Tales from the Stream Ch. 20

Author's Note

Toward the beginning of the story, Amaliya is butchering the lyrics to a Depeche Mode song. The original song is Here is the House. The lyrics to the song are intentionally wrong, partly for comedic effect, but mostly because I don't want to get sued.

Take a moment to listen to the song on your favorite streaming service before you start reading and it might make more sense. At least you'll have the right tune to go with Amaliya's rendition.

*

Chapter 20: With the Help of Friends

Earth, 42 years ago

A dozen young novices, distinguished as such by their white head coverings, walked down a litter-strewn street in two columns of equal length. Behind them, a pair of sisters chatted quietly among themselves while keeping watch over the flock.

Ahead of the procession, a shadowy figure stumbled forth from an alleyway. Covered loosely in a stained and dingy hospital gown, with bandages around the head and eyes, the lone figure groped at the air with outstretched arms. And after two halting steps, plowed headlong into the line of novices.

From the head of the group, a young woman shouted, "Sister Agnes, Sister Mary, come quickly! Bertilda needs help."

As the procession stopped, the pair of nuns in the rear hustled forward.

"Is everyone alright?" said Sister Agnes. "Novice Bertilda, what's wrong?" asked Sister Mary.

"Oh," they both said, as they laid eyes on the bandaged figure collapsed in Bertilda's arms.

"Quickly, girls," said Sister Agnes. "Remember your first aid training. Novice Bertilda, let's get some pressure on this wound."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Novice Kassia, pressure on this one over here."

Sister Mary turned to address several of the novices in turn. "Novice Marguerite, run and tell the others what has happened.

"Novice Evelyn, see if you can find bottled water."

"Clear some space," said Sister Agnes. "Novice Anna, help me keep the feet elevated."

"Is there anything else I can do?" asked Bertilda, her hands slick with the blood soaking through the thin fabric of the gown.

"Pray," said Sister Mary.

On board the Black Prince, Present day.

"Get ready for a bump," said Amaliya, "Dropping out of the stream in three... two... one... and we're out."

Jade reached out and picked up the microphone from its cradle. She switched the knob to intercom. "Ladies and gentlemen... well ladies anyway... on behalf of Black Prince Airlines and the entire flight crew, I'm happy to announce we have reached our final waypoint. We are commencing braking maneuvers and will be en route to our destination shortly.

"As always, Black Prince Airlines encourages you to stay abreast of travel opportunities by visiting our web site and social media pages where you can find exciting offers on the latest travel opportun—"

Amaliya reached out and smacked Jade on the shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"This is only my second time piloting," said Amaliya. "You could be a little more helpful."

"You're doing fine."

"Well, at least try to be less distracting."

Jade shrugged. She picked up the microphone again and raised it to her mouth.

Amaliya turned and stared. "Less distracting. Less."

Jade hung the microphone back in its cradle. "So you're the captain now?"

Amaliya narrowed her eyes to slits.

"Be nice to see Mia again," said Jade.

"It will," said Amaliya, returning her gaze to the pilot's console in front of her, tapping and swiping at the various control surfaces.

"It has been too long," said Lúcia. Aidoru stood clustered around her.

"Why are you two not strapped in?" said Amaliya, whipping her head around. "The captain has definitely not turned off the fasten seat belts sign. We could run into a micrometeor, space debris, floating dog poo. At these speeds, all it takes it one—"

Jade reached forward, snatching the mic from where it rested. "Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has not yet turned off the—

"Ow!"

"Go," said Amaliya, pointing to the doorway. "Strap in. I'm not having anyone hurt on my watch. And stop distracting me. It's only my second time."

"Let us know when you see the Hispaniola?" said Lúcia. "Please?"

"Will do," said Jade.

"I miss Emily," said Aidoru.

"I hope she's having good times,

"with her friend Jamie."

"I miss her too," said Lúcia, as she took Aidoru in tow and exited the conn. "Let's give pilot Amaliya some space to work."

"I have the station on the scope," said Amaliya. She leaned forward and stared. "Looks like another ship beat us to the airlock, but it's not the Hispaniola."

"Yeah." Jade leaned forward to peer at the console screen. "It looks like..."

"The Hildegard von Bingen," said Amaliya. "Umm... what are they doing here? And what am I supposed to do now? Spin down and pull up alongside? I'm not sure I'm ready for parallel parking."

"You know what to do."

"Um, match spins and..."

"Tip to tail, baby," said Jade. "Tip to tail. We connect our forward airlock with their aft airlock. Nobody has to spin down. Nobody has to spacewalk."

"I know how it works. I mean, technically. But, I've never actually done it before."

Jade shrugged. "I trust your piloting skills."

Amaliya giggled.

"What?" said Jade. "I'm serious. I do. You're a good pilot."

"Not that. It's just... well, we're in a spaceship shaped like a giant flying penis." Amaliya shook her head. "Docking with another ship shaped like a giant penis."

Jade grinned.

"Tip to tail. It's just so homoerotic. I feel like we should put on some Depeche Mode while we dock." Amaliya looked back over her shoulder and hollered, "Anybody got any Depeche Mode back there?"

"Who?" answered Lúcia from the lounge.

"Here in the conn..." sang Amaliya. "Where it all happens. These tender moments, weightless in space."

"Is that Depeche Mode?" asked Jade.

Amaliya ignored Jade and continued the tune, humming instead of singing.

"And you wanted less distracting," mumbled Jade.

"Your hull and our hull together," continued Amaliya, singing. "As we spin closer together. And to top it all off, our ships look like two giant cocks."

Amaliya picked up humming again where she left off.

Jade chuckled. She reached out for the microphone and then pulled her hand back. "May I?"

"Please do." Amaliya continued humming as she tapped at the controls. "Your hull and our hull together..."

Jade shook her head as she keyed the mic. "Takahashi-Ono orbital, this is Black Prince actual, do you copy?"

The radio crackled. "Black Prince actual, this is Takahashi-Ono... oh, forget the formalities. Just get yourselves on board, my lovelies. I'll put the kettle on."

On Jade's shoulder, Reg bounced up and down.

"Roger that," said Jade. "Nice to hear your voice again, Mia."

"Yours as well, Captain."

"Here in the conn..." Amaliya continued humming, interspersing lyrics now and then.

"Looks like you already have guests," said Jade into the microphone.

"Yes. The Hildegard von Bingen arrived yesterday. You'll have to dock—"

"Tip to tail. Yep."

"Shh!" hissed Amaliya. "Depeche Mode." She continued humming.

Jade rolled her eyes. She keyed the mic. "I didn't know you were acquainted with the sisterhood."

"It's a long story," said Mia.

"Your hull and our hull together..."

"I've got a student driver at the helm, so we've probably got the time if you want to share." Jade let go of the talk button and turned to Amaliya, smirking.

Amaliya extended her left hand toward Jade, with her middle finger up. "Hi Mia!" she hollered.

The speaker crackled. "Hello, Amaliya. It's good to hear your voice."

With her right hand Amaliya tapped and slid over the surface of the console as she stared at the display. She narrowed her eyes and chewed at her lower lip.

"You could just let the computer do it," whispered Jade.

Without looking, Amaliya whacked Jade on the shoulder, scowled a moment, and then broke out into a grin. "I've got this," said Amaliya.

The spinning space station outside the front viewport appeared to slow as Amaliya continued tapping and swiping at the controls.

"Mm-hmm. You're doing great, by the way."

"I know." Amaliya grinned. She resumed her humming.

"Pssh. Not lacking in self-confidence."

"Your hull and our hull together... As we spin closer together..."

"You need to radio Hildegard Von Bingen if you're going to dock with them," said Jade.

"You should do it, you're the captain. Black Prince actual and all that."

"You sure you don't want to, baby?" said Jade. "You're handling everything else so well."

"You love the radio."

"Yeah, but..." Jade pressed her lips together, turning her mouth down at the corners. She thrust the microphone outward in her hand.

"Seriously?" said Amailya.

"Please?"

Amaliya shook her head.

"I'm going to be brutally honest with you baby. That woman scares the shit out of me."

"Who? Mother Bertilda?"

Jade nodded. Amaliya rolled her eyes.

"Hildegard von Bingen, this is Black Prince," said Amaliya into the microphone. "Requesting permission for tip to tail docking. Over."

Amaliya let go of the talk switch and turned to Jade, sticking out her tongue. The radio was silent. Jade chewed her lip.

On the pilot console, a ring around the outline of the ship flashed once in a bright white. Below it the words, 'Rotational velocity matched', marched across the screen.

"Um, hi, Black Prince. This is Novice Lenore. Do you need me to do anything? 'Cause there's no one else here... at the moment anyway. I think Sister Jane is in the kitchen..."

"Hi Lenore. My name is Amaliya. Look, I'm new at this too, but it's all computers from here on out. I just need to know if it's okay for us to dock with the Hildegard von Bingen so we can transit to the station?"

"Um, sure, I guess."

"Great," said Amaliya. "You've been very helpful. I'm looking forward to meeting you in person."

Turning to Jade, she said, "See, that wasn't so bad."

Jade's cheeks flushed pink. Amaliya turned back to the console.

After some more tapping and swiping, there was a small lurch. The ship icon on the console pulsed once in a brighter white. A whirring that was felt as much as heard reverberated through the ship.

Under the icon of the ship, the console displayed the words, 'Docking clamps secure'.

Hildegard von Bingen, aft airlock

Through the portal, Jade found herself looking at a few centimeters of dome-shaped white cloth. As the airlock seal broke with a hiss and the door swung inward, she took in the rest of the small framed young woman, clad in a black crew jumper and white headdress.

The young woman curtsied. "Welcome travelers," she said, never lifting her gaze from the deck. She fidgeted a moment, reaching up with a finger to tuck a blonde curl back under her headdress.

"Um, hi?" said Jade, extending her hand, then drawing it back and wiping it on the leg of her jumpsuit. "Uhh."

Lúcia stepped forward. "Greetings, novice," she said as she pressed her palms together and dipped her head.

"Greetings, sister," said the young woman as she took a step back. She swung her arm wide. "Welcome to our humble home."

Mimicking Lúcia's gesture, Captain Jade dipped her head forward as well. Coming up, she sniffed at the air. "It's been some time, but I'll never forget this place. Is that Sister Jane's soup I smell?"

From down the corridor a woman's voice echoed, "Out of my kitchen! Out!" A pair of young women in novice headdress tumbled forth from a doorway and went sprinting down the corridor, out of sight.

The young novice at the airlock flushed pink in her cheeks.

"Yep, that's Sister Jane, alright," said Jade.

"You must be Lenore. I'm Amaliya. We spoke on the radio." Stepping forward, Amaliya cradled a pair of translucent pouches labeled with '2 liters' and each filled with brown goo. "It's Marmite."

"You are most generous." said the young novice, cocking her head. "Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Novice Anna. I believe Novice Lenore is in the kitchen... or was. Come."

Amaliya raised an eybrow.

Again, Novice Anna made a sweeping gesture. "Come. We shall deliver your gift of Marmite."

Captain Jade, followed by Lúcia, Aidoru, and Amaliya made it half way down the corridor when Sister Jane poked her head from the kitchen. "Did someone say Marmite?" she bellowed.

Amaliya stepped forward, holding out the twin 2-liter pouches. "Sorry, it's all our galley is producing at the moment, besides tea."

"This truly is a blessing," said Sister Jane. "And what perfect timing. We've just run out of jam, and though they won't admit it, I fear the sisterhood has become weary of dry toast in the mornings. Thank you, Amaliya."

"It's good to see you again, Sister Jane." Lúcia stepped forward and curtsied.

"What's this? Our always contemplative Sister Lúcia has found her tongue." Sister Jane held her arms wide. "And what else have you found in your adventures?"

Lúcia blushed as she reached back to extended her hand to Aidoru, who was currently huddled behind Amaliya. "Sister Jane, this is my girlfriend, Aidoru." said Lúcia, averting her eyes, "What I meant to say is that Aidoru is my friend... and that she is a girl... and..."

"And you care for her," said Sister Jane. "And honestly, that's all that matters."

Aidoru stepped out front, each body clad a white blouse, tied at the midriff, and a pleated plaid miniskirt. From knee down, her legs were encased in shining black leather buckle boots with platform soles. The Aidoru all three executed a perfectly synchronized curtsy as Lúcia fell forward into Sister Jane's embrace.

"Not one word of this hugging to any of the other Sisters," whispered Sister Jane. "It's hard enough keeping them out of my kitchen between mealtimes. If they find out I've gone soft... well... we can't have that, now can we?"

"No, Sister Jane. Of course not." Lúcia stood tall. She wiped at her eye with the back of her hand and then smiled.

"Really? That's it?" said Jade. "Aidoru?"

"Love is love, Captain," said Sister Jane. "And all love is beautiful in the eyes of God. You of all people should know that."

Jade nodded. "I meant... well, most people kind of freak out over Aidoru. Unless they're familiar with—"

"J-Pop?" said Sister Jane. "And genetically engineered performers?"

"Umm... yeah."

Sister Jane reached into the pocket of her apron and produced a pair of earbuds. She held them in the flat of her hand. "I trust you won't tell Mother Bertilda. I can only stomach so much liturgical chant. And when it's just me in the kitchen... well... I always say a few Hail Marys after."

"I don't believe God would be opposed to you getting your groove on," said Lúcia. "Are you familiar with the funk?"

"I am."

"Good. I will send you my playlist. It is most satisfying."

Sister Jane reached out to cup Lúcia's cheek in her hand. "I miss seeing you in the garden, Sister. But you've grown so much. The time away has served you well."

Two novices peeked in on either side of the doorway, their white headdresses framing worried faces. Sister Jane straightened up and stamped her foot. "Out! Out of my kitchen until I say it's lunchtime!"

The novices scurried down the hall.

"Everyone else has gone to the station," said Sister Jane. "And these novices think they have free reign."

"May I assist you with preparing lunch, Sister?" asked Lúcia.

"Yeah," said Jade. "Anything we can do?"

"I've got it under control," said Sister Jane. "Go ahead and meet up with the others on the station. I'll be along when lunch is ready."

Jade and the others turned toward the door.

"Wait," said Sister Jane. She opened a cupboard and dug deep inside until she produced a pair of hard candies wrapped in clear cellophane. "There is one thing you can do for me. If you see those two troublesome novices, give them these."

Jade turned to take the candies in hand.

"Just don't mention where you got them."

Jade pinched her finger and thumb together and drew them across her lips in a zipper motion.

Inside the station's airlock

Aidoru turned her heads toward the flickering light of a dying fluorescent in the corner.

"It gets better, I promise," Lúcia whispered. Aidoru was still clinging to her hands.

A single harvester crab appeared, first as a shadow, and then a shining silver disk, skittering across the floor. It stopped in front of Jade and turned its eye stalks to Reg on her shoulder.

Reg pushed himself up on his frontmost legs and began climbing down the sleeve of Jade's jumpsuit. He lost his footing and caught himself by one pincer.

Jade squatted down to shorten the distance to the ground. She scratched the newcomer's back as Reg hopped to the floor. Reg's companion bounced once and clattered over to where Lúcia stood. There, the harvester crab flipped itself over.

Lúcia grinned. She knelt and rubbed the belly of the upside down crab for a moment before righting it again. Looking up at Aidoru, Lúcia whispered, "You're going to love it here."

Aidoru knelt to touch a finger to the harvester crab's back. She turned her touches to gentle scratching when the crab pressed upward on its eight tiny legs and nuzzled against her.

As the inner door of the airlock slid open, a wide swath of sunlight cut the gloom of the airlock deck. Aidoru looked up, sniffed at the air, and smiled.

"What is that I smell?" said Aidoru.

"Could there really be flowers,

"On a space station?"

"Bee balm," sighed Amaliya.

Lúcia turned to Aidoru. "Wait 'til you see it," she said.

"Oh, I've missed that smell," cried Amaliya. She reached out, taking Lúcia' hand on one side and Aidoru's on the other, and strode toward the doorway with purpose.

In the distance were chattering voices and peals of laughter. The harvester crab Aidoru had been scratching skittered off. Reg stared to follow, but then stopped and turned his eye stalks to Jade. She flashed a quick thumbs up and Reg ran after his newfound companion.

The long shadow of a young woman appeared at the inner doorway, and soon Emily stepped over the threshold, her arms spread wide.

Amaliya, Lúcia, Aidoru and Jade all ran toward her.

In the meadow

"I have missed you," said Lúcia, her arms encircling Emily's waist and her head buried against Emily's chest.

"Lúcia", said Emily, wrapping her up in her arms. "It's good to see you again."

Emily shifted her stance to keep her footing as Aidoru joined in the hugging.

"Science Officer Emily," said Jade. "How's it going?"

"Good, good," replied Emily.

Amaliya stepped around the cluster of Lúcia and Aidoru to lay a kiss on Emily's cheek.

"I missed you too," said Emily. "All of you."

Amaliya took a step back and looked around. "Where's Jamie?" she asked.

Aidoru and Lúcia released Emily from their embrace. "And where is the Hispaniola?" asked Lúcia. "Is everything alright?"

"It's fine," said Emily. "The ship's fine. We're all... fine here. Jamie just parked the ship in orbit so you could dock. She's on the other side of the planet, so that's why you didn't see her."

"How will she get back," said Aidoru,

"If she is so far away?

"Is she spacewalking?"

"No." Emily rolled her eyes once. "Strato-surfing."

"Bruh," said Jade. "That's so rad."

"Strato... what?" said Amaliya.

"Strato-surfing," said Jade. "You put on an exosuit, grab a board and skip off the upper atmosphere while the tug of the planet's gravity slingshots you around in orbit. Haven't you ever watched the Xtreme Games?"

Amaliya shook her head.

"Yup, she brought her board," said Emily. "Come on, let's get out of this dreary airlock."