"Professor T'Hej,"
T'Hej lowered the laser pointer turning toward the right where Gampu's figure was standing at the corner as the classroom was emptying.
"Commander," T'Hej said, then grew a smile. "What can I do for you?"
Gampu came down the stairs.
"I like you to cover my last class for the day," Gampu said.
"Which class is that?" T'Hej asked.
"Xenogeology," Gampu said, coming toward T'Hej's side. "It'll be smaller than most classes you are more accustomed to."
"Small class like always for you," T'Hej said. "Twelve," T'Hej raised thick, hairy eyebrows. "this time?"
"Eleven," Gampu reported. "Paul Karman is on a transfer seeker to Seto."
"Isn't that the fifth Paul this semester?" T'Hej asked, tilting xeir head.
"It is," Gampu said.
"What a shame," T'Hej shook xeir head.
"The clone colony is very hard to reach as individuals," Gampu had a pause, deeply troubled, frowning at the situation. "Well, they can act and go along with orders but don't do anything productive when on the field," he looked off then shook his head in disappointment with a tsk. "I don't understand why the colony keeps sending a clone in their place when they aren't interested in being . . ." he twirled his hand. "who they are."
"Being shy?" T'Hej stared at Gampu, incredulously. "Attentive and intelligent cadets? I doubt that. Being anti-social, I can reasonably agree with that reason."
"He was part of blue team one," Gampu said.
"Oh," T'Hej said. "God." he had a sympathetic look on his face. "Those kids are more social than most cadets. If all Pauls are like that, then why keep sending them?"
"I haven't the faintest," Gampu said. "I respect their determination in having a member working in the Galactic."
"New Earth colony. . ." T'Hej said. "Right. Sometimes it escapes me that colonies that survived on new planets for roughly sixteen years stand as their own civilization."
"By the Pauls that I met," Gampu said. "It certainly is a new civilization. I feel survival is their primary concern," he moved toward the door. "Thank you, Professor," he shifted toward xem. "I appreciate your volunteer."
"Not a problem," T'Hej said. "But how the world did you get in here without making a sound."
Gampu waved his hand in front of the panel.
"You were busy teaching," Gampu said. The door opened before him. "and the cadets were more focused on you than the outside noise."
Gampu turned away then began to get out.
"What about the new cadet?" T'Hej asked.
Gampu shifted toward T'Hej.
"A new cadet?" Gampu repeated, concerned, his eyebrows furrowed. "We don't have one."
Gampu turned away then walked out of the doorway.