TITLE: Welcome to the Family
AUTHOR: Michael J. Gallagher aka MikeJoe (mikejoe@odyssey.net)
SUMMARY: Yet another Rommie-gets-Harper-a-present fic :rolleyes:
DISCLAIMER: Don‘t own DROM, just having fun
====
"I honestly don't know what to get him, Ryan," Rommie said, standing with the other ship's avatar at the huge observation window on the Pharos space station, looking out over their ship selves. "I mean, Harper has almost everything he ever wanted just by being my engineer. So what could I possibly get him from the station's promenade?"
"It is a challenge," the avatar of the *Wrath of Achilles" agreed. "I've faced a similar challenge with my crew. An organic captain might have a easier time coming up with an appropriate holiday celebration, but I'm having a devil of a time with the problem. I almost wish for a Magog attack."
"What? A lancer admitting he has limitations? If I had a heart, I'd have a heart attack right now."
He smiled at Rommie, refusing to be baited. "Oh, I'll improvise, adapt, and overcome, as always. Not that I'm concerned about you. Who would think a Glorious Headache could have a heart, anyway?"
Both turned to the speaker, who looked like a young woman. She was almost identical to Rommie in height, build, even the shape of her face, but where Rommie had olive skin, dark hair (with red highlights) and brown eyes, the newcomer had light skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes.
Another difference from Rommie: She seemed shy and nervous. But one thing in common, she wasn't human anymore than Rommie was.
"Am I interrupting?" she asked; her voice sounded a lot like Rommie's, too.
Rommie beamed. "No, Annie, of course not. What can I do for you?"
"Well um .... " The avatar of the cruiser *Andromeda Triumphant* wrung her hands a little nervously. "I was wondering, um, is Harper around? I don't see him anywhere."
"Oh, he's around, Annie," Rommie said. "Is there anything wrong? How are you doing?"
"Oh, I'm fine, but, uh, I'd like Harper to have a look at my systems. At the mods he made? If that's all right with you."
"Of course, Annie. I'll let him know -- "
"It's not urgent or anything. When he as a moment, ok?"
"Ok, Annie. Don't worry about it."
Annie smiled and went over to the railing.
Rommie pitched her voice so low that no one but Ryan could hear her: "What happened to her?"
"The Dragons," he answered. "They kept her apart from the other ships for fifty years. No one knows what they did to her; if she knows, she won't say. But when they were done, she was reduced to *that.*"
"She can't have a crew in that condition."
"No; that's why she's staying in spacedock. The admiralty has resisted erasing her, and the finest cyberneticists from Sinti are working with her. But I don't think even Harper himself can undo this."
"The way you said his name ..... Is it just me, or has the fleet started revering *my* engineer?"
Ryan smiled. "Jealous, Andromeda?"
"Of course NOT! Answer the question."
"Well you must admit -- "
Annie suddenly giggled.
"What is it?" Rommie said, worried, as she and Ryan raced to her side.
"It's nothing, really," Annie said with a nervous smile. "Stupid."
Rommie squeezed her sister ship's shoulder. "What?"
Annie hesitated. "Well .... I was looking for Harper's ship self. Silly of me -- I forgot he's human, not one of us, and doesn't have a ship self."
"It's not silly," Ryan said gently. "I must confess, sometimes I forget."
"Really?" Rommie asked.
"Well, Rommie," Ryan said, "you must admit Harper is more familiar with us than any other organic, even in the Old Commonwealth."
"I suppose," Rommie mused. "I guess I'm used to it because he's aboard me all the time, but now that you mention it -- " She broke off, a revelation dawning on her. "That's it!"
****CHRISTMAS EVE****
"Harper?" Rommie's voice said from behind him. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure Rom Doll, what -- " Harper turned and his jaw dropped at the sight of the crowd behind Rommie, practically filling his living/working area in the *Andromeda Ascendant's* slipstream core. By the time his jaw was working again, he'd recognized Ryan, Annie, and realized that everyone else there -- human, Nietzchean, Than -- was really the avatar of one of the fleet's sentient ships. "Uh .... what's up?"
Rommie stepped forward. "Well, we -- that is, we Argosy ships of the High Guard -- wanted to present you with *this.*" She handed Harper a rectangular package. "Merry Christmas, Harper."
He accepted the package. "Thanks; can I open it?"
"Sure."
Harper's eyes kept flicking to the other avatars as he tore off the wrapping. He found it was a heavy gold plaque. He read it:
*HMHGS Seamus Zelazny Harper
Type: Tender/Mobile Repair Base
SZH 00-001
"Like nothing else in the whole universe"*
Harper looked up. "This is a ship's dedication plaque."
Rommie nodded.
Harper looked back down at the plaque, its meaning sinking in. He had trouble finding words. "I .... uh ... listen, guys, .... I just fix things .... "
Ryan stepped forward. "You know perfectly well that isn't true, Mr. Harper, or you're the biggest idiot I've ever met, and that's not the case. As far as we're concerned, you're one of us; this just puts it in writing." Ryan stuck his hand out. "Welcome to the family, Son."
Harper smiled, and shook Ryan's hand. The other avatars clustered closer, all wishing him well.
Rommie's eyes searched as she accepted new information from her mainframe. "Harper is expected on Pharos' obs deck for the fleet Christmas party. Why don't we all go?"
"No argument from me!" Harper said.
"Harper?" Annie said timidly. "Can I walk with you?"
"Sure, Doll."
Annie cautiously linked arms with Harper; and she and the fleet's newest member lead the way down the corridors.