"What was that about?" Niko asked, perplexed. "One moment we're talking normally and the next he acts as though I have a contagious disease."
"Ahm, Niko, I know you're all about peace and communication, but you befriended a Supertrooper?" Doc was collecting his bearings, but seemed still staggered by Niko's choice whom to bring for dinner.
She furrowed her brows, trying to remember.
"Supertrooper? I think I've heard about that. You mean that band of elite soldiers who turned criminal?"
Apparently, Doc did not think that description was sufficient.
"Niko, it was THE big incident last year. Genetically engineered super soldiers suddenly turn crazy and start attacking the people they were supposed to protect. And you think you heard of it?"
She merely shrugged.
"That was in March 2085, wasn't it? I was on an archeological dig at the time, Doc. Communication with Terra was limited."
"We all had briefings and extra training, how to spot them and how to have a chance of survival if we do. They were trained to be killing machines."
"So if you see them, you had better run?"
"Or get some heavy artillery. Preferably a battle cruiser."
"That bad?"
"You're not taking this seriously!"
Niko leaned back in her chair and gave Doc an apologetic smile.
"Sorry Doc, I've had a hard month. I do believe they're deadly but so are the Tigers of Mercury and the Orion Smuggler Ring."
"Still, I can't believe you haven't heard the story about Supertroopers."
Niko leaned forward again and crossed her arms while she was explaining herself.
"Doc, at the time it happened I was working 14 hour shifts to catalogue the ruins on Basuti, help the linguists translate the language and establish peaceful relations with the Basuti people. I didn't read the news."
"Well, but you made some news. First contact with aliens. They live on a planet full of ruins within a society of Stone Age level. And they are a race of peaceful teddy bears.
The Board of Leaders discussed suspending the whole space exploration program when that became public."
Doc seemed to enjoy teasing Niko and he got some well-earned retorts.
"First, the Basuti are my friends!
Second, these ruins belong to an ancient advanced technology and we could learn a lot from them if we had a bit more time to explore.
Third, I'm sure there are intelligent, technologically advanced life forms out there. They just haven't contacted us yet."
"Why should they contact us at all? And what if they want to conquer us?"
"First, let's assume they are as curious as we are. Second, they may not be all peaceful but let's be honest, neither are we. Nor are we all bad."
"Well, I don't know, between 'independence for Mars' terrorist attacks, illegal trade in humans on the mining colonies, overpopulation on Earth …"
"… psychic con artists, criminal hackers, genetic experiments and the price of energy they probably can throw nothing at us that we could not come up with ourselves."
"So why should they want to contact us?"
Niko threw up her hands in surrender.
"I don't know, Doc, it's not as though I have talked with them."
"Well, but I bet you would be one of the first to talk to them if they came here."
"Thanks."
"I mean that."
Niko took a sip from her drink before she continued. Weariness seemed to dim her love for banter.
"Sorry, Doc, it's just that everyone seems to think that because I'm psychic I'm predestined to work in inter-species communications or infiltrate criminal networks."
"Well, you're good at it."
"Yes, but not only."
"You mean you feel undervalued because people forget that you're also an excellent scientist, archeologist, pilot, seamstress, dancer, shooter and martial artist?"
"I'm a Galaxy Ranger."
"So am I."
"Yes, but you seem happy here, writing your thesis, developing your tweakers and hacking the interstellar network. I want – out."
"Actually, I defended my thesis last month."
"What, how did I miss that? Congratulations."
Niko beamed at Doc at hearing the good news. Doc seemed to enjoy the moment and answered with a self-satisfied smile.
"Yes, you're officially talking to Doctor Walter Hartford now."
"My goodness, Doc, wow! Your tweakers are finally working?"
"Yes, the psychic interface you suggested was the breakthrough."
Niko waved aside the praise with a small gesture of her hand.
"It was just a little suggestion."
"I'd name one of my programs after you if you let me."
"Don't you ever dare do that!"
"Well, I could name one tweaker 'Sieglinde' if you like that better."
"Doc!"
"Alright, alright."
Niko was still smiling at Doc, genuinely happy for him, despite his teasing.
"So what are you going to do now?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, defending only the Beta mainframe I do find a tad boring. I've applied to the special forces directly under Walsh."
"Really? So have I."
"So that's why you're here? You wound me. I thought you came to visit me."
"Among other things."
Niko's facial expression got serious again.
"So how do you find him?"
"Whom? Walsh? Very dedicated to defending Earth, I'd say. Dedicated enough to bend the rules a bit, I think."
"Bend the rules?"
"Well, strictly speaking I have to work in computers for another five years."
"But you did the full Galaxy Ranger training program. You're qualified for any type of work within the Rangers."
"Well, yes, but I utilized their resources to develop the tweakers. So now I need to use my programs for them. But there is a project to develop a mobile interface for my tweakers, some type of brain implant, so that I could take them anywhere. That's what I'm working on right now together with Dr Q-Ball."
"That's great, Doc."
"Well, let's hope it works out for both of us. By the way, how did your little chat with the dolphins go? I must say, that's the strangest excuse I've gotten from you so far for being late."
A joyful smile spread across Niko's face at the memory.
"They're amazing. Their intelligence is really on a level with humans. They've been trained as aquatic scouts and they can talk among themselves telepathically. They have very clear communication, not just emotions or fleeting images."
"Sounds like you made new friends."
"Well, one of the dolphins, Ikarus, was quite open. The other one was more reserved. Maybe I'll go back in a few days and try again. Which brings me back to the question, what do you know about Ranger Gooseman?"
She eyed Doc intently like in an interrogation. They were done with their food and the canteen was mostly empty now that dinner time was over but they could still chat and exchange information.
"Huh?"
"The ranger I tried to bring for dinner. I met him at Longshot. Somehow he's working with the dolphins too. You said he is a Supertrooper. How come he did not go rogue when the others did?"
"It's not like I know him personally. He appeared at one of the briefings we had about Supertroopers, gave a demonstration of what we would be up against. Made me really glad he is on our side. He is some type of 'bio defense carrier' meaning he can adapt his physical form to extreme environmental conditions. In the demonstration, he was shot with a laser and he turned into some type of metallic life form.
He mostly keeps to himself. Not very talkative, growls at you if you invade his space. Always the first one to volunteer for a dangerous mission. Apparently not easy to get along with, though. He's been on four different teams so far. Currently he answers directly to Walsh.
Niko, are you still listening to me?"
"Yes, Doc, just excuse me for a moment."
She got up from the chair and headed straight in his direction. Which was strange, since he was sitting a level up and there was a pillar hiding him from view.
She was definitely angry, he could see that but he had no idea why.
"So what's the difference, Mister, between eavesdropping on a conversation telepathically or because of super enhanced hearing?!"
He could not be more surprised if she had floored him.
"I like to know what I'm up against."
"So have your questions been answered?!" She was glaring furiously at him.
"Partly."
For a moment it seemed as though she wanted to reply something, then she turned around abruptly and left, giving a shake of her head as though she was offended – or disappointed? – with him.
"My God, Niko, what are you doing?"
"He was listening to us."
"And you told off a Supertrooper?! You're crazy!"
"So what? That's part of my job description."
"Niko!"
"I'm sorry, Doc, I have to go now. I'm meeting with some of my friends from archeology later this evening. Shall we get together tomorrow morning at your office, say 10.00, for a demonstration of your tweakers?"
"It would be my pleasure, Niko."
"Good, see you then." She got up to leave but then paused for a moment, a very concentrated look on her face.
And despite his mental shields her voice rang loud and clearly in his head:
There's a movie night tonight by the archeological team, in conference room 3C at 9 pm. You're invited.
It was not an attack, not even a challenge. Simply an honest answer to his question.
He did not think he would be able to figure out this woman.
Niko wondered whether it had been a good idea to tell him like that. But then he was honest about what he was and she was simply tired of hiding her abilities. Tired of pretending she was normal, tired of lying.
She would simply trust that things would work out for the best.
