Amy Thomson: Through Alien Eyes

“Most of your questions about the Tendu are answered in my report,” Juna said. “The important thing to remember is that Moki and Ukatonen are in a strange place, very far away from home. They feel -lost and alone. It’s going to take some time for them to adjust. I have a few requests that I would like to make on their behalf.

“The Tendu are finding their cabin too cold and too dry. Can Life Support do anything about this? They’re also homesick for greenery. Could they help out in the garden? Contact with living things would help make them feel more at home on board ship.”

The head of the Life Support division spoke. “As I recall, we set the controls for their cabin as high as they could go, given the conditions in the rest of the ship, but I’ll see what we can do about making things a little warmer. And we’d be glad to have more help in the garden.”

“There’s a couple of portable humidifiers in the infirmary,” Dr. Caisson volunteered. “And we might have a small heater as well.”

“Thank you, Louise,” the commander said. She turned to the head of Life Support. “Maria, could you raise the ambient temperature and humidity of the rest of the ship as well? I’d like Ukatonen and Moki to feel more comfortable throughout the ship. I’m sure we can all manage to cope with a more tropical environment for the sake of our guests.”

Everyone smiled. Survey ships were generally on the cold side, something everyone complained about.

“Thank you, Commander,” Juna said. “That will be very helpful.” Not only would the Tendu be more comfortable, but the crew would have a reason to be grateful to them.

The commander continued. “I also want everyone on board to access Dr. Saari’s report on the Tendu. They are going to be our shipmates for several months; I think we should make an effort to understand them. Are there any more questions?”

“Dr. Saari, the Tendu’s inability to speak may cause some communications problems, especially when we get back home. How can we solve this?” It was Dr. Maass, one of the two Alien Contact specialists sent along to help with the Tendu.

Juna suppressed a surge of resentment. She didn’t need any help with the Tendu, and if she did, an Alien Contact specialist was the last person she’d turn to. A-C people tended to be extremely long on theory and very short on practical experience. Most of them resented her because she was a biologist, not a trained A-C specialist.

“That’s a good question, Don,” she replied. “I’m afraid I don’t know yet. The A-C team will need to discuss that.” She smiled at him, hoping her hostility didn’t show.

“Dr. Saari?” a voice spoke up hesitantly. It was the head of the Maintenance staff, a shy, mousy woman whose name Juna kept forgetting. “Some of my crew have mentioned that they would feel more comfortable if the Tendu wore clothing.”

“Thank you, Jeanne,” Don said, “That’s just the kind of feedback we need. It helps to know what makes people on board ship feel uncomfortable about the Tendu. That way, we’ll have some idea what problems people on Earth will have with Moki and Ukatonen. Not,” he said, seeing Juna sitting forward, about to interrupt, “that I think we need to turn the Tendu into imitation humans, but I think that Ukatonen and Moki need and want to know what bothers us.”

Juna sat back, pleased and relieved. Perhaps she could work with this A-C specialist after all. “You’re right, Dr. Maass, we should schedule some feedback sessions with the ship’s crew, in order to help us prepare the Tendu for Earth.”

“That’s a very good idea, Dr. Saari,” Commander Suss-man agreed. “You and Dr. Maass and the Tendu should discuss this and present something at our next staff meeting. Are their any more pressing questions?” She looked around, but no one spoke up. “In that case, thank you all for a good and useful meeting.” The commander gathered her papers together and stood.

Dr. Maass came up to Juna as she was leaving the meeting.

“I wanted to thank you for backing me up in there,” he said.

Juna shrugged, “It was a good idea. I’m glad you suggested it. I appreciate your help-. It must be hard for you, having to leave Tiangi to escort us to Earth.”

He shook his head. “Jen and I volunteered to come with you.”

“You left a whole world full of Tendu behind, just to study two Tendu?” Juna asked in surprise.

“Two Tendu, and you, Dr. Saari. You’re the one who made contact. You know things that none of the A-C specs on Tiangi know. I wanted the chance to learn from you.”

“You’re very kind, Dr. Maass, but the Tendu did most of the work,” Juna told him.

“I’ve watched you with the Tendu,” he said. “When you’re with them, you change— you become almost a Tendu yourself. I think that’s what enabled you to succeed.”

“Perhaps,” Juna said. She looked down, embarrassed by his praise. “But it isn’t easy.”

“Real contact never is,” he replied.

She looked up again, meeting his eyes. “No, it isn’t.”

Juna sat in the cafeteria, a cup of vile Survey coffee cooling slowly in front of her. The meeting had gone well. The crew seemed willing to accept the aliens. And Don had surprised her with his interest in her ability to work with the Tendu. That was encouraging, but Ukatonen was already in a decline, and Moki was worried. How was she going to help them adapt to life on board ship?

“Hey, Juna!”

Startled out of her brown study, Juna looked up. It was her lover, Bruce Bowles, a technician with the Survey. Juna had fallen in love with him on Tiangi. She smiled, slipped her fingers through his, and kissed him.

“You looked like you were going to stare a hole through that bulkhead. Is Moki all right?” he asked, sitting beside her. Bruce was fond of the little Tendu and tended to worry about him.

Juna shook her head. “Actually, it’s Ukatonen I’m worried about now. He’s depressed, homesick. I can’t blame him, really. It’s a big change for them. I miss Tiangi too.”

Bruce’s hand tightened on her shoulder. “I know,” he said, “but you’re home now, Juna. You’re back among your own people again.”

Juna nodded, but she remembered how connected she felt, living among the Tendu. Even though she was among her own people, she missed that sense of belonging.

“Earth to Juna, can you read me?” Bruce said.

“What?” Juna said, coming out of her reverie.

“You looked a million miles away.”

Juna smiled ruefully. “I’m sorry Bruce.” She looked down at her cold cup of bitter coffee. “Let’s go somewhere quiet. I can’t hear myself think.” It was a feeble excuse. The galley, between shifts, was almost empty.

“My place or yours?” Bruce said, taking her hand.

Juna looked up at him, “Yours, I think. Less chance of being interrupted.”

Juna rested her head against Bruce’s shoulder, feeling the sweet relaxation that followed good sex. Being with Bruce was good, but it would never take the place of allu-a. Linking seemed to satisfy a different desire than sex, less urgent perhaps, but no less important to her now. She could live without allu-a, she supposed, but it would be like losing the ability to see the color blue. She was glad that the two Tendu had come with her. It would have been impossible to give up both Tiangi and linking.

Ukatonen slowed to a walk just before the entrance, letting Moki hurry on ahead. They were late for their first day of work, but it would not do for an enkar to be seen hurrying. The humans could wait a moment or two longer. His ears flattened back against his head and his skin paled to beige in disgust as he thought of the humans’ obsession with clocks. Imagine living your life under the command of a dead thing! A cloud of olive-grey resignation passed over his skin. It was yet another thing to get used to.