Starchildren Options

[Kane]

Lounging by the pool at her new home. Only to be interrupted by a visiting fellow Constellationer. And one who is bearing double drinks and latkes - the way into Andromeda’s heart.

Once again, being an empath is both helpful and confusing for Dro. Andreja was conflicted by the kiss but not actually pissed. She tries to appear all business but did travel some distance to visit and took the trouble to divine what Dro likes to eat. . . . Dro, on the other hand is clearly smitten (again).

Well, 1.5m does sort of put Dro into the realm of dwarves and wood elves. If it’s any consolation, she’s still 3 inches taller than Buffy. Andreja’s closer to Altmeresque though!

Another adventure brewing it seems.

While the mutual attraction is definitely there, Andromeda is a bit more hesitant following her previous failures in that regard. Andreja, on the other hand, is experiencing some very strong emotions for the first time and needs to sort that out.

* * * * * * * *

Thirteen – Insects, Spaceships, and the Unknown

Secret Outpost, Denebola I-b, Denebola System

“Hold still while I bandage it!”

“I’M TRYING BUT IT REALLY [censored] HURTS!”

Needless to say, they’re adventure on the trail of a spacer treasure hunt was off to a tremendously poor start. Andromeda sat slumped against a wall just inside the airlock door of an empty base hidden in the woods of an uninhabitable moon. A sickeningly deep gash on her right arm bled profusely from where a bastard with a sword had gotten the jump on her, but things could have been much worse if she hadn’t turned away at the last second – the blade would have buried itself in Andromeda’s head, rather than her arm.

Luckily for the not-so-intrepid Ms. Renault, Andreja happened to be a deft field medic, and after cleaning out any foreign particulates with copious amounts of peroxide spray, she stapled the wound shut and bound it with regrowth gel laced bandages. But her patient’s breathing still sounded labored and shallow, so she jammed a trauma pack booster in her leg to numb the pain and boost her o2 levels.

“Better?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Andromeda shrugged lazily. She probed gingerly at the wrapping on her upper arm and sighed at the lack of pain. “No, seriously, you did great. Do you have any water?”

“I do. Drink up.” Andreja handed her a package of ration water and then headed down the hall to make sure no one had heard Andromeda’s cries of pain. “I believe we are alone for the time being,” she reassured her. “Rest for a few moments and then we will get underway again.”

“Think that’s the best idea?”

“We can handle these fools. The problem is that you lack focus, Annie. You are easily distracted at poor times and it is usually to your detriment. You must always be aware of your surroundings in a hostile place or this type of thing will continue to happen. We were doing well up to this point, yes? Evaluate what changed and make adjustments as needed and this will happen less frequently.”

Andromeda closed her eyes and tried not to blush shamefully. She knew exactly what happened, though she would never share it with Andreja, or this entire endeavor would end prematurely. A flickering light catching her eye would be understandable; just as an odd noise from the shadows might garner one’s attention at an ill-advised moment. But having a razor-sharp naval cutlass pierce her arm down to the bone because she was staring at Andreja’s ass is not something she wanted to come clean about. Her friend had the right of it – Andromeda needed to focus. Especially when maniacs like these were trying to kill them.

“I’m sorry, Andreja. I’ll do better.”

“I am glad to hear that. I would prefer that we both return to The Lodge alive when this is all over.”

They rested for a few more minutes until Andromeda felt ready to get back on her feet and continue on into the outpost. She gave her arm a few cursory flexes, picked up her rifle, and winked at Andreja indicating she was ready to move out again.

It only took a few turns downs long refuse filled hallways and through an occasional door until the noisy clamor of additional spacers reached their ears. They crouched low and crept forward slowly, Andromeda at the rear with her newly suppressed Beowulf at the ready, while Andreja’s finger rested aside the trigger of her oddly-shaped rifle. According to Andreja it was just a variation of the standard particle beam weapons manufactured by Arboron or Combatech, but she would not discuss the details any further, leaving her rookie companion to further wonder about the mysterious woman and her unspoken past.

Those thoughts, however, soon flew out of her head when the enemies that could be dispatched silently were done so, and the remnants opened fire on the Constellation duo. All hell seemed to have finally broken loose and they wound up blasting the rest of the way through with a tactically slow but steady success against the unorganized rabble facing them down through twisting corridors and rundown control rooms.

Eventually, they came to a wide open room with only a single remaining man cowering by an electromagnetically sealed door. A man who offered his services in further penetrating the booby-trapped Lair of the Mantis, which is what Andromeda and Andreja had come to learn they were now in. Who – or what – the Mantis was continued to be somewhat of a mystery, as they had thus far only found scraps of information on the odd slate or two while exploring the eponymous outpost.

“Wait wait wait!” pleaded the man. “Don’t kill me, I can help you like I helped those idiots! I got them this far already!”

“And why should we trust you?” asked Andreja, coldly. “If you were helping these spacer scumbags then you are no better than they were.”

“I’m not one of them, they were just paying me to help unseal this place! The entire outpost was filled with traps that kept killing them, but I figured most of them out already!”

Andromeda had been content up until this point to let Andreja handle the impromptu interrogation, but now she stepped out from behind the tall woman and focused on the man’s intention. His emotions were running cool for someone who by all appearances seemed to be panicking under pressure, and she felt that he only played for time.

“He’s full of [censored],” Andromeda whispered to Andreja. “Probably got a pistol tucked away behind his back. He’s not scared, he’s stalling.”

“Understood.” And, without further hesitation, she fired a particle beam directly into his chest.

The point-blank fury of the energetic discharge launched him backwards into the wall and when the lifeless man fell to the ground a short-barreled Rattler shook free from his belt and hit the floor next to him with a metallic clank.

Andreja kicked it away and then looked back at Andromeda. “How did you know?”

“Being an empath has its uses, even if it’s less than desirable.”

“Ah, I should have guessed.” Andreja knelt beside the man and checked his pockets but only turned up another slate about what yet laid ahead of them. She read through it quickly and then handed it off. “There is some sort of puzzle through this door. The spacers must have sealed it when we brought the fight upon them.”

“The security is a joke,” said Andromeda as the door unlocked and slid open. “If this guy had the brains its no wonder half of these idiots were already dead when we got here.” Her index fingered scrolled through the information on the slate looking for anything new. “Oh yeah, these guys were absolute morons. Everything they needed is on the slates we already found, but apparently none of them have ever read a book. Or maybe even learned to read.”

“So, we can move further in?”

“Yep. Just let me hack that terminal up there and I’ll shut down the turrets and alarms.”

The security on said terminal ended up being a fair bit more complex that it had been on the previous door, yet still not enough to keep Andromeda out. Then she used it to bypass even deeper firewalls until reaching the core operating system for the outposts defenses, at which point she also shuttered a dozen combat robots and at least six more automated ceiling lasers.

With all remaining resistance eliminated, she strolled into the heart of the Lair with Andreja at her side. It opened up into a massive underground hanger that made Andromeda question what the hell this Mantis did for a living to afford such an impressive operation. They found vacant living quarters in a small wing off to the side complete with a uniquely ugly customized spacesuit that neither Andromeda nor Andreja deigned to be wearable without enduring snickers from the rest of their friends back at The Lodge.

But the real prize lowered itself into the hangar after Andromeda pressed a big, enticing red button mounted on a pedestal near the pit. With a roar of machinery and a blast of freezing air from the surface above, they were presented only seconds later with a ship that far outpaced the Frontier in every possible aspect. They climbed through the landing bay and cycled through the airlock into the first hab where a dedication plaque adorned the wall.

“The Razorback,” read Andromeda. “This has to be what they were after.”

“Understandably so,” replied Andreja. “It is an impressive ship. Fast engines, a variety of weapons – I also believe that the shield generator is one of the newest models. This is an excellent find, Annie. Congratulations on acquiring a ship of your own!”

Andromeda rolled her eyes and shook her head while trying unsuccessfully to hide a beaming smile. “Andreja, this is our ship. I would have been killed if I tried to come here on my own. We found this together, and it’s as much yours as it is mine.” She hugged her for a brief second. “Thank you for entertaining this at all. You could’ve just as easily said it was a waste of our time.”

“I am glad it turned out this way,” said Andreja. “But I am not sold on the name. Perhaps we should register it under a different name when we return to New Atlantis.”

“Done. And you get to choose it.”

“Are you sure?” frowned Andreja. “That is a big honor, Andromeda. I am not sure I deserve it.”

“Of course you do. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to find the bathroom before my eyes turn yellow.”

She climbed a ladder to the main hab and left Andreja shaking her head in bemusement. After securing the bay door, Andreja followed her up the ladder to see what else the ship had to offer. It was far bigger than the Frontier in all respects, and included a much more spacious living area complete with a second bed. Atop another ladder, she found a small armory with plenty of storage options for spacesuits, boost packs, weapons, and ammunition.

A rattling sound on the deck below caught Andreja’s attention, and she descended the ladder to find Andromeda already bustling about the galley.

“Hungry?”

“A little peckish, yes,” admitted Andreja. “Though I had hoped we could get underway first.”

Andromeda waved her off. “The Lodge can wait. I’m starving.”

“Yes, but we have another stop first.” She stepped over to the navigation table and linked her slate to the computer core. The galactic map zoomed in to a rocky planet it in the Tau Ceti system. “Vladimir’s scans picked up a strong signal on this world. We need to investigate it.”

“Ugh, not more [censored] Artifacts.”

“Andromeda…”

“Yeah yeah yeah, I know. It’s what we do and I’ve already put it off for over a week. We’ll head there after we eat, yeah?” She plopped two formed beef patties into a frying pan, and then she started slicing up a yellow onion. “Do you like patty melts?”

“I am not familiar with them,” said Andreja.

“You’re gonna love it.”

* * *

Frozen Plains, Tau Ceti III, Tau Ceti System

The Razorback handled like a dream compared to the clunky old Discovery class ship that Andromeda had grown used to flying. Powerful port and aft thrusters offered a dexterous maneuverability that she put through the paces by weaving in and out of a small field of asteroids in orbit around Tau Ceti III until her co-pilot began to complain of nauseous feelings. Then she lit up the weapon systems and used the particle cannons and missile launchers to vaporize a few of the rocks before finally touching down on the surface

“Are you finished fooling around?” asked Andreja. “Can we please find what we came here to find?”

“I guess so.” Andromeda fired up the scanning array to have a look around while Andreja started prepping their suits. Once the scan completed, she whistled at the readout. “Goddamn. Are you sure you want to go out there? I’m reading temperatures of minus thirty-seven degrees celsius. You’re liable to see my nipples poking right through my suit.”

“How charming.”

“Admit it; I’m much more fun to pal around with than Vasco or Sarah.”

“I certainly never know what you will say next. Come get suited up.”

Icy snow crunched underfoot after stepping out of the landing bay and onto the lifeless planet. Only the occasional craggy outcrop interrupted their sight-lines as far as the eye could see. Andromeda was pleasantly surprised by how warm she remained in her spacesuit, and even allowed herself a few cursory leaps in the 0.61gs of the small world to enjoy the feeling of near weightlessness.

“What are we looking for this time?”

“I do not know, but Vladimir said the signal from here is much stronger than what he has seen before. He told us to use our handscanners to look for distortions in the display.”

“Scanners it is, then,” said Andromeda. She unhooked from her belt the custom model given to her by Noel and powered it on. It chirruped to life and she held it up, rotating on her feet about two-hundred degrees until an odd static cropped up, warping the user interface. “That way, I think. Something to the southwest is interfering with the readings.”

“I cannot see much over that rise.”

A small hill rose up about two kilometers away, preventing them from see what might lie beyond. It was their only lead, so Andreja took point and headed that direction while Andromeda kept an eye on the scanner readouts. Despite only walking a short way, the interference already began to intensify. When they crested the rise, she put it away entirely after seeing the what waited for them.

Something highly improbable, border lining on impossible.

Standing tall above the freezing rocky plains of Tau Ceti III was the oddest structure either of them had ever seen. Numerous spires soared skywards in a varying array of dizzying heights. There appeared to be a flat shelf of some sort at what Andromeda guessed to be half way up, and freestanding walls encircled the entire thing in a general sort of mishmash. But the strangest part of it all was the familiarity she sensed - and the gravity-defying anomalies floating in the air around it.

“I would say we found our destination,” observed Andreja.

“Yeah, no [censored]. Sorry, didn’t mean that to sound so rude.”

“It is fine. Shall we?”

Andromeda stared at her. “Just like that? We find the weirdest [censored] thing in the Settled Systems and you want to stroll right on up to it?”

“We can stand here and scan it for a few hours if you would like. That is assuredly what Noel or Sarah would do first. But I do not see any signs of danger, and whatever it is bares a resemblance to the Artifacts, which have not proved to be dangerous in any way.”

“That’s because you haven’t picked one up yet,” grumbled Andromeda. “But I get your point. Might as well check it out up close.”

It took longer than they expected to reach due to the treacherous patches of ice exposed by the occasional gust of wind, and once they did neither of them understood what to do next. With nothing else for it, they began walking around the outer edges while Andromeda scanned the metallic walls with little result. The same alloys were indeed present in the Artifacts back at The Lodge, but nothing else about the structure made any sense.

About two-thirds of the way around the perimeter, everything changed. Two walls formed a sort of passageway towards the very center, rising steadily until they met the flat roof-like part far above their heads.

“I guess we go down there?” said Andromeda.

“It would seem so.”

They moved at a deliberate pace should something unexpected happen. Which something did, although it was not what they actually expected. As they neared the center wall, it began to silently shift. Large slabs of the unknown metal retracted up and down to reveal an odd sort of door adorned with flickering lights that resembled the stars in the night sky.

“Uh, soooo that’s weird. I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure if we should open the freaky door.”

“Are you not intrigued? I have never seen anything remotely like this in my entire life, Annie. Have you?”

“Hell no.”

“Then we must indeed discover what secrets are held within.”

Andromeda looked at her. And then she looked back at the starry door. To say she felt a measure of trepidation would be a gross understatement, but she also knew that Andreja was right. Like it or not, they were explorers now, and she knew that Sarah would have already barged through this door in wide-eyed wonder.

Funnily enough; that notion gave Andromeda the boost of confidence she needed.

I hope I don’t regret this.

And then she opened the door and stepped inside with Andreja following close behind.

This post has been edited by Kane: Sep 20 2025, 02:43 PM

[Acadian]

Andromeda once again proves that combat is not her forte. Better get used to having a gorgeous partner, Annie. Andreja is way too competent to trade in on an uglier model.

Andromeda’s skills do, however, shine in other areas. First, her empathic talent divines the cowering spacer is not to be trusted - so Andreja can gently decline his offer. Secondly, she computer hacks a way through the remaining station’s defenses.

A new and improved ship! Nice upgrade. No time for more than a couple patty melts though before it’s off to another adventure. This frozen planet reveals some sort of a . . . facility? structure? that just oozes mystery.

[Kane]

Andromeda once again proves that combat is not her forte. Better get used to having a gorgeous partner, Annie. Andreja is way too competent to trade in on an uglier model.

Andromeda’s skills do, however, shine in other areas. First, her empathic talent divines the cowering spacer is not to be trusted - so Andreja can gently decline his offer. Secondly, she computer hacks a way through the remaining station’s defenses.

A new and improved ship! Nice upgrade. No time for more than a couple patty melts though before it’s off to another adventure. This frozen planet reveals some sort of a . . . facility? structure? that just oozes mystery.

It's fun working around her skill set instead of shoehorning her in to a role as a combat savant. She's a city girl who grew up alone behind a computer screen - it's a testament to Constellation's complimentary skills that she's survived this long!

Like many aspects of these quest narratives, I did take some liberties with powering down the base defenses. But it suits her style and is more interesting than writing about further duels with robots and lasers turrets.

The structure in question is referred to as a Temple, and we shall presently see why...

----------------------------------

Fourteen – Atavistic Flux

Mysterious Structure, Tau Ceti III, Tau Ceti System

Nothing in Andromeda’s life could have possibly prepared her for what they found on the other side of that door. Nor Andreja for that matter. A ribbed floor inlaid with disjointed circular carvings spanned out into a wide open room where the walls rose steadily inward to form a perfect hemisphere. Reflected on the curved walls themselves were the stars, dust, and nebulae of the cosmos, luminous and dim, all at the same time. It was utterly captivating.

They stood just inside the vestibule, one step from entering the enormous chamber.

“Wow,” said Andromeda. “I definitely didn’t have this on my bingo card.”

“Wow indeed,” agreed Andreja. “But what is a bingo card?”

“Uh, nevermind. Not important.” Pulling out her scanner again, Andromeda attempted to get a read on whatever they had set foot in, which only added to her bewilderment. “So, apparently there’s breathable atmosphere in here. Somehow. On an airless planet. Because that’s totally normal, right?”

Andreja looked over her shoulder at the readings. The scanner did indeed show a perfectly suitable ratio of nitrogen to oxygen, but she hesitated to remove her helmet all the same.

“What about gravimetric readings?”

“Yeah, those are [censored]. If I’m seeing this right, another step forward and we’ll be in a zero g environment.”

“Hm. In that case, I will follow your lead, Annie.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Andromeda took a deep breath. And then she took a single step. The concept of gravity as she knew it vanished instantaneously, and she began floating upwards towards the center of the room. Using her boostpack to maneuver, she puttered about the vast chamber looking for anything out of the ordinary while Andreja did just the same. This went on for several minutes with little result. About to call it quits, Andromeda cut her thrust to descend when she noticed a faint flickering roughly fifteen meters to her left. She stared intently at it to make sure it wasn’t just a trick of the mind, or a particularly bright star spot on the chamber wall.

“Hey, do you see that, Andreja?” She raised a finger and pointed in the general direction of the distortion. “Some sort of weird light?”

“I see nothing,” said Andreja, joining her side. “Only the stars on the wall.”

“Huh. Weird.”

There was something about it Andromeda couldn’t shake. She drifted slowly towards the silhouette, eyes widening as it coalesced into an array of golden light the closer she came to it. Halting her advance, she checked with Andreja again.

“See it now?”

“There is nothing there, Andromeda. Are you feeling okay?”

How can she not see this? Wondered Andromeda. She reached a tentative hand out and when her gloved extremity passed through the light it grew to a blinding flash and vanished from sight.

“Okay, there is no way you didn’t see that!”

“Where did that flash come from?” said Andreja. “Is that the light you were talking about?”

Andromeda swiveled about to see if anything else had changed when she saw it – another pocket of light on the far side, closer to the ground. “Yeah, and there’s another one over there now. A brighter one.”

She flew towards it in the weightless environment until passing bodily through the light. It burned brightly and then fizzled out once more, but they barely noticed this time. What really caught their attention were the circular bands of metal that lifted free from the center of the floor and began to spin in a manner that closely resembled the Artifacts floating above the display table back at The Lodge.

“Andromeda…”

“Oh, I see it. And I think you and I are under-qualified to be exploring this. Sarah and Noel would be freaking out right about now.”

“Did the light you saw trigger it? Are there more?”

Andromeda surveyed the chamber and saw a third one across the way from where she bobbed up and down. “Over there.”

“I think you should go to it again,” said Andreja. “But wait until I have my scanner ready.”

“You really think that’s a good idea?”

“We must find out what all of this means, Annie.”

“Frankly, I’d rather just go back to my house. But, you’re the boss, Andreja.”

She fired up her boostpack thrusters and coasted over the spinning discs at the chamber’s core while Andreja readied herself. At her partner’s signal, Andromeda soared through the third collection of warm golden light. It flashed and vanished, just how the others had, and a fourth coalesced close at hand. She reached for it and this time a curious sensation passed through her. But before she could think about it, Andreja called out to her.

“Andromeda! The rings!”

Andromeda looked towards the center and the sight mesmerized her. The metal rings that had lifted from the floor after she touched the second light now spun so fast they were barely discernible from one another, and the air around them trilled in an ever-growing cascade of sound that tore through the room, echoing off of the starry walls.

The fifth light awaited her just above the oscillating bands. It seemed to call to her. Andromeda’s boostpack gave a final burst and she coasted gently into it. The spinning rings became a blur that emanated a rising cacophony of noise that might have resembled musical notes in another universe. And then they stopped. A single round ring filled with more golden light rested upright and it pulled in everything around it like moths unto a flame. Including the young woman floating just above.

“Oh, [censored]! Andreja – help me!” Andromeda began to panic. Try as she might, her struggles against the sudden encroachment of gravity were in vain. Even her boostpack did nothing to mitigate the draw. “HELP! ANDREJA, I CAN’T BREAK FREE OF IT!”

But neither could Andreja move in to help her. Whatever underlying force drew Andromeda further into the ring inversely kept her friend at bay, powerless to help. “Annie! Try the overdrive button! Whatever is doing this will not let me approach!”

She thumbed the button labeled ‘MAX’ and the boostpack overdrive fizzled out. Andromeda Renault could do nothing to resist. The collapsing well of gravity drew her into the utmost center of the ring, and her entire existence changed forever. A mysterious cosmic energy flowed around her and the ring in a shimmering haze of infinite specks in a vibrant array of color until they too were pulled inward.

Every molecule in Andromeda’s body cried out in pain as if a white-hot lance were pressed simultaneously into every aspect of her being. Her tortuous screams drowned out even the high pitch droning of the ring while Andreja could only watch in abject horror as the light show finally ended and her friend fell to the ground where she continued to writhe in pain. No further noise escaped her lips, but Andromeda’s entire body contracted in violent spasms until her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell unconscious.

* * *

Villa Renault, Nesoi, Olympus System

Noel hung a new bag of fluids on the IV pole stationed next to the infirmary bed. She flicked the line twice to make sure the liquid flowed unimpeded, and then she started re-calibrating the bio monitor that checked her patient’s vitals three times a minute. Everything read nominal; just as it had for the last six days. Pulse ox at normal levels; heart rate strong. But the EEG scans showed only the barest hint of activity, which worried her the most. Noel often stared at the screen hoping something would change, only to end up more and more worried.

She wasn’t the only one. Andreja remained a permanent fixture at the bedside, double and triple-checking everything that Noel did in case something – anything – may have been missed. Had it been anyone else, this might have thoroughly annoyed her, but Noel recognized the deep guilt lining Andreja’s features. Though no one in Constellation blamed her for what happened, she insisted on shouldering that burden all on her own.

The door to the master bedroom opened, and Sarah entered pushing a small utility cart loaded with supper for the three of them.

“Any change?” she asked for at least the nth time that day.

“None,” replied Noel.

“Are the deep tissue scans consistent?”

“They are. Whatever that thing did to her is permanent. Andromeda’s cellular structure has been fundamentally altered at a level that I can’t even begin to comprehend. There’s no telling what will happen when she wakes up, and she’s probably the most unique human being in the galaxy now.”

Sarah glanced at the monitors and rested a gentle hand on the inert shoulder of Andromeda. Her pale skin felt cold to the touch, despite her body temperature showing a perfect ninety-eight point six degrees fahrenheit.

“She’ll pull through this,” said Sarah, more to herself. “I know she will. Dro is tougher than any of us, even if she doesn’t see it herself.” Sarah pivoted back towards the cart and picked up a platter for Andreja. “Here you go, dear. Vladimir sent some stroganoff in today’s supply run. Eat up.”

“Perhaps later.”

“Andreja, you must keep your strength up. Starving yourself will not pull Andromeda free from this coma. I want you to eat, and then I’d like you to get some fresh air. I will not order you to do those things, but I’m not against it entirely.”

The monitor beeped in the same noncommittal way it had been beeping for nearly week while Andreja studied it momentarily. Her stomach protested loudly and she turned away with a sigh to accept her meal.

“Very well. I will eat outside by the pool. If her condition changes, I expect one of you to come and tell me.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Sarah. “Actually, I think I’ll join you. Noel? You know the drill.”

“I’ll come if something changes,” she promised.

Sarah grabbed a sandwich off the cart and followed Andreja outside into the evening sun of Nesoi. Orange rays of light cascaded brilliantly over the distance mountains painting the illusion of a blazing inferno. She’d only been on Nesoi since shortly after the grim communique from Andreja arrived at The Lodge, but those few days were all Sarah needed to understand why Andromeda had purchased this home and taken a vacation.

This world was beautiful. Wonderfully temperate and teeming with wildlife. Peaceful and withdrawn, yet still near to densely populated star systems. A little slice of paradise for one of the most deserved people Sarah ever had the pleasure of meeting.

“I can see why you had to tear her away from this place, Andreja. A part of me wishes I had the common sense to purchase something like this for myself when I was younger.”

Chewing stoically on her food, Andreja kept silent.

“Look, you mustn’t be so hard yourself for what happened back there. Nobody could have predicted something so… fantastical would’ve occurred. No one blames you for this, Andreja.”

“Perhaps they should.”

“Out of the question.”

“Then you should reconsider the question, Sarah. Andromeda felt uneasy about that place the entire time we were there and before ever set foot inside. Her instincts were correct, and I asked her to ignore them for the sake of exploration and discovery. I am a [censored] friend.”

“That’s enough of that,” said Sarah, firmly. “I know that Andromeda thinks very highly of you and you’d do well to remember that. Any one of us in Constellation would have encouraged further examination of that place – it’s who we are and what we do. When she pulls through this, Dro will need you more than ever, Andreja. And if you think she’ll put any of the blame at your feet than I fear you’ve misjudged her entirely.”

* * *

Beep...beep...beep…

Wispy thoughts threaded themselves elusively throughout her mind. Images of stars, nebulae, planets, moons, rocks, people, flora, fauna – everything and anything that filled the endless expanse of the cosmos buffeting about the exhausted cerebral cortex of a comatose woman who had touched infinity.

Beep...beep...beep…

A metallic clatter echoed in the void. Burbling liquids dripped and flowed through stones relentlessly smoothed flat over distance and time by the unceasing erosion of the natural order. Low vibrations nearly imperceptible to the human ear minutely rattled through a tepid mug of tea casting ripples across the surface like a rock tossed into a lake once smoother than a sheet of glass. The threads of a cotton blouse rubbed against one another, the friction alone enough to burn the sky.

Beep...beep...beep…

And that constant beeping. That constant, goddamn infernal beeping.

Beep...beep...beep…

Actually, the beeping sounded familiar.

Beep…beep...beep…

Where had she heard that before?

Andromeda eye’s opened slowly, blinking away the grogginess of an extended slumber. Noel stood next to a monitor, pressing every button beneath the display, save for the one her patient yearned for her to press the most. It was right there… so tantalizingly withing reach… but her arms felt like they’d been disconnected and placed next to her on the bed. She couldn’t lift them.

Maybe her voice would fare better. She tried for a whimper and the timid noise offered hope, if barely audible. But the effort sapped what little strength she had, and Andromeda drifted back off into sleep.

* * *

This time, darkness had pervaded the world when Andromeda opened her eyes again. The monitor continued to beep away maddeningly, the dim glow of green light from the display illuminating the illusory color of her face in the night. Gentle snoring came from somewhere nearby, the slumberous tenor of rest escaping the nose of whom Andromeda assumed must be Noel. She felt stronger than before, and managed to turn her neck the other way until her gaze fell upon the actual source of the snoring: Andreja.

A content peace stole her features that Andromeda didn’t recognize. She’d never seen a mask of serenity adorning the capable woman with a mysterious past like the one she saw now. It suited her. There was no dark brooding, or deep worry present. Andreja deserved to know that kind of inner peace all the time and Andromeda longed to help her achieve it. When she could get up again that is.

Andromeda’s continued staring (admiring, really) seemed to have stirred up something primal in Andreja’s psyche, for her own eyes snapped open alertly and locked in with Andromeda’s.

“Annie! You are awake! Please do not move, I need to fetch Noel and Sarah!”

“Wait,” muttered Andromeda, uselessly.

Too late. Andreja hurried out of the room and left her with that godawful and incessant beeping sound. But she was only gone for a matter seconds before returning with the other ladies of Constellation in tow. They began fussing over Andromeda; asking far too many questions without waiting for answers. Or listening at all.

Finally, Andromeda had had enough: “Will all of you shut up!” she managed to eke out. They did. Thankfully. “Please shut off that stupid [censored] beeping sound. It’s driving me up the wall.”

“There she is,” giggled Noel. “It’s nice to have you back, Dro.”

“We’ve been worried sick,” said Sarah. “You’ve been in a coma for nearly a week! How are you feeling?”

“Like [censored].” Andromeda felt her eyes drooping again and struggled to keep them open. “I need to sleep.”

“We’ll leave you alone,” said Noel. “Get as much rest as you’d like. Oh, and hang on a sec…” She pressed the mute button on the monitor and the ensuing silence rivaled the most wondrous things Andromeda had ever heard. “That should help. C’mon you two – the patient needs to rest.”

“Hold on,” breathed Andromeda, barely awake. “Andreja… please stay with me.”

She drifted off again into a deep slumber, completely dead to the world.

“Go on,” whispered Andreja. “I will be fine.”

“Okay, just be sure to get some sleep yourself,” said Sarah, “Oh, Andreja? I told you so...”

[Acadian]

Mysterious is right! You really crafted a beautiful but ominous scene in that place, culminating with it snatching Andromeda and working some sort of mojo on her.

Nice insights into Sarah, Andreja and Noel as they all monitored their patient’s week-long coma.

That infernal beeping!

Welcome back, Annie – but we have more questions than answers still.

[Kane]

Can't give up all of the goose at once! Though more answers are on the way...

----------------------------------

Fifteen – Hard Feelings

Villa Renault, Nesoi, Olympic System





Morning came. And then afternoon soon followed. The decorative clock in Andromeda’s sitting room chimed twice and the musical bonging sound it made was enough to finally rouse its owner from bed. Sitting up in the infirmary bed Constellation had wheeled her into her bedroom on, Andromeda rubbed at her dry eyes and yawned. The chair beside her sat empty even though she vaguely remembered Andreja occupying it the last time she woke up.

The monitor caught her attention next. The readout indicated her vitals were all within normal ranges, so she pulled the IV from the pic line in her wrist but left the urine catheter alone. Pulling that out by herself didn’t seem like a good idea. A few cursory stretches later Andromeda was brave enough to attempt standing up, which she even managed to do without falling over.

A further few tentative steps convinced her that the kitchen wasn’t too far away, which was good, seeing as how loudly her stomach protested the lack of anything other than acid in it.

When she shuffled into the kitchen, her ears were immediately met with an audial assault.

“Goodness, Dro – what the hell are you doing out of bed!” exclaimed Sarah and Noel at the same time.

“Nice to see you ladies, too. Hey, where’s -”

“Annie!” came Andreja’s voice from the patio doorway. “I am pleased to see on your feet. Are you comfortable? Should you sit down?”

“I’m fine. Well, no, actually I’m not, but we can get into that later. Where’s lunch?”

“Sit,” insisted Andreja. “I will make you something.”

Andreja bustled about the kitchen while Andromeda took a seat at the table with Sarah and Noel, who continued to watch her every move as if she might suddenly burst into flames, or have a second head sprout from her neck.

“Please stop staring at me you two.”

“Sorry,” said Noel. “It’s just that, um, your body went through so much. Like, so much, Dro.”

“Oh? I wasn’t aware. Either of you have any painkillers? My head is [censored] pounding.”

“Another reason why you should still be in bed!” chided Sarah.

“I slept for what? Seven days? Eight? I think I’ll pass.”

Something with an enticing aroma began to sizzle in a skillet. Andreja gave it a stir before pouring fresh coffee into a mug and setting it on the table in front of the patient. Andromeda thanked her profusely and took a cautious sip of the piping hot beverage. She smacked her lips loudly and savored the taste with her eyes closed.

“Mmmm. Wha’cha cooking in there?”

“Breakfast,” said Andreja. “You will need a lot of protein to regain your strength.”

“Smells amazing already.” Andromeda took another sip of coffee and then set her sights on Noel and Sarah. “Just ask, before you explode.”

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. The anticipation was becoming to much, and she had far too many questions and concerns to sit quietly while Andromeda made small talk as if it were just another Tuesday.

“First off; do you feel any different, Dro?”

“You have no idea.”

“Really?” asked Noel. “Can you elaborate on that? Because we ran every conceivable test on you that we could and they all came back the same: your DNA has been radically altered.”

“I know.”

“Y-you know?” stammered Sarah. “And that doesn’t bother you? Something so extreme that it borders on the impossible happened and all you can say is ‘I know’?”

Andromeda shrugged. “I don’t know what you want from me, Sarah.”

“What I want,” said Sarah, “is for you to help us understand it. We’ve all seen the test results but you’re the only one who can tell us how it’s affected you!”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Androm -” Sarah started to protest.

“Sarah, let’s drop it for now,” said Noel. She placed a hand on Sarah’s shoulder before continuing. “She needs time.”

Andromeda sipped a little more from her coffee mug and contemplated her existence. She knew beyond doubt just how different she’d become compared to the friends she sat in her kitchen with. Whatever mysterious force did what it did what it did to her in the Temple – for that’s now what she knew it was – on Tau Ceti III made it plainly obvious in her mind. And she had no clue on where to even begin trying to explain it.

With immaculate timing, Andreja offered a perfect distraction by setting down plate topped with the biggest omelet Andromeda had ever seen.

“Four eggs, peppers, onion, bacon, sausage, and cheese. Eat up, Annie.”

“There’s no way I’m eating all of this. You know that, right?”

“We shall see,” smiled Andreja.

Noel’s eyes darted back and forth between the two of them. “Alright, I’ve got a different question…”

“Lay it on me,” Andromeda mumbled around a mouthful of food.

“Ugh. Swallow first next time,” said Noel. Andromeda gestured her on by oscillating her fork while she chewed away. “How come Andreja gets to call you ‘Annie’ and no one else does?”

“Do you think that’s an argument I’m going to win with her?”

“Well, I guess not. No offense, Andreja, but you can be very stubborn sometimes.”

“No apologies are necessary, Noel. I am comfortable with who I am.”

Sarah, Noel, and Andreja continued to chat and gossip while Andromeda ate voraciously. But as her stomach filled up and the omelet dwindled on her plate, she felt her eyes start to droop again. Once she’d eaten her fill, Andromeda rested an elbow on the table and tried her damnedest to finish her coffee and chime in on the conversations around her. It didn’t last, and she dozed off within moments resulting in her forehead thunking onto the tabletop.

* * *

Morning came again, just as it ought to, and this time Andromeda awoke shortly after sunrise. Noel was futzing with her IVs again and after a short argument with her patient, she agreed to remove the catheter so that Andromeda could go take a shower. The blissful shower attached to her master bedroom was the first thing she’d torn apart after moving in, and it no longer had a built-in timer like the one at The Lodge that frustratingly turned itself off during her steaming soaks. Her stiff muscles felt amazingly better after a solid thirty minutes had passed, most of which she spent sitting on the floor with her legs curled in tight to her chest.

They’re gonna think I’m a freak, she thought to herself. Like the worst kind of mad scientist experiment.

Andromeda had slept fitfully, her tired mind full of awful dreams and worrisome thoughts such as those. She owed her friends, Andreja especially, an explanation but had no idea where to start. Or how to find the courage in the face of fear. The images of delight and relief on Andreja’s face when she saw Andromeda shimmy into the kitchen yesterday floated to the front of her mind, and it strengthened her resolve ever so slightly.

She deserves to hear it first.

Finally stepping out of the bathroom, Andromeda tossed aside the gown Noel left out for her and instead put on a white camisole and a pair of stretchy workout pants. No reason to not be comfortable in her own house after all.

When she entered the kitchen again it was not to eat.

“Andreja?”

“Yes?”

“Can we take a walk?”

“Of course we can.”

She got up and poured her tea into an empty TerraBrew cup and followed Andromeda outside to the patio. Andreja initially had some concerns about going too far from the house, but her companion appeared to be getting on just fine while they descended the steps towards the landing area and lost themselves among the trees. Five minutes into their silent stroll, Andromeda stopped in a clearing and took a seat in the dirt.

“This is far enough,” she panted. “And it may have been too far. You might need to help me back.”

“Just rest for a while, Annie. There is no hurry to get back.”

Andreja sat down across from her and waited patiently. If Andromeda had to put a finger on what she appreciated the most about Andreja, it would be that sage patience she always seemed to carry with her, and how it perfectly complimented her own impulsiveness.

But here they sat now, alone and away from the fretters. And, thankfully, Andreja saved her from furthering the awkward silence induced by Andromeda’s rising self-doubt.

“We have not known each other for very long, Annie, but this reserved version of yourself that you are presenting does not suit you. I know you have much to say, so please do so before you implode.” She leaned forward and grabbed Andromeda’s hands in her own, squeezing them gently. “No matter what you say, I would never think less of you.”

Tears sprang to the corner of Andromeda’s eyes. “I, um. Andreja, that’s… Um. Look, can I hug you? Please?”

“Annie, you are my friend. This is the one of those times where you do not have to ask.”

The tears coursed down her cheeks and dampened the soft fabric draped over Andreja’s toned shoulders. They stayed like that, together, for a long time while Andromeda cried out a lot of pent up emotions over the entire ordeal. It was the first time Andreja had ever found herself in such a situation and she did her best to comfort the person she realized was growing to be someone much more than a friend. Andreja felt in those moments that she would have stayed there to comfort Andromeda forever and a day, if necessary.

Though that amount of time ended up not being needed on this occasion.

Andromeda pulled back and sat up straight. After wiping her eyes, she gently placed a hand on Andreja’s cheek.

“Thank you for being here. And thank you for worrying about my well-being. It felt like Sarah only cared about what changed and not how it made me feel. Noel, too, but to a lesser degree.”

“They mean well,” said Andreja. “Though I do think they sometimes get too wrapped up in their theories. But they also are not wrong, Annie. You do need to tell us what has happened to you.”

“I know, I know,” said Andromeda. “It’s just that… I-I don’t even know where to begin.”

It was the honest truth. She had no idea how to articulate what being pulled into those accursed rings meant and how everything had changed. How to describe what she saw; what she felt. And, in the end, the thing Andromeda remembered the most was the pain. The agony.

Pushing those thoughts aside, she tried anyway. “Imagine… imagine your mind being everywhere. All at once. And maybe… I don’t know… everywhen, too? Is that a word. If not, it sure as [censored] should be.” She paused for a second with a far away look in her eyes. “Imagine touching all of reality in an instant, and having it touch you back. Having it invade your mind, your spirit, and alter what you are irrevocably. Imagine all that and being powerless to resist.”

“I do not wish to,” shuddered Andreja. “No one should have to experience such horrible things. You do not have to say anymore on the matter of you do not want to.”

“It’s fine,” shrugged Andromeda. “Gonna have to tell Sarah and Noel eventually, or they’ll never leave.”

“Hah, very true,” chuckled Andreja. “Would you like to stay here a while longer?”

“No, we can go back. I’m starving. One more thing before we do go…”

“Yes?”

“I need to show you what that place did to me, not just how it felt.” Andromeda got shakily to her feet with Andreja and steadied herself with a few deep breaths. “Sorry. Still get winded easily. Gimme a sec.”

She moved a few feet away from Andreja and turned until she was facing the trees and undergrowth at the edge of the small clearing. Andromeda closed her eyes and focused on the knowledge she’d been given by the Temple. The power. She imagined the purity of gravity in all its natural power to bring order in chaos. And then she raised her hands in a manner that one would use to push away an impeding object and she focused on the inverse effect of that base force of nature.

Andreja could only watch in captivated amazement at the expulsion of energy that erupted from seemingly nowhere and uprooted several trees with the unrelenting force of it.

“Andromeda… How…”

“I don’t have a [censored] clue. But from the moment I woke up, I knew exactly how to do it.” She swayed on her feet and her eyes began to lose focus from the effort. “Whoa. Maybe should’ve waited until I regained some more strength.”

Andromeda sank down to one knee as Andreja rushed to her side and steadied her. “Can you make it back? Should I call Sarah and Noel to come help.”

“Um. Yeah.”

Exhaustion won out again and Andromeda collapsed into her friend’s arms.

* * *

She woke up on the couch this time, and the clock told her that only three hours had passed, which was quite the improvement. Voices drifted in from outside and when she stained her ears to listen to what sounded like an argument. Andromeda sat up and was about to see what was going on when she noticed the glass of water and the medpack on her coffee table.

At least someone is listening to me, she thought as she gulped the water down and used the medpack to dull the throbbing pain in her head.

Getting to her feet felt far easier this time, and she nearly effortlessly made her way outside to the pool deck. Sarah, Noel, and Andreja were standing around ten meters away, and seemed to be fiercely debating something.

“Hey, what’s going on you three?”

“Dro!” said Sarah. “How are you feeling? Andreja told us what happened! And what the two of you spoke about!”

At this point, Noel stepped away from the others and hugged Andromeda. “I’m sorry if we came off as callous earlier, Dro. You’re health is absolutely more important than anything else.”

“I apologize, too, Andromeda,” Sarah added. “But in light of recent events I’m afraid I must insist that you return to The Lodge with us as soon as possible. There is much to talk about. The implications alone...”

Andromeda had been dreading that. She knew it was coming eventually after all that transpired since she and Andreja set out for the Tau Ceti system, and she’d been rehearsing exactly how this conversation needed to go ever since she regained consciousness. Nothing about it was going to be easy, and she steeled herself for a drawn out discussion on whether or not she was being selfish. She hoped beyond reason that Andreja would understand, even if the others did not.

“Sarah, I’m not going back,” Andromeda stated firmly. “I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t!” exclaimed Sarah. “Dro, after all that’s happened, you have to come back so that we can figure this all out!”

“No. I’m done. Consider this my resignation. I’m tired of being shot at and stabbed; tired of being attacked by nutjobs in spaceships; and I’m tired of not being in control of my own fate. I didn’t ask for any of this. Picking up that stupid [censored] hunk of metal on Vectera was the worst decision I ever made. I’m going to live my life the way I want to from now on and the Universe can go [censored] itself. And if you can’t understand my perspective on this, then I think it’s time for you to leave.”

Sarah’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times while she tried articulate her thoughts. In the end, much to Andromeda’s chagrin, she let her disappointment win out. “I expected more from you, Ms. Renault.” Without another word, she left the pool deck and headed back down to the Frontier.

Andromeda wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. Noel had an odd look on her face. Andreja’s was unreadable. Their combined silence unnerved her. “I’m sorry. But I can’t.”

“It’s alright, hon,” sighed Noel. “None of us can hope to understand what you’re going through right now. I wish it didn’t have to be this way, but it is your life. It should be in your hands.” She hugged Andromeda again, more tightly this time. “Take care of yourself, Dro. And keep in touch – no reason we have to be strangers.”

“Thanks, Noel. And I will.”

Noel followed Sarah down to the ship, leaving Andromeda alone with the one person she hoped would empathize with her beyond all others. Andreja still hadn’t spoken, but she could feel the roiling emotions battling within. She didn’t understand – not completely, anyway – but she did respect Andromeda’s resolve on the matter. And her need for independence.

“I did not expect this of you, Andromeda. You should go inside and rest.”

Andreja left her side and headed down to the ship, leaving a confused and despondent young woman in her wake.

Completely crushed by how things ended, Andromeda sat down in the nearest chair and sobbed while the roar of engine thrusters drowned out everything else as the Frontier lifted itself above the trees and soared up through the atmosphere and lost itself to the vast distances of space.

[Acadian]

’If Andromeda had to put a finger on what she appreciated the most about Andreja, it would be that sage patience she always seemed to carry with her, and how it perfectly complimented her own impulsiveness.’
- - This is really well-put and fully based in what you have shown us to date.

Uprooting trees? Something tells me that is only a glimpse at what Andromeda can do. Wow.

As her friends leave Andromeda alone in her isolated house, I wonder what she will do now?