Space-Vet
This is an experimental collaboration, my ideas and words, Claude’s caustic critique (unseen, but there ‘neath the floorboards).
Six iterations: ~100 words in chunks—write a bit, get torn to shreds, fix and add the next 100.
“Your niflic looks like it’s got a broken leg.” I peered into the face of a young boy holding a furry creature—tiny green eyes, brown silky fur, six spindly legs shaking nervously, and saw not a little shame there. “Your buddy have a fall, perhaps?”
The boy, a recent immigrant offloaded from one of the cryo-sleeper ships bringing in a constant stream of folk to help populate this newly terraformed Earth-equivalent, wouldn’t meet my gaze. I sighed. Maybe just an accident, this time.
“Well, you bring your friend into the examining room and we’ll give him a looking at.”
“She’s a girl-girl hybrid.”
“Ah, yes, a dimorphic female. Well, maybe she’s having trouble walking because she’s pregnant. They get that way when they’re carrying pups.”
The boy nodded so fast his loose-fitting knit cap fell off behind him. “Sorry.”
“No sorry necessary, young man. You go on ahead and I’ll grab that.”
I ushered him forward, stopped and fetched the cap. Within it the inner label read: “Galactic Family Transfer #KX8122. First: Rory, Last: Klausen.”
I closed the door, motioned for the boy to lay the niflic onto the composite examining table, and handed him the cap. “Rory your name?”
The boy shook his head. “My brother’s.”
“Is he going to join you here?”
Another shake, this time with a forearm swipe across his nose. “I wear it to remember him.”
“I see. Well, that’s a nice warm cap. It’ll keep you cozy now that you’re one of us.” The boy looked skeptical so I explained, “A Jorenian. You’ll get used to it.”
The boy shrugged and returned the cap to his head.
“Now, do you and your niflic have names?”
“She’s Quinny and I’m Riker.”
I gently eased my hands onto the trembling body of the niflic. “OK, Quinny, let’s see what you’ve got wrong with your leg.”
With deliberate motions I tested each leg, moving it in its natural gait. One felt a bit puffy and the niflic squirmed when I rotated it within its joint. I moved on to carefully probe its body, moving its head in circles, its eyes following my face as my manipulation continued. Its belly was indeed swollen and I glanced at Riker whose anxious look gave me confidence that the boy cared.
Some swelling had occurred on the niflic’s middle right leg so I wrapped it. “Good news, Riker, your friend’s legs are not broken. One’s sprained and, here, come feel this…”
Riker held up his hand which I guided to the underside of the creature. “Feel those lumps, just there?” I said, maneuvering his hand to the niflic’s rear belly. “Quinny is going to be a mom here soon.”
The boy’s grin got me smiling too.
“Go ahead and lift her up, keep one hand beneath and let her snuggle into your jacket. That’s right.”
I spun Riker around and led him to the receiving room. Three other immigrants were waiting, two with native animals and one, a tall, grizzled fellow, who stood by the door.
“She’s alright, Pa,” Riker said, walking up to the man. “And, the doctor said she’s gonna have pups.”
“It’s pregnant?” The big man groaned. “What’s the cost?” he said, rubbing the stubble on his face. He wore heavy boots and the overalls of a machinist, a cogwheel patch on his chest.
“Spacer Klausen?” I asked reaching to shake his hand.
He considered my offering. Decided for it. “Karl, I work as a mech-tech,” he said, shaking my hand. He gave the boy a nod. “How much?”
I cleared my throat. “Each non-farming family gets a few visits free.” I knelt to pet the niflic one last time. “Your son’s pet is in good hands, yeah, Riker?”
The boy nodded quick again, his cap slipping around his head. Karl Klausen screwed it down tight.
“Stop by in another week or two, so I can check on her. Quinny has about four weeks to go. Send a comm when she goes into labor. And one last thing,” I straightened and looked hard at Karl Klausen, “you don’t want her outside during this time. The scent niflics give off during birth lures a number of the planet’s predators.”
Riker gasped.
I reassured them. “Keeping her inside would be best. You’ll be fine.”
Karl grasped my shoulder. “What are you not telling us?”
“You were issued the defense weapons, right? Keep them loaded.”
~ ~ ~
#aliens #cryo #KX8122 #sleepShips #veterinarian