Time of Scorn

Chapter 7: turnover

Lully was nervous about the debates. He had been exceedingly glad for the baskets tournament for something to take his mind off the week ahead. He didn't want to work with his madre, but he didn't want Dashiell to be captain. It was a conundrum that he was tired of being in the middle of.

Of course, if he wanted to take a break from worrying about the new captain, he could always worry about Esperanza. She was sleeping on the couch; she had planned to cook breakfast this morning, but had fallen asleep waiting for water to boil. Lully let her sleep and made tea and toast, quietly eating as he pondered how best to tackle this week.

He needed to make a list of purchases that would make Esperanza's day easier. She had sent him some ideas and he knew Madison would print a wheelchair probably this week, but he simply hadn't anticipated the rate of his partner's decline. He had held out that she wouldn't get sick again and all of this medical treatment was behind them. Now, he wondered if he shouldn't have let Esperanza go on the expedition with him. Maybe she would have stayed healthy.

"Lully?" Esperanza yawned from the couch. She glanced at her holo-rib and grimaced. "You're not at work yet?"

"Non, Keller and Tyson said the meeting hall was set up. All I have to do is arrive on time," he replied, bringing her a cup of tea and a slice of toast. "Do you feel up to going by the printers before the debates?"

"Oui," she nodded. "And we may want to talk to builds about installing a handle or something in the shower. I don't want to fall and spatter everywhere."

She said it lightly, as if it was a joke. Lully tried to smile. Esperanza seemed to sense that he was uncomfortable and she patted the spot next to her for Lully to sit down.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "My madre and I would make jokes all the time, before, I mean. Being serious about this... it just makes it harder, Lully. We have to be able to laugh about the fact I've become a limp noodle in the past week, otherwise, we're never going to get through this."

He sighed and rested his head against her shoulder. Esperanza pressed her lips against his forehead and they sat like that on the couch until Lully got a message on his lieutenant's holo-rib. He groaned, reaching for it reluctantly.

"Well, we need to go to the printers anyway," he remarked. "Vertov needs to hand over his captain's holo-rib. I can go by myself, if you don't want to come."

"No, I do," Esperanza finished her tea in another swallow and rose from the couch. "Seasons, I shouldn't need another nap until at least later today."

"We can pack a blanket for the debates," Lully groaned. "You can sleep through them for certain."

"I'm looking forward," she admitted. "Harriet and I were talking about them; oh, she wants us to sit with her and Reagan and Oliver, unless you have to sit somewhere particular."

"Not that I know of," he shrugged. "There aren't exactly rules about being lieutenant, you know."

"That's good. Otherwise they would have never let you on congress," Esperanza teased.

They walked out of the berth hand in hand. Lully wondered if he should offer to carry Esperanza, but decided she would ask if she needed it. He didn't want to baby her; she was sick not infantile.

People were milling about the base; it had been a long while since the last holiday; technically since the last vote for captain. Kids were playing in the corridors, and others' berths were open, food and drink everywhere, as if anyone's table was open. Lully was amazed at how everyone had taken the holiday and claimed it, as if the two days before hadn't been a weekend.

The printers were dark and quiet, with a couple large pieces still whirling without supervision. The light was on in Vertov's office.

"Let me set up the print queue," Lully said, turning on one of the holos at the main desk. "Do you mind if I talk to Vertov for a moment? You know what we need to print."

"Of course," Esperanza told him. "Would you bring me a stool?"

He hurried one over to her and then walked to Vertov's office, knocking once on the door.

"Come in," he heard the older man say.

Vertov was sitting at his desk, looking at his holos and frowning.

"It's not too late, sir," Lully remarked. "There are people who would like you to run for captain."

Vertov snorted. "Absolutely not. These past three weeks have given me more gray hair than the previous three decades. I have enough to do here in printing. We'll miss you, Lully. I'm not sure Emerson will, but you've done work here."

Lully blinked, unused to compliments from Vertov.

"Merci, sir," he managed.

"Edison tells me that the new berths are complete and the lieutenant and captain's offices are complete," Vertov replied. "They're just down the corridor from the meeting hall; you'll be at the center of the base." He sighed, and pushed the red striped holo-rib over to Lully. "I don't envy you today, son. Between your mother or Dashiell, I don't know who will make your job harder."

"Depends on the day," Lully tried to joke. "But I'll figure it out. I got along with Charles, didn't I?"

Vertov belted out a laugh. "That is not what I would call it. I'll see you at the debates, Lully. I'm glad that you're staying on as lieutenant."

"Hey, you're the one who said I was already in charge," Lully pointed out. "I just have a fancier title now. And the power to affect change. I think these forms, the new office, I think people are going to be able to actually care again."

"I hope so," Vertov sighed. "Because we have to start getting along. This planet is too cold and lonely for us to splinter any more."

Lully nodded and headed back out to Esperanza. She smiled at him, showing her print requests before submitting.

"These are all doable," Lully agreed, peering over the print queue. "We should get most of this by the end of the week, provided nothing big is being ordered. Ah, but they're waking some people from cryo, they always get precedence. So probably early next week."

"You're so handy to have around," she laughed. "I didn't know they were waking anyone from cryo, Rainier hasn't messaged me yet."

"Not officially. I just got the go-ahead from Vertov," Lully explained. "So probably the day after tomorrow at the earliest. Cameron has to decided who we need."

"It's so weird that partners are nearly over," Esperanza mused. "I'm glad I am awake for it though. My genetics would have been very confusing to this new system."

"And I would have been sad without you," he replied. 

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A short chapter, but now that I'm finally past the worst of the bronchitis (hallelujah) we'll have an update on Thursday as well. Thanks for reading!