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Wrecker helmed the watercraft around the rocky outcrop of a small island, navigating towards one of their favorite fishing holes. He and Ada had borrowed their friend Lindy’s fishing boat and were drifting around the uninhabited archipelago, just two and a half kilometers south of the main island. It was a lovely morning. The silken breeze was cool and fresh, and Ada welcomed the rising sun ray's warmth to her bare shoulders. She savored the invigorating chill knowing it would be sweltering by mid-day.
The boat slowed near the tiny bay on the island with the overhanging trees. A couple moonyos noticed their arrival and came to welcome Wrecker and Ada’s familiar faces (and usual treats).
“There’s the welcoming crew!” Wrecker announced.
“Hey, Fixy and Spot,” Ada said cheerfully to the small primates. She tossed a couple ripe pieces of fruit onto the shore and watched the animals scurry to grab them, then climb back up into the safety of the tree.
Wrecker and Ada drifted slowly in the shallow waters near the shore. They baited their hooks and proceeded to cast their fishing lines out into the crystalline, turquoise ocean. They each sat back comfortably and waited.
“Did you ever go talk to Weeka the other night after Tech and I left?” Ada was referring to a few nights ago when the Batch had gathered at a pub and eatery for a casual night out. Weeka, the charming Zeltron who owned the local bait shop, was also at the pub that evening. Wrecker finally admitted to having a crush on her recently, which Ada could see coming from a mile away.
“NO. I was too nervous.” He blushed.
“Nervous?! But you talk to her at the bait shop all the time.”
“I know, but this was different. She was with her friends, and I didn’t know what to say…”
“Maybe you should ask her out at the shop sometime.”
“Yeah, I know…” He trailed off, smiling as he thought of her, but also feeling anxious at the thought of asking her out.
Ada let that subject rest for now, but she fully intended to press him about it later.
Fishing out by the archipelago was a treat – it was peaceful and quiet, and the undeveloped islands were always a haven for wildlife viewing. Ada enjoyed catching and releasing fish, but couldn’t care less if she didn’t get a single bite. To her, this was more about being outside, deliberately slowing down, and connecting with this beautiful planet. Wrecker's good company was the cherry on top.
The bite happened to be slow that morning, both of them only pulling in one or two fish each. It was beginning to get warm too, and the pair were waiting to see who would suggest heading back to the main island first.
“Well, Wrecker, I’m gonna call it. I don’t think I’ve had a single nibble in at least an hour.”
“I agree. And I’m already sweatin’.”
They each reeled in their lines and stowed the fishing equipment in the storage compartment. Wrecker was just about to start the boat engine when he saw something unusual out in the deeper water.
“What is that?”
“What?”
“Over there. See? It’s floating just over there– see!”
What looked like an animal fin flashed upward and back into the water.
“Oh! I do see it! Let me get my macrobinoculars and take a look.” Ada pulled her trusty binos out of her pack and held them up to her eyes. “Hmm… it’s hard to tell what I’m looking at, almost looks like a rock. I know it’s not because it couldn't float– OH, wait, look, there’s the fin flapping again!” She pulled her macrobinoculars down. “Why don’t you slowly take the boat closer to it to get a better look?”
Wrecker nodded and fired up the engine. He eased the small vessel over the calm waves away from the island towards the floating object. As they got closer, Ada was able to see that it was likely a tula – a reptilian, Testudine-like species. But something was clearly wrong with it.
“It’s hardly moving at all,” she said.
Wrecker maneuvered the boat directly next to the tula.
“Is it dead?”
“It almost looks like it, but it’s still moving. I think it’s trying to swim. Look at its carapace, it’s covered in barnacles! And they are even all over its head, affecting its eyes and covering its nose on one side. We need to help it, Wrecker.”
“What do we do?”
“I’m not exactly sure… I think we should take it back to the main island and see if we can work on getting some of these barnacles off. I’m guessing it is extremely weak right now, and starving.”
Wrecker reached over the side of the boat and gently grasped two hands on each side of the tula’s shell. As if it were filled with feathers, he lifted the heavy creature up and into the boat to set gently on the small boat deck. The tula was about a meter long, but very heavy and weighted down with the unwelcomed attached crustaceans.
On their boat ride back to the main island, Ada knelt down next to the creature, periodically pouring water onto the shell and its six fins to keep it cool and moist. She studied the barnacles, having not been familiar with this class of animal species. She pulled out her datapad, brought up a dichotomous key and began seeing if she could identify the attached critters down to a specific species. It didn’t take long for her to realize that they were not native to the oceans of Pabu.
When they arrived to the harbor and docked the boat, Wrecker and Ada made a makeshift enclosure in the water for the tula using some spare netting and floats. Tech and Omega had made their way down to the dock, eager to greet them back to the island.
“What is that thing?!” Omega shouted with a look of confusion on her face.
“It’s a tula, and he needs some help. So we brought him back to see if we can rehabilitate him,” Ada explained. Her plan was to set up a makeshift rehabilitation center in the lab that she, Emerie, and Mil had recently taken over as they launched their own research projects.
“Are you sure this is the best course of action?” Tech asked. “This appears to constitute interference with natural selection.”
“Tech, you should know me well enough by now to understand that I’m too much of a softy to let anything suffer like this,” Ada said to him smiling as she crouched down to gently touch the creature. “Besides, ‘survival of the fittest’ doesn’t necessarily apply here. I was able to determine that this particular barnacle is an invasive species, not native to Pabu. I theorize that this barnacle species was introduced relatively recently, and is a more aggressive species than the tulas have evolved to tolerate. In addition, I believe this individual may have been injured or sick to begin with, allowing the aggressive barnacles to easily overtake him. This is a classic case of an invasive species outcompeting a native species.”
Tech nodded and knew better than to debate any further. He had met his match when it came to biological intelligence, and especially knew Ada had the upper hand when it came to her instinctive empathy for anything that was suffering. Whether he recognized it in the moment, or not, his admiration for Ada grew exponentially when her passion slipped so effortlessly into her actions like this.
“So, what’s next for Barney?” Omega asked. “I am naming him Barney, by the way. You know, because of the barnacles…”
Ada smiled at her. She stood back up and walked over to Tech to look sweetly up at him, placing her hand gently on his chest. “Well… I was hoping, maybe, to get some help in designing and building a rehabilitation tank in the lab.”
“That will be no problem at all,” he immediately responded, primed by her charm and zeal. “I’m already calculating the amount of materials I’ll need to track down, and what sort of equipment I already have for a pump and filtration system. Let’s walk over and verify the dimensions of the space we have to work with,” Tech said, grabbing Ada’s hand and leading her towards the small building that housed the lab. Omega trotted alongside them, while Wrecker grabbed his fishing supplies and headed towards the bait shop.
In a little less than a day, Tech had fabricated a tank for the tula. It was large enough for comfort, but small enough to be manageable. The tank was shallow, and the sides were low so that anyone could easily lean over and access the inside, which would be helpful for feeding and administering medication to Barney. Tech built a lift so Ada could move the animal out and onto the lab table, where he would spend a considerable amount of time while the barnacles were carefully removed by hand.
Wrecker was able to carry Barney to the lab from the harbor enclosure and placed him in the water of the rehab tank. They all watched as he settled into his new temporary home, still looking unhealthy and on the verge of death.
“Wrecker, can you bring over that bucket to got from the bait shop? Let’s see if he’ll eat something.”
“Here you go.” Wrecker carried over a bucket of small, dead fish. “I told Weeka I’d bring her over here sometime, if that’s okay.”
“Of course!” Ada said enthusiastically as her hands dove into the smelly, slimy bucket. She pulled out a couple fish and placed them in the water near Barney’s head. He slowly responded by reaching and eating one of the fish. The other fish was left untouched, however Ada was happy he ate anything at all.
“Maybe adjusting the water temperature will be beneficial,” Tech said while typing into a data screen on the side of the tank. “This has not been adjusted to match the preferred ocean habitat specifications yet, which is an oversight on my end.”
“Thank you, dear. The water is a little cool, I think a warmer temp will be good. Barney’s improvements may take a while however, as both the barnacle removal and the antibiotics for the sores need time to work. I suppose we’ll just wait and see,” Ada explained as she crossed her arms and fixed her worried gaze on the sick tula.
During the next several days, Ada spent a considerable number of hours in the lab, mostly doing the tedious work of removing the barnacles from Barney’s carapace, fins, and head. Within those few days, his appetite was already improving.
There were periodic visitors to the lab, curious to know more about Barney and how the process worked. The fellowship was nice, but Ada especially appreciated the countless tranquil hours spent alone with Barney.
One quiet afternoon, while Ada was sitting on her stool beside the table, hunched over and gently picking the sessile organisms off of the shell, someone she never would have expected walked hesitantly into the lab – Crosshair.
Ada didn’t see him at first, but when she sensed his presence, she looked up and was startled. She was surprised enough to drop one of her tools, which hit the floor with a loud, harsh clatter.
“Crosshair, hi! D- didn’t see you there,” Ada said awkwardly, pushing her stool noisily across the floor as she stood to pick up the tool.
She was still not very comfortable around this particular clone. He had never been the most personable, and Ada had an especially difficult time getting to know him. She couldn’t think of a time she had ever been alone with him either, always relying on a wingman during their limited conversations.
“Didn’t mean to startle you,” he said in his deliberate, expressionless tone.
“Stars, it’s okay.”
There was a sea of awkward silence as Ada’s brain struggled to comprehend Crosshair’s presence and to formulate the most appropriate words to say to him.
“So, what can I do for you, fine sir?” An immediate flush of red came to her face.
Maker, help me… “fine sir?” Could I be more of a dork??
Crosshair slowly moved closer. His gaze focused on Barney, glancing to Ada, then back to the creature.
“Someone suggested I come check it out down here,” he said skeptically. He walked closer to Barney on the lab table and noticed the reptile’s eyes looking directly at him. Barney slightly turned his head to get a better view of Crosshair, which caused him to hesitate in his approach. There was something about Barney’s response to his presence that caused Crosshair to have a glint of validation – a silent understanding between two wounded beings.
“His name is Barney. Omega named him.”
Without speaking, Crosshair approached the lab table and proceeded to the other side where Ada was seated on her stool. Barney continued following him with his eyes, and Crosshair cautiously reached his hand out towards his reptilian head and gently made contact. Barney closed his eyes in response to the soft touch, peace and surrender exhaling through his nose.
Crosshair slowly removed his hand and continued looking down at the animal, “...how can I help?”
Ada wasn’t expecting him to ask her this. She wasn’t expecting to see him here at all! She didn't have a prepared to-do list, but could always use a little help around the lab.
“...uh, well, let me see,” she began. “Would you like to learn how to remove these barnacles from his shell?”
Crosshair looked at her blankly.
“Come here, I’ll show you how I’ve been doing it. It’s actually really tedious, and you can’t get too aggressive or you’ll injure him even more.” Ada grabbed her tools and stepped aside so Crosshair could move closer beside her. She adjusted the overhead light and began her process of carefully picking at the tiny pest, flushing the area with clean water, then applying a topical antiseptic when the barnacle was fully removed.
“There, see, not much to it. It just takes a long time, and it’s easy to become impatient and try to rush the process. I also have to remember to take lots of breaks so my neck doesn’t kill me later!” She laughed awkwardly, then held out her tools towards Crosshair. “Here, try it.”
Guarded, he reached for the tools and stepped closer to Barney. He looked at the creature’s shell, and out of the hundreds, selected a single barnacle to tackle. He carefully began the satisfying process of picking and scraping, while unconsciously moving closer to the table and bending over to get a better angle.
“Yep, exactly like that. You almost have it,” Ada reassured. “That’s it, perfect. Now, put a little of this antiseptic on the spot. Nice. Okay, just a few hundred more!” She chuckled.
Crosshair forced a pathetic smile and huffed the tiniest laugh.
It became awkwardly silent again.
“Um… Here, take my seat and keep working. I have to go stop by the bait shop quickly to get more fish for him to eat, then I’ll be back to clean the tank and replace a filter. Sound good?”
Crosshair nodded once to Ada, then pulled the stool up behind him and made himself comfortable. “Sounds like a plan,” he said in the most Crosshair way possible.
Ada smiled at him, then turned and walked away. Her smile immediately disappeared from her face. She couldn’t tell if he was just being Crosshair, or if he was being sarcastic towards her. She wondered if there was some hidden agenda. Ada continually struggled with perceiving rejection and criticism, so people like him made her extra self-conscious.
Nah, he genuinely seems interested in helping. Don’t over think it!
Crosshair was still next to Barney when Ada returned from the bait shop. In fact, he stayed and helped for about two more hours. She mostly left him alone to do his thing, but periodically would walk over to see if he needed anything. She spent the remainder of the afternoon cleaning the tank and tidying up the lab, appreciating Crosshair’s assistance so she could get a few more tasks completed.
While she was sitting on the floor next to the tank replacing the faulty water filter, she peeked around the tank corner to sneak a look at Crosshair. From her angle she could see him perfectly, head on, as he quietly worked on Barney. She was certain she was seeing it correctly, but had to blink several times to make sure her eyes were focused – Crosshair was actually smiling. Yes. The smile was not brilliant, but it was not subtle, either. It was genuine and gentle, warming up into his eyes. She could see he was looking at Barney’s head and his mouth was moving, as if he were quietly saying something only they could hear.
When Ada was finished with the filter, she stood up and cleared her throat. She approached Crosshair to see his progress, noticing his smile was now absent.
“Impressive progress,” she said, examining the shell. “I think we should call it a day and get him back in the tank.”
Crosshair assisted Ada with the lift and they placed Barney back into the tank. Ada showed him where Barney’s food was, how much to feed him, and how to give him a vitamin supplement.
Before they left, they both stood beside the tank watching Barney eat his fish. Nothing was said between the two of them for a good minute.
“Thank you… Ada.”
“For what? I should be thanking you!”
“I mean it. This– this was good.”
“Well, I’m glad.” Ada thought for a moment. “I could really use your help tomorrow, too. IF you want to, of course.”
“YES– yes, I would.”
“Good! You know, I could use your help the entire time Barney is here. We could tag-team duties, taking turns keeping an eye on him, so we have time for our other tasks and responsibilities.”
There was that smile again. He couldn’t hold it back.
“It would be my pleasure.”
That evening when Ada and Tech sat down for dinner together, they slipped into the familiar routine of sharing the events of their day.
“Guess who came down to the lab today to help me with Barney?”
“Why would I guess if you already know the answer?”
“It was Crosshair! He came down and asked what he could do.”
“That is surprising. He doesn’t usually volunteer for such activities.”
“That’s what I thought, I was surprised to see him show up. But he really seemed to like helping, and stayed for a few hours. He’ll be coming back tomorrow. It seems like he’s really interested in continuing to help with Barney’s rehabilitation.”
“That’s fantastic! He is in desperate need of something to keep him occupied.” Tech unwittingly, but so naturally, became attuned to Crosshair’s wellbeing ever since their rescue from Tantiss. He understood Crosshair deeply, and grew worried when Crosshair began to pull away and retreat into himself.
“He thanked me, which I found interesting, since he was the one helping me.” She paused to reflect. “I think he needed this.”
Tech nodded as he considered their conversation so far. Sensing Ada had more to share, he set his fork down and looked at her to give his full attention.
“He really connected with Barney. I know this sounds silly, but I think Barney could sense the guilt that Crosshair has been riddled with. I watched them. It feels as though his recovery is giving Crosshair something he hasn’t felt in a long time – a sense of purpose, and a place to pour all that hurt into something good. They are healing together.”
“You concluded all of that today?” Tech asked skeptically.
Ada gave him a knowing smirk. He often overlooked the emotional undercurrents in a room, but she never did. Her intuition about people was rather uncanny, and her ability to read people from a distance, like Crosshair in the lab, allowed her ample amounts of compassion and understanding.
“Yeah, I think so. I’m going to give him a keycard to the lab tomorrow. I want him to take ownership in this. He needs it.”
He sighed, and a subtle Tech-smile upturned the corners of his lips and softened his eyes. His chest burned with adoration. He didn’t think it was possible to admire her more, but somehow, each day proved him wrong.
“I love you, darling. Thank you for taking Crosshair’s recovery to heart. I understand you have found him difficult to get to know, and I perceive it may not be the most comfortable of interactions. But he has always been my closest brother and my truest ally, bound to me through countless unspoken connections. Your compassion towards him is quite evident.”
“I’m seeing a different side of him, Tech. I guess, maybe, I don’t feel like I’m intimidated by him anymore. He’s just an imperfect human who needs room to mend, and just be alive. He needs the chance to set things back on the right track in his mind.”
It became impossible for Tech to hold himself back. He gently pushed his chair out from the table so he could reach over and wrap himself around her. He pulled her close and buried his face into the crook of her neck. He loved her, he loved his brother, he loved being alive surrounded by all the people he cared most for – people who did little to hold back their humanity. He hoped she could sense what he could not articulate, this feeling that was pushing up through his chest and dampening the corners of his eyes.
She held him tighter. She did.
Over the next two weeks, Crosshair was spending a considerable amount of his time attending to Barney, and helping around the lab-turned-makeshift-rehab-center. He and Ada were able to safely remove all the barnacles, and Barney was rejuvenated with a much lighter carapace and more mobility in his fins. His appetite came back, any sign of infection was gone, and he began to swim circles in the small tank, often splashing water onto the floor.
Crosshair spent many hours leaned over with his arms resting on the edge of the tank, watching Barney. Silent and reserved, he was gaining something essential from this quiet reflection time. Barney appeared to enjoy Crosshair’s company as well, and would swim up to him periodically to pause and look at him, sometimes offering a playful splash.
“I believe we should transfer him to the enclosure by the boat dock in the harbor. This tank is not big enough for him now that he is feeling better,” he suggested to Ada one afternoon.
“Actually, I was thinking the same thing. He can be in that enclosure for a few days to get acclimated, then I believe he is ready to be released.”
The thought of releasing Barney made Crosshair's stomach flip. He knew that was the plan all along, but talking about it meant it was going to actually happen. As much as he wanted Barney to be healthy, happy, and free, Crosshair had grown incredibly attached to him. This was going to be a lot more difficult than he anticipated.
“Yeah… that seems like a good plan,” he eventually responded.
Ada looked at him knowingly. She could tell this would be hard for him, and had been thinking of how she could continue to keep him engaged. Crosshair found meaning in this work. He understood the profound significance of what it meant to heal, and she wanted him to continue having that therapeutic experience.
“You know, I was wondering if you’d want to partner with me on something.”
Crosshair looked over at her, perplexed from her proposal.
“I don’t see why we couldn’t continue to do what we are doing,” she said. “I mean, this makeshift rehabilitation center doesn’t need to be ‘makeshift’. Why not keep it, improve it, invest a little more into this facility? I still want to do my own research, but I have a lot of interest in this rehab stuff. And since I’m my own boss now, I can do whatever I want!”
“But Barney is going to be released. Are there many other injured tulas out there that would need help?”
“Maybe. There are other creatures that will need help, too. Remember that flixx water skimmer Omega found that was caught in the fishing line? We weren’t sure what to do with it after the tangle was removed, and we’re only hopeful it survived. I hear about orphaned moonyos periodically, too. I mean, there will be things that come up, another injured animal here and there, but maybe not all the time.”
Crosshair listened, and his mind started wandering and working on how this might work. He began to get a little excited about the possibilities. A small smile formed, which he quickly subdued.
“I was thinking that you could be in charge of this effort, Crosshair. I want to help, of course, and be an advisor, but I want this to be your project. What do you say?”
This time he let the subtle smile emerge. His eyes were happy and sad, but primarily they were grateful as he looked at her. “Yes. Yes, I want to do this.” He took in a deep, shaky breath, and released.
“Good! Good. I was really hoping you would say yes.”
It was silent between them again, but this time not as awkward. Crosshair avoided her eye contact as he struggled to find words.
“I…,” he broke. “I can’t tell you how much this has helped me,” he said, with obvious emotion in his voice. “It… ah…,” he trailed off, unable to continue.
“I’m so glad,” Ada intervened softly. “You are such a natural caregiver after all – this is an ideal fit for you. Come on, let’s go check the status of the enclosure in the harbor.”
Barney stayed in the outdoor enclosure in the boat harbor for a couple more rotations. The people of the island enjoyed coming down to visit him, and were delighted to see him swimming and behaving like a happy, healthy tula should. There was absolutely no sign of illness or injury whatsoever, and everyone could see he was ready to be back home in the ocean.
Ada planned for the release to be a low-key, yet special, event. She was able to borrow a larger boat, enough to fit everyone: Crosshair, Tech, Wrecker and Weeka, Hunter and Feena, Omega, Echo (who happened to be visiting Pabu), herself, and of course, Barney. When everyone was aboard, Wrecker captained the boat out to the southern archipelago where they had found Barney a few weeks ago.
Fixy and Spot were right on cue, and fortunately Omega packed a small bag of fruit to offer them. Wrecker pulled the boat up near shore and put the anchor out. The crew shuffled around the crowded deck so that Wrecker could grab Barney to place into the water. But before he did so, Ada gently touched his arm indicating she wanted to say a few words first.
She cleared her throat. “...um, hi,” she said nervously. Even in front of these very familiar people, she hated being the center of attention. “...I’ll make this real quick. I’m very glad you all were able to join us today for this special moment. Barney has come a long way since Wrecker and I first saw him – right over there. And today, he returns, practically as an entirely new tula.” She paused as she squeezed past Wrecker to stand next to where Crosshair was seated. “I think we all agree that Barney got treated like a king during his rehabilitation, all thanks to this guy.” Ada placed her hand on Crosshair’s shoulder. He looked up at her and they shared a brief glance. “He unexpectedly found his niche in the little makeshift rehab center, and now look what is coming from it – an actual wildlife rehabilitation center, right here on Pabu. I’m so excited, Crosshair.”
“YAY! Woo Hoo!!” Omega jumped up from her seat to cheer him on. There were a few chuckles and claps from the rest of the group, as most everyone agreed with her enthusiasm.
“SIT DOWN,” whispered Hunter, reaching for Omega. Feena immediately placed her hand on his forearm and gave him a disapproving look while tutting once.
Ada squeezed Crosshair’s shoulder a couple of times in reassurance. She leaned closer to him, “do you want to say anything?”
“Not really.”
“Alright, then let’s do this. You and I can get into the water to help Wrecker get Barney off the boat.”
Ada and Crosshair climbed out of the boat and into the shallows, the clear blue ocean came up just past Ada’s waist. They planted their feet on the soft, sandy bottom as Wrecker carefully and effortlessly lifted the tula by his shell and lowered him into the ocean. Ada and Crosshair each rested their hands on Barney as Wrecker let go. Barney’s six fins slowly began swaying in the familiar, gentle waves.
Ada released her hands, leaving Crosshair’s alone on the smooth carapace. She sensed the bittersweet moment between the two as Barney turned in the water to face Crosshair. A quiet understanding passed between them, and Crosshair felt the pang of something painful and joyful all at once. Barney turned and glided away into the blue.
Everyone watched in silence for a moment before Ada climbed back into the boat. Crosshair stayed behind in the water, his eyes fixed on the spot where Barney disappeared. He stood there alone and wrestled with a knot of fear and sadness, worried about what was to come next for Barney. But gradually, the steadiness of nature, the quiet beauty and peace of the wild, wonderful world, began to settle his mind. Finally feeling calm, he turned and pulled himself into the boat as well.
Ada was feeling slightly needy on the ride back, so she tucked in close next to Tech. She laid her head against his shoulder and he enclosed her hand in his. Everyone rode quietly, not talking but enjoying the sun, the breeze and sea spray, and sitting with feelings of contentment and satisfaction.
Ada watched Crosshair from across the boat deck, thinking about what he must be feeling inside – likely some pain, some emptiness, but probably a lot of hope too. His eyes were closed and his face was raised, pointing towards the sun.
There it is.
There was that smile of his again.