Time of Scorn

Chapter 14: They/them/theirs

Esperanza appreciated the note and the tea, but wished that Lully had awakened her so that she wasn't late for work. She hurried into the medical bay, waving at Blair as she headed into Madison's office.

"Libba has been busy," Madison said, not giving Esperanza a chance to apologize. "Cameron's already sent over two names of medical personnel in cryo. Rainier was wondering if you'd come by since one is from Earth. Libba mentioned Lully messaged you, have you talked to him?"

"No," Esperanza said, glancing at her holo-rib. She had several missed messages.

"Call him," Madison recommended. "And then go down to Rainier, if you feel up to it."

"I'll be fine," she promised and headed back out to the corridor.

She called Lully on the way, walking slowly since now she wasn't running behind.

"Petal!" Lully said. She could hear the smile in his voice. "How are you feeling?"

"Not bad," she told him. "I certainly slept enough. I didn't see your message; what's going on?"

He explained the conversation with Libba and the suggestion of having a new medical staff stay with them.

"In the small bedroom, just until we know where they will be for longer," he assured her. "Sorry, I assumed you would agree and I should have come home to discuss it..."

"Lully, breathe," she laughed. "You know me well enough to know I'd be happy to host someone in our berth. Especially if they are going to work in medical; I'm headed to cryo now."

"Sunshine," he replied. "I'll see you when I come home for lunch."

Esperanza shook her head as she pocketed her holo-rib. Lully sounded a little frazzled, and she hoped that it wasn't on her account. She looked forward to having lunch and hearing how the new captain was handling the post.

She walked into cryo. It was always a little hotter in here than the rest of the base as the bank of cryo bays did their work. She never appreciated how large this section of the base was, Rainier always brought out the cryo box to the front. She had heard that the nuclear generator was just on the other side of the cryo bay, but she hadn't any reason to visit that portion of the base.

"Hello Esperanza," Louis said. "Rainier is getting the two from cryo. Libba doesn't like to wait, does she?"

"Doesn't seem like it," she agreed. "Is it just you two? I never see anyone else."

"And Moliere," he reminded her. "We don't need real manpower. In theory, this job will be phased out soon. We need just enough people to check the boxes regularly and be on standby to wake people. Moliere patches up people in research most days. Those people are reckless, maybe more reckless than builds."

"Louis!"

Louis bobbed his head at Esperanza and hurried to help Rainier who was bringing in two cryo boxes on casters. Esperanza was a little nervous. She would have a new person in her home in a couple minutes. Hopefully Lully and she could keep it clean enough for someone else to use it as well.

"Cameron should be here soon," Rainier told Esperanza. "I brought you because I'm not sure what gender this person is; both boxes were filled out."

"A typo?" she guessed.

"Odd typo," Louis pointed out.

"Sorry, sorry," Cameron flew into the room. "I wanted to finish the paperwork; Esperanza, a new code for Cary." She handed Esperanza a small square of paper that Esperanza looked at curiously.