"Lana! Lana, are you there?" Cheyenne called, her breathe ragged. Her body writhed in the tank and her heart was pounding.
"I am here, Cheyenne," Lana's voice said in her ear. She sounded groggy, like she had been sleeping. "What happened?"
"I..." Cheyenne paused, unsure. "I don't know. I was going to ask you."
Cheyenne heard footsteps in the room. "Your life signs look good. Are you in pain? Sick?"
"Umm, no, not really. Some pain, but I guess that's to be expected, right?"
"If it gets bad we can modulate the nerve endings, dampen it. Some pain is okay, means things are healing. But we don't want you to suffer."
"No, it's not bad. I just... I don't know. I woke up and, how long have I been out?"
"It's just in the third watch of night, about one am, in terms of your Earth cycle. Not sure how it tallies against your home time zone. You've been asleep about four hours."
"Four hours? It felt longer. I woke and it felt like it had been days, or weeks that I had been unconscious. I thought something had happened. Then no one was there and I sort of panicked."
"I was sleeping," Lana said. "I am sorry."
"I'm sorry." Cheyenne could hear the pleading in her voice. She felt terrible that she had waken Lana, especially for something so silly. "I don't know why I panicked."
"It's the tank," Lana said, her voice soothing. "You get disoriented to time. I spent two days in a tank once, as part of my training. I remember how it was. And you've been nearly three days now."
"Only three? It seems like an eternity."
"I know."
"Lana?"
"Yes."
"I am sorry I woke you."
"I know, Cheyenne."
"Can I ask, do you sleep in the room, always?"
"I, or Janda, yes."
"There are other healers on the ship, right? I mean I like having you here, but I don't want to be a burden. You can take a break if you want."
"I know," Lana said. After a pause she added, "in time. Right now, I feel, Janda, too, we feel protective. We went out to get you. You are our patient. Others have been and gone. Kavinda, our head healer, reviews your care daily. As you get better, we will let other healers supervise your care from time to time. Heck when you can start coming out of the tank, you might even be able to go without supervision, for a short time at least."
"Come out of the tank? When will that be?"
"Sooner than you think. Your life signs have been more stable today. Tomorrow or the next day we can start some rehabilitation care, not just maintenance."
"I am sorry," Cheyenne repeated again.
"Don't think on it."
"You can go back to sleep. I will too. If I wake again, I'll just tell myself Lana is asleep nearby and there is nothing to worry about."
"That's right, Miss Cheyenne. I am near by."
#####
Dan and his crew made their way to mess hall that morning. It was early and the lounge was mostly empty. They grabbed a bowl each of some sort of soup and a couple slices of heavy dark bread. Their Consortium hosts ate heavy meals in the morning and lighter as the day progressed. The food they served did not fit an American's idea of breakfast, but it tasted good.
As they went through the line, a holographic head appeared and a woman with long dark hair and goggles around her neck peered at the selection for a minute and then ordered five plates brought to her.
"So I guess it's true," Kleppie muttered as they made their way to an empty table. "Some of them don't want to dine with us."
"Any one know how to make that thing work?" Madsen asked, gesturing at the blank display on the wall.
"Yeah," Jensen said. "Display, channel fourteen."
The display came alive. Channel fourteen was the channel that showed earth side news. It was mid afternoon earth time and for once, the crew of the Cambridge was not the center of attention.
"The dow fell today amidst heavy trading," the newscaster was saying. "And news that three large tech firms announced temporary furloughs today." The newscaster listed the companies.
"But these are major players that have been posting record profits," his co-anchor prompted.
"Yes, but we are in day four of the crisis with China now, with no end in sight. Diplomatic teams are working around the clock, but there is a real fear that there will be a complete break in diplomatic ties."
"Which means a breakdown in trade as well," the co-anchor prompted again.
"And China makes all our shit," Madsen said. "We're fucked."
"CEO James Turnbill assured his investors this morning that they had enough product in stock to continue business as usual for an indefinite period," the newscast was saying.
"But the furloughs of assembly line workers would seem to contradict that," his co-anchor said with perfect timing.
Madsen snorted.
"Who cares?" Jensen opined. "You think people are going to be lining up to get the last smartphone anymore? They're all hoping to get their hands on one of these," he held up his slate. "The market for our tech is dead."
After a commercial break the news returned to the conflict with China. The Chinese delegation argued vehemently on the floor of the United Nations that the Consortium had no right to detain or try one of their senior leaders.
In the Taiwanese sea, tug boats were hauling the last of the troop carriers out of the strait, back to mainland China. Then, predictably, a stock photo of Cheyenne Walker, speculation on her recovery and the fate of the crew onboard the Corelean, followed by more stock photos of their former ship.
"They sure show her picture a lot," Kleppie commented.
"Well they ain't gonna show your ugly mug," Madsen joked. "She's the one who stood out on the deck. She's the hero, ain't she?"
#####
Lannister stood outside Cheyenne's medical bay and took a deep breath to steady himself. He'd only eaten a handful of dry crackers and a can of nausea drink for breakfast. Captain Dowlings, they had taken to eating breakfast together to discuss any new issues with the combined crew, had asked if he felt well. He wasn't quite sure how to answer and begged off the question.
He felt fairly good, all things considered. But he had swore after that first day of seeing Cheyenne, that he wouldn't arrive with a queasy stomach again. It was his job to keep her moral up.
This would do it, he knew. Cheyenne and he weren't exactly close but it was a small ship and a good commander made it a point to know what was going on with his crew. Cheyenne's children were the most important thing in her life, and her divorce had been tough on her.
He straightened himself and went inside. "Is she awake?" he asked the young man at the control station near the tank. The woman was laying on the couch opposite, napping.
"I believe so," the man replied. "Cheyenne? Are you awake?"
The body in the tank writhed and Cheyenne's voice came through the speakers. "Yeah, I was spacing off. But that's all I do, I guess."
"Captain Lannister here," the man said.
"Sir," Cheyenne said, her body writhed in an attempted salute.
"At ease," he said. "I'll have none of that while you are recovering, Walker, understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"I have something for you, or rather the boys in the diplomatic corps back home have something for you."
"What is it?"
He held up the slate. "Well, if I can figure out how to connect things up, it should be a call from your mother."
The form in the tank spun towards him. "From home?"
"Yes, and it's, if I recall correctly, four in the afternoon there. They timed it so the kids should be there, too." That had been his idea. Actually, the whole thing had been his idea. If they wanted a hero to trot out at their press conference, then she might as well get something out of the deal herself.
The man came over and helped Lannister get the connection set up. The woman, Lana, he remembered, rolled over leaving behind several strands of dark hair and sat up. "A call from home," she said. "She'll be delighted."
"While she's talking, can I see you in the hall?" Lannister asked. Lana nodded and they left. He explained that his leaders were hoping to do a press conference towards the end of the week. Was there anyway Cheyenne might participate? "I think it's important, politically."
"Politics," Lana spat and Lannister smiled. "Let a poor girl rest, why not?" then to Lannister's surprise, "end of the week? She won't be able to be out of the tank long, not even by then. A short appearance maybe. I'll have to think, and I'll have to see how she does over the next couple days."
"But the way she is...the way she looks?"
Lana laughed. "We won't let her go out like that. We can use bio patches, black, as they say. We are planning to do something about her eyes, tomorrow or the next day. We can start on her limbs the day after."
Lannister thought about his MP, Fox and his mechanical arm. He imagined Cheyenne similarly outfitted, it beat how she looked now.
They went back in the room. Lannister found a seat and listened while Cheyenne talked to her mom, or listened, rather. The kids made a short appearance each and then mom was back. Dana Walker was furious that she heard about her daughter's injuries on the news, before any one from the state department could notify her personally. You'd think she was the injured party, not Cheyenne, Lannister thought ruefully as he listened.
Finally the kids were back to say good bye and I love you one last time. "Your mom is quite a talker," Lannister said as the connection shut down.
"Reminds me why I choose the navy," Cheyenne muttered.
"Still you got to talk to your kids," Lannister said.
He could almost feel Cheyenne's smile when she answered. "That was awesome. Thank you, and thank command. That was the best present ever."