Starship Alchemon Page 6

  “How sure are you of all this?”

  June smiled. “Don’t trust my expertise?”

  “No, it’s not that.”

  He leaned deeper into the camelback sofa across from her desk, a four hundred-year-old heirloom from her late husband. François, a zero-G horticulturist, had died in only his sixth decade from a new cancer unknowingly brought to Earth in a shipment of medicinal roots harvested in the caverns of Eff Bee IV. Per his wishes, his remains had been reconstituted into the varnish used on the sofa’s ancient woodwork.

  June hauled the sofa along on all her Quiets missions, sidestepping Pannis regulations by classifying it as a “non-animated relaxation module.” She had mentioned to Ericho that sitting on the sofa in the dark could invoke intimate memories of François, as well as their three grown children who’d romped on it as youngsters.

  “There’s nothing at all you can do to help him?” Ericho asked.

  “I’m just saying that from Tomer’s point of view, the various psychotherapeutic interventions wouldn’t help. Without the patient’s belief in and commitment to the process, those sorts of traditional treatments are largely ineffective.”

  “There are other options besides psychotherapy. What about optogenetic surgery or engram remodeling?”

  “First of all, I can’t legally order someone to undergo those. More to the point, opto wouldn’t work. Too many light-activated enzymes we’d need to manipulate. The psych scan I did on Tomer during his most recent exam indicates that his delusional fantasies are global, impacting nearly every cerebral area. That leaves out en-rem as well. No matter how many false memories I’d implant, it wouldn’t be enough to produce measurable behavioral change.”

  “All right, how about pharmaceuticals? You can order a crewmember to undergo a drug regimen.”

  “If I think it’s justified, sure. And there are drugs that can block a wide range of the affected neurotransmitters. But in this instance, the intake regimen is complex and not without debilitating side effects. Nausea, migraines, a range of other physical ailments. I wouldn’t recommend going the pharma route unless you’re prepared to relieve Tomer of all duties.”

  “Do you think it’ll come to that?”

  She shrugged.

  “Do you think he’s dangerous?”

  June’s eyes sparkled. “That’s a relative term, Ericho. Anyone who’s been in deep space more than six months would qualify under my definition.”

  “Maybe. But I’ve never had a crewmember appear as if he was getting ready to attack me.”

  “You noted, however, that he didn’t follow through. And you did say that you thought he might be playacting.”

  Ericho nodded. He’d reviewed the incident several times, both mentally and via bridge surveillance recordings. The lieutenant’s faux attack could be construed as nothing more than an elaborate performance, an acting out of whatever strange fantasy was flowing through his head at that particular moment. Still, Ericho couldn’t get over that intense look on Donner’s face. It was just as reasonable to assume that the man had come close to losing control.

  “Whatever his state of mind, I need your professional recommendation. Should I relieve him of duties? Curtail his workload?”

  “Besides the incident, has he done anything else to give you cause for one of those options?”

  “No.”

  “Then maybe you have your answer.” She paused. “I’m getting the feeling that you have deeper concerns here.”

  “I do. It’s been nearly a week since we arrived in orbit and three days since we brought that thing into the containment. During that time, Donner seems to have gotten substantially worse. His philosophical babblings are becoming even more bizarre. I’ve restructured our work schedule so he’s never alone on the bridge.”

  Ship time remained based on the twenty-four-hour Earth-day. Ericho and the lieutenant shared daily five-hour bridge shifts, occasionally doubling up at critical junctures, such as when the lander crew had been on Sycamore’s surface. Jonomy, whose altered brain required significantly less sleep than unmodified humans, legally could do up to a twenty-hour shift but in practice generally did less.

  “Have you observed any unusual behavior in Tomer when he isn’t on duty?” June asked.

  “No, but that’s hard to monitor. He tends to spend most of his time alone in the dopas.”

  Designated official privacy areas – dopas – were a Corporeal requirement aboard starships. On the Alchemon, surveillance cams and other forms of monitoring in the crew cabins, diner, natatorium, dreamlounge and medcenter weren’t permitted, at least under normal circumstances.

  Prior to the introduction of lytics, only private cabins were immune from surveillance. But with their all-encompassing abilities to see, hear and sense everything going on aboard a vessel, lytics had changed the game, prompting the megas to designate a certain percentage of crew areas as dopas. Technically, only the awakening of a Sentinel could override a dopa. And that wasn’t supposed to happen for anything short of an emergency threatening the security of the vessel.

  Dopa or not, however, Ericho had heard rumors about shrewd lytics able to work around such restrictions. He wondered if there was a way of approaching Jonomy to institute covert surveillance on Donner but quickly decided against the idea. The man was a stickler for the rules and might well report Ericho upon their return for proposing such an illicit act.

  June tabbed open a beaker of tea, sipped the hot beverage. “Until this voyage, I’d never served with a really potent psionic crewmember, so I’d never felt the need to know all that much about them. That changed this time out, of course, and I started doing research. How familiar are you with the basics of psionic science?”

  Ericho shrugged. “I know about the three categories.”

  “Projectors, receptors and conveyors. Projectors generate these superluminals. Receptors receive them. Conveyors can relay and amplify the faster-than-light signals, function sort of like a com satellite by transferring data between two or more distant points. And a psionic rule of thumb is that as two people move physically closer to one another, the potential for psychic interaction increases geometrically.

  “Researchers now know that most humans are receptors, albeit at such low levels that it has no real effect on our lives. A tiny percentage of us are projector-receptors or conveyor-receptors. But what distinguishes genuine psionics like LeaMarsa is that they have extremely high abilities in all three categories.

  “I was able to access the classified Jamal Labs report on her, or at least the parts of it Pannis didn’t redact. Even when compared to other psionics, LeaMarsa is uniquely gifted. She’s an extremely powerful receptor and conveyor, can receive the thoughts and feelings of others and convey those thoughts and feelings between or among people. But she has even greater gifts as a projector. She’s by far the most powerful one they ever studied, literally off the charts. Of course, most of this is happening at subliminal levels. She’s largely unconscious of the extent of her own powers, as are most psionics.”

  June paused. “The truth is, no one really knows just how potent she is and what she’s capable of. Bottom line, there’s no way she should have been assigned to a long-voyage starship. We just don’t know enough about the impact of such rarefied psionics in closed environments.”

  “Think we’re guinea pigs? Some sort of Pannis experiment to determine how we’d react?” It wouldn’t be the first time a mega had used the isolated environment of a starship to perform ethically questionable research.

  June shrugged. “We were gauged for superluminal compatibility, of course. All starship crews are, to make sure there are no potential problems with projectors, receptors and conveyors being in a small closed environment for an extended period. The gauging methodology isn’t perfect, so it doesn’t give the exacting results that the more extensive exams at a place like Jamal might provide. For the eight of us, the test results were negative.”

  “But that was without LeaMarsa f
actored into the equation.”

  “Exactly. And it turns out that Tomer Donner is a potent receptor.” June scowled. “I should have been given all this information before the mission. I only unearthed the bulk of it yesterday, and only then because I managed to dig up the results of our compatibility gauging. I believe the information was deliberately hidden.”

  “Does Donner know about his abilities?”

  “He’s known for a long time.”

  Ericho frowned. “Why didn’t he express any concerns about this after LeaMarsa was added to the mission? We all knew she was a strong psionic. Did he say anything to you prior to takeoff?”

  “Not a word.”

  “So, what you’re saying is that you suspect the presence of LeaMarsa is having a damaging effect on him, that she’s the cause of his behavior?”

  “It’s more than just a suspicion. I’m convinced that’s what’s happening.”

  “If it’s true, someone at Pannis should have realized when they were making crew assignments that putting those two together in a confined space could lead to trouble.”

  June nodded. “There’s another wrinkle here. Ever hear of a man named Renfro Zoobondi?”

  “Sure. Pannis InterGlobal Security VP. Never met him but heard rumors. Supposedly, a nasty piece of work.”

  “We’ve heard the same rumors. A psychologist I know had a brief relationship with him during her college years. She believes that Renfro Zoobondi is a genuine psychopath, but one of such high intelligence that he’s been able to hide his pathology from standard testing procedures, including the OTTO. There are unconfirmed reports of childhood sadism. Torturing cats and other helpless animals, that sort of thing.”

  “A sadistic psychopath. He’ll probably be the next Pannis CEO.”

  “When I interviewed Tomer a couple weeks ago for his regular psych analysis, he mentioned Zoobondi. He wouldn’t go into detail, but it’s obvious he nurses a powerful hatred of the man. I believe it was Zoobondi who’d been blacklisting him, making it difficult for Tomer to get a starship assignment.”

  “Until I intervened on his behalf. Our psycho VP is probably pissed at me as well.”

  “Maybe. But I believe Zoobondi was able to adapt to the altered situation.”

  “Anything in the files about this?”

  “Yes and no. There was some sort of incident between them during a voyage nine years ago. The Theodoris, through the Earth-Karama Quiets. But most of the file’s been redacted, ostensibly for reasons of Pannis security.”

  “You believe there was a coverup?”

  “I think Renfro Zoobondi is in a position to make information disappear or limit its access. I also believe that a true psychopath would have no qualms about putting a personal vendetta above the safety of a starship crew.”

  “You can’t believe Zoobondi assigned LeaMarsa to the Alchemon in order to drive our lieutenant crazy.”

  June sighed. “Believe me, I know how bizarre that sounds. But we have to at least consider it. And then there’s a whole other factor to the equation, something Renfro Zoobondi wouldn’t have been aware of.”

  “Bouncy Blue.”

  She nodded. “You mentioned that you thought Tomer’s been getting worse since our weird little friend in the containment was brought aboard.”

  “That seems to be the case.”

  “I have no proof, but I strongly suspect that Bouncy Blue, or that organism inside it, is also a potent source of superluminals. I believe LeaMarsa could be functioning as a conveyor, amplifying and spreading Bouncy Blue’s superluminals throughout the ship. And if that’s true…” June hesitated. “Tomer could be just the tip of the iceberg.”

  “What are you saying? That all of us are being affected by that thing?”

  “With one exception, we all have minor receptor abilities.”

  “Who’s the outlier?”

  “Our tech trainee. Alexei has no testable abilities, which puts him in a league with less than one percent of the Corporeal population. You told me the other day you had an urge to throw Tomer off the bridge. And what about this ongoing feud you’ve been having with Hardy? We’ve known each other for a lot of years, Ericho, and I know you’ve dealt with your fair share of challenging crewmembers. But I’ve never seen you quite so agitated.”

  “Donner and Hardy are special cases. They could drive anyone around the bend.” Ericho paused as June’s concerns sank in. “You really think I’m being affected?”

  “It’s subtle, but yes, I believe you are. I can’t say for certain the change is caused by superluminals, but I have a feeling I’m on the right track.”

  She hesitated, as if wanting to say something more, then apparently changed her mind. But Ericho knew her too well, knew where her thoughts were headed.

  “You’ve noticed something in your own behavior, haven’t you? Something that makes you suspect psionic influence.”

  She nodded. “Last night, after we had sex and you went back to your cabin, I had a nightmare. I haven’t had one of those since I was an adolescent.”

  June sat up straight, planted her bare feet on the floor. She stared at some blank space above Ericho’s head. A shiver seemed to pass through her.

  “Must have been pretty bad,” he offered, unaccustomed to seeing anything rattle her.

  “Massively creepy. And frankly, I’ve never had one that was this intense. Anyway, I don’t think my nightmare was coincidental. I wish there was a way to better understand the real-world effect of psionics. The science behind them remains in its infancy. And the inherent weirdness of the entire field of study renders traditional research methods challenging.”

  Ericho wondered if June’s theories weren’t venturing too far afield. “You told me a while ago that this crew is low on the psychosynchronicity scale, that they simply can’t mesh into a functional unit. Maybe that’s the real explanation for what’s been happening.”

  He wasn’t ready to believe that everyone’s behavior was being weirdly influenced by LeaMarsa, or that thing in the containment, or some combination of the two. But it would be foolish to ignore her concerns.

  “Whatever’s going on,” he began slowly, “Donner would seem to be the most affected, the one we need to worry about. So, assuming for a moment that his problem is psionic in nature, is there anything we can do about it?”

  “The literature suggests that separating a potent receptor from a projector or conveyor can help. Physical distance does have a measurable impact on the strength of superluminals. Certainly, LeaMarsa and Tomer shouldn’t come in physical contact with one another, which can lead to dramatic spikes in superluminal interaction.”

  Thinking back on it, Ericho couldn’t recall ever seeing the two of them within ten footsteps of one another. “I never really considered it before, but I get the impression that Donner tries to avoid her. He’ll leave a room when she enters or turn and walk the other way if they’re approaching one another in a corridor.”

  “Smart of him,” June said. “Or maybe he subconsciously senses that proximity to her is dangerous. Still, in psionic terms, the Alchemon isn’t spacious enough for a proper separation. LeaMarsa, that thing in the containment – we’re all just too close to one another.

  “That said, we might come at this from a different direction, try to lessen the impact on Donner as well as upon the rest of us. The overall strength of a psionic, their ability to project or convey superluminals, can be reduced for a time by engaging in spirited physical activities.”

  “You mean sex.”

  “Actually, anything but that. Sex could have the opposite effect, heighten her psionic impact. Something to do with its intimate nature. Fortunately, as far as I know, LeaMarsa isn’t sexually active with anyone onboard. And the dreamlounge logbook indicates she’s never gone there.”

  Most crewmembers used the dreamlounge to fulfill longings. Millions of customizable fantasies, erotic and platonic – as well as full-immersion videos and games – could be downloaded into subco
rtical regions. Some of the crew hooked up for physical sex on occasion, particularly Faye and Alexei, and even Faye and Hardy if credence could be given to one of the ship’s more outlandish rumors. As far as Ericho knew, he and June were the only two in an exclusive pairing.

  “I’m thinking more in terms of exercise,” June said. “Maybe you could give her a nudge by spending some time in the natatorium with her, swimming or working out.”

  “I’m probably not the best choice to be her prompter. We really don’t have much in common.”

  “Maybe. But early on she had a crush on you.”

  “Really? How do you know that?”

  June laughed. “Men. How do you not know?”

  “OK, I’m occasionally oblivious. But I still don’t think I’m the one for the job. I’m older. And frankly, I’ve already got Donner and Hardy to deal with. I don’t need to get entangled with another emotional mess.”

  “She’s that, no doubt. Apart from her psionic issues, she suffers from some deep torment, a repressed pain probably originating in childhood.”

  “Has she ever talked about it?”

  “No. But whatever the source of this pain, it scares the hell out of her. I was able to access some of her school reports from her younger years where she mentioned it. She didn’t provide any details back then either, other than to give it a name. She calls it the reek.”

  June tapped her fingers on the desk as if considering other possibilities. “I’m not a good choice for a workout partner either. LeaMarsa has an inherent distrust of med doctors.”

  “What about Faye? They seem reasonably friendly.”

  “The problem with Faye is her secretors.”

  “I get the impression she wouldn’t use them without first informing a partner.”

  “You’re right, she adheres to a strict moral code. Trouble is, secretors can sometimes be triggered unconsciously in high-stress situations. Last thing we need is for LeaMarsa’s libido to be enhanced, however accidentally. That could potentially worsen her psionic influence.”