The next few days, Trance was busy teaching Harper how to properly use his tail to balance himself. He caught on fairly quickly, but would still forget from time to time and go crashing to the deck.
Harper walked into Medical, holding a greasy rag on his head.
"Did my wittle Harper Poo hurt his wittle head?" Trance asked in a cute little voice.
"That's not funny Trance." Harper said. "It's cute, but not funny."
"Sorry." Trance took the filthy rag from Harper and began tending to his wound. "What happened?"
"It's this tail again Trance." Harper moaned. "Every time I forget about it, I go crashing to the floor. Yesterday I was working in Engineering when I decided to go get a Sparky. As I was leaving, the door shut on my tail. You were right about that hurting by the way. I then started tugging on my tail when the door opened all of a sudden. My tail freed, I went falling forward into Rhade, who happened to be carrying a tray of food. Well needless to say, he dropped the food tray and his bowl of Southern Galarxian Martok stew spilled all over him, not to mention his super sized glass of Tellarian ox milk. Trance, have you ever tried to get Tellarian ox milk out of clothing? It's next to impossible."
"Was Rhade upset?"
"No. He wasn't upset Trance." Harper said. "He went totally psycho. He started throwing what was left of his food at me, while shouting at me, telling me that I needed to learn discipline and stop acting like a child. I thought he was going to kill me, but Rommie happened by and stopped him."
"That doesn't sound like Rhade." Trance said.
"Sounds like an Uber to me Trance."
"Harper, you know that Rhade is different from the Nietchiens on Earth."
"Yeah I know that, but I think that Rhade sometimes needs a little reminding."
"So tell me what happened today. How did you hurt your head?" Trance wrapped a clean bandage around Harper's cut.
"Rommie said some circuits needed worked on in the gym, something about the doors not opening properly. When I walked in, Rhade was there. The next thing I know, I'm waking up on the gym floor, with this nasty bump and bruise on my head."
"I think we need to see Dylan." Trance said. "Rhade had no reason to do this. What happened to him and his food was an accident. I can't believe he was still upset over some spilled food from yesterday."
"Trance I'd rather just forget the whole thing."
"Harper, what if he hurts you again?"
"I'm sure he got it out of his system Trance. There's no reason to make a major thing out of it."
"Harper if you don't want to tell Dylan, then I won't make you, but if anything like this happens again promise you'll tell me."
"I promise."
"Good. Now, want to go get something to eat with me?"
"Sure Babe, if I can make it to the Mess hall without falling down."
"You're actually doing much better Harper. Tomorrow I'll show you how you can use your tail as an extra hand. That should come in handy in Engineering."
"Thanks Princess."
Harper and Trance left Medical and headed for the Mess hall. Meanwhile Rhade was in the gym beating the stuffing out of a punching bag.
Becka walked in.
"Hey! Whoa! Slow down there. What did that bag ever do to you?" Becka asked.
"Uhm… Hello Becka." Rhade said, as he eased up the intensity of his attack on the bag.
"What's bugging you Rhade?"
"What makes… (Punch Punch) you think… (Punch Punch) something is… (Punch Punch) bothering me?"
"The only time I see you trying to kill that bag is when you're troubled by something, so spill it."
"Funny you should use those particular words." Rhade said.
"What? You're still upset with Harper for causing you to spill your lunch?"
"No Becka. I'm upset with myself for overreacting,… two times."
"Two times?" Becka asked.
"The day it happened, it was as if I was no longer in control of my actions. I was simply reacting. If Rommie hadn't came by when she did, and stopped me, I hate to think of what I might have done."
"And the second time?" Becka asked.
"Today, approximately an hour ago, Harper came here to do some repairs on the door. … Becka when I saw him, I… I lost it. I hit him Becka. I… I thought I killed the little guy."
"YOU WHAT?" Becka shouted, as she grabbed Rhade and threw him against the wall.
"Becka, I'm sorry! I don't know what's come over me. I was in here, mad at myself for overreacting. I'm supposed to be a Nietchien Becka. A Nietchien! We're not supposed to lose control. I'm supposed to be part of a superior race. To have acted as I did, I could only come to one conclusion. …I am imperfect. That thought sickened me. There had to be another answer. While I was still trying to comprehend my behavior, Harper entered, and BAM! I hit him. It was easier to blame him for my actions than to accept the alternative."
"Yeah. It's always easier to blame other people for your problems, isn't it!" Becka shouted. "Well Rhade, you owe Harper an apology, and I'm going to see that he gets it."
"I don't think that would be a good idea Becka."
"And why's that?"
"Because, at this time, I can't trust my own actions. I believe before I see Harper, I need to have Trance perform a medical exam on me, see if there is a foreign substance of any kind in my system that might be causing me to behave irrationally."
"Rhade, If you had been anyone else, I would have thrown you off at the next drift. …No I take that back. I would have jettisoned you out an airlock for what you did to Harper. You know he's having a hard enough time adapting to having a tail. He doesn't need fellow crew members attacking him."
"I know Becka, and I really am sorry, but until I can find out what's wrong with me, I think it's best that I avoid Harper."
"Andromeda." Becka called.
Andromeda's Hologram appeared in the gym.
"Yes Becka." Andromeda said.
"Could you inform Trance and Harper what Rhade has told me, and ask Trance to prepare to perform a thorough exam on Rhade."
"I'll relay the information and the request."
"Thank you." Becka told her, as the hologram vanished.
"For your sake Rhade," Becka said. "I hope Trance finds something wrong with you."
Harper and Trance were enjoying each other's company, as they ate together in the Mess hall.
"Trance, you see things that will happen in the future right?"
"Some things Harper."
"I was just wondering if Earth ever becomes free."
Trance looked down at her plate.
"Um Harper I'm sorry but… I don't really know. I've seen several possible futures. In some futures we failed to destroy the World ship. In some Dylan died. In all of them you and I become…close."
"You mean you and I…?"
"What Harper? You already know that I love you, and you said you love me. Does it surprise you that we become intimate?"
"It's not that Trance." Harper said. "It's just a little hard to believe that in every possible future we were, or are, will be? I mean what are the odds of something like that?"
"As countless as the stars Harper. What you and I have is a rare and wonderful thing."
"A very wonderful thing Trance." Harper said. He then leaned across the table and gave her a gentle kiss.
"Believe me when I say that I wouldn't change a thing." Harper said.
"Not even the part of you becoming an Avatar, and growing a tail and pointy ears?"
"Not even that Trance. I've learned that change is golden."
Andromeda's hologram appeared in the mess hall.
"Hi Andromeda." Trance said.
"Hello Trance, Hello Harper. Trance when you're finished eating , Becka would like to see you in medical."
"Is Becka Hurt?" Trance asked, starting to get up.
"No Trance. Like I said, when you're finished. No need to rush. She would like for you to perform a thorough examination on Telemachus Rhade."
"Andromeda," Trance said. "I really don't feel like seeing Rhade right now. He was very mean to Harper."
"I know. That's why they want you to examine him. They believe something may be wrong with him."
Andromeda went ahead and told them of Becka and Rhade's conversation.
"She really threw Rhade against the wall?" Harper asked.
"Yes Harper, but that's not the point. I've checked security video from the last week, and there's been several occasions, besides the incident with you and the food, where Rhade has behaved very irrationally."
"So it may not be anything personally against me?" Harper asked.
"That's what they're wanting Trance to find out."
"I don't want Rhade to be sick." Trance said. "But I'd prefer that his actions against Harper were not intentional."
"We'll meet them in Medical after we eat." Harper said.
"Harper, it may be best if you don't come to Medical." Andromeda said. "Rhade is worried that he may hurt you. Until we find out why he's behaving strangely, I think it would be best if you avoided any contact with him."
"Alright. I got plenty of things to do anyhow. I do like the big guy, you know. If something's messed him up, I hope you can fix it Trance."
"Don't worry Harper." Trance said. "Afterwards, I need to see you to discuss some things about being an Avatar. Things you will need to know."
Trance and Harper finished eating. Before going to medical, Trance hugged Harper and gave him a big kiss.
"Don't forget. We need to talk later."
"Your place or mine?" Harper asked with a devilish grin.
"Mine." Trance said, with a look of angelic innocence, as she exited the room.
Harper was left standing in the mess with a huge grin on his face.
Andromeda's hologram appeared, and snapped him out of his daydream.
"Harper."
"Um yeah. You need something?"
"There are no major repairs needed today Harper, only the regular maintenance schedule."
"I'll get right to it."
Harper headed back to his room, where he gathered up his tools, tool belt, and a flexie with the days work schedule on it. He then went to engineering.
"I guess I'll check out your internal sensors first, then make sure slipstream is operating at one hundred percent."
"Thanks Harper." Andromeda's screen persona said. "My droids and the new engineering team should be able to handle the rest."
Harper jacked in to Andromeda's main frame, to begin the daily checkup.
On the command Deck Rommie and Dylan were monitoring a small spacecraft detected by long range sensors. It was located in an asteroid field.
"I've never seen this configuration before Dylan."
"Could it be Nietchien?"
"Dylan, I just told you, I've never seen anything like this before." Rommie said, giving her captain a confused look.
"Right. Sorry. It was a stupid question." Dylan replied. "Are you detecting any life signs?"
"No. No life signs on board. In fact nearly all systems appear to be down, including life support.
"What about an AI?"
"I've been trying to make contact, but I'm not getting any response."
"Scan the surrounding area. Make sure there aren't any other ships in the area. This could be some sort of trap."
Andromeda's voice replied. "Scanning area. No other crafts in our vicinity."
"Good." Dylan said. "Let's find out more about this ship."
Dylan adjusts coordinates to take them into the asteroid field. As they neared the unknown vessel, Andromeda was able to detect more information, and relayed it to Rommie.
"Dylan, the ship is slightly larger than the Maru, but I'm not detecting a slipstream drive. It possesses energy shields which appear to be active, laser weapons, torpedo tubes, and an unknown propulsion system."
"Still no AI?"
"I'm still unsuccessful in contacting any sort of… Wait a minute. Captain we're being hailed."