[snip]

”..Oh I was playing a game we made in programming class! We call it Fruit Action Hero 4.0! Because its the forth time classes made it the teacher says. It uses strategy and hiding skills on a 4-D random level to sneak up on your opponents and hit them with fruit! Each time you do you get a point, and each time you get hit you loose a point, first person to 25 points wins or the timer runs out. Its cool in this version is I and Tammy found a way to optimize the multiplayer code to allow up to 50 people to play at once over the 3.0 version limited to 30!” Tel’eck said. “..Now the single player side has you being a fruit seller who has to ‘tag’ the enemies who want to ruin your shop with bad fruit. I don’t play that too much though it’s too easy if you ask me. Tammy and I are thinking about reworking the AI to be smarter and less obvious but we didn’t reach that part in our studies yet for Math and programming.” She explained.

Sharah listened intently. She knew basics for programming and computer science, but no real skill with it. Her science skills were elsewhere. But she knew enough to understand the skill it took for what Tel’eck and her friend were doing. “That is truly impressive. I have a friend, when we did our cadet cruise, that wrote a whole program for parkour. She had to get another cadet to help rewrite the safeties to work with the program and keep it safe. It took over a year to finish it. She sent me the full file a couple weeks ago. I’m sure you’ll create an awesome game once you get to that point in your studies. You’ll have to show it to me when it’s done.”

”..You bet!” Tel’eck said with a wide grin.

Meanwhile Drudoc was busy cooling down the eggs and peeling them for soon chopping into the salad mix. The chicken too was still sizzling and cooling in the pan while she prepared a light mayo herb mixture with thin shaved celery, onions and carrots. This was shown off a bit in her skill of chopping and dicing by Drudoc lightly tossing the vegtables and using a razor sharp Romulan blade to chop them mid-air to land neatly on the cutting board. Tel’eck saw this and grinned slightly away from her Mother’s view to lean in and whisper to Fayth. “..She must like what your doing on the ship. Mom doesn’t do that often with just anyone showing off like that. It’s um....been a while since she’s had anyone over to visit beyond my friends or someone closer to her in age.” Then to probably cover up the whisper she said in more normal tones. “..Hey you want to see my room while we wait? Mom’s probably going to make fresh bread if I know her and once we eat you and her will probably get down with ship business or something boring.....” she said cheekily. And sure enough Drudoc was busy preparing a simple seasoned bread dough to flash fry at a later point.

Drudoc Andone CO

Sharah was honored, curious, more nervous? from Tel’eck’s revelation, but she kept it to herself. Children often spoke what they shouldn’t because they had a need to release the feelings associated with the thoughts (and didn’t Sharah know how that felt.) but the Captain deserved her privacy. At Tel’eck’s question, “Sure, I’d love to see it.” She got up and followed Tel’eck. She doubted she and the captain had very much in common to discuss. Sharah was only beginning her career, and as of today she had nothing close to as impressive to show for it as the most minor thing Drudoc had on display on her self.

En Fayth, Science

”..Cool! Come this way.” Tel’eck said grabbing Fayth’s left hand in a firm grip for her 13 years of age. Crossing the divide for the living area they came to a door to Tel’eck’s room. “..This used to be the CO’s hot tub and storage room, first thing Mom did when we got the ship was gut all that and gave me my room!” She said opening the door like a magician doing a magic trick. The room was slightly rectangular in shape. A dresser and closest for clothes were evident as was a plush twin size bed with bed sheets made of eye piercingly bright green and yellow tones overlaid with a bright pink florescent starfield. A shelf with an array of PADDs, actual physical books, and stuffed animals were evident as well as a small holo projector memorial of her father Bradley Mitchell in the marine corp dress uniform. She quickly ran over to turn it off with a sheepish look to her face. “..Sorry forgot that was on! I like it being on a lot so Dad always knows what I get up too. Unless I get visitors or friends over. Then it just feels weird.” She said rubbing the back of her neck. The room was simple, mostly clean, and efficient but held that warmth only a child or in this case early budding teenager could have. “..So yeah this is my room!” She added then.

Tel’eck Andone

Sharah fought back the sudden rush of input at the girl’s touch. Her enthusiasm was contagious either way. Sharah looked around, “I like it. I especially like the colors.” Green and yellow, reminded her of her plants. Sharah spotted the books and smiled. She was a total book worm. They were full of people that she couldn’t sense and could enjoy ‘getting to know’ without her gift interfering. “What do you like to read?” Sharah asked the girl pointing at the books.

”..I love alternative history! Before Dad um....died a second time he got me a whole series of books by this ancient human author in the late 20th and early 21st century called Harry Turtledove! The guy wrote tons of books on different eras of Earth’s history happening in different ways. My three favorite series though were the Alternative history of the United State’s Civil War where the South won and it goes into a 2nd war and during the Great War times and World War 2! Its dark and gritty and a bit sad too but its thought provoking in a way how history could have changed with one little slip of paper not going mission! Then there’s the First Contact series where an alien race of reptiles shows up during the middle of Earth’s second world war and the Allies and Axis have to join forces to stop the reptile invasion! Its a little less believable but its a fun read all around!” She said showing off the collection of books mentioned 12 in all in hard cover collector’s form. They were clearly meant for an older audience but it seems Drudoc and her husband had been ok with that after no doubt looking at the material themselves for their daughter’s age.

Sharah watched her turn off the holo. “You don’t need to feel weird about loving your dad. Not around me. This is your room, so you do what makes you happy. I think it’s wonderful you want him to see.” She had an idea of a project for Tel’eck. Something with more life than just the holo. She’d have to think about it and ask the Cpt first.

En Fayth, Science

”..Its not about loving my dad or not. It just makes me feel weird having people in here and have him ‘watch’. I don’t know its just a little thing that’s silly. I know Mom sometimes cries at night for his second loss. It’s really shaken up her faith among our people to loose him twice like she did. Its like the universe is playing some cruel joke, and Mom well.....she works so hard for everyone and getting yanked around like that its not fair if you ask me!” Tel’eck said rubbing her toe on the black carpeted floor.

Tel’eck Andone