Bonnie

Bonnie had yet to receive word back from her Alliance representative, despite three days having passed since she sent out her message. The further they got from both Alliance home planets, the worse their comms would become. They had been warned of this. All messages between experiment ships and Alliance HQs were also subject to review from both races before responding. It could be a long wait yet.

Slate’s expression, murderous and furious, flickered into her vision regularly. It scared her. He was a mighty force to push back against, in all senses, and his anger was burning too intensely. It would char him inside if he couldn’t come to terms with the incident. All she could do was hope the Alliance made the right decision, and that that decision reached him swiftly.

Another long morning of paperwork wedged between endless appointments dragged Bonnie to her lunch hour by the scruff of her neck. She dashed into the communal cafeteria, no doubt in her mind that she appeared as dishevelled as she felt. The officers in the lunch queue confirmed such when they all simultaneously stepped back to invite her to cut to the front of the line. Bonnie thanked them and rushed to the counter.

Pyramids of re-usable plastic boxes displayed the options available for crew members. She plucked the top container from the vegetarian tower, thanked the cooks, politely refused a nutrition bar, was forcefully handed the nutrition bar by said cooks, surrendered to her grainy and brown-coloured fate, and retreated.

As she marched from the cafeteria back to her office, lunchbox tucked into her elbow, a familiar bob of shiny black hair bounded up from behind.

“Dr Bonnie! Hello!” Effie greeted enthusiastically.

A smile could not be dragged down with Effie’s glowing energy nearby. Bonnie allowed it to take her face captive. “Effie, a pleasure as always,” she managed to reply through a laugh.

“Are you busy? I wanted to speak to you, but your diary is so full.”

“I have time now, as long as you don’t mind me eating while you do.”

“Of course not; I am glad you’re eating well!”

“Thank you for your worry, you are a very kind soul,” Bonnie said softly.

“Oh, that’s… thank you,” Effie replied, full of awkward energy.

The same awkward energy held them in silence as they entered Bonnie’s office. She shut the door firmly so that they would not be disturbed.

Bonnie didn’t like to allow an opportunity to be wasted. If Effie wouldn’t start the conversation, Bonnie had plenty of questions for her. “How are things with Major Ellie?” she asked. She dropped into her chair and popped the lid on the packed lunch.

Effie was instantly flustered. She stumbled into the patient chair on the opposite side of the desk, eventually settling into a very uncomfortable-looking position.

“Oh, it’s fine,” she answered. Her eyes were fixated away from Bonnie’s face.

Bonnie took an enormous mouthful of salad, chewing slowly to offer some explanation time, but Effie offered none.

She swallowed and continued, “I heard you’ve been putting in a lot of volunteer time on the ward.”

“I’ve been learning a lot,” Effie offered sheepishly. She almost appeared guilty. It infected Bonnie instantly as she realised that Effie was not taking her words as cheeky insinuation.

She filled her voice with as much sincere reassurance as she could muster with a cheek full of spinach. “I’m glad to hear it. I’m very impressed with your effort to help.”

“Ellie is very brave,” Effie announced, unprompted. “And patient. She allows me to practice human procedures on her.”

Bonnie quirked a brow. “You’re using her as a guinea pig?” she teased.

“Sorry, I don’t know what that is,” Effie admitted with a wonky frown. “Is that a bad thing? Pig is rude, no?”

“Don’t worry.” Bonnie waved away any worries her student still had with her fork. “What procedures have you practiced?”

“I started a… I put in a… um… ee-vee?”

“An IV?” Bonnie supplied.

“That was it! Human skin is quite complicated. I kept getting the angle wrong because three of the words on the diagram looked so similar!” If Bonnie’s mouth hadn’t been full again, she would have taken a moment to explain intravenous, intramuscular and intradermal injection meanings. Not that she had a great deal of experience in the area of poking patients with anything but sedatives, but she had once had to learn the differences, too. Much longer ago than she cared to think about. Effie was on a chattering hot streak, and apparently didn’t notice the few seconds that Bonnie’s eyes glazed over. She focused back in on her student’s voice. “Ellie didn’t seem to mind the mistakes. Dr Nathaniel said the small holes will heal in a few days, just like Ailu’t skin.”

Bonnie laughed as kindly as she could. The pain and mutilation of the ship’s major was not funny; however Effie’s deadpan delivery of her pin-cushioning tickled Bonnie more than she could hide. “How many small holes did you leave Ellie with?” she asked through tightly pressed lips, fighting another slip.

“Three.”

“Including the final placement?”

“Oh. No. Four.”

Bonnie took a slow, constrained breath. She was a professional. She could hold back from laughing at inappropriate events if she truly tried. Her voice cracked as she said, “I am glad you are getting some practical experience.” Effie beamed at her. The shining force of it melted Bonnie’s heart into goo. “I have felt guilty that my field doesn’t allow that as easily,” she added softly.

“That’s not true!” Effie looked about ready to burst. Her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk in indignation. “I have learnt so much from you, and I have so much more to learn. I am excited for it!”

“That is very nice to hear, but I wouldn’t want to tear you away from your patient.” Bonnie kept her teasing tone light enough that Effie didn’t seem to catch it immediately. “Especially what with how fragile, dependent and…” She grinned slyly before continuing, “jacked she is.”

Effie pulled a face. “What is jack?” she asked.

“Someone with a strong body and impressive muscles.”

Effie nodded sagely. “Ah, yes. She is jack.”

“Is that why you like her?”

Effie flushed an adorable violet colour across her cheeks and shrugged. When Bonnie didn’t press her any further, she eagerly changed the subject. She sobered the cheeky atmosphere of the conversation instantly with her sincere words.

“I am sorry about Legacy; I am sure his death must have been very difficult for you.”

Bonnie nodded slowly and filled her mouth with salad to allow her a few seconds to think of an appropriate response. She had hoped they could continue to talk of light subjects, of blossoming love and Effie’s progress with human biology. Legacy’s name twisted at her gut every time it was spoken. It ruined her appetite. With an exaggerated swallow, she replied, “Thank you, I appreciate you thinking of me.”

“I heard that none of the medical staff would volunteer for the autopsy.”

Bonnie sighed. “Unfortunately, that is true.” It broke her heart anew every time she thought of him. “It is so cruel to me that he cannot even rest in death. Instead he is waiting on someone to spare him some of their time, as though he is not worth that much.” She shook her head and forced another mouthful of food.

“That’s actually what I came to see you about.”

Anticipation wiped her of etiquette, and she spoke through the spinach in her mouth. “Oh?”

“I’m qualified to perform autopsies in emergency situations,” Effie explained. “I thought that not being able to find a willing doctor to do so after more than a week counts as urgent at least.”

Bonnie dropped the plastic fork into the container. “You’re volunteering?”

Effie nodded and Bonnie’s chest tightened with overwhelming emotion. “Our head doctor signed my emergency permission forms this morning.” She pulled a folded collection of papers from her pocket and laid them onto Bonnie’s desk as neatly as she could. “You had so many appointments booked in, I couldn’t tell you until now,” she added sheepishly.

“That’s so kind of you, Effie,” Bonnie murmured. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

“You are most welcome. I agree with you, he should be allowed to complete his death. I don’t know if that translates correctly into English.”

“I understand,” Bonnie reassured her, although her eyes were on the papers. She flipped through them hoping for an English translation. “I don’t mean to seem impatient, but do you know when-”

“Tomorrow afternoon. I am getting the forms printed today for preparing myself, reporting my findings, and debriefing afterwards.”

“You will debrief your findings to an Ailu’t doctor?” Bonnie wondered if that would be yet another fight to convince a doctor to give their time even just to hear the afterword.

“No, I debrief in regard to my mental state at having opened up a dead body. It is a formality. I write down if the autopsy has brought out any emotions or distress, and then it is checked by a superior. If I say that the procedure has caused me any upset, then they are required to refer me for mental health support.” Effie scrunched her mouth to the side before adding, “I suppose to you in this scenario.”

“Please feel free to tell me if I am stepping out of line with this request,” Bonnie began carefully. Effie tilted her head. “Would you allow me to join you?”

It was selfish and undoubtedly redundant. Bonnie had a tiny, ridiculous hope that it might bring her some closure. That she may just learn of a missing piece or explanation. She had worked within her field for over a decade, the chances of there being any explanation of his mental affliction in his physical form were logically zero.

Still, Effie’s agreement was the best news she’d had in weeks.