The Girl in the Tank: Galactic Consortium, Season 1

Episode Five: Fraternization ch. 2

"What's a Kamchatka?" Kleppie asked conversationally.

Now that Cheyenne was able to be out of the tank for short periods, they had added a second couch to her medi-bay. When she was up she would often ask crew members to stop by and visit. They would talk, watch videos or just hang out.

Kleppie and Janda were currently sitting on the bed. Lana and Cheyenne were on the couch. Dan was sitting on a stool opposite them. On a low table in between them all, lunch was laid out. The news was running on the video screen but they hadn't been paying attention.

Janda shrugged off Kleppie's question. "Kamchatka is one of your things, not ours."

"Imagine somewhere more remote than Siberia," Dan said.

"I can't," Kleppie replied.

"Which is why you don't know where Kamchatka is," Dan joked. "It's north and east of Siberia, the very edge of Russia. Didn't you play Risk as a kid?"

"Risk?" Janda asked.

"It's a game," Cheyenne told him. "What about it?" she said to Dan.

"Kamchatka is one of the territories in Risk. That's how I know where it is."

"So if it's so remote, why is it in the news?" Kleppie asked, gesturing at the view screen.

"They want to split off from Russia," Dan explained. "A lot of places do, or have over the years. There's been revolts and civil wars in Chechnya and other southern provinces for years. The only reason Kamchatka hasn't ever tried for it's independence is because they don't really stand a chance."

"Why not?" Janda asked.

"Too small, I guess. Plus they don't have a lot of industry. If they did get their independence, what would they do? Become a poverty stricken third world country, most likely."

"So what's changed?" Cheyenne asked.

"The Consortium, that's what. That's why it's international news. This guy, I can't even begin to pronounce his name, Mikhail something, something, he's a native of the region. He's been studying the Consortium since they first showed up. He's hatched this new plot. Says the Consortium has "autonomous cultural collectives."

"Yeah," Janda said. "We do. As long as they honor basic human rights, don't waste shared resources and don't try to stop their citizens from joining the Consortium if they want, they are pretty much left to do as they please. We keep trying to tell your people this, we aren't here to conquer. Our local governments are democratic and cultural collectives abound."

"Anyway," Dan went on, "he's trying to get the native tribes of the region to become one of these collectives."

"But they aren't part of the Consortium, they are part of Russia," Kleppie said.

"Oh, I see," Janda exclaimed. "If they get Princess Sarasvat or Captain Ganaka to acknowledge them, then they are part of the Consortium."

"And if Russia objects," Dan finished. "Well, they get to deal with the Consortium."

"Clever," Lana commented. "Cheyenne, dear, you should try to eat." She held out a piece of dried fruit. They were all sharing something called chomp-chomp chomp-chomp. It was named after the sound you make when you eat it, Cheyenne had been told. It was a blend of nuts, dried fruits, snack crackers and raw veggies, often doused in various seasonings and there were many recipes.

"I am not hungry," Cheyenne protested.

"I know you aren't," Lana persisted. "You've drawn the bulk of your sustenance from the tank for weeks now. But we must get your digestive system working again."