“It’s about your health,” I explain.

Worry crosses her face. “Did I catch something deadly to humans?”

I hold back a smile, as she had the same concern I did. “No, in that regard, you are completely healthy.”

“What then?”

“It’s not what you have, it’s what you have not been doing,” I say, hoping she will guess. When she says nothing, I point to her medical bracelet.

She looks at the readouts. “It’s for the doctor to monitor my health.”

“Yes, and he says you have not had a release since you boarded. That is not healthy.”

She clearly thinks about my words for a minute and then says, “I don’t understand. What is ‘release?’”

I realize then that I have blocked her from anything sexual in her cultural and language program. “It’s when you….” I trail off. She does not have the vocabulary for my explanation. I try to think of how to explain this without being crass. “When you were on the farm, you must have released weekly.”

Her face is blank. “I did nothing weekly.”

Seeing her frown when she thinks about the farm makes me want to change the subject immediately. I still do not know all of what she endured there. I look at Volunteer 4711 and chastise myself, You’ve been to war, and you cannot tell this woman, who is your responsibility, that she must masturbate for good health?

“I don’t know how Water people have children,” I begin, “but for Silvers, it takes a man and a woman.”

It looks like Volunteer 4711 is holding back a smile, but she does not say anything, so I continue, “When an adult is without a partner, it’s important to be with oneself for good health once a week. Understand?”

“I don’t know the word for this,” she says. “But I think I understand. You mean touch myself like a man would touch me?”

“Yes.”

“Is this my illness?” she asks.

“Yes. You must release once a week,” I say. “It is my responsibility to make sure you do this.”

“Will you watch me?” she asks.

“Yes. When you return to your quarters, buzz me, and I will turn on the camera.”

“Have you turned the camera on in my quarters before?” she asks.

“I never had a reason to before now,” I reply.

Ending the conversation, she stands. “Let me undress you now.”

I stand and let her take off my uniform. It’s all I can do to keep myself and my body calm while thinking about her fingers touching my bare skin. I have never considered them before as they strip the uniform from my body.

When I dismiss her, it seems like it takes her a long time to get back to her quarters and get ready for her release. Finally, she buzzes me. I think it’s improper that I’m in bed, so I sit at my desk as I switch the camera onto her room.

She’s only wearing her undergarments. “Have you ever watched any of your crew do this before?” she asks.