STAR BLAZERS: A VOYAGE TO REMEMBER

A fanfic recapitulation of Series One “The Quest for Iscandar” by

Frederick P. Kopetz

EPISODE EIGHTEEN: WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR…

(Big Thanks to “DTill359”)

----------------------------------------------

NOVEMBER 30, 2199

------------------------------------------------

It happened to be mid-day on the Argo.

Nova had eaten an early lunch, talked to Derek, Mark, and Conroy a little, and then she had vanished.

Derek decided to look for her because they had left so much unsaid yesterday.

The Argo had warped again that morning, and she was now approaching Orion. The red star of Betelgeuse, to be specific.

“Nova, what are you doing?” Derek said when he found her on the aft observation deck.

“I’m making a wish on one of the stars of Orion’s belt. The red one; Betelgeuse. Ancient people always made wishes on it,” Nova said. “The Wishing Star of Orion-it was so far away but it seems so near now. What a romantic notion. I wonder if it really has the power to grant wishes?”

Derek practically snorted. “REALLY? You’re wishing on a far-away hunk of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen? It’s very unscientific, Nova. You should know better. We’ve always called you “Miss Science”. But, okay. What did you wish for?”

Nova smiled coquettishly at Derek and she said, “It’s a secret.”

“Did you wish for the success of the mission?”

“Wrong,” Nova said.

“The future of mankind?” Derek said.

“You’re still wrong, you big silly,” Nova teased.

“Then, what the heck did you wish for?”

She giggled. “Well…it’s….”

Then, the Argo shook hard under their boots. They almost fell on their butts.

“Rain check on that wishing thing?” Derek said as he helped Nova up.

“Yeah…rain check,” Nova responded. She grabbed his hand a little longer than necessary, thinking to herself, My God, he smells nice.

When they ran off to the First Bridge, Nova was blushing.

Venture ran onto the bridge first, followed by Derek and Nova.

“What’s going on?” Mark said.

“Wish I knew,” snapped Wildstar.

“Orion, what’s wrong? Our speed is down twenty percent!” Venture barked.

“There’s nothing wrong with the engine…but ye’re right…we are losing speed!” Orion said.

“Where’s the Captain?” Derek asked.

“Beats me,” said Eager as Nova took her post.

“I’m scanning the region now,” she said. “Oh, my God! Space net!” she said, all business now.

“Space net?” Derek said.

“It’s a powerful electromagnetic energy net, stretched out around Betelgeuse and the other nearby small Orion stars,” Nova said. “That shock we felt a minute ago was because the Argo is caught in that space net! If we don’t get out of it, we’ll come to a complete stop in three minutes! I’m using electronic counter-measures on it now, to break its hold on us! NO! Nothing’s working!”

“We’re in big trouble,” Derek said. “We’d better tell the Captain! He should be down on that chair of his any second. He told us to report to him right away if anything strange happens.” Derek called the Captain’s Cabin. “Captain! Captain Avatar! Respond, please!”

Captain Avatar didn’t respond. He had collapsed on the deck, in agony in his own cabin. He was groaning with exertion as he tried to get up.

On the First Bridge, Eager yelled out, “Unidentified objects approaching! There’s about fifty of them, distance, 10,000 kilometers, approaching in a group at 2.02 space knots per second! Brace for impact!”

Then, the Captain’s seat came down. Avatar yelled, “What do you mean, unidentified objects, Eager? Thought you were more competent than that! Identify them immediately!!”

“Yessir,” said Eager, ignoring the Captain’s heavy cough. “They’re missiles, coming straight at us!”

“Full astern, Venture!” Avatar barked as he hid his bloody handkerchief. “MISS Forrester, why are we trapped? You doing your job right?”

Something’s wrong, Nova thought. He’s usually not so rude. “Sir, we’re caught in an electromagnetic net! I’ve been scanning it for a few minutes. I tried every electronic counter-measure I know, but nothing worked, sir.”

“Sir, she did her best,” said Sandor, coming to Nova’s defense.

“You find some way out, Sandor!” grunted Avatar.

“Reverse engines, full astern!” Venture yelled.

“Full astern!” repeated Orion.

The Argo tried to move, but it was difficult, since it was caught in the space net.

“What’s wrong?” yelled Venture. “We’re not even moving!”

“Stop complainin’!” said Orion. “I’m doin’ the best I can!”

“Trying Electronic Counter-Measures again on that Net!” snapped Nova as she flicked switches. “No good!”

Avatar coughed again.

“Sir, are you all right?” Nova said.

“Tend to your job, and I’ll tend to mine!” Avatar snapped. This cursed pain, he thought, holding his side.

“Three…two…one…here come the missiles!” said Eager.

The Argo slowly turned.

The missiles just missed the ship.

“Orion, get us moving faster!” said Venture.

“Second wave of missiles, coming in fast!” said Eager.

“Evade!” snapped Avatar.

“Trying, but the helm is sluggish!” said Venture. “Orion, we need more power! Do you call this full power?!?”

Orion said, “We’re all working our tails off down here! If you can do it any better, you get down here yourself!”

“YOU IDIOT!” yelled Venture.

Wildstar had his hand on a control. “Captain! Request permission to fire the counter-attack missiles! Captain! We have to do it now!”

Avatar just sat silent.

“Captain! We have no time to waste! The ship is in danger!” Derek yelled.

Still no response from Avatar, who was groaning.

Finally, knowing he had to act or they would be dead, Derek Wildstar fired the missiles himself without any order.

The counter-attack missiles went off, just in time, just barely saving the Argo, which was still caught in the space net.

The attacks stopped.

There was silence.

Avatar coughed and said, “Venture, Wildstar, Forrester, come see me ASAP in my cabin. All three of you are in big trouble! Sandor, you have the conn. Get Orion to meet us up there.”

“Yessir,” said Sandor.

Avatar’s chair went back up into his cabin.

Derek, Mark, and Nova all looked apprehensively at each other.

“We’re all dead,” said Mark as he shook his head.

“No gold stars for us today,” Nova sighed.

“Wonder what he’ll do to us?” Derek said.

“I wonder how uncomfortable the bunks are in the brig, Wildstar?” said Venture.

“Very uncomfortable,” Nova sighed. “The food is no good, either. We’d get leftovers.”

“We’re screwed,” Wildstar sighed. “We Three Musketeers are screwed.”

“Yeah,” Mark said sadly as he put an arm around Nova, who looked very depressed.

-----------------------------------------------------

“You three kids are all lacking discipline!” Captain Avatar said as he coughed and yelled at Derek, Nova, and Mark while Orion stood there watching. “Nova! You should have had Electronic Counter Measures running as soon as you spotted that space net!”

“Sir, I did,” Nova said. “Check the log. I reacted as soon as I ascertained the measure of the net! And I tried twice!”

“I’ll get to you and your punishment later, young lady,” Avatar growled. “As for you, Mister Venture, you will forfeit one weeks’ pay and allowances! Now look at Mister Orion! If you are going to be an officer in this command, you need iron discipline! You don’t go around calling your co-workers idiots! Especially those senior to you, Lieutenant! Apologize now to Commander Orion!”

Venture bowed to Orion and said, “Sir, I apologize.”
“That’s fine; we all lost our tempers, lad.” Orion said. “Let’s go get some space java and then we’ll figure a way out of this space net.”

Orion and Venture left, leaving only Derek and Nova there. “Wildstar! Who gave you the order to fire the counter-attack missiles? Tell me that!” Avatar barked.

“Sir, it was an emergency. Something had to be done,” Derek said.

“I’m not talking about that. I’m also talking about discipline! You acted without orders!”

“Sir, I gave the order because you were too sick to do it yourself!” Wildstar snapped.

“That’s enough!” yelled Avatar as he slapped Wildstar hard across the face; and then fell down, clutching his side.

“Captain!” he said.

Nova ran to his side. “Sir, let me help you up…”

“Both of you…leave me alone,” said Avatar. “Loss of two weeks’ pay and allowances for you, Wildstar, loss of one week’s pay and allowances for you, Nova, because you were slow with the ECM’s…” he grunted.

Nova gritted her teeth at the penalty and said, “Sir, I’m calling Doctor Sane. You obviously need help! Derek, lower his bunk, please.”

“I don’t need any help from you two kids,” Avatar grunted as Wildstar lowered his bunk. “Both of you…get out of here!”

Nova looked hard at Avatar. “Sir, please give me more punishment or even time in the brig if you must, but you need to be lying down, Captain! Derek, please help me with him…now. He’s heavy…”

Derek nodded and assisted Nova in getting the protesting Captain up off the deck and into bed.

Avatar lay in bed, clutching his side as the compartment spun about him.

I hate this, he thought. How can I do my job if I’m like this? But I have to. These kids need a surrogate father!

Derek grabbed Nova’s hand, and they bowed their heads in silent prayer. Avatar smiled a little. At least Nova’s teaching that angry young man to do something right…they belong together…unlike that Natalie Fisher and Robert Turner I yelled at this morning. How could they have gotten themselves into their current situation? Getting her pregnant? We just have to live with it…that’s all.

---------------------------------------------------------

On Gamilon, Leader Desslok and his staff watched the Argo’s current fix on a large video screen as his staff applauded.

“Leader Desslok,” General Krypt said. “The automatic missiles missed them, but the Star Force is still caught in the brilliant space net we devised.”

“Yes? Just wait until they see my next move,” Desslok said with a smug grin.

He snapped his fingers and a chalice that appeared to be filled with a strange black gas appeared.

Almost theatrically, he dumped out the gas on the deck.

The gas cloud expanded, with energy sparks blasting through it.

Desslok fired his sidearm at the cloud, and then threw his sidearm into it.

It consumed his weapon with an explosion as his staff watched in awe and fear.

“What you have just seen, gentlemen, is an Ecto-Gas which consumes energy and feeds on matter. I intend to use this new weapon to destroy the Argo once and for all; or, to drive it into the Sea of Fire that is Betelgeuse, as the Terrons call it. I would say it is an excellent plan; wouldn’t you agree, General Krypt?”

“Yessir. It is a wonderful plan; the perfect plan,” said Krypt as he saluted.

“Thank you. The gas was just a simple invention of mine from playing about in my laboratory. It is wonderful to know that my personal experimentation can be put to effective use. Soon, the Argo shall feel the full might of our Empire…and my own genius and wrath! I believe the time has come…so that I can send General Lysis on other, more pressing assignments,” Desslok said with a wicked smile.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Before long, Doctor Sane, Nova, and a chubby female medic known as Warrant Officer Kazuko Shinama were working on Captain Avatar, who lay on his bunk moaning as Nova and Kazuko cleaned and dressed his wound, which was actually getting bigger. Doctor Sane watched with concern.

“I need more antibiotic from your medkit, Doctor. It’s getting septic,” Nova said in a low voice as she worked with latex gloves on. She motioned Sane to a far corner. “It smells horrid. The malignancy is spreading.”

Sane nodded, opening the box. “How bad is he emotionally?” Sane whispered in Nova’s ear as he handed her a wrapped syringe.

“Very bad,” Nova whispered back as she prepped the syringe. “He was unable to give an order to fire counter-attack missiles before. Derek did it himself. Some tempers flared, and he’s put Derek, Mark, and myself in the doghouse. We all stood Captain’s Mast right before he collapsed. Granted, we all messed up in some fashion, but…”

“Is he getting irrational again?” Sane whispered to Nova.

She just nodded.

“Give him the painkiller, too,” Sane said.

“Shinama, prep the painkiller,” Nova said as she walked back.

The medic nodded. Derek watched as Avatar grimaced while Nova gave him two injections and then she and Shinama wrapped his wound.

“I’ve dressed his wound, Doctor,” Nova said.

“How sick is he?” Derek asked as Nova walked to his side.

“Bad,” Avatar said as Nova removed a pair of latex gloves.

“Sake’, Kazuko,” Sane barked. “NOW!”

“Yessir,” she said. She poured Sane some sake’ in an earthenware cup.

Nova and Shinama helped Avatar dress, and then, Sane said, “Miss Shinama, dismissed. Derek, Nova, walk him back to the bridge.”

“Yessir,” they said.

As Derek and Nova began to walk Avatar out, Sane said, “I’m sorry, but I have to see you alone for a moment, Captain. Derek, Nova, you’d better get back to your posts.”

They nodded.

When they were outside, Derek asked, “Nova, how sick is he?”

“Medical ethics prohibit me from giving the full details, but you can see he’s not well,” she said as she walked down the steep stairwell to the Bridge elevator. “The man needs our prayers.”

“It’s that bad?” Derek said as he pushed the elevator button.

“Yes, it’s that bad,” Nova sighed as the lift stopped at the Bridge deck and they entered the Bridge.

“I don’t think it’s fair he docked you, Nova,” Derek said in a low voice. “Me, I can see…but…you…”

“He’s right…I should have been a second or two more on the ball with the electronic counter-measures,” Nova sighed. “And it’s not like I can stop at Macy’s and buy a new dress, boots, and heels anyway, way out here,” she said with an ironic smile.

“Did he give it to you guys bad?” Mark said as Derek sat down.

“Does this hand-mark on my face answer your question?” Derek snapped.

“I’ll sneak you some ointment later in Sickbay, Derek,” Nova said as she squeezed his hand. “And we’re still stuck in that space net. I’m so thrilled.”

“Wonder what the Gamilons are gonna do next?” said Eager.

“It won’t be good; that’s for sure,” said Sandor from the Command station.

--------------------------------------------------

In the meantime, in Captain Avatar’s quarters, Sane took a sip of sake’ and then slammed down the cup with a great deal of anger.

“The discussion before was on how sick you were,” snapped Sane. “It isn’t just my opinion, but it was Doctor Carroway’s opinion before she was killed, and it’s Nova’s opinion, too. It’s not just that old wound that’s bothering you, and I think you know that yourself!”

Sane stared hard at Avatar. “Before we left Earth, I did a full spectrum of blood work on you. Even then, it was pretty damn obvious that you had radiation-induced cancer, and it’s spreading and getting much worse…like wildfire! It’s metastasized to your lymph nodes and now into your left lung, too. That’s why you’re coughing up blood. You’re a man with several Stage IV cancers, Captain, and your condition, I stress, is getting much worse! I’m going to need to put you in Sickbay soon, like Nova did a few weeks ago, because, to be totally blunt, your life expectancy is down to months! You’re a dying man, Captain!”

“I have to go on!” said Avatar. “I alone am responsible for the operation of this ship-and this mission!”

“Really? You were so sick before that you couldn’t give the necessary orders to fire the counter-attack missiles! Wildstar had to risk mutiny charges to save the ship, and the disease and the pain are clouding your thought processes and emotions! Nova told me that a few weeks ago, you threatened to kill her when I was suspended and she was about to declare you unfit for command to get you treatment!”

“She was going too far, Doctor. She’s just twenty-one.”

“And, guess what? She was doing her job, Captain, and I supported her actions! You have to get yourself to Sickbay for more work! If your condition gets any worse, you will be totally unable to discharge your duties as Captain! Get yourself some help ASAP, Captain, and think about the future of this mission. Do it now! Before it’s too late!”

---------------------------------------------------

A while later, Sandor observed a cloud of energy approaching the ship from an aft scientific observation post in the bridge tower.

“Captain! A strange cloud of gas is approaching us!”

The bridge crew was in a briefing to try to figure a way out of the space net, and video of the gas cloud appeared on the screen.

Then, Sandor reported over the 1MC. “Captain! The gas has just dissolved our port side catapult!”

Avatar staggered over to a phone in the bulkhead and called a red alert.

Crew members ran to their stations.

“Full power on the engines!” said Venture from his post. “We have to get away from that gas cloud!”

The Argo strained against the space net as Nova worked at her post. “I found an opening in the space net at ten o’clock. We can get out of the net there!”

“Great, let’s roll!” Derek said.

“But that will take us straight towards Betelgeuse’s outer atmosphere!” Venture said. “We’re heading straight towards the Sea of Fire!”

“It’s a trap, and we’re falling right into it!” Wildstar snapped.

Avatar sat quietly again, and seemed to be nodding off. Then, he said, “Full speed ahead!”

“Captain, that will take us right into the Sea of Fire!” said Sandor. “The whole ship will melt!”

“Steady as she goes, Venture,” said Avatar.

The Argo thus made her way straight towards Betelgeuse, the Red Star of Death.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Gamilon, Desslok was very pleased.

“So, Avatar has made a suicidal choice, flying straight into the Sea of Fire of that star? Suicide. Probably an honorable choice and the best one the poor man had. The Argo is finished and we can carry out our plans for occupying Terra with no more foolish resistance from that primitive battleship. It’s only a matter of time now.”

“It’s going just as you planned, Leader Desslok,” said Krypt. “I will report to you when the Argo is consumed by the solar prominences of that great red star.”

“There is no need to bother me with such trivial matters as the Argo’s last moments, Krypt. I will then have no time to consider my other campaigns, and the conquest of other worlds and the glory of the Empire. I may even want to chat with Queen Starsha. It would be nice to see if she gave any help to those Terrons so I can straighten her out and shake her of any delusions she has about her so-called innate goodness. She’s just as desperate to live as we are,” Desslok said as he walked out with his generals chanting his name.

On the Argo, Avatar said, “Pull down the protective shield over the entire hull!”

Metal shields went down and closed off all of the viewports.

The Argo drew closer to the surface of the Red Star of Betelgeuse.

It began to grow perceptively hotter inside the space battleship.

“Venture, maintain course towards that Sea of Fire,” said Avatar.

“Yessir,” he said. He wiped away some sweat. “The temperature is rising, Captain. Internal temperature approaching one hundred ten degrees Fahrenheit,” he said.

“We’re approaching a zone of turbulence on the star’s outer atmosphere and we may be drawing close to several solar prominences,” said Eager.

“Plot its position,” said Venture.

“Roger that,” said Eager.

“Internal temperature now at one hundred and twenty-five,” Nova said as her hair was soaked with sweat, along with her uniform. Since everyone else was in the same condition, there was no need to be self-conscious.

“Captain, I think we should order all hands into spacesuits,” said Sandor. “Those will enable us to withstand eight hundred degrees of heat.”

“Do it,” gasped Avatar, before he passed out.

Nova saw his condition, gasped and said, “I have to attend to the Captain!” She got on the intercom to Sickbay. “Doctor Sane! The Captain has passed out! Come to the bridge! Quick!”

Sane ran along, accompanied by Miss Shinama, who was already in space gear.

“Doctor, you have to put on a space suit!” she said, carrying his.

“You idiot! I can’t wear a space suit when I’m examining a sick man!” yelled Sane.

“Doctor, you’ll really need it!” said Shinama. “Doctor!”

Sane grumbled and put on his space suit.

A moment later, he came onto the bridge, screaming, “STOP THE SHIP! Stop the ship now! What are you trying to do, kill the Captain?” he yelled.

“Don’t stop the ship, Venture,” Avatar said as he regained consciousness. “Thank you, Nova. That old wound…and my other minor problems…they were bothering me for a bit,” he said. “I must be getting old, letting this old wound bother me so much. Nova, get into space gear. You look like you’re about to keel over next!”

“Yessir,” she said as she ran to her post to begin pulling on her own spacesuit, which was folded in a locker at her radar. Sandor was pulling on his spacesuit as she worked, and so was Derek.

“Well, let me check your pulse,” said Sane. He checked it. “It’s slowing down…but you have to be careful. You must be very, very careful, Captain. Or, you’ll end up, right in the hospital in Sickbay.”

“I know that, Doctor,” he said with a smile as Sane began to help him into his space gear.

“Thank God things are looking up somewhat,” said Derek as he sealed his space helmet.

“That gas cloud is still coming,” Nova said as she glanced at her radar before she snapped her own helmet shut. “Direction, 180 due astern.”

“Get over here and help me with the Captain, Nova!” yelled Sane.

Nova ran off to comply while Eager said, “I wonder what’s going to happen when that prominence behind us hits the gas?”

The gas hit the prominence…

…and the prominence consumed it.

“Look, it’s dissolving the gas!” laughed Derek. “The Captain’s smart! He must have known that all the time!”

“Giant prominence dead ahead!” yelled Eager.

“Can we avoid it?” Wildstar asked.

“Afraid not…we’re going too fast…we’ll get sucked right into it!” Venture said.

“WE’RE FINISHED!” Homer yelled.

“Not yet,” snapped Avatar. “Wildstar, shoot at the prominence with the wave motion gun!”

“What was that?” Derek said.

“Repeat the order!” Avatar snapped as he sat at his post, stalwart, even though a worried Doctor Sane and Nova were holding him up.

“Yessir!” Wildstar said. “Shoot the prominence with the wave motion gun!”

He ordered the firing sequence to begin.

The prominence showed up in the target scope.

“Straight ahead, at the 500K area, Derek,” said Mark.

“Leave that to me,” said Wildstar as the wave gun began to charge up.

“It’s growing larger! We’re running out of time!” said Eager.

“Situations like this really make me sweat,” said Dash.

“Would you quit it?” said Homer.

Finally, Wildstar fired the wave motion gun.

The wave gun’s power was more than enough to part the prominence like Moses parting the Red Sea as the instrument of the Lord.

The Argo safely cleared the prominence, and she began to again gain speed and began to blast away from Betelgeuse, free of Desslok’s space net, free of his Ecto-Gas, free of the Gamilon missiles, and free from her brush with incineration in Betelgeuse.

Soon, she was past the star, and serenely on her way to her next warp point, with only a slight delay.

Desslok’s great plan was defeated.

------------------------------------------------

LATER, ON GAMILON….

Leader Desslok lay in bed in his room in black pajamas.

Queen Starsha had refused his call.

Again.

I am not happy with you, Queen Starsha, he thought. Why are you ignoring me? And where is that Terron prisoner Iroze promised me?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

At this point, totally unknown to Leader Desslok, Alex Wildstar was no longer a prisoner of the Gamilons.

The ship transporting him to Gamilon had hit a space storm between Gamilon and Iscandar.

It had gone down in the sea on Iscandar, and one occupant of the ship had been swept onto Iscandar’s main continent by the tides.

After raving for about a week in a near-fatal fever, Alex Wildstar woke up…in a bed that was definitely not in his brig cell on the Gamilon destroyer.

“Where am I?” he mumbled.

Then, he beheld a beautiful woman with strawberry-blond hair in a blue gown. “You are safe from the Gamilons, Captain Alex Wildstar. I have rescued you from a terrible fate. You would have died. You were ranting in your dark dreams about horrid tortures that the Gamilons have been putting you through. But you need have no fears. You are safe here.”

“Is this some trick?” Alex whispered. “Are you Iroze? You look almost like her!”

The woman laughed softly. Her voice sounded angelic, like a bell. “Iroze was one of us, but she left us long ago and became evil,” said the woman, whom Alex noticed was in a royal-blue gown and white boots. “And you are not on Gamilon. I am Queen Starsha; of the planet Iscandar. You are from Earth. You shall remain with me until you are well.”

“Then…what will you do?”

“A ship from Earth, which I have aided, is on her way to me even now. I have an answer to the Gamilon Leader Desslok’s evil; a large machine which can restore your Earth. This ship was known as the Yamato. She is now known as the Argo. Your former commander; Captain Abraham Avatar, is leading a young crew here, through many dangers.”

“What about that witch Iroze?” hissed Alex.

“I have much in the way of what you call foresight,” said Queen Starsha. “Iroze is doomed. A great heroine from Earth whose name shall someday shake the heavens will slay her like the beast she is. Desslok, the Leader of the Gamilons, asks me to report to him. I will not, because of what you have told me about Iroze and her tortures.”

“Why do you have to report to the Gamilon Leader, Queen Starsha?”

“Because Gamilon is next to us; our twin planet,” said Starsha sadly. “When you are well enough, you can see that terrible place in the sky. But they revere us. You are safe from the Gamilons here. You need not be concerned, Alex,” Starsha said as she laid a hand on his brow. “You are still feverish. Rest. And think of your Earth. The way it once was. Green and cool. It will be that way again, by the Grace of God.”

Alex was growing sleepy. “Queen Starsha, I think I believe you.”

“It is wise you do,” she said gently. “Because I intend no harm to you whatsoever. Rest.”

Alex smiled and began to fall asleep.

-------------------------------------------------

Desslok was interrupted in his reverie by Krypt.

“Sir, I am sorry to disturb your rest, but I have important news. It concerns the Star Force.”

“Krypt. Are you a fool? Didn’t I tell you not to trouble me with news about that annoying roach of a ship?” Desslok snapped.

“Well…I thought you would find this important, my Lord. They got through. They survived and have already warped past the Orion region. They escaped by way of a brilliant strategy of Captain Avatar’s. He flew close to the star and its temperature and turbulence destroyed your gas. Then, they used the wave motion gun to escape a huge solar prominence and blasted away. Shall I send out interceptor vessels?”

Desslok gritted his teeth. “NO. Send them congratulations again!”

“Sir?”

“Never mind, Krypt. We’ll have to send Lysis after them after all, as I planned. Do not concern yourself with that ship now. Leave me to my thoughts!”

“Yessir,” said Krypt.

Desslok shut his eyes and lay back in deep thought after Krypt left. How could they have escaped my plan? It was a perfect trap…he thought. And why is my love Starsha ignoring my calls? What has angered her so?

-----------------------------------------------------

The Argo had just completed her warp.

It was now past dinner.

Derek went looking for Nova again.

He found her.

Back on the aft observation deck.

Nova was showered, in a clean uniform.

She was looking dreamily out into space.

Derek, also clean, looked at her and said, “Now what are you thinking about? You surely can’t still be wishing on Betelgeuse after what that star put us through today, can you?”

“No,” she said. “But I believe in the power of my wishes; they’ll find a good star to fly to, and by God’s Grace, they will indeed come true.”

“You sure are a stubborn young lady,” Derek teased. “What are you wishing for this time?”
“You really want to know?” Nova said.

“Yes.”

“All right; I’ll tell you, Derek Wildstar.” She looked hard at him and smiled. “I’m wishing for a certain young and handsome man to fall in love with me. He’s a very dear friend.”

“Oh, you’re wishing for someone to fall in love with you…is that it?” Derek said.

Nova nodded as she began to leave.

“Hey, who can that lucky guy be?” Derek said.

Nova laughed. “That’s the secret!”

Then, she ran off.

“Hey, Nova! Wait! Am I the suspect?” he yelled as he ran after her.

“You figure it out,” she giggled.

And, so it went on the Argo.

But they had to hurry.

As of this day…Earth had exactly 308 days left.

------------------------------------

TO BE CONTINUED…