A/N:
Sorry this chapter is so short. Hopefully the next one will be
longer. As for how fast this came about, I've had this stuff rolling
around in my head for a while now. Can't wait to get it all out on
paper.
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Chapter 2: Therapy?
//I
can't believe I agreed to this...//
Dwayne
sat in the large, comfortable chair with his hands resting in his
lap. He glanced nervously at watch again as Dr. Reinhardt settled
into her chair. The doctor was a tall woman with shoulder length
dark blond hair. It wasn't the first time Dwayne had seen her since
she was a member of the BGY commission.
"So,
Lt. Hunter, how are you feeling today?" she asked with a warm
smile.
"Uh...
fine..." he answered cautiously. Dwayne was well aware that
anything he said was going to be considered important by the doctor.
"That's
good," she said with a nod. Glancing down at the notepad laying
in her lap, Reinhardt asked another question, "How long have you
been involved with the BGY program?"
//She
must know the answer to that...// Dwayne thought suspiciously, "Ten
years."
"Ah,
yes... And you were one of the original pilots?"
"Yeah..."
"Mmm...
Do you enjoy your job?"
"Of
course," Dwayne frowned, "I'm serving my country."
The
doctor leaned her chin on her hand, "Is that the only reason you
like it?"
Dwayne
fidgeted, "Well, no... I like flying..."
Making
a small note, she said, "I see... Do you get along well with
your coworkers?"
"Sure.
They're my friends."
"Mmm
hmm... How do you feel about Big Guy's fame?"
Dwayne
blinked, caught off guard by the question, "Huh?"
Studying
the Lieutenant, Reinhardt explained, "The Big Guy is considered
to be a hero. How does that make you feel?"
"I
feel... just fine..." Dwayne frowned.
"You've
spent ten years serving as the Big Guy... Do you feel under
appreciated?"
"Uh..
You've lost me, Doc... Why would I feel under appreciated?"
Reinhardt's
voice indicated that she felt the question should have been an
obvious one, "You've spent all these years working as the Big
Guy, yet he gets the recognition for your efforts. Does this bother
you?"
Dwayne
bristled, "What's that supposed to mean?"
The
doctor leaned forward in her chair, "Do you resent him?"
"Excuse
me?!" Dwayne stared at her incredulously, "Resent him?
'He's' a machine! And not even one with artificial intelligence!
Why the hell would I resent Big Guy?"
She
made another small note while changing the topic, "Why don't you
tell me about your friends? Who do you spend the most time with?"
Though
still angry over her last assumption, Dwayne answered slowly, "That
would be the rest of the Pit Crew... Jo, Garth, and Mack..." He
paused for a second before amending himself, "And Rusty and the
Doc..."
Dr.
Reinhardt tipped her head, interested, "Who're are you referring
to as 'the Doc?'"
"Dr.
Slate," he told her, "She's the one who built Rusty. The
Doc's pretty much our scientific consultant, even if it's
unofficially. She's saved us more than once."
"Ah..."
Reinhardt smiled knowingly, "Do you admire her?"
Dwayne
frowned, "Sure I do... There isn't anything she doesn't know
about robots. I don't think I've ever met anyone with more guts than
she has..."
"Mmm
hmm... I see... Are you involved in a relationship at the moment?"
Nonplused,
Dwayne just let his mouth hang open as his thoughts caught up with
the question, "Uh... No..."
"How
long has it been since you have been?"
"Uh...
Well..." Dwayne rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to
remember, "Not since... Um... I guess that would have been the
early days of the BGY project... About nine years ago."
"Really..."
Reinhardt made another note, "Why do you think that is? Are you
not interested?"
"No...
I just... don't have the time," he said defensively, "It's
hard to be involved with someone when you have to run off every time
the planet's in danger... Most just wouldn't... understand."
"Mmm
hmm... I see..."
Dwayne
gritted his teeth, irritated. //I wish she'd quit doing that...//
Dr.
Reinhardt abruptly stood, smiling genially, "Well, I think
that's enough, Lt. Hunter."
Dwayne
was a bit startled by the sudden movement and rose to his feet,
"Uh... all right..." He was quickly escorted out the door
which immediately clicked shut behind him, "Sheesh... That was
fast..." Looking around, the Lieutenant stuffed his hands into
his pockets. Slowly wandering towards the door, he briefly
considered the meeting, "Hope I didn't say anything too
stupid..."
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Dwayne
opened the door to General Thorton's office. Everyone turned to look
at him, and he hesitated. He hadn't been expecting to see so many
people. Mack, Jo, Garth, and Dr. Reinhardt had spaced themselves
around the office. It was obvious that they had been discussing
something while waiting for him to arrive, "Uh... Hi, guys..."
Thorton
sat with his hands clasped on his desk, "Come in, Lieutenant."
"Sure..."
closing the door behind him, Dwayne glanced around at the group. He
took one of the empty seats in front of Thorton's desk, "What's
this all about?"
Clearing
his throat, the General spoke, "Considering your recent...
incident, Dr. Reinhardt has made a recommendation."
Dwayne
tensed, "Really? And what would that be...?"
Thorton
took a deep breath, "A vacation."
"Huh...?
A... vacation?" Dwayne couldn't help but laugh. Relief washed
over him, "Is that all? You made it sound like something
serious."
"A
month," Thorton continued, "without any interference."
Dwayne
balked, "A whole month?"
"Maybe
more," Thorton warned, "You're not to even set foot on the
Dark Horse."
Jo put
a hand on the Lieutenant's shoulder, "Hey, don't sweat it. We
can handle things while you're gone."
Garth
nodded emphatically, "Besides, you've earned a break. After all
you've been through, you should get some time off."
"What
am I going to do for a whole month...?" Dwayne asked, more to
himself than anyone else.
"You'll
figure it out," Mack said as he adjusted his baseball cap, "Bet
you'll find it's not even enough time."
"If
I'm not supposed to be on the ship, where am I going to stay?"
Dwayne asked.
Thorton
tossed a set of keys to him. Dwayne snatched them easily out of the
air and studied them curiously. "The military has a suite at the
Plaza that it keeps for VIP's and visiting brass. We figured you fit
the bill, being such a celebrity and all," the General grinned.
"Yeah... Perfect..." Dwayne's voice betrayed his
uncertainty.
"You'd
think you handed him a death sentence instead of a vacation,"
Mack grumbled, "You might take it a little better, Lieutenant."
"Sorry,"
he said sheepishly, "I'm just not used to this... You really
think this is necessary?"
Dr.
Reinhardt nodded, "Of course. Removing yourself from the stress
related to your work should do a great deal to replenish you."
"Right...
Okay..." Dwayne shrugged, knowing that he had no way out of the
situation, "No problem..."
"Oh,
right," Jo snapped her fingers as she recalled, "Your
sister and nephew are intending to come for a visit. Darlene got in
touch earlier and said they'd be out tomorrow morning. She sounded
like she was pretty worried about you."
"Darlene
and Jeffy?" surprised, Dwayne shook his head, "That ought
to be interesting..."
General
Thorton tapped his fingers on his desktop, "Anyway, you've got
your orders. Your vacation starts tomorrow morning, Lieutenant, and
no excuses!" Glancing down at the pile of papers on his desk,
he dismissed the group, "Now... Everybody get out of here. I've
got paperwork to finish..."
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