Glad to see you back on your feet.
And...
..more story! It was a fun read.
Thanks, I still can't walk very far without feeling like I have run a 100 yard dash, but at least the coughing fits have subsided somewhat. :wink:
Rama looked across at the uniform he?d been given by these Romans. It was white, with the intricate red white and blue of the American Flag embossed on the chest. Rama looked out the window, trying to avoid putting on the uniform. He noticed the square below seemed to be some kind of park and the Romans were enjoying walking about it or sitting under the trees. Clearly the color of their uniform was important. Most were yellow, with reasonable numbers of whites lesser amounts of gray and an odd purple or two here and there. From the looks of it everyone old and young wore the uniform.
He checked the time and realized he needed to put the uniform on and get ready to leave for the starport. The Romans had asked them to wear the uniform for the whole trip. They said it would help the crew of the Roman Destroyer. Rama could see their point. If a bunch of naked aliens showed up who looked a lot like Americans he would have certainly have found it off putting.
So far he?d not been able to bring himself to try on the uniform. He guessed it was the idea behind the whole thing, classifying people into stratas just gave him an odd feeling. Some of the others had said they were very comfortable and well tailored.
He steeled himself and began to put it on. He was surprised how comfortable it was. The uniform was, he had to admit, a work of art, magnificently tailored, it fit like a glove. On the Roman ship that had brought them to Terra he had thought the design was clumsy and rushed. The uniform on the other hand was perfect, had he not known he was wearing it he wouldn?t have realised he was. In what seemed like seconds he was wearing it and looking for any imperfections in the full length mirror.
He stood for over a minute looking at himself in the mirror. Then the door opened behind him. ?Are you ready to go yet Lieutenant?? Doctor Gonsalvez asked.
?Just finishing up now.? Rama said as much to himself as to the doctor. ?Well I guess I?m ready to go now.? Rama said and made his way towards the door.
They made their way down the corridor to the Commodore?s quarters. They arrived to find the Commodore, Commander Collins and Lt. Commander Dickson all dressed in their Roman provided uniforms and waiting for them along with a Roman wearing a gray uniform.
Rama noticed that although the doctor, Cdr. Collins and Lt. Cdr. Dickson?s uniforms were white like his own, that of Commodore Schneider wasn?t. In fact the Commodore?s uniform was gray. He was about to ask if the color meant something when the Roman spoke.
?Good day to you all. My name is Tesserarius Salonius Curio I?m about the same rank as one of your Lieutenant Commanders and I?ve been assigned as your guide and liaison officer during our trip to the Scipio system where your ship is located.?
Introductions were made and then they were off to the starport to board a shuttle and head up to the Roman ship that would take them to the Scipio system.