Chapter 5

When Xander awoke the next morning he headed immediately to eating area, or cafeteria as he chose to call it. There were many tables there, and Xander managed to find the one where Chenosh was having her breakfast. Making his way through the crowded tables and milling Di'San as they came and left, he sat down beside her. Looking down at a electronic device that looked a lot like a palm pilot, Chenosh seemed quite engrossed on whatever was displayed on the small screen. The food she was eating looked a lot like oatmeal in a small red bowl. The table itself was a warm metallic surface, not too hot, and not too cold. Xander made a note to ask how they accomplished such a thing later, but right now he thought it best to greet his boss.

"Morning." Xander said.

Without glancing up Chenosh replied, "Good morning Xander. Did you enjoy last night?"

"What do you mean?" Xander asked, caught off-guard by her question.

"Your experience with a group of Di'San females, the same ones you met earlier that day." Chenosh said, looking up with a smirk on her face, and a mischievous gleam in her eye. Xander figured she had been waiting all morning to ask him about it.

"How did you know?" Xander asked, a little uncomfortable with the whole situation.

"If I cared enough to know outside of this ship, I could have, but here I'm very sensitive to what goes on, and psychically you made a lot of racket." Chenosh responded. Xander blushed and hid his face as he got up to get some breakfast. What he found were a few appliances that looked like microwaves, but Xander didn't see anything to put into them.

"They are replicators, and can create whatever you wish. I've tried to input as many foods as I can, but a lot is already programmed into it. Apparently my people enjoy the foods of Earth. Would you like some pancakes?" Chenosh asked, and Xander could only manage a nod, his face a deep beat red.

Pressing a button Chenosh said, "Three pancakes, with maple syrup and butter."

Both of them watched for a moment as energy swirled inside the device until, three pancakes with syrup and butter materialized. Opening the door to device by pushing another button, Chenosh removed the plate of pancakes, with a fork and knife sitting on either side of the stack, and handed them to Xander. They smelled wonderful and Xander marveled at the fact that the utensils and the plate were not hot.

"That's amazing!" Xander said.

"My people are very inventive, so did you enjoy yourself?" Chenosh asked again, indicating that she was still on the hunt for more information about last night.

Forcing down his embarrassment, Xander realized that Chenosh was only teasing him and answered, "Yes."

"Tell me something Xander, have you ever thought of being a father?" Chenosh asked in all seriousness.

"Why do you ask?" Xander replied said as he began wolfing down pancakes. Chenosh got up and replicated him a glass of milk, and a glass of water, before returning to the table. Both were cold, like they had just come out of a fridge.

"Thanks." Xander said taking a sip of milk, before he continued eating.

"You're welcome. I only bring it up considering the circumstances. Are you aware that we Di'San can choose whether we become pregnant or not?" Chenosh said.

"What!" Xander said choking on a mouthful of pancakes. It took a few moment and a couple gulps of water before he managed to get them down and felt better.

"Unlike Humans and Harreden, Di'San can actually choose not to get pregnant. It can prove to be quite useful, considering the fact that we are just as fertile as the most virile Harreden without that ability." Chenosh commented.

"And how fertile are they?" Xander asked.

"If any sperm enter the body it's a sure bet that a Harreden female will become pregnant. Add on the fact that they can carry up to four children and give birth in less than a month, and you can see why this is an excellent advantage if you don't want to have children." Chenosh explained.

"And I thought we Humans had problems." Xander said with raised eyebrows.

"I'm afraid every race does my friend, though most Harreden do not consider high fertility to be a problem, in fact quite the opposite. In there culture it makes you a more ideal mate." Chenosh said.

"Well I'm glad we Humans don't share that characteristic. Overpopulation is bad enough on Earth without having to worry about that." Xander said.

"If you had a number of worlds to colonize I am sure you wouldn't worry about it, the Harreden don't, especially given there advancements." Chenosh said.

Setting down his knife and fork with only one pancake left, Xander asked, "What kind of advancements?"

"All Harreden technology is biological in nature, and by that I mean even their ships are living organisms that are grown. This focus of technology has allowed them to discover how to make living planets out of dead worlds or planetary bodies, even something small as an asteroid can be colonized if they wished to do so." Chenosh said.

"I would say that would help solve over population." Xander admitted, "I wish we could find someone to lend us that type of technology, especially with as many planets as we have in this solar system."

"Unfortunately no Harreden would give it to you, even if they were so inclined. The Harreden ruling class would consider that a betrayal and hunt any Harreden who did such a thing down." Chenosh said, sadly. She too recognized how much a piece of technology like that would help the Human race. Fighting over limited territory could be alleviated, and food shortage could become a thing of the past.

"Mrs. Ja, may I ask you something?" Xander said his face and voice equally somber.

"Of course Xander." Chenosh replied in a polite tone.

"With all the money we are making, are we going to..." Xander stopped, hesitating.

"Are we going to sacrifice people for money?" Chenosh said.

"Yes." Xander said, unsure of himself, and feeling guilty for asking.

"The answer to your question is no Xander. I believe that our company can make money without hurting people, or allowing them to be hurt. I don't care how unpopular we are, so long we perform our jobs while keep the average citizen in mind. We will not overprice our product so only the rich can buy them, and I intend to look for cures, not just temporary treatments. The new agreement I will make with the United States government will provided us with the funds to do just that." Chenosh answered.

Xander let out a sigh of relief that he didn't realize he had been holding. All the tension of those few moments bled out of him, and he was glad that he had asked.

"Never think you cannot ask me such question Xander. I value you as an employee, but most of all I hope that you will come to think of me as a trusted companion, if not a friend. You and I as I have said will be working a lot together, and trust will be very important in the coming days. I have a feeling that many will not like such idealism, but I have no interest in being a puppet leader. I will do with my money as I see fit, and trust me when I say, that any who bar my path will soon learn that it's better to have me as an ally than an enemy, because I will bury them." Chenosh pointed out. Xander nodded, now even more secure in the idea that he was working for a good boss, the fact that she paid well, now that he thought of it was just a bonus.

Heading back to Earth they set out to do just that. Chenosh focused her company's efforts on cures first and treatments second. Smart and cautious, she also set aside her own personal funds and bought buildings on her own just in case. In the mean time she used the three buildings for some of her experiments, and brought Di'San scientists to assist. They were only too glad to help, and she found their views and experience quite illuminating. Xander stopped by one of the warehouses Chenosh owned after work in time to watch her explain a new invention to her grandfather Diun. See was just finishing up her demonstration, and Diun seemed very impressed.