Operation Overdrive belongs to Disney/Ranger Productions. I am using it without permission, but I am not and don't expect to make money from this.

Rated a mild T: minor language, some mild sexuality, some mature concepts.

A/N: Spoilers for the end of Operation Overdrive. This is an AU version of what might have happened after the series if Mack had not been made human by the Corona Aurora. If you've read my story "Imitation of Life", consider that a prolog. If not, just assume that Mack was saved by the Corona Aurora but remained an android, that he reconciled with his father and accepted his own situation but still has some identity issues, and because of that he decided to leave Earth for a time and go to Mercuria with Tyzonn, but promised to return someday.

Warning: There are none of the usual pairings in this story, so if you're looking for Mack/Rose and are going to be upset by seeing either of them with someone else, this fic is not for you. There will be an unconventional pairing, and some romance involving OCs, too.

Pas de Deux, part I

September 2008, San Angeles

The first letter came about seven months after Mack had left Earth.

Andrew Hartford almost didn't hear Spencer's purposefully cleared throat. The second time the sound came he reluctantly dragged his attention away from the computer on his desk. He was in the study in his mansion which had so recently been wrecked and only a few weeks ago completely restored to normal, with a few improvements. Still, the view he saw as he looked up was essentially the same as it had been before, including his butler's impassive face waiting with no outward sign of impatience.

"Excuse me, sir," Spencer said in his most overbearingly professional voice. "I believe this person wishes to see you." He stepped back and beckoned to someone who had been behind him.

As the person stepped forward, Andrew stared, rooted to his chair for a few startled moments. It occurred to him that after having dealt with ancient spirits, monstrous creatures, aliens from other planets, and the mystical crown of the gods, a mere six-foot upright lizard covered with iridescent blue-green scales and dressed in maroon short pants with wide suspenders should hardly be surprising.

"Are you Andrew Hartford?" the lizard asked with a slight lisp.

Andrew nodded numbly.

"I have a letter for you." It - he - whatever - reached into what looked like a leather satchel hanging from a strap around his neck, produced an ordinary-looking envelope and held it out.

Andrew took it gingerly, noticing several odd, spiral stamps and imprints around the edges. He turned it to read the address:

Mr. Andrew Hartford
1250 Countryside Way
San Angeles, CA 91772
USA
Planet Earth

Bewildered, he looked up, and then back down to see the return address:

Mack Hartford
Step 26, Sign of Blue Water
City Cinnabar, Division 9
Planet Mercuria

"It's from Mack!" he exclaimed, forgetting about the lizard standing in his study for the moment. "Spencer, it's from Mack!"

"That's wonderful, sir!" Spencer was much too polished to reach for the letter, but he did lean forward slightly, staring at it, a few of his sixty-something years banished by the sparkle in his eyes.

"Sign here, please." The lizard was holding out a flat pale green tablet and a slender spiral of gleaming metal that formed a pen-like shape.

"Um, okay." Andrew took them and hesitated, then scrawled his name in the spot the lizard pointed out to him.

"Do you wish to send a reply?"

"A reply?" Andrew blinked in surprise. "I'd like to, but it'll take a little time to write an answer. I don't want to keep you. And - how do I pay the postage?"

The lizard seemed to sigh in impatience at his backwardness. "The return postage is prepaid, as stated on the transit form." He tapped a line of unintelligible squiggles on the tablet Andrew had signed. "I am approaching the time of my rest period. If you can provide me with a quiet, warm area, I will wait two and one half of your hours for the reply."

"Of course. Spencer..."

"Leave it to me, sir." Spencer turned to the lizard. "Please follow me, um - sir. May I offer you some refreshment? Perhaps lemonade, or something to eat?" He led the way towards the main part of the house.

"Do you have any grasshoppers?"

"Only in the back yard, I regret to say."

Andrew was only half listening as the voices faded away. He held the letter, enjoying the moment of anticipation, and then carefully tore the envelope open and pulled out two sheets of paper covered with Mack's familiar, sloppy handwriting. The kid had made an effort, though, and it was legible. Andrew bent over his desk, fumbling for his glasses, and started to read.

"Dear Dad and Spencer,

I hope you're both doing well. I'm fine. Our trip was great. You should see Tyzonn's spaceship; it's cool, a little small for three people but we did okay. Mercuria took a little getting used to, but it's a great place. Ty has been great, and Vella too. I'm staying at Ty's place until he and Vella get married, which they're planning for sometime next year. Guess what, Ty's started another search and rescue team, and he offered me a job working for him. Of course I took it, and it's great so far."

Footsteps approached rapidly, and Andrew looked up to see Spencer hurry in, his eagerness barely restrained. "Sir, are you reading the letter?"

"Of course I'm reading the letter, Spencer. What did you do with - er, the mailman?"

"Left him happily chasing insects on the back lawn, where he says he will be perfectly comfortable. Well? What does Master Mack say?"

Andrew smiled. "He says everything's great. I love my son, but he's not the best letter writer I've ever seen."

"A typical teenager, despite... well, everything that is special about him. I imagine we will have to read between the lines."

"Indeed. It's addressed to both of us. Sit down, and I'll read it to you."

"Normally I wouldn't dream of such a familiarity, but in this case..." Spencer pulled up a chair and sat expectantly.

Andrew smiled again, and picked up the sheet of paper.

"I've been learning rescue methods and first aid and so on. Pretty challenging when you're learning medical stuff for several kinds of aliens, but it's great. Training and working with Tyzonn keeps me pretty busy, but also I've been sight-seeing and doing the whole tourist thing. Cinnabar's a great city, really beautiful, and lots of trees and grass. They really believe in protecting the environment here, Ty says because they almost destroyed the ecology a few centuries ago.

Ty's got a whole team of Mercurians, and I'm the only alien. Alien to them, I mean. Seems like I'm always the different one, huh? But it's okay, they all treat me really great. Sometimes I almost feel like I'm back home with Rose, Ronny, Will, and Dax. When you write back be sure to tell me how they're doing, if you've heard from them. Tell them I miss them.

I met a girl. She was in one of the classes I took, and her name is Strellia..."

- x -

"You're pressing too hard, Mack." As he stopped what he was doing, Strellia adjusted the position of his hands on the practice dummy he had been doing chest compressions on, the touch of her fingers - just a little cooler than a human's - sending a tingle through him. "And remember, a Mercurian's heart is here. That's right. Now try again."

More carefully, Mack leaned forward and pressed down, counting the number of compressions to himself.

"Good. I think it's very similar to artificial circulation for a human. Am I right?"

Mack looked up at her face - the same silvery eyes as Tyzonn and Vella, pale skin, but hair that was deep chestnut and unusual for a Mercurian. It was the first thing he had noticed about her in this land of blondes. "I wouldn't know," he said. "Never had this kind of training before."

"New to the field of rescue?"

"Yeah. I mean, I did some stuff like it before. Sort of protecting people."

"Really? You'll have to tell me about it some time. My turn now." Strellia smiled dazzlingly before they switched places and she bent over the practice dummy, her hair spilling forward and hiding her face. Mack watched her, glad once again that she had been assigned as his partner in this Rescue Resuscitation class - and not only because she already had some background in emergency medical procedures and could help coach him.

Leaving his home and making a life in a new world hadn't been quite as easy and pleasant as Mack had hoped it would be, not that Tyzonn hadn't been helpful, or that the Mercurians in general hadn't been welcoming and generous. No, the problem was in him, one that he somehow hadn't anticipated. Although he didn't want to admit it even to himself, Mack was deeply homesick. He missed what he suspected had been the best time of his life: Rose, Ronny, Will, Dax - his friends and teammates, whom he had left behind. Even more, he missed his father, his home, and Spencer. Tyzonn was there, of course, but even with him things weren't the same; Ty spent almost all his time either putting his new rescue team together or with Vella.

Strellia was pretty and smart, always cheerful and friendly, and patient when he made mistakes. Somehow when he was here, when she looked into his eyes and smiled as if he was the only thing she saw, for a moment or two Mack could forget the pangs of loneliness he felt. He had begun to look forward to these classes mostly for the chance to see her, and to wonder if there was any chance of getting to know her outside them. And now, maybe she'd just given him an opening.

After class ended he packed up his things and then waited, feeling awkward as he stood outside a small group of students chatting with Strellia for a few minutes before they finally said goodbye. As she headed for the door he fell in beside her. "So - you going home now?" he asked.

"Yes. Aren't you?"

"Yeah. I was wondering - maybe you'd like to get something to eat? Or a cup of kavao? I mean, if you really want to hear about what I did before coming to Mercuria."

She gave him a considering look, for long enough to make him nervous, and then murmured, "Of course I want to hear about it. I know a small place near here with excellent food, if you'd like to have dinner."

"Great!" Mack grinned in relief, and jumped to open the door as they reached it.

"Thank you, but I'm not too tired to open a door," she said, looking puzzled.

"Just an Earth custom. Hope you don't mind," he said anxiously.

"It's different - but kind of charming. I like it."

- x -

"I still can't believe a Power Ranger is my class partner." Strellia rested her cheek on one hand and gazed at Mack with a flatteringly admiring expression.

"Well... I can't believe you've even heard of the Power Rangers here."

"Of course we have. The Rangers aren't only on Earth, you know. We've never had a team here on Mercuria, but there was one recently on Terra Venture, and before that there were Rangers on KO-35, and of course there's the Aquitian Rangers."

"Wow, that's amazing," Mack said dreamily, wondering why he had never before noticed exactly how beautiful silver eyes were.

"There do seem to be a lot of them on Earth, though. Strange, how often your home planet gets attacked. Why is that?"

"Umm? Beats me. I guess monsters and evil aliens just happen to like us."

"I'm an alien, you know, at least to you." Strellia gave him what he hoped was a flirtatious look, although it was hard to be sure when he didn't really know how Mercurians usually acted in this kind of situation.

"But not evil. Or at least I don't think so."

"No... I hope a girl doesn't have to be evil to get your attention." She gave him a sidelong glance.

Now that had to be flirting on any planet. Suddenly nervous, Mack grinned, shook his head, and tried desperately to think of something clever to say. Fortunately, Strellia saved him by checking the timekeeper she wore on her belt.

"Look at how late it is!" she exclaimed. "I really have to be going, or my parents will be worried."

"Oh... too bad." He got to his feet, fumbled for money, and in a few minutes was following her outside to stand in the street, glancing up at a sight he still found amazing. Mercuria was actually a moon, not a planet; it orbited a gas giant so active that its surface roiled visibly as he watched. When in the night sky, like tonight, it was much more brilliant than Earth's moon, seeming to wash everything around them in a bright silvery light.

Strellia turned her face up to him, her eyes catching the glow as she smiled and put out her hand. "Isn't this another Earth custom? The shaking of hands?" she asked.

"You know about that too?" Mack took her hand in his, holding it as long as he dared.

"I looked it up. Goodnight, Mack. See you in two days." With another smile she turned and started away. Mack watched her until she disappeared inside a transport station. His euphoric mood lasted until he arrived home, and was only slightly dampened by finding that there was again no one there for him to talk to. It might be just as well, he reflected, his mood bumping down another notch. No one to talk to meant no one to ask him when he planned on telling Strellia that he was an android.

- x -

By the last day of class Mack still hadn't figured that one out, any more than he could decide if Strellia was genuinely interested in him or just being friendly. She had cared enough to look up information about Earth - that had to mean something. Or it could only mean that she was curious. They had gone out together after class twice more, once for dinner but once only for a quick drink. She always had to leave after only an hour or two.

After class this time she was the one who waited for him, smiling as he held the door for her again. They were silent until they reached the street in front of the graceful arches of the medical education building. Then Strellia faced him, brushing a long strand of dark red hair out of her face. Mack paused awkwardly, cursing his inability to come up with the right thing to say that would sweep her off her feet and into his arms.

"So - I guess this is it," he managed finally.

She looked puzzled. "This is what?"

"I mean, it's the end of the class. I'll be joining Tyzonn's team now, and you'll be starting work too."

"Yes." Strellia nodded thoughtfully as they began to walk slowly towards the transport station. "I'm looking forward to being a doctor in training at a good hospital. But it's a little frightening too."

"I bet. But you'll be a great doctor, I know you will."

"Thank you. I'll certainly do my best to make my family proud."

"You will." By mutual accord they left the sidewalk and stopped again, this time in the shade and relative privacy of a small clump of decorative trees. Again Mack searched for something to say and ended up with only the simple truth. "I hope I see you again."

"We're in the same field of work; we'll see each other sometimes." She laughed lightly at his expression of disappointment, and reached out to take his hand. "Call me at the hospital, or just come by sometime. We can have a meal, and - get to know each other better."

The promise in her voice was unmistakable, even to Mack. He grinned, and when she held out her other hand he took it and leaned in, very tentatively. She came to meet him, her face lifting to his, her lips soft and cool as he bent his head to kiss her. For just a moment she moved closer, her body molding to him and his hands resting on her waist, and then it was over and she was looking up at him, smiling that same dazzling smile.

Mack could remember every instant of it, every detail of how her mouth felt and exactly where the curves of her body had pressed against him, as he let long habit steer him safely back to Tyzonn's empty house. He had hazy memories of long-ago kisses shared with high school girls, but now he knew they had never happened; they had only been implanted in his mind by his father as part of a normal, happy, and entirely fictional childhood. No, this had been his first real kiss, and the reality made the deceptions fade into nothingness.

- x -

Mack made a lot of plans over the next two days, most of which stopped abruptly at the point of his telling Strellia that he wasn't what he appeared to be, and began to feel again a good bit of his resentment towards his father for creating the fix he found himself in. He was even beginning to wonder if he had the courage to take the chance, when life took matters into its own hands.

As it happened, he was rereading one of his favorite adventure books when the real thing interrupted. Mack looked up, startled, as the door to his little room in Tyzonn's house burst open.

"Mack!" Tyzonn exclaimed, looking ready to burst with excitement. "We've got our first assignment! Hurry!"

With that he was gone, dashing for the closet where they kept their gear. Mack followed, and in another moment was hastily pulling on the tunic and leggings that were the closest thing to a uniform they had. The thought flashed through his mind of how similar this was to their Ranger days - operating from home in the informal fashion most Mercurians seemed to prefer, responding to an alarm, knowing he was about to have the chance to make a difference for the better again. He touched the Tracker he now carried on his belt - brought along just in case although he meant to use it as little as possible.

"Where are we going?" he asked as they bolted from the house to Tyzonn's runner - a small vehicle that looked very much like a compact car.

"The other side of the city. There's been a fire. That's been put out but the building's collapsed. The rest of the team will meet us there." Tyzonn frowned, all business now as he started up and they sped on their way.

When they arrived the scene was filled with chaos: masses of people in the street surrounding what he realized was an indoor marketplace he had visited months before, the once open and spacious building now partially collapsed on the busy stalls and booths. Piles of the white foam Mercuria's fire-fighters used were gently melting amid the rubble, quenching the few remaining smoldering spots. Tyzonn had barely pulled to a stop when he was out and running, with Mack hurrying to catch up.

The other four members of their team must have just arrived; they were together in front of the sagging entranceway, talking to a man wearing an order-keeper badge who appeared to be in charge. They spotted Tyzonn and ran to meet him.

"They think everyone got out of the main part of the building," Vella reported without preamble.

"They're not sure?" Tyzonn asked.

"No. And two of the market workers are missing. They may be in the basement."

Tyzonn nodded decisively. "All right. You start searching here, but clear out if there's any sign of another collapse. Mack and I will check the basement."

With a nod and only a quick touch of her hand to Tyzonn's, Vella started back to the entranceway with the other three - Tak, Falah, and Daralle - right after her. Mack followed Tyzonn again, this time around the corner to a trapdoor set next to the wall of the building, fortunately the part that was still intact. It was locked, but a yank on the handle with Mack's super-strength took care of that. A moment later they were descending a narrow stairway, leaving the sunlight behind as the stench of smoke grew thicker and the air filled with haze. Mack saw Tyzonn glance back up at him, and wondered if he was remembering another underground place and the team he had lost there. If so, he showed no sign.

"You okay?" Tyzonn asked before placing his tiny respirator over his nose. Mack nodded, realizing why he had been chosen for this - as an android he could survive without oxygen if he needed to, although some of his energy-producing processes used it. While the smoky air was just as unpleasant to him as to a human, it wouldn't harm him. And of course, he was stronger and tougher than any human or Mercurian.

The smoke swirled and parted just enough for Mack to see two forms huddled at the bottom of the ladder, as if they had tried to get out that way but had been stopped by the trapdoor. To his relief the sound of racking coughs reached him - if they were coughing, they were alive. He jumped over them to the floor right after Tyzonn and knelt, seeing a Mercurian man and woman, both barely conscious. Mack helped the woman up as Tyzonn put spare breathing devices on both victims and got the man on his feet and to the ladder.

There was a cracking, crashing noise from above which rapidly grew to the roar that Mack knew meant more of the building was collapsing. They retreated as pieces of smoldering wood fell through the trapdoor, adding to the smoke and blocking their way. He peered up as the light from outside faded and disappeared.

"Is there another exit from here?" Tyzonn asked the man.

"No - blocked - couldn't get through to the main building..."

"We tried to use the ladder but the door was locked," the woman gasped. "Now we're trapped again!"

"Maybe not," Mack said. He walked back to the ladder and grasped it, looking up. "I'll try to clear a path through this stuff." He looked at the three of them. "You stay back."

For a moment he thought Tyzonn was going to object, but then he nodded. There was no choice, after all; if they didn't get out and the building continued to collapse, Mack would be the only one with any chance of surviving. While the Mercurians could transform into mercury, they couldn't hold that form for more than a few minutes - and if they shifted back while buried under a pile of rubble the results wouldn't be pretty. Quickly he climbed the ladder, slightly reassured as he saw a few rays of light trickling through a twisted mass of half-burned wood.

Bracing himself, Mack raised both hands and shoved, lifting one of the wooden beams. The ladder creaked, but held. He managed to shove the beam aside, and clung to his perch as smaller fragments of debris showered down on him.

"Mack, are you all right?" Tyzonn's shout came from below.

"I'm fine!" Mack went up another step. Only one more really big piece of wood... He pushed at it, and shifted it aside, taken by surprise as it broke over his head with a sound like a rifle shot, the two pieces sliding in and hitting hard as he raised his arms to protect his head. Mack swayed, lost his balance, and fell, plummeting to land on the wood-strewn floor with a crash.

"Mack!" Tyzonn was bending over him, eyes wide, hands on Mack's shoulders.

"Uh..." Mack blinked up, dazed. "I'm okay, I think." He took another look up. "Hey, I think it worked. I can see daylight."

They all turned to look, and scrambled to their feet as Mack got up more slowly. Tyzonn took the woman's arm and led her back to the ladder. "I'll go up first," he said. "Then you two. Mack, you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. Let's get out of here."

It was harder climbing up than it had been to come down, but they all made it, and a minute later were stumbling into the open to be greeted by Vella and the rest of their team, along with the firefighters and other rescue workers who took charge of the man and woman.

And... Mack caught sight of a darker head among the crowd, and a familiar face. He grinned as Strellia pushed her way forward and ran to him, hoping he looked impressively heroic. She certainly seemed admiring as she reached him and looked him up and down, but her first words were: "You're hurt!"

Strellia reached for his arm and pulled at the sleeve he hadn't even noticed was ripped. As the excitement of danger faded he realized she was right; the electronic signals his android mind interpreted as pain told him his arm had been damaged. He looked down to see the human-looking skin of his right forearm was ripped from elbow nearly to wrist. Even if there had been blood the cut was too deep for the illusion of humanity to hold; inside the gash metal glinted instead of bone, slender cables instead of tendons, gears and switches and circuits... He gulped, sickened at the sight.

Strellia stared. Then she looked up at his face, her own gone paler than usual. "I'm sorry, I didn't know," she said.

Mack blinked, confused. "Uh - didn't know what?"

"That you have an artificial arm. We can get the damage repaired, don't worry."

"It's okay, nothing serious," Mack mumbled, quickly covering the torn plastic 'flesh'. "Yeah, I'll get it fixed."

Tyzonn had appeared at Mack's side, looking at the arm and glancing quickly at Mack's face. He reached into his first aid kit and came out with a roll of bandage. "I'd better wrap that up for you in the meantime," he said. "Prevent any more damage."

"Thanks." Mack held out his arm and gratefully watched the unwanted sight of his own mechanisms disappear under a layer of gauze. The pain had already faded to an ache.

"That looks like really good quality work." Strellia smiled and patted his shoulder. "Extremely realistic."

"Yeah, you have no idea."

"Mack," Tyzonn said, "The building is clear. No serious injuries." He hesitated and nodded at Vella, who was standing a little distance away. For the first time, Mack noticed she had a stained bandage over one cheek. "I'm going to take Vella home and make sure she's all right. One of the others can go with you."

"Not necessary," Strellia put in. "I'll make sure he gets back safely."

"This is Strellia, my friend from the Rescue Resuscitation class," Mack explained. "I'll be fine. Just take care of Vella."

"If you're sure."

"Yeah," Mack said as Strellia smiled. "I'm sure."

- x -

The sun was setting, its fading light giving way to the stars, when they reached Tyzonn's house. Mack unlocked the door and then turned back to Strellia, debating whether to invite her in. He was tired; she must be too, and she probably only wanted to go home and rest - yet he was also keyed up from the excitement and didn't want to say goodnight just yet. Taking the middle road, he smiled down at her and said, "Thanks for coming with me, Strellia. I'm fine now, if you need to get home or anything."

"Later. I want to check your vital functions before I leave you alone."

"Vital functions?" Irresolute, Mack wavered, trying to think of some plausible reason why she should not measure his pulse and breathing. The breathing he could fake, but the heartbeat... But why avoid it any longer? If they were going to see each other again, he would have to start being honest.

She was looking at him quizzically when he finally moved aside and gestured her in. Silently they padded through the kitchen and into the small, comfortable living area, to sit on the thick, contoured floor pad that served the function of a couch. When Strellia started to open her medical pouch, Mack stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"There's no point." Mack took a deep breath and let it out. "You won't hear a heartbeat or find a pulse."

"What do you mean?" Strellia gave him a puzzled smile. "I know how to measure human functions."

"I'm sure you do. The problem is - well, I'm not exactly human."

"You're - not human? Not an Earthling, you mean?"

"No, I'm from Earth. Strellia..." He took another breath, but it had to be said. "You saw my arm. All of me is like that. Artificial. Mechanical. I'm an android."

"An android." Only surprise showed on her face as she seemed to take that in. "An android. Amazing. I never would have guessed." She looked at him intently, as if trying to see inside him. "Are you sure?"

The question was so unexpected that Mack laughed. "I've had my head removed for repairs. Yeah, I'm sure."

"You're amazingly realistic."

He shrugged. "Thanks, I guess."

"Do you..." She paused uncertainly.

"Do I have real feelings, real thoughts? Am I - alive?"

"Well - yes. Are you?"

Mack smiled, mostly to cover how uncomfortable that question still made him. "I've wondered that a lot myself. There's no way I can answer for sure. What I feel seems pretty real to me, though. I was made to think independently, and to be just like a human, and in most ways I guess I am." He watched Strellia's face, uncertain of her reaction. "So - what do you think?"

"About what?"

"Does it matter to you?" He felt a twinge as the most important question slipped out.

"Why should it?"

Not the answer Mack really wanted to hear, or what he wanted to know. "I mean - I guess I mean - do you still want to be friends with me?"

"Of course." She reached out to take both his hands in hers.

Relieved, Mack grinned and dared to go on to the next important question. "Are you sorry we - you know - kissed?"

"Of course not." Strellia leaned closer, her eyes catching the light of the one dim lamp they had lit. "But I'm sorry we haven't kissed again. Yet."

"We can fix that."

The second kiss was even better than the first, as they met in the half-light with her arms closing around his neck and his holding her tight. Strellia shifted closer until their bodies were pressed together; her lips opened and her tongue teased and withdrew, and again, inviting a response he was eager to give. After a few minutes her hands slid down to his waist, loosening his belt. As she sank to the cushions and pulled him down on top of her, a small voice inside Mack whispered that things were going too far, too fast, but it was faint and easily silenced.

- x -

"Do you have to go?" Mack asked, watching from the bed in his room as Strellia pulled her tunic on over her head. "Tyzonn won't be back tonight. You could stay."

"Thanks, but my parents expect me home." She looked around for her boots and sat on the edge of the bed to put them on.

"Then I'll go with you. Make sure you get there okay." Mack reached for his leggings and tugged them on before getting up.

"Why?" Strellia turned to him with a puzzled look.

"Well..." She was right; there was virtually no crime on Mercuria, and it wasn't even very late. Still, it didn't feel right to just let her leave by herself. "At least let me walk you to the transport station."

"If you want to."

She waited while he finished dressing, and they made their way down the stairs in the empty house, through the front door, and out into the cool night air and the street, at the moment deserted except for themselves. Side by side, they started on the short walk to the station.

"How does your arm feel?" Strellia asked.

"Fine." Mack lifted and flexed it. "It didn't slow me down much, did it?"

"No." She flashed him a smile. "You didn't seem to be in pain."

Mack laughed. Extreme nervousness, yes, but no pain. He hadn't told Strellia it was his first time, and if she had noticed his clumsiness she hadn't said anything. What she had done was to guide him through it with a sure touch and the same cheerful matter-of-factness as in the resuscitation class. It had been embarrassing and awkward, and exciting and wonderful, and he wanted to do it again as soon as possible.

"So - is tomorrow too soon to call you?"

Her expression changed to puzzlement again. "That depends. What would you be calling about?"

"What would I be calling about? About us getting together again, of course, what else? How about tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow?" Now she looked surprised. "Most of my time is taken now that I'm working. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

Dismayed, Mack said, "You don't sound like you really want to."

"We're friends; of course I want to see you."

He stopped and touched her arm to turn her to face him. "Just friends?"

"I don't understand."

"I mean - we just - after what we just did together, I thought - I thought it meant something to you."

"Of course it meant something. It meant I think you're very nice. It means we're good friends." Strellia looked as confused as Mack felt.

"Didn't it mean anything more?"

"I don't know..." Strellia seemed to search for an answer, and then brightened. "It was also that you were hurt, and you seemed upset, and I wanted to make you feel better."

Stung into anger by disappointment and hurt pride, Mack snapped, "Oh, great, now it was because you felt sorry for me. That makes me feel so much better. Maybe you were curious about what it would be like with an android, too!"

"Well, naturally." As Mack was silenced by further outrage, she went on calmly. "I was curious, I was trying to help, and I like you. What's wrong with that?"

"Do you jump in bed with everyone you like?"

"Most of them."

Mack stared at her. "What?? Like who?"

Strellia held up her hands and began to count on her fingers. "There's Talo, and Frisia, and Nofram, and Beallo, and Suria, and Mytal, oh, and of course Lito and Lita, and --"

"Never mind!"

As much as Mack was hurting, he was beginning to see the ridiculous side of the situation as Strellia's expression became utter bewilderment. "You asked. Now you don't want to know?" She shook her head. "You seem to be angry about something. Have I done anything to harm you? Tell me what's wrong."

"It's just - this isn't the way people do things on Earth." He sighed as she still looked confused. "When people are friends they don't - you know..."

"Ah. You mean Earthlings do not 'jump in bed' with people they like? That seems odd."

"No! I mean, people should like each other more than just as friends before they... Well, most people, anyway. A lot of people. At least where I come from."

"So Earth people are romantics! They must be in love before they have sex."

"Well, no. I mean, some do. Some don't. Oh, I don't know what I mean." Mack sighed again. "Look, all I know is that if I'm with a girl that way, I want it to mean something more. I don't need to be in love exactly, but I want us to be - really together, you know?"

Strellia was watching him, her brows drawn together in thought. "I think I understand. You want onlies - when you are both only for each other. That's what most of us do after engagement and marriage, but there are a few Mercurians who want it before, too." She frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, Mack, but I'm not ready for that."

"And I guess I'm not ready for your way of doing things."

"Too bad; it was fun. I hope we can still be friends."

Mack decided he understood why that particular phrase was so universally hated. "Sure," he said, forced a smile and shook her hand, and watched her turn away and disappear into the station.

- x -

"I met a girl. She was in one of the classes I took, and her name is Strellia. We went out a couple of times, but it didn't work out. How about that, Dad, I had my first girlfriend and my first breakup, all in a few days."

"Oh dear," Spencer said, meeting Andrew's eyes as he looked up from the letter. "How quickly they grow up."

"Yes. I just hope Mack was ready to handle that kind of thing. God knows even the most experienced of us have enough trouble with romance."

"Yes, indeed you do." Spencer met Andrew's suspicious glance with an expression of extreme innocence. "Pray finish the letter, sir."

"Right." Andrew scowled at him before beginning to read again.

"I also went on my first rescue mission, a fire and collapsed building. No one got hurt too badly, except my arm got cut. Nothing was really damaged but it looked kind of bad, so Tyzonn took me to a plastics lab and they fixed it so it just looks like a regular scar."

"That sounds as if Master Mack can already use the gift you and Miss Rose have prepared for him, sir," Spencer commented.

"Yes, it does. I thought it would have to wait until he comes back, but since I can send a reply... As soon as I finish reading this, please get the storage capsule from downstairs and I'll include it." Andrew returned to the letter.

"I guess that's about all for now. Like I said, I hope you and Spencer are fine, and please write. I paid for you to send a nice long letter back. If you talk to Will, Dax, Rose, or Ronny, please tell them I said hi. I miss you, Dad, and I miss you too, Spencer.

Well, I'll write again, and see you again before too long, I hope.

Love, Mack"

There was a moment of silence as Andrew read the last three sentences again, and then cleared his throat. There would be time later to go over every word from his son, and to wonder what he was doing now, so far away and in such an alien place. As for now, he had a letter of his own to write before the reptilian mailman went on his way. As Spencer left to get the gift he intended to send to Mack, Andrew opened a drawer, took out a sheet of blank paper, and paused. There was so much to say - and so much not to say. Rose - yes, he'd mention her, but no need to tell everything. No need at all. He adjusted his glasses and began to write.

"Dear Mack..."

TBC...