Welcome to the Journal of Now and Forever. This Journal is a collection of my Star Control and Star Control 2 fiction. Note: Some of this material is, by necessity, extrapolation from the slim information provided by canon sources. New fiction is posted first at My Livejournal before it appears here. This story is in response to 15 Minute Ficlets' Challenge #23. |
"So how bad is it at Skyhook?" Dina asked. Jack shook his head, hair falling into his face as he did so. "I think Gary and Kurt have it under control. The XRT was wearing a helmet, at least, and that took the brunt of it. He's been moved to Whitehills – we might even see about clearing him from future service for a number of years, maybe permanently, depending on how he recovers." "And how is that going?" Dina poured some tea for both of them. The last of the coffee from Earth was long gone, and those trying to grow it on Eta Vulpeculae 2 hadn't gotten it down quite right yet; tea was much easier to acquire, whether one preferred the taste or not. It had surprised Androsynth society as a whole to discover how much caffeine was missed. Jack took his cup and blew on the tea. The two of them were conversing in Dina's lab, after hours. "He could be a lot worse," Jack admitted. "There's no way of knowing how bad it will be in the long run, but in the short run, he's functional and remembers, mostly, who he is. He's having a hard time recognizing faces, though, which is why we might have to classify him as semi-handicapped or something, if he doesn't improve. He's also had some memory loss, which is to be expected. Oh... and the KORB I'm rooming with? Turns out he's the XRT's roommate." "Huh, small world," Dina smiled. After so many years on EV2, it was an old joke. Sooner or later, she expected to have at least heard of everyone on the planet, through the "six degrees" formula if nothing else. "So you had to move out?" Jack nodded and sipped his tea. "Not a problem. I hadn't really found out anything until the accident happened, anyway. I think Nick – that's the KORB series – he's the one the XRT was talking about when he asked for the deferment." "Mm." Dina sipped her own tea. "Well, it doesn't matter now, does it." She said it as fact, not as a question. "Ruth sent me the information on the religious Androsynth. There's more of them than I'd thought, although they're still a minority. I think most of them are 'in the closet' about it – a few have openly displayed their beliefs, but they're rare and, dare I say it, unpopular." Jack brushed the hair out of his eyes. "Can't wait 'til I get called up just so I can get this cut," he grumbled. Dina looked at him with a puzzled frown. "Why are you waiting? Just get it cut now." Jack shrugged. "I can't cut it myself, and the rest... I just haven't gotten around to it." "I'd try it myself, but you're probably better off cutting your own hair than having me do it," Dina laughed. "You could probably ask – what was his name? Nick? – in Whitehills, who to go see, or if you want to try locally, there's two or three that I know who can cut hair in exchange for later favors." Jack shrugged again. "All right, I'll get to it. Back to the religious... are there any organized groups?" "Not that Ruth could find, but that doesn't mean they couldn't exist. They might just hold meetings in their living quarters for all we know. There aren't any official places of worship. Why? Do you think it's something to worry about?" "No... not yet, anyway. I just think we should keep tabs on them. Right now their numbers are small and there's a lot of public pressure against religion anyway. Conversely, I don't think they should be targeted; they don't appear to have done anything at all, socially, since we landed. I'd say let's leave 'em alone unless we have a reason to interfere, one way or the other, but we'll have to run it past the others just to be safe." From the outer hallway came a creaking noise, and Jack stopped talking immediately, looking out the door in the direction of the sound. Dina looked too, and strained her hearing, but no further creaks or other noise occurred. "I'd better go," Jack said abruptly. "It might not be wise for us to meet here again, but I wanted to check in with you before the next Committee meeting." He stood. "I understand." Dina rose as well. "I appreciate you keeping me informed. I hope your work continues well." "And you," Jack said. They walked to the door together and looked out into the hall; empty. Jack gave Dina a silent, casual salute, she reciprocated, and they left, walking in opposite directions. It wasn't until Dina had nearly fallen asleep that she realized she'd left the two half-empty teacups on her lab table.
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Comments? Email me: laridian at aol dot com |