From: pjd@hpespjd.fc.hp.com (Paul Dorweiler)
Newsgroups: alt.romance.chat
Subject: Space Cadets -- episode 30
Summary: Argument, anyone?
Date: 26 Jan 93 05:38:57 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Fort Collins, CO

Spaaaaaaaaace Cadets, episode #30: "A Death is Never an Easy Thing"

===============================================================================

{In case you were a bit confused by the last episode, here is an excerpt from
 Dohram's log:}

"With the transport now in normal space after being met by two Gizmonics
 destroyers at its last stop, I knew Ender would be massively outgunned.
 I wasn't aware that he had multiple hologram generators at his disposal, but
 once I was in realspace close enough to MROC, he let me know via telepathy
 'basically' what was going on.  Needless to say, I thought Ender was nuts,
 and quite frankly figured the GGPlat would be destroyed.  It's no match for
 one, much less two destroyers of that class.  When MROC brought a holographic
 fighter close by the transport I released the Shark and headed away at
 maximum thrust.  Someone must've noticed a "real" ship on their scanner,
 because soon thereafter I was dodging some pretty intense weapons fire.  I
 screamed at MROC to prepare a Hjump to the other side of the asteroid belt
 so we could rendezvous, but it was too late.  One of the Gizmo destroyers 
 scored a direct hit on the bridge of the 'Plat, blowing a small hole in the
 hull.  Ender was knocked unconscious and pinned under the remains of a
 control panel.  Air soon began escaping from the bridge.  The automatic
 doors closed, sealing the bridge from the rest of the ship, but MROC tried
 to pump air into the bridge to keep enough atmosphere intact so Ender could
 breathe.  MROC jumped the 'Plat behind the asteroid field, and I took the
 Shark into FTL to rendezvous.  I didn't know that Kathy was on an asteroid,
 however -- it all had happened so fast.  By the time I'd gotten the Shark
 back inside the 'Plat, it was too late to save Kathy.  When the GGPlat was
 hit, Kathy and the 'bots tried to get back, but Oingo was destroyed by a
 direct blast which further damaged Kathy's suit.  Once Boingo got to her,
 it was too late.  She was dead.  Boingo brought her body out of the asteroid
 field and eventually rendevoused with the GGPlat.

 Meanwhile, once back on the 'Plat, I had to get on a spacesuit and get a
 patch over the hole in the hull.  Andrea grabbed a breather and got into the
 bridge, and with her enhanced strength managed to get Ender free and out of
 the bridge.  Once that was done, we quickly dodged inward to the asteroid
 belt and got Boingo and Kathy's body, and hit the transwarp for anywhere,
 FAST."

===============================================================================

{With Boingo inside, I took the GGPlat into transwarp, and after determining
 the Gizmonics' destroyers weren't in pursuit, changed course for Nymph.
 Dohram and Andrea were in the medbay, trying to determine how badly Ender
 was hurt.  Andrea did most of the work, since she had more knowledge of
 human anatomy than my creator.  It ended up being quite a lengthy surgery,
 especially since I was talking Andrea through every step.  After that,
 Dohram had a grizzly job to do.}

D: "Ugh.  I guess I'd better go to the repair bay and get Kathy's body taken
    care of."

A: "Do you want me to go along?"

D: "No, you'd better stay with Ender.  I feel bad enough that he had to lose
    Kathy because of my foolishness; I don't want him to die as well."

===============================================================================

{Dohram stripped the space suit from Kathy and stored it for jettisoning in
 realspace, and tried to clean her up as best as he could.  Bodies exposed to
 vacuum aren't all that pretty.  He then placed her in a spacebox [for storage
 of dead bodies until the next planet] and set it to maintain her body until
 they arrived.

 That done, he examined the damage to Boingo and cursed at himself for being
 so selfish and single-minded that he caused all this to happen.}

===============================================================================

{Since there wasn't enough yttrium on board for any long Hjumps, we were
 about 25 days from Nymph at transwarp.  The majority of this time Andrea
 kept an eye on Ender in the medbay while Dohram repaired the bridge.
 Ender was being pumped with regenerative medicines to speed the healing of
 many broken ribs, a punctured lung, and some stomach damage.  That medicine
 tends to keep patients in a deep sleep, but is the best way to mend a human
 being when no med techs are present.

 Dohram and Andrea didn't say much to each other for the first several days.
 They even slept in separate quarters!  After Dohram nearly bit my head off,
 so to speak, when I tried to ask him about it, I decided I'd better stay out
 of this.  Death tends to bring out strong emotions in humans. 

 After five days, we dropped out of warp long enough for Dohram to put a
 permanent patch on the outside hull, and then re-entered warp.

===============================================================================

{It had now been 12 days since the battle and Kathy's death.}

A: "So, are we ever going to talk about this, or are you just going to keep
    silent about this for the rest of your life?"

D: "Gee, I dunno, I guess I thought I'd wait until Ender woke up and killed
    me before I'd talk to you.  Got a problem with that?!?"

A: "What is it with you?  There was nothing you could have done about any of
    this!  You were lucky enough just getting me off that planet!"

D: "The point is, _I_ caused this by going after you like a blockhead.  If
    anything, I should've known never to get involved with you in the first
    place.."

A: "AND JUST WHAT IS _THAT_ SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!?"

D: "It means, that I should have known better than to get 'involved' with
    you.  That I should have known that Gizmonics would find some way to use
    you against me.  Clear enough for that enhanced brain of yours?"

A: "Oh great, so now we're back to this again?  Why can't you just learn to
    accept me as ME, instead of as some genetic freak?"

D: "That's not what I meant, and you know it.  It will be bad enough being
    around Ender from now on, since you'll remind him of Kathy's death.."

A: "How can I know what you mean?  And what makes you even THINK I might
    still want to be around you, especially if I'm going to get kidnapped,
    or worse, because of your past?"

D: "FINE.  If you want off at Nymph, I'll hold the door open for you.  As it
    is, I probably won't be hanging around Ender once he wakes up.  I'm
    certain he'll be even less forgiving about my having killed his only
    girlfriend in years."

{Andrea stormed out of the room.  A few days out from Nymph, Ender awoke and
 learned of Kathy's death.  Somehow Dohram and Andrea tolerated each other's
 presence in the same room long enough to comfort Ender.  After he listened
 to the recording Kathy had made for him when her air supply was running out,
 Ender came to the repaired bridge.  He told me to set a course for Earth,
 but I informed him we were almost to Nymph, and I had a feeling Andrea would
 be getting off there.}

E: "HUH?"

M: "Dohram and Andrea had a BIG argument eleven days ago, and haven't spoken
    to each other since.  I'm a little surprised they tolerated being in
    the same room with each other when you woke up.  From what little the
    mousebrain idiot has talked to me about it, it's clear he wants her out
    of his life.  He is blaming himself for Kathy's death, your injuries, the
    damage to the 'Plat, and putting Andrea through everything the Gizmos did
    to her."

{Ender, dressed in his old pirate garb, and sitting in the command chair with
 a glass of wine, just stared into a display and said nothing.}

===============================================================================

Will Dohram and Ender remain together, or will Ender never forgive Dohram for
the death of Kathy?  Are Dohram and Andrea no longer to be a couple?  And why
is Ender so intent on heading to Earth?

Well, if you know the answer to any of these questions, I seriously suggest
you consider counseling!  Otherwise, set your subspace receiver to catch the
next tension-filled episode of:

SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCE CAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDETSS!!!!

 
Dohram
Official Hobbes of the RFA, Dennis Mukai gallery owner
(and eternal bachelor... not necessarily by choice, for those who've asked)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Dorweiler  (Dohram) | Hobbes: "I don't know.  What did it sound like?"
pjd@hpespjd.fc.hp.com    | Calvin: "Sort of like breathing and drooling and
Hewlett-Packard Company  |          ripping the meat off human bones!"    
Fort Collins, CO         | Both:   "YAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"         
Newsgroups: alt.romance.chat