Theseus Arthausen Syndrome

I snapped back to reality, blinking rapidly and shaking my head as I took in a deep breath. I'd been working too much and I was feeling it. Looking around at the spaceport, I saw that the security line had opened while I'd been drifting off and I'd missed my opportunity to get in before the lines had started to back up. Checking my watch, I clicked my tongue and forced my sleepy body up off of the bench that I'd been snoozing on. I'd have plenty of ti to sleep on the ship.

With my computer bag under one arm and my luggage in the other, I tried not to think back at the job behind anymore. They had been such belligerent asshats, making nonsensical demands that proved they had no business running a tech company, and they'd worked in circles for the entire week without getting a whole lot done for themselves. But my contract was fulfilled, I was getting paid, and I was going back ho to Titan. I needed a vacation, and I already knew that I was going to spend a very long weekend lying in bed at my condo and just existing for a little while. I deserved that much.

I was happy to see the line moving quickly. I wasn't in any danger of missing my departure, but I fidgeted with my ID and dical card in my hand. I hated traveling off-world. It was always such a pain for soone like , but the pay had been far too good to pass up this ti. As I got closer, my tired eyes scanned over the security officers ahead, knowing I'd soon have to beco friendly with them. One was an older woman, while the man working the console looked fresh-faced and a little uneasy. They both wore the familiar Foundation uniforms. The man was new, so this was going to get awkward.

As I approached the kiosk at last, I handed him my ID and began to speak "Just to let you know-"

He interrupted "Busy day, ma'am, just walk through the scanner." Well, he was efficient, I could give him that. I looked up to the older woman and she motioned forward, so I shrugged and did as I was told, knowing what ca next.

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A shrill, repetitive beeping noise began to sound from the man's console as I took my step through the human-sized scanner block. Looking back, I crossed my arms and waited for the inevitable as both of them looked down at the console, then back to . I held out my dical card impatiently, waiting for them to pull aside to the security station.

They called in another older guy to take their place montarily while they pulled into their office, and I complied, knowing this would go faster if I just cooperated. "Arthausen?" was all the older woman asked when the door closed behind us.

At least she was already familiar with the procedure. I smiled and nodded, handing my dical card to her for examination.

The man had seed on edge before, but he only beca confused at the exchange "You scanned with the psionic resonance of a ship core. What's Arthausen?"

The woman spoke up again as she entered my card into her console "Arthausen Syndro. It's rare, but it won't be the last ti you see it. Just a minor genetic defect that makes older bio scanners pick up psionics." she explained, clacking away at the keys.

The man looked astonished "Huh... must be hard to travel, getting mistaken for a spaceship part." he joked "But it's pretty obvious you're human anyway."

"Right?" I laughed "I hate going off-world. I still don't understand why I have to get my records checked every ti."

"Just protocol." the older guard said, tapping the man on the shoulder to get his attention on her screen, seeing a training mont for the newbie "See? You just need to make sure they've got this stamp on their record when this happens, that's all. Shouldn't see it more than once every few months, it's not common."

The man nodded "Well, alright, just continue on through to luggage, okay?" he smiled, handing my ID back.

The rest of my trip through security was uneventful as always. My bags only had clothes and fairly standard computer terminals in them, and before I knew it, I was standing at my gate, rcifully early enough to still see the ship's previous passengers still filing out. It wasn't very long at all before I was moving on board the passenger ferry and taking my own seat, leaning back and sighing to enjoy the comfortable cushioned business-class seat. My exhaustion caught up to and it wasn't a few more monts before I shut my eyes and once more felt sleep take away.