Marina begins sketching out plans for launching a new research initiative here in the Garden of Chiron while also seeing to Checkerboard’s needs. I trust Marina to take care of Checkerboard. She saw with her own eyes the condition that poor craw is in, and she took samples herself from the other maltreated creatures in that lab. She knows the most about what happened there. And she’s an accomplished scientist; she’s demonstrated that many times over.
Her plans include taking one of Dr. Gupta’s assistants to the Progenitor facility. That way, they’ll get trained up in the particulars of Checkerboard’s treatment and can handle any of her additional needs if she has to be relocated to the Garden of Chiron. Because Marina herself is ultimately bound back for Data Haven, to continue her work as a liaison there. She has further research plans there that involve me, but when I’m non-committal, she asks, “Aren’t you going back to Data Haven?”
I shrug. “I don’t know when I’ll be back there.”
Marina looks to the man at the sewing machine. “Aren’t you Datajack Prime now, Cleve? Don’t you two have to—”
“Cleve is Datajack Prime,” I emphasize. He’s tied himself to Data Haven. I haven’t.
“Yeah,” Cleve replies. “So?”
“Where are you headed after this?” Marina asks.
“I guess that depends how the council meeting goes,” Cleve says.
“Xiao will take us to the domes via the sea route, regardless of that,” I point out.
“But once the war is over, are you not going back to Data Haven?” There’s a note of alarm in Marina’s voice.
“I don’t know what the lay of the land will be once this is all sorted out,” I tell her, with all honesty. “If Morgan’s machine is disassembled, there will be a lot of rebuilding that needs to be done in the domes. So, no, I don’t know when I’ll be back at Data Haven. Not if Fritz and Louisa need help restoring order.”
Marina has met and talked with Louisa, but she questions the other name. “Fritz is another one of the resistance fighters?”
“Fritz is… a labor organizer. I think that’s the term he uses.” Marina’s looking at me intently, and I feel like I owe her an explanation—but not the one about why I really want to see Fritz. “Marina, I don’t know when I’ll be back at Data Haven again. They don’t really need me there. Fritz probably does. And I’ve helped you and your people as much as I can. I am never going to fit in here,” I tell her, my broad gesture indicating the Garden of Chiron. “And I haven’t yet worked out where I will.” Marina deflates at this news. She’s been trying to recruit me to the Stepdaughters of Chiron ever since we met, but that dream is over now. “Can you at least understand why I’m not comfortable here?”
Marina nods sadly. “You’ve been through some incredibly traumatic things here. So I don’t fault you for… for not feeling welcome. We’ve done a terrible job right from practically your first day in the Garden of Chiron.” She lets out a sigh, a mix of sorrow and frustration.
“I’m not saying I can’t have friends among the Stepdaughters of Chiron,” I tell her. “I’m not saying we can’t continue to work together on things.” And though I say it as a reassurance, she probably takes it as twisting the knife. “But, yeah, I am saying that I’m not applying for citizenship or settling down here.”
That terminology catches Cleve’s attention. “I’m not abandoning Data Haven, if that’s what you’re asking,” he says. “I’m not saying we’re going straight back but, what, are you recruiting?”
Marina waves away the question. “No, just… I… It would be good to see you—both—again.”
Cleve holds up both hands, fingers twisted together on each. “Well, fingers crossed, we’ll be back there again.” The rest he mutters behind his ragged mustache. “Depends on how the council meeting goes. And the war.”
Marina centers herself and continues with more self-assurance, “After healing Checkerboard, I will probably head back to Data Haven. There’s still a lot of work to be done there. But as you said, it depends on how the war shakes out. You’re right though; we’ve done a terrible job of being a host to both of you here. That we have an alliance at all still is a bit of a miracle.”
“Do you want to set up a permanent lab in Data Haven?” Cleve asks, reaching for his own notebook.
“Yes, it would be good for the Stepdaughters to have a permanent setup there,” Marina says. “More or less make my space there permanent. I’m sure we can continue to provide medical services in exchange for some computational support.”
“That can’t be bad,” Cleve murmurs, scratching down some notes. Looks like the makeshift medical center will be expanded into a full-on xenobotany research station.
“Since you’re taking the rover back, you’ll have space to bring more scientific equipment,” I point out.
“Right, right. I still have to find someone who can drive… Maybe one of the planetfallers.”
Cleve glances at the clock on Marina’s wall and snaps his notebook shut. “Well,” he says with finality, “we’ll reconnect after the council meeting so that we can coordinate based on whatever plans the Stepdaughters of Chiron have in mind for this impending march of Morgan doom.”
Marina looks down at her cup of Chiron-coffee, a million thoughts swirling behind her eyes, and I leave her to consider them privately. It’s time to finally have that much-delayed meeting.