Gall Force:  The Day After
By Fred Herriot
450 Clare Avenue South, Welland, Ontario L3C 3B3 Canada
gorgo@net.co.kr
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Based on the "Gall Force" series created by MOVIC.
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NOTE:  This is a fan-fiction story written by a "Gall Force" fan for the
enjoyment of both other "Gall Force" fans and anime fans in general.  It is
not intended to act as a part of the official "Gall Force" continuity, nor
is it intented to infringe on the rights of all legal copyright holders,
including CBS-Sony Group, MOVIC and US Manga Corps/Central Park Media.
Permission to re-transmit this story through the Internet; to file this
story in Usenet ftp and other archives; and to print this story for
distribution in fan fiction magazines and APAs granted.  Full creative
credit is appreciated, though.

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PART FIVE - NEW FRIENDS

"Is everyone comfortable?" Derek asks.

 The Solnoids look at the Canadian curiously.  Derek wonders if he was up to
welcoming ten alien women plus two servodroids to Earth.  They seemed
relatively human on the outside, but what was going on inside?  Did they
have iron-based blood, or copper?  Could they eat Earth food?  They seemed
capable of handling the atmosphere, but air alone could not sustain them for
long.  They brought what Derek assumed was food, but unless they had some
sort of replication system, it would not last.  Too many questions.  Still,
they were alive and healthy, although one was presently soaking wet from an
unscheduled dip in the Atlantic Ocean.  Turning back to Dave, Derek yells,
"Hey, speed this thing up, will you?!"

 "We're almost there!" the helmsman answered.

 The Solnoids find their feet, looking at the approaching shore.  The lights
of the university students' apartment were on.  Behind it was a seemingly
endless sea of forest.  It seemed like a decent place to relax and unwind
after all they had been through.  The language barrier was a problem, but
maybe not an insurmountable one.  "Hey, Catty, how fast do you figure that
you can learn their language?" Lufy inquires.

 "Given time and access to a computer, a night," the android responds.  "For
myself, TOIL and AIL, it is no problem.  For you, however..."

 "We'll learn it," Rabby sighs.

 Derek watches them.  The phoenetics of their language were almost the same
as English, just put together in a different way.  Maybe the language
problem would not be so bad.  He looks at the first woman who spoke...then
found himself staring.

 She was beautiful!  Not like Sally, who was sort of plain as Caucasian
women came.  But, strangely enough, this blonde-haired beauty from the stars
would not have been out of place anywhere in Canada.  Oh, there was the
tattoo on her cheek and that rakish streak of green in her hair, but such
could be explained as personal style.  Perhaps they were some sort of
personal marks.  Her eyes, a curious shade of reddish-brown, were like
metal.  She is a warrior.  They were also twinged with a touch of pain.  She
is a warrior who had seen people die.  In fact, all of them looked like
that.  Who were these people?  Did they come from some sort of war?  And if
so, was their war coming Earth's way?  Too early to tell.

 Lufy watches the Terran staring at her out of the corner of her eye.  Why
was he so interested in her?  He seemed nice, although to her, it was
impossible to judge.  Unlike Rabby and Patty, she had never met the curious
creation the Paranoids had forged.  He seemed quite strong in his own way,
more brainy than brawny.  A thinker, this one.  She wondered if she and
Rabby would have the time to explore some more Sensualist philosophy.
Perhaps it had some clues as to what beings like these were like, how they
should act around them.

 "He seems to like you," Rabby notes.

 "So I notice," Lufy winks at her, flashing her a thumbs-up.  "What about
yours?"

 "He's not mine!" Rabby defensively cries.

 Lufy laughs.  Chet stares at her, then back at the lady he had pulled out
of the ocean.  Obviously, Derek would be happy that these aliens possessed
such cultural expresions as winking and the thumbs-up, but such did not
bother him now.  He could not stop staring at the woman beside him.  And
what an exquisite beauty she was!  Of course, they were all attractive, but
how could Chet consider them over her?  Strawberry-blonde hair...REAL
strawberry-blonde hair, eyes as blue as indigo, a shapely figure that seemed
ready to tear out of her soaked uniform.  It was definately a naval uniform
of some sort.  He wondered what rank she had achieved in her service.  His
mother would never forgive him if he brought one of the ranks into their
home.  She was now staring at him, a light smile on her face.

 Rabby reaches over to grip his hand.  "Thank you for saving me," she smiles.

 He draws her hand to his lips.  They had lip-contact here on Terra, too!
Rabby smiles.  Despite the pain it caused her and her friends, the Species
Unification Project could not be said to be anything less than a success.
She was going to enjoy herself here.  "You know he will not understand you,"
Eluza warns.

 "Not yet," the first officer chuckles.

 Eluza sighs, then stands.  The craft rocked with the waves, but she had
spent much of her time on Malthus' oceans with her friends before she joined
the military.  Terra was so much like their long-lost world.  Walking up to
the craft's command area, she stares at the approaching dock.  The first
time she had felt hard ground under her feet in years, literally.  It would
be nice.

 The "Enterprise" pulls alongside the dock.  The Terrans hop off to secure
the fishing trawler to the dock, then help the Solnoids take their gear off.
"At least they were happy to help us bring this stuff ashore," Patty grunts.

 "Let's not push it too much, people," Rabby warns.  "Remember, it's THEIR
planet now."

 A chorus of "yes, ma'am" come from the others.  "I wonder what happened to
the others," Amy muses.

 "Oh, shit!" Lufy gasps.  "What did happen to them?!"

 "Let's worry about that later," Eluza sighs.  "Right now, we should concern
ourselves about our own survival."

 "Good idea," Shildy nods.  "Maybe the chance will come that we can dive on
the Blossom and salvage what else we need from there."

 "Later, Shildy," Eluza sighs.  "It's time we rested."

 The others moan agreeingly at that.  Derek walks up to Oskar.  "Hey, can
you or Akira tell who're their leaders?"

 "The red-haired one," the Israeli nods to Eluza, the indicates Shildy and
Rabby.  "And those two.  However, they're all military officers.  In fact,
my old training sergeant would salivate if he ever got to command troops
like those two," he points to Lufy and Miti.

 "Yeah, I'll bet," Derek sighs.

 Oskar looks at the Canadian, then laughs.  "Ah, we heard about the Dear
John you got from Sally," he glances at Lufy.  "Perhaps God has been good to
you by sending that exquisite creature your way."

 "Oh?!" Derek hums.  "And what would the folks back at the kibbutz say about
you bringing back a girl with green hair?"

 "Her?" Oskar points at Miti.  "Certainly not!  Now, she..." he nods to
Eluza, "...is more my style."

 "I see," Derek laughs.  "Mazel tov, then."

 "Kol toov to you," the Israeli replies.

 The group proceeds into the house.  The main room is a large living room
with several couches, a television with computer game systems hooked to it
as well as a VCR and laserdisk player, a stereo-CD player system and shelves
of books.  Walking in, Rabby hums.  "This wouldn't be out of place on Malthus."

 "Agreed," Eluza nods.

 Derek walks over to Lufy, pointing at her weapons, then indicating a clear
spot beside one sofa.  The Attacker places the weapons down, then gets the
others to put the remaining gear there.  Once that is done, people stream to
the sofas to relax.  "I've got to get these clothes off," Rabby looks at her
soaked uniform.

 Chet seems to have the same idea.  "Here," he lightly touches Rabby's arm,
then points to a stairwell.  "Come along.  We'll get those wet things off you."

 Realizing that he has to do the same as she, Rabby nods.  They proceed
upstairs to the Englishman's room.  "I realize you may have lost all your
personal items when your ship blew up, so I'll see what I can scrounge for
you," he muses as he starts to tear through his shelves.  In a minute, a
T-shirt, blue jeans and a plaid shirt are found.  "There you go," he hands
them to Rabby, then hands her a towel.  "I'll just step outside."

 Chet walks outside, closing the door behind him.  Rabby blinks.  Why did he
remove himself from the room? she hums as she starts to undress.  Was this
some sort of local taboo she had stumbled on?  Shrugging, she gets out of
her clothes, then towels herself off.  Taking the fresh clothes, she
inspects them.  Pants, shirt and overshirt.  Save for the slightly larger
dimensions, they were no different than what she wore on Malthus.  Things
really were not different here on Terra...Earth, she corrected herself.  She
quickly dresses, then walks out of the room, her wet clothes in hand.
"Here, I'll take care of those," he smiles as he takes them to a bathroom to
let them dry.  Hanging them up, he walks back to his room.  Rabby moves to
follow him, but he closes the door in front of her.  She blinks, then nods.
So changing clothes was a private act on Earth.  She could live with
that...but could not deny the curiosity she felt about what he possibly
looked like under those clothes.  Would she ever find out?

 Inside, the Englishman undresses, then takes the towel to dry himself.  He
stops on detecting a faint fragrance on the cloth.  Perfume.  The lovely
lady wore a nice perfume...or was that underarm deodorant?  "Or is that my
bloody imagination?" he mutters to himself, then dries himself and dresses.

 Minutes later, they rejoin the others in the living room.  Right now, the
Solnoids were separated from the Terrans.  Rabby walks over to sit beside
Eluza.  "Hey, back on civvie street so soon?" Patty snickers.

 "He loaned me his clothes," Rabby stares at Chet, who had moved over beside
the Terran who had looked so intently on Lufy.

 "Well, they seem friendly enough," Mal sighs.  "And by the looks of things,
they are advanced in certain areas.  Television, for example," she nods to
the television nearby.

 "And computer games," Spea nods.

 "Which does indicate a considerable amount of computer technology is used
here," Catty concludes, then stares at Eluza.  "Captain, I propose that I
integrate myself in Earth's communications network to at least ascertain an
understanding of the language they speak here.  I could then act as translator."

 "We'll all have to learn it sooner or later, Catty," the captain hums.
"But until we do, you'll have to act as translator.  Make sure TOIL and AIL
are prepared as well."

 "Of course, Captain," the android nods.

 "I like to learn their names," Amy hums.

 "Do they have names?" Shildy muses.

 "Let's find out," Rabby stands.

 The first officer walks over to the Englishman, tapping him on the arm.
When he stares at her, she points to herself.  "Rabby."

 Chet blinks, then smiles.  A name to attach to that pretty face.  Sure
enough, the others come up to introduce themselves.  Even the two
servodroids state their names.  "How do we introduce ourselves, old boy?" he
looks to Derek.

 "KISS-simple for now," the Canadian nods.

 "Right-o," the Englishman hums, then turns to Rabby.  "Chet."

 The other Terrans quickly make note of their names.  "Their names seem to
be similar to ours, but with a more Paranoid-like influence," Shildy muses.

 The Solnoids' names have elicited like comments.  "'Catty,' 'Patty,'
'Amy,'" Dave hums.  "It's like they're from around the corner, not another
planet."

 "I guess that whacky theory on 'Star Trek' about planets developing on
similar lines may not be so whacky after all," Jack muses.

 "Well, at least we've got names to call them by," Derek hums.  "Now comes
the real hard part...teaching them to speak like us."

 "We should at least make a reciprocal effort to learn their own language,"
Akira muses.  "Perhaps others of their kind are on their way as we speak."

 "Are you saying this may be like Admiral Perry's trip to Edo in 1853?"
Maurice muses.

 "It can't be denied," the Japanese hums.

 "Well, let's worry about that when the time comes," Derek sighs.  "Right
now, we're all tired and I haven't the foggiest idea as to how we're going
to explain this to the landlady."

 "Let's tell her that we found a bunch of people in a wrecked ship and
brought them to safety," Len shrugs.

 "Len, unlike the United States, Canada has more stringent rules about
illegal aliens," the Canadian warns.  "She'll want to know where they come
from, and if we can't give her a decent enough explanation, or even if we
did, she'll call the RCMP and Customs.  Then we'll be in a world of hurt!"

 "Agreed," Chet sighs.  "Perhaps telling her the truth might help."

 "If she will believe us," Oskar groans.

 At that moment, the front door opens and an elderly woman steps into the
living room.  "Oh, you have visitors," she muses on seeing the Solnoids,
then blinks.  "What on Earth?!"

 Derek gasps on seeing TOIL coast his way over to take a closer physical
examination.  The servobot circles the woman for a moment, then looks at
Eluza.  "Sensors indicate that this is a proper Solnoid-type sentient."

 "We can see that," Rabby snaps, then turns to the woman.  "Wise One,
forgive our rude intrusion upon your hearthfire.  We are lost travellers
from a distant star seeking a new sun under which we can live to your
esteemed years."

 The other Solnoids bow to the woman.  She blinks, then turns to Derek.
"Derek Slater, would you care to explain to me who or what these people are?!"

 "They're aliens, Mrs. Ross," Derek smiles.

 "Aliens?" she blinks.  "You mean boat people?"

 "No, ma'am," Len shakes his head.  "Aliens as in out there," he points
straight up.

 Silence for a moment.  "Aliens?" Mrs. Ross blinks again.  "As in...not from
Earth?!"

 "Yes, ma'am," the men respond as one.

 "But...they look so human," she stares at Rabby.

 "That's what we're trying to discover," Chet walks up.  "We're as shocked
about this as you are, but until we can teach them to speak English, our
questions can't be answered."

 "I see," Mrs. Ross looks again at Rabby.  This was an alien?  "But where's
their ship?"

 "Blew up," Derek sighs.  "Their lifeboat sank off the shore.  We were able
to pull them out in time with the 'Enterprise.'"

 Mrs. Ross sighs.  "Derek, if there is something I cannot stand, it's a
silly story."

 "Then explain that!" he points to TOIL.

 "So?!" she shrugs.  "People make robots all over the place."

 "Robots that talk?" Derek counters.

 Nearby, the Solnoids stare as the elderly woman continues her arguement
with their rescuers.  "I think they're trying to convince her that we're not
from Earth," Spea notes.

 "I know," Miti snaps her fingers, then looks to Catty.  "Catty, you can
convince her."

 "How?"

 "You're an android!  Show her!"

 Catty considers the point, then nods.  Walking over, she taps Mrs. Ross on
the arm.  The elderly woman stares quizzically at the young girl.  Holding
up one arm, Catty touches a point.  A circuit hatch exposes itself, opening
to reveal the complex gears and electronics underneath.  Seeing this, Mrs.
Ross gasps in shock.  "What is that?!!"

 The other Terrans are just as stunned.  "Good God, she's an android!!!"
Chet exclaims.

 "Are they all androids?!" Oskar wonders.

 "Not Rabby," the Englishman shakes his head.  "She felt like a real woman
when I grabbed her.  I think I even felt a pulse."

 "If Catty's the only one doing this, then she must be the only android of
this group," Derek muses.

 "That solves our language problem, then," Steve interrupts.

 "How so?" Akira stares at him.

 "She's an android," Steve points to Catty.  "If we let her, TOIL and AIL at
our computers, they could learn English quite quickly.  Perhaps French,
Japanese and Hebrew, too."

 "But are their systems compatible with ours?" Len warns.  "Shit, we got a
couple hundred thousand dollars worth of stuff in there!"

 "Do we have a choice?" Derek sighs.

 The other men sigh, nodding...

    *    *    *

 Steve quickly directs Catty to the computer room.  Each of the residents
had an individual station.  His own machine was a 586  pentium-driven PC
with full Net and Web access.  The android's eyes brighten on seeing so many
machines.  Directing her to a chair, Steve turns on his machine, then calls
up the basic DOS program.  His machine had the latest Windows software, not
to mention an advanced word processing system and other systems a Net addict
required.  "Now, how on Earth do we get you to integrate this stuff into
your systems," he muses.

 Physically staring at the computer, Catty quickly notices the modem line.
Her previous analysis from orbit revealed that Canada was a very
well-connected nation in terms of telecommunications.  Disconnecting the
modem cable to the wall, she stares at the jack for a moment, then undoes
the jack.  "What are you doing?" Steve muses.

 Opening the circuit hatch on her arm, Catty selects a terminal, then joins
it to the modem cable.  Blinking, the Terran nods understandingly.  "Oh, I
get it now!!  You're going to copy the files into your processors!  Brilliant!"

 Catty stares at him, raising her free hand to show one finger, then two.
"Yes, I understand," Steve nods, then looks at the machine.  "We need to
give you a file name...ah!  I know!!"  He then types out at the C:\> prompt
FTPCOPY C:\*.* CATTY:\ then hits RETURN.

 The computer comes on line, quickly seeking out the modem connection.  Sure
enough, it locates the directory CATTY...literally, Catty herself...and
begins to copy files.  The android jolts as the information pours into her
system.  Her own processors come on line as they take in the megabytes of
data pouring in from the computer.  In a minute, the computer relays that
all files have been copied.  Steve nods, then breaking out a new modem line,
disconnects Catty and reconnects his computer to the Net.  He then looks
back at her.  "How do you feel?"

 Catty blinks.  Her system was disseminating the word processor program,
which possessed an excellent dictionary and thesaurus.  Looking around, she
stands, disconnecting herself from the modem line, then walks out of the
computer room.  Once back in the living room, she scans the books.  Finding
an Oxford English dictionary, she begins to scan through it.  Turning to
Steve, she points at a listing of all the phonetic sounds English employed.
"Ah, you want me to read it, don't you?" the university student nods.

 "How's it going?" Derek walks up.

 "Just a minute," Steve interrupts, then taking the dictionary in hand,
begins to point out the symbols to Catty.  "Ah, ay, bu..."

 In a minute, he is finished.  Catty nods, then takes the dictionary, finds
a chair and begins to read.  "What do you suppose she's doing?" Chet muses.

 "She downloaded all the words in my word processor's dictionary into her
processors.  I guess she needed to hear someone make all the sounds so that
she can memorize all the words and how they are properly spoken."

 "But learning how to speak the words doesn't guarantee that she'll
comprehend them," Derek warns.

 "A possibility," Steve nods.  "At the same time, she downloaded all the
other files.  They were all written in English.  If she's got multiple
processors in her mind, that means one system could process the words,
another could trial all the programs, a third could compare them and make
sense out of what she has learned, comparing it to her own language and
forming a decent translation.  Something tells me that these people are a
lot closer to us than we initially suspected."

 "Somehow, I feel the same way," Derek sighs.  "Well, better be safe than
sorry.  In the meantime," he looks over to see Amy and Miti dozing off in
Spea's and Mal's laps, "...I think it's time we all go to bed.  Everyone
looks beat."

 "After what we've been through, old sport, it's more than understandable,"
Chet chuckles.

 Derek walks over to the others, notioning them to start shifting the chairs
around so that there was a clear space in the middle of the floor for the
Solnoids to sleep.  He then walks over to Lufy, tapping her on the shoulder
and pointing at the sleeping bags.  Nodding, the Attacker turns to the
others.  "Hey, I think it's time for us to put ourselves down for the night."

 "Agreed," Shildy yawns.  "Mother, I haven't slept in a day!"

 "You mean three million years," Spea laughs.

 Quickly, the Terrans make themselves scarce as soon as some of the women
move to undress.  "Why did they leave?" Miti hums.

 "I think it's a privacy taboo," Rabby muses.  "When Chet took me upstairs
so I could change, he left me alone, then ensured I left him alone when he
changed clothes."

 Suddenly, there is the noise of someone falling on the stairs.  "Idiot!!!"
Derek's voice echoes from atop the stairs.  "What do you think they are,
anyway?!!  They're not Hollis Street hookers!!  Get back up here!!"

 The Solnoids find themselves giggling.  "I think some're trying to
challenge that taboo, Rabby," Patty snorts.

 "Never mind," Eluza sighs, then looks to TOIL and AIL.  "Both of you take
the security watch."

 "Affirmative, Captain," both servobots respond as they wheel their way
outside...

    *    *    *

 Archimadies licks his front paws as he returns to the apartment building.
Dawn was breaking over the Atlantic Ocean as he pushes his way through the
cat door into the living room.  Suddenly, the Siamese's nose twitches as
strange scents come to his attention.  There were strange people in his
domain.  The cat's tail twitches as he warily walks into the living room.
He could not understand why the humans living here insisted on bringing
other strange humans in his domain without his permission.

 He quickly notices them sleeping in curious warm bags on the floor.  Nine
all together.  An additional one was seated in a chair reading a book, much
like Mrs. Ross did on many occasions.  Archimadies sits down, gazing at her.
Her scent was very odd, but she did not seem dangerous.  Standing, he walks
over to her feet, then sits down and meows.

 Catty blinks as proximity sensors pick up a curious creature at her feet.
She lowers the book to gaze at the creature now staring at her.  A domestic
cat, Siamese by breeding.  There was no creature quite like this one native
to Malthus.  Realizing that speaking to it in Solnoid would confuse the cat,
she addresses him in English.  "Hello, there."

 Hearing the friendly greeting, Archimadies crouches, then leaps onto the
armrest, climbing up to take a close look at her.  His whiskers rub against
her cheek, relaying all sorts of interesting information to his mind.  She
had the scent of a human, but it was overlayed by other curious scents, like
the curious boxes which sat in the one room the humans native to his house
chased him out of every chance they got.  However, the creature seemed not
interested in harming him, so he begins to introduce himself, rubbing face,
neck, sides and quarters against her skin.

 Catty's own sensory net was picking up a curious secretion the cat was
leaving on her.  She remembers that certain creatures on Malthus marked
their territory in this way.  Obviously the cat had decided that Catty was
now part of his territory.  She gently reaches up to stroke his fur at the
top of his head.  The cat purrs in delight at that sensation.  Catty sighs,
scanning the bookshelves.  Finding a book on cats, she rises, placing the
old book back and drawing the new one.  Sitting down, she begins to read.

 Seeing that the creature was busy with other things, Archimadies hops off
the couch to the floor, then makes his way through the other humans, now all
asleep.  He then freezes on seeing a tantalizing prey now quietly making its
way across one sleeping bag.  Field mouse.  Archimadies crouches himself as
he prepares to strike.

 Amy yawns as she tries to sleep.  The nightmare of watching the Lorelei
Fleet wiped out by DAMIA replays itself in her mind.  Why?  Why did Journey
sacrifice her friends in that useless fight?!  Why did Journey keep up the
fight after Malthus was destroyed?  It made no sense.  Suddenly, she feels a
tingling sensation on her cheek.  Her ship was on fire!  "No...no...no, I
want to live...!" she quietly moans.

 The mouse twitches, then tries to scamper off the girl's face...when ten
pounds of hungry Siamese slams into it!  Amy shrieks as the extra weight
bounces off her face, her voice acting as an alarm for Lufy and Miti.
"Shit, we're under attack!!!" the older Attacker draws her pistol, then
begins to scout for targets.

 Everyone leaps up at that point.  Shildy turns on the lights, nearly
blinding Lufy and Miti.  "Idiot, turn them off!!!" the younger Attacker
yells.  "I can't see!!!"

 "What's going on here?!!" Eluza demands.

 Amy is shivering, now being held by Spea.  "Somebody stepped all over my
face!!" the young girl cries.

 "Who?!!" Rabby looks around, her own weapon out and ready.

 "If I may interrupt," Catty calmly stands, then notions by the front door.
"He is responsible."

 Everyone turns to see Archimadies toss the mouse around, batting it with
mouth and forepaws in his playful dance with his latest prey.  Eyes blink as
the cat continues to jump around.  "What in the name of the Mother is
that?!" Miti demands.

 "It is called a 'cat,'" Catty explains.  "The smaller creature is addressed
as a 'mouse,' I believe.  The mouse was crawling over Amy's face, causing
her nightmare.  The cat merely decided to remove the mouse's presence from
Amy.  I have read," she holds up the book on cats, "...that mice are
disease-carriers.  You are lucky, Amy; I do not believe that we are fully
shielded against Earth diseases."

 "A good point, especially since Amy's our nurse," Shildy sighs.

 "Oh, I'm sorry, everyone," Amy looks contrite.  "I didn't mean to wake you
all up."

 "It's okay, Amy," Mal smiles.  "I think we're all going to have nightmares
about our war with the Paranoid for a long time to come."

 "Hey, look!" Lufy points.  "The cat just made its kill."

 Everyone watches as Archimadies lets go of the mouse after delivering its
killing bite to the neck.  He then starts to play some more.  "Now, that's a
hunter," Miti muses, holstering her gun.

 "The little one's got an Attacker's spirit," Lufy nods.

 "Oh, thank the Mother," Eluza sighs.  "Alright, the problem's over with,
people.  Let's go back to bed."

 "Oh, look!" Patty points outside.

 Everyone watches as the sun begins its rise over the Atlantic.  Walking
outside, the Solnoids stare as the bright yellow ball begins its daily march
across the heavens.  "The first sunrise I've seen since...since I joined the
fleet," Rabby sighs, tears welling in her eyes.

 "The first sunrise we've all seen, I suspect," Shildy adds.

 Silence falls over them as they watch the sunrise.  Suddenly the voice of
Mrs. Ross is heard from inside.  "Good heavens, what is all this noise?!
Hello?!"

 Catty walks inside.  "Forgive us, Wise One," she bows to the landlady,
speaking in English.  "We did not mean to awaken you so suddenly, but a
mouse frightened Amy and the cat merely moved to remove the mouse."

 The elderly woman stares at Archimadies, who was still playing with his
kill.  "Oh, Archimadies!" Mrs. Ross sighs, then turns back to Catty.  "It's
no problem, dear.  Sometimes, I wonder if the silly creature ever had
manners...eh?!" she blinks.  "Why...you can speak English!"

 "I have just learned the language," Catty nods.

 Another realization dawns on her.  "Why...you're that machine-girl I saw
last night."

 "Yes.  I am an android."

 The elderly Terran stares at the Solnoid android in considerable confusion.
"But...you're so human."

 "I was constructed that way," Catty smiles.  "It...was necessary for people
to believe that I was human so that I could fulfill my mission parameters."

 "I see," Mrs. Ross then points up.  "Then...you really are from...out there?"

 "Yes," Catty nods.  "We are from the planet Malthus, located five hundred
and seventeen Earth-standard light-years from this solar system.  Or
rather," she looks sad, "...it was there."

 That statement had so much meat to it, it takes Mrs. Ross a minute to fully
interpret what Catty has told her.  "Then...your planet...is gone?" she
hesitantly asks.

 "Yes," a tear flows down the android's cheek, then she turns to wave at
Earth's home star.  "That is the first sunrise we have seen in a very long
time."

 "I see," Mrs. Ross lets out a awed sigh.  "I must admit, I may be a little
too old to fully understand this.  Derek and the others are into science
fiction and things like that.  I did see 'Buck Rodgers' and 'Flash Gordon'
when I was younger, but I never would believe I'd meet aliens...and
androids...in my lifetime."

 "We are so sorry for intruding upon your hearthfire," Catty bows.

 "Oh, please don't apologize," the elderly woman sighs.  "But, unlike
Superman, how on Earth are we going to integrate you people into our
society?  There are bound to be loads of questions."

 "We do not understand that ourselves," Catty shrugs.  "But, where else can
we go?"

 Mrs. Ross stares at the Solnoids.  Their eyes spoke all the information she
needed.  They were survivors of an unbelievable tragedy, one which hopefully
was over, or why would they come to a world which was not prepared to deal
with it?  Yet, they also possessed a great strength.  These people could
survive on their own if need be, were in fact used to surviving on their
own.  "Well, I suppose you can stay here, at least until you figure out what
to do with yourselves," she chuckles.

 "Thank you," Catty bows.

 Everyone then jolts on hearing Amy's scream.  They spin around, then see
that Archimadies has deposited the dead mouse at her feet.  Mrs. Ross
chuckles.  "Oh, hush, child!  Archimadies is just trying to give you a present."

 Catty translates the message.  "'Present?!!'" Amy gasps.  "No way!!  Get
the thing away from me!!!  Shoo, shoo, shoo!!!"

 Everyone bursts out laughing...

    *    *    *

To be continued...