"Why all the skepticism, Mr. President?" Dylan asked. He was confused by the amount of hesitation the President of this Perseid/Human race was showing.
"I just don't know, Captain Hunt," the President said quietly. "How can I be sure that our safety won't be jeopardized by an alliance like this?"
"In the time that the New Commonwealth has been established, not one race included has been attacked by rebel Nietzscheans, and there have been minimal civil disputes," Beka answered angrily.
"Mr. President," Dylan leaned over the table, "if you join the New Commonwealth, we can assure you that no harm will come to your race. Every planet, every race that has joined has made an oath of civility. This alliance could save your planet one day."
The President tapped on the table nervously as he read over parts of the flexie one more time. He finally signed the treaty, committing his planet to an alliance with the New Commonwealth. Dylan stood and offered his hand. The President stood slowly and shook Dylan's hand. "This should be an interesting new journey for our people."
* * *
"This ship is absolutely amazing, Mr. Harper," Dr. Escamany shouted. Harper rolled his eyes and sighed. Rommie had left Harper with him and taken Dr. Scrim to the medical deck to show her the medical technology the ship had.
"Now if you'll follow me to the slip drive, I can show you how that works," Harper said as he caught up with Dr. Escamany.
"Are you in a hurry, Mr. Harper?" Dr. Escamany said as he followed Harper through a corridor.
"No, I'm not. But you know, the sooner you finish touring Andromeda, the sooner you can go tell other scientists what you saw," Harper made up an excuse.
"Oh, I have all day. I've been recording this whole tour." Dr. Escamany pointed to one the buttons on his lab coat. When Harper looked closely, he could see that it was a small video camera.
"How clever of you, Doctor," Harper said with a sigh as he turned around. "Follow me."
* * *
"So you're telling me that you can discover any health problems a person may have just by scanning them with this device?" Dr. Scrim asked curiously.
"Yes." Rommie placed the scanner back on the table carefully. "Tell me, Dr. Scrim, what kind of research do you do here on the station?"
"Dr. Escamany and I mostly research diseases and anatomy. As you may already know, we've been experimenting with cloning for a couple of years now." She seemed to go into thought. "I read that cloning has been outlawed elsewhere. Is this true?"
"Actually it is," Rommie said. "If your President signs onto an alliance with the New Commonwealth, your cloning research will more than likely have to stop. Otherwise charges will be brought against your government." Rommie noticed the sadness that dawned Dr. Scrim's face. "I am sorry, Doctor. I know how much your research must mean to you."
* * *
The clone now walked steadily on her own two feet without having to cling to the wall. Images still raced through her head, and she still mumbled phrases that came to her mind. She came upon a large entryway that led to more corridors. She noticed that the corridors beyond the entryway looked different, more sleek and stylish.
After crossing the threshold, she wandered these new corridors with great wonder. When she finally came to a door, she noticed a button on the wall next to it and decided to push it. The door opened with a swish, startling her and causing her to fall backwards. She stood back up slowly and walked through the door. It closed again behind her, making her nervous.
She studied a pair of black pants and a black tank top that lay on the bed in front of her. She looked at the lab coat she wore, then back at the clothes. She guessed that the clothes she was looking at were probably warmer than the coat she wore, so she slipped into them, looking in the mirror when she was dressed. She smiled and walked back to the door, pushed the button, and walked back into the corridor. From there she continued wandering through the corridors until she reached a room with tools and metal things in it. Two voices reached her from the other end of the corridor.
"I'll tell you, Rom Doll, that Dr. Escamany freaked me out," one said.
"Harper, I really wish you would stop complaining about everything that doesn't have to do with 'hot chicks' or beer," the other said.
A man with messy blonde hair and a woman with short black and red hair turned the corner. They both stopped when they saw the girl. The blonde one stared at her with a look of shock on his face. The woman just stared at her with a cold look. "How'd she get here?" she asked quietly. Finally the blonde one snapped out of it and walked closer to the girl.
"Felix?" he asked her. She didn't answer. The black-haired woman raised an eyebrow and walked over to them.
"It can't be Felix," she said. "Felix is dead."
"I just don't know, Captain Hunt," the President said quietly. "How can I be sure that our safety won't be jeopardized by an alliance like this?"
"In the time that the New Commonwealth has been established, not one race included has been attacked by rebel Nietzscheans, and there have been minimal civil disputes," Beka answered angrily.
"Mr. President," Dylan leaned over the table, "if you join the New Commonwealth, we can assure you that no harm will come to your race. Every planet, every race that has joined has made an oath of civility. This alliance could save your planet one day."
The President tapped on the table nervously as he read over parts of the flexie one more time. He finally signed the treaty, committing his planet to an alliance with the New Commonwealth. Dylan stood and offered his hand. The President stood slowly and shook Dylan's hand. "This should be an interesting new journey for our people."
* * *
"This ship is absolutely amazing, Mr. Harper," Dr. Escamany shouted. Harper rolled his eyes and sighed. Rommie had left Harper with him and taken Dr. Scrim to the medical deck to show her the medical technology the ship had.
"Now if you'll follow me to the slip drive, I can show you how that works," Harper said as he caught up with Dr. Escamany.
"Are you in a hurry, Mr. Harper?" Dr. Escamany said as he followed Harper through a corridor.
"No, I'm not. But you know, the sooner you finish touring Andromeda, the sooner you can go tell other scientists what you saw," Harper made up an excuse.
"Oh, I have all day. I've been recording this whole tour." Dr. Escamany pointed to one the buttons on his lab coat. When Harper looked closely, he could see that it was a small video camera.
"How clever of you, Doctor," Harper said with a sigh as he turned around. "Follow me."
* * *
"So you're telling me that you can discover any health problems a person may have just by scanning them with this device?" Dr. Scrim asked curiously.
"Yes." Rommie placed the scanner back on the table carefully. "Tell me, Dr. Scrim, what kind of research do you do here on the station?"
"Dr. Escamany and I mostly research diseases and anatomy. As you may already know, we've been experimenting with cloning for a couple of years now." She seemed to go into thought. "I read that cloning has been outlawed elsewhere. Is this true?"
"Actually it is," Rommie said. "If your President signs onto an alliance with the New Commonwealth, your cloning research will more than likely have to stop. Otherwise charges will be brought against your government." Rommie noticed the sadness that dawned Dr. Scrim's face. "I am sorry, Doctor. I know how much your research must mean to you."
* * *
The clone now walked steadily on her own two feet without having to cling to the wall. Images still raced through her head, and she still mumbled phrases that came to her mind. She came upon a large entryway that led to more corridors. She noticed that the corridors beyond the entryway looked different, more sleek and stylish.
After crossing the threshold, she wandered these new corridors with great wonder. When she finally came to a door, she noticed a button on the wall next to it and decided to push it. The door opened with a swish, startling her and causing her to fall backwards. She stood back up slowly and walked through the door. It closed again behind her, making her nervous.
She studied a pair of black pants and a black tank top that lay on the bed in front of her. She looked at the lab coat she wore, then back at the clothes. She guessed that the clothes she was looking at were probably warmer than the coat she wore, so she slipped into them, looking in the mirror when she was dressed. She smiled and walked back to the door, pushed the button, and walked back into the corridor. From there she continued wandering through the corridors until she reached a room with tools and metal things in it. Two voices reached her from the other end of the corridor.
"I'll tell you, Rom Doll, that Dr. Escamany freaked me out," one said.
"Harper, I really wish you would stop complaining about everything that doesn't have to do with 'hot chicks' or beer," the other said.
A man with messy blonde hair and a woman with short black and red hair turned the corner. They both stopped when they saw the girl. The blonde one stared at her with a look of shock on his face. The woman just stared at her with a cold look. "How'd she get here?" she asked quietly. Finally the blonde one snapped out of it and walked closer to the girl.
"Felix?" he asked her. She didn't answer. The black-haired woman raised an eyebrow and walked over to them.
"It can't be Felix," she said. "Felix is dead."