There are only five files on the tablet. Of the incoming patients, I can conclude that two are of the same kind. That should simplify the final plans at least slightly, as well as free up the room for the Ship-Mother's request.

  The first file describes a fur bearing species that stands upright upon trunk-like legs ending in wide paws. Stubby claws tip both the paw-like feet and thick, hairy hands. The arms are short and only slightly thinner than the legs. Its head is flat and narrow, ending in a short muzzle full of crushing teeth. Small compound eyes peer out of cavernous sockets set below rounded ears capable of independent movement. The specimen we'll be receiving is clumsy, male, and has light tan fur with darker tips.

  The next file contains information about two of the comatose beings. Orange-brown skin stretches tight over the beings' long bodies. The male is tiny compared to the female, nearly triple his mass. They coil around each other loosely. Undersized limbs clutch each other. Both sets of limbs sprout from right below the necks of the creatures and end in three splayed fingers with wide tips.

  I recognize the type of being in the third file. This example will need to be sedated, lest he injure his caretakers. Snappers have sharp, black beaks growing out of their wrinkly, green faces. The entire head can retract inside the main body, which is protected by a spiked outer shell. These beings are exceedingly rare but live very long lives. This one's shell is deeply grooved with old scars. Though quadrupedal, they possess functional hands upon their front set of legs. Ours is missing the right hand.

  In the fourth file I find the oddest creature of the bunch. It could be better described as a colony than a single organism. It resembles a stone polyp formation, but at exaggerated size. Each single-celled member of the usually tiny colonial group bears its own calcified outer layer, though larger structures protrude from specialized members of the colony. Some possess single legs, or grasping filaments resembling the tendrils of my kind. There are light receptors and other sensory organelles, each growing from a member connected to the rest and all technically clones of one another. Largely incoherent, this creature will require extensive care but may be capable of a full recovery in time.

  The final being of the group is a female of advanced age. Awake, but completely unresponsive, she possesses two legs and two arms, as well as a long tail. The blue scales covering her body are ragged on the edges and many have faded to nearly white where they haven't fallen out completely. Dull, amber eyes hide any thoughts she might possess.

  Each file also contains a few pieces of information about what the aliens have thus far proven capable of eating as well as any obvious medical conditions. The furry creature seems to be losing muscle mass, for instance, as its skin hangs loosely from its thick bones. It likely requires heavier gravity than it generally receives.

  I send Zra copies of all of it, as well as sending him the floor plans. He promises to review them with Pale and have them sent to Eva when they finish making modifications.

  I begin to put in a fabrication order for a few pieces of equipment that Zra recommends, but Eva interrupts me.

  "Since we're expanding anyway, there's another project that I don't have time for. Our resident priestess has gotten her group to raise the funds for a large park." She indicates the map still taking up a corner of the main screen. "It can be placed between the new hospital and the grow tanks," proposes Eva. "Keep it within budget, please, and make sure it has a transparent roof. They want to use the space to hold star viewings, I think."

  That doesn't sound too difficult to arrange. Tedious, contacting all the various manufacturers and organizing different workers for each stage of the construction, but nothing outside of my abilities.

  "You can order some new plants from the trade ship that's in system, as well as a few frozen embryos. They don't have anywhere near the selection that was available when this place was first constructed, however. But make sure to include some of the Tserri home world plants in whatever you end up with."

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Plans are already flowing through my mind. I stop in surprise. I find it somewhat shocking that I enjoy this process so much, but it is satisfying in a way that a much younger version of myself could never understand.

  The park I envision is vast, tens of thousands of ubits across. Supplying air should be simple; rock can be converted with application of heat and energy into gases, then filtered. Hazardous gasses will be bottled for export and sale to industrial interests. We're already producing fresh soil, but more will be needed. The glass ceiling will be supported by wide columns doubling as maintenance facilities or lavatories as needed. I set one aside to house an array of telescopes usable from inside.

  A stream flowing through one side, with bridges to allow foot traffic to cross. Yes. And grassy areas with small pavilions set up, for music or story tellers. I also like Eva's suggestion that I purchase small creatures to inhabit the space. They'll bring much needed animation to the park.

  The offerings available from the trade ship are indeed slim, I realize when I access the appropriate files. That proves no impediment, as most of the creature they offer are intended as personal pets. One particular group of animals is almost startling.

  Don Wikna would recognize them as dart tongues, I think. These are not as slim and smooth as the marsh dwelling creatures of the aviaforme home world. Squat is the first word I can think of to describe them. They come in a few varieties but bear a striking resemblance, clearly having a shared ancestry. The file labels the creatures as selber. Some of their ecology entries mention a predator, the selberclaw, that preys upon them in their native environment.

  Amusement fills me as I place an order for a species of selber that normally lives on the banks of small rivers to inhabit the park, being sure to select one free of toxins. I now understand the odd looks that cross the gray faces of the members of the Imperium whenever I refer to them as Selber. A few aquatic creatures to live in the stream itself, and a large, feathered predator to control the numbers round out the selections.

  As an added bonus, the flightless creatures, known as groo, are prized for both their eggs and rich flesh. Running upon four legs, they fill the roll of short pursuit predators. They should be perfect for the park. With plenty of room to run in, catching them should be good exercise to keep our residents fit.

  The selection of plants available is not much better, but I spot something I cannot pass up. It even grows well in moist soil. Anda, while often harvested for their flavorful roots, also produce clusters of bright pink flowers with a pleasing smell.

  I can imagine gossamer wings flitting between blooms collecting nectar. The closest creatures available to me are fat, round things roughly the same size that buzz loudly when they fly. They get designated for transplant from other habitats. Since they live in waxy nests they build themselves, the creatures have proven easy to transport thus far.

  A few other plants, most useless but pretty, from the trade ship and a few plants used in traditional Tserri medicine add variety to the buzzer diet, as well as consistency. It will be many generations before the plants adjust to the unique conditions of the station and they will continue upon whatever annual cycle is inherent to their biology until then. One of my favorites is a climbing vine that has long drooping leaves that remind me of kelp fronds. These deserve a special place around the columns.

  The height of the ceiling, hundreds of ubits at the peak of the grand dome, even allows for some modest trees. I select a fruit bearing species, the albulb tree. That doesn't seem like enough, so I choose another that drops edible nuts and designate places for mixed groves to be planted. I keep them to a minimum, remembering the intended purpose of the recreational space.

  Stonefeathers, as well as the vermin they feed upon, will make their own way to the new environment. No need to hurry them along. I also suspect that sba will be introduced before long. The Tserri raise the creatures anywhere that they can.

  To help mimic a natural environment, I add downward pointing lights to the tops of the columns and set them on a timer that matches the accepted day length of the station. It requires me to get a little creative to simulate a breeze, but by aligning all the vents and giving them stronger than standard blowers I'm able to design something adequate.

  Satisfaction washes over me as I review the plans. There is of course room for improvement, but I think it acceptable. I save the designs and send them to Eva's desk. No sooner than I do than a data packet from Zra joins it. I surreptitiously make a copy, to relieve our chief medic of the burden of sending it to me.

  The overall layout of the proposed hospital is largely unchanged, though the positions of equipment I lack the expertise to recommend are now marked in tasteful pastel colors. Zra possesses a hidden artistic talent, it seems. The most dramatic alteration is the addition of a viewing platform at the top of the structure with an attached kitchen.

  The Ship-Mother approves both sets of building plans. Time to organize the work crews and make sure that all the materials are available when and where they're needed.