Jinta was set along the very edge of the bowl and it was as different from the rest of Shin as Cheyenne could imagine. The entire tribal area was set behind a thick terra-cotta colored wall. They drove through an arched passageway and came into Jinta proper.
To her right, the wall rose four stories high. Villa apartments were terraced up the wall, set back so each had it's own wide patio with a low wall, looking out over the field.
The field, to her left, was a long open lawn. A low dome was set near to the closest wall and several other buildings could be glimpse further down. The center of the field was dominated by a large natural looking lake that was too distant to make out clearly. There was even a small forested area towards the back wall.
Their guest house was on the second floor, near to the entrance. A team of healers were still busy installing a medi-tank in the master bedroom for Cheyenne's convenience. A welcoming committee of a half dozen was waiting on the patio with ice tea and snacks. They talked a long time, the kind of get to know each other talk you do in a new crowd. Capal Turik's children were grown and gone, but he and his wife had adopted most of the tribe as their grandchildren.
Shortly after lunch time a young woman named Marissa showed up with more than a dozen kids in tow. She introduced herself as one of the enrichment counselors, young people paid by the tribe to provide semi structured activities for the kids. School had just let out and the kids had heard there was a guest with children. They were heading to the lake to swim and wanted to know if James and Mackenzie wished to come along.
Mackenzie looked at the lake, longing in her eyes and then fearfully at her mother. Cheyenne knew she wanted to go but it took some coaxing. They went back and forth about swimwear. The Consortium had much more lax view on modesty and seemed to think swimsuits were optional, but rubbery swim shoes were clearly not. After some time, they promised they could find something suitable for both kids to wear and they would find shoes that would fit them as well.
"Have you two thought about what you are going to do?" someone asked Cheyenne's healers.
"I will serve this one as long as she needs," Lana said, rubbing her back affectionately. "As her care becomes less intensive, I will take cases with whatever local medical facility will have me."
"And she will stay here with me," Cheyenne added, giving her hosts a measured stare. She wanted them to know that Lana was to be part of any deal they made.
"As a master healer, any place should be honored to have you," Janda said.
"And you?"
"I've been thinking. Shin has a good university with a strong medical department," Janda replied. "I might take a class. I was thinking radiation theory."
"Radiation theory?" Lana arched one eyebrow.
"Surely you've taken all your course work?" the person asked.
"I am not completely satisfied with my score, honestly," he replied, "besides after this experience, I've seen a lot of the theory in practice. It would be an ideal time to redo the course, compare the theory to the practice. Set it in my head better."
Lana chuckled. "Do you know why I took your apprenticeship?" she asked. "I know you will make it to master healer some day, that's why. And how do I know? You got, as I recall, an 87% in radiation theory in your schooling."
"One of my lowest scores," Janda said. "I would like to raise it."
"87% in one of the hardest courses? It's a good score and most healers would be happy enough with it. Only someone driven would retake it. But I agree, after the experience we had, it's an ideal time to redo the course work. You will find you get so much more out of it, now."
"Have you thought beyond that?" someone asked.
Cheyenne and Lana both shrugged. They hadn't. Janda laughed. "I have. This one," he gestured at Cheyenne, "will be healed by then. She won't be content to sit on her laurels, mark my words. She'll take her educational potential exam and do wonderful. She'll be able to take any training she wants. So, she'll become a space pilot. The three of us will take off on many grand adventures."
Cheyenne started laughing. "Me, a space pilot?"
"I've seen your biometrics. You have the reflexes for it. And I've talk to you enough to know you've got the intelligence and drive," Janda insisted.
Cheyenne kept laughing. But in her mind she saw the Corelean pilot, an elegant woman with lush dark hair piled on the top of her head, her goggles almost constantly around her neck. She saw the two pilots on Shoshone station, the purpose in their walk. Why not? She was young. People in the Consortium lived a long time. She could be here for the kids, but take classes. And maybe someday when they were older she would be a pilot or something.
The kids came back after an hour and half. James was still in shorts and rubber swim shoes. He rambled in his excited way about the beach. It was salt water lake with coral reefs built up into small island for the kids to climb on and through. After they had swam for nearly an hour, the counselors took them to the southern edge of the lake, where a pack of semi-tame river otters lived. They had fed the otters bit of fish and petted them.
Mackenzie had taken up with two girls about her age. They were talking quietly in the corner and as Cheyenne watched them she felt better. For the first time she had real hope that Mackenzie would adjust after all.
Capal Turik announced that they should have a potluck dinner for supper, to greet their new guest. He offered to provide the main dish, tuna. He roped James and another boy into helping him go to the market to procure a suitable fish. James dressed and dashed off to ride in the transport.
"Oh, any excuse to drive that damn transport," Capal's wife said with a laugh. "And you know my husband, he'll over do it, mark my words. Come back with entire tuna. But he'll not stop to think about side dishes, grains, salads or any of that." This was greeted with knowing laughter.
"I will bring a salad," one man said. They quickly turned to a discussion of who would bring what.
Before long Capal was back. As predicted he had purchased an entire ten foot tuna fish from the nearest aquaponics facility. They sat up a table on the lawn and with the help of several men, moved the tuna over. A grill was set up. Capal would slice off steaks onto a plate and another man would take them to the grill. Slowly others were filtering out and several more tables were brought out and food piled on. Blankets were laid out on the ground and people sat to eat and talk. From scattered bits of conversation Cheyenne gathered that at least once a week someone would get it into their heads to celebrate something, and most of the tribe would potluck on the lawn and into the night.
#####
Cheyenne woke on a bed. She rolled over, trying to decide what had woke her. The sunlight streamed in the window. The kids had gone to the Jinta school, to see how they liked it. Janda had gone to interview with one of the teachers at Shin University. As soon as the others were gone, Cheyenne had enticed Lana back to the master bedroom for a long session of lovemaking. She'd fallen asleep afterwards, delighting in sleeping out of the tank. Now it must be afternoon.
There were voices in the other room, that's what had woke her. She rolled off the bed and went to investigate.
Cheyenne's mom was in rare form. She'd given up the pretext of no camera and was staring out a Skype window, snapping at Lana with a petulant, angry voice.
Lana was on the couch, talking. She looked almost in tears. She had never had to deal with one of Mom's snit fits. "Please, Mrs. Walker. I did not make your daughter..." she broke off.
A lesbian? Or Consortium? Which was worse in Mom's mind? Cheyenne shrugged the question off. She sat in front of the screen. "Mom," she barked, "lay off Lana. She did not make the decision to come here, I did."
"When are you going to come to your senses?" Mom demanded.
"No!" Cheyenne snapped back, "when are you going to come to your senses? You can't go on like this, over medicating on that crap, trying manipulate everyone. It's not going to work anymore." Her voice softened. "Mom, why don't you come? They have incredible medical technology. I am sure they can do something about your depression and anxiety. Something that isn't addictive. You can live with us, be close to the kids like you want."
"Live on a space ship?" Mom seemed taken aback. "No."
"Look, Mom." Cheyenne picked up the slate and panned around the sitting room. "It's bigger than our living room back home. And outside we have a patio and believe it or not, a field. A lake. You'd love it."
Seeing that the conversation wasn't going her way, Mom started to shut down, refusing to discuss the idea that she could come live in the Consortium and taking cheap shots at Lana again. "I'm not listening to this," Cheyenne said. "I'll have the kids call when they are done with school and activities." She shut the slate down.
Lana had her face in her hands. "Your mother doesn't like me," she muttered, the pain clear in her voice.
Cheyenne ran her hands through Lana's hair. The role of comforter usually went the other way but Cheyenne found she liked this as well. "Don't be upset, Honey. Mom's, well, she's nuts." Cheyenne sat on the coffee table and took Lana's head in her hands.
"Nuts?" Lana asked.
"She's got stuff wrong with her brain. I don't know. Maybe your tech would have a cure for it, but we don't. She takes medications but mostly they don't help much. And anyway, you don't understand Earth women," Cheyenne teased, a glint in her eye.
"I don't," Lana admitted.
"Look, if Mom liked you, I probably wouldn't. That's just the way it is some times."
Lana smiled. "It's like that here sometimes, too. I guess I just forgot." She rubbed her cheek against Cheyenne's palm. "I just like to be liked. It's hard to be disliked."
"Well I like you enough for two people, so there," Cheyenne joked, "Come'on, Silly." She led Lana onto the patio. They looked out over the field.
Mackenzie was coming towards the houses, walking with two girls her age, talking. She still looked timid and nervous, but that was to be expected.
James ran towards the lake with a boy his age. They looked like they had been friends forever, not recently met. Some of that was the age, some of that was just James's personality. A young woman marched with the boys, yelling at them to slow down, probably.
Cheyenne slid her hand into Lana's and thought of all the things she needed to do. Tomorrow was a school rest day. She'd have to take the kids to a market, get them a few things for their rooms, start making this place feel more a home. She'd have to find Capal Turik, have him introduce her to the board and start the official process of joining the tribe. And then, who knew? She'd take the educational potential exam Janda had mentioned. Maybe she would be a pilot, someday.
Visions of a new future flowing through her mind, Cheyenne rested her head on Lana's shoulder and enjoyed the idyllic scene below her.
The End
We've come to the end of the story. It's been a great experience to write and share this on Wattpad. I am overjoyed that so many people have read and voted for every installment.
Good news for those who have enjoyed this story. I am starting to post the next season, Shoshone Station now. Check it out here.
https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/80340897-shoshone-station-the-galactic-consortium-season-2
Thanks for reading!