Prosperous: Chutes & Ladders
Chapter 17

TRU SAT ON THE EXAMINE TABLE IN THE INFIRMARY WHILE DOCTORLARESHTH examined him. The Avinion was being very thorough with theexamination. Tru glanced up when Doctor Q’al came to stand by the door.

“Your readings are better,” Doctor Lareshth told him. Shewas staring at the scanner, changing screens. “You still haven’t told me howoften this happens.” She looked up at him.

He smiled. “I did.”

“Yes. Every time you have a premonition. And how often isthat?”

“I can’t say. I don’t keep track of them. This exam wassupposed to be to let me know if I could get back to full duty.”

She picked up his wrist and scanned it. She looked him inthe eyes.

“The wrist facture needs to be watched. It’s a hairline andyou must keep the brace on it for another seventy-two hours until it’s healed.I would prefer you to work from your quarters and office for another day aswell. Then I will release you to duty.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

“May I speak freely, Captain Barnett?” she asked.

He glanced at Q’al, but nodded.

“Your body is reacting to the premonitions like someonewould to any allergy. They are not agreeing with you.”

“I’m allergic to premonitions?”

“In a sense you can understand, yes.”

“I’ve never had anyone tell me that before.”

“You have never been treated by an Avinion.”

Tru opened his mouth to respond, and then closed it. She wasright about that.

“So… What should I do?”

“Do you have any records of your premonitions at all?”

Tru slowly nodded. “Some. When I’m aboard Prosperous thecomputer knows when to record my vitals. They haven’t told me anything, yet.”

“Allow me to see the records. I will consult with otherAvinion, with your permission, of course, and we will develop an approach tohelp you.”

Tru stared at her. It wasn’t that Avinions were uncaring anddidn’t give to other creatures, but to have they were not known for providingmedical help beyond emergencies. The race didn’t really care that Sileriums existed,but the Avinion council and rulers were not quiet about their feelings thatSileriums were a natural abomination and refused to help any from learning howto control their psychic abilities.

“I’ll transfer you the records I have. Thank you for helping.”

“You are very welcome, Captain Barnet. You are released toduty tomorrow. Then you can interrogate Ambassador Anderson.”

“No. I have to—”

“Is he going somewhere?”

Tru stared at her. He shook his head.

“Then it can wait for one more day, can it not?”

Tru smiled at her. “Yes.”

“Thank you for agreeing. We will talk more in depth at alater date. Be well, Captain.”

Lareshth left the room. Tru slid off the examine table andgrabbed his T-shirt sitting on the chair nearby. He pulled it on before headdressed Q’al still standing in the doorway.

“She is much more forward than most Avinions.”

“She has worked with humans for almost a hundred years. Sheunderstands how to communicate better with your species than most.”

Tru shrugged a little. “Are you saying humans aredifficult?”

“Not all humans.”

Tru nodded. “I get the feeling you want to talk aboutsomething, Doctor. Let’s cut to the chase.”

“I took your advice and read your medical chart and servicerecords, Captain. I was surprised to replace out your father was Silerium becauseI met him a couple of times and he never behaved like other Sileriums. Nor doyou. You are quite grounded, and appear to be as human as the next human. It’sleft me very confused, Captain Barnet. It’s not that I hate Sileriums; I’m justnot fond of them and this puts me in a place I’m neither familiar norcomfortable with.”

Tru stared at him. What Q’al was telling him made him angryand his knee-jerk reaction was to tell Q’al he was fired. But he knew thatwasn’t the answer to this problem. Instead he asked, “Do you need a transfer?”

Q’al shook his head. “I just need time to process it all,Captain. I had to tell you that, sir. Have a good day.”

Q’al left. Tru pushed his hands in his pockets, inhaling adeep breath.

Quietly he said, “Maybe I’m not cut out for this, Gracie. EverythingI do seems to be the wrong thing.”

The computer responded, I disagree,Captain.

“Makeevery moment count so that your children will have knowledge to pass on totheir children. Learn to know what you can and cannot change with yourever-open eye. Seek the strength of the soul, knowing that there is no otherthan yourself to steer your course and destiny.”

—Alamet,Governing Hashuka Priestess