Episode 108. Part 4
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Arden: After talking with Mike, I think it might be best if he stayed on the ship with us rather than go with the ship we’re meeting. Mike thinks that as well. Is that okay with everyone else?
Christian: I’m fine with that.
Rina: You don’t even have to ask me.
Arden: But I am.
Rina: Then for the record, I’m glad he’s staying.
Donovan: Mike stays.
Nika: At this point, I would like to go ahead and make the meet, with the rest of your agreement, simply for the fact that I asked for the meet in the first place. But they seem very eager to make it, so I don’t know what’s going on. I can send a wave ahead of us and see.
Arden: (to Mike) Earlier you brought up something about two sides. I would like that to be elaborated on more with everyone.
Nika: That’s a good idea. They may have intel we don’t have.
Christian: I think he means us.
Nika: Oh.
Arden: Yeah.
Nika: Yes. All right.
Arden: Apparently the Resistance has two sides, is divided on how they should fight back.
Nika: They’re shattering.
Mike: As I said, the Resistance is not a unified body, there is no command or commanders that have tactics.
Nika: We used to have one enemy. It was us/them. That’s not the case anymore.
Christian: Historically, in any resistance movement you’re always going to have extremists. I’m guessing this is the case.
Arden: My point is, the people on Beaumonde that we met that were so fun to deal with, are they on the bad side of things—the extremist side of things—or are the other, nicer side of things?
Nika: That would be Carter’s purview.
Mike: I’m guessing that Nguyen had a better idea what would happen than he let on. But that’s a guess. I don’t know for certain. He held me at arm’s length.
Nika: That right there tells me a bunch.
Christian: Not necessarily. The less you tell someone, the less they can give in interrogation.
Nika: Yeah, but—
Mike: The fact is I wasn’t fully forthcoming, either.
Nika: What actually happened, however, was unforeseeable because we’re the ones who caused the head injury.
Mike: Oh, you mean me.
Nika: Yes.
Mike: Yeah? I got hit by a truck.
Arden: You did get hit by a truck. We hit the truck that hit you.
Donovan: You hit Mike with a truck?
Nika: (to Donovan) He threw himself in front of the truck.
Mike: Technically, it was the truck in front of them that hit me. They hit that truck.
Arden: We hit the truck that hit him.
Nika: (to Mike) We were not expecting that form of diversion.
Donovan: Sounds like you’ve found a real group of winners here, Mike.
Arden: (off Donovan) Hey!
Donovan: What’s this about you still fightin’ the Purplebellies?
Arden: It’s a long walk to the next planet.
Nika: Here’s the bottom line as far as we have it. Mike was picked up by the Alliance.
Arden: Because of us.
Mike: Well… there was a good chance that somebody would have come and picked me up—
Nika: They’ve been pumping drugs into his system—
Donovan: My confidence grows by the moment. Keep goin’.
Nika: They were experimenting on him when we got him out.
Arden: They were interrogating him. Using a new drug called Chempliance. That basically makes you into a walking talking functional zombie. You say anything they need you to.
Christian: You saw the Miranda Broadcast, right?
Donovan: I heard something about it.
Christian: (to Mike) Actually, you’re actually vaguely lucky that you’re not insane and trying to eat our flesh.
Nika: (fed up) Thank you for that imagery, Christian.
Arden: Yes, thank you. Moving on.
Due to being in Alliance custody during the Miranda Broadcast, Mike hasn’t actually seen it and though since then he’d come to know of it, that comment by Christian goes right over his head. Christian and Rina get Mike up to speed, in undertone, while the others continue with the broader discussion.
Christian: Maybe we should tell him what went on, it might be in his best interest.
Rina: We recorded it.
Christian: Then maybe we should show him the recording.
Mike: ‘Miranda’ what? I don’t know anything about a Miranda…
Meanwhile, Arden and Nika continues to explain the situation to Donovan.
Nika: Basically, Chempliance is a chemical rewrite of your personality so that you are compliant.
Arden: Under the influence of the chemical, he would do anything anyone told him to do. It’s my medical opinion that he had a side-effect from it and part of that is causing his condition right now. We rescued him from the Alliance, who were doing the interrogation and experimentation—whatever—on him. And ran away from Georgia.
Donovan: So what he’s sayin’ now, is without a filter.
Arden: I don’t know if it’s without a filter or if it’s…
Nika: He’s more forthcoming than usual. It certainly appears to me.
Arden: This pen? Right here? This pen—
Rina: Oh, not the pen trick again.
Mike: Stop with the pen.
Someone snatches it out of Arden’s hand.
Arden: You get my point.
Nika: I apologize Mike. Yes, you’re here. You are in fact far more forthcoming than normal.
Mike: (to Arden) I would appreciate it if you would stop playing games with me like that.
Arden: I’m not trying to play games—.
Christian: I’m not formally schooled in psychology, but I am formally schooled in how to deal with people and my guess is this is a matter of learning how to rewire how you respond to things.
Arden is dubious and Christian continues.
Christian: Unless a cure is found, you’re going to have to relearn how to think in a different way.
Mike: And there is a place I can go for that.
Rina: There is?
Christian and Arden go at it, Mike’s comment notwithstanding, arguing the best course of treatment.
Christian: It’s more or less a learning disability.
Arden: I don’t know if that’s technically correct, it depends on how the chemical affected the brain. If the chemical affected the brain to seal an area of the brain so he can’t govern what he says, he’s stuck the way he is.
Nika: We’re talking about him like he’s not here again. I’m sorry, Mike.
Arden: Sorry.
Rina connects the dots re: Mike’s statement.
Rina: Excuse me, Mike, but that’s on the other side of the ’Verse.
Christian: (catching up) Where are we going? Who? What?
Mike: (to Rina) I’m not saying that’s where we’re going but if we can’t… (he gestures).
Christian: Who? What?
Rina: That’s true. If all else fails.
Mike: (to Christian) It’s a safe place. If I need it.
Christian: “On the other side of the ’Verse.” Which would put it in the Kalidasa System? If I remember the map correctly.
Donovan: Sounds perfect.
Rina: Salisbury.
Nika: You’ve gotta be shittin’ me.
Nope.
Nika: All right. If you guys are all on-board with this, I’d like to go ahead and make the meet.
Donovan: Who are we meeting?
Nika: See what they know about all of this, because they may have intel we don’t have, too.
Arden: Do we have any idea where they might fall on the far from extremist-to-moderate scale, the people on the Harbinger?
Mike: They aren’t Dust Devils. They’re just—.
Arden: Moderate?
Mike: Sympathetic.
Arden: Okay.
Nika: Last I knew, I’d’a been shocked and amazed if Shyla took that kinda shit from Nguyen.
Arden: Shyla?
Nika: The Captain.
Arden: Of Harbinger?
Nika: Yeah.
Arden: Okay. I thought maybe “Harbinger” was a person.
Christian: “Harbinger” is a messenger.
Mike: Things may have changed.
Nika: It’s always possible. I would be utterly and absolutely stunned into immobility.
Donovan: Harbinger is a person?
Arden: Harbinger is the ship.
Nika: Yes. Harbinger is the ship, Shyla Kramer is the Captain. I would be stunned and absolutely knocked completely over if Shyla ever took a run like Nguyen gave us. That was just never their style.
Arden: You mean something that would cause death and dismemberment to innocents?
Nika: Look, essentially, Harbinger is a fast runner, a blockade runner. She’s not a heavy weapons gig and her crew—up until three years ago, at least—were not equipped for that kind of covert op.
Arden: She doesn’t ship ‘communications equipment’.
Mike: She might do that.
Nika: She might do that.
Christian: I’d say she’s a little better at shipping communications equipment than we would be. As a blockade runner.
Arden: Do you know what I mean by communications equipment.
Christian: I know what you mean by communications equipment. I was there.
Arden: I just wanted to be sure we were all on the same page, is all.
Nika: Harbinger is a fast runner. She’s a blockade runner. She gets supplies where they need to go very quickly, she gets people where they need to go quickly.
Christian: Chances are they have their hands in smuggling just enough to make a living.
Nika: Pretty much.
Arden: Is she married?
A beat. A raised brow from Nika.
Arden: That’s not an answer.
Mike: Harbinger’s the ship.
Nika: Is Shyla married?
Arden: Yes.
Nika: Tell you what, I’ll let you ask her when we meet.
On that note we close the meeting. The minute our ship is spaceworthy, we cut loose of Samson Array and get the hell out of there.
We kiss dirt 8 days later.
Thursday, 22 Sep 2518
Kuiper II Class Summer’s Gift
En route to Deadwood
Blue Sun System
15:20 hrs, ship's time
Over the next couple of days, Christian hangs his completed paintings in the lounge where we can all see them. His latest is his portrait of Rina.
Rina: Oh my god, he actually took out the frown lines.
Arden: (re: the painting) Why’s she smiling?
Rina: “Make her stop. She’s scaring me.”
The crew cracks up. In truth, Rina’s expression more thoughtful than anything else. Christian explains he had caught her in her best mode—pondering a mechanical problem.
Rina: Actually, I was plotting your death.
More laughter. When we settle down, Christian proposes working with Mike to find a way around his condition. Singing uses a different part of the brain than speech, perhaps the compulsion could be avoided.
Rina: Oh, God! Not “Once More With Feeling”! Please, not that!
Even more laughter from the crew, and comments on musicals and bar songs and Mudders Milk flow freely.
We’ve also come to realize that Mike isn’t incapable of lying. He can lie a blue streak all we’d want. The actual problem is when he’s caught off guard and people direct him in a certain way, he just does it. Christian also suggests that brushing up on skills that allow Mike to read people and situations—as a Companion has been trained to do—might help head off any ambushes at the pass. Others in the crew jump aboard this idea with more enthusiasm, citing a personal need to renew their own skills in this area.
For his part, Mike puts up with all the pushing and pulling as best as he can. His frustration threshold, however, is lower than it used to be and anyone with two eyes can see he’s getting depressed over the situation. We all try to find something for him to do that are more in line with his skills, so he can be useful without resorting to make-work. He knows how to gather information and hack communications, has some mechanical skill, knows covert and discipline in spades, and he knows firearms. Arden clears him for weapons, as Mike is no longer a threat to our immediate safety—not like he’d been when we first brought him aboard.
Donovan takes the opportunity to ask Mike a direct question.
Donovan: So, ah….back when we were on Boros in the War, Mama Donovan sent me that care package. Are you the one who took it?
Mike: What was in that care package? Would it have been cookies or would it have been booze?
Donovan: Yes.
Mike: (busted!)…I cannot tell a lie: I helped myself to some of those brownies.
Donovan: (vindicated) I knew it!
Mike: (with feeling to Arden) You gotta get me fixed.
Nika finds the entire exchange amusing, as well as a pleasant surprise—at the mention of Boros, she’s reminded these guys were at one point on her home planet.
In pursuit of Mike’s plea, Arden sends out a wave to his friend to enlist her help.
His wave: Thinking of you lately. I have a patient that is having problems. Can you help?
Six hours later, Arden gets a wave back in response.
Her reply: Why, 689-C. You know, I really don’t take private calls for patients, my duties in teaching and administration really keep me busy. But if you have something interesting, drop by my office. Based on your time stamp, I see you’re a ways out. I’ll see you then. Don’t wait too long. I don’t know what my schedule will be like in the far, far future, but I’ll pencil you in for seven weeks or so.
She ends the wave with her contact information and address. It’s on Osiris, in the Core. Arden tells Nika and Mike the good news. The reaction is mixed: Nika’s relieved to get the hell outa Georgia, and Mike is less than enthused to be going deeper into Alliance territory. When we announce it to the rest of the crew, Christian says he was born on Osiris, his parents are there and that we could stay with them.
Nika: Are they gonna expect me to dress like a girl?
Christian: My parents won’t care.
Nika: Good. Okay. Free lodging. Always a good thing.
After we meet with Harbinger, we’ll set a course for Osiris.
Christian continues to work with Mike, using art lessons that interest Mike the most but are yet unfamiliar, trying to find a way around the rewiring in his brain. Sean walks into one of these sessions—fingerpainting—and turns right around and walks back out. Possibly to spare his friend embarrassment…or himself the same. Christian has to keep Mike on task, as well, since he isn’t a big fan of this business. Nika finally pulls Christian aside.
Nika: What are you doing?
Christian: Therapy, art therapy.
Arden: (butting in) Thank you. I was afraid to ask.
Christian: (unfazed) It’s very common for—
Mike: Crazy people. Like me.
Christian: (au contraire) Post-traumatic people.
Nika: (to Mike) Is this helping you at all?
Mike: I don’t know…(shrugs)
Arden: Passes the time.
Mike: That’s true.
Rina: I can think of a way we could pass the time.
Arden: (picking up the drawing) It kinda looks like a puppy and a kitten.
Christian: (off Rina’s comment) He could probably use it.
Nika: (starting to laugh) If the ship is a-rockin, don’t come knockin’.
Christian: It would be nice if someone besides me had sex for once.
Mike: Uhm…
At that, Arden walks out of the room. Quickly.
Rina: (to Christian) Can I steal your student?
She doesn’t wait for permission but takes Mike by the arm.
Rina: Come with me.
The two of them exit to hoots and cheers. Small ship. Small crew. Nothing much to do in the long stretches. Unavoidable fact of shipboard life.
Another unavoidable fact makes itself clear the minute Rina gets Mike alone in her quarters. Mike’s lack of free will has changed the dynamic in such a way that Rina cannot, absolutely cannot, go any further past that revelation. Given her background, she just can’t do it. Mindful of the crew’s expectations and of Mike’s fragile pride, she arranges another option: she and Mike sit and talk for several hours, long enough to avoid having to explain anything to anyone. At the very least, Rina managed to get Mike away from that godammed fingerpainting. She could tell Mike was reaching his limit for that sort of thing.
Another development: Even though he’s been assigned crew quarters with a door he can lock, early in the morning hours Mike makes himself scarce. He finds a quiet corner in an unused cargo container and just sits in the blessed silence. No demands made of him, no need to be anyone’s puppet. No casual words uttered with the force of command. He rejoins the crew when he’s ready to face them and the crew leaves that decision up to him.
As the days pass and we get nearer to Deadwood, Nika lets Mike sit alone on the Gift’s bridge for the quiet and the space, Donovan reminisces with Mike on old times and gets caught up with new ones, albeit briefly on the more recent events, and Mike continues to cope.
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