And the Suns Never Rise: A Story of Alpha Centauri

Vampires

"You told me earlier that there are various pros and cons to changing her into a vampire. What are those, exactly?" Christiana asked.

"Well, first of all, we will be able to reattach her arm and her legs and within a week, you won't be able to tell that she had even been injured. She will also be stronger and faster than she ever was before. Finally, she will never grow old and will never die unless it is by fire or decapitation."

"What are the drawbacks, then?" Christiana asked.

"The drawbacks balance the positives. Exposure to the Mainday sun will cause extensive and slow-healing burns. Extended exposure can even be fatal."

"What about the Alterday sun?"

"All but the weakest of my kind can walk under a-cent-a without a problem. Those that cannot will receive burns, but nothing life-threatening. Even for them, it takes extended exposure to cause any real harm," Miss Harrison revealed.

"How long is extended exposure?"

"Ten minutes or more."

"That's why you were never available during the hours of Mainday."

"Yes, that is why I always met you and Haruhi during Alterday or Night."

"So there have to be other drawbacks or everyone with a little power or money would become a 'vampire.'"

"Well, you see during Mainday vampires go into a coma-like sleep until a-cent-b goes below the horizon. Only the oldest and strongest of my kind can fight the sleep for any period," Miss Harrison revealed.

"That sounds like a major drawback," Christiana retorted.

"At first it is a major pain, but eventually it becomes as much of a daily ritual as brushing your teeth before bed."

"Why aren't you falling to sleep and waking up constantly? After all, we are orbiting Cooper's world and are constantly going in and out of the light of Mainday?" Christiana asked, in keen interest.

"We are orbiting fast enough that our bodies do not fall into a standard day and night cycle. After all, Hope orbits every ninety minutes. That means that we do not need to rest."

"Do you mean that you never need to rest?" Christiana asked incredulously.

"Not as long as we are in a short period orbit, or in deep space where there is no sun. We can stay conscious indefinitely."

"So that negative is also a positive for those in deep space. Are there any other 'major' drawbacks?"

"Once every twenty-eight days vampires have to consume five hundred emm-ells of human blood or they will frenzy and attack the first human they meet. Such attacks are often fatal for the human in question. That is why we keep plenty of donated blood on hand, just in case," Miss Harrison explained.

"So you are the blood drinking strangers of the urban myths," Christiana realized.

"Well, one of us who likes to go rogue every decade and a half is. All of those urban legends are because of her."

Christiana couldn't help but laugh. "Haruhi loves those urban legends. She'd be so happy if she could become a part of them."

"Yes, it would be ironic, wouldn't it?" Miss Harrison responded with a smile.

"Are there any more major drawbacks?"

"No, not that I can think of off the top of my head. There are some other side effects, like an allergy to garlic, but that may be because of the sharpening of the senses."

"What about onions?" Christiana asked jokingly.

"Hmmm, if she also loves onions then she should be okay... right 'onion breath.'"

Both of them laughed at the playful jest.

---

Haruhi was resting once again. She knew she was only dreaming about her childhood just as she was every time she drifted off into sleep ever since... 'What was it that happened?' she wondered, not for the first time.

This time the dream was about Christiana and her practicing with the naginata side by side. The duo repeated the moves repeatedly in perfect harmony, even their breath in machinelike unison. 'This is how we are meant to be,' Haruhi thought. 'We should always be together, complimenting each other, finishing each other's sentences. Christiana is my other half, my womb-mate, best friend, and confidant. She is closer to me than any Wife or Husband or any normal matSisters. Even the bond that John-nii and I share isn't as profound as the unity I share with Chris-imouto.

'I trust her implicitly. I trust her with my life. I trust her utterly.'

'I should allow her to decide for me if I cannot do so on my own. I do not know what that decision will be or even what the decision concerns, but I need to tell her to make the choice for me.'

---

Christiana was alone in a small cabin, trying to get some rest. She had left Miss Harrison in the main sickbay to watch over Haruhi-nee.

'I am so tired,' Christiana thought, trying once again to flip over but unable to do so thanks to the restraint webbing she was under. 'I just can't get used to having to be strapped down all the time.'

However, deep inside, she knew it was not the webbing that was keeping her awake. It was the decision that had to be made, and soon. The physicians only gave Haruhi-nee a twenty-five percent chance of surviving if non-supernatural means were used. On the other hand, if they continued the current treatments, Haruhi-nee would die and become a vampire anyway in about ten days.

'In other words, if we continue as things are she will become a vampire any way unless I decide quickly to stop giving her their blood,' Christiana thought, yet again.

'I have so much information that I need to convey to her in order for her to make an informed decision that I do not even know where to begin,' she thought with a small whimper. 'Why did this have to happen to Haruhi-nee of all people? She was the more logical of the two of us. It would be easier for her to make a decision based on logic and not on her heart.'

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