Title: Red House
Author: three eyes open
Rating: PG-13 *shrug*
Summary: Rommie tries to escape the pain of unrequited love.
Disclaimer: The song "Red House" is owned by the estate of Jimi (James Marshall) Hendrix; Andromeda is owned by Tribune.
Archive: Sure, just tell me where.
Notes: This little piece went in a very different direction than I originally intended. I was going to write something funny, but I guess my muse was in a serious mood.
There's a red house over yonder
That's where my baby stays
Lord, there's a red house over yonder
Lord, that's where my baby stays
I ain't been home to see my baby in ninety-nine and one-half days
"Please, Harper," Rommie repeated.
"I can't believe you want to do this to yourself. I mean, you can do this already, kinda" he answered.
"Not really," she said softly.
"I mean, be able to just turn off your feelings?! That would be like, you wouldn't be..."
"Human. I'm not human now, Harper, and I'm not talking about turning off all of my feelings, just certain ones when I see the need."
"Well, it sounds to me like you'd just be a machine after that. No way, Rommie, just no way."
"Some humans can do this. Would you say that makes them less human?"
"Yes! Yes, I most definitely would. I've known people like that and believe me, you're more human now than them."
"Harper, it's what I want to do. Please." She stood there, her arms folded, staring him down.
"I can't believe this," he sighed. "I understand why you want this, you think I don't? It's him. But we humans have to go through that, you know, so why can't you? Why can't you just-"
"Get over it? Tell me how and I will."
Another sigh. "I'll look into it, but I can't guarantee you I'll be able to come up with anything. It's just not that easy. Your emotions are very complex, just like ours. They're not just some programs I can shut down."
"I know. And I will be grateful to you for trying, even if you can't figure out a way to make it work."
"Ask me again tomorrow."
Wait a minute something's wrong here
The key won't unlock this door
Wait a minute something's wrong
Lord have mercy, this key won't unlock this door
Something's going on here
"It's working," she said. Her voice held a bit of awe in it.
And not a little relief, Harper thought sadly.
"Well, of course it's working. I AM a genius!"
"Mr. Harper, Rommie, please come to Command," Dylan's voice came over the comm.
"And now for the real test," Harper muttered, earning an annoyed look from the android.
I have a bad, bad feeling
That my baby don't live here no more
That's alright, I still got my guitar
Look out now!
Dylan was wondering what was wrong with Rommie after just a few minutes, but he didn't want to say anything in front of the crew. However, he was fairly sure that Beka noticed the difference in Rommie.
As she did her work, Rommie ran erotic and romantic simulations through her mind that she never would have before. Kissing Dylan, dancing with him, his hands on her breasts, touching his body, having sex with him, him groaning as he reached orgasm within her. Being his wife. Earlier that day, she would have been too embarrassed to run any of them, but now they sparked not the least bit of emotion within her, not even embarrassment.
"Rommie?"
She turned to Dylan, looking him fully in the eye in a cool sort of way she'd never had before. "Yes, Dylan?"
"Is something wrong?" he barely whispered.
"No, sir. Is that all, sir?"
"Um, yeah."
She returned to her work, discontinuing the simulations. There was no need for them anymore.
Well, I might as well go back over yonder
Way back upon the hills
That's what I'm gonna do
Harper found Rommie later alone on the mess deck, devouring a chocolate cake with some kind of dripping, nutty-scented icing all over it. There was a small collection of dishes sitting on the table in front of her that had obviously contained food, including a fish skeleton and grapefruit peelings.
"What's going on, Rom-doll? You pregnant or something?" he joked.
She didn't answer, just made a sound that might have been a negative and continued eating.
"Rommie, what's happening to you? You don't need food."
"Don't know," she said around the cake in her mouth, icing dripping down her chin, "but I want it to stop."
"Uh-oh, this has to have something to do with that program I installed today. Come on, let's go back to the machine shop." He tugged on her arm, but she just shook him off with a grunt.
"Hungry," was all she said. Harper thought about calling for help, but he knew she'd rather no one else knew about the new program. Or especially her need for it.
With a sigh, he sat down to wait until she ran out of food.
Lord, I might as well go back over yonder
Way back yonder across the hills
A whole apple cobbler and a salad later, Harper got her into the machine shop where the new program had been installed earlier. It took less than a minute to shut it down. "Now how does that feel?"
"Normal," she answered after a moment. She began to run the simulations through her mind again but stopped in just a few seconds, embarrassed.
And what would never be....
"You sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure, Harper. Thank you."
"I'm sorry it didn't work, Rommie. Maybe someday I can get it to work right."
"That's alright, Harper. I appreciate your efforts."
I guess if my baby don't love me no more
I know her sister will
She was almost out the door when she turned around. "Harper?"
"Yeah, Rommie?" So strange, he actually felt this sad for her, she thought.
"I'm sorry if this is how I make you feel," she said softly.