Out of This World

Andy

"This has been a difficult decision for Varvatos," said the large blue Akiridion, circling Aja and Andy on the main training deck of the Mothership.

Andy held her stomach, which was bandaged in multiple places, because the long walk through the maze of rooms that led to the bridge had tired her out and put stress on her wounds. It seemed to her that much like the TARDIS, the Mothership was bigger on the inside. She wasn't entirely sure how it worked, and wasn't sure she wanted to, quite frankly.

"It is not common we do this. However, due to the given circumstances, the uniqueness of the nature of the situation, and Varvatos's own need to protect his charges, he has deemed it necessary that you, Andy, should be given a serrator."

Andy's mind was torn away from the pain she was feeling in her stomach and she looked up, shocked, glee written all over her face. "Wait, really?"

"The prince has told me you were able to manifest a shoulder cannon without any prior training, which is both impressive and concerning. Your only weapon is your fists, which are frankly no match for weaponry of the ionic variety, and let's face it, although you are very strong and agile, you are quite small."

She glared at him. "I'm really not that short!"

"Varvatos Vex is over eight feet tall," he said, standing directly in front of her and looming over her slightly hunched figure. "You are tiny."

She pouted as he continued to speak. "The king in waiting has agreed to construct one for you, along with Stuart, as we do not have any spares that Varvatos believes are fitting."

Andy grinned up at him. "Wait, you're being serious!?"

"Would Varvatos lie to you about this?"

"I honestly doubt it at this point," she said, excited. She turned to Aja. "SO COOL!"

Aja made a little happy noise and held up one of her hands for Andy to high five. She returned the gesture.

"Once you have healed sufficiently and the serrator is finished, we will begin your training with it," Varvatos said, standing strong. "You are dismissed."

Andy took a couple of the healing supplements that Mother had been chiding her to take, which apparently boosted DNA replication and cell production in injured areas. She wasn't sure how that was scientifically possible, but there were lots of things about the Akiridions she didn't think were scientifically possible. It came to a point at which you really stopped letting it bother you.

"Almost, almost, BE CAREFUL!" Stuart shouted, hovering over Krel's shoulder.

Her boyfriend cringed, almost dropping the ionic charging crystal that he was holding with a very long pair of forceps. "Seklos and Gaylen, Stuart, you are going to make me drop this thing! Is that what you are wanting!?"

"No, sorry, sorry," said the Durian, stepping back. He ran a hand through his thick, anime protagonist style hair. "These sort of things just stress me out, is all."

"Understandable," said Krel, setting the crystal very carefully into the groove along the inside of the serrator. He picked up a few miniscule screws with his other two hands, locking down some more inner mechanisms that Andy did not even have the bandwidth to understand.

As he continued to work, Stuart turned his attention from fretting over Krel to fretting over Andy. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked her, laying a hand on her shoulder in a gentle and affectionate manner, like a father to a child. Normally she would have shrunk away from such physical contact from someone she did not know as well, but this was Stuart. He was the weird uncle of the group, well meaning, well mannered, kind, and well, frankly one of the nicest people she'd ever met, if not a little bit stupid. High intelligence, certainly. Wisdom? Not so much.