Chapter Ten

Over the next month Kennex came over sporadically, but Six and I spent a lot of time with Dorian. Sometimes we'd leave and he'd have alone time, or I'd leave and they would have android time.

I asked the chrome if she would take Rudy to a soccer game. "That sport sucks. I'll pay for everything, but be prepared to answer all kinds of questions and I'll give you a hundred, what do say?"

She laughed. "Why do you want Rudy to see a soccer game?"

"Stahl, do you know Rudy?"

"Yeah."

"He really doesn't get out much, I'm not sure if you've picked up on that. So, Six and I are taking him on a sports tour. We've done hockey and he wouldn't shut up. Now, I've tried to get Kennex to step up, but he's being a dick. I loathe soccer. Six loathes soccer, because I tell him to loathe it. I'm not sure about Dorian, as he's never been to one either." I took a breath and continued, "and that was long rambling explanation to your question. In essence, we're trying to integrate him into society. So, what do you say?"

"Let me check the schedule and I'll pick a day."

"Thank, Stahl. I'll make sure that he knows it's not a date. Dorian may want to go, will that be a problem?"

She looked a little panicked. "And I'll find someone else to go with you, so you aren't tempted to hunt me down and try and kill me. We good?"

"Yeah. I'll let you know," she told me and walked away.

"You're not subtle," Six told me in Cherokee.

"Are you just now coming to that conclusion, Six? That I'm not subtle? We need to have Martin check you out. Of course, I'm not subtle. Maybe they can get this show on the road."

Dorian was there and he had heard every word. Kennex had gone off to do something. "Do you want to go to a soccer game with the chrome, Rudy, and hopefully, Kennex?" I questioned him in Hopi.

"Or," Six broke in using Navajo, "we'll take you and you'll only have to deal with Casper."

"I like Casper," Dorian told him in Apache. I did a little happy dance as Kennex came back from his little side trip. "Why are you happy?" he asked me.

"Dorian likes me, even over Six's objections," I told him brightly.

"You are the strangest person I've ever met," he remarked.

"I'm sorry, how long have you known me and you're just now figuring this out? What kind of observer are you, man?"

"I'm a good observer, Casper. I just take my time coming to conclusions about things. It's called keeping an open mind," he replied.

I walked around the terminals, grabbed his face and turned it so he was facing the opposite wall while I pretended to look through his ear. "Yep, Kennex, you have an open mind. Good to know." Six and I walked to our car and Johnson was leaning against it.

"Johnson, how lovely to see you again," I said sarcastically.

"Casper, Six, good to see you again," he replied.

We had a staring contest that drew interested glances. "I'll be by after shift. Still like the same pizza?"

"Sure, sounds great," I told him.

Six and I watched him drive off then looked at each other. Not good. "I don't like this," I said to him in Navajo.

"No," he replied, "I don't think this is good."

We wrapped up pretty quickly, busting an illegal drug lab responsible for five deaths. We drove home and Johnson was waiting outside our door. "Why are you waiting outside?" I asked him as we walked in. "I wasn't sure what booby traps you had and I like my life," he replied.

"Good point." I got out plates and beers. Johnson plated his pizza, took a beer and sat at the island. I mimicked his movements waiting for him to spill.

"Roberts send his regards," Johnson said, "and he'd like to talk to you about becoming a consultant."

Dorian and Kennex came in the door before he had a chance to finish. Great. I should have changed his access. "Now's not a good time, Kennex. Go away," I told him without looking away from Johnson.

He ignored me. "Great, we're having pizza." He held out his hand to Johnson. "Detective John Kennex and this is my partner Dorian." Johnson had been looking at me then turned to Kennex and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Detective, Dorian. I'm afraid I have another appointment," he put a card on the island. "Casper, when you get a chance," he turned to Six and held out his hand. "Six, good seeing you again." They shook hands and Johnson left.

I looked at Kennex as he grabbed some pizza, got his own beer then sat down. "Mind telling me what part of 'go away' you didn't understand, Kennex? I even said it in English."

"I was hungry, so I wasn't listening to what you said," he said after he took a drink of his beer.

I broke out laughing. "Dude, you are something else."

We ate in silence. After Kennex had devoured two slices he finally spoke. "Who's that and what'd he want?"

"He's no one and he wanted nothing," I told him while he picked up the blank card. "See, nothing." He gave me a look filled with disbelief. I finished my pizza while I looked at him. I just shook my head and turned to Dorian. "Did you want to go the soccer game?"

"Yes, Casper, I'd like to go."

"Ok," I started to give him the preliminary details when Kennex broke in. "You're taking Rudy to a soccer game?"

"No, I'm paying Stahl a hundred to take Rudy and Dorian and someone else to a soccer game. I told you soccer is a sucky sport."

"Valerie is taking Rudy and Dorian to a soccer game?"

"Yeah and one more person. I didn't want her to be stuck with Rudy and no buffer."

"I'll go. What day?" he asked me.

"Stahl's getting back to me. I'll let you know," I told him. "We're playing Monopoly, Kennex. Do you want to join us?"

"No, I'm heading home. Dorian are you staying?"

"Yeah, John. Six and Casper will get me to Rudy's. I'll see you tomorrow." Kennex left.

"Very subtle, Casper," Six complimented me.

"I have my moments. Now, Dorian," I looked at him. "Are you staying or do you want to go to Rudy's?"

"I'll stay."

"Great. I need some coffee for this," I remarked as I put the water on. Six brought up the contents of the card. Dorian shouldn't have been looking at this, but I didn't give a shit he didn't have clearance.

"Very generous compensation package, Casper," Six pointed out.

"Yeah and they'd be willing to work around my schedule," I responded. The kettle went off and I turned to make my coffee when I asked about the first target.

"Robini Amal," Six told me and brought up Amals data.

I walked up to the holo. "Well, hello, Robini. I believe we have some unfinished business, you and I." I turned to Six. "Shit, I'd do this one for free."

"Casper," Dorian broke into my reverie, "are you going to kill this man?"

"I'm thinking about it, Dorian. As you can see from his data, Robini is a very bad man." I turned to face him. "Sometimes, Dorian, laws don't help people like they're supposed to. You know this. Now, the Company, wants me to become their police officer. I wouldn't kill Amal unless I had to. I would just go grab him so he can go to trial."

Dorian seemed to relax a little at that. We scrolled through the list of targets, Six bringing up all their data. It was a tempting offer. "I need to think about this," I told Six and Dorian. I looked at Six. "What does it say about me, Six, that I don't think I'm going to do it?" I questioned him.

"I think it says you like your new job," Six replied.

I kicked the island. "Yeah, I like my new job. Dammit. I've got to stop having feelings. It sucks." I sat at the island and drank my coffee talking with Six and Dorian. I kicked Dorian out and told him to pick us up tomorrow morning and to let Kennex know, so he didn't go to Rudy's.

The next morning Dorian walked in the door and told us the Kennex was about five minutes out. Lovely. I got donuts and coffee ready for his fungus ass. He walked in the door and looked surprised at the donuts.

"You made these?" and grabbed a couple. "These are good."

I grabbed his hand. "Kennex," he looked up. "What?"

"Nothing," and I dropped his hand. Why would I beat my head against a brick wall? We all made it in on time and the chrome gave me the date she wanted to go to the soccer game. "Great. Kennex is going with you. You can take it from here." I got the tickets and washed my hands of what was sure to be a fiasco. However, Dorian would be sharing the audio/video portion of the program. I told him that, in Apache, when I saw him before we went to lunch, so he knew I was serious.

I called Roberts and told him thanks, but no thanks, I was happy where I was. He took it in stride. "After what happened with the Matsui's I figured you were out, but I had to give it a try. If you change our mind, let me know."

I assured him I would. I continued to date Harris and it looked like he wanted to get serious and I had no interest in that. I was discussing it with Six and Dorian, after Kennex left, and the general consensus was I couldn't handle a long term relationship. Dorian also showed the soccer game. It was a fiasco. Rudy wouldn't shut up. Kennex and Stahl danced around their attraction until I just wanted to take their heads and bang them together. Dorian said it was an interesting experience and he looked at me when he said this.

"I think soccer is a shitty sport, so I really don't care, Dorian. Now, if you were to tell me you like soccer over hockey we could have some issues," I said shortly.

I told Kennex we'd take Dorian to Rudy's on Friday, so don't make any plans with him. Six and I were taking Dorian to the opera. We'd already had a tux sent to our apartment for him that he could change into. It didn't work out like that which is why Six and I were going into the precinct dressed up. Six was in a tux and he was hot. I had on a black dress, not to tight, that changed colors when I moved. They were wrapping up a case when we pulled up in a limo with Dorian's tux. When Six and I hit the floor it seemed like all movement stopped.

"Here," I told Dorian giving him the garment bag, "go change. It starts in an hour and a half and I need to eat, as usual. Six made reservations at a restaurant close to the house."

"What are you doing with my partner?" Kennex asked. The only reason I liked wearing heals is because I could see eye to eye with him.

"We're taking him to the opera. I didn't think you'd want to go and I definitely wasn't taking Rudy. He would never shut up," I told him. He got a disgusted look on his face at that. He told Dorian to remove him from the list of sporting events. Dorian came out and I walked around him. He looked good.

"You look good. Come on, let's go. Wave bye-bye to Kennex." I took his arm and waved to Kennex with it, then grabbed his hand and we walked out to the limo. We looked good. Dinner was good. I hadn't had French cuisine in while. The curtain rose and I was lost in the music. I love opera. During intermission Six and Dorian got hit on. I had to turn away so I wouldn't spit my drink all over. After it was over I put my finger in Dorian's face. "What did we decide?" then I fell out laughing. "I can't wait to tell Kennex. He won't find it funny, but the look on his face will be priceless." We went to our apartment, stripped Dorian and sent him to Rudy's telling him to pick us up tomorrow.

Dorian walked in. "John's two minutes out. He just now turned on his locator chip."

Kennex showed up and took his regular seat. I put coffee in front of him and eggs benedict. "What is this?"

"Eggs benedict," I said.

He took a bite. "This is good."

"One of these days, Kennex…" and stopped. I figured he wouldn't listen anyway, so I'd tell him later. I held out my hand, he pulled out his phone and put money in my account.

"Your partner got hit on last night."

"Dorian?"

"Do you have another partner we don't know about, Kennex?" I inquired.

He looked at Dorian. "You got hit on?"

"Yes, she thought that my eyes were striking," Dorian told him.

"Just stop, Casper. You are killing me with this."

"I thought the shit was funny."

I liked the way my life was going now. I would have preferred to have regular sex, but Harris didn't want that. He wanted marriage and children. I didn't.

Kennex showed up one night for dinner. "Where's Dorian?" I asked him.

"Rudy's."

He looked serious. I pulled out a beer and put it in front of him while Six left the room. I pulled out a beer for myself and sat in my usual seat across from him. "Is this a serious discussion?" I asked him.

"Yes." He continued to sit there.

"Do we need to move this to the living area?"

"No."

"Did you want to eat first?"

"Yeah."

I pulled out some spinach soufflé I'd made and put it on a plate. He ate mechanically. After he was finished I put on coffee and sat it in front of him.

"I'm afraid of having sex with my synthetic leg," he said softly.

"What do you mean exactly? Do you mean with it on or with it off?" I questioned gently. This was not going to go well.

"Both."

"Kennex, I don't want to question your personal life too deeply, but have you had sex since you woke up?"

He didn't say anything so I took that as a no.

"Okay. Well…have you tried going to a sexbot?"

When he didn't say anything I tried a different approach. "Are you afraid of what the other person would say about the feel of your synthetic leg?"

"Yeah, I am," he responded.

"As well as your stump?"

No answer to that and I took it as a yes.

"Kennex," I said. When he didn't say anything I got up and walked around to him. I pulled him around to face me. "John," and I put my hands on his face to get him to look at me. "John, when you decide to get into a serious relationship the other person will have to know about your synthetic leg. If that person cares about you, they won't care about the feel of your synthetic leg or when you don't have it on. They'll care about you and being with you. Just like you'll care about them and being with them. I know that sounds like I'm handing you platitudes, but I'm not. When you care about a person you accept their flaws, just like they'll accept yours."

I pulled him into my arms and hugged him, rubbing his back. I kissed the top of his head. "I'm sorry, honey, this happened to you, but you can't go back and change it." I pulled away from him and walked around to get a brownie. I put it on a plate and took the chair next to him.

"One mommy crack and I will kick your ass," I told him.

He smiled a small smile and started eating his brownie. After he finished he left. Six came back. "Nice. I didn't think you had it in you."

"I didn't think I had it in me either. You know if Dorian weren't his partner I wouldn't give him advice on things that I couldn't give a shit about."

Six looked at me like I was crazy. "Of course I know that. I've been taking care of you for how many years?"

I walked over and hugged Six. "I love you, Six. I don't think I would have made it if you hadn't been there. Can I ask you a morbid question?"

"Like that would stop you if I said no. What's the question?"

"Will you miss me when I die?"

"I'll remember you." That was the best I was going to get.

I finally remembered to ask the chrome how she liked the soccer game.

"Rudy asked a lot of questions. Dorian was quiet, just watching. John liked it."

Wow, really descriptive. "Did you want more than the hundred?"

"No, that's fine, but I don't want to take Rudy to another game again," she told me.

"Duly noted. Thanks, Stahl. I appreciate it."

I started walking away when she asked why I was doing it. "To be honest, I don't know. I never get this involved in people's lives."

That was true. I had to stop and think about why I was doing this and I decided it was all Six's fault. He tried to get my social circle expanded because I was making him crazy. When I went to my station I punched him the stomach. The bastard didn't even move. "What was that for?"

"Because of you getting me to expand my social circle I am doing all kinds of shit that I normally don't do," I told him in Bajoran. Dorian and Kennex were still there and Dorian looked at us.

"We haven't taught you this. Bajoran," I told him. I looked at Six. "Maybe we should teach him Wookie. Of course, we couldn't use that here. I think Klingon was the last straw."

Six started laughing. "Can you imagine if we started speaking Wookie?"

"Yeah, that'd be great. We'd be fired and we'd have to go back to the Company. Who else would hire my crazy ass?" I told him in Navajo so Dorian could understand.

I could see Six and Dorian communicating. Dorian looked at us. "Yes, Wookie would be too much," he told us.

We finished out our day and I wanted movie night. I told Six that he needed to find something else to do and put the tokens in the cup. I got out all the Star Wars movies to watch. Of course, the first three were the best, but the second three had the best effects and Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor were smoking hot. I was ready to start my moviethon, I was off tomorrow, when Dorian and Kennex walked through the door. Kennex looked shocked.

"Casper's Diner is closed for this evening. Sorry, I should have talked to you earlier about it, but I never know when you'll show up," I told him. "I'm thinking I could build another room to house your damn trophies and then you and Dorian can move in. It'll make things easier."

"Where's Six?"

"I don't know. I kicked his ass out."

"Isn't he supposed to be supervised when he's off?" Kennex asked me.

"I'm not sure, that's not something that I asked about when I took the job. I hate that I'm going to say this, but Six belongs to me, not the department. So, if I want to kick his ass out, I can kick his ass out."

Kennex looked a little uneasy. "Kennex, Six is never far from where I am. I wouldn't worry about him going crazy. You should worry about me going crazy. Now, I've made chicken wings and popcorn. I'm watching the Star Wars movies. You can stay if you want."

He took a seat next to me on the sofa. I put the wings and popcorn on the table with some beers. I told Dorian he could take my car back to Rudy's when he wanted. "Just be here tomorrow sometime. I'm off and I don't have anything planned. That is subject to change, however."

"You send him to Rudy's in your car?"

"Yeah. Dorian doesn't go anywhere in that car that I'm not aware of. Ya know, Kennex," I said as I started the first movie, stretched out on the sofa and put my feet in his lap, "I never figured you to be the black and white type. I figured you to be a shades of gray type." Dorian sat in his usual chair.

In the middle of the second movie I pulled Kennex down beside me so we could share the popcorn. I was tired of stretching for it. He looked a little surprised but settled back. I moved the movie to the ceiling. "See, no neck strain," I pointed out. We watched the movie and I told him that Ewan and Liam were hot. He didn't seem to be too interested in them, but thought Leia's bikini was interesting. "Do you have something like that?"

"Sure do. When I was growing up I was a Star Trek/Star Wars freak. Frankly, I have the body to carry that. Not everyone does."

"You have that bikini?"

"Well, not that one, but I made one. I also have a chainmail shirt. The stories I could tell you about that. I'll let you try it on one day."

"You are the weirdest person I've ever met," he told me again as he reached for popcorn.

"Kennex, are we going to have the observation conversation again?"

"What?" he asked me. I tugged his hair. Darth Maul was fighting Ewan and Liam. Totally loved his light saber. I made one of those, too. Martin destroyed it.

I woke up the next morning on the sofa with Kennex. Dorian was not in the living area, and the car was still here, so he must have been in Six's room charging. I moved and Kennex's arms closed around me. I took a pillow and switched it out for me. I got a shower and started breakfast. I didn't know if Kennex was off today, so around seven I woke him up. "Kennex, are you off today or do you have to work?" I asked him. He was usually at my apartment by this time for breakfast. He didn't move. "Sunshine, do you have to work today?" I tried again. He mumbled something but I couldn't tell what it was. I poked him. "Kennex, do you have to work today?" I think I got a no.

Six must have cleaned up because I didn't see any movie night dishes. I got coffee and put it in a cup by his head. He slowly woke up. "Hey," I asked him "do you have to work today?"

"No, I'm off," he grumbled at me.

"Breakfast is almost ready," I told him and walked back to the kitchen to finish up the pancakes. Zombie Kennex made an appearance. I think he was done eating before he really woke up. I refilled his coffee. "Kennex, you have the cutest bedhead I've ever seen and that's saying something."

"Thank, I guess," he said. Six and Dorian came into the kitchen. "How was movie night?" Six asked.

"Fine. I think I want to do something more bloody next time. More 'Resident Evil'-ish."

"Did you tell Kennex that you made a working model of Darth Maul's light saber?"

"No, we didn't get that far. But I did tell him about the chainmail shirt," I smiled at him.

"You made a light saber that worked?" Kennex was staring at me.

"Yeah. Martin destroyed it after I cut down most of the trees by the lab. I think they use part of it in the space station though."

"Oh my god," he moaned. "Wait, what's your IQ?"

"225"

"Casper, there is no such number on the IQ scale," Dorian told me.

"I used the IQ test that was used on Martin. He scores 250. As far as I know, we're the only ones that have ever been tested with it. It's not really available for the general public."

"Wait a minute; you and Dr. Martin have your own IQ test?" Kennex asked.

"Well, it's not ours. It's for…I guess really smart people. There's a procedure that needs to be followed in order to be tested. It was created for Martin because he kept scoring perfect on the general ones. They needed to find a test to really gauge his intelligence. I think it took two years and they gave up and just set the benchmark at 250." Kennex sat there with his mouth open.

"How old was Dr. Martin when they tested him?" Dorian wanted to know.

"Well, Martin was given his first IQ test when he was five."

"And he scored perfectly?"

"Yeah."

"Are you guys like some sort of superchrome or something?" Kennex inquired.

"No, we're not. His parents were just really smart."

"What about your parents?" Kennex was not leaving this alone.

"I don't know who they are," I told him and I stopped that conversation cold.

He got up from the island and took his cup to the sink, something he'd never done before. "If we ever have another case at a chrome school, we're sending you."

"I don't think that's a good idea. I hate chromes. Usually I punch them in the face."

"Why are you a cop and not working in some lab someplace?" Kennex wanted to know.

"I have worked in a lab. Martin's lab. I kept making hand held laser weapons."

"Remember one summer you were working on artificial gravity," Six reminded me.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I was trying to build a Millennium Falcon. I got it in space, but stuff kept floating everywhere because of the no gravity thing. I spent an entire summer trying to figure out how to create artificial gravity. I got close, but never finished."

"Why didn't you finish, Casper?" Dorian asked me.

"I found sex. Much better than artificial gravity." I smirked at him and wiggled my eyebrows.

"How old were you when you created that light saber?" from Kennex.

"I was twelve. Why?"

"Just curious."

"Kennex, I've told you several times I am not normal. The things I do shouldn't shock you."

He just sat down and looked at me. "So, what are you doing today?" I asked him to break the silence.

"I didn't have any plans."

"You want to play with more weapons with me and Six?"

"Sure, why not."