No Birthdays © Selena Thomason
It was Casey's birthday. Streamers and signs decorated the Fortune Finder 's mess hall. Captain Marianne noted that Crewman Lucas had done an especially nice job planning the party and wondered if it didn't indicate a special fondness for the birthday girl.
Marianne noticed their alien guide enter the mess. She called to him. “Drevon, over here.” He reluctantly made his way to the birthday gathering.
Marianne didn't understand Halians any better than they understood humans. But Drevon had extensive knowledge of this quadrant and the Laran system in particular, so Marianne had decided it was worth the additional expense of adding an alien to her crew for this mission. She just hoped he would prove sufficiently useful to validate her choice.
Drevon scanned the decorations and refreshments. “A birthday?”
“Yes, Casey's. Halians don't celebrate birthdays, do they?”
“No,” he replied.
“Why not?” Casey asked. “It's a lot of fun.” She picked up a noisemaker and blew it as if to prove her point.
Lucas laughed and joined in with one of his own.
The noise seemed to rattle the alien. He shook slightly before replying. “Halians don't mark the passing of solar cycles. We are a space-centered race. The knowledge of our homeworld was lost millennia ago. So, even if we wanted to mark solar cycles, which planetary orbit of which star would we use to measure a year?”
“That's a good point,” the captain agreed. She motioned for Drevon to sit down. “Even if you don't celebrate your own birthdays, you can help us celebrate Casey's. It's her twenty-fifth.” The captain placed an arm around the younger woman's shoulder. “She's now a full quarter-century old.”
“Positively ancient,” the girl replied.
Drevon sat across the table from them. “It is my understanding that in human terms twenty-five is rather young, something akin to an apprentice stage.”
Lucas laughed and punched him in the shoulder. “It is. That was sarcasm, Dre.”
The Halian sighed. “Sarcasm is another human trait I don't understand. Why would humans say the opposite of what they mean? More importantly, how can non-humans be expected to understand them if sometimes they mean what they said and sometimes they mean the opposite?”
“Humans rely on non-verbal clues,” the captain offered. “Like facial expressions and body language. It will take time for you to learn those aspects of human interaction. Nobody expects you to understand humans right away.” The captain put a piece of cake on a small plate and pushed it toward him. “Never mind about that now. How is the survey going?”
“Almost complete.”
“And the preliminary results?”
“Encouraging. Scans indicate high levels of minerals and heavy metals in the caves north of a town called Xim.”
“Any gherrium?”
“Some, but the scans are inconclusive. They don't show whether the gherrium is present in amounts too diffuse for practical mining or if, as hoped, there are concentrated veins that could be harvested.”
“What about the soil samples we purchased?”
“Scientist Tilly is analyzing them to see what areas would be most likely to have gherrium in the concentrations we need. If there are any large deposits, it's likely one of the samples will show us where to look.”
Lucas reached for another piece of cake. “And then we will be rich! We can retire to a resort on Chandra Colony and finally give up this life of crime.”
“It's hardly crime,” Marianne countered.
“Sorry, I meant base capitalism.”
“Or toil and trouble,” Casey suggested.
“Yes,” Lucas agreed. “Choose whichever you like. Pick your poison, pick your escape. As for me, I would love to stay in one place for a while.”
“You'll have your day,” the captain said as she got up from the table. “I'm going down to the lab to see for myself. I'm hoping for a big score so I can finally be rid of you ingrates.”
Drevon looked up at her in surprise. “Sorry, Dre,” she said to him. “That was sarcasm again.”
Lucas made a strange face. “Aw, Captain, you know you love us.”
Marianne turned back to the group. “Well, some of you.” She pointed at Lucas. “But not you, Lucas. Never you. You are the worst helmsman I've ever flown with.”
Lucas clutched his chest as if wounded. “You cut me to the quick, my lady.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“You know you only keep me around because of my rakish good looks and devilish charm.”
Marianne's face softened and she smiled. “Something like that.” She gestured at the group. “Now, you guys don't dawdle too long. There's work to do.” She placed a hand on Casey's shoulder. “Happy Birthday. Welcome to your second quarter-century. I promise you it will be way more interesting than your first.”
“Thanks, captain.”
###
Marianne entered the lab and found her favorite scientist hunched over a microscope as usual. “Hey, Tilly. What's the word?”
Tilly looked up from her work but didn't remove her hands from the scope. “The word is ‘promising,' Cap'n. So far, so good. How was Casey's birthday party?”
Marianne sat next to her friend. “It was nice. I wish you had been there.”
“Yeah, well, you also wanted the results right away. So, you see my quandary.”
“True. Such a tough boss you work for.”
Tilly laughed and put another sample under the scope. “Yeah, but she's the best,” she said before peering back into the eyepiece.
“Or at least she used to be.”
Tilly stopped working and looked up at Marianne. “What is it?”
“I'm getting old.”
“Aren't we all?”
“Watching Casey... She's so young, you know? Her whole life is ahead of her. All the really exciting parts anyway. I miss that. What do I have to look forward to?”
“A big payday? That's what we're here for right?”
“Yes, but what am I going to spend it on? Some little ship to retire on? A tiny berth on some out of the way space station? Remember when traveling was fun, not just something we did to pay the bills? We hitched all the way from Earth to Sarin Colony and back. Remember that?”
“I remember.”
“That was something. That was exciting. Now I'm responsible for this big, expensive ship and a crew of a hundred and twelve. I've got investors constantly nipping at my heels, wondering if we've found anything yet. I miss the old days. I miss eating whatever I want and never gaining weight. I miss chasing after adventure instead of profit. I miss not having to weigh the expenditures against the potential profit all the time. But mostly I miss having tons of energy and hardly needing any sleep.
“I always needed a lot of sleep.”
“I miss being young. Don't you ever wish you could turn back the clock?”
“Mari, forty-s—”
The captain raised an eyebrow in warning.
“Forty- something is not that old,” Tilly continued.
“Still, it would be nice to be twenty-five again.”
“For you maybe. I'd miss all the knowledge and experience I've gained over the years. And the power. Let's not forget the power. I quite enjoy the deference from all the young folks. That's cool. Nobody treated me that way when I was twenty-five.”
“Well, I'm done deferring to you, hot shot. Get back to work and find me that gherrium so I can buy the ship I've had my eye on.”
“Aye-aye, Cap'n. I'm on it.” Tilly raised one hand in a mock salute.
“Thanks.”
###
Captain Marianne drummed her fingers as she listened to Crewman Lucas's report. She wondered why Drevon hadn't arrived yet. Maybe the Halians didn't keep track of hours either. She was more than a little bit jealous. To not be tied to a calendar or a clock—the idea was very appealing.
Drevon finally arrived. Captain Marianne indicated with a slight incline of her head that he should be seated in the chair next to her. Lucas glanced in Drevon's direction but didn't stop talking.
“We think we know where the biggest deposit is, but we need to send a team to have a look and to blast through some rock to get to the vein of gherrium.”
The captain spoke up. “Drevon, we'll be depending on your guidance once we get on the ground. You've explored this world, right?”
“Yes, I am familiar with it.”
“And these caves?”
“I haven't been in these particular ones, but I have explored others on this world. I don't expect any problems.”
“What about the locals, the Larans?”
“They keep to themselves. They aren't likely to approach you or interfere in any way.”
“They won't mind us raiding their caves for gherrium?”
“No. They have no use for gherrium. The Larans have always shunned technology, and gherrium is only good as a power source.”
Lucas chimed in. “It just happens to be the best power source.”
“Still, they have no need of it. As long as we pay their excavation fee, they will leave us alone.”
Marianne stood and placed both hands on the table in front of her. “Then let's make ready, people.”
###
Once preparations were complete, Captain Marianne and several of her crew shuttled down to the surface of Lara and landed just outside the town of Xim.
Marianne removed a small parcel from the supplies. “You guys get things geared up. We'll be back as soon as we can.”
Drevon led the captain into town.
“Where is the local Office of Alien Affairs and Trade?” she asked. “Is it on this side of town?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?” Marianne was starting to wish she hadn't put so much trust in an alien. “Then how do you expect to get us there?”
“The way will be clearly marked from all entrances to the city. Honestly, Captain, I don't anticipate any problems.”
“Still, it is something I would have liked to know before now.” She noticed that Drevon's hand went to the valuables pouch at his waist as if he was suddenly concerned for his payday. “You haven't worked with humans much, have you?”
“No, Captain. This is my first time serving a human crew.”
Marianne remembered being young and new, and just finding her way. She had made plenty of mistakes too. “It's alright, Dre. We all learn as we go.”
Drevon pointed to a large, green building with a silver awning. “That's it.”
They entered to find a man with light green skin standing behind the counter.
“He seems kind of young for such an important position,” Marianne whispered.
“He's old enough, I'm sure. What does it matter?”
“It doesn't. I'm just surprised.”
They stepped to the counter. The captain spoke to the Laran as Drevon translated.
“We are here to pay the fee to excavate the caves to your north.”
The green man nodded, and motioned for them to place the package on the counter.
“It's twenty pounds of premium chocolate, a delicacy that I understand has recently been added to your approved trade list.” Marianne thought she could tell exactly when Drevon translated the word ‘chocolate' because the man perked up and began opening the box with both of his long, thin hands.
“Heavalla,” he said.
Marianne looked at Drevon.
“It doesn't translate exactly. It's an expression of bliss.”
The Laran spoke again.
“He says your fee is accepted and that we may take from the caves whatever we can carry away in one Laran day.”
“Then we better get moving.” She turned to the strange man, who even now was unwrapping a piece of chocolate and raising it to his dark green mouth. “Thank you, sir.”
He merely nodded and began opening a second piece.
As they moved back through town to the landing site, Marianne noticed something strange about the Larans. “They all look so young. Where are the old people? Do they keep them locked up out of sight?”
Drevon shifted and looked away. “No, they are mixed in with the rest of the population. Maybe you just haven't noticed any.”
Marianne let it go. Her thoughts were crowded with more important things.
###
The caves were a flurry of activity as Marianne and her team explored, scanned, and—if the scans showed positive for gherrium—drilled.
“Captain, take a look at this,” Casey called.
Marianne looked up from her section of cave wall to see Casey heading her way from deeper in the caves. “What've you got there?”
Casey opened her hand to reveal a cluster of small, red berries. “Don't they look good? The Larans were selling them in town. Eating them too, actually. Lots of them. It must be a very popular food. Ettiebees, they're called. I almost bought some, but now I see they grow wild. I sure would like to try them. Do you think it's safe?” She handed the ettiebees to the captain.
Marianne examined the berries then walked a few steps back into the earlier section, calling Drevon's name. Casey followed.
Drevon was busy directing the drilling in his section.
The captain held out the berries for his inspection. “What do you think, Dre? Edible for humans?”
Drevon took a quick glance at the berries in the captain's palm. “Yes, edible for every lifeform I know of. Probably fine for humans.” He turned back to the cave wall and gave more instructions to Crewman Lucas.
The captain handed the food back to Casey. “Well, I guess it would be alright to try a few, if you want.”
“Yeah, ettiebees for lunch!”
“Wait,” Drevon shouted, then scrambled toward a frozen Casey. “Where did you find them? Let me see them again.”
Casey held out her hand and showed him the berries she had picked.
“No, show me the vine. Were they in sets of two or three?”
Casey led Drevon and Marianne back to the vine. Lucas followed closely behind.
“Um, three, I think. Yes, see there? They are in clusters of three.”
Marianne moved closer to examine the vine for herself. “Is something wrong, Dre? Are they poisonous?”
“No,” he replied. “They are edible. There are two varieties of red berry on Lara. Both are edible. But the three-cluster berries, the ettiebees, they have an odd side effect.”
“Like what?”
“In most species, they stop the aging process.”
“You're kidding me?” Marianne picked a berry from the vine and rolled it gently between her fingers. “This tiny thing?”
“Yes. I don't know that it would have the same effect on humans. But there is every reason to suggest that it would.”
“And the Larans eat these? That's why they all look so young.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you mention this?”
“It didn't seem important. The diet and cultural peculiarities of the Larans don't have any bearing on our mission.”
Marianne exhaled. “You should have mentioned it.” She brought the berry up to eye level and squinted at it.
Lucas stepped to her shoulder. “Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Captain?”
“I'm thinking I need to double-check the details of our excavation permit.” She turned to Drevon. “So, our fee entitles us to take whatever we can remove from the caves and carry away in one day, right?”
“Right.”
“And the Larans don't care what we take, whether it is gherrium or ettiebees, is that true?”
“Completely. They don't use these caves at all. The Larans' needs are few and their tastes quite simple.”
“I'll say. But if I were perpetually young, I might not need much else either. Pick as many berries as you can find. Pull some people off the drilling. We'll get some gherrium, just in case. But right now, I'm more interested in these berries.”
Drevon shook his head and followed after Captain Marianne. “But, Captain, we have plenty of food, and these berries will likely stop the aging process of anyone who eats them.”
“Exactly.”
“I don't understand.”
“That's because you aren't old.”
Drevon's stood straighter. “Captain, I am fully adult and then some. I finished my apprenticeship long ago and have been working on my own ever since. Very shortly I will have enough experience to teach others, to take on my own apprentices. I am at least as old as you are.”
“Really? Are you certain about that? We don't know for sure since you Halians refuse to keep track of your ages. Trust me, Dre, this stuff is a gold mine. I can't believe more people haven't come here and stocked up on these magic berries.”
“The Larans have only recently begun to trade with outsiders.”
Lucas joined the conversation. “Perhaps previous visitors didn't know about the berry's special properties.”
Captain Marianne smiled. “Perhaps. Either way, it's lucky for us. Fill up the containers. Maybe we'll get rich after all.”
###
Marianne sat on the couch in her quarters, poking at the ettiebee in her palm.
Tilly leaned over her shoulder. “Don't do it, Mari. Trust me. At least wait until it's been tested more, preferably until someone else has tried it.”
“But it would be so cool to be the first.”
“Unless it stops your breathing process in addition to your aging process.”
“Dre says it's safe.”
“As far as he knows. He doesn't know if any human has tried it.”
“Still...”
“Marianne, this won't make you young again.”
“I know. But at least I wouldn't get any older. That's a plus, right?”
“Not really. Not in my book anyway.”
Marianne pursed her lips and tried to decide.
“Come on, just wait until the folks at Gaius Station have a look. They can run tests I can't. It's only another week.”
“But I'll have even more wrinkles by then.” She pointed at the corner of her eye. “See these? More and more every day.”
“I think they're cute.”
“Don't be ridiculous.”
“Just one more week. For me, please? Just to make sure it's safe, then you can decide.”
###
They were two days from Gaius Station when Marianne got an urgent call to come to the lab. She spared only a moment's thought wondering why it was Casey who called instead of Tilly.
Marianne entered the lab to see Casey standing in front of a table, her back to the door.
“What is it?” the captain asked.
Casey turned to face her boss, and Marianne was surprised to see worry lines marring the girl's young face. She also noticed that Tilly was approaching from her desk on the far side of the room.
“Captain, I don't know what went wrong.” Casey's voice trembled as if she was a child afraid of being reprimanded. “They all just withered and died.” She indicated the ettiebees they had brought from Lara.
Marianne inspected the bowl of shriveled berries. “They look like raisins.” She turned to Tilly. “And their special properties?”
“Preliminary tests show the berries to be inert, so I suspect their special traits are likely dead as well. We'll still run tests at Gaius, but I'm not hopeful.”
Marianne let out a long breath. “Well, I guess it's a good thing we brought back some gherrium too.”
Casey looked like she wanted to crawl under the table. “I'm sorry, Captain. I know you were hoping...”
Tilly reached out a hand and touched the captain on the arm.
Marianne looked from her friend, who was quietly offering support, to the terrified apprentice, who probably just wanted to know whether or not she was about to be fired.
“It's alright, Casey. These things happen sometimes. It's probably just as well. I'd hate to have to care for a big ship in my retirement. Too much trouble. Besides, Tilly says my wrinkles are cute.”
“Not as cute as my gray streak though.”
Drevon came into the lab.
“Did you know this would happen, Dre?” Captain Marianne asked as she indicated the ettiebees.
Drevon looked at the bowl of dried, dead berries. “No. I've never known of anyone trying to remove ettiebees from Lara. Maybe something in the environment of the planet keeps them viable, but when they are taken from their native world...”
Marianne waved a hand at him, cutting him off. “Never mind about it, Dre. What's done is done. And we got plenty of gherrium, so it's still a good haul.” Marianne started to leave the lab.
“Captain,” Drevon said. “Isn't your birthday coming up soon?”
Marianne stopped and turned back toward the strange alien. “Since when do you keep track of birthdays?”
“I don't. Crewman Lucas mentioned it earlier today. I just thought maybe I would offer to plan the party.”
“Why? You hate birthday parties, remember?”
Drevon glanced at the floor before proceeding. “True, but this mission has uncovered a gap in my training.” He shuffled his feet, and once again his hand went to the valuables pouch at his waist. “If I am to reach the level of success I aspire to, then I must learn more about other cultures. Understanding is required for maximum effectiveness, wouldn't you say?”
“Yes, I would say. Alright. You may plan the party if you want.”
“How old will you be?”
Marianne raised an eyebrow at him.
“Don't I need to know the anniversary you are celebrating in order to put the appropriate number of candles on the cake?”
Casey stifled a laugh. Tilly didn't bother stifling a chuckle of her own.
Marianne pointed a wiggling finger at Drevon. “You don't need to know the exact number. Besides, I plan to adopt the Halian method of defining my age by my level of experience. So you just use however many candles are appropriate for a master-level adult.”
“A fine idea, Captain. Thank you.”
Captain Marianne smiled, causing the skin around her eyes to crinkle. The effect highlighted a devious twinkle in her bright, blue eyes. “No more birthdays for me,” she announced, “just levels of experience.”
THE END |