Commander Goddard glared evilly, but sleepily at Ms. Davenport.
"You turned off my alarm." He accused her pugnaciously. The students behind them snickered almost silently so not to incur the wrath of the still groggy STARDOG. They were very glad for the distraction anyway.
"No, I didn't." She replied smugly, turning back to her lesson. "I had Thelma do it."
Goddard visibly rolled his eyes.
"How do you expect the students to get up on time if I can't?" He whispered forcefully. He knew Radu could hear him, but had to get some of this frustration off of his chest before the throbbing vein in his forehead burst.
"I don't expect them to take your practice of sleep deprivation either." She hissed just as softly.
"I didn't realize a man who's damn near half-a-century old needed a new mother!"
She turned back to him. "I have no intention of letting you work yourself to death. You haven't slept for a week, that I know of."
Goddard grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door. He heard Harlan demanding that Radu relate what they had been and what they would be discussing, but he knew that he didn't have to worry about Radu anymore. He was old enough to take the heat.
"Ms. Davenport, I would appreciate it if you'd stop messing with me."
"How's that?" She was purposely being more elusive than usual. And more infuriating.
He sighed heavily. "I generally suffer from insomnia after a serious injury. I don't do well with sedatives, either, and the Sith contained a very strong sedative.
"Then take a theta-wave inducer."
Goddard furrowed his brow further. "I tend to get addicted. That's usually a bad thing. Since I managed to sleep almost three hours, I suspect this episode is almost over."
"Nice to know you always take this good care of yourself. No wonder Ravenshire requested I keep an eye on you."
"She had her own plans for my students, so she sent you after me." He smirked wickedly, preparing to take the upper hand. "I never imagined you two thought so much alike."
"We do not." Davenport crossed her arms and pursed her lips. She turned back to her classroom. "This isn't a STARDOG mission, Commander. You don't have to be a hero."
"I realize that." He replied tersely, looking away. "There's still no reason to trick me."
"It would never get done if I didn't. You don't listen!" She complained. "How many times have I told you to take care of yourself? You're not going to last until we get back."
"I've lasted this long. I think I'll make it back, whether you like it or not." He narrowed his eyes at her. "I do listen. I just don't take good advice. Space hates a sheep."
She shot him a scathing look. "You're incorrigible. May I please continue my lesson?"
The Commander waved a hand. "Don't let me stop you. Just don't do that again."
"I won't promise anything." Davenport shot, walking back into the classroom. Goddard made a growling sound at her, and she had to try very hard not to laugh in front of the students. She heard Radu whisper to Harlan: "Stalemate."
Radu panted and slumped against the reflective wall of the Exercise Sphere. He'd never trained so hard in his life, even when the Elders had been teaching him how to fight. That had certainly not worked out well. Radu was too tall for half the attacks, too short for the other half, and not dense enough for any of the kicks. Andromedan kicking relied on the sheer weight to slam into their opponent. Radu was pretty heavy, but he wasn't the right weight for that kind of thing. None of the other Andromedans had ever been impressed by being hit with all two hundred pounds of him, when all the other boys weighed almost three hundred already and the Elders training him weighed even more.
The control he'd learned was very helpful though. It helped him to not accidentally kill Harlan.
"I'm not going to figure this out." He said darkly. Harlan sighed and crouched next to him.
"Of course you will. Now get up and let's try again." He ordered. Radu grimaced.
"I can't."
"Don't give me that. Get up."
"I'm not kidding, Harlan. My legs won't move."
"Jesus." Harlan swore. "Is it too late?"
"I don't know. This has happened before, but it passed. Maybe..." Radu trailed off, unable to speculate.
"Maybe we should tell Rosie." Harlan suggested. He wished Radu would take the advice this time, but the Andromedan boy shook his head again.
"I'm telling you there's nothing she can do."
"Well, if there's nothing she can do, and obviously nothing I can do, are you just giving up?" Harlan's voice was gaining a hard edge. He couldn't let Radu's attitude wreck his life.
"I'm not giving up." Radu cried petulantly. "I just need... a -a new... um. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm out of ideas."
Harlan looked away. This was serious, but after all they'd been though he couldn't betray Radu's trust. He might not get it again.
"Oh!"
"What?" Harlan asked, jumping a mile. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I- I ... can feel my legs again." Radu smiled widely in the exuberance of relief. His eyes teared up and he leaned over.
"We'll figure it out." Harlan promised. He wasn't sure how he was going to deliver, but he had to. "Come on, we should probably try to be early for our post. We're almost to Sandrines."
Radu nodded and stood with uncertainty. Harlan wasn't certain how much longer they could keep this from the Commander. Goddard was perceptive. He'd already asked Radu point-blank if he was all right. Radu had evaded, saying that he was training with Harlan and was just a little tired. Harlan felt he had to support Radu's story. This was still familiar of Radu's past problems of ignoring his own well being for the rest of the crew, or because he didn't think he was important enough to fix.
Radu somehow managed to get to the jumptubes, which Harlan was starting to be very grateful for, and led the way to the ComPost.
"Well, if it isn't our resident beefcakes." Suzee teased as they slid into the ComPost. Radu walked slowly, but steadily to his console and leaned heavily on it.
"You probably shouldn't pluralize that." He returned, smiling a little. "I'm more of a scrapper than a beefcake."
Goddard frowned at Radu. The boy looked exhausted. What could they be doing in there that would wear out an Andromedan?
"Don't kill him, Harlan." Goddard said lightly. "We need our navigator for the trip home."
"No pain, no gain." Harlan laughed. He wanted to smack himself for saying that. "Don't worry. Radu knows when to quit, even if I don't."
Radu regarded Harlan skeptically. Harlan caught the look, and a silent understanding passed between the two boys. They had to find a new way.
"It's good to see someone here has some sense." Ms. Davenport muttered.
"Leave them alone. All STARDOGS punish themselves. It's part of the job. We enjoy it." Goddard told her mischievously. She shook her head.
"I know how STARDOGS are. I was engaged to one of you idiots at one time."
"If we're all morons, why do you want to work at one of our schools?" He parried.
Davenport waved a hand at him animatedly. "I'm trying to make you smarter!"
"Well, that's mission impossible." Goddard replied sarcastically. "I should know. I've failed at it often enough."
"Never send a man to do a woman's job."
Goddard laughed.
"Interesting. Though I almost suspect you're right, in part anyway." Goddard looked seriously over at Harlan. "We're almost there. Check you coordinates."
The Commander discreetly snuck a glance over at Radu, whose pale visage had returned to its characteristic mask of concentration. Radu worried him almost as much as Harlan, who seemed to be taking after his own failed career. Radu on the other hand was turning out to be a STARDOG already, in the spirit of how he handled all of his emotional and personal problems. He ignored them.
However, he could hardly fault the boy for following the example he'd been given over the past two years. Many retired STARDOGS taught at the academy in their chosen field and followed the same rough and tough principles as they always had. Still, Radu didn't seem as impressionable as the few Andromedans that he had seen in his life. Perhaps that was why they had sent him.
"I think our coordinates are dead on this time." Radu said firmly. Harlan pumped his fist and grinned as he took his post.
"I can't wait. This is going to be awesome."
Suzee looked at him suspiciously. He hadn't been so stoked about going planetside a few weeks ago.
"What crawled up your pants?" Suzee bantered, grinning evilly at him.
"Nothing." Harlan insisted. "I just think we all need a change of scenery."
And a good place to find a real doctor. He thought to himself. Radu wouldn't like it, but Harlan was determined to find some outside help. He just had to find it, and find a way to get Radu to accept.
"I agree." Rosie said jubilantly. "The planet's Comm official is contacting us. Screen on."
"Greetings. Welcome to Sandrines." A furry creature smiled at them. Rosie smiled widely, and Suzee almost laughed at the expression on her face. It plainly said: How cute!
"Greetings." Commander Goddard replied, stepping forward. "We are the Christa, and we respectfully request permission to land."
"Certainly." The furry creature turned his head and barked and order in a strange tongue. "We are scanning your ship for docking requirements. Would you mind answering a few questions?"
"We'll do our best." Goddard allowed. He arched a brow in suspect
"Are you harboring any hostile aliens?" The furry creature looked up from his CompuPAD after a moment. "Spung, Luff, or Iegara?"
"No. None of those." Goddard assured with relief. What a subjective question.
"We don't consider Andromedans hostile. They've never made an unprovoked attack in this sector." It smiled at Radu in reassurance. "Moving on. Any contrabands outside of medical supplies?"
"No."
"Good." Another furry creature handed him a new CompuPAD. "Hmm. Your ship had living components. Interesting. Well, everything seems to be in order. One more question. Do any of you have weapons?"
"No, we don't. None other than our respective abilities."
The creature laughed. "Alright. You should probably get some. Landing pad 683 is open. You can land there. My name is Kobold. If you have any questions on protocol, hit the triangle button on the wall consoles and say Kobold-Tanga, and the Comm will patch you through."
The screen irised out.
"Radu?" Harlan asked, beginning landing procedures. Radu nodded.
"You got it. This should be a smooth one."
"Okay, guys, here's your chance to make up for last time." The Commander crossed his arms in mock sternness. Suzee stuck her tongue out at Harlan.
"Yeah. I don't want to rebuild the ship again."
"Don't worry." Radu replied softly. "I navigate better when I can see."
"Yeah." Harlan bobbed his head in agreement with Radu. In that good silence Harlan scooted the ship to a smooth stop.
"Thelma, stay here while we set up." Goddard said as the children filed of the eye.
"Yes, sir."
"Wow," Rosie said in awe. The sky was a brilliant greenish-blue. "This planet's atmosphere is so clean."
"I know," Suzee remarked. She had exposed her gills and was breathing the air tenetively. "They've been taking good care of this place."
"The Infocore says this place was founded by a group of anti-tech merchants." Rosie informed her.
"Best laid plans." Suzee muttered wryly as the boys joined them outside. "There's obviously technology now."
"Yeah, but look at the landrovers." Radu pointed out. "They don't have any tailpipes. They must have recycling cores."
"Okay, crew, first things first." Goddard announced stepping out of the eye. "You all have copies of the market's layout. I want you to split up and go looking for a secondary fuel supply, new power couplings along with that list of parts that Suzee constructed, and new seedlings for the biodome. Harlan and Rosie, see what you can find in the way of seedlings here. Radu, Suzee, and Bova, go find the spare parts. I'll hunt around for another power supply. Let's meet back here at 18:00 hours. We'll take it from there."
Suzee rolled her eyes. She knew what came next.
"If Davenport and I deem this place safe enough, you might get some free time to explore, but be careful."
"Yes, sir!" Radu and Harlan said firmly in unison as they snapped a STARDOG salute. Rosie giggled.
Goddard smirked. "Let's hit it."
Radu led the way, holding the CompuPAD with the map. "Where do you think we should start, Suzee? There are a lot of scrap shops listed here."
"We'll just have to go one by one and try to get some word of mouth." She shrugged. She quickened her pace to walk astride with Radu and Bova.
"Probably none of them carry compatible parts." Bova muttered. Suzee shook her head.
"All parts are compatible, it just takes more ingenuity."
"What an interesting perspective for a Yensidian." A voice rang from behind them. Suzee's face twisted in sheer disgust.
"Brenner?" She whispered fretfully. Radu turned around swiftly. A young man with blond hair, multicolored streaks therein, stood there oozing arrogance. His blue jumpsuit had two open flaps, revealing his moving gills. Suzee turned around and crossed her arms.
"What do you want, Brenner?"
"I want go home. And I want you to come back with me."
Suzee pursed her lips. "No."
"What do you mean no?!" The look on the young man's face resembled that of a prince just denied his favorite treat. "You have to come back with me! I came all this way!"
"Actually, I don't." Suzee replied haughtily. "And you can't make me."
"Who is this guy, Suzee?" Radu whispered to her. She sighed.
"He's my..." Suzee locked eyes with Brenner as they exchanged mutually petulant looks.
"Fiancé."