We Shadows

Chapter 8: busy busy busy

"I don't know Cameron very well," Tyson remarked. "But surely you could talk to her?"

Keller grimaced. "Not really, non. Anyway, I didn't stop by to complain about work. I made a list of the questions we always get asked by those waking up from cryo. I sent it to you before I walked in."

Tyson pulled up the message, looking over the questions. Sure enough, they were things he had personally wondered upon arriving here. Who was in charge, what were the different departments, how partners worked and the like.

"I grouped them into categories," Keller continued. "Base history and politics, job descriptions and personal responsibilities. You could probably make an additional set for Canary, Aeneid, and Earth cryo occupants. They have different questions given their different points of view.

Tyson frowned at the young man in front of him, astonished that all of this had come from a casual agreement to assist. Tyson had rather expected that he would be on his own on this, and Keller had handed him an outline to get started today. They would just need to set up appointments and record the video logs.

"Sorry," Keller said, a little sheepishly.

"For what?" Tyson questioned.

"I got a little carried away," Keller admitted. "But truly, I'm glad to do anything that isn't checking over payroll."

"Are you sure you don't want to talk to Cameron?" Tyson inquired. "I mean, with everything that has happened in the past couple of weeks, it makes no sense for you to stay in a job you dislike if no one is forcing you."

Keller shook his head. "Non, sorry, I'm fine. I can just be glad to work on this for a while, right?"

Tyson's interest was piqued, but he only nodded, turning the conversation back to the video logs. He wanted to know why anyone wouldn't want to talk to Cameron or would stay in a job that he so openly disliked. It would have been one thing if Keller had kept it to himself, but he had basically started this impromptu meeting announcing his dislike.

Regardless, the young man had put a lot of time and thought into the videos necessary and Tyson was grateful for the help.

"You should ask Madison to bring up these videos in a congress meeting," Keller suggested. "All the department heads would be in the same room; we could get most of them in a hour or so if they'd give us the time."

"That's a good idea," Tyson admitted. "Thank you, Keller. I'm glad you're helping me with this."

Keller glanced at his holo-rib. "I should get back. Cameron's about to go on lunch and someone has to manage the counter. Let me know what Madison and Vertov say and I'll talk to Levi about giving a brief history for us, pas mal?"

He stood up and headed out the door without another word. Tyson typed up the notes for the videos, noting that far more time had passed than he had expected. He had promised Rivera that they could have their meeting at her berth, but he'd have to get going or he'd be late. He headed out into the hall following the map he had made for himself to get to Rivera's berth.

"Good morning, Tyson," Dylan grinned as he rounded the corner.

"Morning," he replied. "What are you up to?"

Dylan laughed. "You're in environmental. I work here. Are you lost?"

"No, just making my way to an appointment. Anything exciting in environmental?"

"Non," she replied. "We're not able to do much if we can't print parts. We can monitor what we have and plan for what we need, but that's about it. I'm actually off to a meeting about a satellite base."

"Best of luck," he called as they began to head in opposite directions.

She waved and was gone down another corridor. Tyson looked up from his map to find the correct berth number, knocking on the door. Rivera opened it. She had been his first appointment on the new planet, but she had kept rescheduling until Tyson had realized she hadn't wanted to come to medical.

"Merci beaucoup," she told him, letting Tyson inside. "I'm sorry about before, about cancelling..."

"Rivera, it's fine," he told her. "I promise."

"Do you want some water?" she asked, fidgeting with her hands.

"Sure. Water would be great."

Tyson took the glass of water with thanks and let Rivera sit. It didn't take long for her to start talking about Monet and all the changes that had happened as she struggled to raise her daughter by herself. The continuous change in power was doing nothing to set her mind at ease; all she wanted was for Sky to grow up on a base that was stable. That had a future. Tyson was little surprised at how much Rivera clearly loved Monet even though they had been partners not by choice. He had seen Lully and Esperanza, and Cameron and Harper, but had assumed they were anomalies, not the norm.

He got up to fetch a towel from the kitchen when Rivera started crying, since he had no idea if they had tissues in this place.

"Merci," Rivera sniffed. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Tyson told her. "Grief doesn't work on a timetable. No one gets to tell you how to feel."

She let out a half laugh. "You're alone on that opinion. The base has just...forgotten all the bad that has happened. No one talks about it. No one mentions Landing Day, or even the people who died. Like it's taboo."

"Sometimes talking about it is too hard," Tyson suggested. "And with the rift between Aeneid and Canary, I imagine people are scared as well."

"I think that we won't fight so long as we're out of materials," Rivera remarked, wiping her eyes. "This iron crisis is the best thing that could have come of last week. We can't afford to fight; we'll die if we don't solve this."

"Surely it's not so serious," Tyson protested.

"We have to expand," Rivera pointed out. "We need more satellites to survey the planet, more animals, more crops. We weren't ready for the Canary when it landed and we haven't done much since." She sighed. "Speaking of, I should get back to research. Merci Tyson, for meeting me here."

"It was no problem," he promised. "Let me know when you'd like to have another appointment."

"I will."

Rivera showed him out and Tyson walked back to the medical bay, taking the walk to clear his head. There was still so much he was learning about his new home. Every now and then the pangs of homesickness would sharpen, and he'd be overwhelmed with how much he lost when his parents had dragged him off Earth, but he had less and less time to be homesick.

"Oh, Tyson," Madison called as he walked into the medical bay. "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure," he replied, slowing his walk to his office. "What's up?"

"Anita sent me a message; she was wondering if she and you could talk about some of the kids in her classes. Cameron told her that you had worked with kids back on Earth."

"We could meet," Tyson agreed, though wishing he had a secretary to keep track of all of this. He wasn't comfortable enough with his holo-rib for it to be useful yet. "When?"

"I'll talk to her and let you know," Madison promised. "You've been here a week and already you're busier than we are."

"I need an apprentice," Tyson admitted. "But later, when I have time."

"I don't know if that time will come," she observed. 

___

Hey guys, thanks for reading! Lil' Tyson is growing on me, I know I said I didn't like him before, but you know, maybe we can be friends. Maybe. No promises. 

So, I've always been frustrated with authors who don't give a small explanation to sporadic updates, so I wanted to say that I have every intention to complete this book but that my RL has gone from busy to crisis level in the past couple of weeks. I love writing, but certain things are getting in the way of that. I will endeavor to keep you informed and I will still plan on having Monday updates. Merci beaucoup!