Authors Note: Thank you everyone who has reviewed this so far. I really appreciate your thoughts, keep 'em coming! :-)
"Janet this is crazy and it's not a good excuse to not go to Portchia," Dylan said to the Nietzschean woman, who sat in the pilots chair of the Andromeda. She was guiding the ship through slipstream.
"Yes it is Dylan. Th-"
"Really? Why? Am I missing something? Because it seems to me that you want to go to Cougar Pride's planet a-"
"Yes to explore it," Janet said while taking a hard turn left.
"What is there to explore? From what Tyr told me the planet is desolate."
"In most places, yes it is, but there are some fertile areas. I want to see if there's something left over from the attack."
"If there was something it would be on the flexi."
"Not what I'm looking for."
"What are you looking for?"
"Does it matter?" Janet said and turned the ship to the right.
"Yes. If you're looking for strategic weapons I must know."
Janet watched the Magog warily. She didn't trust Rev even though she knew he was a Wayist. Then she thought of something, "Rev, how long until we reach Portchia?"
Rev moved to a console. "Three days."
"And if we were to change our course and go to Hera how long would it take?"
Rev tapped a few buttons on the console, thinking it was strange to want to go to a desolate planet. "Two days."
"Thanks," Janet looked at Dylan. "We might never be this close to my planet for a long time. If you really want me to meet the Portchian delegates I'll come back for the banquet or whatever you're doing to celebrate the signing. I can handle small talk with them. Negotiating is another matter," she paused seeing Dylan wasn't convinced. She sighed and then said "Besides, Tyr will be here. He's a Nietzschean. Actually he's far more Nietzschean than I could ever be."
"Janet, they wouldn't have a very good impression of us if a crewmember missing for the negotiations and then shows up for the party."
"Then I won't show up at all."
"Entering slipstream," Rev announced over the com-system.
"Think about it," Janet said to Dylan and walked off Command as soon as the ship had entered slipstream.
Dylan sighed. "Something bothering you?" Rev asked him.
"It's Janet. She wants to go to her prides planet instead of going to Portchia with us."
"That sounds like a good idea. Portchians are not fond of Nietzscheans and from what I've heard, Janet is not fond of Portchians."
"I know that but the Portchians can't be prejudiced against the Nietzscheans forever. The Restored Commonwealth won't last if they do. Janet could help them get past their bias."
"That is alot of wieght to put on her shoulders. It is, in fact, an impossible task. To erase so many years of hatred takes years, not days."
"I'm not expecting her to erase their hatred. I want her to show them that Nietzscheans can be reasoned with and that not all of them are selfish and cold-blooded. She's good at that, she enjoys it aswell. Tyr can't do it because Tyr is.....well...Tyr."
"I know. I've seen Janet reason with people like the Portchians but she hadn't anything against them. As far as she was concerned, they were just in need of guidance. She hadn't felt their prejudice so she did not hate them. The Portchians, on the other hand, she has met. She has experienced their prejudice first-hand and she does not want to feel it again." Rev turned the ship to the left.
Dylan was about to say something but stopped and thought for a minute. In the end he said, "Thanks Rev."
Rev nodded in reply and Dylan left to find Janet.
*******************
Janet sat on the Obs. Deck reading the rest of the information on the flexi. She heard the door open but didn't turn around. She recognised the footsteps. "Hello Tyr."
"Hello," he replied. He looked at the flexi. "What's that?"
"A flexi."
"I can see that," Tyr said as he took it out of her hands and sat beside her. He glanced at it and then put it aside. He looked at Janet. "Oh no," Janet said shaking her head. "I know that look."
"You do?"
"Yes. It's the look you give me when you want to talk about us and our relationship and all that."
"I noticed you've been avoiding me lately."
"I'm not avoiding you."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not," Janet stood up and walked to the window. She had to keep her back to Tyr. If she didn't he would see that she was lying. She hated lying, especially to Tyr. "Look Tyr, I told you. I was brought up by human so I have a human outlook on life. I do not act like a Nietzschean female and I never will. I-"
Dylan entered. Janet had sounded annoyed so he asked, "Am I interrupting anything?"
"Yes," Tyr said.
"No," Janet said at the same time as Tyr.
"Okay then," Dylan said glancing back and forth at the two of them. "I wanted to talk to you, Janet about-"
"I know," Janet said nodding her head. "You don't need to remind me of our earlier conversation." Janet knew she was being disrespectful but she was annoyed and didn't really care what she was saying. Her recent lack of sleep was also making her irritable. Tyr looked at both of them suspiciously. Dylan saw the look and was about to say something to Tyr when Janet asked, "Did you think about what I said?"
Dylan looked back at Janet and replied, "Yes and...I think you should go. On one-"
"Go to Hera?"
Dylan nodded. "On one condition."
"What is it?"
"You come back for the party to celebrate the signing of the Charter."
"What makes you so sure they'll sign?"
"They are very interested in the Restored Commonwealth. We only need to have the talks to hammer out a few details."
Janet nodded. "Fine. How long do I have?"
"I'll send you a message by courier when I want you to return."
A smile lit up Janet's face. "Thank you Dylan. This means alot to me."
"I know. Oh and one more thing. Be nice to the delegates, OK?"
Janet nodded and asked as she headed for the door, "What made you change your mind?"
"I had a talk with Rev."
"I owe him one," Janet said as she exited the room. She didn't sound very happy about owing a favour to a Magog. As soon as the door shut behind her, Tyr turned to Dylan with a questioning look. "Would you mind telling me what just happened?" he asked his voice a mixture of sarcasm and suspicion.
Dylan explained the particulars, all the while thinking it was strange Janet hadn't told Tyr anything. When he finished Tyr said, "And you're going to let her go on her own?"
Dylan didn't reply. Tyr nodded realising that Dylan had momentarily forgotten they weren't in the age of the Commonwealth anymore. "I'll go," Tyr said.
"No," Dylan said firmly. "You two will spend half your time arguing!"
"We have our disagreements but we deal with them."
"I don't call yelling at each other and then acting as if nothing happened dealing with a disagreement."
Tyr opened his mouth to reply but closed it again. Dylan was right. He and Janet generally yelled at each other until one of them either stormed out of the room or was kicked out by the other. Then the next day Janet would act as if nothing had happened. He would approach the subject of their quarrel but Janet would turn the conversation to something else.
The hologram of Andromeda appeared right in front if the Captain. "Dylan. We need more spare parts. My internal sensors are malfunctioning."
"Are they dangerous?"
"If there was an accident I would not be able to detect it."
"Can you compensate?"
"No. I need to replace the parts that are malfunctioning."
"Great," Dylan rolled his eyes. "Is there a chance of the malfunction becoming dangerous?"
The hologram took a few seconds to calculate the risk. "The chances of my sensors becoming dangerous is seven percent."
Dylan nodded. "And if they were to become dangerous how long would it take?"
"A few weeks."
Dylan nodded and left the Obs. Deck saying, "Keep on your course Rommie. We'll get the spare parts after the negotiations. Can you hold up till then?"
The hologram nodded in reply.