THE GENETIC DUPLICATE – Day 4 Part 4
Thirty minutes later Kyra, Kim, Julian and Seth followed the dinner crowd to a banquet room. Velinda, Davida and Cleona were also part of that crowd.
After entering the banquet room, Pres. Roslin introduced Kim and Seth to each member of the quorum of twelve. The reporters in the room learned of Kim and Seth as they were being introduced around.
Kim had shook hands with a few people, and when she walked up to Baltar, Baltar balked at the idea of shaking Kim's hand. Baltar then said, "Kimberly, I'm not trying to be rude towards you, but a lot of what I work on is classified and I can't take a chance of you having a vision of my work."
Kim slightly grinned and said, "I completely understand."
Minutes later everyone was taking his or her seats at the table. Kyra, Kim, Julian and Seth were sitting at the President's table along with the quorum of twelve. Cmdr. Adama had also came in and sat at the president's table. Kim sat across from the representative of Canceron. The representative of Geminon sat next to him on his right. After everyone was seated the servers served the food.
As everyone was eating, Davida and Cleona got up from their seats and walked up to the representative of Geminon to ask a question.
When Cleona stepped up Kim went to take a drink of juice. As she was taking a gulp of her drink she saw Beth appearing like a ghost next to Cleona. Kim spit what she didn't swallow back into the cub and started choking and coughing. Everyone looked at Kim in a curious manner. .
"Kim, are you all right?" asked Kyra.
"Kim?" Beth uttered out.
"Yes, I will be fine," said Kim as she was staring at Beth. "I thought I saw something strange."
"Oh my god, I think you're seeing me," said Beth.
"Why are you looking at me when you say that?" asked Cleona.
Kim gave Cleona a curious look and asked, "What are you talking about? I'm not even looking at you."
"I'm the only one in the direction you are looking," said Cleona.
"Are you seeing me as I astral project?" asked Beth.
"Cleona, get over yourself," said Kim. "You're not the center of the universe."
"Kimberly Elizabeth!" exclaimed Kyra.
"What is going on?" uttered Beth.
"Cleona, I'm sorry," said Kim. "Everyone I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be rude. It's just that I was not looking at Cleona."
"Then who were you looking at?" asked Cleona.
"Actually, I think my eyes are playing tricks on me," said Kim. She then turned towards Kyra. "I need to use the bathroom. I mean the astral flush."
"The astral flush?" asked Kyra.
"I mean the turbo flush," said Kim. She then looked at Beth. "The only thing astral around here is what is between the ships."
Everyone looked at Kim in a curious manner.
"Okay, go use the turbo flush and hurry back," said Kyra.
As Kim stood up, Cleona said loud enough for a few people to hear, "Between the ships is not the only place you can find it."
Kim looked at Cleona and said, "Good one, Cleona." Everyone looked at Kim in a perplexed manner. "I'll be right back." Kim looked at Beth. "I'm going to the bathroom."
"Kim, I think everyone knows already," said Kyra.
"Oh, right," said Kim. She then left the table.
As Beth followed close behind through the corridor, Beth looked over the scenery of the ship.
As Kim was opening the door to the women's facility Beth asked, "Who are you, and where are you?"
Kim just smiled at Beth and gestured for her to go inside.
After walking in Kim looked around to make sure no one else was there. Kim then looked at Beth and asked, "How are you appearing to me as a ghost?"
"I'm not a ghost," said Beth. "I'm astral projecting. And who are you and why do you look like me when I was thirteen?"
"I'm fourteen and I look like you because in a way I am you," said Kim.
"You're me?" asked Beth.
"Actually I'm your genetic duplicate," said Kim.
"You can't be my genetic duplicate," said Beth. "You're a child."
"I'm a teenager and I am your genetic duplicate," said Kim.
"How is this possible?" asked Beth.
"Think back when I… I mean you snuck out of the house to go to Crawford's field," said Kim. "You and Brian were supposed to meet there and search for UFO's."
"That was the time I lost forty-eight hours of my life," said Beth. "The cops found me walking down the road in a daze. I could never figure out what happened to me during that time."
"Well, I do know what happen to you," said Kim.
"You know what happen?" asked Beth.
"You were taken by aliens," said Kim. "After they took what they needed from you to create me, they released you."
"I was abducted by aliens and these aliens created you; a younger version of myself." asked Beth.
"I'm the exact age of you when you were abducted," said Kim. "In fact for me sneaking out to meet Brian at Crawford's field was just five days ago."
"I fell into the twilight zone," said Beth.
"You should see it from my side," said Kim. "I feel like Sam Beckett and you're my holographic sidekick Al."
"You do know that you appeared to me first by astral projection?" asked Beth.
"Oh my god," said Kim. "Those dreams I was having of you was me astral projecting."
"You were sleeping," said Beth. "That might explain why I couldn't hear you when you tried to talk with me. So are you living with the aliens that abducted me?"
"No," said Kim. "The aliens who took you are dead. I'm living with the people who found me aboard the alien ship. I was in some kind of stases when they found me."
"Why were you left in stases?" asked Beth.
"Apparently there was an accident aboard the alien ship while I and six genetic duplicates of other people were being created," said Kim. "I remain in stases for… how old are you?"
"I'm twenty-four," said Beth.
"Wow, I was in stases for ten years," said Kim. "What is the date there?"
"Oh it's December 2," said Beth.
"So Christmas time is coming up," said Kim.
If it was five days for you since you snuck out to meet Brian then that would put your new birthday around… November twenty-fourth," said Beth.
"I didn't think about that," said Kim. "So I was actually in stasis for… ten years, four months and… three days."
"These people you are living with, who are they?" asked Beth. "What are they?"
"Oh they human like us," said Kim. "They are from the twelve colonies of Kobol, except their colonies no longer exist. Their enemy destroyed the colonies. In fact the survivors of the colonies are searching for Earth. They think that the people on Earth are their thirteenth colony."
"How many survivors?" asked Beth.
"I'm not sure, but there are about sixty civilian ships in the fleet," said Kim.
"That sounds like an invasion force," said Beth.
"You can trust me, it's not," said Kim. "These people in the fleet are only refugees looking for help."
"This is unbelievable," said Beth. "I astral projected to try to find out what was going on. I never imagine that I would discover that there was a clone of me or a group of refugees from another world and searching for Earth."
"So how are you able to astral project anyway?" asked Kim.
"I was eighteen when I learn to do it," said Beth. "I just hold a picture of someone I would like to visit or find and I astral project in the same room as that person."
"So you are holding a picture of me… I mean you?" asked Kim. "I mean… actually I don't know what I mean."
"I'm holding a school picture of myself when I was thirteen," said Beth.
"How did you learn that you were able to astral project?" asked Kim.
"A day or even two days after the cops found me wandering the streets in a daze, I started to see things; things like future or even past events," said Beth.
"You're a psychic, I know," said Kim. "The same thing started happing to me just hours after I was revived from being in stases."
"You being a psychic too might be the reason you can see me," said Beth.
"So how did you learn you were able to astral project?" asked Kim.
"The cops found out I was a psychic and recruited me to help them find a kidnapped five-year-old boy," said Beth. "I wasn't able to get a vision and someone suggested that I meditate to get one. So as I was meditating along with holding a recent picture of the boy I astral projected."
"I wonder if I can astral project… I mean on purpose and not while I'm sleeping" said Kim.
"I discover I can do it by accident at eighteen, so you might be able to do it now at fourteen if you would try," said Beth.
"So how are things on Earth?" asked Kim. "Did Brian ever ask you out?"
"There have been a lot of changes within the past ten years," said Beth. "Dad has been in prison for the last five years for embezzlement. The authorities came in and took everything."
In a surprised manner Kim asked, "What? Dad might have been an uptight jerk, but he wasn't a person who would embezzle."
"You're right," said Beth. "That back stabbing governor he worked for set him up to be the patsy."
"I always hated that guy," said Kim. "So what else has changed?"
"Well Brandon is a policeman…" said Beth.
"I know that already," said Kim.
"Oh that is right," said Beth. "Brandon was in the room with me when you astral projected to my hospital room."
"Oh that reminds me; nice job on that detective work you were doing by the way," said Kim. "I woke up screaming because of you pretending to be Nancy Drew and got caught by the person."
"I see Mom was right about me when I was a young teenager," said Beth. Kim looked at Kim in a perplexed manner. "Mom always told me I had a smart-mouth attitude. Now I see she was right."
"Ha, ha," said Kim. "So what else can you tell me?"
"Keith is in school still," said Beth. "He doesn't know what he wants to do. Oh and since Keith is twenty and you're fourteen, I guess that makes you the baby sister to all of us."
"It's kind of strange to me that I'm younger than Keith," said Kim. "You know Keith and Brandon are going to freak when they find out they have two sisters with the same name. I wonder what they would call us; Kim one and Kim two."
"Actually, I've been going by Beth for the past eight years," said Beth.
"I never like being called Beth and since we are the same person, kind of, why are you going by Beth?" asked Kim.
"Well eight years ago grandma moved across town away from our parents, so when she moved I move with her," said Beth. "It was just easier to go by Beth than to keep correcting grandma."
"Why did you move out?" asked Kim.
"I got tired of mom criticizing me," said Beth.
"How is mom by the way?" asked Kim.
"Mom is still an attorney," said Beth. "Financially she is slowing recovering from Dad's arrest."
"So that is why you are working at the morgue," said Kim. "You are doing it to pay your way through medical school."
"Yep, that is the reason," said Beth.
"What happen between you and Brian? Are you two still friends?" asked Kim.
"Brian was killed in a car accident on graduation night," said Beth.
"Oh my god," said Kim.
"A year before the accident we finally started dating," said Beth.
"So what else can you tell me?" asked Kim.
"Let's see… Brandon is married with two sons," said Beth. "The boys' names are Stephen and Michael. Stephen is five and Michael is two."
Kim heard someone opening the door to get in. Kim quickly said, "Beth, hold on a second."
When the door opened Kyra walked in. When Kyra saw Kim she said, "Kim, you have been in here for a while. Are you all right?"
Kim looked at Beth and said, "I'm fine."
"Kim, what is taking you so long?" asked Kyra.
"That's actually a weird explanation," said Kim.
"I'm listening," said Kyra.
"Do you remember when I told you that the Kim on Earth can see me while I was dreaming about her?" asked Kim.
"I remember," said Kyra.
"Well she did and she got real curious of what was going on," said Kim. "She even went to the extreme to find out what was going on."
"What do you mean she went to the extreme?" asked Kyra.
"The Kim on Earth had discovered she was able to astral project and she astral projected to where I was at," said Kim.
"Kim, what is astral project?" asked Kyra.
"Astral projecting is when a person's soul or consciousness leaves the physical body and travels to… well in the other Kim's case to here on this ship," said Kim.
"The other Kim's soul or consciousness is aboard this ship?" asked Kyra.
"Actually she is in this room," said Kim. She turned and looked at Beth. "She appears to me like a ghost and the reason that I was in here was because I was talking to her."
"Am I right to think that your unusual behavior in the formal dining room was because of the other Kim's presence?" asked Kyra.
"Yes," said Kim.
"Kim, I'm feeling myself slipping out of the astral plane," said Beth.
"Can you hold on," said Kim. Kyra looked at Kim in a confused manner. "There are more questions I would like to ask."
"Normally I can, but I think you're too far away," said Beth. "Bye."
"Bye," said Kim.
"Kim, what is going on?" asked Kyra.
"The other Kim is slipping out of the astral plane," said Kim.
"What does that mean?" asked Kyra.
"Her consciousness is being pulled back to her physical body," said Kim.
"So the other Kim's consciousness is no longer on Cloud Nine," said Kyra.
"That is correct," said Kim.
"Kim, we should return to the dining room," said Kyra.
"Actually, since I'm here I need to use the bathroom," said Kim.
"I'll wait outside for you," said Kyra. "Oh and please hurry."
"Yes, Mom," said Kim. "Oh Mom, the other Kim is twenty-four. She also goes by the name Beth now."
"Why Beth?" asked Kyra.
"Beth is short for Elizabeth and that was what my grandma called me," said Kim. "Personally I would rather be called Liz than Beth. Liz is also short for Elizabeth."
Kyra smiled and said, "I was able to figure that one out on my own. I will be in the corridor." She then walked out.
A few minutes later Kim and Kyra were walking back into the dining room. Most of the people were done eating and walking around socializing. Julian was with Seth. As Kim went back to the table to finish her meal, Kyra walked up to Cmdr. Adama. Cmdr. Adama was in the middle of a conversation with Pres. Roslin and the quorum of twelve.
Cmdr. Adama saw Kyra approaching and asked, "How is Kim"
"She is fine," said Kyra. "Commander; Madam President, can we talk in private for a moment?"
"Of course," said Cmdr. Adama. He faced the quorum. "Excuse us."
Cmdr. Adama, Pres. Roslin and Kyra walked a short distance away from the group.
"Commander, have you ever heard of someone's consciousness leaving his or her physical body for short periods at a time?" asked Kyra.
"Are you talking about a near death experiences?" asked Cmdr. Adama.
"No," said Kyra. "I'm talking about someone's consciousness leaving his or her body at will and with full control to travel anywhere."
Pres. Roslin remained silent and had an expression on her face as if she was holding back information.
"I can't say I have," said Cmdr. Adama.
"I have," said Pres. Rolsin. "In fact I knew someone who had claimed to be able to do that. That person has also shown me a few documented cases of other people claiming to be able to do that; however, none of those cases were proven."
"Madam President, is that common for someone to claim to be able to leave the physical body?" asked Kyra.
"It's not common at all," said Pres. Roslin. "Kyra, is someone claiming to be able to leave his or her physical body?"
"Kim went to the women's facility to talk to the other Kim's consciousness," said Kyra.
"Was that the reason why she was acting peculiar during dinner?" asked Cmdr. Adama.
"Yes, Commander," said Kyra. "Apparently the other Kim is a psychic also and both of them can see each other. According to Kim, the other Kim astral projected to find out what was going on."
"How are they able to see either?" asked Pres. Roslin.
"Kim has been dreaming of the other Kim every night since she has been with us and according to Kim both of them are able to see each other at that point," said Kyra.
"That is interesting," said Pres. Roslin.
"Kyra, you had said earlier that the other Kim astral projected," said Cmdr. Adama. "What is that?"
"That is what Kim called it when someone's consciousness left his or her physical body," said Kyra.
Cmdr. Adama saw Kim approach. Kyra turned to see what Cmdr. Adama was looking at.
"Kim, come over here," said Cmdr. Adama.
Kim quickly walked up to them.
As Kim was walking up she said, "Pres. Roslin; Cmdr. Adama, I want to apologize for my strange behavior earlier."
"Kyra told us what happen," said Cmdr. Adama. "In fact I want to talk to you more about that."
"Okay, but I'm not sure what there is to talk about," said Kim.
"I have a few questions," said Cmdr. Adama. "My first question is how common is it for someone on Earth to be able to astral project?"
"I don't really know," said Kim. "There are a few experts that claim that everyone has done it while sleeping, but only a small percentage claim to be able to do it at will. Cmdr. Adama, it seems that the colonies don't know too much of the paranormal."
"I'm not sure what the word paranormal means, but I do have a good idea," said Adama. "And no we don't know too much about it."
"It is also called the supernatural and it deals with psychics, astral projecting, seeing ghosts…" said Kim.
"Kim, you don't have to give me a list," said Cmdr. Adama.
"I just wanted you to know what the word meant," said Kim.
"Kim, how would someone astral project?" asked Cmdr. Adama.
"Beth… oh that is what the other Kim goes by now," said Kim. "Beth was able to astral project by holding a picture of who she would like to visit in the astral plane. While holding the picture she would meditate. I think she took a guess on how to find me and held an old picture of herself as she meditated."
"Am I correct to assume you haven't astral projected?" asked Cmdr. Adama.
"Not willingly I haven't, but I believe I have in my dreams," said Kim. "I am planning to attempt it without being asleep though."
"If you do discover you can do that, I want you to tell us," said Kyra.
"I will," said Kim.
"Kim, why do you think you were able to see the Beth as she astral projected here when no one else did?" asked Pres. Roslin.
"Well, we both have a six sense and in a way we are the same person," said Kim. "So I'm thinking, that is why I was able to see her."
"That's sounds like a reasonable assumption," said Pres. Roslin. "Kim, the next time Beth contacts you, I want you to tell us, or at least tell Kyra about it."
"No problem," said Kim.
"Kim, were you able to determine Beth's age?" asked Cmdr. Adama.
"She is twenty-four," said Kim.
Kim noticed Pres. Roslin with an uneasy expression on her face. Pres. Roslin then said, "Kim, I need you to go somewhere else so I can talk to Cmdr. Adama."
"Pres. Roslin, you are worried that the Earth's military won't be a match for the Cylons, aren't you?" asked Kim.
"Kimberly—" Kim looked at Kyra as Kyra continued to say, "—come with me so we can have a talk."
Kim ignored Kyra and asked, "Just because the Earth's F-15 fighters are not as fast or as fancy as the colonial vipers, why do people think that the Earth is doom?"
"Kimberly Elizabeth, that is enough," said Kyra.
"It's not enough," exclaimed Kim.
"Kimberly Elizabeth, you will listen to me," exclaimed Kyra.
"Kyra, wait," said Pres. Roslin. "Let her speak. I'm actually interested in hearing what she has to say."
"I know Earth's military is not as advanced as the twelve colonies," said Kim. "However, the people on Earth are a society of strategists, thinkers, puzzle solvers and dreamers. The people on Earth have already come up with ten different ways if not more to defeat a threat like the Cylons. The people of Earth don't wait for the problem to occur and then come up with the solution. They come up with the solution and then pray that the problem never comes up."
"Kim, are you through?" asked Pres. Roslin.
"Yes… well actually no," said Kim. "I also like to say that the people on Earth are not strangers to war. The people on Earth have fought wars from coldest regions of Earth to the hottest regions. They had fought in blizzards, monsoons, droughts; whatever weather condition a person can imagine up, the people on Earth have fought in it. I'm just trying to say that you should not underestimate our ability to fight the Cylons just because we don't have certain technology. The people of Earth have been known to come up with a few magic tricks in the past and I know we can do it again. Okay now I'm through."
"Kim, no one is going to underestimate the people on Earth, but you need to understand that the Cylons are not ones to underestimate either," said Pres. Roslin.
"I do understand that," said Kim.
"Okay Kim, I allowed you to share your thoughts, and now I need you to go somewhere," said Pres. Roslin.
"Yes, Pres. Roslin," said Kim. As Kim and Kyra were walking away, Kim wouldn't glance at Kyra .
"Kim certainly has confidence in the people of Earth," said Pres. Roslin.
"Six years ago I would have had the same attitude with the colonial military," said Cmdr. Adama.
Kim finally glanced at Kyra and asked, "So how mad are you with me?"
"Let's just say that I'm upset with you and let's leave it at that," said Kyra.
"So am I grounded until I'm old and gray?" asked Kim.
Kyra slightly grinned and said, "No. I can only ground you up to the age of eighteen."
"So am I grounded up to then?" asked Kim.
"Kim, before I say anything about for how long you are grounded far or even if you are grounded I would like to know if you are even sorry for disrespecting me the way you did," said Kyra.
"I wasn't trying to disrespect you and I am really, really sorry that I did," said Kim. "However, I am not sorry for saying what I did. I knew I was taking a chance of upsetting you and risking being grounded for god only knows how long, but I wanted Pres. Roslin to know how I felt. Even you said that you would make a stand if you believed in something. Well I really believe in what I said."
In a joking manner Kyra said, "You are not allowed to use my own words against me."
Kim grinned. She then asked, "So how long am I ground for?"
"Kim, I do believe that you never meant to disrespect me so I'm going to overlook what happen," said Kyra. Kim slightly grinned. "However, if you disrespect me again you will be grounded for at least month."
"Yes Ma'am," said Kim. "Mom, thanks for letting me off with a warning."
Kyra grinned and as they walked she gave Kim a hug. Seconds later they walked up to Seth and Julian.
Across the room Pres. Roslin was discussing with Cmdr. Adama if they should remain on course for Earth. Cmdr. Adama continued to say, "Of course I realize Kim was being optimistic, but I still believe going to Earth is the best course of action."
"Cmdr. Adama, although we have not seen the Cylons for a few months I'm sure they are not too far behind us," said Pres. Roslin. "If we jump into the Earth's system and the Cylons finds us weeks later, Earth is doom. I feel that we just don't have the time to raise the Earth's military to our level."
"Actually there is a way and we don't have to wait until we find Earth to do it," said Cmdr. Adama.
"How?" asked Pres. Roslin.
"If Beth is actually astral projecting to where Kim is then that gives us an indirect communication to Earth," said Cmdr. Adama. "We can get propulsion formulas and fuel formulas along with other formulas and engineering plans to Earth that way. The military on Earth can then build their own fighters that are comparable to our vipers."
"Since Kim is a smart person, I'm going to guess that Beth is also quite smart, but the odds that Beth happen to take a career in physics is going to be high," said Pres. Roslin.
"Beth doesn't have to know physics or understand it," said Cmdr. Adama. "All she has to do is memorized the formulas, write them down and give them to someone that can understand them."
"I have seen some of those formulas and to expect someone to memorize just one of them in a short time is asking a lot of someone," said Pres. Roslin.
"Before you say that you should look at Kim's medical record," said Cmdr. Adama.
"What is in her medical record that would make me say different?" asked Pres. Roslin.
"Dr. Randall gave Kim three types of memory tests and Kim's results were off the chart in each one," said Cmdr. Adama. "Since Kim has a memory that surpasses everyone in the fleet, I'm willing to wager that Beth's memory is just as good."
"Do you really think that it will work?" asked Pres. Roslin.
"The worse case scenery is that Beth doesn't memorize the formulas and if that the case we will try something different," said Cmdr. Adama.
"Okay, if you insist in proceeding to Earth then I insist that we proceed in that manner," said Pres. Roslin. She pointed in the direction of Kim and Kyra. "We should inform Kyra and Kim of what we are planning."
Seth and Kyra were having a conversation as Pres. Roslin and Cmdr. Adama walked up. Seth paused the conversation when he saw them. Kyra, Kim and Julian turned to look.
Pres. Roslin looked at Kyra and said, "Kyra, we would like to talk to you and Kim again in private."
"Of course Madam President," said Kyra.
Pres. Roslin noticed Kim looking at her in an uncertain manner. She then asked, "Kim, is there anything wrong?"
"I don't know," said Kim. "I can't tell from your facial expression if you have good news or bad news for us."
"Kimberly, what did I say to you about speculating?" asked Kyra.
"You told me not to do it, but I can't help it," said Kim. "For me, reading people's facial expressions is a part of me listening to someone talk."
"Just please control yourself," said Kyra.
"I'll try," said Kim.
"Kim, what we have to discuss is neither good nor bad," said Pres. Roslin.
Kim just grinned to acknowledge the statement. After walking to a secluded area Pres. Roslin told Kyra and Kim of the plan to use Beth to pass information along.
An hour later Kyra, Kim and Julian were entering their quarters. After Kim changed into her normal clothes, she sat on the couch with her arithmetic homework and started to work on it. Kyra sat next to Kim to prepare the tests for the class. Julian got one of his books, sat down in the floor and flipped through the pages.
When Kim got done with her homework she went and sat down with Julian. She then read aloud to Julian and as she read she used her fingers to point out what word she was reading. When Kim reached the end of the book, Kim started from the beginning again, but had Julian reading the book. As Julian struggle with the words, Kim would help him by breaking up the word and sounding it out. When Julian got done reading the book, Kim convinced him to read it again. When Julian read the book for the second time, he didn't need as much help as he needed the time before. After reading the book the second time, Julian went and got another book. Kim then read that book to Julian one time and then had Julian reading it after that.
Kyra was sitting on the couch and her attention was split on what she was doing and on what Kim and Julian were doing.
After Julian finished his second book, Kim looked at Kyra and asked, "Mom, how long is it till bedtime?"
"You still have four hours," said Kyra.
"Can Julian and I go to the recreation center then?" asked Kim.
Kyra grinned and asked "You wouldn't mind taking Julian with you?"
"It wouldn't be fair if I don't take him along; unless he doesn't want to come with me," said Kim.
"I want to go," said Julian.
"Okay, both of you can go," said Kyra. Kim stood up followed by Julian. "Oh and I do want you back in two hours so we can go to the mess hall for dinner."
"We just ate not too long ago," said Kim.
"That was a late lunch," said Kyra.
"Still, I don't get hungry that quick," said Kim.
"Just be back in two hours and if you are not hungry by that time you don't have to eat," said Kyra.
"Fine," said Kim. Kim and Julian then left the quarters.
When Kim and Julian walked into the recreation center, Faxon, Tiara, Nathan and Wiley were playing a game. Kerim, Nate and Landon were playing a game at a different table. Several other people were scattered throughout the room. Kim and Julian walked up and stood next to Tiara. Kim noticed that they were playing cross-colors.
When Nathan saw Kim he said, "Hey Kim, I'm leaving in a few minutes. Perhaps you can take over for me and be Wiley's partner."
"Julian can take over for you," said Kim.
"Julian doesn't know how to play cross-colors," said Wiley.
"I will stand behind him and help him," said Kim.
"Why don't you just play and let Julian watch?" asked Faxon.
"Julian is not going want to stand and watch," said Kim. "I'm not going to abandon him either."
"All right, Kim. Julian can play as long as you help him," said Wiley.
"Thank you, Kim," said Julian.
"You're welcome," said Kim.
Within two hours Kim helped Julian to play five games of cross-colors. Wiley and Julian won four of the five games. When the fifth game ended, Kim and Julian went back to their quarters. Kyra, Kim and Julian then went to the mess hall. Kyra and Julian got a tray of food. Kim just got a fruit to eat as a snack. After eating they went back to their quarters to prepare for bed.