Quietus by Tristan Palmgren

Author:Tristan Palmgren
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, black death, space opera, hard science fiction
Publisher: Watkins Media
Published: 2018-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

23

A call stirred Habidah out of sleep. At first, she thought it a hallucination. She hadn’t even been allowed to contact anyone when Feliks died – suddenly and peacefully – a week after she’d returned.

Whoever it was could only be signaling her with the amalgamates’ permission.

She pushed her feet out of bed. She stared at the wall a while, let the message drum against her subconscious before answering. The viewwall flicked to life. A larger-than-real Osia stared down at her. She stood in front of a dark background. Her jet-black skin made her difficult to distinguish. It was only from memory than Habidah knew that Osia even had a nose.

Habidah was dressed only in her underclothes. She said nothing, waiting for Osia to speak first. The timing of the call, the lack of warning or time to make herself presentable, meant that Osia was trying to put her on edge.

Osia said, “I’m prepared to give you permission to contact the Unity.”

Habidah blinked. It took her a moment to know how to react. She said, “With anything I might say about your project censored.”

Osia inclined her head. “The security of our project is important. So are your concerns. I haven’t had an opportunity to express my condolences for the passing of Dr Vine. I’ve been given to understand that the two of you knew each other well.”

“You would know,” Habidah said, drily.

“On long-term transplanar assignments, it’s traditional for the project leader to inform the families of those who’ve died.”

Osia’s background check would have let her know that Habidah had little family or friends to speak of. There was nothing in Osia’s voice to indicate that she wasn’t sincere. “I will tell them,” Habidah said, with a cracked voice.

Osia nodded and vanished.

Habidah queried NAI. The communications gateway was open.

She stood and dressed, taking her time. Ways and Means would be listening to everything she sent home, of course. Her thoughts raced, trying to think of some way that she could get word out. Even if the whole Unity knew about the amalgamates’ project, though, she doubted that would stop them. Most people simply wouldn’t care. This was a primitive little plane. Everyone back home had worse troubles. They weren’t here; they didn’t know these people.

She pinged Joao. He’d returned on the shuttle a day after Feliks had died. He was in Feliks’ quarters, packing his belongings. Joao had volunteered to spare Habidah from having to ask.

He said, “Osia just called me. Guessing she told the same thing to you.”

Habidah said, “They want something they won’t say.”

“Of course they do.”

“I’ll contact Feliks’ family.” She hesitated. “Thank you for preserving his remains. I wasn’t in a state where I could ask you.”

“Not a problem.” She and Joao weren’t friends, but Habidah didn’t think that she could have gone on without a companion of some kind. “Want to return the favor? I don’t think I’m up to contacting my family. I don’t want to tell them how I’m doing. If you could, I would appreciate it.

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