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"The Core," Doc grumbled with obvious dislike. He took a deep sigh and continued, "I've never refused services to anyone. Affiliation, friend, foe or whatever side of the line one walks doesn't concern me but.......the Core." Rather than bore him in the room, he had him get to his feet and began a walk to the secret lab. There would be plenty of time to talk along the way. Doc walked with his hands behind his back, sometimes putting them in his pocket only to put them behind his back.
"Last year I buried two very good people of my medical staff because of the Core," he explained, "when they attacked Freeport 11, they were murdered and several others of my staff were badly hurt. Still, I have staff on the Freeport who think nothing of themselves and only of their duty. Getting them supplies is tough but they have one standing order and that's no services to Core personnel." He then chuckled, "They stopped me outside the base just last week and threatened me. I told them to do it if they thought it would fix whatever problem they were having." Doc then grinned, "They never fired a shot. I guess there's no honor in blowing up a freighter full of pilgrims."
He listened as Golanski spoke of nomad and human tech being mixed. He listened carefully and nodded his agreement. He then told him a story as they walked. "My first encounter with a Nomad is one I won't soon forget. I was in Omicron Alpha when I met.....it. This overwhelming power hit me. My head hurt but then, all was calm. It was curious as it went around my ship. I sat still and didn't show aggression. Eventually, it wandered off. It was sometime after that that I had another encounter. Peaceful at first. It was probing my mind so I lay calm and didn't resist and had no idea what to expect. The emotions I felt went like dealing with a schizophrenic. Images of a time past, of joy and then great anger then.....sorrow. It was as if something wanted me to know what the Nomads were going through due to humanity."
He then sighed and softly said, "it was after that that I wanted to know more about them so I got samples of remains. I wouldn't mind a live one but I don't think we could handle that here."
He looked to Golanski, "You can be assured, Admiral, that I have no intent of mixing what little I have with humans or creating weapons from them. I seek knowledge. For me, it's science."
He then asked him, "Some time ago, you had a man who simply went by "The Doctor." He was my first contact about Nomads. He is also the one that prompted me to start studying them. I take it you know of him?"