Chapter Two: When Beka Met Andy

     "Are you kidding me?!"

    "It's only for few months, Rebecca," Ignatius said, trying to calm his daughter.

    "That's too long, and it's Beka," the girl icily informed him, storming off.  She yelled angrily back over her shoulder, "And I'll kill myself if she's sleeping with me!"

    Ignatius Valentine shook his head.  His sixteen-year-old daughter was in the midst of that teenage rebellion stage all children went through.  Her hair, which made him regret giving her the nanobots, was at the moment bright green with bright purple streaks.  He was guessing orange and blue would be next.  Her clothes exposed more flesh than they covered, and the amount of make-up she wore in one day would probably cover the Maru twice over.  He had given up counting the amount of times she had snuck out at night, and would have grounded her if she hadn't been so damned good at hacking her way off the ship.

    Sighing, he looked again at the letter that had gotten Rebecca-no, Beka-all worked up.

     Of course, he had agreed, if only for his late wife's sake.  Besides, maybe Andy would have a good effect on...Beka.  Then again, as Beka's parting comment had intimated, maybe not.

     "Cheer up, Rebecca, or you're not going to the party tomorrow night."

     Beka just scowled more fiercely, upset that she couldn't hang out with her friends because she had to 'greet' her little cousin.

     "Alright, you're not going," Ignatius said.

     "But, Dad!" Beka protested.

     "No buts, Rebecca, you're not going."

     "Grow up, Beka," Rafe said smugly, even though he was just as resentful about being kept in the Maru.

     Luckily, any further argument was stayed by the arrival of their houseguest.  Cassandra the younger was in her father's arms, looking around wide-eyed at the ragtag Eureka Maru.  Her eyes settled on Beka, and widened even more as she took in Beka's blue-streaked orange hair.  Without knowing why, Beka blushed and her hair lost some of the streaks.

     "Hi, Uncle Iggy," Andy said shyly, blinking her blue-green eyes at him.  Her father put her down, and she gave Ignatius a hug.  Rafe received a hug as well, and then Beka.  None of them could resist hugging the child back, and each decided it was a 'seven-year-old thing'.

     "Why don't you talk with your cousins while I go over a few things with your Uncle Ignatius, okay, Andy?" Joseph told her, then drew his brother-in-law aside.
     Andy was left staring at her two cousins, one eight years her elder and the other ten.  Both stared back at her, looking completely uninterested at the small person who had invaded their homes and their lives.

     "I'm going out," Beka informed the room icily, and stalked out.

     "Dad'll kill you," Rafe called out, then shook his head.  "Sorry, Andy, gotta keep her out of trouble and meet my girl.  See you later."

     Andy was left on her own.

     "She's a quiet girl.  She shouldn't give you any trouble.  I just want to warn you-she really doesn't talk much.  We took her to a doctor quite a few years ago, and he diagnosed her with very mild autism.  The doctor said that she'll probably either grow out of it or get worse.  We hope it's the former.  She's gone through extensive therapy and has taken a lot of medication, and she is showing improvement.  Anyway, we usually encourage her to form relationships with as many people as possible," Joseph explained.

     "I'll try, but I'm not sure Beka and Rafe are all that interested," Ignatius told him apologetically.

     "That's alright.  Also, Andy's a real trooper; she doesn't really admit to pain.  Just keep a close eye on her, and if she says something hurts or she feels sick, that usually means it's something serious.  Take her to a doctor; we'll cover the cost."

     Ignatius nodded.  "Anything else?"

     "Yes, actually, something I wanted to warn you about.  The doctor told us that a small percentage of children with autism usually have some form of special talent...some have perfect memories, others are superb musicians.  Andy...well, she judges people.  She knows what type of person someone is the very moment she meets them.  You have to see it to believe it.  Anyway, some people, she shies away from, won't have anything to do with them.  She...knows they're...'bad people,' as she says.  Just wanted to let you know," Joseph finished.

     "Thanks for the heads-up," Ignatius.  "She'll be fine with us, Joe."

     "I'll just go say goodbye to her now."

     Ignatius held in his anger as they found Andy alone, sitting on the floor and reading a flexi she had taken from her backpack.

     "Where'd your cousins go?" Joe asked, picking the girl up as she held out her arms.

     "Left," she said softly.  "Don't leave, Daddy."  Ignatius stepped back, giving the two some time alone.

     "Oh, sweetheart, I have to leave.  Mommy and I will be back in a few months.  Uncle Ignatius will take good care of you, and you'll have lots of fun with your cousins.  Do you remember their names?"

     "Rebecca and Rafe," Andy responded promptly.  "Good people."

     "Yes, good people, honey.  I want you to talk to them, okay?  Make friends, just like the doctor said.  Okay?"

     "Okay, Daddy.  Bye-bye," the girl said forlornly as he hugged her and put her down.

     "Goodbye, sweetie.  Be good," Joe told her, then left, not looking back.

     Ignatius stepped into the room.  "Do you want to see where you're going to sleep, Andy honey?"

     She started crying.