Chapter One

WELCOME WAGON

JILL UREGLIMI
HOPE

 

I expected those Retrieved from Argale to land, but saw only a single small flyer.  I moved to the back door of the hospital which faced the landing zone. I saw imKoldi emerge. He came to me, gave a nod, went through the hospital, out and down, no doubt, going to Sharon.

 

It hurt in a way, but in another, it was expected. 

 

I waited, and imKoldi returned.  He told me the Retrieved would be landing and I should remain in the Observation area. I gave him a puzzled look, but he didn't add to his statement.  He went to the flyer, back into space.

 

It was a short time later a larger flyer landed. Along with Koli were seven of the 'Retrieved' from Argale, and oMignth. I stood and observed the Retrieved noting they were those who had been 'Freedom Fighters' as we named them. They had not been slaves so were in somewhat condition.

 

It made sense to land the strongest first. They would set up the island and help the others.

 

I saw oMignth and Koli lead the Retrieved into the Waiting Room. I moved into the Observation room behind the Examination area and waited.

 

Stacy was in the Examination room. oMignth entered alone, quietly told her to go out, but linger by the access. When she was gone he had Koli bring in the first Retrived, have him sit on the flater. oMignth took a 'reader' to observe him.

 

The patient, whose name I didn't know, said to him, in Shaz; "Strange you would be Tubka..."

 

Being 'Tubka' , that is a doctor, is a very low rank. It is tossed on warriors who can no longer fight, be they old or injured. In a strong voice, oMignth replied; "I am not a Tubka. I am a medical technician."

 

"Not a ZeSha?"

 

oMignth, as if the least important statement; "If your eyesight is not impaired you will recall I was present at the battles for Freedom. However, here, there is no war. We have conquered. The only possible opponent would be each other."

 

This kind of intellectual response was not expected, nor his addendum; "With War unlikely, we gain further skills. Hence, I chose Medicine. "

 

Before the Retrieved could reply; "Look upon this scanner? These are your bones. Notice the colour of the display?"

 

The Retrived looked, surprised, then nodded. "See my bones..." and he ran it over his arm. "Notice the different colour in display? My bones are perfect. Your's have a number of lacks. I will inject you with particular nutrients to counter those lacks so perhaps in a hand of teka, your bones will be as strong as mine."

 

oMignth went to the door, showed Stacy the display, requested particular injectables, and returned.

 

"Use the reader on imKoldi's arm..." oMignth suggested to the Retrieved.

 

With some surprise, a bit of awe, the Retrived took the device, ran it up Koli's arm, saw a similar colour that his scan had revealed.

 

"This is most miraculous..." the Retrived said.

 

"It is. And no longer will ZeSha die or be unrepaired. We will gain all the knowledge of this hospital so that never again will a ZeSha who could be repaired, die."

 

At that Stacy returned, oMignth injected the Retrieved, she injected Koli.

 

"You are not healed, you will revert in a hand of teka and we move on to other areas."

 

And with a passion I did not expect, the Retrieved said; "I would to be a Medical Technician."

 

The tears exploded from my face, I could not believe that my greatest desire would be fulfilled.  That ZeSha would take the burden from me, become doctors.  

 

I had wondered how to treat these ZeSha; how to give them something to live for; oMignth had so easily resolved the issue.

 

I watched as the next patient came in.  The first used the scanner, saw the same lack of calcium and iron as had been seen on him, and made the same call for the second, telling him what he had been told by oMignth.

 

The first Retrived became the 'Aide'.  The first batch completed, most expressing interest in learning medical technology.

 

It seemed a miracle.

 

Chapter Two

IMKOLDI'S VISIT
SHARON FEINSTEIN

 

I'd done not much. Early morning, after a tiny breakfast I'd swum in the sea, ate more and sent a message to Koli. He arrived pretty quickly and after a few hugs, I gave him my ideas.

 

"The Retrieved don't want to be treated by humans, but there aren't ZerShaz doctors."

 

"Tally, to be a Tubka is to not be a ZeSha..."

 

"I'm gonna change that. We need doctors...okay, don't call them Tubka, call them.. medical technician...but we need ZeSha who can do Jill's work."

 

"Why?" he asks stuffing a pastry into his face.

 

"Because there is no one to war with but ourselves. You can't be nothing but a ZeSha when there is no war. You got to have something else to do. And medicine is necessary."

 

He'd nodded, catching the point.

 

For centuries all males were trained as soldiers, put on erssavi and sent into space. The first posting, as iTay, private, then, elevated to oTay, then iRain, each taking three years to complete, so that by the time the male was capable of sexual connection, he'd be oRain. like Lieutenant.

 

Once he mated, it was for life. But he wasn't going to spend his life on planet with his mate. Yeah, he'd get time off, but many more concerned about losing rank if they tarried, then being with his wife, so they'd go back into space. They'd be, on this ship, or that one, maybe selected as an Aide by that omTay, on and on.

 

Males, ZeSha would live in space, in war mode, making brief visits to their wives, until old enough to retire. And retire into ignominy.

 

Women, ini, did eveything. They planted, they built, they raised children, they worked in laboratories and factories, they made clothes and ointments, day after day, women worked, while men were in space. In space because there was always war or the threat of war.
There isn't war anymore. Nor much of a threat. So what now? Males have to be exposed to other than war, they had to be able to function during peace.

 

Sure, ships patrol, ships land, but how many ships are needed when there isn't much threat?  When humans, the great enemy, are confined

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 06.04.2022
ISBN: 978-3-7554-1110-9

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