Earth Star(90)

‘Judging from your expressions, Jarra has told you …’ Playdon looked at me for confirmation, and I nodded.

He found a spare cushion and sat down to join us. ‘In which case, you’ll want to know how this affects you as a dig team. I’ll replace Jarra as soon as we’re back at Eden. Fian will have three choices. He can drop out totally to stay with Jarra, he can be tag support for the new team 1 tag leader, or he can run a heavy lift sled.’

‘That’s not fair!’ Krath stood up and interrupted him. ‘You can’t just instantly replace Jarra. The rest of us can wait until she’s better.’

‘Please sit down, Krath,’ said Playdon. ‘If I delay doing this, if Jarra knows the rest of you are sitting and waiting for her to get back in an impact suit, it would just keep piling on the pressure. You’ve all seen the state she’s driven herself into over the last few days. Give her some peace to unwind, relax, decide for herself what she can handle and when.’

He gave that evil smile of his. ‘The main Asgard Pre-history degree course has a lot of optional subsidiary courses. I’ll sign Jarra up for one of those to keep her busy in the mornings. I want her to do some remedial work on the mathematical areas of the course as well. I’ve noticed she keeps avoiding the mathematical methods of analysing history.’

I groaned.

‘You can sign up both of us for a subsidiary course,’ said Fian. ‘If we get someone like Krath as tag leader, I don’t want to be anywhere near the dig site.’

‘Fian,’ I said, ‘you don’t have to …’

‘Shut up, Jarra,’ said Fian. ‘I’m stubborn, remember.’ He turned to Playdon. ‘You’ve met this problem before?’

‘Several times, though the triggering accidents were different. Magnetic hazards are thankfully extremely rare. You might like to talk to Rono. He’s been through this himself.’

‘Rono?’ Fian echoed the name in a startled voice. ‘I didn’t know.’

Playdon stood up. ‘It’s no secret. He wouldn’t insist on keeping that scar of his if it was.’

‘I’ve always wondered why he had the scar,’ I said. ‘It was from the accident?’

Playdon laughed. ‘Not exactly. Rono got the scar when he came out of hospital and Keren punched him. Newly regrown skin is delicate, so …’

I stared at him, totally grazzed.

‘Several of the dig site professionals have had difficulties after serious accidents,’ continued Playdon. ‘Cassandra 2 were very concerned for Stephan after his injury, but he seems unaffected. You can’t predict these things. I was prepared for trouble after Jarra’s leg was burned, but she had no problem at all then.’

Playdon wandered off to chat to one of the Earth teams and I gave Fian a bewildered look. ‘Keren punched Rono? Why?’

He shrugged. ‘Why not? I’ve felt like strangling you more than once.’

Krath gave a sigh of depression. ‘It’s not fair to replace Jarra,’ he said again.

‘Lecturer Playdon is acting in Jarra’s best interests,’ said Dalmora.

‘Well, of course you’d be on his side,’ said Krath. ‘You’re … ouch!’ He gave a reproachful look at Amalie. ‘Why did you hit me?’

Amalie just shook her head at him. Fian gave them an odd look and hastily spoke himself.

‘Playdon’s doing the right thing. Jarra pushes herself hard enough, without anyone else adding pressure.’

‘Well, I’m not stealing Jarra’s spot as tag leader.’ Krath threw his empty Fizzup cup in the direction of the nearest waste bin and missed.

‘That’s a relief,’ said Amalie. ‘You’d be a menace.’

Krath got up with exaggerated weary movements, put the cup in the bin, and sat down again. His lookup chimed, he looked at it and groaned. ‘My dad keeps sending me mails complaining about me being in Ark. He says staying here is pandering to Military propaganda.’

‘How does he expect you to leave?’ asked Fian. ‘Earth is in portal lockdown. You’d have to dig your way up through solid granite.’

‘My dad’s got no sense,’ said Krath. ‘It’s embarrassing to think I used to believe all the stuff he told me, and even help with his nardle vid channel.’

I pulled a sympathetic face. ‘My ProDad is awful too.’

‘I’m really lucky with both my parents,’ said Amalie. ‘When we’re out of Ark, I’ll need to ask Playdon if I can go home for a few days. I’ve just heard my oldest brother has been accepted for Colony Ten and I want to see him before he leaves.’