The Oberon Witch Project
Most days started like this one. Nine-hundred hours, the cadets all heading off to class, all dreading what Ms. Davenport was planning for them this time. Usually, it was just the the same sort of lesson, with morals emphasized.
Today was different, as everyone found out soon enough.
"Class," quipped Ms. Davenport, "today I want to show you what happens when you don't think."
"Right," said Harlan. "We got stuck here. Class dismissed!"
"Not quite, Mr. Band. This is different than this predicament we're all stuck in. Today I want to talk to you about..."
"About what?" asked Suzee and Rosie.
"About Adrianne." Ms. Davenport turned her head and looked away.
"Who's Adrianne?" asked Radu. "I've never heard of her. Is she Andromedan?"
"No, she's human," said Harlan. "Like me."
"Does it really matter where she is from?" asked Rosie, the peacemaker. "Let Ms. Davenport finish."
"Thank you, Rosie. Now, Adrianne was a Starcademy cadet. That is, until the accident."
Suddenly, a green bolt of light flashed through the classroom. All heads turned to see a girl, about 5'6'', standing in the doorway. She was wearing a dress as green as the bolt, with silver markings on her shoulders, and silver combat boots much like that of the kids'. Her wild and curly brunette hair dusted her shoulders, and a wicked smile on her face told the kids that she had heard everything.
"I will not faint, I will not faint. Harlan, catch me. I'm going to faint." With that, Ms. Davenport
fell to the floor with a loud thump.
"If she's here to kill us," said Bova, "she can kill me first."
The girl stepped forward. "I am not here to kill, Uranusian-"
"My name is not Uranusian, its Bova. And that's what I want on my grave."
"Whatever. I just want to set the facts straight. Now," she said, stepping over to Radu. "You must be the Andromedan, right?"
"My name is Radu, and that depends. Are you going to harm me in any way?" Radu flinched, shocked that the girl had noticed him at all. He was much used to blending in with the surroundings.
"No," said the girl. "I won't harm you. Remember? I just want to set the facts straight. I know your leader. Goddard, right?"
Harlan jumped up and ran over to where the girl was. "Are you an undercover Spung? Because I'll have you know who my father is and-"
"Do you have ears, Earthling? I SAID I wasn't going to harm you. Take me to Goddard. Now!" The girl folded her arms and tapped her foot.
"My name is Harlan Band. Right this way, whoever you are." Harlan set the jump tubes. One by one, everyone disappeared down the tubes. The girl followed last, carrying an unconscious Ms. Davenport over her shoulders. As she left, she took a look around and thought to herself, Odd. People usually recognize where I'm from.
Meanwhile, down in the command post:
"Thelma, get the kids down here right away." Commander Goddard started to pace through the compost.
"I have been informed that a life form that is unrecognized by the ship is present," chirped Thelma. It was at that moment Harlan appeared from the jump tubes.
"Commander! There's someone who demands to see you. She's behind me-"
"And me," said Suzee.
"And me too," said Radu.
"Same here," said Bova.
"Wait! Here she comes," said Rosie.
Seconds later, a girl appeared, with Ms. Davenport over her shoulders. She staggered over, but soon collapsed due to carrying Ms. Davenport over her shoulder. The weight had been too much for her to handle.
"Are you all right?" asked Harlan. "I'll get Ms. D."
"Thanks. I think I can manage." The girl flipped her hair off her shoulders to reveal the silver markings.
"What is this about? Who are you? And why is she unconscious? Again?" Goddard raced over to where TJ Davenport lay in a heap.
"She fainted when she saw me. As for who I am, that's another story."
The crew fell silent and looked up.
"I," said the girl, "am Adrianne."
"So, let me get this straight. You're the Adrianne?" Harlan couldn't believe it. Rosie was shocked, and then proceeded with the task of introductions. When she was done, she waited for Adrianne to tell her story.
"Yes, what took you so long to figure that one out?" Adrianne proceeded to tell her story.
"I am a resident of Oberon. Well, the Oberon Witch Colony, to be exact. My power comes mostly from the dress, so I always have to wear it. I also used to be a Starcademy student. People in my class were jealous of my power, but really, its no big deal. I can't do everything. Anyway, one day, I was sent to run a mission on board Cyprus 12, a small ship. This shouldn't have been any big deal, until I realized that Cyprus 12 was heading away at the speed of light. I got flung to this side of the galaxy, and its been me and Cyprus ever since."
"I don't understand," said Rosie. "Back up a little, to the part about your class."
"Well as I said, people were jealous of me. So when they found out I'd be going on Cyprus 12, they rigged things so I'd be flung over where you all are. Anyway, they got their wish. Thanks to my power, I was able to survive. Cyprus, on the other hand, hasn't been so lucky. Cyprus needs extensive repair, and me? I need a vacation."
"Thelma-"
"Yes?"
"Go run a diagnostic report on Cyprus 12." Goddard looked frazzled.
"Can you demonstrate some of your power? What can you do?" asked Rosie.
"Sure," said Adrianne. She raised her hands. A glowing green light emerged from her fingers. Seconds later, she chanted, "Hey! Howzabout a compupad here?" A shape took form in the green light as she shoved her hands forward. The shape took a gray color. The shape became an object...but it wasn't a compupad like she called up. Instead, the object was...a kitchen fork.
"One thing I forgot to say. Most of the time, my spells don't come out right. I end up with forks as a result. I can try to change that. Watch." She raised her hands and said, "The fork is a compupad!" Seconds later, the fork flashed green light, and fell to the floor.
"I have a diagnostic report," said Thelma, reappearing as quickly as she left. "Cyprus 12 is in a weakened condtion, not to be used within the next five years."
"What do I do now?" Adrianne stuck the fork into a pocket on her dress.
"Never mind you for now," said Harlan. "Check that out! Screen on."
An object appeared on the screen. A shape took place, and the result was a Spung Kill cruiser.
"Everyone, to your posts. NOW!" Commander Goddard was fuming.
"And as for me?"
"You, witch girl-"
"My name is Adrianne, Commander. Now what do I do?"
Before the commander could answer, Ms. Davenport awakened.
"Oh, great. Just when I become conscious again, more trouble hits. Oh, hi there, Adrianne." Ms. Davenport fell back to the ground again.
"Yeah, whatever, Ms. Davenport. You're still just as weird." Adrianne played with her hair while waiting for an assignment.
"Attention." A Spung appeared on the screen. Everyone knew instinctively that this was the dreaded Warlord Shank.
Commander Goddard looked up. "What to you want, Warlord Shank?"
"Warlord Shank demands one of two things. You must do one, or suffer greatly."
"What are the choices?" asked a weary Harlan.
"You can surrender this ship to me, or you can give me gratuities that will benefit me greatly. Prepare to make a desicion."
"I know what to do." Everyone looked at the witch in the corner.
"I'll give him Cyprus 12. It's no use to me now, remember?"
"You can't do that," said Radu. "How are you going to get home?"
"I can't. Remember? Cyprus 12 is in a weakened conditon and not to be used within the next five years."
"Warlord Shank, I am beaming a small star craft on board your ship. This will benefit you greatly. Here it comes." Adrianne raised her hands in a circular motion. A green light appeared, and seconds later, Cyprus 12 was on board the Kill cruiser.
"You will not regret this," said Warlord Shank. The Kill Cruiser left the vicinity, and the screen turned off.
"I think I might," said Adrianne. "Now what do I do?"
"Back up, little green girl. How did you get on the Christa?" Harlan looked impatient.
"I'll ask the questions here, Mr. Band. Now, Adrianne, how did you get on the Christa?" Commander Goddard now looked impatient.
"Two things. One, my name is Adrianne. I don't respond to 'little green girl'. Two, I got here by way of your airlock. I landed Cyprus 12 in the landing bay. I set a quiet spell so that the alarms wouldn't go off and snuck around to the classroom. When I heard Ms. Davenport start to talk about me, I figured that was the best time to make an entrance."
"How do we know she's not totally dangerous?" Radu looked uneasy.
"I think she'll be ok. Remember when I came on board? Catalina say's she's all right. She told me so earlier," said Suzee.
"Who's Catalina?"
"She's a friend. She used to be on this crew, but got blasted into Suzee's dimension during an explosion," Harlan explained.
"No one believed that Suzee was real until the incident," said Radu.
"I believe you." Adrianne looked at her feet.
"Anyway, Catalina says you are just fine. She onec came in contact with an Oberon witch on Yensid, and says they're harmless. Oh, and if you wonder how the witch got there, Catalina has no idea. She told me that earlier too."
"Can we trust her?" Harlan looked suspiciously nervous.
"Yes."
"One more thing." Adrianne looked up. "I gave my ship to Shank. Now what?"
"Can you stay here?" Rosie looked at Commander Goddard with pleading eyes.
"She's a valuable asset. Can you psych people out?" asked Harlan.
"I sure can. That's one thing I know won't backfire on me. It doesn't take much to do that."
"Fine. Noting the way she handled herself under Spung threats, and the fact she surrendered her ship to save us, I think she's a good asset. The witch stays."
"Come with me," said Rosie. "I'll get you settled in."
"One last thing, Commander. My name is Adrianne. I don't respond to anything else. But wait! What about Ms. Davenport?"
"Thelma-"
"Yes, Commander?"
"Take care of Davenport for the night. Understand?"
"Yes. I will be on it."
Later that night, in the team room:
"This is sure going to be different," said Harlan. "I don't recall coming in contact with the likes of an Oberon Witch at any point in my life."
"Its just one more crazy thing we have to get used to," said Bova. "What next?"
"Don't say stuff like that," said Radu. "She can hear you."
"What? She's no Andromedan!"
"She's stnading outside. She's more than welcome to come in."
Adrianne stepped in. "You heard me?"
"Correction," said Suzee. "Radu heard you.
Adrianne smiled meekly and sat down. "So, what I hear is that I'm a new experience, and that's good. I'm something else to get used to, and that isn't as good. Do I have that right?"
"Yeah," said Harlan, "that about covers it."
"Hey," said Adrianne. "I just thought of something that will actually work. Give me a minute, and join hands."
Everyone did as told.
"Now, close your eyes. Wait ten seconds."
A green light emerged from the joined hands. All six crew members were levitating off the ground.
"Open your eyes." Adrianne smiled. "What do you think?"
Harlan looked down. "Wow!"
"Don't let go of anyone's hand. Now, in a little while, I'll take us down." Adrianne exhaled, and the crew was slowly placed back down.
"Don't let go yet. Now, when I say so, let go and shove your hands forward. All right...now."
All the hands shoved forward. A green light emerged from each hand, and when each ray of light hit the center, they united. A glowing green ball was created, symbolizing unification.
"Wow," said Suzee and Rosie.
"When do we do this again?" asked Radu."
"Just let me know when," said Adrianne.
The crew sat back, watching the green light, and all feeling a sense of unification and contentment they had never known.