Ellie sat blinking at the door, her body immobile and her mind racing with a hundred thoughts. What just happened? It wasn’t fair! She hadn’t wanted to talk tonight. She’d wanted to kiss Todd until her brain exploded and then sleep until she couldn’t sleep anymore and...

Ellie and her mom must have been getting along because as Todd and Gel entered Sickbay, they heard giggling. “That’s a good sign,” Gel said. “So let Ellie know we’re glad she’s awake and some of us will drop by later. Good luck.” Todd entered the patient area to see...

Todd replaced a chip in the janbot and ran the diagnostics again. The panel indicators started blinking, then glowing green and blue. He sighed with relief for the janbot and annoyance for himself. Why couldn’t his own life’s diagnostics be so easy? “‘Know your...

The first time Ellie woke up, she called the bridge. Her throat was sore, and it was hard to get a breath, but she rasped, “Captain, the ship. It’s not alien; it’s with the assassin…” She was interrupted by a baffling cheer from the bridge crew. The captain said,...

The ship jolted starboard just as Jeb was exiting the lazivator, causing him to stagger and whack his shoulder against the door. Damn inertial jostlers! Once again, he wished for an off switch for the device. To his right, he heard Lt. Straus swear. “Missed again!...

Captain’s Log, Intergalactic Date 677063.23 The Gavite ambassador is dead, and my Ops Officer critically injured. We’ve caught the assassin, who goes by Kree ‘bohn, though we doubt that’s his real name. He’s been genetically altered to look Kitack. He’s been part of...

Todd smacked his fists against the door. “Come on, Pulsie! Let us out.” The voice of the Impulsive answered, “Sorry, Todd. I’m not authorized. All guests are confined to quarters for the time being.” “Tell us what’s going on—I command you!” Ellie’s mother said. The...

“Ellie,” her father said for the third time, “this is not a criticism of your lifestyle.” “It certainly feels like it!” she retorted. “Nor is it of Todd,” her mother asserted. “It’s just that once the infatuation cools…” “This isn’t just infatuation!” Ellie yelled,...

In her quarters, Ellie was ready to commit some murder herself. How dare her parents just reject Todd without even getting to know him. But, oh! They had—in their own ambassadorial way. She should have known they’d investigate anyone who’d dare to fall in love with...

Forty minutes and several compressed ribs later, she stood before Todd in a traditional Chatwayan dress, with all the poofs and flounces and a girdle that was a size too small by human standards. The collar was three layers of stiff fabric in accordion folds that...

Indeed Gregar’s voice could be heard above the general low chatter of the room. He had the Tortugan ambassador cornered and was demanding to know how he intended to vote. Commander Smythe was trying to intervene with little success. Her father sighed. “We’ll be just a...

Half an hour later, Ellie left Todd to get ready. She gave him strict orders not to select Chatwayan formal dress; she didn’t think she could see him in jodhpurs without laughing. “You’re from Europa. Wear something Europan.” Then she left to go “stand on her head,”...