Chapter Two: A Whole Old World

[Akirapryde]

At first Alice couldn’t believe her eyes or what she was being told. But now it was all starting to make sense. ‘Phoenix had worked‘ she thought to herself while the others were talking. ‘It worked Professor’ she thought of Professor Angsoth. Instead of speaking, Alice fell silent as she took in the remarkable prospects of what had happened. Her eyes searched the beds of those who still remained unconscious. She wondered what they would think when they woke up in to this strange world of the past. Alice looked at the young man next to her as he slept. She had seen him before aboard the merc dropship. He was a tech or something. She wondered how would he take the sudden information that the world he knew was suddenly gone.

The doctor thought for a moment, “I think you might find a Comstar Newsletter or two in the lounge. I am not sure how helpful it will be for you to keep up with the day to day happenings. We picked up a transfer when we jumped in to system. Because we are traveling through a combat zone, Sho Sho….Oh I am sorry, I mean General Tetsuhara, ordered that we maintained communication blackout……”

Before he could continue, the nurse standing next to him cut him off. She spoke in Japanese and only Suki was able to understand what was being said. “Doctor, remember what Major Tetsuhara said. Only what they need to know. Offer no additional information.”

The Doctor nodded, “yes, but we are not at war with the Lyrans. We shouldn't treat them like the enemy less we want to make them our enemy." Despite the difference in language, it was clear that what the two were talking about was important and nerves were pretty strained. "I don’t think allowing them to have access to Newsletters will be violating that order. Anyway, you heard the Duchess. Treat them like guest until they prove to be otherwise.”

She nodded with a frown, "The struggle between the Duchess and the General will not end well for the rest of us."

"Enough" The Doctor snapped then he smiled as his attention went back to Eric. Once more the Doctor spoke in broken English “I would think what you are looking for, you will find in the lounge.” The Doctor fell silent as he looked around.

The Doctor’s eyes fell upon Alice, who seemed to be distracted with her own thoughts. Alice was just starring off in to the distances as the rest of the conversation seemed to be going on around her. On that note he added, “as I said, you are free to move about this deck. Please do not attempt to leave this deck.”