The next day at the hospital, I again make my case for being allowed to leave, this time to go visit the Temple of Chiron. “I may not believe in prophecies, but I want to know what this one says because we might be able to use that in our upcoming planning session with the council. If that cult is an army just waiting to happen, that might feed into recruiting the voluntary defensive force we’ve talked with Xiao about. And I’d like to know what those people are thinking already so that I can retool it.”
Cleve looks like he might raise an objection, and I quickly add, “One thing’s for sure: I am not going to be at the front of that army. If the offer from Xiao is still on the table to take a boat around to the Morgan domes, then I’d like to take that option.” I give a sharp exhale of not-quite-laughter at the next thought that occurs to me. “And maybe that’s a way to entice the cult ‘army’ to mobilize—if you get to the other side, you get to see your Child of Chiron again!”
Cleve does laugh, and Marina rolls her eyes. I hold up my hands defensively. “I understand how ridiculous these things sound!” I tell them. “I’m just voicing ideas for ways to get people to do what we need them to do.” When Cleve’s laughter dies down, I sigh. “But also, I’m torn because… Checkerboard’s still locked up in that lab and…” My voice drifts off. It just makes me feel so helpless again, thinking of her there.
“I’ll make sure Checkerboard gets the treatment she needs,” Dr. Citali assures me. “I need to head back to Data Haven anyway, so I can go there and make sure everything is set up and done properly. Maybe Checkerboard saw me and will recognize me,” she says with a shrug. “I don’t know what degree of consciousness craws have when they’re under that kind of sedation.”
Thinking back over my experience with Checkerboard, I speak slowly, trying to find a way to articulate the flood of emotions and images I can recall. “I don’t know. All I got was… pain and anger… from the current time. But she definitely perceived her surroundings while she was in that tube. She had memories of things she saw through the glass, procedures being done to the other craws that were being experimented on.” Given everything that has happened lately, no one in the room bats an eye at the idea that I could see Checkerboard’s memories. “So, it’s possible she saw you and me when we stood right in front of her.”
“Maybe,” Marina agrees. “But I’ll make sure she’s okay. I want that to be one less thing you have to worry about.”
“Do you have enough sway around here to get scientists and medicine to take with you?” I ask Marina. Looking to Cleve then, I continue, “Do we?”
“Well, there are some ranger biologists who are interested in meeting you,” Cleve says. “That’s entirely up to you, though. It won’t be under the same conditions as with Dr. Gupta, for sure.” I should certainly hope not! “They’ve separated themselves from her, as far as her actions go,” he tells me. “But they may be in a position to help. They seem to be willing to trade.”
“Okay, so maybe we can get a ranger to safeguard you again on your travels,” I say to Marina. “Or… wait, the rover. We need to get that back to Tenoch.” There are some vehicles in the Garden of Chiron, but most people here don’t know how to drive, and Marina isn’t sure any rangers would. “Maybe you can find somebody else who is willing to give up the time, maybe somebody technologically-minded who is interested in going to Data Haven as part of whatever exchange happens anyway.”
“That’s a good idea,” Marina agrees.
I nod in satisfaction that this is all seeming to work out. “I think advocating for Checkerboard’s medical treatment is a completely reasonable thing for me to demand in reparation for what happened to me,” I say.
“If that’s the reparation you want, I’ll do everything I can to make sure you get it,” Marina tells me.
“All right, well then, right now I’d like to go visit a gigantic hollowed-out red temple mushroom.”
“Sure,” Cleve says agreeably. He stands and snatches his rifle up from the corner, slinging its strap over his shoulder. I don’t think he’ll be parted from it again for the rest of our stay in the Garden of Chiron.
Marina allows me to leave in Cleve’s care. She does not want to come along, and that’s just fine with me. Sal can be acrimonious at times, and the very idea of the cult gets Marina’s dander up. I don’t need those two going at each other while I’m trying to get information.