If Jove Stray

Chapter 3: plotting

Cameron tried to visit Harper every chance she got, but with work and meetings she was having a hard time staying long.

"You know, you wouldn't be in the medical bay if you'd just let yourself sleep and heal," she told him. "Stop trying to leave, stop being difficult."

"Babe, let me have my holo-rib," he pleaded. "I'm going crazy in here. I don't sleep normally, you're asking me to sleep all the time."

"Not all the time," she replied, putting her hands on her hips. "Please. I'm tired of lecturing you."

He had no idea how bad he looked. Harper's skin was still so pale that even his grey eyes seemed dark. He had bruising around his broken collarbone and femur; he was bandaged and had a thick sling for his arm. They had finally had to put his leg in a hard cast because he kept fidgeting. Madison had threatened to sedate him several times.

"If I promise to sleep, will you tell Esperanza to give me back my holo-rib?" he countered. "Or let me go home? I'd rather be on the couch at home. Or in a real bed? I can't do nothing another day."

He took her hand in his free one, kissing her fingers. "Please?"

"I'll talk to Esperanza," she relented. "And how about I message Austen? She might have some coding work you could do from your holo-rib. That would give you something to do."

He nodded. "Merci."

"I have to go, but I'll come by later," she said. "In the meantime, sleep and behave. We'll see if Madison will let you go home."

Harper smiled, leaning back on the bed. "Yes, yes please. Anywhere but here."

Cameron shook her head, slipping out the room to find Esperanza, who was grinning when she saw Cameron.

"I only took it from him because you said to," Esperanza laughed. "But oui, I'll give it back. And non, he can't go home. We're here all the time, and judging by your schedule, you can't be."

"Isn't he stable?"

"Sure, to an extent. But he keeps pushing all the time. I worry that if we send him home there won't be someone to tell him to stay in bed. He's pulled out stitches twice already."

Cameron sighed, pushing her blonde hair out of her face. "I'll talk to Austen and see if there's something he could be doing," she said. "I think if he had something to do he would be less...inclined to be difficult. Harper doesn't sit still well."

Esperanza found Harper's holo-rib in her desk and headed into his room. Cameron hurried to her next meeting with Dashiell. It had been a week, and she couldn't decide what his plan was. Libba and he invited her over for nearly every meal and while she liked being included in dialogue concerning the base, she wasn't certain she deserved it.

The base had found normalcy again, and while no one pointed fingers at her or Harper, she couldn't help but wonder if anyone thought it was odd that Harper was shot several times. O'Keefe had been an easy villain; perhaps it was simpler to believe that he had remained so rather for anyone to believe Cameron had anything to do with Lincoln's death. She had been avoiding Alcott to some extent: the only other person who knew the full story. Cameron had seen the look of disgust on Alcott's face, though directed at the situation or Cameron herself, Cameron wasn't certain. She wondered if Alcott would keep her involvement to herself.

Today, Cameron had attempted a batch of cookies; her plan had been to give them to Harper if they didn't turn out well. But they had, and so she knocked on Dashiell's door with her box of spiced cookies. Libba took them with a smile.

"I'm glad you've come, Titus and Dashiell are getting all nostalgic and it's nauseating," she said. "We're on a new planet and they want to talk about golf. They didn't like golf back then, I don't know why they bring it up now."

Cameron gave a smile and entered the room. Val rolled her eyes from the kitchen, waving them over, knife in hand.

"Save me," she said. "Also, how do you cut asparagus? I don't remember it being difficult, but then again I can't remember when I last cooked asparagus."

She smiled as she said so, making Cameron hope that they were acclimating well. Libba ate one of the cookies with a grin. Cameron took the knife, thinking that asparagus wasn't so hard to cut as all that.

"I love how you don't care about such things anymore," Val laughed, noting the cookie. "You were so strict that I thought Dashiell wasn't going to make it to his second term but instead die of starvation."

Titus chuckled and clapped Dashiell on the back. Teren and Biscuit darted through the living room with a laugh. Cameron watched the boy go with a pang of jealousy, but was glad the boy had found a friend in the fluffy creature. Perhaps Harper and she could get a dog for their own child.

"Well now, that Cameron's here we can talk shop instead of golf," Dashiell said. "I talked to Alcott earlier today. I think she'll take the deal, but I didn't want to push it."

Cameron nodded. "Good. I know you want things to move faster, but do not force her. That will not do anyone any favors."

"That's my son," Titus grumbled.

"Another week, another cycle, he's not going to get frostbite," she replied, wondering at his impatience. "And hurting my friends isn't a way to change things."

"Good lord, no. I'd hate for you to sic Harper on me," he laughed.

Val hit her partner on the shoulder.

"Don't joke about such things," she scolded. "It's only been a week."

Cameron sometimes felt a little uncomfortable how casually they talked about the incident with Lincoln. They didn't have any personal stakes in the matter, and it had brought her into their confidences. Time would tell if this was a good alliance or not, but she was willing to take what she could get. She wanted the base to be a better place, and the only people who were willing to push change were the strange people from Earth.

Her holo-rib chimed and Cameron answered it, surprised that it was Austen.

"Harper messaged me," the woman said. "He's asking for coding work? Is this the drugs or is he really asking?"

"Please give him something," Cameron agreed. "He's quite good. He needs something to keep his mind busy. I meant to message you first; I hadn't realized he was so eager."

Austen laughed. "Pas mal. I have some projects in mind that aren't much a priority, even if he does muck it up."

"He won't," Cameron replied. "Merci."

She disconnected the call. The others were watching her speculatively.

"Why did Harper join builds if he's so good with tekcom?" Libba inquired.

"So others wouldn't know," Cameron explained a little shyly. "He thought that people would trust us less."

Dashiell shook his head with a grin. "You two are something else."

____

I have decided that I like Libba. I'm not sure about the others. I think Libba is using this place as a true second chance and starting over. Her husband and friends I'm not so sure about. But maybe Libba is conning even me. 

Still stuck at home. My foot is in a cast and I've been hobbling about on a scooter/crutches. It's not fun, to be sure, but I'm glad to have updates to look forward to. Thanks for reading!