Chapter 56
Steven
Looking In the Mirror

Steven looks up wondering if the rain will hold off until after his visit with Eleanor tonight. The forecast seemed to be ever changing. Warm morning and rain in the early evening, he would rather see the rain late in the evening or right now would be fine.

He walks to Victor's office and is greeted by Brian who is also attending the meeting. Steven looks about as he does not see Brian's second, "Where is Daniel?"

"Oh, he should be here shortly. Daniel and I just finished working on the Earth staff for our special unit."

They continue walking when Steven turns to Brian, "I have a suggestion. Take it or leave it, but I think that you should do more to enhance your personal relationship with Daniel. I mean by this, spend time with him that has nothing to do with work. Play one of their human computer games, I know that you are familiar with those kinds of games. There may even be a human game that is similar to one you played as a child. You might even find it fun to play something different. There are also their movies you could go too or a meal out with Daniel, you eat the same foods as him."

It is several steps before Brian replies and there is some discomfort to his tone. "Daniel, is a very busy individual he has friends outside of Visitor Friends. Also, we have done things together, today we went and got a slushy."

"Just a suggestion," Steven gives Brian a smile as they enter Victor's office. He still can't understand why Brian reminds him of his son DaSher. He is learning that Brian is certainly not a soldier, if he has a weapon, it is his mouth. Sitting down he turns to Brian, "Slushy?"

"Sort of a frozen fruit juice or flavored ice that is, well like slush." Brian says smiling.

"Where is Daniel?" Victor is looking straight at Brian and is mouthing, 'Slushy.' Then he turns to Steven, "We are here to discuss the humans we are bringing into the new unit and I thought this was to be an all-inclusive security division with the Earther's. We are not here to waste Steven's time."

Both Steven and Victor look to Brian who shrugs, "I promise he will be here shortly."

Victor smiles as he looks at his device, "He is here."

The door opens and Daniel comes in with a large smile gracing his face. "Sorry, I just wanted to ensure that everyone on the list is as qualified as Brian believes. I am here to support him." He then gives Brian a pat on the back as he sits down.

Steven finds himself smiling. You have to admire Daniel, he was late on purpose so that he would be the last one through the door. Next, he suggested that he needed to verify that the people chosen were the correct choices. Meaning that Brian's suggestions may not have been adequate. Steven nods his head to the young man, "I appreciate all of your work Daniel." Brian says nothing, but what surprises him more is Brian's smile appears to be sincere.

They spend the next hour going over the name's on the list. Daniel has come well prepared, a few times Brian appeared puzzled as though he was unaware of the information that was currently being presented by Daniel. In the end the selection is made and Victor asks Daniel to be the one to deliver the good news to the individuals chosen.

Daniel stands and shakes all three of their hands, "Thank you for all of your confidence in me." Then with a large grin he says, "Thank you also for the car. It's such a nice car, I mean a convertible. I don't know what to say."

Victor nods his head and smiles as he speaks, "That was the car you chose. We were more than happy to be able to thank you in a way that was fulfilling for you, as all of the hard work that you are doing now and I know you will continue to do for us."

"I sure will," Daniel says with a large smile. He turns to Brian who is now standing, "Can't wait to begin telling everyone the good news. You're going to be there so you can congratulate them as well!"

"Of course, but you are the one informing them of their promotion to the new division." Brian says as he pats Daniel's shoulder.

"Wait! Brian, we would like you to remain here as we have a bit more to discuss." Steven says calmly. "Daniel, I know you will be fine."

Sitting down Brian looks directly to Steven, "Is there an issue with those chosen to be in our new division?"

"No, not at all. I do wish to speak to you about the project you did early this morning," Steven says. "I have to say it was better than I thought it would be. We may actually want to use this in the future."

"I am not sure what to say," Brian appears to be almost frowning. "I believe that more work needs to be done on this." There is a long pause before he speaks, "If you don't mind I would like to try it one more time tomorrow to confirm that I am getting what I hoped for. Would you mind if Becky and I collected a bit more data?"

Steven looks towards Victor who shrugs, "I am fine with that."

"I would like to have a trooper who will be assigned for the project tomorrow." Brian looks first to Steven and then to Victor, "The one today was assigned to Devin this morning."

"Steven would you have a problem with that?" Victor asks.

"No, go ahead and schedule one." Steven has an idea that S9N something or rather Aloohula will be the one to accompany Brian and Becky. Somehow the same trooper is always accompanying Brian, Gordon or George. He can't help, but wonder if there is a friendship between the trooper and these three. At the very least they trust him completely to want him there when on assignments or when unsure of the environment they are working in. "You also have my permission to choose a particular individual if you wish." This will keep Brian from manipulating someone to get what he wants and he really doesn't care.

"Well, er, ah," Brian smiles. "Thank you, I do have someone in mind." He nods to them and leaves the room.

"It appears that you understand that he uses the same trooper every time," Victor says with a smile as he pushes away his device.

"Yes," Steven says grinning and shaking his head. He really doesn't care, what bothers him is that Brian didn't seem to expect them to like the project at all. Was this project really just a way for him to simply spend time with Becky. Did he have some romantic interest in this young woman. Who knows, he himself was not romantically inclined towards Eleanor, but the human reminded him of his wife and he liked just spending the time with her. It has been awhile since he really thought of ending his own life, she has become a welcome diversion. Her husband on the other-hand is likely very tired of his interaction with Eleanor. Well, let the man suffer. This world was truly becoming less a human world and becoming more his people's world. Earth will eventually be dead and life will be no more, so it appears it will actually be no one's world. Then again, humans are doing a lovely job in killing their own world, just as his people are close to killing theirs.

"I have to say Steven, I was not supportive of Brian's promotion in the beginning. I mean let's face it a four year old could shoot better than him. I don't even know that he actually tries to physically fight, I was told there are times he just keeps backing up and continues to back away. Our records show that his mother followed the teachings of Macald very closely."

Steven had no doubt that many of the Whipelli Youth Corp members had family or themselves at one time followed the teachings of Macald and may be trying to follow as best they can to this day. Macald fit the whole near communal lifestyle of the mountain people; only god could tell you when to fight; words first, fist second, weapons last. The Whipelli are devoted to their mountains, which their god said is the only reason to go to war. Other then that they would rather try to talk it out, it is hard to believe that these peace loving people were very good at killing when it came to protecting their mountains. This of course fits the Youth Leaders way of doing things, no one could talk endlessly as much as a Youth Leader. Talking is truly a gift they utilize.

Victor looks up at Steven, "I must say I am inspired. You took someone, a Youth Leader who although he may look tough on the outside is actually quite sensitive on the inside. You understood that these are qualities and not faults, that would not only work, but allow for the complete interaction of two different species. Many Security officers of your rank still don't seem to understand why you wanted to create a division utilizing not only humans, but one led by Youth Leaders. As someone once told me a group of people who tend to have squishy insides." Victor holds his hands up, his face showing his excitement. "I am getting all kinds of praise I don't deserve in Brian's progress in this new security unit that is utilizing humans and Youth Corp. This is on you, you did the work. You made a choice that most would likely not have made. I am hearing from a few that they may very soon be setting up their own new Visitor Friends Security groups."

"I could have failed Victor," Steven looks at the ceiling for a moment. "There are things about Brian that at times make me wonder if he was the correct choice. He is a Youth Leader, not just sensitive. Not just him, but all of the Youth Leaders are for the most part a very manipulative group and extremely intelligent. Brian, sometimes makes me wonder if he has other goals, but I have to say he is doing very well. I think the Regime with the early training given to them as children and all of the bonding, especially the last procedure has made them completely devoted. I don't ever see them doing anything that does not benefit Our Leader, they would gladly give their lives for him. I guess, I should say Brian's other goals are likely what else can he do for the Regime. The way he takes ideas of others around him and then thinks outside of those ideas is amazing. His devotion is again is beyond anything that even we devoted followers could even understand."

"Not just him, all of Youth Corp. Again, you made the right choice with Brian. In the beginning he was doing small things to just irritate his superiors. For me it was turning his socks inside out. He would gladly give up points just to do something so idiotic. I was afraid there was a bit of a rebel within him, but like most Youth Leaders he is very sensitive on the inside and very tough as you said on the outside. They care about their fellow Youth Corp members and their need to be united has created a group of young people that will be relentless in their need to fulfill their goals. So many of them on each ship and yet they work together as if one individual. Their only goal appears to be able to complete the needs of Our Great Leader and do all that he asks." Then Victor bites his lower lip, "What do you think of Daniel? I am conflicted."

"I know what you mean," Steven rocks his head back and forth. "I would have thought with his grandfather's death on the ship he would want some sort of revenge. His parents being taken and I can't imagine that they are happy, it should have created anxiety within him, but it has not. He seems quite happy to serve. If it was one of us, we may not be so eager to comply with those that have caused such turmoil in our lives. It is like Daniel has gone through bonding like our Youth Corp." Steven laces his fingers together and frowning he says, "He seems to simply enjoy power, it feeds his ego. Put him and Brian side by side; Brian is doing for his people and he works hard to keep unity within the Youth Corp. Daniel is doing everything for himself I believe, I don't know him so I could be wrong."

Victor's brow furrows, "I can't figure out if Daniel and Brian have a friendship or not. We both know that Daniel betrayed Brian when it came to that human girl that apparently both he and Brian liked. I had no idea, but if Daniel is correct Brian tried to throw us off from finding her and her family. This means Brian tried to protect them, but Daniel was willing to betray her family even though he cared for the girl. This is more devotion then Brian was showing at the time. Again if this is true." Victor sighs deeply, "Daniel does just as we want all of our Youth Corp to act, not just the Youth Leaders. This young human is what we want in the Youth Corp without all of the manipulation that we have done on them. He does this on his own, his dedication is amazing. It's also, worrisome, because we know the Youth Corp will stand by each other no matter what, but what of Daniel or other humans. Who will Daniel standby if an issue comes up?"

Steven finds himself frowning as well as he tries to understand the young humans they are now bringing in to work with them, which means against the human resistance. "Then Victor do you find it odd that there are so many Visitor Friends so willing to do what we request of them? By now they know that we are taking some of their people and those people are not returning. We had to take the entire Youth Corp and use a variation of conversion on them every forty days since they were sixteen and still we were never sure. We make them attend daily meetings to ensure that they stay united together and dedicated to the Regime." Steven looks off for a moment before returning to look at Victor. "Things have happened to their families and the parents of friends. If we had not prepared the Youth Corp we don't believe they would be so willing as say, someone like Daniel. If not for the; lets face it quiet conversion. Would Brian have been happy that his father was arrested, tortured and then executed by the Regime. I think if not for that last near conversion procedure done to him, I don't see him standing with the Regime as he does now." Steven is shaking his head, "How can people like Daniel be okay with all of this?"

"I find it amazing myself."

"Human's are most certainly different than our own people. I like the way they can reject, what would you call it. . ." Steven pauses hoping that Victor will fill in what he is finding hard to say. "The morals that they grew-up with. No, that isn't right."

"I know what you are saying, sadly we have people like that ourselves." Victor pauses and his eyes go to the ceiling. Steven knows who he is talking about, it is Diana.

"I wish all humans were like Daniel. He is so eager to fulfill our goals and give up those he says he loves." Steven shrugs, this is the first time he has actually bonded with Victor. They have never really seen eye to eye on anything, but it appears that the discussion of Daniel has brought them together.

"You are right, I said humans' are different then our people." Victor shakes his head giving Steven a very sad glance. "But humans. . .are just like. . .us. Just like us, I don't think we could have found another alien species that resembles and thinks so much like we do. It bothers us as it is like looking in a mirror, but saying they look different. The fact is they don't really look different; skin color, hair and different eyes and if you change just those small things" Victor shakes his head, "Well, there you would be standing in front of that mirror."

Steven shivers visibly, "Could not agree more." He misses his wife, yet Eleanor; something about Eleanor reminds him of his wife. Yes, humans are too much like them, both emotionally and physically.

"The longer we stay here, the longer we will struggle to keep seeing humans as an animal or an enemy. Friendships will be made and commitment will be questioned as what the right thing is. Now we focus on our families and friends on a dying world, but you don't wish something bad on a friend to help those you love. You want to look for another way to give what is needed." Victor says and this startles Steven, it is if Victor was finishing his own thought.

This whole project is getting to be more difficult everyday. Why couldn't they have just gotten the water on an asteroid, a meteorite or another planet. Avena has more water than Earth, even though it is further away it would be good to stay away from Earth. Avena had no intelligent beings, it would be easier. In the sixty years they have traveled past Earth they never thought once to purge it of anything. Now, now they are to do just that. Steven has no idea why, but can this really end well. Humans are already uprising and they will continue to do so. He shivers again, humans are too much like his people. This would all be better if they were all together different.

Steven and Victor continue talking, but leave the uncomfortable conversation alone. Still you can tell it is on both of their minds. When Steven is leaving he finds himself turning and with a chuckle he says, "Just like looking in a mirror."

At first Victor gives him a questioning look and then shakes his head and smiling he says, "The reflection never lies, but you see what you want to see. Too, similar."