Face the Music, part 5

Dylan sat on his bunk, his head in his hands. Could what Rommie said be true? Could Andromeda have had these feelings for him all this time? Why hadn't he noticed before?

And above all: Why had he kissed Rommie?

He wished Rev Bem were there: He had always turned to the Magog when he faced difficult decisions. He gave up, "Andromeda." The ship's hologram appeared against the far wall, her eyes down cast, "You wanted to talk to me?" Dylan stood warily, "Why didn't you ever tell me how you felt?" Andromeda blushed, "And say what: Dylan, I know it brakes all sorts of rules and protocols, but I love you? What good would that have done?" Dylan shrugged, "You could have said that Rommie had feelings for me." Andromeda looked him straight in the eye, "You don't get it, and do you? I AM Rommie, and she is me! And right now she's on the floor of her quarters, crying her eyes out, ready to die because of what happened! There is a difference between the two of us, and that difference is she has more feelings and emotions than me: Harper built that into her."

Dylan sat back down, "I'm not going to dismantle her: It's not her fault." He reached over to the com-unit, "Trance, can you come to my quarters please?" Trance seemed uncertain, "Ok." Dylan turned to Andromeda; "You better leave us in privacy mode." The hologram nodded and blinked out. A few minuets later, there was a knock at the door, "Dylan, it's me, Trance." Dylan opened the door and motioned Trance to enter. He sat down at his desk and turned to the young alien, "Normally I'd ask Rev Bem for advice, but he's not here, and you the next best thing." Trance seemed kind of hurt, "Gee, thanks Dylan. What do you want to talk about?" Dylan sighed, "About what happened with Rommie. How do I deal with this? What do I do?" Trance looked at him, "Why did you kiss her?" Dylan leaned back in his chair, "It just felt, I don't know, right I suppose." Trance looked at him, seemingly confused, "So what's the big problem? You like Rommie, and Rommie likes you. Shouldn't you be happy?"

Dylan sighed, "It's not that simple Trance: the High Guard has rules about this sort of thing. It can course trouble." Trance smiled at him, "But Dylan, the High Guard is just you and Rommie. If you both feel like this, how can it be wrong?" Dylan started pacing the room, "But if I'm going to rebuild the Commonwealth, I have to stick to its rules and laws." Trance stood in fount of him, stopping him in his tracks, "Do you love Rommie?" Dylan blinked, "Yes."

Trance smiled, "Then that's all that maters."

TBC