Disclaimer: Tra-la-la, da-de-de, I don’t own these people and neither dost thee. A new fanfiction by Colorain, if you sue she’ll be in pain. A long romance written for Brendy, one that has no endy. Please oh please don’t give me a kick, for this is part songfic. I’m only good at those anyway, please review and have a nice day!
The entire ship was spinning, and there was nothing Andromeda could do about it. All she could see was blurs of light and color, whirring by in an ever-quickening spiral.
"Okay, Trance," she said, slightly annoyed, "That’s enough."
All at once, her ship stopped spinning. Trance’s bright violet face popped into view. "So, how was it?" she asked eagerly. "Did you like it?"
Rommie tugged her body out of the chair, steadying it with her feet on the solid floor. Though her optical processors were slightly out of wack, she seemed fine. Patting her hair into place, she turned to look at Trance.
"Trance," she started kindly. "It was . . . an experience. But I don’t understand why you find spinning around in a chair so enjoyable."
The alien’s face fell. Rommie felt something . . . guilt perhaps? Most likely. She noticed that she was more apt to feel certain emotions in her android body. Perhaps Harper had made some certain adjustments to her emotion programming? Of course, concerning her body, Harper had taken an unnatural interest. He was always asking her if there was anything he could do to help her out. Well, truth be told, she was perfectly fine.
Dylan’s strong voice boomed over shipwide: "All personnel to the bridge immediately." Rommie looked worriedly over at Trance. Dylan said that a lot, but it didn’t make it any less frightening.
**********************************************************************
Rommie slid to a halt on the bridge, and Trance fell right into her. Dylan gave her a look, his eyes sweeping over her form, but he didn’t stop to ask. Rommie tugged at her short uniform and twisted her flesh pants straight. She may be an android, but she realized the value of looking decent. Especially for one’s captain. Clasping her arms behind her body and spreading her legs to shoulder-width, she addressed Dylan. "What seems to be the matter?"
"Sensors have just picked up on a ship. Actually, a lot of ships. They aren’t responding to our hails. We were wondering if you could analyze them and see what kind they are."
Rommie’s console self looked up and stated: "They appear to be . . ."
Rev Bem cut in. "Magog," he spat out.
"I’m not positive." Andromeda said, but she looked uncomfortable.
"Are they a threat?" piped up Trance.
"Not yet; they haven’t made any hostile moves toward us. But, they haven’t made any friendly ones yet either. So, for now we have to assume they mean trouble."
"Oh," Trance said. "What are we going to do about it?"
"Huh." Harper interjected. "We don’t do anything. We let them make the first move. If they’re nice, well, that’s good. If they’re not nice, kaboom."
Rev Bem had maintained composure, but Harper’s remark had hit a nerve. "Excuse me," he said gruffly, and walked off the bridge.
"Harper!" Beka yelled. "What the hell is wrong with you!"
"What?" asked Harper, but he looked sheepish. "Ok, ok, I’m sorry."
"You don’t have to tell me that." she said, and pointed to the corridor.
"Fine," he mumbled, and rushed after Rev-"Rev, wait up!"
*********************************************************************
Rommie exited the bridge and turned left. She strode purposely away . . . away from the matter at hand, away from Dylan, away from herself. She smacked her hand to her head. Closing her eyes, she rounded the corner she knew was there . . . she knew the entire ship as well as she knew herself. Well, she was the whole ship. So there. God, she hated being an android. Her artificial intelligence allowed her to have emotions. She hated that too. What was the use of emotions if all they ever did was hurt people? Certainly she had hurt Trance’s feelings with the chair incident.
Rommie suddenly felt her body fly backwards. Opening her eyes, she looked up. And up. And, just for good measure, up some more.
"I’m sorry." Dylan said, concerned. "Are you all right?"
Rommie managed a small smile. "Of course, Dylan. Thank you. I’m actually surprised that I didn’t hurt you. Are you all right?"
"Yes, Rommie, I’m fine . . ." Dylan didn’t quite know what to say after that, so he just stared at Rommie. She looked up at him quizzically, her head cocked to one side.
"Dylan . . ." she asked, trailing off.
"Yes . . ." he answered, his voice suddenly a husky whisper.
Rommie shivered as she raised her hand to run it down Dylan’s chest. He was so muscular-she could feel it even under his Highguard uniform. He was warm, too. Her heat sensors were picking up the temperature as it rose, little by little.
Dylan’s breaths came in shallow gasps. This isn’t right a little voice in the back of his head told him. His heart, however, sang a different tune. Thump, thump thump, thump thump, thump, thumpthumpthumpthump . . .
Rommie pushed Dylan against the wall with amazing force. She spread his hands away from his body and kissed him full on the lips. Dylan surrendered willingly.
Rommie strung her hands around Dylan’s neck and pushed gently on the back of his neck. He slid downward to lift her up to him so he could deepen the kiss. Rommie pressed herself against him and suddenly Dylan stopped dead.
What the hell am I doing? This is Rommie, my ship. I don’t believe it . . . Sarah? What am I doing to her memory? God, this is so horrible . . .
"Dylan?" Rommie asked. "What’s wrong?"
Well, I was just going to tear off your clothes right in this very corridor and make love to you, but I can’t, seeing as you aren’t real.
"Andromeda," Dylan began, suddenly getting very formal, "I can’t. You know this could never happen between us . . .Never." The last word was very firm.
"Protocol," he continued. "It’s forbidden."
"But Dylan, the Commonwealth doesn’t exist anymore!"
A sharp knife stabbed inside himself at her words. "It does inside me." At this, he stalked off toward the bridge.
*******************************************************************
Rommie took one last, long look at Dylan’s rushing figure and ran in the opposite direction. That was it. Harper had simply been crazy when he created her android body; she was simply going to fix it.
Dear, I fear we're facing a problem
you love me no longer, I know
and maybe there is nothing that I can do
to make you do
Rommie plugged herself into the ship. She downloaded everything she had stored in her brain since becoming an android. When she finished, she got violent.
Mama tells me I shouldn't bother
that I ought to stick to another man
a man that surely deserves me
but I think you do!
So I cry, I pray and I beg
Rommie literally was ripping herself apart. Her body lay in strewn pieces on the floor.
"This one’s for you," she whispered cruelly as she reached inside herself and shut her body off.
Love me love me
say that you love me
fool me fool me
go on and fool me
love me love me
pretend that you love me
leave me leave me
just say that you need me
"Rommie?" called Trance. "Rommie, are you okay? Rommie?" As Trance saw Rommie’s still body lying crookedly on the cold floor. "Rommie!" she cried, and ran to bend down near her. "Oh, no . . ." she murmured, and yelled "Someone! Someone please get down here! Please!"
So I cry, and I beg for you to ...
Love me love me
say that you love me
leave me leave me
just say that you need me
I can't care 'bout anything but you...
"What is it, Trance?" Harper said as he entered the room. His eyes rested on Rommie’s mutilated body. "No . . ." he cried as he sunk down to his knees. "Rommie . . ."
Quickly, he snapped out of his despair. "Come on," he commanded. "We have to get her to my room. I can work on her there."
Trance nodded and together they dragged Rommie away down a hallway. Andromeda’s console self stared at her android in shock. "Dylan," she started on the bridge-"There’s been a problem . . ."
Lately I have desperately pondered,
spent my nights awake and I wonder
what I could have done in another way
to make you stay
Outside her hull, hundreds of Magog vessels moved ever closer to the Andromeda Ascendant. Taking advantage of the obvious confusion on board, the leader of the head vessel whispered, "Closer. Closer. Soon, soon, I promise you, we will be together. Old friend. Soon."
Reason will not lead to solution
I will end up lost in confusion
I don't care if you really care
as long as you don't go
The last words coherent words that had been stored in Rommie’s brain before she had shut down were, "Don’t go, Dylan. Please don’t go."