THE GENETIC DUPLICATE—Day 9 Part 4
On board the Solar Flare, Kyra stood up and gave her students their first break.
Kim was halfway to the exit, but before Kim was able to walk into the corridor, Kyra said, "Kim, come here for a moment."
Kim looked at Kyra in a curious manner for a second as she changed direction towards Kyra. As she walked up to Kyra she asked, "What's up, Mom?"
"I graded your essay from yesterday, and I'm giving it back to you," Kyra held out the papers for Kim to take and as Kim took the papers, Kyra continued to say, "Normally, I would have you correct the errors and then return it to me." Kim looked at through the papers to see the marks Kyra had made to the paper. "Since that essay was your first time, I gave you a break and corrected it myself. I want you to look over the correction I made so you can get an understanding as to why they are errors, and the next time, you will be correcting it yourself."
When Kim got to the last page she said, "One-fourth of my essay has been corrected," said Kim.
"Actually Kim, for your first attempt, that's actually a better paper than some I have seen," said Kyra. "When I was going through the university, my instructor made a classmate of mine, rewrite his entire essay."
"Now ask me if I care," said Kim. When Kyra gave Kim a serious look, Kim quickly said, "And I would answer that I do care."
"Kimberly…" Kyra was only able to get out.
Kim smiled and quickly said, "Mom, I'm kidding. I love hearing things about you. I ask you question about your life all the time."
In an understanding tone, Kyra said, "Kim, I know that you think of me as a friend to where you can kid in the manner that you do, and I'm thrilled that you think of me in that way, but I am your parent and teacher first, and sometimes your kidding around is disrespectful towards me."
"I would never disrespect you," said Kim.
"I know you wouldn't do it intentionally," said Kyra. "You like to play and joke around, and for some reason, you are really in a joking mood today. I don't want to ground you over it, but if you don't tone it down I'm afraid that your joking and kidding around will get you grounded."
"Yes, Ma'am." Kyra saw a glassy look in Kim's eyes as Kim continued to say in remorse manner, "Mom, I'm really sorry, and I really do want to hear about your classmate." Kim noticed the concern look Kyra was giving her. "What?"
Kyra stepped up to Kim and as she was feeling her forehead, she asked, "Kim, do you feel okay?"
"I'm a little tired, but I feel fine," said Kim.
"You are still slightly warm," said Kyra.
"What do you mean that I'm still warm?" asked Kim.
"You felt slightly warm to me earlier, but I thought it was just because you were nervous about confessing to being in Adonis' quarters," said Kyra. Kim slightly grinned "Kim, I'm going to give you a permission slip and send you to sickbay so Dr. Randall can determine if you are coming down with something."
As Kyra walked to her desk, Kim said, "Mom, I don't need to go to sickbay. I feel fine."
Kyra pulled out a form from her briefcase and said, "I'm sending you to sickbay, and I'm not debating this with you."
Kim crossed her arms and said, "You and your grandpa are just alike."
Kyra looked at Kim in a curious manner and asked, "How are we alike?"
Kyra filled out the permission form as Kim said, "I saw while having that vision that when your grandpa say how things are going to be, he never negotiated on it. You're the same way."
Kyra grinned and as she held out the slip of paper for Kim to take she said, "It's called leadership." Kim gave a cocky grinned as she took the paper. "Now you are to come straight back here after Dr. Randall releases you."
"Yes, Ma'am," said Kim. She then held up the essay she was holding. "What am I supposed to do with this?"
Kyra held out her hand and said, "I'll take it and you can get it back later."
As Kim was handing the essay back, she said, "Okay. Bye."
"Bye," said Kyra.
As Kyra was putting the essay back into her briefcase, Kim turned and walked away.
When Kim walked out, Adonis walked up to her and asked, "So is everything okay."
"I think so, but mom thinks I might be running a fever," said Kim. She held up the slip of paper. "She wants me to go to sickbay."
"I wonder if you are getting what Faxon has," said Adonis.
"What does Faxon have?" asked Kim.
"I don't really know, but he is sick," said Adonis. "That's why he didn't come to class today."
"I guess I find out when I get to sickbay," said Kim.
Before Kim walked away, Kyra stepped out of the room. When she saw Kim talking to Adonis, she called out, "Kimberly."
Kim faced Kyra and asked, "Yes, Ma'am?"
"Get going," said Kyra.
"Yes, Ma'am," said Kim. She then waved bye to Adonis and walked away.
In sickbay, Dr. Randall was examining a woman in her late forties in the examination room. Ameron was sitting in a chair in the sickbay's reception area. He had a bloody rag wrapped around a fresh wound on his left palm. Two empty seats sat to his right and three more empty seats sat to his left.
When Kim stepped in, she stopped at the entranced and stared at Ameron for a brief moment. Ameron stared back and when Kim turned to scan the room, Ameron said, "If you are here to see Dr. Randall, he is in with Mrs. Lupton." Kim looked at Ameron again. "So have a seat while you wait." Kim nodded as she walked towards one of the seats. When Kim reached the seats, she sat down on the end seat. She had the slip of paper folded in her hand. "You are Kimberly O'Brian, right?"
"Yes, Sir," said Kim.
"Well, in case you don't know, I'm Ameron," he said.
Kim slightly grinned at Ameron and nodded. She then looked at Ameron's hand that was wrapped and asked, "What happen?"
"I was trying to repair the trash compactor in the mess hall and as I was removing the food from the unit, I caught my hand on something sharp," said Ameron.
"Ouch," Kim blurted out.
Ameron grinned. He then asked, "So why are you here?"
"Mom thinks I might be running a fever," said Kim. "I feel fine though, but she wants me to be checked out anyway."
"Kim, I thought you were staying with Kyra," said Ameron.
"I am," said Kim. "I think of her as being my mom."
"So you call Kyra, mom?" asked Ameron.
Kim nodded and said, "Uh-huh."
Kim's and Ameron's attentions were then drawn to Dr. Randall and Mrs. Lupton as they walked back into the reception room.
Kim saw Dr. Randall looking at her for second before he faced Mrs. Lupton again and said, "Mrs. Lupton, I will see you back here in four weeks."
"Yes, Doctor," said Mrs. Lupton. Mrs. Lupton stared at Kim for only a second as she turned to walk away.
As Mrs. Lupton was leaving Dr. Randall stepped up to Kim and asked, "Kim, what seems to be your trouble?"
Kim gestured towards Ameron and said, "He was here before me."
Dr. Randall slightly grinned and said, "I know. I just want to know why you are here before I get started with Ameron."
"Mom, thanks I have a fever, but I feel fine though," said Kim.
Kim saw Dr. Randall staring directly into her eyes, just before he said, "Your eyes does look a little glassy." Kim looked at Dr. Randall in a curious manner. "Are you sure you don't feel bad?"
"I've been feeling a little tired since I woke up, but other than that I feel fine," said Kim.
"Well, just sit tight and I will be with you as soon as I can," said Dr. Randall.
"Yes, Sir," said Kim. She then held up the permission slip. "Oh I think Mom gave me this to give to you."
"Hang on to it for now," said Dr. Randall.
"Yes, Sir," said Kim. She then put it in her pocket.
Dr. Randall looked at Ameron and said, "Ameron, follow me."
Ameron stood up, but before Dr. Randall and Ameron were able to walk away, Kim asked, "Dr. Randall, do you have anything to read while I'm waiting?"
Dr. Randall grinned and said, "I think I can find you something. I'll be back in a minute."
"Thanks, Dr. Randall," said Kim.
"You're welcome," Dr. Randall and Ameron walked into the back. Two minutes later, Dr. Randall came back with the last medical journal that was written on Gemenon. It was thirty-five pages long. As he was handing the medical journal to Kim he said, "I know this is not what you had in mind, but besides medical books, this is the only thing I have."
As Kim was taking the medical journal she grinned and said, "I would read your medical books if you let me."
"Well, those you need to wait until you reach medical school," said Dr. Randall.
Kim looked at Dr. Randall in a surprise manner for a second. She then asked, "Do you know I'm planning to go to medical school?"
Dr. Randall grinned and said, "Capt. Lockwood told me about your ambition to be a doctor." Kim just smiled to acknowledge the statement. "Well, I'll be back for you as soon as I can."
Kim just nodded and said, "I'll be here reading."
Dr. Randall turned and walked away.
As Kim waited for her turned to be examined, she read the medical journal from cover to cover once. As she was halfway through reading the medical journal the second time, Dr. Randall and Ameron walked out.
When Kim looked up at Dr. Randall, he said, "Kim, you can come with me now."
As Kim stood up while holding the medical journal she said, "Yes sir." She then stepped up and walked beside Dr. Randall. As they were walking Kim held out the medical journal for Dr. Randall to take. "Dr. Randall, here is the medical journal."
As Dr. Randall took the medical journal, he asked, "So how much of it were you able to read?"
"I read all of it," said Kim.
"You're a fast reader," said Dr. Randall.
Kim grinned and said, "I am."
Dr. Randall led Kim into the examination room, and after stepping in, he had Kim sit down on the examination bed.
Dr. Randall took a few minutes to check Kim's vitals and her temperature. After Kim's temperature was taken, he looked at the results and said, "Kim, you do have a slight fever. Are you having any stomach cramps or do you feel nausea?"
"Dr. Randall, I feel fine," said Kim. She then saw Dr. Randall in deep thought as he stared at the instrument he used to take Kim's temperature. "Dr. Randall, I heard that Faxon is sick so perhaps I have what he has."
"You don't have any of the symptoms to what Faxon has," said Dr. Randall.
"Well, I hope it's not an allergic reaction to the flowers Adonis got me," said Kim.
"Adonis gave you flowers?" asked Dr. Randall.
Kim nodded and said, "Uh-huh. He and Faxon went to Cloud Nine yesterday and got them for me." Dr. Randall let out a noticeable sigh. Kim looked at Dr. Randall in a curious manner. "Is there anything wrong?"
"Kim, what Faxon has is called picallas and the picallas virus can live on plants for up to twelve hours," said Dr. Randall. "You are not showing any symptoms of having picallas, but there is a chance that you have been exposed to the virus."
"So do you need to test me for the virus?" asked Kim.
"The Galactica and the Rising Star are the only two ships with the equipment to test for it," said Dr. Randall.
"So I have to go to the Galactica?" asked Kim.
"You are not allowed on the Galactica if you are suspected of having the picallas virus," said Dr. Randall.
"I was on the Galactica a few hours ago," said Kim.
"That's Okay," said Dr. Randall. "A person that has picallas doesn't become contagious until they had it for twenty-four hours, so your presence on the Galactica shouldn't have been a problem." Kim slightly grinned. "Kim, give me your permission slip." Without saying a word Kim took the permission slim from her pocket and handed it to him. The permission slip was folded a few times along with being slightly crumbled. Dr. Randal ironed it out the best he could with his hand for a few seconds before writing on it. Kim watched Dr. Randall's hand as he wrote on the permission slip for a minute. When he was done he held it out for Kim to take. "Kim, you need to take this slip back to Kyra." Kim took the permission slip. "I'm letting Kyra know that you might have been exposed to the picallas virus and you need to go to the Rising Star to be tested for it."
Kim stood up and said, "Yes, Sir. Bye, Dr. Randall."
"Wait a moment, Kim, I want to give you a disc with a copy of your medical files before you leave," said Dr. Randall. "You are to give that disc to the person who examines you on the Rising Star."
"Okay," said Kim.
Kim walked with Dr. Randall to his office so he can copy her medical records. Copying the files only took a couple of minutes and when Kim left sickbay she went directly to the classroom. Kyra saw Kim walking in and watched her as she walked up to her.
Kim held out the permission slip for Kyra to take and said in a normal volume voice, "Dr. Randall wants me to go to the Rising Star and to be tested for the picallas virus."
Kyra quickly gestured for her to be quiet and said barely loud enough for Kim to hear, "You need to whisper." Kim just nodded. Kyra then read what Dr. Randal had written. When she was done she looked up at Kim. "Kim, I want you to go to Seth's quarters and tell him I want to see him right away."
Kim nodded and said, "Okay."
As an after thought Kyra said, "Oh Kim, if you can't find Seth, then I will need you to find Casmir."
"Will do," said Kim. She then turned and walked towards the exit. Most of Kim's classmate watched Kim as she left the room.
A few minutes later Kim was ringing Seth's doorbell. While holding his flute Seth opened the door. When Seth saw who it was he asked, "Aren't you supposed to be in class."
"I have a temperature and Dr. Randall wants me to go to the Rising Star to be check for the picallas virus," said Kim. Seth looked at Kim in a curious manner. "I told mom what he said, and now mom wants to talk to you."
"Wait one second." Seth went inside for a second to put the flute up. Once he stepped out into the corridor again he locked the door. He then looked at Kim and said, "Lead the way."
Minutes later, when Kim and Seth got to the classroom Seth waited in the corridor while Kim went into the classroom to talk to Kyra.
After Kyra learned that Seth was in the corridor she and Kim stepped out into the corridor. Kyra stepped up to Seth and said, "Thank you, Seth, for coming."
"I wasn't doing anything important," said Seth.
"Well, is there anything important you need to do within the next two hours or so?" asked Kyra.
"Kyra, Kim told me about how she needs to go to the Rising Star to be tested for some virus, and I have no problem with escorting Kim to the Rising Star," said Seth.
Kyra grinned and said, "Thank you." Kyra held out the permission slip that she and Dr. Randall had written on for Seth to take. "You will need this."
As Seth was taking the permission slip, Kim said, "Mom, most likely I would be all right to go alone." Kim saw Kyra looking at her in a manner as if she lost her mind. "I mean if I had to that is."
"Kim, for good reasons you are not even allowed on the Rising Star without being accompanied by an adult," said Kyra.
Kim slightly grinned and asked, "So what goes on there for that to be rated R?"
"The Rising Star remains packed all the time and the crime there is much higher than anywhere else in the fleet. Even a young adult can fall victim to a crime if he or she is not careful," said Kyra.
Seth grinned and said, "You just describe the courthouse I practiced law in on Earth." Kyra grinned and shook her head. Kim also grinned. "So Kim, are you ready to go and be mentally… I mean medically examine?" Seth then grinned in a playful manner.
Kim looked at Seth and grinned in a surprise manner. She then said, "I'm going to punch you when mom not in sight."
"Kim, telling me what you are going to do when I'm not around does not help your case any," said Kyra. "And if I hear of you punching Seth or anyone else, you will be in trouble."
Before Kim was able to respond, Seth said, "Besides, after seeing what you did to Diamond, I know you hit hard like an adult, so I don't even wanting you hitting me."
Kim grinned and was about to say something when Kyra said, "Seth, you and Kim better get going, and Kim, be nice."
"Yes, Ma'am," said Kim.
Seth gestured down the corridor and said, "Kim, after you."
"Bye Mom," said Kim.
"Bye," said Kyra.
Seth just grinned and waved bye at Kyra as Kim started to walk down the corridor. After Kyra waved bye, Seth turned and walked with Kim.
Forty minutes later, Seth and Kim were stepping onto the Rising Star. As Kyra mentioned, the Rising Star was packed with people of all ages and walking in all directions. Some were dressed in rags while others were dressed in better clothing. Even fewer of the crowd was dressed in formal clothes. The chatter of the crowd sounded more like static as each conversation blended together.
Seth asked a security officer for directions to sickbay just after getting of the shuttle and as they walked through the corridor, Kim couldn't really see any of the ship's décor because of the crowd.
When the crowd became extremely dense in section as they were walking, Seth would put his hand on Kim's shoulder so he wouldn't get separated from her. Kim was nudged around a few times by the passing crowd and each time she got glimpse of that person's past.
Seth noticed each time Kim had a vision and when he inquired about it, Kim shook her head and said, "The vision is nothing worth mentioning."
After Kim and Seth walked for a few more minutes through the crowded corridor, they turned down a less dense corridor. Before reaching sickbay they turned down and walked through two more corridors that were moderately dense.
After stepping in sickbay, Kim and Seth waited in a crowded reception area for about fifteen minutes before a med-technician escorted them to an examination room and took a blood sample from Kim along with her vitals. Kim also gave the technician the disc that held a copy of her medical records. They sat in the examining room for another thirty minutes before Dr. Cottel walked in with a cigarette in his mouth and looking over Kim's medical records that were printed out in hard copy and clipped to a clipboard.
Seth saw Kim looking at Dr. Cottel in a manner as if she was not comfortable at what she was seeing.
Dr. Cottel walked up and stood inches from Kim's face. The smoke from Dr. Cottel's cigarette blew heavily in Kim's face.
Before Dr. Cottel had a chance to say anything Kim, quickly snatched the cigarette from his mouth and threw it to the floor. Seth was surprisingly shocked at the sight and wasn't sure if he should say anything. As Kim leaped from the examination bed and stomped on it, she said, "You shouldn't be smoking that cancer stick."
Dr. Cottel was stunned by Kim's quick action and said in a warning manner, "Young Lady, that wasn't a smart move on your part."
As Kim was retaking her seat, she said, "Unless you go around harming fourteen-year-olds, you won't do a thing about it." Kim then gave him a cocky grin.
"So you think you're smart and you think that I can't do anything?" asked Dr. Cottel. Kim just gave him a smug look. "Let me enlighten you, young lady. Dr. Randall noted in your chart that you have an interest in going to medical school…"
Kim interrupted with, "What about it?"
"If you are even half as smart as you think you are then I'm positive that you will make it to medical school and when you do get there, I will be your instructor," said Dr. Cottel. Kim's expression changed to a resenting stare. "Now I can make it harder on you or I can make it the same difficulty as my other students."
In almost an angry tone, Kim asked, "You would purposely try to make me fail?"
"Everyone gets the same studies, young lady, but as you do your job I can assign you your work detail in a normal rotation or I can assign them to where you get all the crappy details," said Dr. Cottel.
Kim looked at Dr. Cottel in a confused manner and asked, "What do you mean by work detail?"
"Medical school is not free, young lady, and every medical student has to work in this sickbay while attending medical school as payment for going to medical school," said Dr. Cottel. "In your very first day of medical school, you will start by bathing the ones who can't bathe themselves and emptying their bedpans. Before you graduate medical school you and every other medical student will personally know how to perform every task there is in the medical field. Now I'm going to light another cigarette and when I do, what are you going to do?"
In a cocky manner Kim said, "I'm going to gag, cough and possibly die from cancer five years sooner from your second hand smoke."
Seth looked at Kim with a grin on his face he shook his head.
"I see you are a person who speaks her mind," said Dr. Cottel as he took out another cigarette. He continued to say as he was lighting it, "I am also a man who speaks his mind." Dr. Cottel took a puff of his freshly lit cigarette and continued to say as he blew smoke from his mouth and into Kim's face, "I see interesting times for us ahead once you enter here as my student."
As Kim was trying to hold her breath to keep from breathing in the smoke, she said "Yeah, well if you keep puffing away as you are, you will die from cancer long before I get here."
"Smoking only greatly increases the chance of someone getting cancer if that person has a family history of it," said Dr. Cottel. "If there is no history of cancer for at least five generations then the chances of someone getting cancer from smoking is practically none. There haven't been a relative of mine who had cancer as far back as eight generations."
"Lucky you, but I'm not as lucky," said Kim. "My grandpa's brother on my mom's side of the family died from cancer when he was only twelve. So I would appreciate it if you would back up a few steps to where you don't blow smoke in my face." Dr. Cottel gave Kim an annoyed look for a second. He then backed up a couple of steps to where he wasn't blowing smoke directly in Kim's face. "Thank you."
Dr. Cottel again gave Kim an annoyed look for a second. He then looked at Kim's medical chart and said, "Anyway, overall your test results are good. You have been exposed to the picallas virus, but your own antibodies are doing an excellent job at keeping the virus from getting a foothold and making you sick or sicker with more than a slight fever. Most people who don't get sick from the virus usually become carriers of the virus, but you are not even that. Most likely in twenty-four hours your fever will be gone and that will be the end of it."
"Why is my body able to fight off the picallas virus and other people are getting sick or becoming carriers from the virus?" asked Kim.
"Being cured from one of two similar viruses can create immunity to both viruses," Dr. Cottel began. "My guess is that you had been exposed to something on Earth that was similar to the picallas virus, and therefore your body created an immunity or in this case a partial immunity to the picallas virus."
"Oh, so it would be like cowpox and smallpox," said Kim.
Dr. Cottel looked at Kim in a confused manner and said, "If those are names of two viruses I'm not familiar with either one of them."
"A person who was exposed to smallpox would most likely die from it, but a person wouldn't die if he or she gets cowpox," said Kim. "And once a person recovers from cowpox, he or she would be immune to both cowpox and smallpox. In fact the immunization against smallpox is introducing a strand of cowpox into someone's system; except no one gets immunized for smallpox anymore."
"Usually when immunization has ended, it means that the virus was eradicated from the planet," said Dr. Cottel."
When Kim shrugged and made a gesture as if she didn't know, Seth said, "Except for frozen samples in genetic labs, smallpox had been eradicated."
Dr. Cottel looked at Seth and slightly nodded. He then said. "Anyway Kimberly…"
"Most people call me Kim," she said.
Dr. Cottel slightly grinned and said, "Okay Kim. Well your chart indicates that Dr. Randall had prescribed painkillers for a chronic headache. Those same painkillers should be sufficient for any other aches you may have…"
"I don't have any other aches," said Kim.
"Good," said Dr. Cottel. "As for your fever, just drink lots of fluids; get a lot of rest and take your showers at a moderate temperature."
"Okay," said Kim.
"Do you have any questions?" asked Dr. Cottel.
Kim thought for a second and as she shook her head, she said, "No."
Dr. Cottel faced Seth and asked, "What about you? Do you have any questions?"
"No, I'm good," said Seth.
"If neither one of you have any questions, then you are free to leave," said Dr. Cottel. Dr. Cottel took hold of the first page from his clipboard. "Kim, the next time I see you here, I hope it will be as my student."
As Kim stood up she gave Dr. Cottel a pleasant smile and said, "Yes, Sir."
Dr. Cottel held out the sheet of paper for Kim to take and said, "Kim, take this to Dr. Randall and it can be at your convenience."
Kim took the paper and asked, "What about that disc I gave that one man earlier?"
"I keep that," said Dr. Cottel. "That paper is all you need."
"Yes, Sir." As Kim folded the paper and stuck it into her pocket, she said, "Dr. Cottel, you said earlier on my first day in medical school that I will be bathing the ones who can't bathe themselves and empty their bedpans. Will I be doing that as a punishment for stomping out your cigarette or will all of your new students do that on their first day?"
Dr. Cottel gave Kim a dubious smile and said, "Have a good day, Kim."
Kim looked at Dr. Cottel in a confused manner and asked, "You're not going to tell me?"
Dr. Cottel stared at Kim for second with the same dubious smile on his face. He then turned and walked towards the exit.
As Dr. Cottel was walking out of the room, Seth walked up to Kim with a grin on his face and said, "I think Dr. Cottel is going to let you stew until you get to medical school."
"Well, it wouldn't bother me even if it was a punishment," said Kim. "I'm just curious to know."
"Well, we should get back to the Solar Flare," said Seth.
Kim nodded and said, "I'm ready." Kim then walked towards the exit.
As Kim was leaving the room, Seth followed a step behind.
As Kim and Seth were making their way back to the shuttle bay, Kim again came into physical contact with people from the dense crowd, and again she had visions of each one of their past. Like before the visions she had were trivial, but when she bumped into a man in his late thirties, she had a vision of his past that was both confusing and interesting.
When Seth saw Kim staring at the man as the man was walking away, he asked, "Kim, what did you see?"
"Seth, isn't there only one battlestar among the fleet?"
Seth looked at Kim in a curious manner and said, "That's what I've been told. Why do you ask that?"
"I had a vision of that guy working on a battlestar after the destruction of the colonies and the battlestar wasn't the Galactica," said Kim. Seth looked at Kim in a curious manner. "I think the name of the battlestar was Pegasus."
"Well maybe there were two or more battlestars in the beginning," said Seth.
"Well, I'm going to find out when we get back on the Solar Flare," said Kim.
"Kim, does it manner for you to know if there were more than one battlestar in the beginning?" asked Seth.
Kim grinned and as she nodded, she said, "It does to me. I like knowing things. And if the Battlestar Pegasus was among us, I also want to know what happened to it."
"You mean to her," Seth corrected.
Kim looked at Seth in a confused manner and asked, "Who her?"
Seth slightly grinned and said, "While referring to a ship, you don't say what happened to it. You say what happened to her."
Kim crossed her arms and said, "That's a bit sexist."
Seth slightly laughed and said, "Sexist or not that what you say. It's like that on Earth and in the colonies. Now let's go."
"Fine," said Kim.
A short time later, Kim and Seth each took a seat in the shuttle's waiting area. Seth sat on Kim's right. The waiting area was packed with people of all ages with only a few seats empty.
Carla Demetree, a forty-year-old woman, sat in the seat on Kim's left and was engrossed in the book she was reading. Carla was the guardian to Theodora Kimball, the thirteen-year-old girl who sat on Carla's left. Theodora was bored and was listening to people's conversation who sat around her.
After Kim got comfortable in her seat, she saw a sixteen-year-old boy staring at her. The boy had a big grin on his face as he stared at her. Kim tried to ignore the boy and was fidgeting slightly.
Seth saw how nervous Kim was acting and asked, "Is there anything wrong?"
Kim looked over at the boy and said, "I want to move seats."
"These are the only two seats that are next to each other," said Seth.
Theodora was drawn to Kim and Seth's conversation when Kim said, "Well, there's a boy staring at me with a stupid grin on his face."
Seth looked around for a second and when he saw the boy who Kim was referring about, he said, "Most likely he thinks you cute."
"Well, I don't like him staring at me," said Kim. Kim gestured to an empty seat facing away from the boy. "I'm going to sit in that chair."
As Kim stood up, Seth said, "You don't need to sit off by yourself, so sit back down."
"This place is crowded so I would exactly be by myself," said Kim. She then showed a cocky grin.
Seth looked at Kim in a serious manner and said in a stern manner, "Kim, sit down."
Kim looked at Seth as if to ask, "Who are you to boss me around?"
Seth saw the look Kim was giving him and said, "Don't look at me as if I'm no one you have to listen to. Don't think for a second that Kyra won't support me if I would ground you." Kim looked at Seth in an annoyed manner for a second. She then went to retake her seat and made a huffing noise as she sat down. "Kim, Kyra sent me with you because you don't need to be alone on this ship and by you sitting off by yourself would defeat that purpose. So I'm not making you sit with me just to be mean to you."
Kim took a deep breath in an annoyed manner. When she exhaled, she said, "Well that boy makes me nervous."
"Well, hopefully the shuttle will be here soon so you don't have to put up with it much longer," said Seth.
Kim rested her head on the back of the chair and as she closed her eyes, she said, "Well, I'm going to rest my eyes."
Theodora looked at Kim for a second as Kim had her head back and her eyes closed. She then got Kim's attention when she called out loud enough for the surrounding people to here, "Hey Kim."
Carla looked at Theodora for a second and then went back to her reading.
Kim opened her eyes and with a puzzled expression on her face, she looked in Theodora's direction. Seth had also looked and when Kim saw Theodora, she asked, "Are you the one who called me?"
"I was," said Theodora. "I just wanted to tell you that the boy's name is Mortimer. Mortimer doesn't really know better, but he is harmless."
"What do you mean he doesn't know better?" asked Kim.
"The day that the colonies were attacked, Mortimer suffered a severe head injury," said Theodora. "Since then he has always been slow to learn and slow to understand simple things."
"So Mortimer is mentally challenged?" asked Kim.
Theodora thought for a second. She then said, "I never heard it put in those words before, but yeah, he's mentally challenged."
"Are you related to Mortimer?" asked Kim.
"No," said Theodora. "I knew him for about a year though before the colonies were attacked, so I knew how he was before his injury. The man who is sitting on Mortimer's left is his dad. So what ship are you from?"
"I'm from the Solar Flare," said Kim. "What about you?"
"I'm from the Libran freighter," said Theodora. "Mortimer is also from the same ship. We didn't come here together though. Isn't the Solar Flare out of the Geminon colony?"
"I believe so, but I'm not from Gemini though," said Kim.
"So what colony are you from?" asked Theodora.
"I'm not from the colonies," said Kim. "I'm from Earth."
"Wait, are you Kimberly O'Brian?" asked Theodora.
Kim looked at Theodora in a curious manner and said, "That's my name. How do you know about me?"
"Are you kidding?" asked Theodora. Kim just shook her head. "The reporters on the talk-wireless talk about you, a man name Seth Whitefeather and a woman name Jessica Randall all the time."
Seth grinned in Theodora's direction when he heard his name being mentioned.
"Well, I don't really have access to the talk-wireless, so I don't know what they talk about." Kim then gestured towards Seth. "The person I'm with is Seth Whitefeather though. What is your name?"
"Oh, I'm Theodora Kimball," she said. She then gestured to Carla. "This is Ms. Demetree. She's the one who took me in after the colonies were destroyed."
Carla's attention was drawn to Theodora when she heard her name mentioned. When she realized as to how engrossed Kim and Theodora was with their conversation, she asked, "Theodora, would you like to switch seats with me?"
Theodora grinned and said, "Yes, please." As Carla and Theodora were standing up, Theodora gestured towards Kim. "Oh she's Kimberly O'Brian." She then gestured to Seth. "And he's Seth Whitefeather."
"You two are the ones from the legendary Earth colony," said Carla.
As Carla and Theodora were sitting back down, Seth said, "That would be us."
"Ms. Demetree, Kim is living on the Solar Flare," said Theodora.
"Seth also lives on the Solar Flare," Kim added.
Carla said in almost in a criticizing tone, "That would go without saying since he's your guardian."
Kim quickly said in a slightly annoyed manner, "Seth is not my guardian, Ms. Demetree, so therefore it was necessary to be said."
Everyone around Kim caught Kim's tone. Seth quickly put his hand on Kim's shoulder and said, "Kim, calm down. I'm sure, Ms. Demetree didn't mean it the way you are taking it."
"Kim, I'm sorry," said Carla. "I just assumed that you would remain with Seth and Jessica Randall."
In a calmer manner, Kim said, "Well, Jess lives on the Galactica and I'm living with Kyra Lockwood." Carla was about to say something, but Kim didn't give her a chance to as Kim continued to say, "I also think of Kyra as being my mom and I call her that too. Seth lives on the same deck and two doors down from us."
"So you live with Ms. Lockwood," Carla commented. Kim looked at Carla in a curious manner. "How is she?"
In a confused tone, Kim said, "She fine. How do you know her?"
"Both of us are teachers and all of the teachers in the fleet meet about twice a year to go over the educational curriculum."
"The teachers in the fleet don't teach at the same time?" asked Kim. Kim saw a confused expression on Carla's face. "I mean I'm only asking that because mom is teaching right now."
Carla slightly grinned and said, "No, not all the teachers are set to teach on the same time schedule. What about you? Why aren't you attending class right now?"
"Oh, I have a slight fever, and I was sent here to be examined by Dr. Cottel," said Kim. "I feel fine though and Dr. Cottel said I have nothing to be concerned about."
"That's good that you're fine," said Carla. She then slightly held up her book. "Well, I'm going to let you and Theodora talk. I'm going to go back to my book."
"Is that a novel?" asked Kim.
"No, it's actually a book on physics that I recently got my hands on and I'm trying to learn all I can about it," said Carla. "Now talk with Theodora for a while."
"Yes, Ms. Demetree," said Kim.
When Carla turned her attention back to her book, Theodora said, "Hey Kim, a few days ago, I saw images that was said to be from Earth." Kim slightly grinned. "Can I ask you question on what I saw?"
"Of course; fire away," said Kim.
The shuttle didn't arrive for another fifteen minutes, and Kim and Theodora talked the entire time. Seth just sat and listened to Kim and Theodora's conversation.