THE GENETIC DUPLICATE—Day 8 Part 5
Kyra was sitting on the couch and preparing her students' lessons. When Kim opened the door and stepped in, Kyra looked at her watch and said, "You're right on time as usual."
As the door closed behind Kim, she said, "Hey Mom, people on the electronic ship found a signal that originated from Earth. The signal is of a baseball game."
"I heard all about it about thirty minutes ago," said Kyra.
As Kim placed her sketchpad and pencils on the table, she asked "How did you find out?"
"Seth was here a little bit ago talking about it," said Kyra.
Kim sat down next to Kyra and asked, "Where's Seth now?"
"He is on his way to Cloud Nine," said Kyra.
Kim looked at Kyra in a curious manner and asked, "What's going on, on Cloud Nine that everyone is going there?"
Kyra looked at Kim in a confused manner and said, "Seth is going there to be interviewed about baseball. Seth is also the only person I know who is going to Cloud Nine."
"Adonis, Faxon and Hobson went to Cloud Nine," said Kim. "According to Casimir, Adonis will be gone for about another hour."
"Well, I don't know why they went to Cloud Nine," said Kyra. "Now, are you ready to get something to eat?"
"I guess," said Kim. Kim then stood up followed by Kyra.
Kyra gestured to Kim's sketchpad and said, "I want your sketchpad and pencils put in your room before we go."
Without saying a word Kim picked up the sketchpad and pencils; walked into her room and placed the items on her bed.
Seconds later, as Kyra and Kim were walking towards the mess hall Kyra saw Kim in deep thought. Kyra put her arm around Kim and asked, "What are you thinking so hard about?
Kim looked at Kyra and said, "If the people on the electronic ship find any more erroneous signals from Earth, I'm just curious to know what the people in the colonies would think of Earth's entertainments. I mean would the people in the colonies think that the people on Earth are in a desperate need of a therapist."
Kyra looked at Kim in a perplexed manner said, "Kim, I'm almost positive that the people in the fleet won't think that just because of the Earth's entertainment."
"Well, some of the Earth's movies and shows are strange and bizarre," said Kim.
"So were a lot of the movies from the colonies," said Kyra.
"I think Earth movies are more bizarre," said Kim.
"Why would you think that?" asked Kyra.
"Well, Earth has science fiction movies, and a plot to a science fiction movie can be very strange," said Kim.
"Kim, we had science fiction too, but we called them AF's which actually means alternate fantasy," said Kyra.
"Are there any talking animals in AF movies, or someone falling into the twilight zone?" asked Kim.
"Some of our AF movies had talking animals, but you will have to explain what you mean by someone falling into twilight zone," said Kim.
"When I had my first vision in sickbay, I thought that I entered the twilight zone," said Kim. "I actually thought I was seeing an injured person then all of a sudden the person wasn't there."
"So it would be a sudden shift in reality?" asked Kyra.
"I guess so," said Kim. "Most of the twilight zone shows are about unexplained and bizarre events or events that are not suppose to happen, but does. Like an unreal fantasy life becomes a reality and the reality becomes a bad dream."
Kyra put her hand on Kim's shoulder and said, "That example would definitely be a sudden shift of reality." Kim just grinned. "Oh and we did have movies that were based on someone falling into the twilight zone."
"What about time traveling movies?" asked Kim.
"I think I know what you mean, but give me an example," said Kyra.
"There are some movies on Earth that have scientists going back in time when the dinosaurs walked the Earth," said Kim.
"Okay, you totally lost me when you mention dinosaurs," said Kyra.
Kim grinned and said, "Oh yeah, you wouldn't know about dinosaurs." Kyra grinned. "Dinosaurs were gigantic reptiles that walked the Earth a hundred million years ago. They were killed off several million years ago when Earth was thrown into an ice age. The scientists believe that a large meteorite struck the Earth was what caused the ice age."
"To answer your question about time traveling; there were a few movies based on time travel," said Kyra.
"What about movies on supernatural or the paranormal?" asked Kim.
"The colonies were not too familiar with the paranormal, so not too many paranormal movies were made," said Kyra. Kyra then saw Kim thinking of more questions. "Kim, I seriously doubt that we will think that the people on Earth are in need of a therapist after seeing Earth movies, so you don't have to keep comparing our movies with yours."
Kim grinned and said, "You say that now, but will you say it after watching a movie."
"Kim, enough with comparing," said Kyra. "Okay?"
"Fine," said Kim.
"Kim, since the dinosaurs were killed off millions of years ago, how is known that the dinosaurs even existed?" asked Kyra.
"Archaeologists… the scientists who would study old fossils, would find dinosaur fossils and dig them up," said Kim. "They would then carbon-date the fossils to determine the age."
"So how gigantic were these dinosaurs?" asked Kyra.
"A tyrannosaurus rex stood almost four times taller than me and brachiosaurus was more than twice the size of a tyrannosaurus rex," said Kim.
"That's gigantic all right," said Kyra.
"Was there anything like a dinosaur on any of the colonies?" asked Kim.
"There were large threatening animals documented when our ancestors first settled on the colonies, but not anything as big as a brachiosaurus," said Kyra.
Kim just grinned.
A short time later Kyra and Kim went through the food line and as they were walking through the dining area Kyra saw Hilton motioning for her and Kim to join him and Julian.
As Kyra and Kim were sitting down across from Hilton and Julian, Kim said, "Hi Hilton; hi Julian."
"Hi Kim," said Julian.
"Kim, last night I was reading Julian one of his books for a bedtime story and to my surprise he was almost able to read the book to me," said Hilton.
Kim grinned and said, "When Julian was staying with mom and me, I was reading to him and then I helped him to read it."
"Well, your method was more effective then what I have been doing," said Hilton.
"Actually Hilton, older kids teaching younger kids has always been an effective teaching method," said Kyra.
"Kim, as long as it is all right with Kyra, how would you feel about teaching Julian to read?" asked Hilton.
Kim looked at Kyra and said, "I would like that."
Kyra grinned and said, "All right. Hilton, Kim's only time to help Julian to read would be before class or around this time of the day."
"Kim, would prefer to do it before class or at this time of the day?" asked Hilton.
"Since before class is when Adonis does his homework and I can't really be with him, I guess before class is when I want to help Julian with his reading," said Kim.
"Okay," said Hilton. "How about starting tomorrow?"
Kim nodded and said, "I'll start tomorrow."
"Hilton, you and Julian can eat breakfast with Kim and me and then Julian can come home with Kim and me," said Kyra.
"That sounds good," said Hilton.
Kim saw Kyra looking at Kim's rations, and when Kyra looked up at Kim, Kim said, "I'm eating."
Kyra just grinned as Kim took a bite.
Thirty minutes later Kyra and Kim were returning to their quarters, and when Kim stepped in she asked, "In thirty minutes, can I go back to the recreation room?"
Kyra looked at Kim in curious manner and asked, "Why in thirty minutes."
"Adonis supposed to be back from Cloud Nine anytime in the next thirty minutes, and if he comes by here first, I want to be here," said Kim. "Besides, I have something I want to draw and if I go to the recreation room, I won't be able to."
"You can go to the recreation either now or in thirty minutes, but regardless when you go, I want you home in an hour and half from now," said Kyra.
"Okay," said Kim. "Well, I'm going to go in my room and draw."
"Kim, you can draw on the couch as I prepare the lessons for tomorrow," said Kyra.
"I would join you, but I want to concentrate on my drawing, so I can draw it right, and I can concentrate better when there's no one around to watch me," said Kim.
Kyra looked at Kim in a curious manner and asked, "What are you planning to draw that you want to concentrate on it."
Kim looked at Kyra in a manner as if she didn't want to answer. She then said, "I don't want to say, but I do promise it's not anything bad."
"Why don't you want to say?" asked Kyra.
"It's something personal to me," said Kim. "Please Mom; don't ask want I'm drawing."
Kyra stared at Kim in a curious manner for a second. She then said, "Okay."
Kim grinned and said, "Thanks." She then walked into her bedroom and after getting comfortable in bed, she took a couple of minutes and drew a rose. After drawing the rose she flipped to a clean page and started to draw Thya's portrait.
Kyra sat on the couch preparing her class lessons for twenty minutes when the doorbell rang. When Kyra opened the door she saw Adonis standing there while holding flowers. Kyra looked at Adonis in a curious manner and said, "Adonis, I'm not sure how I feel about you being at my door with flowers in your hand."
"They're for Kim," said Adonis.
"I guess that," said Kyra. "Come on in and I will get Kim for you."
"Yes, Ma'am," said Adonis.
As Adonis was walking in Kyra walked up to Kim's door and knocked.
Kim stepped out while carrying her sketchpad. When Kim saw the flowers she grinned and asked, "What are the flowers for?"
"I got them for you, and I didn't get them for a peace offering," said Adonis. He held the flowers up. "Do you like them?"
"I do; they're very pretty," said Kim. Kim placed her sketchpad on the table and then took and smelled the flowers. Kim looked at Kyra. "I don't know what to do with them though."
"Kim, come with me and I'll show you where you can set them in your room," said Kyra.
"Okay," said Kim. "Adonis, I'll be back in a minute. Oh and thanks for the flowers."
"You're welcome," said Adonis.
Adonis watched as Kyra and Kim walked into Kim's room. When the door shut Adonis sat on the couch. He glanced at Kim's sketchbook for a second and then picked it up.
The first picture he saw was of the Christmas scene. He looked at the scene for a few seconds before flipping the page. The second picture was of a red rose. When he turned to the third page his face changed to a stunned expression as he stared at a portrait of his mother. When Adonis heard the bedroom door opening, he turned and looked at Kim as Kim and Kyra stepped out of the room
When Kim saw that Adonis was holding her sketchpad with the portrait showing, she cringed and said, "Adonis, I didn't want you to look at my sketchpad."
Kyra looked at Kim in a curious manner as Adonis gestured towards the portrait and said, "This is my mother."
"I know, and please don't be mad at me for drawing her," said Kim.
Adonis stood up while holding the sketchpad and said, "I don't know how to describe what I'm feeling right now, but I'm definitely not mad at you." Kim grinned. "How do you know what my mother looked like?"
"Two hours ago I had a vision of your mom when Casimir touched my arm," said Kim. "Even now, the image of your mom is very clear in my head."
Adonis looked at the portrait and asked, "Can I have the portrait."
"You want it?" asked Kim.
"I do," said Adonis. "I want to frame it and put it in my room."
Kim grinned and said, "Okay. The drawing's yours."
Adonis smiled and said, "Thank you." Adonis then carefully and without ripping the drawing, tore the page out of the sketchpad. "Kim, I want to take this drawing to my quarters. After that I was going to the recreation room. Can you come with me?"
"I can," said Kim.
Kyra looked at her watch and said, "Kim, I want you home in an hour."
"I will," said Kim.
"I also want to talk to you before you leave, so Adonis, please wait in the corridor for Kim for a minute," said Kyra.
Kim looked at Kyra in a curious manner as Adonis said, "Yes Ma'am,"
When the door closed behind Adonis, Kim said, "I know; you don't want me in Adonis quarters if Casimir is not there."
"True, but that is not what I want to talk to you about," said Kyra. Kyra took and held Kim's hand. "I just wanted to tell you that the gift you gave Adonis was a nice one. I can tell that he liked it very much."
"Mom, I drew the picture because the image of Adonis's mom was embedded in my head, and making a drawing of an image that I can't get rid of does help me to clear my mine of the image," said Kim.
"From your initial reaction to Adonis finding the drawing, I knew you didn't draw it for him," said Kyra. "But as you commented a few days ago, I do believe in fate and I believe it was meant for Adonis to have that picture."
"Okay, I'm going to leave before you say that God works in mysterious ways," said Kim.
Kyra grinned and said, "I never heard that particular phrase before, but I believe that." Kyra then gave Kim a hug and followed by a kiss on the cheek.
Kim grinned and said, "Well, bye Mom; I'll see you in an hour." She then turned to leave.
"Bye," said Kyra as Kim was opening the door to walk out.
A short time later, Kim waited in the corridor while Adonis took a minute to put the picture up. Kim and Adonis then went directly to the recreation room, and when they walked in, Kim saw that Casimir was still there. A small group was still gathered around while watching the end of the baseball game.
When Kim saw Casimir looking in her direction, she waved. Casimir grinned and waved back. Kim and Adonis then joined Rachida and Taundra at their table.
Kim played for fifty minutes. She then asked, "Adonis, what time you have."
Adonis looked at his watch and said, "Oh, actually it's time for you to leave, and I'll walk you home."
Kim stood up and said, "Okay. Rachida; Taundra, I'll see you two tomorrow in class."
"Bye Kim," Rachida and Taundra said.
Minutes later, after Kim and Adonis reached Kim's quarters, Adonis gave Kim a kiss. When the kiss ended Kim saw Seth walking up.
As Adonis was turning to see who Kim was looking at, Adonis asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," said Kim. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye Kim," said Adonis.
Kim just waved bye. Kim remained in the corridor and watched as Adonis and Seth greeted each other as they passed one another.
As Seth stepped up to Kim, Kim said, "I heard that you were interviewed."
"I was, and the interview is probably being broadcasted right now," said Seth.
"Did they ask you a lot of questions?" asked Kim.
"Kim, let's get out of the corridor, and then I'll answer your questions," said Seth.
"Fine," said Kim.
Kyra was sitting at the end of the couch and reading one of the novels when Kim and Seth walked in.
When Kyra saw Seth, she asked, "So how was the interview?"
As Seth was sitting down next to Kyra he said, "It was good. As I sat watching an hour of the baseball game with the reporters, the reporters ask certain questions on how the game was played."
"What kind of questions?" asked Kim.
Before Seth was able to respond, Kyra said, "Kim, Seth is probably tired at answering interrogating questions from the reporters, so I'm sure he would appreciate if you didn't interrogate him."
"How is what I asked an interrogating question?" asked Kim.
"You have a habit of asking one question right after the other," said Kyra. "I know you don't mean any harm, but that does start to feel like an interrogation after a while."
"Well, I just like knowing things," said Kim.
"I know you do," said Kyra. "That's actually what makes you a great student. That ambition to know things will also make you a great doctor, but you can't learn everything there is to know on a detailed level. Now, I'm not telling you to stop asking question, but you do need to be more choosy of the topic, before asking detailed questions."
"I'll try to be more choosy," said Kim. "I still want to know what kind of questions the reporter asked Seth."
"Kyra, I don't mind answering Kim's questions," said Seth.
As Kim sat down next to Seth, Kyra said, "Okay."
"Kim, the reporters was just asking me question about the rules of baseball," said Seth. "You can figure out what kind of questions that were asked just by pretending you don't know anything about baseball, but yet you want to learn the rules."
Kim thought for a second. She then shook her head and said, "With Todd's, Brandon's Michael's and Keith's little league baseball, I had been around baseball since I was born, so I can't imagine not knowing the rules."
Seth slightly grinned and said, "Okay, I'll asked you some questions and maybe you'll understand."
"Okay, shoot," said Kim.
"Why was the game created with three strikes as being an out instead of four?" asked Seth. "Why is four balls a walk instead of three or five?"
"I can't answer those questions," said Kim.
"Since I'm not the creator of the game, neither can I, but those were the type of questions that were asked," said Seth.
"I think I understand," said Kim.
"Good," said Seth.
"Kim, who are Todd and Michael," asked Kyra.
"Oh, they're my cousins; my Aunt Melissa's sons," said Kim. "Todd is four years older than Brandon and Michael is six months older than Brandon. They have no sisters."
"So Kim, have you ever played on a baseball team?" asked Seth.
"And purposely stand where a large crowd will be watching my every move? I don't think so," said Kim.
"So you never played any type of sport?" asked Seth.
"Well at school, I had to play whatever sport the gym teacher was doing at the time," said Kim. "That wasn't all that bad though because there weren't any spectators."
"So as long as there aren't any spectators, you would play a sport?" asked Seth.
"Sure; at the neighborhood park, I played softball, soccer and volleyball with my friends lots of times," said Kim. "The number of people who stopped and watched us play didn't really add up to a crowed, so that wasn't all that bad."
"How many people is a crowd to you?" asked Seth.
Kim thought for a second. She then said, "I'm going to say fifteen strangers. I also think I would be less nervous if the people in the crowd were relatives or friends."
"So fifteen people staring at you will make you sick to your stomach," said Seth.
"Fifteen people staring at me, I can usually ignore, but I have always thrown up when there were more than twenty-five people staring at me," said Kim. Seth looked at Kyra and noticed that she looked slightly uncomfortable. "Mrs. Kelgrau, my second grade teacher thought I was lying to her about how a crowd would make me throw up and forced me out in front of a crowd during a school play. I wasn't out in front of the crowd for two minutes when I threw up all over Mrs. Kelgrau. Several other kids threw up after seeing me…"
"Okay, it's time to change the subject," Kyra blurted out.
Seth looked at Kyra and grinned. He then said, "Don't tell me you have a weak stomach."
"The discussion of people throwing up does bother me," said Kyra. "Kim, I thought you knew that."
"I knew you didn't like talking about it on the way to the mess hall," said Kim.
"Having a discussion about it at anytime bothers me, so enough," said Kyra.
"Okay," said Kim. "So Seth do you know if there were any more erroneous signals found?"
"Herbert Lowry and Wilbur White—" Kim looked at Seth in an amused manner as Seth continued to say, "—only recovered the signals to that one baseball game and the show Howdy Doody."
"Did you say Wilbur Wright or Wilbur White?" asked Kim.
Seth grinned and said, "I said White; not Wright."
Kim grinned and said, "If you said Wright, I was going to ask if his brother, Orville Wright was with him."
"I actually thought the same thing," said Seth.
Kyra looked at Seth in a confused manner and asked, "I might regret asking this, but who are Wilbur and Orville Wright."
"They were the first successful inventors to create the first airplane glider on Earth," said Seth.
"They weren't really inventors," Kim added. "They owned a bicycle shop. They just happen to be the two who decided to imitate the souring birds instead of the birds that have to flap their wings to fly."
"Just out of wanting to know, how long ago was that?" asked Kyra.
"People on Earth have only been flying airplanes for a little more than a hundred years," said Seth.
"About sixty years after the birth of aviation, NASA was putting chimpanzees into space," Kim added.
Kyra looked at Kim in a curious manner and asked, "Chimpanzees?"
"Chimpanzees are a class of primates," said Seth. "The people who worked for NASA didn't risk test pilots in the very beginning of the space program, and chimps were used."
"Interesting," said Kyra.
"So Mom, when is bedtime?" asked Kim.
Kyra looked at her watch and said, "It's in thirty minutes…"
"Can I take a bath before I go to bed?" asked Kim.
"I was actually about ready to tell you to do that, and I also want you to hurry," said Kyra.
Kim stood up and said, "I will." Kim went into her bedroom and got clean clothes.
As Kim left her room with the clothes she heard Seth asked, "So is the book you're reading any good."
Before Kyra had a chance to answer Kim blurted out, "Don't answer that until I leave."
Kyra looked at Kim in a curious manner and asked, "Why don't you want me to answer?"
"I haven't read that book yet and I don't want to hear anything about it," said Kim.
Kyra grinned and said, "I'll wait until you gone to say anything about it."
"Thanks," said Kim. "Bye." Kim then walked into the corridor.
When the door closed behind Kim, Kyra said, "Now to continue, so far the book is good." She then described the story plot to Seth.
When Kyra finished describing what she had read, Seth saw an intimate moment and gave Kyra a passionate kiss that lasted for several seconds. After the kiss Kyra stared in Seth's eyes in a delightful manner for a second. She then asked, "Do you have your flute with you?"
"It's in my quarters," said Seth. "Should I go get it and play something for you?"
"You don't have to, but I was wanting to hear something from it," said Kyra.
As Seth stood up, he said, "Then I'll be back in a minute."
Kyra just grinned. Before Seth walked away, he gave Kyra a quick kiss.
Kim was gone for twenty minutes and when she walked in while carrying her dirty clothes, Seth was playing the flute. After the door closed behind Kim, Kim stood by the door while listening to Seth play.
Kim heard two minutes of Seth's playing and when he quit Seth asked, "So Kim, what do you think."
"I like it," said Kim.
"Kim, you need to get ready for bed," said Kyra.
"Okay.". Kim then walked over to Kyra and as she was giving Kyra a hug, she said, "Goodnight. I love you."
Kyra grinned and as she was hugging Kim she said, "I love you." When the hug ended Kyra kissed Kim on the cheek. "Goodnight."
Before Kim turned to go into her bedroom she said, "Goodnight Seth."
In a joking manner Seth asked, "What? I don't get a hug?" Kim slightly grinned and without saying a word she walked up to Seth and gave him a hug. "Kim, I was actually kidding."
After the hug, she said, "Well, you got a hug anyway. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, and I will quit playing so you can sleep," said Seth.
"You don't have to stop," said Kim as she was walking towards her bedroom. "What you were playing sounded relaxing. Well, goodnight." Kim then entered her bedroom.
When the door closed behind Kim, Seth asked, "Should I stop."
"Actually, I think it would be better if you did," said Kyra. "Besides, I need to get to bed myself."
"I think that was my cue to leave," said Seth.
"I don't really want you to leave, but you better," said Kyra.
"Okay," said Seth. Before attempting to stand up Seth gave Kyra a kiss.
After the kiss Kyra said, "Goodnight."
As Seth was standing up to leave he said, "Goodnight."
Kyra stood up and after Seth walked out she made sure that the front door was secure. She then went to bed.
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