri nodded. “You give so many plush creatures away. What motivates desire?”

“Um, well I ‘ave so many of sem. I um, just want sere to be one or two close by for anyone who wants sa ‘ug.”

“Understood,” Pri set the plush down. “Grateful for kind gesture, Kazlaena.”

Kazlaena gave her a smile.

“I ‘ave to go now and get ready for sa first all night watch. I ‘ope sa rest of sa work is good for you, Pri!”

“Have many hours of entertainment with Jack-antics!” Pri replied and Kazlaena headed off.

Jack checked his commpad and saw it was almost time to make his call. He went to the telecomms room and took the best booth, turning on the unit. Though his commpad could reach his intended recipient, the high-speed telecom units could handle the distance in real time, or something close to it. Commpads were meant more for planetary or limited system calls, as opposed to interstellar contact. Jack punched in the number for his intended recipient, and a moment later, Revi Fiere answered. Her red and orange avian features filled the screen, focusing on him with her eyes, one green and one gold. Her bright red/gold plumage off her head stood straight up in a show of excitement or joy. Her yellow beak was open in a gentle smile.

“Jack! Hello, how are you?”

“Pretty good Revi, how bout yourself?”

“I’m good Jack. I hope it was no trouble asking you to call?”

“Not at all,” Jack shook his head. “We haven’t talked in a while. I was wanting to catch up.”

“Oh good, excellent even.” Revi grinned, but Jack saw her scratching at her neck nervously.

“What’s up?” He asked, picking up on her discomfort.

“About that call, with Ben and the product associate and...” she looked away shyly.

“Didn’t take you for a leather gal...” Jack started laughing. “But to each their own. I thought it was kinda intense, in a good sorta way I suppose.”

“Jack!” Revi responded quickly.

“Ok, ok, I won’t tease ... much,” he hid his face as he laughed and she left the screen. She appeared a moment later, off to the left in the background, leaning against a wall as she laughed hard.

Jack saw her in the background and laughed himself, then another face appeared close to the screen. It was a reptilian, a Samounikae. Jack recognized her immediately as a longtime friend of Revi’s and having quite unforgettable physical traits. Most of her body was a black, soft scaled skin, with pink stripes and light purple scales on her chest, over her three-toed feet and the backs of her hands. The black coloring of her scales came up over her long lower jaw, then changed to purple around her eyes and scaled brows, with light pink scales over the top of her snout. Her fuzzy, fey-like ears, foot-long smooth horns and hyena-like mane had a bluish base that gradually darkened to rich purple. She had some gold coloring on the underside of her tail, and the mane that began on her head ran down her back and ended in a large, fluffy tuft at the end of her tail. The almost unnatural coloring on her was incredibly unique, and regarded as stunning, even among the unique coloring of Samounikae. She was wearing a white sweater and white sweatpants, with green rims and a blue wrist band over each wrist. Green eyes looked to Jack with unmatched depths of caring and compassion.

“Oh! Jack! Hi!” She spoke excitedly, but with a natural shyness that showed her often introverted, nervous personality.

“Qilu!” Jack grinned. “How are you doing, Qi!”

“Oh! Good! I am good Jack. Are you good?”

“Very good Qi. Even better, getting to see you again.” He gave her a wink and Qilu ducked her head bashfully.

Qilu moved over as Revi re-joined the call and Jack saw them both share an affectionate smile. He was in wonder for a moment, before Revi spoke.

“I have a pretty big announcement, Jack,” Revi said as she wrapped an arm around Qilu.

“Lemme have it.” Jack leaned in.

“Me and Qilu, are going to join in union.” She pulled out a pendant and Qilu did the same.

“Oh wow! That’s beautiful to hear.” Jack smiled brightly, looking at each of them with fondness. “You both are of a rare and fine character. I can only imagine a long and happy life together for you two.”

“Thank you, Jack.” Revi said.

“Yes! yes! Such grateful words.” Qilu’s face was full of joy.

“You going to have a big ceremony? All the bells and whistles?”

“Family and community hate my choice,” Qilu said softly as Revi placed an arm around her.

“Oh...” Jack rubbed his chin.

“My family is also disappointed, Jack.” Revi said. “They hold many traditional Zakkastan values. Family lineage is one such value. Bonding with another race prevents future lineage and with my career, it will become highly publicized. I have never cared for the spotlight, but I wish it not to harm those I love, Jack. Qilu has it even worse. Since she fled her abusive union, her family has paid little attention to her for her perceived act of disgrace.”

“I can scarcely understand your situation.” Jack said. “And if I were in your place, I wouldn’t know what to do myself. What I can say, is that it won’t be easy, but nothing worth holding onto is. If you both share the same feeling, who is anyone to stand in your way. Stay true to your hearts through the storm. Some of the issues might come around, some might remain difficult, or be a lifelong problem. You will need to be ready for that but don’t keep it to yourselves. Ask those you know and trust for help, advice, whatever you need to seek guidance for.” Jack kissed his hands and tapped the screen where each of their cheeks were. “Just don’t let it come between you. You both deserve this, to have these feelings and to be able to act on them. Everything else, is just footnotes.”

“Thank you for the support, Jack.” Revi said.

“Oh yes! Very grateful.” Qilu concurred.

“Are you holding any bonding ceremony?” Jack asked.

“We are ... but we are not sure how to go about it.” Revi let out a sharp breath. “The problem rests with the expectation that neither family will show up or have limited attendance.”

“What about friends?” Jack asked.

“That we aim to do,” Revi nodded. “In fact, that was something we were keen on working with. We would like those that support the situation, to be a part of the ceremony.”

“Even in your friends circle, there are ones that frown at your choice?” Jack asked.

“Is, Yes...” Qilu looked down. “Not that I have many friends to be disappointed.”

“Quality, Qi, a quantity of half friends is far less than a few good ones.”

“Lack even them.” Qilu wrapped her arms around herself. “Always nervous, uncomfortable around people. Awkward, anxious, always uncertain about interactions. Trust is hard to hold or find in others. Had problems in youth, from coloration, had bad problems in young adult from aggressive situations, because of ‘beauty’. Had problems with determined marriage partner and fled. Now fear holds me from letting others in.”

“Oh Qi...” Jack spoke softly. “I wish I was there personally. You deserve more support than what I can give through this call. A holding hand, a comforting hug, something far more than this. What I can say is that you do not lack friends, not here, and not with Revi. I expect you are thought of much higher than you know and that your friendship is worth more than you realize. There are people on this ship that I work with, who would see it as a blessing to meet you. That’s something I do know with confidence. There are many out there that want to know the person behind the Starsong compositions.”

“Words are appreciated, Jack.” Qilu said quietly. “Apologies for being uh, not sure of self.”

“No, no, Qi. Don’t apologize.” Jack put a hand on the screen, and a moment later, Qilu did the same as if to touch him.

They shared a smile before the screen did a funny little distortion and Jack appeared to have eyes far larger than natural. Qilu burst out into a melodic laughter as Revi stepped away from the screen.

“What?” Jack looked to one, then the other, not realizing how comical his appearance had become.

“Jack?” Qilu said through laughter. “You look so silly!”

“Aw, the screen glitched again, didn’t it?” Jack saw Revi nod in affirmation. “Heh, well, ok then...”

He started making a slew of silly faces, hoping the distortion still held while he made Revi breathless and Qilu laugh harder than he ever heard from her.

“Ah, man, I’m done with that,” Jack said finally, catching his own breath as he was caught up in their laughter.

“That was well done, Jack, well done.” Revi complimented.

“I ain’t did nothing.” Jack replied.

“You seized opportunity for laugh!” Qilu stated.

“Yeah, guess I dun did that.” Jack leaned back in his chair, seeing them still giggling.

He shuffled his chair so he was looking at them from off center, and Revi nodded.

“You’re ok there, Jack. Distortion is on the right side of the screen.” Revi smiled thoughtfully as she looked at Qilu, then to Jack.

“Did you get new album?” Qilu asked with some enthusiasm.

“I did.” Jack smiled. “I liked songs two, four and seven the most, but I enjoyed the whole thing. Those specific ones had a nice touch that tapped a softer nerve.”

“Appreciate it! Thanks Jack!” Qilu became more joyful.

“I hope to include her tracks in new concerts soon.” Revi put her head against Qilu’s. “We are working on new stuff with some lyrics, but it will be a bit of a flight before we feel ready.”

“I look forward to it,” Jack said. “Don’t keep me in suspense for too long though, eh?”

“You shall be the first to preview it, how does that sound?” Revi gave him a soft, avian smile.

“Just don’t let me attend your next concert, eh?” Jack grinned.

“Oh! Look!” Qilu held up a photo of Jack when he was stuck on the micstand, mooning the audience. This one was different though, with some alteration. It was reversed, so it looked like he was falling, and the wind was pushing the dress up, if oddly.

“You two do it too, huh?” Jack had a laugh. “My crew covered my quarters in that photo. Even gave some of them headlines.”

“Oh my...” Revi put a hand to her chest and laughed.

“Yeah, I ain’t ever gonna live that down.” Jack leaned back in his chair. “Ah well, small price to pay I guess.”

“Price? Pay for what?”

“Meetin you two for starters.”

“You always do bring a good manner to the gatherings, Jack.” Revi said.

“Always. Like that you um, look after me!” Qilu smiled shyly.