Chapter 4
ARDRUC
Dr. Elena Regis was the second-worst thing to happen to me since my arrival on Hyderia. The first was a broken leg after a fall during an ill-advised flight in high winds.
No, Elena might be the worse of the two misfortunes. My leg had healed thanks to the facility’s medical equipment. There did not seem to be a cure for Elena.
My headlong dive into researching the physiology of true mates certainly offered no hope.
For all the wonders of Fortusian medicine and genetic engineering, no method of permanently suppressing or eliminating the call of a true mate existed.
Treatments could reduce the intensity for brief periods for emergencies, but none were designed for long-term use, and had serious documented side effects if used for that purpose.
After all, why would there be a cure for a circumstance the people of my home planet considered the best and most wondrous aspect of being Fortusian?
I wanted to roar with frustration. Instead, I gripped the edge of the imaging lab’s computer terminal so hard that my knuckles paled and the metal creaked. Smoke poured from my nose and my tail whipped through the air behind me.
The door to the corridor chimed. I snarled. Had I not asked Elena to contact me via comms rather than come to my lab and interrupt my work?
I glanced at my wristcomm. No, this was likely Dr. Rg returning from their rest period. The past two hours had gone by in the blink of an eye as I searched for some form of deliverance from my condition.
I cleared the record of my searches, called up the same data and holographic korae Rg and I had been analyzing earlier, and rose from my seat to meet my lab assistant at the door. They habitually used the chime to request entry. I did not like to be startled when lost in thought.
I smoothed my hair, shook out my feathers, folded my wings, and tried to regain some semblance of professionalism. Above all, I did not want Rg to see how much Elena’s arrival had disquieted me. The very thought of my secret getting out made my stomach heave and my feathers stand on end.
But when the door slid aside, I found not my assistant but Elena herself waiting.
She stood in the middle of the corridor rather than right outside the door as if giving me space.
Maybe she had noticed me keeping my distance earlier and assumed I expected her to do the same.
At least I saw no sign she had any inkling of why I wanted to avoid being close to her.
And why would she? Humans had no biological mating imperative like Fortusians did.
She had changed from her comfortable traveling clothes into a very utilitarian jumpsuit and styled her hair in a neat bun. And she had a sheen of sweat on her brow and was breathing hard. She must be moving her equipment from the roof to her lab.
Just the sight of her hit me like a punch to the sternum. And her rich, earthy scent, stronger than ever because of her exertion…it would have sent me to my knees if I had not locked them the moment I saw her.
On Fortusia, mates knelt before their beloved. The image of falling to my knees before Elena filled me with yearning and revulsion. And a deep, uncharacteristic, almost incoherent rage.
Of all the research stations on all the worlds, why had Elena Regis come here?
I was a scientist. I did not believe in fate or cosmic plans or any such ephemeral nonsense. And yet here she was, beautiful and infuriating and full of illogical ideas, and at my lab door despite my request that she use comms rather than approach me in person.
“I’m so sorry to bother you,” she said before I had a chance to speak.
Her expression was earnest and apologetic.
“But my antigrav sled stopped working right outside the lift. I need to transfer my equipment onto a different one to finish moving everything into my lab and there are large crates I can’t lift.
” She made a face. “If you have a moment, can you give me a hand?”
With effort, I unclenched my jaw. “There are several sets of antigrav nodes in storage room 1C that affix to the bottom corners of a crate to make it possible to move easily. I believe you will find them and the controllers in storage unit nineteen on the second shelf from the bottom.” I studied her.
“Which I could have told you if you had contacted me via comms.” The second half of that sentence, as I asked you to do, hung in the air.
At least she had the grace to look abashed.
“I’m sorry. I thought I’d walk over and ask for help since I was just around the corner.
” She peered over my shoulder before returning her attention to me.
And she gave me, of all things, a bright smile.
“And honestly, I also wanted to get a peek inside the imaging lab and tell you I witnessed my first korae earlier when I did a little exploring outside.” Her eyes lit up. “They are so gorgeous—”
I did not want to engage in a discussion about the beauty of korae, or about anything else. I had thought I made that clear enough in our earlier conversation. Apparently not.
“Dr. Regis,” I cut in. “I am very busy. Is there anything else you need?”
Frustration and annoyance flashed in her eyes before she took a deep breath and let it out.
“No,” she said finally. “I’ll go look for the antigrav nodes.
And if I have any other problems, I’ll use the comms to let you know.
” She glanced at the holographic korae tendrils over my shoulder again.
“I’m sure the lab can analyze the korae in every way, but nothing’s quite as good as really seeing them, is it? ”
Despite my determination to keep this interaction brief, I frowned. “See, as in from the ground and with the naked eye?”
“Yes.” As if lit from within, Elena nearly glowed with excitement.
“It’s the same way for me with fungi. I can take a sample to the lab, subject it to every test and analysis, and wring every scientific secret out of its cells, but there’s nothing like seeing lichen growing on a stone in the forest or mushrooms on a fallen tree.
You have to see them and listen to their natural environment to understand them and how they came into being. ”
I had never heard a scientist say anything less scientific or look so starry-eyed when discussing their subject of study. I felt quite certain I had not managed to keep my disdain off my face, but she seemed undeterred.
“Korae are breathtakingly beautiful,” Elena continued. “I understand how they became your life’s work.” Her mouth quirked. “If my heart didn’t already belong to fungi, I could see myself becoming an atmospheric scientist so I could spend my days studying something so miraculous.”
I bristled at the implication that korae were miraculous rather than a well-studied and thoroughly analyzed scientific phenomenon. Calling something miraculous was only a few steps short of calling it magical.
“Korae are not miraculous,” I said, and her smile vanished. I tried not to notice how the flash of irritation and hurt in her eyes and the way her mouth turned down made my chest ache and my skin prickle.
“They may seem so to a mycologist or someone outside the scientific community,” I added, “but they are very similar to upper-atmospheric plasma discharges observed on a number of worlds. The aspects that make them unique to this planet, and the fact we do not yet fully understand what creates them, do not make them inexplicable.”
“I didn’t say they were inexplicable.” Her expression hardened. “Something can be quantifiable and marvelous. Isn’t that the point of science? To see both?”
And therein lay our most significant difference, as I had already gleaned from reading her file and some of her published work.
Elena’s mind worked completely differently from mine.
And yet my body believed she was my true mate.
Science would be able to explain why if I consulted a physiologist back on Fortusia, but I had no desire to do so.
I only wanted to be rid of her so I could work and live in peace.
“No, I do not think so.” I took a step back. “Science is about data, analysis, and the search for theories that lead to conclusions and facts. Marvels and miracles and magic are something else entirely.”
“What drives us in the search, though?” she challenged me, hands on hips.
Her eyes sparkled as if she was actually enjoying our debate.
“Data and analysis, of course, but we also need curiosity, imagination, and inspiration. Gut feelings. The chase of the wondrous and marvelous leads us to breakthroughs.”
I shook my head. “Your thought process differs greatly from mine. I am grateful our subjects of study do not overlap. I would not want…” Very uncharacteristically, I let my voice trail off.
She raised her eyebrows. “Go ahead and finish the sentence, Dr. Husiorithae. Don’t be shy about sharing your opinion now.”
Shyness had nothing to do with my decision to truncate what I had intended to say. Why I had hesitated, I was not exactly sure. Maybe the knowledge I was as unlikely to change her mind as she was to change mine, or an uncharacteristic reluctance to risk insulting a colleague.
I gritted my teeth. “I have valuable work I need to be doing, Dr. Regis. And no time to argue about the fundamentals of scientific inquiry.”
“Let me guess,” she said, as if I had not just overtly tried yet again to bring an end to this ridiculous conversation.
“You’re glad we study different things because you wouldn’t want my way of thinking to influence yours.
” She smiled, but without humor. “I suppose it wouldn’t do any good to point out we’ve published the same number of articles, have roughly the same kinds of accolades, and both achieved the seemingly impossible and earned permission to research here. ”
“What are you suggesting?” I frowned. “What relevance do our qualifications have to our discussion?”
“I’m suggesting there are many approaches to the kind of work we do, and I’m not the only person who thinks so,” Elena said.
“And I have the audacity to think that as living beings we should continually change and evolve and learn to do new things in new ways. Otherwise, we run the risk of never finding what it is we’re looking for, whether that’s new phyla of eukaryotic organisms or why the korae of Hyderia exist in atmospheric conditions that should make them impossible. ”
I was framing my retort when familiar footsteps echoed down the hall. Datapad in hand, Dr. Rg was approaching from the direction of their apartment, their eyes moving between Elena and me and expression quizzical.
I was suddenly aware that the feathers in my hair and on my wings were ruffled and my tail was twitching incessantly. I stretched my wings, settled them behind my back, and curled my tail around my leg once more.
“Dr. Rg,” I said, making my tone very formal. “As you see, Dr. Elena Regis has arrived.”
“Honored to meet you,” Rg said, giving Elena a small bow.
“I am Makato Rg. I look forward to discussing your recent publication on the prevalence of acidophilic filamentous fungi in recovering ecosystems. I find extremophilic fungi particularly interesting as well. I understand you recently worked on Aloris.”
“I did,” she said with a smile. Her joy grated on my nerves like a sandstorm. “I’m happy to discuss it anytime.”
She glanced at my stony gaze and clenched fists, and her smile faded.
“Maybe later this evening,” she continued, turning back to Rg. “Or tomorrow evening after you’ve finished your work with Dr. Husiorithae for the day.”
“I look forward to it.” Rg bowed again. “Welcome to Nova Cal, Dr. Regis.”
“Thank you. And please call me Elena.” With a wave, she headed in the direction of storage room 1C. “Later,” she said cheerfully before she rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.
I stepped aside as Rg entered the imaging lab. Only then did it occur to me that they would notice I had not continued working on the korae analysis during their rest period as I normally would have done.
“A new arrival causes significant disruption and unfortunately reduces productivity,” I said as Rg took their customary place next to the computer terminal. “I hope Dr. Regis immerses herself in her own studies and does not make a habit of visiting our labs during working hours.”
“I am sure she will,” Rg said, their tone neutral. They folded their hands behind their back and studied the holographic tendrils. “I am very interested in her research and look forward to hearing about it.” They glanced at me and hummed. “After our scheduled work hours, of course.”
What possible interest could Rg have in fungi? Their comments indicated more than a passing knowledge of the subject. Then again, what they did on their own time was no concern of mine.
I puffed smoke out my nostrils in irritation and to clear Elena’s scent as best I could.
What a ridiculous human, watching korae from the ground with the naked eye and talking about miraculous things and chasing the wondrous and marvelous as scientific methods.
I snorted softly. Her thought process was even more undisciplined and unscientific than I had expected after reading her work. Even if she were not my true mate, I would want little or nothing to do with her.
Already it was clear she would be a distraction at best and a torment at worst. And I had experienced quite enough torment already in my life. I wanted peace. I wanted my peace back. The only way to accomplish that would be for Elena to leave.
According to my research, once she was gone, in time my body would readjust. There would always be an ache, but I could learn to live with that. Better to suffer an ache than sacrifice my principles and ability to reason, or worst of all, lose my place on Hyderia.
Yes, that was the only solution I could accept.
Regardless of any discomfort it might cause me, I must employ relentless, carefully calculated antagonism that stopped short of causing Elena to complain to the Ministry or her lab supervisor back on Fyloria.
It would not be easy, but it must be done—preferably within the next few weeks or a month at most.
I puffed smoke again and picked up my datapad.
After all, I did not have a reputation for being nearly impossible to work with for nothing.