Can you really do that?” Lars whispered to Cassie.
“Maybe,” Cassie said.
Captain Jackson considered it for a moment then finally said, “Very well, Cassandra. Study this alien as much as you need. However, Landers HQ will be placed under quarantine. No Landers will be allowed to leave this section of the ship until the alien is returned to his home planet.”
Captain Jackson ordered his Security Officers to vacate the hangar and he followed them out of the door. Only the Landers and Dahl were left standing in the empty hangar in silence.
“Sorry,” Jennifer said breaking the awkward silence. “I had to report it when Jason said there was an 'extra'. It's the rules.”
“You did the right thing, Mom,” Jack said. “Lars is the one that let the alien on the ship.”
“Actually, I'm the one that brought him on board,” Cassie admitted. “Lars wanted to leave him behind, but I told him to follow us. He was scared and I felt bad for him.”
“There are rules for a reason, Cassie,” Jason said.
“Please, show her mercy,” Dahl interjected. “She saved my life, but if I am such a burden on you all, then I will return to my home,” he said sadly.
“No Dahl. You should stay,” Cassie said.
“No, he should leave. I would like to go home tonight,” Eric said.
“No. What I said to Captain Jackson, I wasn't just making it up. I think I can actually do that. I learned genetic alteration in University. We used salamander DNA to regrow limbs on rats and birds. It's the same basic thing.”
“If you think you can do that, then you have my blessing. Just be quick about it,” Jason said.
“I agree,” Lars said. “We have been looking for a new home for a long time and we have lost a lot of good friends on landings. If we can stop sacrificing lives, then I support Cassie.”
“I support her too,” Jennifer chimed in.
“Well, if Mom is behind this madness then I guess I am too,” Jack said reluctantly.
Cassie felt proud her new coworkers would hold so much faith in her. She was nervous Dahl would be sent home to be killed by the aliens who had invaded his planet, but she felt happy now knowing she had saved his life and may be able to save countless more lives and allow everyone on Solaris to have a new home.
“Let me show you two to the lab,” Jennifer offered.
“Right, everyone else let's get to work. Nobody is going home anytime soon, so let's get some living quarters set up,” Jason ordered.
Jennifer, Cassie and Dahl walked across the hangar toward a set of double doors across from the briefing room Cassie had been in this morning. The rest of the Landers branched out to different areas looking for things to use to build a make-shift home for the foreseeable future.
“I assume you know how to use all of this,” Jennifer said once they entered the lab.
“Yes I do,” Cassie said. She was amazed at the quality of equipment in her new lab. Every machine she could ever have dreamed of having or needing was in this room and all of it seemed to be in pristine condition. Her lab at the University had not been this well-equipped. “This is amazing,” she said looking around.
“Good. I'll be more than happy to help you if you need an extra pair of hands. In the meantime, I'm going to help the boys. I don't trust them to make my room up to a lady's standards,” Jennifer joked walking back out the door.
Cassie barely noticed her leaving as she walked around the lab, familiarizing herself with the layout. Once she had an idea of where everything was, she turned her attention to Dahl. “Alright, let's get started. Come take a seat here on the examination table. I need to run a few tests.”
Dahl climbed up on to the examination table and laid down flat on his back.
“I need you to change to your natural form, Dahl. I need to examine your body in its basic form otherwise all my tests are going to be corrupted,” Cassie explained.
“Of course,” Dahl said in agreement. In
“Maybe,” Cassie said.
Captain Jackson considered it for a moment then finally said, “Very well, Cassandra. Study this alien as much as you need. However, Landers HQ will be placed under quarantine. No Landers will be allowed to leave this section of the ship until the alien is returned to his home planet.”
Captain Jackson ordered his Security Officers to vacate the hangar and he followed them out of the door. Only the Landers and Dahl were left standing in the empty hangar in silence.
“Sorry,” Jennifer said breaking the awkward silence. “I had to report it when Jason said there was an 'extra'. It's the rules.”
“You did the right thing, Mom,” Jack said. “Lars is the one that let the alien on the ship.”
“Actually, I'm the one that brought him on board,” Cassie admitted. “Lars wanted to leave him behind, but I told him to follow us. He was scared and I felt bad for him.”
“There are rules for a reason, Cassie,” Jason said.
“Please, show her mercy,” Dahl interjected. “She saved my life, but if I am such a burden on you all, then I will return to my home,” he said sadly.
“No Dahl. You should stay,” Cassie said.
“No, he should leave. I would like to go home tonight,” Eric said.
“No. What I said to Captain Jackson, I wasn't just making it up. I think I can actually do that. I learned genetic alteration in University. We used salamander DNA to regrow limbs on rats and birds. It's the same basic thing.”
“If you think you can do that, then you have my blessing. Just be quick about it,” Jason said.
“I agree,” Lars said. “We have been looking for a new home for a long time and we have lost a lot of good friends on landings. If we can stop sacrificing lives, then I support Cassie.”
“I support her too,” Jennifer chimed in.
“Well, if Mom is behind this madness then I guess I am too,” Jack said reluctantly.
Cassie felt proud her new coworkers would hold so much faith in her. She was nervous Dahl would be sent home to be killed by the aliens who had invaded his planet, but she felt happy now knowing she had saved his life and may be able to save countless more lives and allow everyone on Solaris to have a new home.
“Let me show you two to the lab,” Jennifer offered.
“Right, everyone else let's get to work. Nobody is going home anytime soon, so let's get some living quarters set up,” Jason ordered.
Jennifer, Cassie and Dahl walked across the hangar toward a set of double doors across from the briefing room Cassie had been in this morning. The rest of the Landers branched out to different areas looking for things to use to build a make-shift home for the foreseeable future.
“I assume you know how to use all of this,” Jennifer said once they entered the lab.
“Yes I do,” Cassie said. She was amazed at the quality of equipment in her new lab. Every machine she could ever have dreamed of having or needing was in this room and all of it seemed to be in pristine condition. Her lab at the University had not been this well-equipped. “This is amazing,” she said looking around.
“Good. I'll be more than happy to help you if you need an extra pair of hands. In the meantime, I'm going to help the boys. I don't trust them to make my room up to a lady's standards,” Jennifer joked walking back out the door.
Cassie barely noticed her leaving as she walked around the lab, familiarizing herself with the layout. Once she had an idea of where everything was, she turned her attention to Dahl. “Alright, let's get started. Come take a seat here on the examination table. I need to run a few tests.”
Dahl climbed up on to the examination table and laid down flat on his back.
“I need you to change to your natural form, Dahl. I need to examine your body in its basic form otherwise all my tests are going to be corrupted,” Cassie explained.
“Of course,” Dahl said in agreement. In
Similar Books
