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Chapter 15 - Chapter 15 - Throwing Knives

Karen stood in the small suite on the ship. She rubbed her arms and watched the stars streak past the window. The room was dark. She kept running over the last ten minutes in her mind. The man telling them to hurry to Samuel. What had happened to him? Was he alright?

An odd beep sounded.

She looked up. "What is that?"

It beeped again. Could that be a doorbell?"

"Come in?" She said.

The door opened and Genie stepped in. "Hi."

"Oh, that was a doorbell." She said.

Genie smiled, "Yes. Why is it so dark in here?"

"I couldn't find the light switch." Karen admitted.

Genie walked over and sat down on the sofa. "Friday controls all of that. Just tell her you want. Friday, bring the lights up to 65%."

The lights became brighter in the room.

Karen smiled, "That's cool."

Genie shook her head. "Arles just drop you off in here?"

"I wanted him to be able to get us to Samuel as fast as possible. I told him to bring me someplace where I wouldn't be in the way."

"Karen, you're not in the way."

"On a space ship, I'm sure I would be." She insisted as she rubbed her arms and looked around.

Genie nodded, "Dad is talking to the medical staff on that ship. As soon as he knows what's going on, he will come find us."

Karen nodded.

Genie stood up and smiled warmly at Karen. "This is Samuel and Arles' suite. Come here. I'll get you a jumper."

Karen followed Genie into a bedroom. It was small with just enough room for the double bed that had a blue duvet on it. A window wrapped around the top so someone could lie in the bed and watch the stars pass overhead. Genie went over to a panel and pressed a button. The door slid open to reveal a cupboard of Samuel's clothing. She pulled out a blue sweatshirt with a hood and handed it to Karen. "There. That's a soft one."

Karen slipped it on. "Thank you. Oh, it smells like him."

Genie smiled. "Yeah. That mix of soap and cologne that he wears."

Karen wiped a tear from her eye and nodded. "Yes."

Genie crossed her arms and looked at Karen. "This is your first time on a ship?"

"My first time in space." She laughed. "Why aren't we floating around?"

Genie shrugged her shoulders. "Because the gravity is turned on. Do you want to float around? There's a Zero Gravity room on the Observation Deck. Come on. I'll take you up there. Might as well look at everything else. Papa said we won't be there for a while. It will help keep our minds off of everything."

Karen smiled, "Thank you, Genie."

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Genie was an excellent tour guide. She answered all of Karen's questions and even insisted that she stop and ring her Mom and Dad to tell them that she wouldn't be home for a few days and why. The Lieutenant had already been informed by Pete Tyler as soon as he had gotten to the ship himself.

Genie also took her to the ship's hanger. Karen tried, but was unable to keep herself looking around in awe at how large the room was. It reminded her of the hangers she had been to over the years with her father when she would visit him at the various bases he served at. Only, instead of helicopters and Zeppelins, this hanger held several odd ships. Space ships, she realized as Genie led her over to the large area where Legate and young Tony Tyler were busy throwing knives.

A graphic of a wooden board, as large as a garage door, was their target. The black X danced all over the board. Legate stood behind the small ginger boy with his hands on his own hips. "Alright. Try a moving target. Focus on it, and-"

Tony Tyler bit his lip and threw the knife, perfectly.

Legate grinned proudly. "Brilliant, Tony! You are a natural at this."

Genie and Karen joined them. She touched Legate's back which made him look back at them and smile. "Oh, hi ladies. On a tour then?"

Genie smiled. "Yes. We've seen nearly everything now. We're headed to the Observation Deck next."

Legate nodded. "Saving the best for last. Yeah. We'll be going through a Nebula if I'm clear on where we're headed."

Young Tony tilted his head. "Who is this?"

Legate grinned, "This is Karen. She's….Doctor Sam's girlfriend."

Karen smiled.

Tony nodded. "Oh. I didn't know he had a girlfriend. He's odd, is he a Quauthin?"

"I'm a Quauhtin, and I'm not odd." Legate chuckled.

Tony grinned. "Keep telling yourself that, mate."

Legate looked back at Genie and Karen who were laughing.

"So, you didn't answer my question. Is Doctor Sam a Quauthin?" Tony asked again.

"Sortof."

"A recruit?" Tony asked. "I know John and Lewis are bringing more of those here to train."

Legate laughed under his breath and shook his head. "Sam, is not a Quauthin Warrior. But, he is one of the few who can use the title of one, if he so decides. His official title is…..extremely long."

Karen looked surprised. "Really? Why can he use the title?"

Legate grinned, "He was of great service to a member of the Royal family of the Quauhtin. It's an honorary title. He saved a Prince. So, the King declared that."

Karen smiled proudly, "He hadn't told me. Well, he hasn't told me a lot of stuff."

Genie took her arm and nodded. "It's something he doesn't talk about. Granted, he doesn't talk about a lot of stuff."

"That's true." Karen agreed.

Tony pointed at the adult Genie. "You look familiar to me."

Genie smiled, "I hope that's a good thing."

Tony grinned. "Yes. What is your name?"

"Sara. You may call me Sara."

Tony nodded. "Sara. I think that's Genie's name, too."

She smiled, "It is."

Legate pointed at her. "And that's my girlfriend."

"Phhh." Tony insisted.

Legate held his hands out. "It is!"

"Yeah right, man."

"You don't believe me?" Legate asked.

"No way!" Tony insisted. "You could never get a girl that lovely, Legate."

Legate rose his eyebrow and looked back at Karen and Genie who were both laughing.

Genie bowed her head, "Well, thank you Tony."

Legate put his hands on his hips and sighed. "Well, Tony knows."

"I imagine his reaction is nearly the same." Genie teased.

"Yeah. Probably so." Legate agreed.

Tony handed Legate three knives. "And see if you can do better with a moving target."

Legate took the knives in his hand and smiled. "You should take Karen to the football pitch."

Genie put her hands behind her back and smiled. "We've just left there."

Legate nodded, "The playroom?"

"The roller coaster isn't there."

"Really?" Legate asked. "That's John's favorite thing on the entire ship."

Genie shrugged her shoulders. "I was surprised, too."

Tony put his hands on his hips. "Legate! Knives."

Legate took aim and then looked back at the girls. "How about the room with the nets? The training-"

"It's not here either." Genie told him. "But, I seem to remember I was older when he installed that."

Legate nodded and thought.

Tony groaned. "I'm still winning, Legate."

Karen laughed under her breath at his insistence.

Legate took aim again, only to think of something else. He relaxed and looked back at the ladies. "Maybe a tour of the smaller ships. They are docked, but….Stark is in his down there."

Genie smiled, "The Yinsen II?"

"Yeah. He's…improving it."

Genie giggled, "I'm surprised you're not helping with that."

Tony crossed his arms. "You are stalling. Are you ever going to throw-"

Legate turned and faster than they could blink, he threw all three knives, one right after another to the target. Karen jumped and was amazed. All of the knives seemed to meet their targets.

Legate sighed in disappointment. "Well, damn. I missed that last one."

Tony laughed and pat Legate's arm. "You need to aim."

Genie shook her head. "I don't see which one you're talking about."

He pointed, "That third one. It's a bit off."

Karen laughed in amazement. "I would still count it. Wow."

Legate shook his head. "Nah. It needs to be right in the center of the X. Damn. I need to practice."

Genie pat his arm. "Concussion, probably."

Legate groaned, "I'm not blaming anything else on that."

Tony picked up three knives. "It's like Lewis says, 'Practice makes permanent. Not perfect.' You just need to practice, man."

Tony took aim and threw them. He hit the targets perfectly. He turned and grinned at the ladies. "And that's how it's done."

Karen nodded, "I'm impressed Tony. May I call you Tony?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, that's my name. Sure."

Friday spoke. "It is requested that everyone please met in the Observation Area as soon as possible."

Genie took Karen's arm in hers. "We were headed there, anyway."

They started to walk in that direction. Karen took a deep breath as the lump grew in her throat. Could it be more bad news?

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