Title:: Just
Author:: Lokaia
Summary:: See Chapter 1
Rating:: See Chapter 1
Disclaimer:: See Chapter 1
(A/N) I hope this chapter will make a few things more clear.
---
"So I bet it gets dull around here with all the same people to talk to all the time," Randy remarked.
Harlan shrugged, leaning back against the ship he was currently not- working on. "I don't know. At first I was scared out of my mind that I'd have to be around these people all the time. Especially." He stopped, eyes guiltily flashing towards Radu who was working on the far side of the ship.
Randy just nodded. "Yeah, I get that. I have friends who are still bitter towards them, too. But, I mean, you've gotta get over it, you know? He's what? Like twelve? He didn't do anything to our soldiers."
"He's fourteen," Harlan replied automatically, looking back at Randy. "And, no, he didn't but. that war, it. it means a lot to my family. It was hard to get over it, that's all."
"Yeah." Randy played idly with the screwdriver Harlan had been working with. "My dad. he was pretty bitter about it, too. He didn't like to talk about it, though."
Harlan cocked his head at the visitor. "He doesn't like Andromedans either?"
Randy smiled, letting out an amused breath. "Oh, no, he liked 'em all right." Randy was grinning at some inside joke.
Harlan decided to let that go. "You're using past tense," he noted.
Watching Randy's face for a reaction, Harlan was rewarded with a look of hopelessness and loss that seemed so familiar. "Yeah." Randy said quietly.
Harlan remembered that look. It was the same one that had been on his face when he had learned the news of his father. Setting a hand on Randy's shoulder, Harlan squeezed gently. "Yeah. Me, too." Randy glanced at him, surprised and Harlan offered a smile.
Randy smiled slightly and looked away, dropping the wrench back into the tool box. "So what about you and the girl? Suzee?"
Harlan cocked and eyebrow and grinned. "What *about* me and Suzee?"
Randy mimicked his expression. "Guess that answers my question."
"There's nothing there," Harlan replied, laughing. "It's kinda a distraction, I guess. When Suzee first came here I. I really *needed* a distraction. but now we just kind of tolerate each other. She's no more into me than I am to her."
Randy smiled and shook his head. "I don't know. if it was me and I was stuck on a little ship, with such a tiny group of people, I'd have a thing for someone within a week."
"Yeah." Harlan smiled slightly, studying his shoes. "Me, too."
Randy gave him a questioning look. However, that question was never answered.
"Mr. Banson?" Randy and Harlan glanced to the side of the ship to see Goddard standing with a stern look on his face. "I'm going to need a bit of an explanation here.."
---
"Honestly, Commander, this equipment comes standard with every UPP ship," Randy was saying to Goddard, a bemused look on his face. "I don't know why you don't recognize it. Maybe they've changed some things since you've been gone."
Seth frowned and glanced back at the hole in the ship. Wires led to consoles he hadn't a hope of figuring out the use for. Even Suzee, who had been called back for her engineering expertise, had been stumped by them.
"I'd say it was equipment like the Starlings have but. well, look here," Suzee had said, pointing to the very hole Goddard was staring in now. "This is what the *Christa* is equipped with for sub-sonic speed. But a ship this size shouldn't be physically able to handle that speed, so.." She turned a surprised, distressed face towards the commander. "I have no idea what it's for."
Suzee's inability to answer a question about engineering had frightened Goddard enough to immediately question the visitor. But as Randy Banson stood before him, looking bemused and somewhat frightened, Goddard sighed. "Mr. Banson, we have only been gone for three years. This technology is *far* more advanced than anything that could have been developed in that time frame."
The boy merely looked more confused. "I'm sorry, sir, I. I don't know what to say. I really don't know anything about engineering."
Goddard glanced between his present crew. Harlan stood behind Randy, looking confused but not nearly as suspicious as the boy usually was. That either spoke well of Randy's character, or insulted Harlan's ability to read people tremendously.
Radu and Suzee were standing beside Goddard. Suzee was extremely suspicious of anyone who had possession of an engineering system she didn't understand, and Radu merely looked concerned.
Goddard made a decision then that he hoped was the right one.
"Radu, Suzee? Search the ship."
"Wait a second!" Randy exclaimed, stepping forward as Radu and Suzee moved to follow orders.
That was exactly what Goddard had hoped would happen.
He cocked his head at the boy before him. "Something to hide, Mr. Banson?"
Randy stopped in mid-shout and stared at the man before him in surprise. Slowly and with a look of fearful apprehension on his face, he stepped back.
As Radu and Suzee boarded the ship, Goddard regarded Randy with a stern glare. "Is there something you want to tell me now, before my crew finds it?"
Randy glanced nervously between Goddard, Harlan, and the ship. "We. Lex, and I. we're not exactly from. *when* you think we are."
Harlan's eyes grew wide, and Goddard sucked in a slow breath. Thinking you were right, and knowing you were right were two entirely different things. "All right," Goddard said slowly. "Then *when* are you from?"
Randy chewed his cheek, avoiding Goddard's eyes. ".Soon enough that to tell you a lot would involve a paradox," he said finally.
That got Goddard's attention. As well as Harlan's. "You know us," Harlan said , eyes wide. Randy turned to face him as Harlan spoke again. "That's why you're so comfortable with us-you *know* us. From the future."
Randy spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "I'm sorry, we couldn't tell you. We're already in a tight spot now because of--"
"Commander?" Suzee emerged from the ship carrying a film, Radu following behind her. Both looked extremely shaken.
"What's the matter?" Goddard asked, motioning them forward.
Instead of answering, Suzee merely handed him the film. The first two people were easy to place-younger versions of Randy and Lex. Five, or perhaps six, years earlier. Lex could only be seen from her shoulders up, the film cutting off the rest of her short body, and Randy's waist barely made it into the picture. Behind them was an older man, arms around the two. All three had looks on their faces that showed utmost love and happiness.
The man behind them was pale, with gray hair that Goddard knew had used to only exist in streaks.
Goddard looked up at Randy sharply. The dark boy gave an apologetic smile.
"Paradox."
---
"We already called Rosie and Bova," Suzee was saying as they led Randy to a jumptube. "They and Ms. Davenport have got Lex in the Command Post, waiting for us."
"You know, you don't have to do this," Randy told them, fully cooperating though Radu was holding onto his arms. "If either Lex or I wanted to go, we could. I'm cooperating because I want to, and so is she."
"You could break free from an Andromedan?" Harlan demanded, disbelief in his tone. Randy's apparent betrayal had annoyed and hurt him enough to be delivering most of the rude comments he usually did.
Randy only smiled. "You'd be surprised what I can do, Harlan."
With that unnerving statement, the four members of the crew and Randy leapt down the jumptubes.
---
"All right, what did you do?" Lex was standing before the jumptube with her hands on her hips, glaring at her brother.
The boy shook his head. "I didn't do anything. They searched the ship."
Lex's brow crinkled in confusion. "So?"
"So you know how Mom likes to keep pictures of everyone in her ships?"
Lex's dark face grew reasonably pale. "Damn."
"Yeah."
"What's this all about?" Ms. Davenport asked, interrupting their conversation. She fixed Goddard with a concerned gaze. "Suzee said these two were from. the future. You realize how ridiculous that sounds, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do," Goddard told her, handing her the film. "But can you blame me?"
Davenport glanced at it and gasped, nearly dropping it. "Why. Seth, it's *you*!"
"An *old* you," Bova commented, peering over Davenport's shoulder. Randy shook his head, laughing quietly until Lex shoved an elbow into his ribs.
"How could you let them on the ship?" she demanded.
"Well, there wasn't much I *could* do when I was given the ultimatum of 'let them on the ship' or 'tell them everything I know'," her brother hissed at her.
"It wasn't an ultimation, Mr. Banson," Goddard told him sternly. "You only got to pick the order of it. Now that you've let us on the ship, it's time to tell us everything you know. How did you get here?"
Randy shook his head. "Uh-uh, that's not how it works. I can let you on the ship, you can look at all the films you want, but I'm not tempting a paradox."
"So you can't tell us anything about our future selves?" Rosie asked, sunny tone replaced with disappointment.
"No way," Randy told her. "What if it changed our future? Our lives?"
There was silence for a moment before Lex spoke up. "Randy," she said quietly. "Would that be so bad?"
Randy glanced at her sharply, surprised. "What?"
The girl met her brother's gaze, hopefully. "Daddy."
Randy's face set sternly. "No, Lex."
"Randy, we could--"
"*No*!"
"You told me your father was dead," Harlan put in.
Lex stared at him in shock, then turned to her brother. "You told *him* and you're lecturing *me* about paradox?"
"I didn't tell him anything," Randy snapped. "He's assuming that our father is dead, and I didn't try to change his mind. His guess is as good as ours!"
"Your father. left?" Radu asked carefully.
"He didn't *leave*," Lex snapped angrily. "He. he didn't want to go, but his mission--"
"*Lexi*!" Randy practically growled his sister's name.
She turned back to him, hopeful eyes imploring him to agree with her. "Randy, if we could warn them now, they could stop him from leaving!"
"They could also change the future *so much*, we wouldn't even be born!" her brother snapped.
"How could we do that?" Harlan demanded.
Randy sighed, looking at the crew as if he was just now noticing them. "Look, just. just know that this crew affected mine and Lex's birth."
Lex was staring at Harlan with a mixture of sorrow and longing. "You especially," she said quietly.
"*Alexis*!" Randy's outburst was now accompanied by grabbing his sister's arm hard enough for her to wince. "You're going to--"
"Oh!" The crew and visitors turned to stare at Rosie. The Mercurian had a gloved hand covering her mouth, her expression one of surprise and shock.
"Oh?" Radu repeated, concerned.
"Oh!" Rosie said again, dropping her hand. "I get it now! *Banson*!"
"What about Banson," Goddard asked her.
"*Dammit*, Lexi!" Randy exclaimed, glaring at his sister. "You just had to add that in, didn't you? Couldn't have picked *Johnson* or something!"
"Couldn't add.." Ms. Davenport glared at the two. "You're saying you gave us fake names?"
"Oh, Ms. Davenport, don't you see?" Rosie rushed, excited. "They *had* to because of the paradox!"
"*What* paradox?" Suzee demanded, annoyed at being left out.
Randy growled his frustration, glaring at his sister. "The paradox we've *already caused*," he grumbled. He sighed and faced the crew. "I really thought you all would have figured it out by now."
"Figured *what* out?" Harlan snapped.
Randy shook his head and turned to Rosie. "May I borrow your compupad?" Taking the tiny computer, he typed for a moment and held it up for all to see.
'BANSON'.
"Yes, that *is* your name!" Suzee said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Good job!"
Randy looked at her for a moment before turning his attention to the compupad again. "Yeah. Now add a 'S', a 'D', an apostrophe and a space (not necessarily in that order) and.." He held up the computer again.
The entire crew gaped at the findings.
'BAND'S SON.'
Lex smiled shyly at Harlan. "I thought Bandaughter was too obvious," she said quietly.
Harlan sat down very suddenly, muttering, "Holy shit."
"Wait." Bova said slowly. "Harlan's your father? But then that means--"
"Harlan PROCREATES?" Suzee demanded, eyes wide and horrified.
Randy regarded her for a moment then shook his head. "You aren't nearly this annoying at home," he remarked.
Before Suzee could counter that, Radu had spoken. "But. you said your mother was a politician."
Randy nodded. "She is, that part's true."
"She isn't governor of Saudi Arabia," Goddard commented.
Lex laughed then. "He said Saudi Arabia?" she asked, grinning. "Oh, Randy, at least I made her a Rigelian!"
Randy frowned. "Well, I was put on the spot. What did you say?"
"Jupiter."
Her brother rolled his eyes. "Oh, like that's any better. My spelling was closer."
"Oh, well *good job* then," Lex muttered sarcastically.
"W-wait." All eyes turned to Harlan, still sitting on the floor. "I. I have kids?"
"And get married," Randy said, grinning and obviously enjoying Harlan's actions. "You also live on a really important military base (that I *won't* tell you about) and named your first-born after two important people in your life."
"My. first-born?" Harlan still seemed to have problems processing what the boy was saying. "I. how many kids do I have?"
"Well, since Mom's pregnant again," Lex began with a wicked glance at Harlan's reaction, "I guess you have three."
"Unless she has twins or something," Randy added with a smile.
"Twins." Harlan's face was considerably pale for his complexion.
"You said he named his kid after two important people in his life," Bova pointed out. "Who?"
Randy smiled. "His father and his best friend."
Harlan looked up at the boy again. "No, I didn't."
Randy grinned. "No?"
"No," Harlan repeated, glaring slightly. "The name 'Randy' has nothing to do with Ellison or the name of my best friend."
"Oh really?" Randy seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the dialogue. "And who *is* your best friend?"
"That's the point," Harlan argued. "I don't *have* one."
"But you do later," Lex put in.
Harlan frowned. "So, what are you saying? I have a best friend named Randy, so I named my son Randy Ellison Band?"
Randy's grin grew. "Not exactly. Randy's a nickname so we wouldn't get confused." He paused, as if considering how to word his next announcement.
Harlan frowned. "Look, are you going to tell me or not? What's your full name?"
"My full name?" Smiling, Randy swept into a mock-bow. "My full name is *Radu* Ellison Band."
"W-what.?" Harlan's complexion almost matched that of the Andromedan in question, who's jaw had dropped in shock. "I. wait, I. huh?"
"Believe it," Randy told him, fighting laughter.
"It's kind of funny," Lex told them with a little smile of her own. "You're such good friends where we come from, it was weird to see you keeping your distance now."
"Harlan's my. my best friend?" Radu repeated quietly, disbelieving.
Randy nodded. "Oh, yeah. And you've *been* best friends since before I was born."
"Before *Seamus* was born," Lex added, smiling.
There was silence for a moment before Ms. Davenport said, "Who is Seamus?"
Randy groaned. "Lex!"
"That one was an accident!" the girl cried.
"Wait, wait, wait," Harlan was saying, waving a hand around as if to calm everyone. "If you're my son," he pointed to Randy, "who's named after my best friend, who is you," he pointed to Radu, "and you're my daughter," he pointed to Lex, " then who the *hell* is my wife?"
Randy grinned wider than anyone had seen him do so far. Turning to his sister, he held out a hand. "Would you like to do the first honors?"
Lex sighed. "You're such a drama queen sometimes." She looked around the room for a moment then, very tentatively, said, "Thelma?"
"Yes?"
While the rest of the crew jumped as the android appeared behind Lex, the girl merely smiled as she turned. "Hi!"
Thelma cocked her head and smiled brightly. "Hello!"
"Thelma, can I-may I-let me borrow a flashlight."
"Certainly," the android replied, holding out her hand. A gear on her finger whirred and clicked into place.
Smiling, Lex took Thelma by the wrist, clicked on the make-shift flashlight-finger and held it above her head. All at once, the girl's fat dredlocks were illuminated by a bright light.
"Ohhhh," Bova said quietly.
Lex's hair was not black, as they had all thought, but a very rich, very dark, purple.
"Wait a second," Harlan said suddenly, finally finding the strength to stand from the floor. "That doesn't tell me anything! She could have dyed her hair!"
Randy smiled. "That's why she was just the first step. Lex, tell them what your full name is."
Instead of fixing her gaze to Harlan as she had before, Lex stared pointedly at Suzee. "Alexis Leonor Band."
Suzee stiffened in surprise. Harlan, noticing, glared at Randy. "Okay, now I *know* Suzee isn't the mother of *my* kids!"
"You're right, I'm not," Suzee replied, an awed look on her face. She turned to the human. "Harlan. Leonor was. it was Cat's mother's name. And. Cat always told me how much she liked the name 'Alexis'."
"It was. she.."
Randy smiled at the crew. "Governor Catalina Band of Saturn," he said quietly. "Her husband, Admiral Harlan Band of the UPP, and her kids. Alexis Leonor Band and--" Very dramatically, he swept the cap from his head, revealing his very blue hair.
Blue. And red. And purple. And green. And yellow. And orange.
"Radu Ellison Band."
Author:: Lokaia
Summary:: See Chapter 1
Rating:: See Chapter 1
Disclaimer:: See Chapter 1
(A/N) I hope this chapter will make a few things more clear.
---
"So I bet it gets dull around here with all the same people to talk to all the time," Randy remarked.
Harlan shrugged, leaning back against the ship he was currently not- working on. "I don't know. At first I was scared out of my mind that I'd have to be around these people all the time. Especially." He stopped, eyes guiltily flashing towards Radu who was working on the far side of the ship.
Randy just nodded. "Yeah, I get that. I have friends who are still bitter towards them, too. But, I mean, you've gotta get over it, you know? He's what? Like twelve? He didn't do anything to our soldiers."
"He's fourteen," Harlan replied automatically, looking back at Randy. "And, no, he didn't but. that war, it. it means a lot to my family. It was hard to get over it, that's all."
"Yeah." Randy played idly with the screwdriver Harlan had been working with. "My dad. he was pretty bitter about it, too. He didn't like to talk about it, though."
Harlan cocked his head at the visitor. "He doesn't like Andromedans either?"
Randy smiled, letting out an amused breath. "Oh, no, he liked 'em all right." Randy was grinning at some inside joke.
Harlan decided to let that go. "You're using past tense," he noted.
Watching Randy's face for a reaction, Harlan was rewarded with a look of hopelessness and loss that seemed so familiar. "Yeah." Randy said quietly.
Harlan remembered that look. It was the same one that had been on his face when he had learned the news of his father. Setting a hand on Randy's shoulder, Harlan squeezed gently. "Yeah. Me, too." Randy glanced at him, surprised and Harlan offered a smile.
Randy smiled slightly and looked away, dropping the wrench back into the tool box. "So what about you and the girl? Suzee?"
Harlan cocked and eyebrow and grinned. "What *about* me and Suzee?"
Randy mimicked his expression. "Guess that answers my question."
"There's nothing there," Harlan replied, laughing. "It's kinda a distraction, I guess. When Suzee first came here I. I really *needed* a distraction. but now we just kind of tolerate each other. She's no more into me than I am to her."
Randy smiled and shook his head. "I don't know. if it was me and I was stuck on a little ship, with such a tiny group of people, I'd have a thing for someone within a week."
"Yeah." Harlan smiled slightly, studying his shoes. "Me, too."
Randy gave him a questioning look. However, that question was never answered.
"Mr. Banson?" Randy and Harlan glanced to the side of the ship to see Goddard standing with a stern look on his face. "I'm going to need a bit of an explanation here.."
---
"Honestly, Commander, this equipment comes standard with every UPP ship," Randy was saying to Goddard, a bemused look on his face. "I don't know why you don't recognize it. Maybe they've changed some things since you've been gone."
Seth frowned and glanced back at the hole in the ship. Wires led to consoles he hadn't a hope of figuring out the use for. Even Suzee, who had been called back for her engineering expertise, had been stumped by them.
"I'd say it was equipment like the Starlings have but. well, look here," Suzee had said, pointing to the very hole Goddard was staring in now. "This is what the *Christa* is equipped with for sub-sonic speed. But a ship this size shouldn't be physically able to handle that speed, so.." She turned a surprised, distressed face towards the commander. "I have no idea what it's for."
Suzee's inability to answer a question about engineering had frightened Goddard enough to immediately question the visitor. But as Randy Banson stood before him, looking bemused and somewhat frightened, Goddard sighed. "Mr. Banson, we have only been gone for three years. This technology is *far* more advanced than anything that could have been developed in that time frame."
The boy merely looked more confused. "I'm sorry, sir, I. I don't know what to say. I really don't know anything about engineering."
Goddard glanced between his present crew. Harlan stood behind Randy, looking confused but not nearly as suspicious as the boy usually was. That either spoke well of Randy's character, or insulted Harlan's ability to read people tremendously.
Radu and Suzee were standing beside Goddard. Suzee was extremely suspicious of anyone who had possession of an engineering system she didn't understand, and Radu merely looked concerned.
Goddard made a decision then that he hoped was the right one.
"Radu, Suzee? Search the ship."
"Wait a second!" Randy exclaimed, stepping forward as Radu and Suzee moved to follow orders.
That was exactly what Goddard had hoped would happen.
He cocked his head at the boy before him. "Something to hide, Mr. Banson?"
Randy stopped in mid-shout and stared at the man before him in surprise. Slowly and with a look of fearful apprehension on his face, he stepped back.
As Radu and Suzee boarded the ship, Goddard regarded Randy with a stern glare. "Is there something you want to tell me now, before my crew finds it?"
Randy glanced nervously between Goddard, Harlan, and the ship. "We. Lex, and I. we're not exactly from. *when* you think we are."
Harlan's eyes grew wide, and Goddard sucked in a slow breath. Thinking you were right, and knowing you were right were two entirely different things. "All right," Goddard said slowly. "Then *when* are you from?"
Randy chewed his cheek, avoiding Goddard's eyes. ".Soon enough that to tell you a lot would involve a paradox," he said finally.
That got Goddard's attention. As well as Harlan's. "You know us," Harlan said , eyes wide. Randy turned to face him as Harlan spoke again. "That's why you're so comfortable with us-you *know* us. From the future."
Randy spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "I'm sorry, we couldn't tell you. We're already in a tight spot now because of--"
"Commander?" Suzee emerged from the ship carrying a film, Radu following behind her. Both looked extremely shaken.
"What's the matter?" Goddard asked, motioning them forward.
Instead of answering, Suzee merely handed him the film. The first two people were easy to place-younger versions of Randy and Lex. Five, or perhaps six, years earlier. Lex could only be seen from her shoulders up, the film cutting off the rest of her short body, and Randy's waist barely made it into the picture. Behind them was an older man, arms around the two. All three had looks on their faces that showed utmost love and happiness.
The man behind them was pale, with gray hair that Goddard knew had used to only exist in streaks.
Goddard looked up at Randy sharply. The dark boy gave an apologetic smile.
"Paradox."
---
"We already called Rosie and Bova," Suzee was saying as they led Randy to a jumptube. "They and Ms. Davenport have got Lex in the Command Post, waiting for us."
"You know, you don't have to do this," Randy told them, fully cooperating though Radu was holding onto his arms. "If either Lex or I wanted to go, we could. I'm cooperating because I want to, and so is she."
"You could break free from an Andromedan?" Harlan demanded, disbelief in his tone. Randy's apparent betrayal had annoyed and hurt him enough to be delivering most of the rude comments he usually did.
Randy only smiled. "You'd be surprised what I can do, Harlan."
With that unnerving statement, the four members of the crew and Randy leapt down the jumptubes.
---
"All right, what did you do?" Lex was standing before the jumptube with her hands on her hips, glaring at her brother.
The boy shook his head. "I didn't do anything. They searched the ship."
Lex's brow crinkled in confusion. "So?"
"So you know how Mom likes to keep pictures of everyone in her ships?"
Lex's dark face grew reasonably pale. "Damn."
"Yeah."
"What's this all about?" Ms. Davenport asked, interrupting their conversation. She fixed Goddard with a concerned gaze. "Suzee said these two were from. the future. You realize how ridiculous that sounds, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do," Goddard told her, handing her the film. "But can you blame me?"
Davenport glanced at it and gasped, nearly dropping it. "Why. Seth, it's *you*!"
"An *old* you," Bova commented, peering over Davenport's shoulder. Randy shook his head, laughing quietly until Lex shoved an elbow into his ribs.
"How could you let them on the ship?" she demanded.
"Well, there wasn't much I *could* do when I was given the ultimatum of 'let them on the ship' or 'tell them everything I know'," her brother hissed at her.
"It wasn't an ultimation, Mr. Banson," Goddard told him sternly. "You only got to pick the order of it. Now that you've let us on the ship, it's time to tell us everything you know. How did you get here?"
Randy shook his head. "Uh-uh, that's not how it works. I can let you on the ship, you can look at all the films you want, but I'm not tempting a paradox."
"So you can't tell us anything about our future selves?" Rosie asked, sunny tone replaced with disappointment.
"No way," Randy told her. "What if it changed our future? Our lives?"
There was silence for a moment before Lex spoke up. "Randy," she said quietly. "Would that be so bad?"
Randy glanced at her sharply, surprised. "What?"
The girl met her brother's gaze, hopefully. "Daddy."
Randy's face set sternly. "No, Lex."
"Randy, we could--"
"*No*!"
"You told me your father was dead," Harlan put in.
Lex stared at him in shock, then turned to her brother. "You told *him* and you're lecturing *me* about paradox?"
"I didn't tell him anything," Randy snapped. "He's assuming that our father is dead, and I didn't try to change his mind. His guess is as good as ours!"
"Your father. left?" Radu asked carefully.
"He didn't *leave*," Lex snapped angrily. "He. he didn't want to go, but his mission--"
"*Lexi*!" Randy practically growled his sister's name.
She turned back to him, hopeful eyes imploring him to agree with her. "Randy, if we could warn them now, they could stop him from leaving!"
"They could also change the future *so much*, we wouldn't even be born!" her brother snapped.
"How could we do that?" Harlan demanded.
Randy sighed, looking at the crew as if he was just now noticing them. "Look, just. just know that this crew affected mine and Lex's birth."
Lex was staring at Harlan with a mixture of sorrow and longing. "You especially," she said quietly.
"*Alexis*!" Randy's outburst was now accompanied by grabbing his sister's arm hard enough for her to wince. "You're going to--"
"Oh!" The crew and visitors turned to stare at Rosie. The Mercurian had a gloved hand covering her mouth, her expression one of surprise and shock.
"Oh?" Radu repeated, concerned.
"Oh!" Rosie said again, dropping her hand. "I get it now! *Banson*!"
"What about Banson," Goddard asked her.
"*Dammit*, Lexi!" Randy exclaimed, glaring at his sister. "You just had to add that in, didn't you? Couldn't have picked *Johnson* or something!"
"Couldn't add.." Ms. Davenport glared at the two. "You're saying you gave us fake names?"
"Oh, Ms. Davenport, don't you see?" Rosie rushed, excited. "They *had* to because of the paradox!"
"*What* paradox?" Suzee demanded, annoyed at being left out.
Randy growled his frustration, glaring at his sister. "The paradox we've *already caused*," he grumbled. He sighed and faced the crew. "I really thought you all would have figured it out by now."
"Figured *what* out?" Harlan snapped.
Randy shook his head and turned to Rosie. "May I borrow your compupad?" Taking the tiny computer, he typed for a moment and held it up for all to see.
'BANSON'.
"Yes, that *is* your name!" Suzee said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Good job!"
Randy looked at her for a moment before turning his attention to the compupad again. "Yeah. Now add a 'S', a 'D', an apostrophe and a space (not necessarily in that order) and.." He held up the computer again.
The entire crew gaped at the findings.
'BAND'S SON.'
Lex smiled shyly at Harlan. "I thought Bandaughter was too obvious," she said quietly.
Harlan sat down very suddenly, muttering, "Holy shit."
"Wait." Bova said slowly. "Harlan's your father? But then that means--"
"Harlan PROCREATES?" Suzee demanded, eyes wide and horrified.
Randy regarded her for a moment then shook his head. "You aren't nearly this annoying at home," he remarked.
Before Suzee could counter that, Radu had spoken. "But. you said your mother was a politician."
Randy nodded. "She is, that part's true."
"She isn't governor of Saudi Arabia," Goddard commented.
Lex laughed then. "He said Saudi Arabia?" she asked, grinning. "Oh, Randy, at least I made her a Rigelian!"
Randy frowned. "Well, I was put on the spot. What did you say?"
"Jupiter."
Her brother rolled his eyes. "Oh, like that's any better. My spelling was closer."
"Oh, well *good job* then," Lex muttered sarcastically.
"W-wait." All eyes turned to Harlan, still sitting on the floor. "I. I have kids?"
"And get married," Randy said, grinning and obviously enjoying Harlan's actions. "You also live on a really important military base (that I *won't* tell you about) and named your first-born after two important people in your life."
"My. first-born?" Harlan still seemed to have problems processing what the boy was saying. "I. how many kids do I have?"
"Well, since Mom's pregnant again," Lex began with a wicked glance at Harlan's reaction, "I guess you have three."
"Unless she has twins or something," Randy added with a smile.
"Twins." Harlan's face was considerably pale for his complexion.
"You said he named his kid after two important people in his life," Bova pointed out. "Who?"
Randy smiled. "His father and his best friend."
Harlan looked up at the boy again. "No, I didn't."
Randy grinned. "No?"
"No," Harlan repeated, glaring slightly. "The name 'Randy' has nothing to do with Ellison or the name of my best friend."
"Oh really?" Randy seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the dialogue. "And who *is* your best friend?"
"That's the point," Harlan argued. "I don't *have* one."
"But you do later," Lex put in.
Harlan frowned. "So, what are you saying? I have a best friend named Randy, so I named my son Randy Ellison Band?"
Randy's grin grew. "Not exactly. Randy's a nickname so we wouldn't get confused." He paused, as if considering how to word his next announcement.
Harlan frowned. "Look, are you going to tell me or not? What's your full name?"
"My full name?" Smiling, Randy swept into a mock-bow. "My full name is *Radu* Ellison Band."
"W-what.?" Harlan's complexion almost matched that of the Andromedan in question, who's jaw had dropped in shock. "I. wait, I. huh?"
"Believe it," Randy told him, fighting laughter.
"It's kind of funny," Lex told them with a little smile of her own. "You're such good friends where we come from, it was weird to see you keeping your distance now."
"Harlan's my. my best friend?" Radu repeated quietly, disbelieving.
Randy nodded. "Oh, yeah. And you've *been* best friends since before I was born."
"Before *Seamus* was born," Lex added, smiling.
There was silence for a moment before Ms. Davenport said, "Who is Seamus?"
Randy groaned. "Lex!"
"That one was an accident!" the girl cried.
"Wait, wait, wait," Harlan was saying, waving a hand around as if to calm everyone. "If you're my son," he pointed to Randy, "who's named after my best friend, who is you," he pointed to Radu, "and you're my daughter," he pointed to Lex, " then who the *hell* is my wife?"
Randy grinned wider than anyone had seen him do so far. Turning to his sister, he held out a hand. "Would you like to do the first honors?"
Lex sighed. "You're such a drama queen sometimes." She looked around the room for a moment then, very tentatively, said, "Thelma?"
"Yes?"
While the rest of the crew jumped as the android appeared behind Lex, the girl merely smiled as she turned. "Hi!"
Thelma cocked her head and smiled brightly. "Hello!"
"Thelma, can I-may I-let me borrow a flashlight."
"Certainly," the android replied, holding out her hand. A gear on her finger whirred and clicked into place.
Smiling, Lex took Thelma by the wrist, clicked on the make-shift flashlight-finger and held it above her head. All at once, the girl's fat dredlocks were illuminated by a bright light.
"Ohhhh," Bova said quietly.
Lex's hair was not black, as they had all thought, but a very rich, very dark, purple.
"Wait a second," Harlan said suddenly, finally finding the strength to stand from the floor. "That doesn't tell me anything! She could have dyed her hair!"
Randy smiled. "That's why she was just the first step. Lex, tell them what your full name is."
Instead of fixing her gaze to Harlan as she had before, Lex stared pointedly at Suzee. "Alexis Leonor Band."
Suzee stiffened in surprise. Harlan, noticing, glared at Randy. "Okay, now I *know* Suzee isn't the mother of *my* kids!"
"You're right, I'm not," Suzee replied, an awed look on her face. She turned to the human. "Harlan. Leonor was. it was Cat's mother's name. And. Cat always told me how much she liked the name 'Alexis'."
"It was. she.."
Randy smiled at the crew. "Governor Catalina Band of Saturn," he said quietly. "Her husband, Admiral Harlan Band of the UPP, and her kids. Alexis Leonor Band and--" Very dramatically, he swept the cap from his head, revealing his very blue hair.
Blue. And red. And purple. And green. And yellow. And orange.
"Radu Ellison Band."