Space Twins!
1013 Words
I nod my head as I tell the captain, "Then I will need a quick briefing on how your systems work, so I can enter the information manually."
"Only a quick briefing?" Captain James checks.
Jorman blurts, "Vlon was the fastest learner on the Phennox, according to Captain Ton."
I blush a bit, and nod my head. "I learned from every department of his crew, but my heart lies in medical."
"A healer at heart, with a determined attitude." Captain James states, "I'm guessing you're an oldest child."
I nod my head and point to Jorman. "He's my youngest brother, we have a brother and sister between us."
Tiger asks, "May I give Vlon access to the computer?"
"Temporary access." Captain James orders, "And you, Tenate Blaze, will give Vlon their briefing and supervise all interaction."
I bluntly ask, "Will the rules be the same if we join your population?"
Captain James looks at Tiger.
Tiger explains, "Vlon and Jorman are part of the population exchange program, Jorman will be joining the same crew as Vlon, because of a binding that makes them a package deal."
Captain James smiles and looks me in the eyes. "If you submit for joining our population, and are accepted, your access will depend upon the role you take on our ship."
"Smart way to handle things." I admit.
Tiger shows me to a panel and desk along the wall, while Captain James returns to his command chair.
Jorman and Valor stand close by.
Jorman whispers to Valor, "Why did your brother introduce himself as Tiger, but Captain James called him Tenate Blaze?"
Valor chuckles and explains, "Tenate is his rank. Blaze is our last name. Tiger is his first name."
Jorman exclaims, "V, you hear this craziness, multiple names?"
I laugh and tell him, "I can hear your conversation just fine, but I'm trying to concentrate."
Valor looks at Jorman, slightly perplexed.
"V is what mom called Vlonca. The rest of the family does it sometimes. Everyone else just uses Vlon." Jorman explains, not needing Valor to ask the question behind the look.
"Like a nickname." Valor states, "Good to know you have those, even if you don't have first, middle, and last names."
"Middle?" Jorman asks.
I've finally learned enough of the Tharian computer system to handle the task at hand. I wouldn't want to try doing anything else without more knowledge, but I suppose that's on purpose. I look their time information over. "A Tharian second and a space second are the same, which is good, it gives a standard starting point, but after that everything is different. You have sixty seconds in a Tharian minute, but there's only fifty seconds in a space minute. Tharians have sixty minutes in an hour, again there's fifty space minutes in a space hour."
Tiger grins and declares, "That's interesting. It's close, but the difference would add up over time."
I nod my head and continue, "You don't have larger numbers for everything though. Tharians only have twenty two hours in a day. There's thirty space hours in a space day."
"That's gotta balance things a bit." Jorman points out.
I scowl at the monitor. "You Tharians have seven days in a week, but only thirty in a month."
"Is that a problem?" Captain James inquires as he turns around.
"There's eight space days in a space week, and four weeks in a month, making thirty two space days a month." I reply without looking away from the monitor, "It just means that I have to calculate from day to month, without the week correlation."
Valor mumbles, "Time is so different for us. We regularly switch months in the middle of the week, but that never happens in space time."
"Yours is an easier adjustment than many other species, who figured out how to adapt." Jorman assures Valor.
"Tharians have eleven months a year, while there's only ten space months a year." I state, "That works out to twenty six million, one hundred thirty six thousand seconds in a Tharian year, while there's exactly twenty four million seconds in a space year."
Tiger hits a couple buttons on the panel. The computer shows that Valor's age is thirteen space years.
"We're the same age!" Jorman and Valor exclaim together.
Tiger nods his head. "Looks that way."
Valor states, "Maybe in years, but what happens when we break it down further?"
"Without Jorman's exact time of birth the computer can't tell that." Captain James explains.
Jorman looks at me. "Go ahead and put it in, we wanna know."
I do as my baby brother requested.
Moments later the computer shows: they're the exact same age.
"SPACE TWINS!" Jorman shouts, causing everyone in the command center to wince.
Valor stares at him.
"A space twin is someone who is born at the same time as you are. There's no time between you, only space. How much space is irrelevant." I explain to the room.
Captain James declares, "That must be a rare find."
I nod my head. "Many cultures celebrate the finding of a space twin."
,"I think that's a great tradition to add to our own, and show we're accepting of the ways of other species." Captain James declares, "When should we have it?"
"Vlon and Jorman have expectations on them today, and we need time to plan such an event." Tiger points out.
Jorman exclaims, "I know all about space twin ceremonies. I'll be more than happy to work with Valor to plan ours."
I laugh, a deep laugh. Then I assure everyone, "Jorman has wanted a space twin his whole life, or at least since he could talk."
Captain James suggests, "Why don't we hold it the day after tomorrow? You can come back tomorrow, and stay on our ship as guests, until after the ceremony."
"Sounds great!" Jorman states excitedly.
Valor asks, "Can I show my space twin around the ship now?"
Captain James nods his head.
The two of them disappear, practically a blur.
I laugh. Tiger laughs. We both say, "You might regret that."
- Writer
