Dance With Me

Part Seven

Story and Art by Angie Dargo

Chapter One

Elaine looked at herself in the mirror of the shower room. “You can do this, you are better than this!” she said out loud to herself. She stood up and unzipped her blue and white EDF uniform and pulled it off. Sighing, she kicked it off to one side and unfolded the new red and white uniform. She could hear her teeth grinding inside her head. “You can do this, you will do this!” she said through gritted teeth as she pulled the new stretchy material over her legs and hips, then slid her arms into the front of the uniform.

She zipped up the top of the new uniform and looked at herself again in the mirror. She pulled her hair out from the collar and choked back tears. How could she do this?

The sliding doors whizzed open and Sandor walked in. Elaine sighed heavily as he walked over to her.

“You’re in the ladies side of the shower room,” she said barely looking at him as she put her gun belt back on.

“So? I don’t see no ladies in here,” Sandor said and smiled at her.

“Gee thanks, honey.”

“Are you going to be okay?” he asked.

“I guess I’m going to have to be okay,” said Elaine. She plucked her glasses off her face and rubbed her eyes. She looked back up at him and blurted out in a fiery tone, “I just don’t see why they went right over me and chose a cadet…a cadet of all people to run my gunnery units! I mean come on!” Elaine grabbed her boots off the floor and slid them on her legs with such ferocity that Sandor wondered if she had any skin left on her calves.

“Well,” said Sandor, “The EDF has been training him for weeks on our specialized weaponry and he has an excellent academic record and…”

“And he just stole a plane to go out and chase a Gamilon bomber! He’s young, hot-headed, and has no experience! Just because he happens to be Alex’s younger brother doesn’t mean you have to take up for this kid!” Elaine snapped.

“Now wait a minute. This kid is the same age as your best friend. This kid at least had the guts and ambition to try and take down that Gamilon bomber; we still don’t even know what the son’s-of-bitches look like, and this kid doesn’t even know he is Yamato’s new combat leader yet! It’s not like this kid went out and mowed you down for the job you wanted Elaine! Captain Avatar told you he wants you manning the main shock cannons. Those are your babies! And you designed the gun turret rotation! If that goes wrong up on the first bridge, you can override it from where you’re stationed! Elaine, nobody doubts your ability. Just be glad you’ve been called to come along for the ride. We get to be together, what else do we need?” Sandor grabbed her shoulders and bent down to look in her eyes.

She squinted her eyes at him, crossed her arms over her chest, and gave him a little angry smirk, “Oh whatever! Let’s just see what this little hot-shot can do. But I’m not gonna save his ass every time he gets a turret pointed the wrong direction. I’m not his baby sitter!”

“Hey that sounds like fun! Let’s play naughty babysitter tonight!” he said with a grin on his face. She smiled up at him. He knew that’s all it would take to have his Elaine back.

“Okay! As long as I get to do to you what my babysitter used to do to me,” she said smiling back.

“Alright! What was that? Spank you? Put you in the tub for bath time? Make you wear itchy ‘jammies?”

“What the hell kind of babysitters did you have?” she asked as she cocked her head back. “No, my babysitter would call her boyfriend so they could make out on our couch all night before my parents came home and caught her.”

“Now wait. If you’re playing that you’re babysitting me, then I can’t be the ‘boyfriend’ can I?” said Sandor, finally catching on.

“Nope,” said Elaine as she started walking toward the door. “So, I’ll have to call someone else. I wonder what “Hot-shot” is doing tonight?”

“Oh Elaine,” said Sandor watching her walk away. “Now that just wasn’t nice.”

Chapter Two

Cadets Mark Venture and Derek Wildstar stood on the outside of the air car that would take them to where ever it was they were supposed to go. No one was inside front of the air car. It was set on autopilot and this worried them more than getting the actual call to report to the air car. Where was it going?

“I think you really screwed up this time and you’re taking me down with you,” said Mark.

“For what, chasing a Gamilon bomber?” asked Derek with a shrug.

“No, for stealing an EDF plane and chasing a Gamilon bomber,” Mark practically yelled at him.

“Well, you were in the plane with me so why shouldn’t I take you down with me?” said Derek.

IQ-9 came rolling out of the hospital to the air car and the cadets watched the robot disassemble itself and load itself into the car.

“Are you supposed to be going with us?” asked Mark.

“I AM A GENIUS ROBOT. I AM DESTINED FOR BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS THAN BEING A ROBOT IN A HOSPITAL. YOU CAN “TAKE ME DOWN” WITH YOU ALSO, DEREK WILDSTAR.”

“Uh, I don’t think so,” said Derek. “Get out.”

“Yeah, you’re too big and too annoying. You’ve got your job to do and we’ve got ours,” said Mark.

A computerized voice from the front of the air car surprised the cadets. “Please be seated.”

The air car lifted up off the ground and started to enter the gravitational tube that it was aimed toward.

The robot settled itself into the back seat of the air car. “BETTER GET IN GENTLEMEN, WE ARE TAKING OFF.”

Mark and Derek barely had time to throw themselves into the air car when the blast off heaved them backwards. Mark was still on his face and Derek thankfully was at least partially on his rear-end when the safety restraints pulled forward. Derek laughed and helped Mark up and into a sitting position.

“I think I’m gonna get sick, this thing is going too damn fast!” said Mark as he clutched the side of the air car.

“Not to mention, you were just sitting on your face a minute ago!” howled Derek.

“Oh, shut up!” said Mark.

“I’ve got a little something here for motion sick(hic)ness if you want (hic) some,” said a voice in the back of the air car.

“Please let that be the robot talking,” said Mark putting his hand over his face.

Both men turned around slowly. They looked at IQ-9. The robot swiveled it’s “head” to the back hatch of the air car.

All they could see was the bottom of a bottle bouncing in the air.

“Oh come on! What now?! Who the hell is back there?” yelled Derek as he turned around as much as he could in the safety restraint.

“Just (hic) me!” said a little man sticking his eyes, nose, and bald pate up over the back seat. “I’m Dr. Sane. I (hic) think I was supwhished (hic) I mean I was (hic) supposed to be in my nurse’s air (hic) car!”

Derek and Mark looked at each other, and then back at Dr. Sane and back at each other again.

“But doc, we don’t even know where we’re going!” said Derek.

“Most people don’t,” said Dr. Sane as he lay back down.

“Why does this shit always happen to us?” yelled Mark. He looked as if he could hyperventilate at any minute. Derek just shrugged.

The air car came to a stop and the computerized voice told the cadets to “Please board People Mover B to Elevator 4.”

When Derek and Mark got out, IQ-9 disembarked and began to reassemble himself and Dr. Sane got out with them. They looked over their heads at the enormity of the space at which they where in. They had never been in such an open and immense space in any of the underground cities or living areas.

Mark pointed up to the “sky” like a child looking at Santa Claus. “What is that?” he asked with awe in his voice. They could see the bright red bottom of a battleship. Derek recognized it as the battleship where he and Mark had crashed landed next to when trying to shoot down the Gamilon bomber. “That’s the Yamato!”

IQ-9 filled them in on the history of the famous Yamato as they got onto the people mover and walked towards the elevator. A marine stood guard on the outside of each of 12 elevators. The cadets approached elevator 4 and the huge marine standing guard cautiously, but Dr. Sane staggered forward unafraid.

“Hello, Malcolm (hic). How’s your wife?” asked the doctor.

“Oh hey doc!” said the marine dropping his stern look once he recognized the little man. “She’s doing pretty well, and thanks for the recommendation on Dr. Pierce. That therapist is doing her some real good! Say, where are you guys going?”

“Uh, we’re supposed to board elevator 4,”said Mark. The marine looked impressed and asked to see their credentials. Mark and Derek showed the marine their badges and the marine instantly saluted them.

What was this all about?

“I’ve been waiting for you. You are to report to level 10. I hope you have a safe mission!” said the marine.

Derek and Mark saluted the marine named Malcolm and said, “Thank you,” in unison. They were allowed on elevator 4 with IQ-9 and Dr. Sane. Derek pushed the only button in the elevator. “I guess this is it,” he said and the car rose.

Chapter Three

Nova checked Captain Avatar’s dressing carefully. They were standing on the main bridge of the Yamato and the Captain was admiring the work that had gone on in his absence on Pluto. She carefully redressed the wound, and looked at him with as stern a look as she could muster.

“You’ve got to rest when you can, Captain. This wound will not heal without proper rest and the radiation in your system will just aggravate the situation,” said Nova as she helped him back into his shirt.

“Yes, mother,” said the Captain winking at her. “Now look Lieutenant, I’ve got to play tough in a minute with all our other recruits so…don’t act like you care about me or anything.”

“Don’t worry about that,” said Nova as she tossed her hair and put her nose in the air.

The Captain chuckled and Nova went out the bridge doors to return the medical tray to sick bay. He really had found quite a gem in that one. His son would have liked her so much.

Lieutenant Sandor came in a moment later and approached him. “Captain, I just wanted to let you know that all systems are now on-line and our weapons have all been checked and are ready.”

“So,” said the Captain, “How did Lieutenant Hayden take the news that she would not be combat leader as she requested?”

“She was very professional, sir. She stated that she would be of service anywhere you wanted her.” Sandor made very sure to avoid Captain Avatar’s gaze when speaking of Elaine. First and foremost, he didn’t want the captain to know that Elaine thought it was the most stupid thing in the world to just hand her beautiful weaponry over to others who didn’t know jack about any of it, and secondly, Sandor didn’t know how the captain would react to the news that he and another officer were dating. Best to keep it all a secret…

“Very good,” said Captain Avatar. “She’s brilliant on that shock canon. I can’t wait to see how she’s going to tweak our other munitions as we go along.”

Sandor saluted the captain, pivoted, and left the bridge. He would tell Elaine what the captain had said whenever he got the chance. She would be pleased to hear he thought well of her.

Captain Avatar got a call on his communicator. He thumbed the receiver and said, “Yes?”

“Your cadets, Dr. Sane, and a robot are coming up in the direct link elevator sir,” said Marine Sergeant Malcolm Adams.

“Thank you, Sergeant,” said Avatar. He stopped and thought, did he just say robot? He put the communicator back into his navy blue pea coat and turned when Nova re-entered the bridge. She went straight over to the radar and got underneath it.

“What are you doing?” he asked her.

“Just some fine tuning,” she said.

The bridge doors opened again. Captain Avatar looked around at the two round eyed cadets and the red eyed doctor. “Welcome aboard Wildstar, Venture, Dr. Sane…be careful, the ship’s a bit tilted.”

Mark Venture walked in and gaped in awe at the massive bridge. “I can’t believe I’m onboard the Yamato.”

“Yeah, and now it’s a space battleship!” said Derek Wildstar looking like a kid in a candy store.

Dr. Sane walked over to Captain Avatar (as best he could) and shook his hand. “How are you feeling today, Captain?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I just had that ugly nurse check me out. What do you have with you?” asked the Captain with a wary eye on IQ-9.

“I AM IQ-9 GENIUS ROBOT. I CAN BE OF SERVICE TO YOU CAPTAIN. I CAN BE VALUABLE TO ANY MISSION AND WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST TO JOIN YOU, SIR”, said the robot stating his case.

“Permission granted,” said the Captain chuckling to himself. Nova walked up behind the captain, dusting herself off, and said, “Well, this’ll be an interesting trip for anybody wearing a skirt. And stop calling me ugly!” she nudged the captain.

Derek and Mark stood, mouths agape at the beautiful young…nurse? She was in a black on gold EDF uniform now. She smiled at them.

“Are you boys okay?” said Dr. Sane. “Nova, it looks like they might need a physical.”

“Oh, I think they’ll be alright,” she smiled. Another EDF soldier in a black on gold uniform came through the doors onto the bridge. He saluted the Captain and went over to Nova.

“Ma’am, I need you to look at the radar in the computer main-frame room. We can’t get it to align with the others. That’s the last one to look at.”

“Alright,” said Nova turning to the Captain. She put her right fist over her heart and stood in front of him. “Request permission to join you in a bit, Captain.”

“Of course, Lieutenant, go do what you have to do,” said Captain Avatar.

Nova turned and bowed to the other men and IQ-9. I’ll join you gentlemen in a moment,” she said as she left with her subordinate.

Derek pointed after her and said to Captain Avatar, “Sir, did you just call her ‘Lieutenant?’”

“Yes, I did. Do you have a problem with that?”

“Uh, no sir! I just thought she was a nurse is all!” Derek found his face reddening as angry glares penetrated him. What did he just say that got Dr. Sane and Captain Avatar so mad?

“So, you just thought she was a nurse is all?” said Dr. Sane. “Well, she happens to be also be an EDF lieutenant specializing in…,”

“Now, now doctor. Let’s just let young Wildstar and Venture figure everything else Lieutenant Forrester is, out for themselves. Let’s just say, she’s quite the sparkplug.”

“I meant no disrespect, Captain. I had just heard rumors that women on battleships were a thing of the past unless they couldn’t have children, and…” Derek looked at Dr. Sane and caught the way the doctor glanced at the floor.

“That is a very touchy subject with most female officers, Wildstar, I’d suggest you not broach the subject with any of them,” said Doctor Sane.

“Oh, sure,” Derek said as he rubbed his hand through his mane of black hair.

The captain smiled and leaned in closed to Mark and Derek. “Lieutenant Forrester, as well as any other female soldier on this ship, has made a difficult choice. In some instances it has been made for them. Nova is very good at making smart choices. I’d keep on my toes if I were you two.” He turned and winked at his doctor and Dr. Sane smiled back.

“But now, we have much to discuss!” said the captain. He looked at the two very young, very eager cadets and said to them, “Wildstar, Venture; I’ve had you assigned to me and this mission because of your excellent records and your exceptional abilities. You have been trained in combat sims and navigational skills, being primed just for me and this mission. You were allowed to hear the contents of the message capsule that you retrieved from Mars, correct?”

“Yes, sir” said the two cadets in unison.

“The EDF has agreed. We are taking this ship and going to the planet Iscandar,” said the captain.

Wildstar was the first, of course, to argue. “But sir, the EDF stated that the Earth would be contaminated within a year and the round trip to Iscandar would take much, much longer than that to travel! We’d come back to a dead race!”

“What you were not allowed to see, Wildstar, were the plans for a Wave-Motion Engine that Queen Starsha of Iscandar sent us. Also, we have had our best scientists and engineers developing a warp engine for this battleship. Together with those plans, this ship and a capable crew, we will be able to make the round trip within a year, God willing.” Captain Avatar looked at Wildstar and there was a tense moment between them.

“But, sir, where are you going to get willing people to serve?” asked Wildstar.

“We have sent out word to Earth’s finest and strongest educated young men and women. We will have a capable crew called forth if they are willing to serve…”

The captain’s words were cut off as a communications officer called out, “Captain sir! Earth Defense Headquarters is sending a communication that they have picked up radar on a Gamilon spacecraft heading straight for us!”

“We’re not ready yet!” yelled the captain.

Nova ran onto the bridge sideways as the doors whizzed open. “I picked up a spacecraft heading this way on the radar in the main frame room,” she gasped as she ran towards her radar station. She tapped a few keys, still standing, and called out, “Confirmed! Gamilon spacecraft carrier heading this direction…and sir, there’s a group of fighters leaving the carrier!” They’ll be right over us in…”

“Right now!” said Wildstar looking over his head as if he could see them through the metal. The small group heard the sonic whirring of the fighters fly over them, and then a mighty series of blasts shook the ship. Nova fell over into IQ-9’s arms and was for once, thankful that he was there to grab her. She helped Dr. Sane to his feet and noticed Mark and Derek getting up off the floor of the bridge. The captain had taken his seat in his chair behind his console.

“Can’t we fight back Captain?” shouted Derek.

“Have patience! We’ve got to get prepared,” snapped Avatar. “Nova, put that carrier and those fighters up on the main screen.”

“Aye, sir!”

Captain Avatar flipped a switch on a mike next to him. “Engine room, prepare starting cylinder.” The captain hadn’t even broken a sweat yet as he called to the main shock cannon unit, “Lieutenant Hayden, prepare shock canons and automatic gun turret firing system!”

“Aye sir! They’re ready!” called out a female voice.

“Sandor,” called the captain, as he called to engineering, “How’s our energy level?”

Wildstar heard a male voice call out, “We’re ready, sir. Energy level 100%!”

“Okay engine room, start her up. She’ll serve us again today!” called out Captain Avatar. “Start ascent!”

Derek looked over at Mark. They stumbled into each other as the ship gave a sudden lurch. Nova was strapping herself into her chair at the radar.

“Wildstar, take the gunnery unit; Venture, you take the controls,” snapped the captain.

“Aye, Aye sir!” called out the excited cadets. Nova noticed they practically jumped over to their seats in one bound.

As they strapped in, Nova pointed Dr. Sane over to an empty seat and mimed for him to strap in. He did without arguing.

The fighters bombed the outside of the ship continuously. The blasts were nothing in comparison to watching (from the inside) the miraculous lift-off of this magnificent battleship. Derek sat with eyes wide watching the rock crumble off the view in front of him.

“Engine output normal, ascent degree increasing,” said Mark beside him. He had hold of the controls of the ship and he was sweating bullets.

The behemoth was up in the air at last and it was exhilarating!

“Our target is the carrier,” the captain called out. “Set all guns to automatic firing.”

Derek scrambled to lock the carrier into his crosshairs and the captain waited for him as long as he could. “Your third turret is two degrees behind Wildstar, can you get it fixed?”

“I’m trying sir! I’ve never dealt with a system as sophisticated as this!” Derek was trying as hard as he could but he seemed to be overcorrecting every time he directed the third gun turret. Then, quick as a blink, the third turret seemed to correct itself! A female voice came over Wildstar’s panel communicator and said, “I’ve corrected it for you hotshot! Now fire!”

Wildstar was shell-shocked for half a second, then he yelled out, “Target locked!”

Captain Avatar yelled, “FIRE!” as he thumbed the trigger of the cannons from his console.

They all sat back and watched the carrier splinter apart in fiery pieces. Nova stood up and looked at the main screen. She had never seen a Gamilon ship that close up before and it was un-nerving.

Derek looked at Mark and declared, “Can you believe it? We did it!”

“Yeah! You were great!” said Mark as he shook his friend’s hand.

“No, you were great!” said Derek smiling to beat the band.

Nova ran up behind them and put her hand on theirs, “You were both great!”

They both watched her smile and look at them each in turn. Mark was for the first time ever, Derek noted, unable to mutter a single word.

“So were you Nova, so were you!”

“So Venture, Wildstar…will you be willing to come with us to Iscandar and join the Star Force?” asked the Captain as he limped down from his console.

“The Star Force, huh?” asked Mark.

“Sir, will we be on this ship for our journey?” asked Derek as he slid his gloved hand across the gunnery controls.

“Yes we will. This ship will take us to Iscandar and back to save Earth. She is our hope as is our courageous crew. Will you come?” asked the captain again.

“Yes sir!” said Mark as he snapped a salute.

“Yes sir, I would be proud to serve under you just as my brother would have done,” said Derek and he too snapped a salute.

The captain looked directly into Wildstar’s eyes. Time will tell that, won’t it young Wildstar?

Chapter Four

Sandor took Elaine out to dinner that night in a nice restaurant off the base. This was a feat in itself because of all the security clearance they had to go through to be allowed off the base the night before the big mission. But, thankfully, Sandor was able to pull it off. The restaurant featured French cuisine and the atmosphere was very romantic. Candlelight from the votives on the tables shimmered off of Elaine’s bared shoulders. She was wearing a strapless green velvet dress that was short and tight enough to accentuate her figure. He couldn’t stop staring at her eyes. She had make-up on tonight, and although he loved the way she looked everyday, tonight she had a dark green liner on her upper eyelids and a wine colored lipstick on. She was dazzling and he wasn’t quite prepared for just how dazzling.

She thought he looked magnificent also. He had rented an air limo tonight and when he had come to pick her up, she and Nova watched him get out of the limo in the dark gray suit he was wearing looking absolutely debonair! Nova smiled when Elaine fanned herself and cried, “hubba, hubba!” She told Nova not to wait up for her when they left. Nova had kissed them both on the cheek and told them to have a good time. She was grinning like a bobcat the whole time Sandor was there, and Elaine wondered if they were up to something.

Sandor and Elaine had a wonderful dinner, drank expensive champagne, and best of all…they danced! Elaine was thrilled when Stephen stood up and asked her on to the dance floor. There were just a few other couples on the floor when they stepped out to a nice slow number. Sandor was an excellent dancer. She would have to give Nova a big ol’ high five when she got home. This man was with it!

They talked about where they were born, how they were raised, about their ex’s, their siblings, their parents, and how they got into the military. For Sandor, there was no other use for his talents and genius than to go into the Special Forces, for Elaine it was a moment of realization during an act of exacting revenge on her ex and her own body.

“I just couldn’t understand why I couldn’t have kids. What was my purpose in life? So one night after my husband left me, I got my brother’s gun that he gave me for protection and I sat on my back porch with it. The sky was a brilliant red because of all the bombings and I would still go outside and just breathe in what I could of what remained of the night air. I thought killing myself would show my ex, that would make him pay! I pointed the gun toward my chest and was going to pull the trigger when…”

“Oh God Elaine,” said Sandor as he reached for her hand.

“No wait, hear me out.” She paused as the waiter came by and poured them more champagne. After he left, Elaine said, “I looked down at that gun and decided that I had to see how it worked. I don’t know why, but I just had to! So I went into my little apartment and took it apart…with it still loaded.”

Sandor stared at her and it made her face turn as red as the rose that graced the table.

“I probably shouldn’t be telling you this…”

“Oh, I want to know! Go on…” he prompted her.

“So anyway, I took it apart piece by piece and decided that I didn’t want to die like that. I thought anything that easy to disassemble would not take my life from me. And my marriage was bound to fall apart sooner than later anyway, so in a way it was just too easy to disassemble too. So the next day, I signed up for the military corps, went into weaponry specialty and the rest is history.” She looked up at him and wrinkled her nose. “So, do you think I’m weird?”

“Yes,” he replied. “But not because of that. When I was younger I would think of killing myself all the time. I was just too chicken to do it. Elaine, I have to tell you, I love you for not shooting yourself.”

“Thank you. I love you for saying that,” she said in a small voice.

“Elaine, I know that this really wrong timing, but I know I can not live without you,” said Sandor as he slipped a black velvet box out of his suit coat pocket.

Elaine looked at the box and swallowed hard. Please God, don’t let that be a pair of earrings! Then, to her surprise, Sandor got down on one knee next to her at the table. He opened the box and said, “Please Elaine, after this journey is over, please give me the absolute pleasure of saying you’ll be my wife.”

She gasped as he took the emerald cut diamond out of the tiny velvet box and slipped it on her left ring finger. He raised an eyebrow and he said, “So what do you say?”

It took her a few seconds to overcome the lump in her throat, but she looked him in the eyes and said, “Okay…on one condition.”

This clearly took him aback as he blinked and said, “Alright…what?”

“This does not give you permission to come up and cup my boob anytime you want to, I mean I hate that!” She crossed her arms and waited for him to say something.

“Hmmm, I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

She threw her head back and laughed and he embraced her. She heard applause from around the restaurant as they looked around. They hadn’t realized everyone else in the restaurant had been watching them. They both blushed a brilliant red, and Elaine whispered, “I really hope no one heard me say that!” He laughed and got back up in his chair. They were both still red faced and grinning when Sandor called the waiter over so he could pay their bill.

Chapter Five

Elaine and Sandor couldn’t keep their hands off each other in the limo, on the sidewalk in front of Sandor’s apartment, at the front door, inside the front door, and anywhere else they landed before falling into his bed. He undressed her slowly and she took her time undressing him as well. They stayed up all night satisfying each other in delicious ways before falling asleep in each other’s arms three hours before their call for the commissioning ceremony. They didn’t know when they would have another night like this one, they didn’t know if they would ever find the time or the room to be alone again. So why not enjoy each other while they could?

Elaine kissed him on the cheek the next morning as he put away their coffee cups. She had to put her dress back on, because she had nothing else to wear. He was going to jump in the shower as she made a mad dash back to her and Nova’s apartment to change. He pulled her into his lap and he kissed her slowly and passionately. Elaine felt her heart race again and she had to jump up.

“No, no, no, no, no! I have to get over to the apartment and get ready! I can not be late!” said Elaine as she pulled away from Sandor.

“Can’t you call Nova and ask her to bring your uniform over here?”

“No, I’ve got to call mom, take a shower, make sure I packed everything I need, and other stuff,” Elaine started toward the door.

“Call your mom from here, take a shower here, call and ask Nova to take a quick look around for you and drop a uniform off over here, and we can all ride to the ceremony together. And you and I can have a few…,” Sandor kissed Elaine on the cheek, “More…” he kissed her on the nose, “precious..” he kissed her on the forehead, “minutes…” he kissed her full on the mouth, and when he released her she was gasping.

“Together.”

“Yeah, okay,” said Elaine as she embraced him.

Chapter Six

Derek and Mark looked around at all the other soldiers standing in formation with them. The captain had yet to appear on the stage to address them and there was an excited buzz in the air. They saw Nova walk up to the front row with a tall man in blue and whites behind her. She held his hand briefly and the blue and white took his position in front of the other blue and white uniformed men and women. He looked back at the others and waved at them. They fell out of line briefly, just long enough to either nod or wave to him.

Derek looked back at the line of red and white uniformed men and women (make that woman) behind him. Was this his team? Surely someone had gotten something wrong when they told him he was to stand here in the front. His gaze fell on Nova who flitted by him and went straight to the woman in his line. Nova hugged her and they smiled as if sharing a private joke. The woman with the glasses and brown hair whispered something in Nova’s ear and Nova giggled. He heard Nova say, “See you later!” as she walked back by him.

“Good morning Lieutenant,” said Mark as Nova passed by him.

“Oh, good morning Mark!” she said with a glowing smile. She looked back at Derek and said, “Glad to see you too Wildstar!” Then she saw another man, this one heavy set and much older in the front row and she ran over to him.

“Orion! I am so glad to see you! I was so worried about you in that battle on Pluto!” Nova hugged the slightly shorter man.

“Oh lassie!” said the older man with a distinct Irish lilt, “I knew I had some angel on Earth praying for me when Avatar’s ship docked back here! It’s good to see you, darlin’!”

“I heard about your work on our engine! You are a mechanical genius, Orion!” said Nova as she continued to stand next to him with a casual arm thrown around his shoulders.

Captain Avatar had limped onto the stage as Nova and Orion continued to talk and the captain cleared his throat. The crew members snapped to attention, but the two chatting officers still hadn’t noticed.

“Excuse me Lieutenant? Do you think we could start now?” said the Captain with a grimace on his face looking straight at Nova.

Nova turned around slowly with eyes opened wide. Orion snapped to attention and Nova ran over to her position.

“Sorry sir!” said Nova in a loud voice as she fell into her position and snapped a salute.

The captain yelled at her, “Let’s not forget Lieutenant that you barely made it onto this mission with that ugly face of yours so let’s try to be professional, shall we?”

“Of course, sir!” she yelled again with a smirk on her face.

The crew visibly relaxed and laughter filled the room as the Captain chuckled.

Derek looked over at Nova who looked back at him and rolled her eyes.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, you will now be a part of what we call the Star Force if you choose to accept your mission. All of you have been chosen because of your unique abilities and special skills…” Captain Avatar began.

Every eye, every ear in the vast room was watching and listening as the Captain informed the soldiers of the journey to Iscandar and the technology used to get them there and back. They were told that they could choose to back out if they wanted to, but not a soul there would. The look on every face was sheer determination and an eagerness to begin.

The captain renamed the Yamato the Argo in remembrance of the story of Jason in search of the Golden Fleece. The soldiers saluted the Captain and applauded him as he left the auditorium. The last words the Captain said was, “I’ll see you on the Argo!” They went into an “at ease” position as General Singleton stood and congratulated them and commissioned them the Star Force. The company as one saluted the General and they turned an about face to begin a parade through the streets of the underground city that would lead them to the Argo. Some of the members of different crews got instruments as they got in front of the group to lead the parade with a song.

“Exciting isn’t it?” asked Derek to Mark. Mark looked worried as he looked back at Derek. “Yeah, exciting…”

The crew broke formal line formation and drew together into five lines to better fit into the streets. The band started and the marching began.

The first bridge crew officers were called up to be the first in formation. As they stepped out of the EDF headquarters auditorium, the sea of people cheering and waving banners overwhelmed them.

“Wow,” Nova whispered to herself. She grabbed Derek’s hand and squeezed it. She was looking all around her and then looked back at him and said, “Would you ever in your life have expected anything like this?”

“No, I didn’t expect anything like this,” he said as he squeezed her hand back.

“Oh look Mark!” Nova said as she pointed down the street. “That little boy is calling your name!”

“Oh that’s my little brother Jordy!” said Mark excitedly as he broke formation and ran to meet up with the little boy. The little boy was wearing a green pair of bib-alls and a striped shirt and he was carrying a flower lei. He giggled when Mark picked him up and swung him around.

Nova smiled and continued marching next to Derek. Sandor filled in Mark’s space and he said to Nova, “Uh, your fans want you.”

“What?”

“Your fans!” Sandor pointed at a group of men and a few women holding a banner that said ,“Good luck Nova, Elaine, and Homer! Bring the music back with you!” Sandor recognized the bartender from “Yesteryears” and Phil the owner of the nightclub right away. Some of the others were from the band, the other singers and dancers, and quite a few patrons.

Nova squealed with delight as she ran over to them and grabbed Homer out of line on the way. Elaine came up a few seconds later. Phil told them that he got security clearance overnight (with some of his patrons pulling some strings) to put a few gifts on board for them. Nova and Elaine hugged them close while Homer shook everyone’s hands. They all fell back into the parade line.

She had only taken a few steps when Nova heard her mother’s voice call out her name and the hair on the back of her neck stood up.

Oh please Lord, don’t let her make a scene! Nova looked around and saw her mother, dressed elegantly as usual, waving to her from the crowded sidewalk with her dad at her side. Nova put a smile on her face and stepped toward them as Elaine whispered, “Good luck!”

“Oh, do you have to go sweetheart? For a whole year?” asked her mother as she pulled her daughter into an overly dramatic embrace when Nova got close enough to do so. Nova hugged her mom and her eyes connected with her dad. Get this loon off of me, the look seemed to say. Nova’s father pulled Mrs. Forrester off of her daughter and Nova said, “Don’t worry mother! A year goes by fast and I’ve been chosen for quite the adventure! I wouldn’t miss it for anything! I’ll miss you both!” Nova’s eyes glistened with tears when she saw her mom and dad start to tear up. Nova ran over to her father and hugged him tight. “Take care Papa!”

He hugged her tighter and whispered into his only daughter’s ear, “I am so proud of you.”

Nova’s lip began to tremble. She quickly walked back into the line and waved at them. Her mother blew her a kiss.

---

Derek Wildstar stood at attention with his fellow first bridge crew mates on the ramp boarding the Argo. They would stand there until the rest of the crew went in and General Singleton saluted them and they could enter inside all together. Derek watched for Mark, Nova, and the one she called Homer to catch back up. He saw Mark march up the ramp and he stood beside him, his eyes red and watering. Then Homer got in line next to the blue and white team leader. Derek’s eyes searched for Nova. He saw her friend walk past him as she marched into the Argo and she gave the blue and white leader a wink. Hmmm…they’re awfully friendly, but didn’t I see Nova holding that guy’s hand earlier? Well, she did grab mine in the line too, but that probably meant nothing.

Where was Nova? Did she back out?

Derek caught the fluid movement of the big banner that Nova was carrying from “her fans” as she marched close to the Argo. She was quite a ways back, thought Derek. He heard a loud gaggle of little girl voices call out “MISS NOVA!” a moment later and it broke his line of sight on Nova. About eight little girls in pink ballet costumes with butterfly wings on their backs ran out into the middle of the parade line. The men and women around Nova had to break formation and they laughed as the little ones scrambled around them trying to get to “Miss Nova” and Nova called out, “Sorry!” The little girls surrounded her and gave her paper flowers and cards. She picked each one of them up and Derek couldn’t help but laugh as she danced each one over her head. Nova said goodbye to all of them and just made it into the last of the parade line. Nova was laden down with flowers, cards, the banner, and one little girl put a pair of butterfly “antennae” on Nova’s head. She got into line and Derek and Mark smiled at her.

“Oh, don’t even…”she said, daring them to poke fun at her.

“I wasn’t going to say a thing… Miss Nova,” said Derek with a smile on his face.

General Singleton, General Stone, and several other EDF commanders saluted the Star Force. The crew was released to board the Argo as the crowd waved and cheered.

Chapter Seven

Nova went straight to her cabin to unload all her stuff. Sandor went straight to the design lab where he was meeting with some of his new team members, and Mark and Derek headed for the main bridge. Homer tagged along a bit behind them.

They got out of the lift at the main bridge; Derek stuck out his hand at Homer. “Hi,” said Derek, “we haven’t met yet. I’m Derek Wildstar and this is Mark Venture.”

“Nice to meet you two. I am Homer Glitchman, I man the communications here on the bridge and I’ll be reporting to you, Venture,” said Homer. Mark looked at Derek then back at Homer.

“You will?” asked Mark.

“Uh, yeah,” said Homer cocking an eyebrow. He turned and walked over to his post.

“Okay, that was weird,” said Mark as he took off the lei that Jordy gave him and slung it over his chair at the navigation post. “Why are people reporting to us?”

“Well, didn’t you hear Avatar yesterday?” asked Derek. He sat down in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “We were being primed, pumped, trained, and readied for him! I just wish we had known it is all.”

“Look, Derek, this is an opportunity of a lifetime serving under Captain Avatar. He’s taken this mission to save Earth! He chose us to go with him! You heard what he said today didn’t you? He only chose the best that Earth had to offer, and we’ve got the best commander Earth has to offer!” Mark stood over his friend. How could Derek argue with that logic?

But he could. And he did.

“What makes you and everybody else think that Avatar is such a great man? Sure, he wins a lot, but look at the cost in lives! He’s never been that far out in space! He’ll probably get us lost out there and we’ll never make it back!”

“Why the hell are you going then?” shouted Mark. “Look I know you miss your brother, but you got to realize it wasn’t Avatar’s fault! He ordered Alex back, he…”

Derek stood up with his fists balled up and stood nose to nose with Mark. “He what?” he asked into Mark’s face, daring him to answer.

“Look,” said another voice behind them. “I hate to break up a good pissing contest, but I’ve just come up here to introduce myself to our helmsman and combat leader. Would that be you boys?”

Derek and Mark looked around at a tall man in a gold on black uniform. He saluted them in the fist over the heart manner and then stuck his hand out for Derek, then Mark to shake.

“I’m Conroy, leader of the Black Tigers.”

“Oh man! Why did you have to break that up! We were gonna see some action!” said a man with a shaggy haircut and glasses as he walked up to the scene. He was in a red and white uniform like Derek’s. He introduced himself as “Lieutenant Dash of the Artillery

Unit.” He wore a goofy grin and he shook Mark and Derek’s hands as well.

“Dash and I were watching it all develop and then you had to step in and ruin it!” said a stocky man in a green and white uniform. His southern twang was definitely Texan and he punched Conroy in the arm as he approached. “Hi ya’ll! I’m the Assistant Pilot. Call me Eager, just don’t call me late to dinner,” he said as he patted his ample stomach.

“Huh, huh, huh…never heard that one before,” said Conroy. They all laughed and Mark and Derek saluted them and told them, “Welcome aboard.”

A female voice came over the loudspeaker and announced: “Homer Glitchman, Attention Homer Glitchman. Please report to the galley. Lieutenants Forrester and Hayden need you right away.”

Derek looked over at Homer who was taking off his headset.

“Wasn’t that Nova’s voice?” asked Mark as they walked toward Homer.

“Yeah, it sounded like her,” he said. He walked towards the elevator doors and the other men stared after him.

“What does she want with him?” said Mark.

“Wait a minute, ain’t Nova Forrester that Lieutenant that’s gonna be mannin’ the radar?” asked Eager.

“Yep. Have you met her yet?” asked Derek.

“Naw, but I sure did see her. Cain’t rightly miss her can ya?” said Eager. “I say we go find out what Forrester and Glitchman are up to fellas.”

“I’m in!” said Dash.

“I haven’t met this chick yet!” said Conroy. He practically ran for the elevator doors. Derek and Mark followed close behind them.

“Who’s Lieutenant Hayden?” Derek asked Mark as they squeezed into the elevator car with the others.

Homer walked into the galley and was greeted by two giggly giddy girls. Elaine ran up to Homer and practically fell on top of him.

“Look Homer! It’s from Phil! He’s sent your sax and your trumpet!” yelled Elaine.

Homer looked at the sleek black instrument cases that Elaine gestured to and his mouth fell open.

“All right Phil!” he cried. “But wait…is that a stage you two are standing on? I thought our performing for money days were over.”

“Honey, as long as I’ve got fingers I’ll be playing an instrument for anyone who’ll hear me,” said Elaine. “Look at the keyboard system he sent up for me! It takes up the whole side of the stage!”

Nova was just standing on the stage cradling her baby blue electric guitar. “Oh, sweetie, I thought I’d never see or your sister again!” she said.

Elaine rolled her eyes and looked at Homer. “Phil sent Nova’s guitars too. And a banjo? Who knew? Plus he sent headset mikes, standing mikes, amps, a drum set, and several other instruments. Is he a god or what?”

“Well, I appreciate it, but…” said Homer sliding his finger along the black case he was holding.

“But what?” asked Nova. “Why aren’t you happy?”

“Well, some of these guys are really big and burly and …I just can’t let ‘em know that I used to blow a horn in a nightclub for extra dough. That might make me look like a sissy or something,” he said.

“What?” said Elaine. “You think that when these other men find out that you used to work in a nightclub with gorgeous women singers and dancers, get your drinks for free, and leave with a different broad each night, they’re gonna think you’re a sissy?”

“I don’t drink and I didn’t leave with a different…what did you just say?” he asked incredulously.

“You heard her!” said Nova. “And we won’t tell anyone any different!” She had both guitar cases in her hands, and Elaine grabbed the banjo case. “Now I know you’ll want to take your horns to your cabin; you don’t want anyone else to get their mouths on them do you?”

“Ewww, no!” he said wrinkling his face up in a disgusted sneer. He grabbed both cases and walked out of the galley.

The three of them met the other five off the bridge as they got on the people movers going away from the galley. Conroy, Eager, Dash, Derek, and Mark jumped on their side as they passed them.

“Hello ladies!” said Conroy with a charming smile. “I’m Pete Conroy and I’ll be protecting you in my little ol’ fighter out in space. What do you girls have there?” he gestured to the instrument cases.

A tinny voice came over the loudspeaker and said, “Lieutenant Hayden and Lieutenant Jordan please report to missile storage.”

“Aw shit, I told them to call me Dash!” said Dash as he looked at the others. “I guess I’ll see you guys later. Ladies,” he said and made a bow to Elaine and Nova.

“Not so fast Dash Darling, I’m coming with you,” said Elaine. She gave Conroy Nova’s banjo case and said, “Here Romeo, make yourself useful.” She and Dash got on the opposite people mover and Elaine waved goodbye to Nova.

“Was that Lieutenant Hayden?” asked Derek.

“Yes,” said Nova. They got off the people movers at the main crew quarters. Homer walked towards his room and went in. Derek and the other men followed Nova. Nova continued to talk to Derek.

“Her full name and rank is Lieutenant Elaine Hayden, Weapons Specialist. She’s the one that designed the, oh what did you call it, the “sophisticated” system you were dealing with yesterday.” Nova stopped at her door and placed her hand on the gel pad. She said her name into the speaker for voice identification. Her door whizzed open and she went in, with Derek, Conroy, Mark, and Eager right behind her.

Her door closed and she breathed a great sigh as she let her guitar cases plop down on the bed. Eager’s voice startled her as she didn’t realize all the men had come in behind her.

“Damn girl! How many boyfriends do you have?”

Derek laughed. Eager had somehow made the word “damn” have two syllables.

There were roses and little vases of flowers all over the room. There were real flowers from a few people and paper flowers from the little girls. Nova had hung up half the banner from “her fans” (the other half was in Elaine’s room that she had to share with another woman) and she had stuck the cards from the little girls on a corkboard on her open closet door. The butterfly antennae headband was stuck up on the corkboard as well.

“Don’t you boys think you ought to leave? This doesn’t look very proper!” said Nova in a very put-out tone. She went over to her door and pushed a button to cause the door to open and stay open.

“Well, this is certainly going to be a challenge,” said Conroy as he started looking at the cards that were attached to the flowers.

“What do you mean?” asked Mark. He was opening one of Nova’s guitar cases and he looked very impressed. “Hey, do you play?”

“No, I just have them for decoration. Yes, I play!” she was getting very aggravated as Derek asked her “Who is Phil?”

“What?”

Conroy answered Mark while looking at Nova. “If I’ve got all this competition already, then this will be quite the challenge getting this beautiful girl to fall in love with me.”

“This card says ‘I hope you make it back soon to make more beautiful music with me. Love, Phil.’” read Derek. Then Derek looked over at Conroy and said, “You are so full of it!”

“Phil is a guy I worked for…” said Nova. All ears seemed to perk up when she said this. Then Eager caused their attention to divert when he held up a black spaghetti strap dress on a hanger and said, “When you gonna wear this, cuz I wanna be sure I’m there.”

“She’s gonna wear it on our first date,” said Conroy with a devilish grin on his face.

“Put that back in the closet!” said Nova with her hands on her hips.

“Okay, don’t blow a fuse!” said Eager. He pulled out a pink dress and said, “This one’s nice too.”

“That one is for when we meet Queen Starsha,” she began. Then Conroy asked her, “Hey Nova, who is Roman?” He held out a card from a bouquet of peace lilies.

“He’s a marine that I know that was stationed here during the rebuild,” she said. She sat on her bed and rubbed her forehead.

“You were here during the rebuild?” asked Conroy.

“Yes.”

Derek looked at her and thought about what Captain Avatar and Dr. Sane had said about Nova being more than a nurse.

“What were you doing on the Argo?” asked Derek.

“It was the Yamato then, but I was in charge of teams at radar, analysis, life sciences, and setting up the medical wing.”

Everything got quiet.

The silence was broken with Conroy. He said, “Well, there went my chance with you.”

Nova looked up at him wonderingly.

“You’re too smart. There’s nothing I can’t throw at you that you won’t see coming a mile away.”

Nova muttered to herself, “Everybody’s friend; nobody’s girlfriend…”

“What did you say?” asked Mark.

“Nothing,” sighed Nova still rubbing her forehead. She leaned back on her bed and sat watching the men go through her stuff. If Elaine were here, she would have them out within two seconds of them coming in. Nova was resigned. I’m such a pushover!

“Hey do you dance too?” asked Eager. He was going through her shoes now! “I swear there are tap shoes in here! And where you gonna wear these fancy silver ones?”

Nova rolled her eyes and got up off the bed. “That’s it! Out! Get out!”

Mark closed the case on her banjo and muttered, “Sorry.”

Derek, Conroy, and Eager slid out behind Mark and muttered apologies as well.

Nova watched them go down the hall and thought to herself, this is going to be a very interesting trip.

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To Be Continued…

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