Chapter 31
Gi Gin was still trying to shake off the dream that woke her up before dawn that morning. She remembered walking down a path far from the colony site, looking for one of the scouting parties, when a creature three times the size of anything they had seen so far had swooped down to pick her up with its claws. It was carrying her to a distant mountain where she could see a nest of the same creatures screeching in hunger, waiting for their mother to return with the prey it had captured.
It didn’t help matters that Ms. Gi was afraid of heights.
Was it a sign that bad luck was finally going to catch up with her today?
Gin tried to forget it, as she refused to believe in anything except the fate she made for herself. But the uncomfortable feeling caused her to shake her head as if she had a small bug that landed in her hair. She hoped no one noticed her movement when she was approaching the section chiefs getting ready for the morning roll call.
“Good morning, Chair Gi,” said Shao Yi, who came up from behind her.
“Good morning, Colonist Yi,” the Chair of the New China One colony responded. “And how are you this morning?”
“I’m looking forward to some successful results by the end of today, Chair Gi,” replied the Construction Group Lead.
“I’ll be happy to hear about the group in a little bit,” Gi Gin, responded. “How are you doing individually? Is the new sleeping arrangement working out?”
Shao Yi smiled and his cheeks reddened a bit, “Yes, Chair Gi, the hut is much quieter, without anyone that snores. That was a wonderful suggestion.”
“I’m glad its working out,” Ms. Gi said. “We need you at the top of your game for some time yet, Yi, so please make sure to prioritize your rest at night.”
The Construction Group Lead nodded, and then reflexively slowed his steps so as to be walking behind the Chair.
Gi Gin stopped as she arrived in front of the small group. Group Lead Shao walked, with head bowed, around Chair Gi.
“Good morning, everyone,” Gi Gin said once Shao Yi joined the other section chiefs.
“Good morning, Chair Gi,” the section chiefs said in near unison.
“Today is Day 44 on this new planet,” the New China Chief began. “We are halfway towards the auspicious date of Day 88. As a reminder, it is on that date that we have committed to ourselves and to our sponsors on Earth that we will be a fully-functional, self-sufficient colony. Our progress will be the example other New China colonies will use as their own model as we begin to unite our various groups spread across this planet. Is everyone aligned with this goal and this vision?”
“Yes, Chair Gi,” came the group response.
“Excellent!” Gin nodded. “We have some catching up to do today, so let’s get to the roll call and then onto our work. Let’s start with food today.”
Qin Jia, Group Lead for Food Gathering, spoke up. “We have one-hundred fifty people available today. One crew member went for medical care yesterday and another did not report for duty this morning.”
“Was the missing crew member accounted for at the end of yesterday’s shift?,” the colony leader asked.
“Yes, Chair Gi,” Qin Jia replied with a quieter voice, head held straight but eyes looking at the ground. “He apparently disappeared overnight.”
Gin pursed her lips and gave a small nod. “And the medical case?”
“The colonist broke off some previously unidentified plant stalks while attempting to get to some berries, and the plant liquid got on her hands,” the Food Gathering Group Lead explained. “She said she wiped away some sweat and the plant liquid still on her fingers must have run into her eyes. She lost site within a few minutes. It was a challenge escorting her back to the infirmary as she was loudly reacting to reported pain and was not cooperating with her escorts, but treatment by medical staff has resulted in some improvement in her condition, I’m told.”
Gi Gin looked to the Medical Group Lead.
“She has recovered a fourth of her site, we estimate,” Mang Nara shared.
“Thank you, Dr. Nara,” Gin said, then turned back to the Food Gathering Group Lead, “And…”
Qin Jia interrupted, “We have added the plant to the No Interaction list and have posted the drawing and description in camp. We have asked each Peer Team Senior Colonist to share the details in their morning work review today.”
“Good,” Gin said. “Please re-emphasize the importance of making safe work choices, Group Lead Qin. We need all the food people can bring in, and losing one of the team does not help us keep up with demand. We also don’t want people to suffer needlessly.”
Qin Jia nodded.
“Hunting Group?” Gi Gin said, turning to the person standing next to Qin Jia.
“All ninety-eight crew members from yesterday have reported for duty this morning,” reported Lu Zetian.
“Construction?” the Colony Chair asked, looking at Shao Yi.
“We have eighty builders and one-hundred eighteen materials preparation crew available today,” the Construction Group Lead responded. “We also had one colonist taken to the infirmary yesterday with a broken leg after a tree branch swung the wrong direction when it was cut.”
Gi Gin sighed. “Trades?”
Bu Yuanji straightened his shoulders. “We have a full complement of all Trade Sub-Groups,” the Trades Group Lead practically shouted. “Cooks!” he barked.
“Fifty-four”, the Food Preparation Sub-Group Lead responded.
“Tools!” Group Lead Bu called.
“Fifty-two” came the response
“Clothing!” Yuanji demanded.
“Fifty-five”, answered Han Ren, the Clothing Sub-Group Lead.
“Medical!” Bu Yuanji said firmly.
“Yes?” Dr. Nara responded politely.
Bu Yuanji tensed even more and turned to the Medical Sub-Group Lead. “You’re roll call report, please, Dr. Nara!”
“Oh, yes, of course,” the doctor said innocently, eliciting a smile from Gi Gin. “The other four medical staff and myself are treating twenty-five colonists today. Anything else, Group Lead Bu.”
“Thank you, Dr. Nara. That is sufficient,” Bu Yuanji answered coolly.
“And that leaves the Scouts,” Gi Gin said, looking at the person who was both Vice Chair of New China One as well as Group Lead for the Scouts.
“None of the Scouting Peer Groups have returned overnight, so no news to report,” came the response from Xiao Ding.
“I was hoping for different news, Mr. Xiao, but I guess hope can’t make something true,” Gin said. “OK, everyone, let’s get to our teams. Remind everyone of the need for safety and cooperation! We can’t afford to lose any more people today.”
Most of the Leads began to disperse.
“Mr. Xiao, will you remain here, please?” Gi Gin requested.
The Hunting Group Lead and Food Collection Group Lead also remained, and approached Gi Gin.
“Chair Gi,” said Lu Zetian. “May we have a quick discussion with you?”
“Of course,” the colony leader replied.
The lead hunter looked at the lead gatherer and nodded.
“Thank you,” started Qin Jia. “It is not an excuse, Chair Gi, but I would like to explain why Xi Weinma, the colonist in the infirmary with vision issues, was going to unusual lengths to gather the berries.”
Gin nodded for the Food Collection Group Lead to continue.
“As we all know, new fruit is not growing fast enough to replenish the fruit we pick, and we are starting to deplete some of the known safe food options within reasonable walking distance of our base camp,” Qin Jia stated. “However, there are many plants we see in the vicinity that we have not identified as either safe or harmful. If we can conclude which are acceptable, it would be much easier to provide appropriate nutrition for all colonists.”
“We just can’t start testing out foods, Mr. Qin,” Chair Gi stated. “That would surely lead to additional illnesses and possibly death.”
“I completely agree,” Mr. Qin noted. “But we can see what the animals are eating. And if it is safe for them, it is much more likely to be safe for us.”
“OK, continue,” Gi Gin said.
“I’ve asked Group Lead Zetian if she thinks her team can train some of my team to track animals. We’ll pick a dozen different species and observe the animals for a week, noting all the plants they eat. Those plants which are in common between the most animals and which are not already identified for us as either safe or harmful will become the likely candidates,” explained the Food Gathering Group Lead. “Then the cooks can add a small portion of the new food item to a dish, which can be sampled by a volunteer colonist under medical supervision. We think this may allow us to expand our plant food options by fifty percent.”
The Colony Chair smiled and gave a big nod. “Now that is exactly the kind of thinking our sponsors expect from us leaders. Cooperation among the teams, innovative ideas, looking out for the stability and even growth of the colony. Well done, both of you!”
The two groups leads smiled, with Qin Jia noticeably exhaling with a release of tension.
“Thank you, Chair Gi,” Lu Zetian said when the Gathering Group Lead didn’t respond to the Gi Gin’s reaction. “We’ll get the plans in action today and have an update on progress ready for each day’s field report.”
“Thank You, Ms. Lu,” Gin said.
Both of the group leads gave a small bow, turned around and walked away together, talking quietly but excitedly, with the Food Gathering Group Lead pointing to bushes and trees they walked past.
“Do you really think that will work? A fifty-percent increase in food?” the Scouting Group Lead asked when the others were out of earshot.
“A fifty-percent increase in plant food,” Gi Gin corrected him. “And, no, I’m not convinced the plan will be fully successful. But we’re getting into a rut, Ding, and we need something to excite the colonists. If they see we are actively trying to improve the situation, it will help improve the mood. I do expect some success from this. We just need to be extra vigilant about how much anyone eats of the untested food. You remember the first two weeks here?
Xiao Ding nodded.
“It took nearly twenty deaths from people eating things they thought looked good before we could convince people to stick with the Safe Interaction list. It even took me the better part of that first week to realize our food options here are much more restrictive than back on Earth. How is it this place looks so welcoming but holds so many dangers?” the Colony Chair said, looking up at the sky to watch a large bird fly overhead with a fish in its talons.
“We’re past that time, Gin,” Xiao Ding said, reaching his hand towards her shoulder, then pulling back before making contact. “You have the colony in a remarkable state considering what we had to start with. I don’t think any of us imagined how little help the aliens would have provided. A thirty-minute safety tutorial and a few dozen hand tools. I’m not sure half of the people would have agreed to board the ship, despite the ‘recommendation’ from our sponsors had we known the actual situation we would be facing. And we would be in even worse shape with anyone else leading the colony.”
The Chair looked at her Scouting Group Lead with a smirk. “I’ll take that as a complement, Mr. Xiao.”
Xiao Ding’s cheeks reddened. “I mean you are doing this job better than anyone I can imagine,” he stuttered, trying to improve the message.
“Don’t worry, Ding,” Gi Gin said, placing her hand on his shoulder for reassurance. “I understand what you are saying. We’re all in this together, and I truly do appreciate your support. Will you join me on my walk-around today?”
The Scouting Lead nodded.
“Good, then let’s head back to camp to start. And we can talk along the way,” the Colony Chair said.
They began walking down a well-trodden path in the opposite direction the Hunting and Food Collections Leads had taken a few minutes earlier.
“So when should I start worrying that we haven’t had any platoons returning in the past three days,” Gi Gin asked the Scouting Lead.
“I’m not expecting any of the four groups we sent just out to return any time soon,” Mr. Xiao said. “Mapping without any guidance is a skill we have to completely re-learn here. And we haven’t figured out the natural signs yet. We can only assume the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, but who’s to say that is completely true? And here there is no mossy growth to follow on the tree trunks. Everything is growing so wildly that we are either near the equator or this planet is one giant jungle.”
“I’m not talking about those groups,” Gi Gin said. “It’s the party we sent east over three weeks ago. Are you sure they understood they were to return after ten days of travel?”
“Yes, I’m sure they understood,” Xiao Ding said. “They followed instructions on their first two trips and returned without incident.”
“So did we lose the entire platoon?” Gin wondered. “You would think if they ran into issues that at least one of them would make it back to report.”
“They are a very cohesive unit,” the Scouting Lead responded. “They will make sure everyone returns safely.”
“That is exactly my concern,” Gi Gin said. “They are so focused on their small group that they forget the responsibility they have for the larger colony. If they do make it back, perhaps that gives us the opportunity to mix up the platoons a bit.”
Xiao Ding didn’t respond to her comment.
“You disagree with that idea, Mr. Xiao?” the Colony Chair asked.
“Each scout platoon trained as their own collective unit in the Army, each team having the same members for the past twelve to twenty-eight months,” the Scouting Lead said. “They learn the strengths and weaknesses of each team member intimately and apply that knowledge for the best outcome for each platoon. It would some time for reorganized platoons to reach optimum effectiveness.”
“So, yes, you disagree with that idea,” Gi Gin said, answering her earlier question. “But a scout team that goes missing has much less value than one with a few growing pains. But, no matter for now. We’ll sort that out if or when they ever return. I just wish we had given the river squad some clearer instructions other than ‘Find where the river empties.’ At least they can’t get lost following a river, can they?”
“No, I’m sure they aren’t lost,” Xiao Ding said. “Of any platoon, I have the most confidence in that group. We just assumed our camp must be near the mouth of the river because of how wide it is here, but we’re probably getting ourselves into trouble trying to apply earthly rules to an alien world.”
“And the final two parties?” Gi Gin asked.
“There is another four days for each of them before they are expected to return,” Mr. Xiao said. “The fact that they haven’t returned yet simply means they haven’t encountered any other colonies on their trip. And that doesn’t surprise me at all, since there would only be forty to fifty other colonies on this entire planet at this point, presuming they are sending one ship per week.”
“We don’t know how fast they would be leaving,” Gin said. “I recall Liao Si telling me on our last day before lift-off that he thought the departure rate might increase as time went along. And do the aliens really want to isolate us that much that we wouldn’t be able to help other colonies?”
“I’m not convinced our success is their top concern,” Ding said, as they arrived at a clearing. In front of them, hundreds of people were moving around, constructing buildings, cooking, and performing other chores necessary for daily survival.
“We’ll continue our conversation later, if that’s ok,” Gi Gin said. “Let’s see how the new dormitory is coming along.”
They walked to the far edge of the open space where it looked like the clearing had cut out a rectangle from the surrounding trees.
Gin stopped one of the people walking by. “Excuse me, but where may I find Group Lead Shao?” she asked.
“Good morning, Chair Gi!” the colonist said, tilting his head forward since the beam on his shoulder made it hard to bow at the waist. “The last I saw he was up in the rafters helping fit joists together.”
“Thank you,” the Colony Chair replied. “Please don’t let me delay you any further.”
Gin and Ding walked into the skeleton of the building, lookup at the rafters to find the Construction Group Lead. Before they could spot him, a voice called from behind.
“My apologies, Chair Gi! I wasn’t expecting you so soon,” said a man scrambling down a support post at the far end of the building frame.
“What were you expecting?,” Gi Gin asked with a laugh. “A flood perhaps?”
“No, mam. The crew needed an extra hand for a minute, and I was nearby, so I went up to help balance the support beam. I guess I got carried away up there.” Shao Yi said with a slightly embarrassed look.
“No need to apologize, Yi,” the Colony Chair said. “I’ve said time and time again that the best leaders know when to be part of the team and let someone else give direction. Besides, anything that can help get a roof over everyone’s head as soon as possible is welcome work as far as I’m concerned. Although I will say I was hoping things would be a bit further along at this point. Weren’t you farther along with Dorm 4 by your second day working on it?”
“Yes, Mam, we were. But we’ve discovered some serious issues with the roof on Dorm 1 and decided to approach this dorm a bit differently,” the Construction Group Lead explained. “We’re increasing the number of weight-bearing posts to add more support beams, which will in turn decrease the distance between them.”
“And the purpose of that is?” asked Gin.
“Oh, yes, sorry,” Shao Yi said, wiping away some sweat from his eyebrow. “The roof logs are sagging in Dorm 1, resulting in cracks in the clay filler, and rain leaking into the building. We’re going to have to rebuild at least a fourth of the roof on Dorm 1. But if we can have a roof log supported by beams at two different points instead of just one, we feel the sagging log issue will be handled. It will also make it easier to perform roof repairs when needed.”
“And how much extra time will this add to completing the dormitory?” Gi Gin continued her questioning.
“It will take us back up to five days to complete this building,” the Construction Group Lead answered.
The Colony Chair paused and her eyes looked up and to the left. “OK, well, we should still be able to complete the remaining two dormitories by the end of month two, so that should be acceptable.”
“Yes, about the start of Dorms 6 and 7,” Shao Yi said, scratching his head and pushing his lengthening hair back. “A few of the Phase II Latrines have reached capacity, and the rest will likely fill in the next two days.”
“So, I’m guessing we need to start on Phase III Latrines?,” Gi Gin said.
“Well, I’ve been talking with Dr. Nara, and she and I are both concerned about the potential for dysentery from open pit latrines,” the Construction Group Lead said. “I’ve also been thinking about a means to have water delivered to camp, and have an idea how we can create a windmill and water tower. We can use the water from the tower to also perform a periodic flushing of lavatories into a septic pit.”
Gi Gin turned to her walking companion for that morning. “Your thoughts, Mr. Xiao?”
“It’s a grand idea, Group Lead Shao,” Xiao Ding started. “The health of the community is definitely important. I do have a few questions. How many people are reporting to the infirmary each day due to continued exposure to the weather because they do not yet have a building they can be enclosed in overnight? And what tools are needed for and where will we find the metal to make what sounds like gears, pumps and rounded pipes required for the windmill and water tower? And how long will it take to complete this system?”
Shao Yi scowled. “You don’t need to be so condescending, Xiao. I never claimed it would be easy. But to answer your questions, I know a few people report to the Medical Center each day with sore throats and coughs from my own teams. In my opinion, we’ve been lucky we haven’t had dysentery run through the colonists to date, and when it does, it will put one-fourth of our colonists out of working condition. As for the materials, I’ve seen functioning windmills, including a gear structure, made entirely of wood. We have good stone options here to supplement the wood, so the components can be successfully constructed with the materials and tools we have. As for timing, I fully acknowledge this will take longer than anything we’ve built so far. But if we start now, we can have the system up and running in a little over a month. That means the windmill pumping water into a tower that will flush the latrines into a leach bed by Day Eighty-Eight!”
The Construction Group Lead finished, breathing heavily, looking at the Gi Gin for her reaction.
The Colony Chair cooly returned his gaze. “Finish Dorm Five, Mr. Shao. When that is complete and the roof on Dorm One is repaired, you can have a crew of twenty start on the water system. Only when the remaining dormitories are complete can you direct others to join the sewer project.”
Shao Yi’s breathing eased. “Thank you, Chair Gin. I’ll take what I can get.”
Any further conversation was interrupted by the shouting of someone approaching.
“Xiao Ding! I’m looking for Mr. Xiao!” the person demanded of one of the construction crew outside the building. The crew member pointed to where the Scouting Lead, Construction Lead and Colony Chair were standing.
“Mr. Xiao!” the shouter continued, running towards the three leaders. “The scouting party has returned from their downriver trip! They’ve found an ocean!”
“Where are they now?” Xiao Ding asked.
The man stopped in front of them and put his hands on his knees to catch his breath. “Over by the Food Canopy, Group Lead Xiao. All except for the Platoon Leader and one person he escorted to the Medical Hut.”
Gi Gin turned to the Construction Lead. “Please continue to make good progress, Mr. Shao,” she said, bowed slightly and turned to walk out of the building.
Xiao Ding followed and they quickly made their way back to the Food Canopy, where a group of six people were busy eating two days of meals in one sitting. As the Colony Chair and Scouting Group Lead approached from one direction, the Platoon Leader was approaching from the other direction.
“It’s wonderful to see you back at the colony, Pai Ming-Lei!” Xiao Ding called out.
“This is one time I’m happy to say we’re back,” the Platoon Lead replied.
“And why is that?” the Scouting Group Lead asked.
“The last two and one-half days we had to abandon trying to pole back up the river, as the current became too strong,” she explained. “We had to make a path through the jungle next to the river. Then Gou Zing fell ill from eating something. So we’ve been trading off carrying him on our backs, each of us wary to eat anything outside of our final supplies, which were basically used up days ago.”
“Then please get some food, Ms. Pai,” Gi Gin said.
The Platoon Lead turned to the table of food, then turned back to Gin and Ding. “We found the ocean!” she said with a big smile. “It’s gorgeous! And we can see an island far off the coast, so we have a future destination. I will say this about the aliens. They put us at the best spot along the route we took. There was one good location about three days downriver, but no lake like we have, the clearing was much smaller, and the animals appeared less plentiful there. Still, that would be a good place to set up an outpost at some point.” Then she turned back to her group and joined them for some food.
“I need to continue my walk,” Gi Gin said quietly to Xiao Ding. “Please remain here to get a full report and then catch up with me later today. We need to make a plan about finding the scout party in the east.”
The Scouting Group Lead nodded and walked over to join the hungry explorers.
The Colony Chair left the scouts at the food canopy and walked past a collection of huts and dormitories to the other side of the small colony village. She walked up to a building that looked like two medium-sized huts built back-to-back, with a four-meter fence around the back.
“Good morning, Colonist Du and Colonist Huai,” Gi Gin said as she approached two people standing at the entrance to the only building in the colony with a door. “Is Ji Kang here or is he out collecting roll call numbers?”
“He has not left yet, Chair Gi,” said one of the two standing watch. “He is still helping clean up after the prisoners have finished breakfast.”
“Prisoners? I didn’t think we had anyone held prisoner here,” the Colony Chair said as if correcting someone learning a new language.
“My apologies, Chair Gi.” the guard replied. “You are correct. There are no prisoners. Only those seeking more knowledge.”
“Would you like us to have Security Lead Ji come outside, Chair Gi?” asked the second guard.
“No thank you, Colonist Du,” Gi Gin answered. “I would prefer to speak with him inside please.”
The second guard nodded, turned and knocked on the door.
A few seconds later a voice behind the door said, “Nanking.”
The second guard responded “Platform Diving” and the second guard added “2032”.
The sound of wood sliding on wood from inside the door was met with a similar sound on the outside as the second guard moved a wooden bar out of the slot that held the door in place.
The second guard pulled the outside door open while a person in the hut opened a matching door on the inside.
“Thank you,” the Colony Chair said as she walked into the building.
Behind her, the guards closed and bolted the door.
Gin walked through the front room through a doorway into a larger room in back where she ran into a burly man carrying two large wooden buckets of food scraps.
“Good morning, Ji Kang,” Gi Gin said.
The man looked up from the ground. “Good morning, Chair Gi! I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”
“I’m changing my route a bit today,” the Colony Chair explained. “Also, I thought I would check to see if Yang Jinrong has had a change of heart.”
Ji Kang set down the two buckets. “I’m afraid not, Chair Gi. He insists Liu Yaping was trying to kill him and he acted in self-defense.”
“And has anyone found the knife?” Gi Gin asked.
“No,” the Security Lead answer. “I had two guards spent the entire afternoon searching the area where her body was found. Colonist Yang insists it had to be nearby and he says he didn’t move the body from where he claims she attacked him. He says it must have gotten thrown to the side during their struggle. But my team found no knife, no tools, no stone of any kind anywhere near the area. And there appears to be a fairly clear trail where something had been dragged through the brush up to where the hunters found Colonist Liu’s body.”
“Have any of the witnesses to his assault of her in the hut come forward to change their story?” Gin continued.
“No, Chair Gi. The three women who shared the hut with Colonist Liu were questioned again late yesterday and all repeated the exact same story they told the day before,” Ji Kang said. “They returned to the hut early that evening to bring some food back for Colonist Liu who had skipped the meal because she was overly tired from working that day. They heard a muffled voice as they approached and the sound of someone being slapped, and when they walked in, Colonist Yang had his leggings down around his ankle with the naked body of Colonist Liu pinned against the wall. He looked surprised, said he wasn’t expecting anyone back so soon, and then told Colonist Liu she should have invited him to a Love Hut instead of her sleeping hut. He then pulled up his leggings and left. The witnesses say that Colonist Liu had not invited Colonist Yang to their hut and that he had forcibly removed her tunic and was convinced he would have raped her had they not walked in.”
Gi Gin slowly shook her head. “You know, I don’t wish to maintain order through fear, Mr. Ji,” she said. “But we also cannot have people living in fear of chaos and disorder.”
The Security Lead nodded in agreement. “I completely support your decision, Chair Gi. You are much more patient and generous than I am. Had it been up to me, I would have cut off his …, um, well, suffice it to say I would have let him bleed out.”
“A death sentence does not need to be carried out via gruesome measures to be an effective deterrent, Mr. Ji. The end result is the same,” Gin replied. “As for tomorrow, when I stop her on my daily rounds, I’ll be the person to give Colonist Yang the Black Tongue Fruit. I may need your assistance if he refuses to eat it. But he should succumb to the poison within a few minutes. I also want to confirm the death is as painless as reported when Colonist Pei accidentally ate the Black Tongue Fruit three weeks ago.”
“I’m not convinced it was an accident, Chair Gi,” the Security Lead said. “He had been expressing his remorse for agreeing to come to this planet nearly since the day we arrived. And those who had spent the most time around him said he showed many signs of depression, not sleeping very long, not eating much, remaining solitary in the evenings.”
“If we included him in with all of the others, how many suicides have we registered, Mr. Ji?” asked the Colony Chair.
“I believe eight, but let me check,” Ji Yang said, picking up the two buckets. He carried to the side of the room and set them below some shelves fixed to the wall. The Security Lead pulled a stack of thin sheets of birch-like white bark from a shelf, flipping through to find one with line markings under different headings written on the sheet. “Yes, eight.”
“Does that seem high to you?” Gi Gin asked.
“That would be a question better to ask of Dr. Nara,” the Security Lead replied. “I can give you my assessment of whether or not someone is ready to return to their work without further incident, but not whether their mental state is out of the norm.”
“Fair enough,” the Colony Chair said. “So what is your assessment of our knowledge seekers in your care today?”
Ji Kang folded his arms and thought for a few seconds. “The two sent here two days ago for fighting have calmed down enough that if they are sent to separate work groups and kept in separate dormitories they should behave well enough. I’m satisfied that one of the dawdlers has also gotten the message, as she swears forcefully enough that she’ll work hard when she gets back to her team. The other two still need more time to learn their lesson.”
Gi Gin waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, she asked “And the people that tried to leave without permission? Are any of those six ready for re-introduction?”
“You know my feelings about them, Chair Gi,” the Security Lead said. “Let them rot if they want to abandon us.”
“And you know my feelings, Security Lead Ji,” the Colony Chair quickly and firmly responded. “We need to make people feel they are part of a society where they benefit by being part of the colony, and are better off being here than out on their own. If they fear being set aside, they’ll feel their chances are improved if they leave and only need to fend for themselves and not have to support so many others.
She paused a few seconds then continued. “The scout group that went down-river returned today. Colonist Pei reported a promising area a few days down-river. Perhaps they could be the party that starts our first outpost.”
Ji Kang didn’t reply.
“I know,” Gi Gin said. “You’re not a fan of that idea either. Onto other topics then. I shared during the morning roll call that today is Day 44. What is our unavailable colonist statistics at this half-way mark, please, Mr. Ji.”
The Security Lead looked back at the bark-page with the marks. “One-hundred thirty-three dead,” he said after adding up different groups. Then he added up a larger set of marks. “One-hundred forty-five disappeared, and the twelve learners here under my care.”
“Construction Lead Qin will have one more to add to those who disappeared,” Gi Gin said. “Remind me of the count by cause of death, please.”
Ji Kang looked back at the markings on the bark. “Fifty-seven lost on the flight here, thirteen building accidents, ten killed in incidents while hunting or gathering food, forty-four poisoned by food, plant or insects, eight suicides, and one murder.”
“Seventy-six deaths since we arrived,” Gi Gin said, shaking her head. “I just hope we’ve become a lot smarter.”
“If people learn to listen and follow the rules, most of our problems would be solved,” Ji Kang responded.
Both of the leaders stood in silence, not looking at each other but not really focused on anything in particular other than their own thoughts.
“I should let you finish your preparations, Mr. Ji,” the Colony Chair said finally. “Please remind Colonist Yang that he still has a chance for rehabilitation. I’d prefer we not have to add to the death count tomorrow.”
Gi Gin turned and walked towards the front of the Security Hut, with Ji Kang following. When she saw the interior guard turn to the door, knock and say “Nanking” in a loud voice, she stopped and asked her final question of her visit.
“So how did you get all of the guards to know so much about Olympic sports history?” she said to the Security Lead.
A voice from the outside said “Platform diving” and the second voice said “2032”.
“Oh, they don’t,” Ji Kang replied. “I memorized all of our national Olympic medal winners when I was a teenager. When we got here, I thought it would make a good code since it’s hard to find the history here to study. I come up with the code for that day and go over the change in password with the team every morning.”
“A sports trivia buff,” Gi Gin said with a chuckle. “Imagine that. Have a good day, Security Lead Jang!”
Gin walked a few hundred meters from the main camp to the nearby lake, looking along the coastline. She spotted a group of people standing on a raft that was moored along the shoreline and headed off in their direction.
There were three people on the raft pulling out of the water the fish they had caught and tied to the floating log structure to keep fresh. Those three handed the catch to five others on shore who were placing the fish in long wooden troughs, knocking the occasional creature on the head if the fish was still flopping around once it hit the air. A few of those on the shore had already started scaling the fish in preparation for transfer back to the cooks.
When the Gi Gin got close enough for a few of the fishing crew to recognize, they got the attention of the rest of the team, who all stood up waiting for their guest to arrive.
“Please, everyone, don’t stop! I know we don’t have any refrigeration for the fish, and I don’t want the cooks to blame me for spoiled seafood!,” Gin said as she approached.
The crew looked to one person who nodded her head and they returned to work, albeit a bit more careful not to make too much of a mess, or converse with their co-workers as they had been a minute before.
“Good morning, Chair Gi,” said the woman who the team had looked to for direction.
“Good morning, Colonist Ruchang,” the Colony Chair replied. “It looks like quite the haul you’ve brought in here!”
“Yes, this raft group has done well,” Sa Ruchang answered. “Unfortunately this is the first catch they’ve brought in today.”
That comment made some of the crew pause, with one person glancing up with a nervous look on his face.
“More equipment problems today?” Gi Gin guessed.
“No, the equipment was fine. But we had to send them to the far shore to find anything to catch,” explained the fishing crew chief. “It seems we’ve fished out the nearby shore, and our lines aren’t long enough to catch those fish that swim away from the shoreline. So it takes time for them to paddle the raft across the lake, catch the fish, and then paddle back.”
“How long did it take them to paddle across?”, the Gi Gin asked.
“One-fourth of the morning,” Sa Ruchang answered. “We sent them out before sunrise today, since we want to get at least two trips in. The raft crew is swapping out since their energy is nearly spent between the rowing and the sun exposure.”
The Colony Chair looked across the lake. Everyone else had stopped their work and was looking at her.
“You’ve got four rafts, correct Mr. Sa?” she asked and then continued without waiting for a response. “My suggestion is to ferry groups across the lake and have them camp out near some far shore spots with good fishing. Have the people fish in the good spots, and have the rafts travel to three or four locations each day to pick up the fish those groups have caught. The people at the fishing camps can spend some of their off-hours building new rafts so they can move their fishing off-shore themselves. Each group can have three people, and the people can be rotated out over three days. That way, no one is getting stuck at the away camps for longer than two nights in a row. The rafts can bring meat and other cooked food to supplement the food that the fishing camps will find locally.”
Gi Gin turned back from the lake towards the group. One person had his mouth open in amazement. A few others were looking at each other with surprised looks on their faces. And the rest were still staring at the Colony Chair trying to ensure they understood what she had proposed.
Sa Ruchang was smiling and nodding. “There is definitely a reason our sponsors chose you as the Colony Chair, Ms. Gi. And I’m glad they did.”
Gi Gin blushed a bit. “I can only take partial credit for the idea, Mr. Sa. The hunting parties are also finding the animals nearby have either been killed or have run away, now that they are starting to learn we are their predators. Group Lead Zetian came up with the need for the hunting parties to make overnight trips. I was simply borrowing her idea and seeing how to apply it to our fishing problem. But thank you, all the same. We all have to contribute, and since you and your teams are providing us with tasty fish, I can at least provide the occasional helpful idea.”
“Thank you, Chair Gi. Your ideas are always welcome,” the fishing chief said with a small bow. “Now if you will forgive us, these fish need attention before the cooks blame us for spoiled seafood.”
“Absolutely,” Gi Gin said. “If there are any that are ready to go back to camp, I’ll gladly take them.”
“Not quite yet, but thank you,” Su Rachang answered. “Besides, each of us wants and excuse to return as we all have an appetite for lunch and hope to catch the early serving.”
Gin nodded and returned down the path along the lakeshore that she came. Looking up, she noticed the sun was nearly directly overhead and realized she herself was getting hungry. She saw a shape flying between her and the sun. Cupping her hand over her eyes to shade her vision, she noticed the bird had a large fish in its talons, and was reminded of the bird she had seen earlier that day.
By the time Gi Gin made it back to camp, teams of gatherers had returned with their late-morning collection of fruits freshly washed in the river. They were working with some of the cooks to inspect and throw out any fruits with insect bites or holes into the skin. The insects had proved to be the cause of significant food poisoning the first few weeks, causing more than a handful of deaths. It was worth the time spent to ensure a clean food supply.
Xiao Ding came walking over as Gin approached one of the cooking crew chiefs.
“What’s for lunch today?” the Colony Chair asked.
“The same as yesterday,” the cook said.
Then both the crew chief and the Colony Chair laughed, with the crew chief especially enjoying the joke.
“Don’t you get tired of that routine?” Xiao Ding asked.
“No, as a matter of fact, I do not, Mr. Xiao,” Gi Gin said giggling. “And I especially enjoy hearing Tu Ying laugh every time she answers my question, so I intend to keep it up until well past Day 88.”
For the next two hours, the Colony Chair walked in and out of the Food Canopy, greeting people as they came in from their jobs outside of camp, working alongside of the cooks to serve food or bring fresh supplies to the food tables, and joining people while they ate to ask them about their jobs, their day’s work, and their hopes for the future of the colony. Xiao Ding followed in Gi Gin’s path, contributing his own help, but letting the Colony Chair do most of the talking.
When the meal time was nearing completion, the scout party that had returned that morning could be seen approaching the Food Canopy. Gou Zing was being carried by two others of the scout party, each using one arm to support him underneath and one to balance him from behind.
Gi Gin saw them approach and motioned for the Scouting Lead to follow. They walked over to the scout party.
“I’m happy to see you, Colonist Zing!” Gi Gin said. “I had heard you were visiting the Medical Hut.”
“The best remedy for bad food is good food, Dr. Nara told me,” said the weak-looking scout. “So here I am.”
“And wherever one of the team goes, so goes the rest of our platoon,” said Pai Ming-Lei, breathing a bit heavily while carrying her ill team member.
Gi Gin smiled but did not respond to this comment directly. “Please, get some food,” she said instead. “We can talk while you are eating.”
The platoon didn’t eat nearly as much as they had that morning, but still took a surprising amount of food, especially the seasoned, cooked meat. While they were filling their food platters, the Colony Chair and Scouting Lead were talking quietly to each other, Xiao Ding shaking his head in disagreement with something Gi Gin was saying. Eventually, after more words from the Colony Chair, nodded his head once and began walking back to the scout party.
“I hope you can tell the cooks have improved the fare they are serving,” Xiao Ding said.
“Absolutely!” replied one of the scouts. “They’ve finally discovered spices, it seems!”
“They have,” Gi Gin said. “And they are starting to work on preserving some foods. We have an entire building dedicated to drying and curing meats and fruits.”
“That’s good news,” the scout said. “It will come in handy on future missions.”
“Which brings us to our next topic,” Xiao Ding said. “We know you have just returned, but we need you to head back out again. Zhang Ying’s platoon was sent east twenty-five days ago. They were to travel ten days out and return, but they’ve not returned nor have we heard from them. We’d like you to trace their route and find them. If you’ve not come across the group after ten days, you can return here for your next assignment.”
“We will certainly help,” Pai Ming-Lei said. “A quick rest and we will be on our way.”
“It would be appreciated if you could start your trip tomorrow,” Gi Gin said.
The platoon was silent, looking at each other and then at their platoon leader. Pai Ming-Lei did not speak, but simply looked at Xiao Ding.
Gou Zing finally spoke up, also looking the Scouting Group Lead directly in the eyes. “We can be ready. We don’t allow our fellow scouts to remain stranded or leave them behind.”
That woke up the others, who nodded and murmured their agreement.
“Thank you, Mr. Gou,” Xiao Ding said. “The others will be going. I’m asking you to remain here to rest up and to prepare for the next trip when the rest of the platoon returns. We’d like for your team to head up-river to try and find the source. While here, you’ll guide some of the construction crew to make a new raft – this one with oars fixed to the sides. You’ll also need to gather as many supplies as possible, as we expect this to be an especially long trip.”
Gou Zing didn’t break eye contact with his senior leader but also gave no indication of his emotion. “We need sails, not oars, Group Leader Xiao.”
“If you will allow it, Mr. Gou, I’ll take you to our animal skin drying hut,” Xiao Ding responded with a calm but confident voice. “The hunters have shot two of the flying tigers from over the lake as they were flying away with their catch. Their skins are especially large and, after removing the small amount of fur, seem to be drying quite well. If you agree, we think they could be sewn together with a few more skins to provide the best alternative to a sail until such time as we can produce proper sailcloth.”
A smile slowly broke out on the wounded scout’s face. “If that means we don’t have to trudge up-river for days on end, I’m interested. But please don’t try to placate me, Group Leader. I know I’m not at full capacity today, but give me one week and I’ll be at full strength again.”
“I’ll give you two weeks, Mr. Gou,” said Xiao Ding. “And if you aren’t satisfied with progress in preparation for the upriver trip, you can lead a group on a new expedition immediately at that point. And I’ll be the firestarter for the team.”
Gou Zing let out a loud laugh. “You had better hope your hunters have found something worthwhile, Group Leader Xiao! You’re placing a rather large bet on their skills and this alien planet monstrosity! Very well, I accept your forced convalescence.”
One of the scout members let out an audible sigh.
“Enough conversation, everyone,” said Pei Ming-Lei. “We promised to have Mr. Gou return after a quick trip to the Food Canopy. It’s time to get you back or else we risk Dr. Nara putting all of us into a forced convalescence.”
And with that, the platoon gathered together, lifted their injured team member, and went back towards the Medical Hut.
Once they were out of ear-shot, Gi Gin turned to her understudy and said “You were taking a very big risk, Ding. Why not explain how his injury requires rest and leave it at that?”
“I don’t have the same level of people skills that you have, Gin, and I’ve learned people are less likely to do as I say without pushing back,” the Scouting Group Lead shared. “I can’t have people doubting my direction any more than you can. But if they can tell I’m confident in what I’m saying, and I am able to show my statements as accurate, my reputation becomes solid enough that people will accept my direction and decision without doubt.”
“I suppose you have a point, my friend,” the Colony Chair said, standing up. “It comes down to trust in the leader. There just seems less room for error with your approach. But I should trust your methods as much as I’ve learned to trust your advice. I’d like to follow the platoon to the Medical Hut, to check on the other injured colonists. But before we do, I need to speak with the Tools team.”
They walked to the edge of the clearing where the buildings stopped and the two continued one-third of the way around the camp until they came to an extension of the open space. There, various groups of people were working with different types of wood, stone, animal skins, plant vines, and various other natural materials, creating the basic items for living and working.
Gi Gin approached the fletchers and asked one of the team to follow her. She then went over to the group chipping against stones to make knife blades and asked her to join them as well.
“Let’s take a walk, please,” the Colony Chief said as dozens of curious eyes were watching them.
“Don’t worry,” Gi Gin said once they were a few meters distant from the work area. “Nothing is wrong. I’m just hoping this can be a bit of a surprise for people. I was talking with your crew chiefs last evening and you were both recommended for this assignment. We’re at a point where people need some entertainment, and I’m hoping you can both help. I’m thinking some music would be a welcome addition to our colony at this point. We obviously aren’t ready for a symphony orchestra, but perhaps we can fashion a few basic instruments.”
Gin looked at the arrow-maker. “I was hoping you could help by carving a flute and,” turning to the woman who had been fashioning knives, “I was thinking you could make a drum. If the prototypes work out, then you can make a few dozen for people to use. I know we have some musicians in our colony, and I imagine learning to play an instrument may be an option some would prefer to try instead of just sitting around the campfire, swapping memories of Earth.”
The knife-maker looked concerned. “I’ve not made anything like a drum before,” she said.
“Your crew chief said you had made some fine looking bowls from large rocks pulled from the river. A drum isn’t much more than a cylindrical bowl with a skin across the top,” Gi Gin said encouragingly. “I understand this isn’t exactly what you’ve become accustomed to making, but I do think it important to help with the mental well-being of the colony. I understand this request might be stressful. If the instruments are successful, I can arrange to have you both in line to move into the next hut that finishes. I believe you’re both still sleeping under lean-tos, correct?”
“If that’s what it takes to get a roof over my head, I’ll create any instrument you want,” the fletcher said enthusiastically.
“Thank you!” Gi Gin said. “Take whatever tools and supplies you think might be necessary, and check in with the Sub-Group Lead Ming. I’ve talked to her about this project already, and she’ll show you where you can work on the instruments in private. Will that work?”
Both tool makers nodded their agreement.
“Great!” the Colony Chair said. “And, remember, please keep this to yourselves. It will be a great surprise when we can bring out the working instruments for the group to see and hear. Thank you.”
A fifth person approached the quartet.
“I’ll show you your new work location,” the woman said, motioning for the two newly minted instrument creators to follow.
“Thank you, Ms. Ming,” Gi Gin said. “And thanks to both of you! I’m looking forward to hearing that music soon!”
“Like I said,” Xiao Ding said when the other three had departed, “I don’t have your people skills. Most others that would have tried that would have gotten laughed at. You, however, could convince a bear to hand over it’s fur to keep someone else warm.”
“Now you’re just trying to flatter me, Ding. Save that for our turn in the Love Hut. I can use all the flattery I can get then,” Gin said, as she began walking away.
Xiao Ding’s cheeks turned a bright red when she made that comment. He hurried to catch up.
They cut across the camp, passing by numerous family huts and two of the dormitories along the way to the Medical Hut. A few people were busy sweeping out the dormitories, but it was mostly quiet as work to keep the colonists surviving was done well away from where people ate and slept.
The building they approached looked similar to the Security Hut that Gi Gin had visited earlier that day. However there were no guards posted at the door, and the additional space added onto the initial hut had a roof instead of being exposed to the sky.
The Colony Chair and Scouting Lead walked into the first hut. There were four people in the first room. A colonist was lying on a table with two people standing next to him. One was stitching a long piece of hair through a large gash, while the other was holding the ashen-faced colonist still, talking to the wounded person so he wouldn’t focus on his injury. Gin and Ding walked over to the fourth person who was grinding some leaves and water into a paste.
Gin motioned her head towards the trio.
“A hunting accident, I’m told,” the woman making the poultice said. “He tripped over something and the spear he was carrying went through the muscle in his forearm. Thankfully it didn’t hit any significant arteries and also his crew mates worked quickly to get him back here before he had a chance to go into shock.”
“Is that for him?” Xiao Ding asked, pointing to the mixture forming into a minty-smelling goop.
“Some of it will be,” the woman answered. “But most is for the other five people returning today to have their own dressings changed and have some new creme added. Well, four are stopping in today. One person is in the back room. I’m amazed that Nu Kua is still alive after she was attacked by that beast. Why they didn’t wait for it to die after shooting it out of the sky I still don’t know.”
“I’m told it landed in the lake,” Gin said. “It would have sank before it died.”
“But was it worth the cost?” the medical worker asked.
Neither of the leaders answered. Instead, Xiao Ding changed the topic slightly. “I know this poultice helps people with cuts and wounds, but have we figured out exactly what it is doing?”
“Exactly? Like in what chemicals it exudes or physiological changes it produces? No,” the woman said. “But it does make the wound close faster and results in much less permanent scabbing compared to those that didn’t get any before we learned about it. As many poisonous plants as we have around here, I have to admit there are a surprisingly large number that have positive benefits for us as well. Anyway, here I am blabbing away. You’re probably here to see Dr. Nara. She’s back with the patients, trying out a new herbal tea on one of the colonists with a high fever.”
“Thank you,” Gi Gin said, turning to go past the front room into the larger back area. “We’ll find her.”
Gin and Xiao walked through an open space with a dozen wood cots in it. About half of the cots were occupied by people with leg, trunk, or head injuries. The Colony Chair stopped to talk with a few of the occupants who were awake, checking on their condition and asking how the staff or others can help them. After conversing with the injured colonist, the pair went through a door to a final section, walking down a hall, passing six small alcoves. They found Dr. Ming Nara in the left quarantine cube of the final pair, holding a patient with one arm to help her sit up in the cot, and using the other to hold a wooden bowl to the patient’s mouth so she could take the last sip of the tea the doctor had prepared.
“Excellent, Wén! I’d like for you to rest some more, and I’ll come back in a few hours to check on you,” the doctor told her patient.
The colonist nodded and put her hands on the cot to help herself ease back as the doctor relaxed her hold on the woman.
Once the colonist was lying down, Dr. Nara stood up, walked out of the alcove and removed the mask fashioned from a small mammal skin that she was wearing. She motioned for the two colony leaders to follow her.
They walked back down the hallway, passing three other people occupying the alcoves, and paused in front of the door leading back into the patient common room.
“Your bedside manners and the way you care for your patients continues to inspire me, Dr. Ming,” said Xiao Ding.
“Thank you, Ding. And, please, call me Nara,” the doctor said.
“Your skills and your leadership position in the colony demand recognition, Doctor. I feel to not use your family name would be disrespectful,” the Scouting Lead said.
“We live in barracks, gnaw meat off bones sitting around open fires, have scheduled sex so we can populate this planet, and walked around naked for the better part of our first two weeks on this planet, Ding. I think a focus on respectful actions is still a bit out of place – with all due respect,” Dr. Nara said.
“May we save the debate of manners for a future time?” the Colony Chair said. “I’m interested in how you determined which leaves to use for a tea to decrease Xi Wén’s fever.”
The impish sparkle normally in Dr. Nara’s eyes disappeared. “I’m not proud to say, Gin, but we’re still in the trial and error phase with any of the new treatments we’re trying. Some things, like the wound cream, are known. If we’re trying to treat a different condition, we’ll first try a variation from something already proven safe for humans. Consuming the healing paste wouldn’t necessarily be useful for a fever, as the cause of the fever is likely not in the digestive system. Besides, the one time someone did eat some of the paste, they quickly vomited everything in their stomach. So at least we know we have a good regurgative agent!”
“Wén was brought here by the Principal Colonist of her dormitory after having a high fever overnight,” the doctor continued. “I’ve asked each of the dormitory leaders and work group leaders to be on the watch of people exhibiting any illness beyond a mild stomach ache or headache, since I’m still very worried about the colony being decimated by a contagious disease. We gave Wén fresh fruits and cold water, which didn’t decrease the fever that first day. I took the same leaves used in the wound paste and tried them as a tea. While not as violent as the paste, it did cause naseua and one round of mild vomiting, but no impact on her temperature. I repeated the same with all six plants we know of that have beneficial impacts on us of one sort or another. Nothing worked. She is now going on her fifth day of high fever. I’m sorry to say, Gin, but I’m pretty sure she has permanent brain damage at this point. I’m testing out new plants on her in the hope that we find something to break her fever, but it is becoming increasingly hard to get her to wake up once she falls asleep. So I predict that in the next day or so Wén will either die from poisoning by one of the plants I’m giving her, or her brain will succumb to the fever and she will pass into a coma that she will not come out of.”
At this point, tears were streaming down Ming Nara’s face.
Gi Gin reached out and wrapped her arms around the doctor. “You are making such a positive difference for so many people, Nara. You must remain strong!”
Gin pulled back slightly, but kept her hands on her colleagues shoulders. “We all know you would be solving every medical puzzle and curing everyone’s illness if you had the facilities like those on Earth. But this is a new place. A new planet! The discoveries and contributions you make here will be shared with our sister colonies once we discover each other, and you will be remembered for generations!”
“I don’t want to be remembered for generations, Gin. I just want to keep Wén from dying,” Dr. Ming said.
“You’ve restored Xi Weinma’s sight!” the Colony Chair said. “You’ve saved countless lives with the wound cream by preventing infections that would certainly fester if not treated, and the colonists have confidence that they know they will truly be looked after if they do need medical care.”
Ming Nara wiped away the tears on her cheek. “I am surprised how Wienma responded to the poultice,” she said.
“Tell us more of what happened,” Xiao Ding said, with much more empathy in his voice than before.
“When she arrived, she was still not responding to anything anyone said. She was just screaming hysterically. We thoroughly cleansed her eyes and face and completely washed her entire body, discarding her potentially contaminated clothing as well. We opted to apply the anti-venom poultice for an hour to test its efficacy towards ocular cases. While there was no immediate return of vision, she did report a significant decrease in pain. Well, actually, she finally stopped screaming. In any event, she can now differentiate between dark and light, and can identify the rough outline of shapes in front of her.”
“And what is the next step in the treatment?” the Scout Lead asked.
“We will keep her under our care until her sight returns to a point she is able to leave and care for herself or until it no longer improves,” Dr. Nara said. “We don’t have much else to try. Do you mind if we step outside? I could use some fresh air.”
“By all means, Nara!” said the Colony Chair. “I’m sorry to have cornered you like this.”
“No, I’m happy to speak here,” the doctor said. “I needed to share those feelings with someone, I’d rather my staff or patients not see me like that, and I’m afraid being out in the open there would be someone else seeing my reaction. I recognize my position in this colony, Mr. Xiao, and I realize people are counting on me, Gin. I want to do as little as possible to lessen their confidence.”
Dr. Nara took one last swipe of her cheeks, opened the door to the central patient room, and began walking towards the front. Along the way, she checked on a few of the patients.
Once outside, the doctor led the three of them along a path out of the colony buildings to a stream that fed into the river running next to the camp.
“I think we’re far enough now,” Dr. Nara said, stopping next to where the water ran over some rocks, making a happy gurgling sound. “As much as I’m saddened by what is happening with Xi Wén, I’m much more worried about a situation which seems to have exploded today. Has anyone complained about the warts to either of you.”
“Warts? No,” said the Colony Chair. “What do you mean, warts?”
The doctor took a long breath. “We’ve had people come into the Medical Hut before their shifts or after dinner for the past week complaining about wart-like growths. There were two people that came in last week and we thought nothing of it. Warts are a normal part of the human condition, despite our medical advances. On Earth, a quick laser treatment takes care of anything bothersome. Here? Well, the new power module for my laser equipment hasn’t arrived yet, so I’m telling people don’t worry about it, keep an eye on it to make sure it isn’t growing, and get on with life.”
The doctor looked around before continuing. “The first few people had one growth that concerned them. For the past four days, we’ve had one or more people coming in each day with questions about their warts. Of the six people that visited my staff in the past two days, two had multiple growths. The first person that came in last week returned this morning. He had one wart over his collar bone that first day. This morning, he had five more over his shoulder blade, and the one on the skin over his collar bone had grown noticeably larger. The second person that came in last week was sent back here by her construction supervisor, since the warts have spread from one hand to the other, and he doesn’t want others on his crew to get infected. Both of them are in the quarantine rooms in the back. And I suspect that word is getting around, as there were an additional 16 people that showed up since dinner last night, all wanting to know if the warts they have found on different parts of their bodies are the same as what other colonists have reported.”
The Colony Chair’s face combined disbelief and confusion.
“Is this normal for warts?”, she asked.
“These aren’t warts, Gin,” Dr. Nara said. “They might look like them at first, but warts don’t grow this fast. At least based on what we’ve seen from the first person from last week til today. I’ve got two of my staff out looking for the other people that came in three and four days ago, so we can compare what we saw then to what their growths look like today.”
“Is this the contagion you were fearing, Dr. Mi,,, uhm, Dr. Nara?”, Xiao Ding asked.
“I don’t know yet, but it doesn’t seem to be following a spread from one person to another,” she replied. “Again, we didn’t start really paying attention to this until two days ago when we had our third day in a row of reported cases. Luckily both people came in early and around the same time that day. It felt like a trend, so I started asking them questions. What work teams were they a part of? Did they live in a barracks, hut, or a lean-to? What foods had they eaten? Who had they had sex with? I had all that information written down and told the medical staff that if anyone else came in, they were to ask the same questions. So far, it doesn’t seem to be related to any food. It’s not a common relationship like blood. A few had sexual encounters, but most haven’t. So, with twenty-four cases there is no trend. The only thing I’ve noticed is that the people are trending towards the younger end of our colony population. But even that isn’t consistent, as we’ve had two people in their mid-thirties.”
“So how do we handle this?” Xiao Ding asked the doctor.
Gi Gin answered on her behalf. “We monitor the cases each day. If the count continues to increase after a week, we consider a limited quarantine. Of course, we still need people to gather and prepare food. But the other half of the colony can be segmented and quarantined to huts and lean-tos for a few days to determine how this is spread or what is the cause.”
Dr. Nara smiled and nodded. “Community Leadership course at the university?” she asked.
“Yes,” the Colony Chair answered sheepishly. “Required training for everyone in my program. I never thought I would apply that lesson when I took the course five years ago, but then one never knows.”
“And now?” the Scouting Lead asked.
“We complete the rest of the day as planned,” Gi Gin said. “Hiding and worrying in our huts won’t help. It also won’t help if we go back and start a panic. But I do need updates twice per day, Dr. Nara. If we continue to see the spike in occurrences, I want to address this with the entire colony sooner rather than later. Rumors and lack of information will cause panic in and of itself. While our sponsors may take a different approach on Earth, we’re not on Earth. So I need to do what’s best for the long-term viability of this colony. And having people work together is better than having people scurry away in fear.”
Xiao Ding and Ming Nara both nodded their agreement.
“So, let’s get back to camp,” Xiao Ding said.
They started going down a path, and then heard a sound completely unexpected. A winged sloth was honking as it glided between trees, causing the three colony leaders to look up just in time to see it grabbed in mid-air by a flying tiger. The winged sloth began bleating and crying as it tried to escape, with drops of blood leaving a trail like a single cloud releasing a few raindrops as it floated away.
Gi Gin’s entire body started shuddering, as the memories of the previous two flying predators mixed with her dream. The dangers of this planet seemed to be multiplying and could arrive so unexpectedly.