"When a person has been starved for a long period of time, the heart can be weakened and can fail. There'll be no warning if that's the case."
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Chapter 32
Monday, August 26, the day after the Director's meeting. William shipped up a beginner sling that had no weaponry and no time-travel. Kashmira had no concept yet about the world, the atmosphere, what was beyond the atmosphere, and what the dangers might be from depressurization. Nor did she have any concept of speed. Granny gave her initial instructions and then flew around in the sky with her.
On Tuesday, Doc took Kashmira on a field trip to Mount Everest as part of a lesson on what cold weather was. She showed no interest in flying quickly. If anything, she was flying too slowly and could be overtaken by a grossly overweight albatross.
Doc introduced invisibility on Wednesday. This scared her. Kashmira equated invisibility to being lost inside the spirit world. Thanks to her paterfamilias, she thought the spirit world existed and it was full of demons and monsters. Doc managed to calm her down by disabling her sling and having her step out onto the deck while he stayed in the galley.
"Can you see me?" he asked.
"No."
"Does not being able to see me scare you?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Cause I know you're there."
"How do you know I'm here?"
"I can hear your voice."
"Why can't you see me?"
"The ship's wall is blocking my view."
That allowed Doc to introduce invisibility as just a way to block a person's view. Mind messaging was just a way to talk so that other people couldn't hear. They weren't in the spirit world when they were invisible; they were just using something like a piece of wood to block other people's view and some other barrier to block other people from hearing them when they talked quietly to each other.
Several weeks earlier, Granny had explained to Kashmira why the ship was able to fly through the air. Copters could, why not a sailing ship? This allowed Doc to introduce the idea of an invisible flying sailing ship and she didn't question it. Having no knowledge of science whatsoever, Kashmira did not understand that an invisible flying sailing ship and mind-messages playing inside a person's brain were inventions that nobody else in the world could even conceive of let alone produce.
[Narrator: This was how all of us fourth generation children reacted to slings, invisibility, and flying ships. Everything in the world was new and magical to us. Our parents and grandparents considered William's inventions as normal. So we did too. It was only when we ourselves began to learn the basics of science, and when we saw how the rest of the world lived in their own restricted science, did we even begin to appreciate William's genius.]
Being high in the sky in her sling didn't bother Kashmira. But her unconcern about that height did bother Doc. As did her reluctance to always wear her sling. It itched. She had no concept of how high they were in the ship and how dangerous that might be. At this stage in her education, she had no idea about gravity. Doc fixed that by having her step into his sling with him. He flew a short distance away from the ship, told her to hold his hands, and warned her that he was going to turn off the sling now. Naturally that meant nothing to her. It did mean something when their feet-first fall through the sky was accompanied by a loud whistling noise and a rapidly approaching ocean.
Doc was planning to use her grip on his hands to tell him when she was scared. That strategy didn't work so well. Before he could react, she had abandoned the grip on his hands and had a death grip around his head, her feet swinging like a pendulum below. Doc went into a hover.
"I didn't mean to scare you that badly. I'm sorry."
She continued to shake.
Doc moved his arms under her butt to support her. "I had to show you what it would be like if you fell off the ship and you weren't wearing your sling. You'll be safe if you always wear your sling."
Kashmira's shaking improved to trembling.
"Will you wear your sling from now on?"
"Yes."
"Even when you sleep."
"OK."
"You should get down off me now."
"No."
Doc could feel her peering around. He wasn't absolutely sure because his view out of the sling was obscured by a female body. Kashmira had been trying to stand on top of his head at the point he went into the hover. Now her head was above his and what was pressed up against one side of his face was something that should not be pressed up against one side of his face, regardless of how sexually undeveloped she might be.
"You should get down now."
"Not yet."
...
"We're still high in the air, aren't we Doc?"
"Yes, we are."
"We could have fallen much more before hitting the ocean."
"Yes. We were in no real danger. Time for you to get down." Doc unclasped her arms and peeled her off him. "Back to the ship now?"
"Is the ship sailing very high?"
"No, not very. We're high enough that we're above the clouds and won't be rocked around by heavy winds if a storm came up."
"The slings can go higher than the ship?"
"Yes. But if we go too high, it would be dangerous. We would have difficulty breathing. That would be a very bad thing. Back to the ship?"
"Can we do it again?"
"Do what again?"
"A very, very high dive."
"You can't climb up on me like that again. I'm a man, remember."
"You wouldn't attack me. Can we?"
So they did. Several times. And even though Kashmira was supposed to stay on her own feet, she inevitably jumped up on Doc and clasped him in a death grip. He considered it as a four-limbed hug and unpeeled her at the end of each dive.
"That was fun," she bubbled when Doc insisted that they had to return to the ship now. "Thank you, Doc." She held his hand all the way back.
Granny saw the hand-holding as they landed. How come I don't get to hold hands with you when we fly?
It's a long story.
Do you want to pray for forgiveness now or after you confess?
This was the end of Kashmira's reluctance to fly quickly. It was also the point at which Doc turned on her sling's automatic safety measures in case she lost consciousness from any sky diving descents.
# # # # # # # #
On Friday morning, Doc suspended school. During the day, Kashmira helped Granny bake goodies for the three guests who would be coming on Saturday – Stu, Momaka, and Mathias. Granny told Kashmira that Momaka and Stu were helping with the operation to defeat her father. Both of them would be staying in the ship with them from now on. This weekend, Momaka would tell them how the operation against her father was going.
Granny didn't say that Momaka was staying with them so that she could assist if Kashmira showed any emotional distress over what had happened in her life. Right now, from Doc's perspective, Kashmira was showing no emotions about it at all.
Doc had explained to Kashmira that she wouldn't be so tired if she ate more at her meals. They encouraged her to add a little more to her plate each day. They found an old bathroom scale (thanks to Winnie) and began a routine of weighing Kashmira each morning. Charting the weight became a math activity and they set a goal of adding 1 kg to her weight each week.
Kashmira agreed to all of this, but the amount that went from the plate into her mouth remained the same. She insisted that she was too full to eat more. Granny pushed the limit on Wednesday and ended up washing the deck around Kashmira's chair. Doc had to carry Kashmira into the bedroom and stay with her. Kashmira's stomach didn't settle down until the next morning.
Momaka was also coming to the ship so that she and Stu could help with the cooking. Perhaps they could make food that packed more nutrition. Perhaps desserts? Desserts were fattening; Kashmira needed some fat. She liked chocolate; perhaps she'd acquire a taste for Stu and Momaka's chocolate
delicacies. Doc alerted both Stu and Momaka to the threat of the rebellious tummy. Meanwhile Granny was injecting some heavy-duty vitamin supplements into Kashmira's thigh daily, again part of dealing with her being so tired. To this point, Kashmira's weight hadn't budged. Neither had the time of day that she would trudge down the hall to the bedroom each night after dinner.
I should tell you something about Winnie's activities now. Winnie had been helping Lucas develop his rescue plans for the Safe Haven gang members and she would continue to be busy with that. However, she would also be spending time in the Philippines. Her duty there was to impersonate Kashmira. She'd ensure that El Patrón's guards would catch fleeting glimpses of Kashmira in her shiny coloured skirts, but always at a distance. Grannie invited Winnie to stay at the ship and help with Kashmira but Winnie claimed that she couldn't and pleaded a heavy work schedule.
Mathias was back to flying the jumbo transports. Both he and Reese would be working on Lucas' operations too and would be very busy with the jumbos.
# # # # # # # #
Saturday morning. Stu and Momaka had already arrived and were now in the galley. Kashmira was standing outside on the deck, waiting for Mathias to arrive. He had messaged her that he was five minutes out. Instead of landing in front of her, Mathias landed behind her, tapped her on her shoulder, and asked, "Guess who?" Kashmira turned around, saw nothing, and was about to resume her scrutiny of the sky when Mathias' face appeared floating all by itself in the air. "Hi," it said.
Kashmira squealed and jumped in the air. Several times in exuberance, even. "Hi," she said after regaining her lady-like decorum. "How did you do that?"
Mathias began what would have been a long, technical explanation of the structure of the sling and how the invisibility components could be de-selected if.... When Kashmira waggled her two hands in front of Mathias' face, he turned the invisibility component off completely. Kashmira grabbed both of his hands. Mathias didn't resist.
"I know a new game," she bragged. "We have to be in the same sling for it to work."
# # # # # # # #
The chocolate delicacies had been baked, stored in air proof containers, and frozen. Supper was cooking. The four adults had shared all that had to be shared about Kashmira. Two of them had shifted their attention to other members of the family and what they were up to, including how Lucas' operation was going.
"He has two operations?" Granny asked. "I only knew about the operation for the gang members."
"He's also pursuing a basketball player who is now back in Toronto for the fall semester," Momaka said. "Winnie says that he's treating it like a military operation."
"Eeww. How's that going for him?"
"Not well."
"She doesn't like marching and saluting?"
"He plans it like a military operation, but that's not what it is. He's been showering her with little trinkets and other signs of interest."
"Ooh. Well done, Lucas. Was that his idea?"
"We believe so. Dreamer says she's not involved. Winnie is only reporting what's happening, not helping."
"The basketball player is not responding?"
"She told him that she's not interested in people of his sexual orientation."
"Ooh. How'd he take that?"
"Lucas has always liked a challenge."
At this point, Granny and Momaka's conversation was interrupted by two reverberating snores. They turned to look and saw Doc and Stu, their heads against the headrests of the sofa, mouths gaping open, obnoxious noises erupting from those mouths simultaneously.
"Ignore them," Granny said. "What is Lucas going to do?"
"Nobody knows."
"Is Winnie taking bets yet?"
"We're all waiting to see what outcome she's backing. Also the odds."
"Theo and Nary?"
"In love. They emerge for air only when they have a basketball practice."
"Submarine rides?"
"Yup. Heavily booked in advance."
"How's that affecting you and snore-baby? You've lost your sub."
"Bob has become remarkably accommodating to us sleeping in the same bed."
Granny gave Momaka the old eyebrow waggle question.
Momaka gave her the same signal back along with an affirmative nod.
"How's the pregnancy going, Stu?" Doc's voice interrupted the feminine eyebrow communication system.
"My back has been killing me," Stu complained. "I sit down in a soft chair like this and can't get up."
"Does Momaka help you up?"
"Nah. She's more interested in gossiping about people in the family. It's like I don't even exist."
"When are you due?"
"Couple of months."
"At least you don't have morning sickness any longer."
"True. But I'm worried about the stretch marks. Do you have some sort of cream that can prevent that? I'd hate to ruin my bikini look."
"Can't do much about that. You're looking remarkably flat though. Hardly a bulge at all."
"I try to stay fit, you know.... but the back. It's hard to cope without sounding like a whining woman."
"What's the baby's gender?"
"Boy."
"Do you have a name for him yet?"
"Dumbass."
"I like that. Short. Masculine. Popular name for a guy. Are you sure about the gender? It wouldn't be too good a name if you had a girl."
"Yeah. Definitely a male. Gender was the first thing that William asked for when we requested his help having a baby. That's the only thing he's controlling. The rest will be up to our genes. We visit the gestation basket from time to time. It's fascinating to watch the development."
"Mathias and Kashmira are coming in now," Granny warned. "Dumbass? As a first name? Really?"
"Momaka and I are still negotiating about that."
"Good luck with that, Dumbass," Momaka challenged.
"See, Stu. I told you Dumbass was a popular male name."
# # # # # # # #
Saturday night. Kashmira was not willing to try Stu's chocolate goodie for dessert. She was already full and the memory of what had happened the last time she eaten too much was still fresh. "Can you save it for me?" she asked.
Kashmira was starting to nod off as the others began the dessert, so Granny swept her up into her arms and carried her down the hallway.
"She was sound asleep by the time I put her on the bed," Granny reported when she returned. "What were you guys doing this afternoon?" she asked Mathias. She added an edge to the question.
"We flew a kilometer or two off the starboard side," Mathias said. "She wanted to do feet-first high dives, so we did. We did some head first ones too. Afterwards, we came back to the ship, sat on a spar, and talked. She wasn't walking or running."
(Mind-message from Stu to Doc.) She'd have been excited though. Jumping up and down. Plus head-first dives require getting into a clinch first. Lots of hugging. Are you worried about that, Doc?
I don't care about the hugging. It's good for her to have affection in her life. I am concerned that even that level of excitement wore her out.
# # # # # # # #
For Sunday breakfast, Kashmira had her boiled egg and her chocolate goodie. She had one bite of a fresh banana and declared herself full. Doc suggested that Momaka give her briefing report at that point since Kashmira still had energy, so they all sat around the kitchen table with its empty cups and bowls. Kashmira put a Monty-the-python grip on Mathias' right arm. He looked a question at Granny and she nodded her approval.
Momaka began. "As far as your father knows, you are living on the street and making a living by being a prostitute. You are submitting your profits to the paterfamilias as a way to buy your music machine. Each Monday, he takes those profits to your father and shows them to him. He has done that twice now – August 19 and 26. He will do it again tomorrow, September 2. Your profits are rising, however the amount is still very small. Your father has ordered the guards to try and find where
you are working. They haven't been trying too hard because some of them like you. Right now, your father is unconcerned. Does it bother you that you are apparently living the life of a prostitute?"
"No."
"I myself am pretending to be the boss of a Japanese gang that is trying to extend its business into Maasin City. I haven't told anybody in the city yet what I'm doing, but the word that I'm here has spread. There's only one reason why I'd be here – to extend my business. Depending on what crime business I decide to go into, your father may become concerned. Right now, he probably feels secure. He owns the loyalty of all the important Guardia and politicians."
Stu took over. "As a member of Momaka's crime family, I have been using a lawyer from Manila to buy up land and buildings near the cathedral. When I can't buy the land, I buy the leases to the buildings. We're focusing on land around the cathedral because that is the oldest part of town and many of the buildings are run down and empty. The Manila lawyer has bribed all the local officials so that they'll give approval. Some of them have undoubtedly told your father what I'm doing. He is probably planning on letting Momaka start her new business before taking it away from her. All he'd need to do is have a politician declare our buildings unsafe. There is no visible link between us and you."
"Any questions?" Momaka asked.
"Can I have my music machine?"
"Not yet. It's too risky. I'd like to hear you sing though."
"I need the machine."
# # # # # # # #
After lunch, Doc suggested that Kashmira show Mathias some of the bots she had been studying. Perhaps he could help her with some of them. Years ago, William had made a cable that would allow two people to connect both of their minds to one bot. They had several of those cables in the hold of the ship. They could use the sofa in the living room to sit in, but they'd have to sit close to each other. Would they mind?
Granny: What are you doing putting them together like that?
Doc: I'd have thought that she'd enjoy singing even if she didn't have the machine. Turning down a chance to sing is a yellow flag. I don't know if she's upset by the briefing or not. If the briefing did upset her, then cuddling on the sofa with Mathias will help her settle down.
Momaka: They've obviously done this before.
Doc: Good. Having too much anxiety or stress in her life will weaken her. Mathias is good for her.
Stu: He appears to enjoy it too.
Doc: Let's leave them alone. Mathias knows we're sitting here invisibly. What time did she wake this morning, Granny?