ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE

STAR BLAZERS—THE PRINCESS AND THE SURFER

Being the seventh part of THE NEW COMET--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz


This Act is being completed with the Cooperation and Assistance of Derek A.C. Wakefield (as usual)

Major Thanks to Tim Eldred and Michael C. Crump (aka “Max Damage”) for artwork contributed to this chapter.

And, thanks to Ami Meitsu from the “Third Bridge” Board on fanfiction.net for the comments on this tale so far.---Freddo

Note: This chapter contains some mature content…just wanted to warn you…


ACT SIX: FOR LOVE AND FOR HONOR…


 

I. OF SUN AND SURF…

 

Planet Iscandar

 

The Southern Coast of the Great Continent

 

North of New Fiji Island

 

Sunday May 31, 2207: 0820 Hours Local Planetary Time

 


 

Yet another morning came to Iscandar.

 

The surf rolled on on the sacred beach as Deke and Sasha lay in the wet sand, kissing, hugging, and cuddling in their swimwear as the ocean rolled over them.

 

They were so much in love that they didn’t care about getting wet again and again as the surf rolled over them.

 

“I want you again,” murmured Deke as he kissed Sasha.

 

“I would love to,” whispered Sasha as she kissed back. “Oh, I would so much love to…” she whispered as tears ran down her cheeks.

 

“Then why not?” said Deke.

 

“Today’s the thirty-first of your month of May,” said Sasha in a whisper. “I”ve told you, Deke…I have to go back now.”

 

Now?

 

“Or very soon, anyway,” said Sasha. “I have to be back on the Argo by 1100 Hours today. That is when my liberty runs out.”

 

“Oh,” said Deke as he kissed Sasha again, with a bit less ardor. “Yeah. I have to be back at the base tonight, anyhow. My exile endeth,” he sighed as he got up.

 

“We can be together a little while longer, Deke,” said Sasha. “We can…work at…breaking camp.”

 

“I wish we didn’t have to,” said Deke as he got his surfboard.

 

Sasha ran to hers and kissed Deke again. “You said you liked to see me surf,” she said. “Like to see me go in one more time?” she asked as she wiggled her toes and picked up her board.

 

“I guess so,” said Deke.

 

“Good,” said Sasha as she kissed Deke. “Then, I’ll give you a goodbye kiss.”

 

“I hope it’s more than a kiss, Mrs. Wakefield.”

 

“It will be,” said Sasha. “I have to take off this swimsuit after I surf,” she said mischeviously. “And so do you…” she said as she kissed him yet again.

 

Then, she ran into the surf with her board.

 


 

An hour or so later, Deke found himself waking up from a drowsy sleep on his blanket. Sasha had put him to bed after their surf…in a very sweet way…with no clothes on at all.

 

Now, to Deke’s disorientation and disappointment, she was gone. She had taken her things…as if in a rush. But, she had cleaned up much of their camp and taken her surfboard.

 

But, he found a note near the blanket. He unfolded the note and read:

 

Deekee:

 

I had to go now. You know that. I know that. But I know where your squadron is based. I think we will meet again soon. After all, we’re on the same planet now.

 

See you soon.

 

Love and Kisses---

 

Sasha…

 

“Damn circumstances,” muttered Deke as he held the note and cried softly. “You’re here, and the bastards take you from me again. I hope we can put an end to this crap…and soon. I want you by me every night…”

 

Shaking his head, and wondering if the past three days had been a hallucination, Deke began to pack up and break camp packing up his things, as he prepared to return to the squadron.

 

“Damned squadron,” he said to himself. “Damned planes. Damned war.”

 

At that, Deke forced himself to work.

 


 

As soon as Wakefield got back to his lonely BOQ room on New Fiji Island later that day around 1300, he found a note in his room, on the bunk.

 

Yet another note, he thought. And my seventy-two hours aren’t up yet. Oh, well, let’s see what’s going on…

 

Deke read the note; it read:

 

Senior Lieutenant Wakefield:

 

Report to my office at 1330, as soon as you get this. I am ending your exile early. You have a training assignment waiting for you. I will have the trainee waiting in my office.

 

Regards,

 

Priceman, Raymond, Commodore, Joint Base EDF Commanding Officer.

 

PS-Get your butt into my office in a full uniform-not looking like a God-damn surf bum.

 

“Okay,” said Deke to himself. He was still in a hula shirt, shorts, and sandals. And it was now 1318.  “I’ve got five minutes. Better get changed.”

 

At that, Wakefield began to strip and change.

 

He made sure he didn’t forget his sticks.

 


 

Five minutes passed as it was déjà vu all over again as Deke Wakefield sat in the outer office of Commodore Raymond Priceman, the base commander.

 

Again, the door opened, and Brew came out once again, saying, “Sticks! Boy, do they got a surprise waitin’ for you in that office!” he said with a big grin.

 

“I put you through three days worth of hell, and extra duty and crap, and you’re smiling?” said Deke.

 

Sheeeiit! I heard you’ve done Spindletop on me, boy!” he laughed. “Oil wells! Gushers! Son of a bitch! Son of a mother….”

 

“Toad, would you kindly cut out the editorial comments?” purred a familiar alto voice from the other side of the door.

 

The alto voice was female. Deke had heard that voice before, although not at any time in the past few weeks.

 

Damn! Wakefield thought. What is Nova doing here? And what does this have to do with me?

 

Wakefield,” barked Priceman from the other side of the door. “Get your butt in here and report! Then close that door!”

 

“Aye, aye, sir!” said Wakefield as he came in, saluted before Priceman’s desk…

 

And, then, his jaw nearly dropped off.

 

As Deke pulled the door closed, he beheld two figures sitting before Priceman’s desk in chairs.

 

One was a rather pregnant woman in a black and gold male-pattern Star Force top, gold skirt, and white sandals. Her hair was a lighter honey-gold than he had seen it in some time, but Nova Wildstar was rather hard to miss.

 

The other woman had long blonde hair, and was in a blue and white female Midshipman’s uniform, and dark blue boots. She looked freshly groomed, and wore a smile as if she was the cat that had just caught a canary.

 

“Mister Wakefield,” said Priceman in a dry voice. “Re-fasten that jaw, and try not to make that…tent…in your trousers so obvious as you sit down.”

 

“Yessir,” said Deke as he swallowed and sat down in the third chair between Nova and his wife.

 

Then, Nova said, “Deke, this is Sasha. She is … someone you know very well already, Deke, shall we say. As you know, she came to Iscandar with us. Your job now is to help train her...”

 

“To train her?” said Deke. He was still flabbergasted as Sasha sat smiling at him.

 

“Yes,” said Nova. “Sasha is being trained in Radar, Survey, Analysis, and Navigation ops.”

 

“I’m here on Iscandar because I had a horrible time on Earth, Deke,” said Sasha. “You know some of the story. I told you when we were camping out. Now you’ll hear the rest.”

 

“Sasha, I know you told me some of this already back on the beach when we were together…,” replied Deke.

 

“You two were together already?” said Priceman.

 

“Yes, for three days, sir,” said Sasha. “Is that such a sin, sir, given I am a Princess? And given I am married to him?”

 

This made Deke’s head spin. “Sasha, I thought your identity was supposed to be a secret…”

 

“It came out back on Earth,” said Sasha. “So did our marriage. Remember? I told you some of that. Damned press.”

 

“How’d it happen?” asked Deke as he gritted his teeth, held Sasha’s hand, and got a look in his eye that scared Priceman a little bit.

 

Nova than interjected, “Some creeps stole her private medical records from the Academy and published them right after she was in battle with us on the day the Nagato was launched.”

 

“Is that why they took you out of the Space Fighters’ Training School?” said Deke to Sasha.

 

“Yes,” she sighed. “Well, that’s part of it. The rest was after what happened to…”

 

Nova then added, “Well, after she fought in battle successfully on Earth briefly on the space battleship Nagato, and after that business happened at the Academy and her identity was publicized world-wide…”

 

“It was decided that it was a security threat for me to be on Earth then with my identity exposed. There were riots because of who I was, and trouble with the Iscandarian Government, because Mother and Astra protested,” said Sasha.

 

“Cripes,” said Deke.

 

“Then, adding to it, was the fact that the Cometines and R’Khells tried to kill my father on the New Orient Express in Manchuria when they attacked us,” said Sasha. “I told you about some of that when we were together, Deke.”

 

“And that’s when a clone of Yvona Josiah saved our lives,” added Nova.

 

“This is weird,” said Deke.

 

“Yes, it is,” laughed Sasha nervously. “Then, Nova?”

 

“Yes,” added Nova, after she bit her lower lip for a minute. “Because of…all of this, and Alex’s injuries that necessitated his return to Iscandar, it was decided to graduate Sasha early and make her an Ensign Apprentice. Which was a good thing, because she has learned very quickly and has gotten her space legs in a hurry. She was in several battles with us on the Argo on the way here, and she did well. Mister Kitano and I have just finished training her in everything we could teach her on board ship. She has quite a learning curve, and she’s mastered weeks…months…worth of training in a few days, because of her…unique heritage. But, as much as I’d like to…my physical condition keeps me from getting into a fighter plane right now, shall we say?” said Nova as she patted her stomach. “I still have my pilot’s license, but I can’t safely fly anything but a medical boat or a Cosmo Hound until after I become a mother and heal up a bit. That’s where you come in, Deke. Derek and I picked you to take Sasha out for several runs in your Tiger to train her in recon ops and combat ops in that second place. She already trusts you, and you have…quite a rapport, shall we say?” Nova smiled at that.

 

“So?” said Deke.

 

“You’ve been picked, Wakefield, as her training officer, because of your outstanding record, to date, of course, excluding that business with our Gamilon friends.” said Priceman. “Nova has selected you. Do you accept?”

 

“Yessir,” said Deke as he looked at Sasha. “I…I..accept…”

 

Sasha’s eyes lit up at that.

 

“Good,” said Priceman. “Mrs. Wildstar. Mrs. Wakefield. Both of you are dismissed. You can go.”

 

“Yessir,” said Nova and Sasha together as they saluted. Then, they left.

 

Priceman then looked at Wakefield. “As I said before, Mister, better break down that damned pup tent in your trousers. Between you and I, can you keep this professional?”

 

“Sir?”

 

“PRP,” he sighed. “Personal Relationship Protocol. Oh, I know she’s your wife and all that crap, but I don’t want to find you two buck naked in some cockpit screwing around on my tarmac, Mister. Are we clear on that?”

 

Deke then turned a dozen shades of red and said, “Yessir. I’ll take a cold shower ASAP…”

 

“Good man,” said Priceman. “Dismissed.”

 

Deke saluted and left.

 


 

Upon leaving the HQ building, Deke found Sasha waiting for him. She stood to attention and popped him a sharp salute.

 

After returning it, he asked, "I didn't dream all that on the beach the other night, did I?"

 

In reply, Sasha shook her head and with a coy smile she said, "Oh, it was a dream, Deke, but it was very real."

 

Deke smiled, and replied, "That's what I was afraid you were going to say. You know…there is such a thing as PRP. On the job, we have to be professional. As professional as possible. No hugging, kissing, touching, going “Deekee” on the job…”

 

“But we’ll be all alone in that cockpit,” said Sasha as, nearby, Nova stood tapping her foot against the sandy soil and rolling up her eyes a little. 

 

“Playing those sort of games in a plane can get us killed in a big hurry,” said Deke. “Are we clear on that?”

 

“Yessir,” said Sasha in a depressed tone of voice. “I guess I won’t be seeing much of you…off the job…”

 

“I’m getting that changed,” said Nova as she turned to them. “It will take several days, but I am getting your quarters situation changed so you can at least room together somewhere and have some privacy for your off-duty time in the evenings. Unless we are on alert, that is…”

 

“Several days?” said Sasha. “That’s a long wait…”

 

“Sorry,” said Nova. “The paperwork for your PRP waiver is taking a while, and, besides, I have to find you two suitable quarters somewhere near the base for you to set up housekeeping. It will be fixed in a few days. You’ll see! I know darn well you two are married. Between you and I, I wouldn’t want to be away from Derek for long, either. And, given what has happened, you no longer have to keep your marriage secret, either….here, or on Earth.””

 

Wakefield smiled slightly at that. “Thanks.”

 

“Don’t thank me,” said Nova. “I wasn’t behind our almost getting killed back on Earth. They hurt Derek, they tried to kill Sasha, they tried to kill me and our unborn children, and they came that close to killing Alex. If I ever see that rotten Princess Invidia again, she is going to have a lot to answer for! Finally…Queen Starsha will be seeing both of you sometime in the next week. Your father’s health is slowly improving, Sasha, and your mother wants to talk to you both.”

 

“Thank you, Auntie,” said Sasha.

 

“I’ll be going now,” said Nova. “Good luck.”

 

“Thanks,” said Deke.

 


 

II. MORE FUN FOR INVIDIA…

 

The Eritz Gatlantis

 

The Grand Throne Room of Invidia’s Palace

 

The Edge of the Great Magellenic Cloud

 

Tuesday June 2, 2207: 0820 Hours Earth Space-Time

 


 

“How many days,” snapped Invidia, “Until Zed-Day?”

 

“On the Fifth of Kaled, we told Desslok that he and Iscandar had fifty-five days left,” said General Dyre. “Now, twenty-one days have passed us. So, we now have thirty-four days left until we must fulfill our promise and strike. Our forces are drawing into position now,” said Dyre.

 

He made the screen built into the floor change as he said, “I have personally sent General Turpis to lead the advance strike and reconnaissance operations near the Sanzar System. He has a fleet of sixty ships at his disposal…and we keep him lurking in the Rosadia Gulf. Even the Gamilons can’t keep watch on that damned nebula well.”

 

“We are drawing our forces thin,” said Gorse.

 

“Regardless, we must do so,” said Invidia. “The backup of the softening-up operation is being led by General Athlon, with a battle fleet of fifty ships, mostly space battleships and cruisers. He also has anti-matter missile ships, enough to destroy either Gamilon or Iscandar if we have to,” added Invidia with a sick smile.

 

“Would we destroy them?” said Dyre.

 

“I’d prefer not to destroy Iscandar,” said Invidia. “If we had to destroy Gamilon, it would not be so bad,” she said with a sick grin. “And watch Desslok’s face if we blew his sacred homeworld to bits! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha HA!!”

 

“That’s only a hundred and ten ships,” said Gorse. “That is not even enough to engage Desslok’s Combined Starfleet, let alone the Earth Forces, especially if the cursed Star Force meddles in the operation..”

 

“That is where our Black Nebulan friends come back into play,” said Invidia. “Now, on the way from the Black Fox Nebula are three battle fleets,” she said as she nodded to Dyre.

 

“Attack Fleet Number One is led by Baron Derdan,” said Dyre. “It consists of two hundred destroyers, eighty cruisers, and twenty first-class space battleships, as well as at least ten carriers and many landing ships. Baron Derdan’s job will be to serve as the first vanguard of the main attack with his three hundred and fifty vessels. We are anticipating that we can take care of most of the Gamilon Fleet with these ships. Derdan’s job is to reduce Desslok’s fleets back to the ragtag collection of ships he once had.”

 

Invidia smiled and nodded at that.

 

“Attack Fleet Number Two is led by Baron Meldazz,” said Dyre. “It consists of ten first-class space battleships, thirty destroyers, five more carriers, and an invasion fleet of a hundred landing ships and troops. And, last but not least, there are two Gorba Floating Fortresses. One will be commanded by Admiral Dega, one of the fiercest fighters of the Black Nebulans’ forces, and the other will be commanded by Meldazz himself. We have commissioned them to destroy the Iscandarian Fleet and the bulk of the Earth forces, and to draw the Argo herself into a trap.”

 

“So what do we have planned for the Star Force and Desslok?”

 

“Destruction and disgrace, respectively,” said Dyre. “The Third and final Attack Fleet from the Black Nebulan forces will be led by two ruthless commanders. The main Battle Fleet will be led by Lady Sarda. It will consist of twenty first-class space battleships, eighty destroyers, and ten Beta-Cannon equipped space battleships. The Beta-Cannon ships are to engage the Argo and are to either destroy her, or help Meldazz trap her for the final trap we have set up.”

 

“Which is?”

 

Dyre smiled as he nodded. “A Task Force of Seven Gorba Floating Fortresses. Six are the usual type, one is a new Siege Fortress. The Siege Fortress is designed to attack Mother Town and to attack Gamilstadt. It will also be the ship that we anticipate will destroy the Argo and that will cripple Desslok’s new flagship so he can be captured. The commander of the Siege Floating Fortress is Lord Skaldart himself. All told, seven hundred and twenty-four ships are committed to the great assault.”

 

“What about the Territorial Fleet and the R’Khells?” snapped Invidia.

 

“We are holding them in reserve, Princess,” said Dyre. “For the attack upon Earth that will follow, hopefully, with you commanding our forces either from the New Comet or from Queen Starsha’s throne room after she is dead.”

 

“What about Starsha, Aliscea, and Astrena?” snapped Gorse.

 

“HE says they will be dealt with,” said Invidia. “Trust him. In fact, he has reinvigorated us. And where is Radnar hiding?” sneered Invidia.

 

“We do not know,” admitted Dyre. “But Skaldart has sworn to me that he will deal with him…if he has to.”

 

The room filled with hubbub as Invidia smiled. “Yes. I like that, Dyre. Thank you for your efforts. And when do we bring the Comet into the Sanzar System?”

 

“Only when Skaldart has Desslok in chains,” sneered Dyre.

 

Invidia laughed a long, hearty laugh at that. She liked this.

 

She liked it a great deal….

 


 

III. FLYING FRUSTRATION TOUR ONE

 

The  Vicinity of Planet Iscandar

 

Deke Wakefield’s Cosmo Tiger II (Diamond Girl)

 

Thursday June 4, 2207: 1130 Hours Earth Space-Time

 


 

“Targets spotted,” said Sasha in efficient tones from the aft place of Diamond Girl, Deke Wakefield’s command plane. “Two bogies, range, twenty megameters, speed, eighteen space knots and accelerating. Identified as two recon-type Scorpion boats.”

 

“Good spot,” said Deke from the pilot’s seat of his plane. “First squadron, we’re going in after those Cometine recon boats. Brew, keep watch behind me over the planet for any others.”

 

“Roger that,” said Brew from his plane as the Trojans split formation into two squadrons.

 

Deke nodded through his canopy at Ivan and at Stripes. Both junior officers nodded back, and, not far away, Bangs also gave a nod as she ordered her flight to follow Wakefield in.

 

“Where’s those enemy birds, Sasha?” asked Deke.

 

“We’re still holding course; looks like they’re scanning the base like mad.”

 

“They won’t be scanning much longer, the green sons-of-bitches,” said Deke with a grim smile. “Okay, Sasha, in we go!

 

Attack!” barked Deke over his lip mike.

 

A moment later, his Tigers blasted in. Sasha smiled a little in spite of her fear. She liked it when Deke flew nice and fast.

 

A moment later, Sasha snapped, “Incoming!” as the enemy recon boats changed course quickly and began to let loose with their upper disc turrets.

 

Not far away, Ensign Tomaselli, another one of Bangs’ men, wasn’t fast enough, so he was the first to get caught by the enemy fire. His Tiger blew up not far away while Sasha shivered, and then felt a sudden rage as she said, “Sir, we’re in range for missiles!”

 

“Locking on,” muttered Deke as he switched to missiles. “All right, you killers, take that!

 

Deke fired, and two missiles roared out into space and right into the underbelly of the Cometine Recon Scorpion. “Scratch one boat!” he snapped with a laugh.

 

“Deke!” cried Sasha.

 

“What?”

 

“One o’ clock, RIGHT ABOVE US!” she cried.

 

Deke swiveled his head and spotted another recon boat, followed by two regular Scorpion boats roaring in over their heads. One of the regular attack boats fired at the Diamond Girl, and if Deke’s reflexes hadn’t been quicker, he, Sasha, and the Marine private in the aft turret would all have been dead. As it is, Deke dodged, in just enough time for Private Martin to lock on and begin pumping away with his guns.

 

The Scorpion was scared away…but for just a moment. He blasted back in, took aim, and he blew away Stripes.

 

“NO!” cried Sasha.

 

“Sasha, this isn’t the end of this game yet,” snapped Deke angrily as he thought of how nice Patricia “Stripes” Dodd had been. “Where are they?”

 

“One o’clock, six o’ clock…”

 

“I’m going to do something about this!” snapped Deke as he swung about and blasted at one of the Scorpion fighters. He succeeded; it was blown to bits.

 

From above him, Brew and his wingmen roared in, and they jumped the other Scorpions.

 

“Not bad,” muttered Deke. “Sasha, where’s that other recon ship?”

 

“Almost a megameter away now,” she said. “Make that two…make that three…four…five! He’s disappearing into Gamilon’s shadow!”

 

“Request permission to pursue!” said Brew.

 

“Negative. He’s in Gamilon’s defense zone now. Have fun with the Gamilons, green guys…” muttered Deke as he watched a few lights appearing on Gamilon’s night side. “Sasha?”

 

At that, Sasha smiled. Sasha then said, “He’s having some fun with the Gamilons, all right…they’ll make sure he doesn’t get back to his ship.”

 

“What happened to Stripes?” snapped Ivan as he took formation beside Deke.

 

“Dead,” said Deke.

 

“Damn,” said Ivan as he bit his lip. “That stinks!”

 

“Tell me about it,” said Deke.

 

“Yeah,” said Sasha as she opened her faceplate for a moment. She wiped her eyes and asked Deke, “How much longer are we out here?”

 

“Until 1200,” said Deke.

 

“Good,” said Sasha. “I can’t wait to land today.”

 

“Like the training?” said Deke.

 

“That wasn’t training,” said Sasha. “That was fighting.” Sasha made a fist. “They make me so mad.”

 

“You’re not alone, Sasha,” said Deke. “Sasha, you’re not alone…”

 


In the meantime, on the Argo, Dawn Hardy had received a compliment from Lieutenant Maxine Jenkins, another nurse she had been working with.

 

Several days’ worth of work and walking about in the sun on Iscandar had lightened Dawn’s brownish/dishwater blond hair to a somewhat lighter dark gold shade. Dawn’s blond bangs were now a very light golden blonde, lighter than they had been before.

 

“I like your hair,” said Maxine as they worked together in Sickbay. “But, Dawn, the bangs are so light…”

 

“They’ve always been like that,” said Dawn.

 

“Well, you could either darken the bangs to match the rest of your hair,” said Jenkins as she tapped her sandaled foot (she, like Dawn, was now wearing sandals and the lighter summer-issue nurse’s minidress with bare shoulders that had been broken out for the Iscandarian climate). “Or, you could lighten the hair to match the bangs.”

 

“I’d either need to wash and rinse it like crazy the ancient way, or get a Cosmo Chick lightening Comb,” said Dawn. “And I don’t have enough money for a Cosmo Chick Comb, either…”

 

“I’ve got one here,” said Jenkins. “A Number Five. Try it for a few days, and see what Jeff thinks of you. You’ve been saying you want to be different…”

 

“Hmmm,” thought Dawn. “It is different, but, why not? I’ll try it.”

 

“It’s yours…for now,” said Jenkins as she handed Dawn the small comb.

 

“Thanks,” said Dawn. “I’ll see how it looks.”

 


 

IV. YET ANOTHER ATTACK

 

The  Vicinity of Planet Iscandar

 

Deke Wakefield’s Cosmo Tiger II (Diamond Girl)

 

Friday June 5, 2207: 1458 Hours Earth Space-Time

 


 

A bit more than a day later, Deke was in battle again.

 

This battle was really ticking him off; the Cometines had brought in about twenty Scorpion boats and about twenty Paranoia fighters, and they were actually attacking a part of New Fiji Island; namely, the town near the base.


The part that ticked Deke off as he went into battle with four other squadrons on short notice (without Sasha) was that the enemy was actually going after civilian houses on the island in bombing raids. Many families had already been killed and split up by the time Wakefield got his plane off the runway.

 

Fortunately, the groups had reinforcements. The Argo had taken off to sortie to attack the nearby enemy carrier fleet, so the Black Tigers had joined them in battle, led by Commodore Wildstar himself in his Super Star. However, Deke noticed that Wildstar was a little hard to make out over the sheer babble of communications and adrenline rush of the pitched air battle. He knew Hartcliffe was one squadron leader from the Argo…he could not make out who the other squadron leader was.

 

Not far away, Deke heard communications from a Gamilon fighter squadron made up of their green fighters. “Wakefield,” said the Gamilon commander. “There’s a concentration of enemy planes at TX-200. See if you can attack those, would you? It would strip these accursed boats of their fighter cover.”

 

“Thanks, Hafler,” said Wakefield. Deke had flown about two missions with Hafler’s squadron at his side, and even though he didn’t like the Gamilon, he was at least impressed by his efficiency and professionalism. “On our way.”

 

“Good. I’ve got your back,” said Hafler in his usual cold, grating voice.

 

“Thanks,” said Deke as the two squadrons separated, with the Trojans going after the Paranoia planes while Hafler’s 205th Group attacked a knot of Scorpions who were roaring down towards New Fiji Island.

 

A moment later, Wakefield heard Wildstar in his headset. “Wakefield! What are you up to?”

 

“We’re screwing around with a knot of Paranoia birds, sir,” said Deke as he lined up on a Paranoia and shot it from the sky of Iscandar. “The Gamilons gave us a tip.”

 

“See if you can assist Hartcliffe’s second squadron of Black Tigers when you have a chance. He’s in a hairball with more of them. I’ve taken over personal command of my first squadron; the squadron leader had to pull out-his plane’s taken damage.”

 

“Who’s the squadron leader, Wildstar?” asked Deke as he pulled up and around, lining up on another Paranoia.

 

“Not important right now. Get here when you can,” snapped Wildstar.

 

“Roger,” said Deke.

 

Deke flew into battle, shooting at Paranoias as fast as he could.

 

But, one of them got an indirect hit against Diamond Girl’s wing. The Tiger began to spin.

 

“Dekesticks!” yelled Brew as Deke began to spin.

 

“Thrusters are FUBARED,” grunted Deke. “Trying to get control of it!”

 

“Punch out!” yelled Brew. “Man, don’t leave Sasha a widow!”

 

“To hell with you!” said Deke as he noticed his bird was burning. “I’m putting her down and walking away from this!”

 

“STICKS!” yelled Brew.

 

Deke struggled to keep control as his Tiger roared down and out of the battle. Soon, he was back over the runway. “Declarin’ an emergency!” he yelled to the controller. “Guide me in!”

 

“You’re clear for one-niner north,” barked the controller. “Wakefield, give up control and put her on the beam! Let our computer fly it in! It’s damaged!”

 

“Like hell I’m giving up control of my ship to a Tinwit!” yelled Deke. “Any landing you can walk away from…”

 

Wakefield!” snapped the controller.

 

Deke came in, smoking hard, the control surfaces barely responding to his stick and rudder pedals as he forced his damaged plane down hard on the runway, a tire coming off with sparks going down the runway under the damaged gear as the plane waggled down the runway as if Deke was flying drunk. But the bird kept fairly close to the center line as it slowed down with a grinding screech as the fire and crash crew trucks roared up to it near the taxiway that Deke manhandled her onto, clearing the runway for another casualty he knew was coming in behind him.

 

As Deke slammed the brakes one more time, the damaged gear let go altogether and the Tiger lurched hard onto one wing, with a wingtip hitting the grass as the plane slammed around and Deke’s helmeted head quickly made friends with part of his canopy, crashing hard into it. But the helmet protected him, doing its job.

 

As the crash trucks stopped and the crews began soaking Diamond Girl with foam to put out the fires, Deke somehow crawled out of her and staggered down the rungs to the ground. On the rungs, he took off his helmet, looked at it, and threw it dejectedly into his cockpit.

 

Feeling like CRAP, Deke climbed down the last two rungs…

 

Then…as Deke was climbing off the last access rung, Diamond Girl lurched again on its damaged landing gear, which caused the fuselage of the plane to smack him hard in the side of his head.

 

Deke fell off his smoking plane, and his head contacted the grass hard, making him see stars. Cursing, he struggled to his feet.

 

“Any landin’ you can walk away from…” he muttered as, in a very weird, sleepy, half-conscious fashion, he staggered towards the arms of someone who jumped off the crash truck and ran to him in the grass who he was convinced was Sasha as his head really began to hurt.

 

“Hi, Saaaasssshhhhaaa,” he said as he smiled and fell right into the waiting arms.

 

He smiled as he passed out, not knowing that the person who had just jumped off the crash truck and whose arms he had passed out into was female, but was defintely not Sasha.

 

Nova Wildstar stood in her bare-shouldered summer Medical minidress and sandals, fresh from a small emergency medical unit helping survivors in the town. She held Deke up as she yelled “Medics! This man has a concussion! He has a lump on his head the size of a baby’s fist! I need backup! NOW!”

 

And, at that, backup came…

 

Deke didn’t know anything for quite a long while.

 

But he was dreaming.

 

It was about Sasha.

 

For him, at least, that was pleasant as he slept, not knowing that Diamond Girl would be saved…along with him…

 


 

That night, Jeff Hardy came into the cabin he shared with Dawn to find her combing her hair and whistling.

 

“What’s with the hair?” he said.

 

“Cosmo Chick Number Five,” said Dawn as she shook her head and looked at herself in the mirror. “I’m going to try this to see if blondes really have more fun.”

 

Hardy looked at her as she combed and combed. The laser effect from the comb, with its little Matsumoto Dial at the end, was quickly turning her hair an allover lighter shade of gold. “People might have a hard time tellin’ yuh apart from Nova if ya keep that up.”

 

“Mine’s lighter than hers already,” said Dawn as she sat there in her nightie using the comb. She also held up an old picture of herself. “Different, huh?”

 

Jeff looked at her. “Hard to say if ah like the old Dawn or the new Dawn,” said Hardy with a smile. “Why’re ya doin’ that again?”

 

“The sun here was beginning to bleach it anyway,” said Dawn. “Also, who knows? If I ever run into an old flame, maybe he won’t recognize me. Then I can have a little joke.”

 

“Which old flame?” said Hardy.

 

“You know who I mean,” sang Dawn as she went on with her experiment.

 


 

V, DEKE’S VERSION OF “THE LUCK OF THE IRISH”

 

Iscandar

 

Space Battleship Argo

 

Sickbay

 

Saturday June 6, 2207: 1113 Hours Earth Space-Time

 


 

Nova and Dawn had just gotten back to the Argo after a morning’s worth of work at the outdoor clinic on New Fiji Island where the children were being treated after the attack, and Nova was missing the warm sun on her bare legs and arms as she washed up in Sickbay.

 

“You’re saying we have to do what with Wakefield?” said Dawn in a shocked voice while Nova paused to wash a bit of stubborn beach sand off one of her bare ankles near the charm anklet she was wearing that said “Nova and Derek ‘01”. That anklet had been a gift from Derek, and Nova was glad that she didn’t lose it. She also remembered the night last year when Derek had given her the anklet; it turned out to be all that she had worn to bed that night…and it had been so nice…mmmm… She took off a pin with a cartoon cat on it she had been wearing to cheer up the children.

 

Nova smiled, coming out of her naughty little reverie, as she said, “We have to give Lieutenant Wakefield a bath, Dawn. After we finish reviewing these scans, that is. Deke is sort of undressed right now. Doctor Sane and Lieutenant Jenkins had to give him a scan all over for broken bones and internal injuries while we were on the island.”

 

“A bath?” said Dawn.

 

“And a shave, too,” said Nova as she began to gather up the necessary items after popping out the wireless computer keyboard, whch she used to take new hyperultrasound imaging MAT scans of Deke’s head. Then, she took a new EEG pattern and then looked at the results and Deke’s charts on the computer screen above his bed, nodding, and looking at the printout of the earlier scans and signing off below Doctor Sane’s initials. LUMP HAS GONE DOWN. NO SIGNS INTRACRANIAL BLEEDING, PT STILL in TWILIGHT STATE of  UNCONSCIOUS, BRAIN WAVE PATTERNS CONSISTENT WITH COND., ADVISE KEEPING PT ON GUARDED CONDITION, 1120 HRS, NW, LtC, RN, Nova wrote in mostly capitals in her pretty, girlish script. “He hasn’t been fully conscious for like…twenty hours. Luckily, the only injury he is presenting is a minor concussion with mental confusion. It’s not like he can do that sort of thing himself right now. That’s also when I like to change a patient’s sheets…bathtime.”

 

“I don’t like this, ma’am,” snapped Dawn.

 

“Why not?” said Nova. “He’s your ex. So what? Water under the bridge, right? You said you’re changing your life, right? Isn’t that why you’re making your hair look funny?”

 

“No. If you divorced Wildstar, would you want to give him a bath? And my hair does not look funny, ma’am. I kind of like it,” said Dawn as she ran her hands through her new golden locks.

 

“Beside the point,” said Nova as she slammed shut the chart and tossed it into a receptacle near Deke’s bed after putting it into a round transport carrier after rolling it up.  A tap of a switch with her sandaled foot sent the chart through a vacuum tube carrier system back to Sane’s office with a quick whoosh. “Dawn. You took a variant of the Hippocratic Oath when you were pinned as a nurse. Remember? “I will help to the best of my ability, and I will do no harm to a patient under my care…prejudice against a person in need of my care… shall not be part of my ethic…””

 

“You’ve got that memorized, ma’am,” sighed Dawn.

 

“They made us memorize it when I went to nursing school,” snapped Nova. “I’m not sure about you.”

 

“I..”

 

Nova looked at Dawn hard. “Dawn. This is an order. Help me treat Mister Wakefield, or go in to see Doctor Sane and resign your World Health Organization commission.”

 

At that, Dawn almost wanted to cry. Her idol, the person she had admired throughout nursing school, telling her she had bad ethics? But she knew she was right. She felt even worse knowing her idol had suddenly lost a great deal of respect for her. Is she saying I’m a bad nurse? Dawn thought. Maybe she’s right.

 

“Damn, ma’am, you are taking this very…”

 

“What is it?” said Nova. “Are you helping me or resigning?”

“I’m…I’m nervous about this,” said Dawn as Nova saw her toes curling in her sandals…almost with…revulsion?

 

“C’mon, Dawn, “ giggled Nova. “It’s a simple job; I’ve seen you do it several times. Heck, when I was in the hospital, you gave me two baths in bed,” said Nova.

 

“Yes, but you’re not my ex,” said Dawn as she blushed. “And you don’t have…uh…”

 

“What?” said Nova.

 

“Part of you still doesn’t care…I…I don’t know how to face it, ma’am. Can I just run from here? Go clean bedpans?”

 

“Ohh…that’s it?” teased Nova. “No, Dawn, we don’t have to give him a Saturday Night Special!”

 

“A what?”

 

“A little violation of medical ethics,” said Nova as she blushed. “I reserve those for Derek when no one is around,” she said with a giggle as Dawn saw Nova’s toes curling in her sandals…and it didn’t seem to be with revulsion, either.

 

“Nova…I…ma’am…you’re…”

 

“No, we don’t have to do that for Deke,” said Nova. “But we do have to get him clean. I gave you an order. Helping me?”

 

“Aye, aye, ma’am,” said Dawn.

 

“Good. I can wash the oogey parts of him if you want. I’ll need the practice for these two,” Nova said as she patted her stomach. “Which is the other reason I need your help. I’m usually strong enough that bathing a patient is a one-girl job for me,” said Nova. “But, I will need some help right now from you. Unless you like the thought of seeing me go into premature labor right about now. It would be messy, but I’m third trimester now; the kids would make it, even though they’d be very tiny…”

 

“Okay!” laughed Dawn. “Let’s get busy on…Deke…and, Nova…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Let’s hope he does NOT wake up about now…”

 

Nova sighed. “You are terrible, Mrs. Hardy. You know that?”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” said Dawn.

 


 

Deke continued to dream his rather confused dreams, although this dream turned into a strange new one.

 

He rolled up his eyes in sleep as he dreamed that Sasha was giving him a bath on the beach.

 

For Deke, the funny thing about this dream was that Sasha was whispering a popular song from a movie called “From Yamato With Love,” in a lower voice than she usually used. It sounded a bit like a sweet alto to Deke as he grabbed Sasha’s hand in the dream, mumbled, “Saaaasssaaa” and kissed it.

 

This was a nice dream for Deke….a very nice dream.

 

And, it didn’t feel bad either as he felt his body reacting to the attention…

 


 

“Nova, what did he do?” said Dawn as she handed Nova a washcloth from their little pan of rinse water on a crash cart near Deke’s bed after pulling a privacy curtain around them.

 

“I think he’s dreaming,” giggled Nova. “He just tried kissing my hand.”

 

What?” said Dawn.

 

“It happens,” said Nova with a sigh. “And he was out of it when I picked him up off the ground near that landing strip. Concussions can do weird things to the mind. Now, let’s pull down this sheet and start going below his waist, and…oh, my,” said Nova with a blush.

 

“What?” said Dawn.

 

“Poor dear…look between his legs,” whispered Nova.

 

“Do I have to?” said Dawn.

 

“Part of your training,” said Nova dryly as she and Dawn turned Deke onto his back. They carefully opened his legs. Deke was (obviously) naked in bed, and Dawn went several shades of red when she not only saw Deke’s pride again for the first time in years…but she also saw evidence he was having a very nice dream.

 

“Saaaaassssshhhhh..” he muttered.

 

“What?” said Dawn.

 

“I think he’s trying to say someone’s name,” said Nova as she prepared a sponge. “You can turn your back for this if you want.”

 

“You’re washing him there?” said Dawn.

 

“Have to. Topside and bottom. He’s stained and stinky from the bedpan, poor Deke,” said Nova as she blushed herself, hoping Wakefield didn’t wake up while she was ministering to this part of his anatomy. Also, thoughts of Derek when he had been ill intruded into her mind.

 

Nova…did her duty, while she murmured, “Oh, my God…the Tower of Babel is rising…”

 

“What?” said Dawn. She couldn’t help looking. “Nova, you’re not…!”

 

“I’m being as fast as I can,” she snapped. “And this happens sometimes with men, damnit,” said Nova as she tried to finish her chore as quickly as possible. Then, relieved that nothing really untoward had happened, she threw a large cold washcloth over that part of Deke’s anatomy and began working on his stomach. “Dawn, you get everything below the part I just washed, legs, knees, feet…I’ll go upwards…”

 

Dawn almost felt like saying, “Do I have to?” but a look from Nova made it clear that it was not a suggestion. So, while trying not to look at Deke’s face (or the parts of him hidden under the washcloth..), Dawn disconnected herself and began washing Deke while Nova washed him from the navel up.

 

Then, Nova grabbed up a pair of pajamas from off a crash cart. “I just need to wash his hair and shave him,” said Nova. “We’d better get him dressed.”

 

Deke was dressed in a hurry by Dawn and Nova (Dawn was blushing hard at this again) in standard EDF-issue grey-blue pajamas.

 

Then, Nova and Dawn took five minutes to shave Deke. Then, as Deke moaned, Dawn cleaned him up as Nova prepared to wash his hair.

 

While she was working on washing Deke’s hair, and after Nova put Deke’s glasses back on, Deke raised his arms, shocking Nova as he moved.

 

Nova tried to move back, but she wasn’t fast enough as Deke’s arms grabbed her, and he murmured, “Ohhhh…Saaaasssssshhhhhaaaaa,” and he pulled her down for a very deep kiss!

 

“Saaaasssshhhaaa,” Deke muttered.

 

“MMMMMMMMMMPPPPPHHHH!” said Nova as she had her teeth and tongue attacked by Deke’s tongue.

 

Dawn stepped back in shock, beginning to giggle as Nova struggled and finally pulled free from Deke’s lips with fire in her eyes.

 

At that moment, Wakefield woke up.

 

“Huh?” he said.

 

“MISTER WAKEFIELD!” snapped Nova as she put her hands on her hips and snapped in her most authoritative tone of voice, knowing she could not exactly hold him responsible but that she’d better stop this in a hurry (especially since this wasn’t Derek…). “Do you know what you just did?”

 

“Uhhh…Sasha?” he said as he looked at Nova, who had stepped back in shock.

 

Now this is weird, he thought. She looks like Dawn, but she has almost Sasha’s hair color. Where did the blond bangs go? What gives here?

 

“I’m not Sasha,” said Dawn as she patted down his covers reluctantly but authoritatively while taking his pulse.

 

Deke’s heart dropped as he recognized her voice and his face dropped as he recognized that Dawn no longer looked precisely like she had in their teens. The old Dawn was gone. He had no idea what to think of the new one as she said, “And neither is she. My superior is named Nova Wildstar. Or did you forget, sir?”

 

“Uhhh…uhhh…uhhh..Dawn? You’ve got on one pendant, Dawn? And Nova, you have another one on?”

 

“Right,” said Nova with a tight smile as she tried to keep from throwing something at Deke…or doubling up on the deck with a major case of the giggles. “I’m flattered, that you think I look like Sasha, but you’re very mistaken, Wakefield,” purred Nova as she held her stomach. They’re at it again in there, she thought as she guessed her son was giving her a good shot inside her womb. Nova was somewhere between amused and PO’ed at the situation. A minute later, Nova found herself fishing in her pocket for bubble gum. She didn’t find any. All she had in that poclet today were tongue depressors, a bandage, a “Hello Kitty” pin she had taken off before, and a small key.

 

“You’re not Sasha?” said Deke. “You’re not my Sasha?”

 

“Sasha? Heck no!” said Dawn. “Nova, what does he have for that damned cadet?”

 

“Dawn, quiet. Mister Wakefield, were you aware that you were kissing me?” snapped Nova.

 

“I…I…I was dreaming you were Sasha, Nova. My God,” he said.

 

“WHO’S SASHA?” snapped Dawn as she came up to the other side of the head of Deke’s bed.

 

Deke lay there with his mouth open as he realized that this was NOT Bangs, but it was Dawn. Her hair looked the same, and in her open-neck summer nurse’s dress, he could see that she was still wearing the infamous Star Pendant. He sat in utter shock for a bit, not sure how or why Dawn had gotten there, but she had. He reached out to pinch her to see if she was real, but she stepped away from him as if he was some kind of rabid dog. Then, Deke ran his eyes involuntarily down her waist, down her bare legs, and down to her feet, and then to one of her bare arms, where he noticed that she was some kind of wearing a type of ID bracelet that said “Dawn and Jeff” on her wrist.

 

Then, Deke looked Dawn in the eye and snapped, “Who’s Jeff?”

 

Nova began to say something as Dawn snapped, “None of your business, Deke! Who’s Sasha?”

 

“Mousketeer Roll Call, anyone?” snapped Deke sarcastically as Artwork: SICKBAY © 2008 by Michael C. Crump (aka “Max Damage”) Used by Permission.

 

he looked at Dawn and said, “Interesting that you’re in an EDF nurse’s uniform in 100% polyester. And that all-blond hair!”

 

“It’s not interesting that you’re in your jammies,” snapped Dawn. “And your hair looks like a used mop, Deke!”

 

“I’ve been sleepin’ on it. How did I get into these?” said Deke as he tugged at his pajamas.

 

“I dressed you, of course,” said Nova. “So did Dawn. When you were getting scanned and examined before, you were sort of naked.”

 

“Were you looking?” said Deke.

 

“Hell no,” snapped Dawn. “Who were you dreaming about?”

 

“Sasha,” snapped Deke.

 

“And who’s that?” said Dawn as she stood with her hands on her hips. Deke looked at Nova, and saw her standing there with her own hands on her hips. “Nova, why are you glaring at me?”

 

“Can we have this happy reunion, both of you, somewhere else other than in my Sickbay?” snapped Nova. “I do not need to get written up by Doctor Sane and made to scrub the deck.”

 

“WHO’S SASHA?” snapped Dawn.

 

Then, the curtain came open, and a woman a little taller than Nova, clothed in a bikini top, bikini bottom, blue sarong, and white sandals stared Dawn down and said, “Me. And why are you keeping my husband from getting his rest?”

 

“Husband?” said Dawn.

 

“Yeah,” said Deke. “Other people move on in the world too, Dawn. Wake up and smell the coffee,” he said as Sasha ran over and kissed him.

 

“He’s a great kisser, Nova,” said Sasha with a light in her eyes.

 

“I know,” said Nova dryly as she wiped her mouth.

 

“How?”

 

“Personal experience, Sasha,” said Nova. “Before you belt him, Sasha, he was semi-deilrious and he thought I was you. We can’t hold him responsible for that, but we must make sure it never happens again.”

 

“Really?” said Sasha with a sweet smile. “You were dreaming about me, Deeekee?”

 

“Yes, and Deeekeee was making me want to throw up,” snapped Dawn.

 

“Why are you acting like you still have a lien on him?” said Sasha. “Especially since I know you’re married to someone else?”

 

“Who?” said Deke, throughly confused.

 

“Never mind!” snapped Dawn. “Deke, it’s a good thing you didn’t frigging kiss me, or….or….”

 

“Or what?” said a very confused Deke.

 

“Or I might just hurt you,” said Sasha. “And what did you say to my husband?” added Sasha.

 

“I said…”

 

“People, quit it!” snapped Nova.

 

“Nova, ma’am, with all respect, please,” snapped Sasha. “You said what, Dawn?”

 

“That is Ensign to you,” snapped Dawn.

 

“Pulling rank on me?” cried Sasha. “Why can’t you leave us alone, in peace?”

 

“Because, Sasha, part of me is revulsed seeing my ex with someone else,” said Dawn.

 

“You are…married,” said Sasha. “Bug off!”

 

“I grew up with Deke!” Dawn said. “Then he turned into something like some weird alien!”

 

“What was that?” said Sasha.

 

“GIRLS!” snapped Nova.

 

“Deke here turned into some…some…vengeful…Goddamn…freak who wanted to just kill Gamilons!” yelled Dawn. “But I remember what he was like beforehand! And now, when he should be suffering and thinking about the way he abandoned me…thinking about the way he used me, dumped me, made it so that he should never be happy with anyone else after he throws me out like a used piece of toilet paper…”

 

Abandoned you?” said Deke. “YOU broke up with me, Dawn! Forget that part?”

 

“Then, he had to go off with…you, Sasha! Some freak! Well, Deke, I hope you like your Iscandarian floozie!”

 

“Iscandarian floozie?!?!” yelled Sasha as she grabbed for Dawn. “That is enough, bitch! Let’s have this out, right now!”

 

Dawn pivoted on her feet, ready to throw the pan of water at Sasha, but she wasn’t fast enough as Nova stepped it between them and barked, “YOU TWO, CUT THIS OUT! RIGHT NOW! OR DO I HAVE TO HAVE YOU BOTH CHUCKED IN THE BRIG? WANNA TRY ME?”

 

Dawn stopped, but as she over-balanced, the plastic pan of water fell out of her hand….

 

…and it landed right on Nova’s head.

 

As a very wet Nova threw the pan off her head and was almost ready to belt Dawn herself, IQ-9 scurried in as fast as he could and said, “No one here hurts Nova! If you hurt Nova, you will have to deal with me!”

 

“Really,” sneered Dawn.

 

“DO NOT TEST ME,” said IQ-9 at full volume. “My feelings for Nova are a hundred times purer than your tainted old stale feelings for Wakefield! Have you not ever heard of true love?”

 

“Thank you, IQ,” said Nova. Nova glared at Dawn and found a mop in a corner and threw it at her. “Ensign! Clean up this compartment in the next ten minutes while I dry off and change! If this compartment is not clean, you WILL be running laps. NOW GET TO IT! And, Sasha, YOU help her!”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” said Dawn in a hushed voice.

 

“Aye, aye, ma’am,” said Sasha.

 

“Who’s Jeff?” muttered Deke as he saw Nova stomping off to another part of Sickbay, so mad that she didn’t care who saw her as she pulled her wet dress off over her head and began to change. Deke caught a glimpse of her pulling off her dress before she rounded a corner, and he thought, I’ve seen her enough, and I’ve done enough today…don’t let your mind go there, Sticks…or Sasha and Commodore Wildstar might both give you another concussion…I’m dead anyway if Nova tells Derek about that stupid-ass kiss…

 


 

Later on, Deke was released from Sickbay after being examined by Doctor Sane. It was about 1700 Hours when he was allowed by two other nurses to get dressed and wander the Argo for a bit. Sane told him that they were in flight and that he was being released to his base that evening upon landing on a 72-hour disability leave until Wednesday, the 10th of June.

 

While he had been getting dressed, Sandor also popped in to tell him that the Diamond Girl had been salvaged, was repairable, and that his plane was currently being repaired in the Mechanical Group workshops right aboard ship along with Wildstar’s Super Star, which also had taken minor damage in the battle. 

 

He hadn’t seen Nova since that morning, and he didn’t feel comfortable about running into her or Dawn again.

 

First, Deke went forward to the Mechanical Group workshops, where he found Diamond Girl sitting under the lights with one wing off on a support scaffold while techs clad in the white and gold of Flight Support and Maintenance and the white and blue of Mechanical Group swarmed over his bird, working on her with assorted tools and with cables, wires and lights up inside the fuselage.

 

“How is it going?” said Wakefield as he looked at his damaged plane.

 

“It’ll take some work, sir,” said a young Flight Support Group tech with a white collar. “But, we’ve rebuilt planes in much worse shape than this. She should be ready to fly again sometime next week, Lieutenant.”

 

“Why is she getting worked on here?” said Deke.

 

“We don’t know, sir. Orders from Priceman and the Skipper. They didn’t elaborate much…”

 

Deke nodded, walking past his plane, stroking its damaged fuselage. Then, he turned his head to look at Wildstar’s famed Super Star. He noticed that it was one of the uprated 2203 models, in red and white markings, with missiles and comm pods of various kinds under its wings. It was having its engine and some damage around its upper stabilizer worked on.

 

“Amazing they’re still keeping birds like this in service,” muttered Deke as he gently patted the combat veteran’s wing. He saw that beneath Commodore Wildstar’s name were painted more kill marks then even he had earned. Deke also felt a little shiver when he saw Nova’s name still painted on the fuselage in the RSO’s place behind the pilot’s spot.

 

Then, to his shock, one of the figures crouched with his head in the Super Star’s cockpit, up on a maintenance platform, looked down and snapped. “All right, who’s making love to my plane?”

 

Wakefield froze as he recognized that the man had on white and red, and that there was some grease on his hands and forehead. What made his heart stop was that he was looking Commodore Derek Wildstar right in the face.

 

“Sir?” said Wakefield.

 

“Hollander, drop this lift down to the deck. I have to talk to this guy!” snapped Wildstar as he turned to the Mechanical Group man beside him. A moment later, the maintenance lift was dropping downwards, and Wildstar reached the deck a moment later. Wakefield stiffened, expecting to be slugged any minute. He must know about Nova by now, he thought. Well, man, you had a nice career, thought Wakefield.

 

To his surprise, though, Wildstar was just grinning slightly as he stepped up to Wakefield and gave him a friendly light punch in the arm. “That battle messed us both up, didn’t it, Wakefield?”

 

“Yessir, it did,” said Deke.

 

“What went on with Sasha and Dawn this morning in Sickbay while you were coming around?” said Derek. “Nova came up to our cabin with her hair wet and had a good cry about it and she threw some things around, too.”

 

“Sir, Dawn and Sasha had an argument…over me.”

 

“Over you?” said Derek as he shook his head. “Between you and me, Wakefield, Nova’s a handful to deal with at times with those pregnant hormones…but, that Dawn? Nova told me about their fight but I still don’t get it. You told me Dawn broke up with you, and now she’s married to one of my pilots…”

 

Pilots, sir?” said Wakefield.

 

“You mean you haven’t heard, yet?” said Wildstar.

 

“No, sir. I’ve been sort of out of the loop with what’s going on aboard this ship, sir…and…”

 

Wildstar got a scut-rag, wiped his hands, and laughed a little. “Sometimes, I don’t know every soap opera that goes on aboard this command myself. And I’m supposed to be the Commanding Officer! I’ll let Nova tell you, later….provided you don’t act weird around her again and mistake her for your wife…”

 

“She…she told you about that, sir?”

 

Wildstar laughed. “Yes she did. Good thing for you that you were out of your mind…or I might have had to have a little talk with you out on the weather deck, Deke. We are clear on that?”

 

“Yessir,” gulped Wakefield.

 

Wildstar gave him a friendly push again. “C’mon. Can’t stay mad at you. Especially since I think we’ll be flying together again; and real soon. When you’re off convalescence, you’ll find out some things are changing for the Trojans. You’ll see soon. Talk later, Wakefield.”

 

“Yessir,” said Deke as he saluted.

 

Wildstar looked at a tech and yelled, “You were supposed to have those avionics fixed before dinner, Miyama! Now get off your butt and get busy on my plane! I might need her again tonight!”

 

“Yessir,”  said Miyama as a very confused Wakefield left after seeing a burst of the infamous Wildstar temper, and glad that it was not directed at him.

 


 

Deke’s wanderings continued. Finally, he found himself in the aft observation deck in the bridge tower. He didn’t know where Sasha was, and he was a little mystified that she hadn’t been there in Sickbay when he had been dismissed for the time being. I wonder where she is? Deke thought as he looked out at the stars. They were a slight distance away from Gamilon and Iscandar, which both looked oddly beautiful as the twin planets danced in their eternal dance around each other.

 

Sasha, I wish we could have gotten together again for dinner, Deke thought as he looked out at Iscandar. I hope you’re aboard ship, for that matter, he added to himself as he heard the hatch whizzing open behind him.

 

He looked back, and saw Nova coming up, carrying a clipboard as she approached in her white minidress and nurses’ sandals. She looked similar to the way she had looked in Sickbay that morning, except that she had a pin on her dress now on the opposite side from her red cross emblem. His eyes widened a little as he saw that she was wearing a pin with the image of a cartoon cat on it.

 

“Deke, does my pin look stupid?” said Nova in a tired-sounding voice.

 

“I was wondering about that before,” said Deke. “Why a Hello Kitty pin, ma’am?”

 

“For the children,” she sighed. “That idiot Hartcliffe was teasing me about my pin and my shoes, Deke. He hates me being pregnant for some reason, Deke. He’s driving me crazy! And he has been picking on his own wife, too, who is also pregnant! What a creep.”

 

“Damn,” said Deke. “Wildstar told me you were crying before…”

 

“Hartcliffe was part of it. So was Dawn. So was what they did to that city and those poor families and children! I hate what they did to that city, Deke. Oh, I’m not mad anymore. Not at you, anyway…”

 

“Yeah, I know. Derek told me that I just escaped a beating because I was out of my mind when I kissed you…I’m so sorry about that, Nova. I didn’t know what I was doing…honest to God.”

 

“Yes, luckily,” said Nova in a rather tart voice. “It’s your ex I’m still mad at. I don’t understand her, Deke? Dawn broke up with you and she thinks you wrecked things? And she’s very unprofessional to boot. I had to read her the riot act and pull rank on her to make her help me give you a bath when you came around earlier. Sorry I embarrassed you before, Deke. I had to…just get you clean, and…”

 

“That’s okay, Nova. What’s Dawn doing in uniform?” said Deke. “She’s always hated the military.”

 

Nova sighed. Then, Nova said, “She’s still technicially a civilian, Deke. She is in uniform as a member of the World Health Organization Commissoned Corps. Because we needed doctors and nurses so badly, the EDF requisitioned a lot of their personnel for work with the Defense Forces. About a third of my nurses on this cruise are actually WHO officers like her; loaned to us for the duration. She was supposed to be a WHO reservist, but she was called up on indefinite active duty when WHO needed her, then they leased her to us. She’s stuck here, Deke, and doesn’t like it. I’ve even tried to tell her I’m also an EDF Reserve Officer on indefinite active duty due to this war emergency, and that hasn’t helped. Then, there’s Jeff, her husband…”

 

“Who’s Jeff?” said Deke.

 

“Her husband, Lieutenant Commander Jefferson Davis Hardy, the CO of the Black Tigers. Deke…why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“I don’t believe it, ma’am…that’s all. Dawn broke up with me partly because I wanted to be a pilot, and, instead, she ends up marrying one? How did they get together? I’m…kinda shocked!”

 

“They were dating for many months before they got married in the spring, around the same time that you and Sasha got married. They were aboard this command for a while; Sandor tells me they were playing kissy-kissy a lot before they got married; that’s while I was asleep in that cryo-tube. I missed a lot myself being asleep.”

 

“I missed a lot not being around too,” said Deke. “Hardy, huh?” he sighed. “I worked with him. He taught me in the Academy. And now, he ends up with my ex. How convenient,” said Deke. “He and I have got to have a little talk.”

 

“Do you still have a thing for her?” said Nova.

 

“How can I? I’m married to Sasha.”

 

“Ghosts can stick around in people’s heads for a long time, particularly if they were close,” said Nova. “Don’t pull the wool over my eyes, Deke. We’ve talked about this a lot. Does part of you still have feelings for Dawn, somewhere? Somewhere in here?” said Nova as she slapped her own chest.

 

“Maybe,” said Deke. “Can’t be much. I sort of feel like wanting to curse Dawn out about now.”

 

“Don’t do that. She told me the same thing, Deke, and I also warned her off you. She has orders to stay away from you except in the line of duty, Deke. I am going to reiterate the same orders to you. And I’d be careful about Hardy, Deke.”

 

“Ma’am, with all respect, I have to talk with him.”

 

“When?” said Nova.

 

“Now,” said Deke. “Where is he?”

 

Nova just glared at him. “Deke. Don’t.”

 

“It’s not like you think, ma’am. And this has to be dealt with. Between guys.”

 

Deke just left while Nova snapped, “Wakefield! WAKEFIELD!”

 

Then, she just stood there, tapped her foot, and sighed. “Men,” she muttered to herself. “Okay, Mrs. Wildstar. You’d better get a medkit. And lots of bandages. They might need them when they’re done talking. I swear, you two are as bad as Derek and Mark used to be once…when they were dueling over another young lady.” Nova then pointed at her own reflection and snapped, “And you know darn well who I’m talking about! Myself!”

 

At that, Nova left in a huff.

 


 

VI. A FRIENDLY DISCUSSION..

 

Planet Gamilon

 

Leader Desslok’s Palace

 

Main Throne Room

 

Saturday June 6, 2207: 1830 Hours Earth Space-Time

 


 

Desslok sat on his throne with Astrena, Talan, and his other generals surrounding him while General Fraken finished giving a report of the battle that day to the Leader of his Empire. “We finally repelled the enemy forces, with some losses, and with the aid of the Earthlings and the Iscandarians, earlier this morning, sire. Admiral Alex Wildstar was back in battle for the first time aboard his flagship, the Princess Astra, in the sortie, along with the Argo and the Arizona. In spite of losses, they put up a credible defense of their planet, sir.”

 

“So, the Iscandarians are numerous enough again to fight?” said Desslok as he supped thoughtfully at his goblet. “Astrena, I’m not sure whether I like this development…or dislike it.”

 

“Desslok, we are on the same side,” said Astrena.

 

Desslok chuckled a low laugh. “It has taken a lot to arouse Starsha from the semi-comatose state she has been in for the years since the great plague that killed off 99.5% of the people of dyuing Iscandar and would have made their race extinct were it not for her, that Earthling, and the few vagabonds who came back to Iscandar from across space and began to breed like roaches. Really, the only things she has been excited over were the Star Force’s original journey here, that I tried to stop when I we were in a different situation, as well as the machinations of that half-ghost creature Ekogaru. Queen Starsha with a defense force. Interesting.”

 

“It is for the good of both of our worlds, Desslok,” snapped Astrena.

 

Desslok sipped at some more wine. “As it is, we shall table this discussion. For now. We are together, at least. Leftenant Maglin, come forward!”

 

A young Gamilon officer in brown space armor came up and saluted. “Leader Desslok, I am here to serve.”

 

“You are supposed to be, Maglin,” said Desslok. “I have had you following Baron Von Delvitz around ever since that unfortunate altercation he started in that drinking house on Iscandar. What has that Baron been up to ever since he has been released from protective custody?”

 

“Actually, sir,” said Maglin as he sweated. “Not much. Until this morning. He and his executive officer gave me and my men the slip, sir. We think he returned to his manor here on Gamilon, but…”

 

Desslok shut his eyes and raised his hand. “You think?

 

“My second Intel unit is still trying to catch up with him, sir,” said Maglin. “His men have been very good at hacking into our computer systems and setting forth both false internal passports and travel vouchers. We think we know where he really went, but…”

 

“I told you to watch him,” snapped Desslok.

 

“Yes, but he is very wily…he…”

 

Desslok nodded bluntly. “Not wily enough, Maglin,” he said as he pushed a small button on the arm of his throne.

 

A hole opened up in the floor, and Maglin fell through it with a scream.

 

“Good riddance to bad rubbish,” said Desslok as he rubbed his white-gloved hands.

 

“Where did you send him?” snapped Astrena. She looked close to crying.

 

“To a quick end,” he said. “Those tunnels lead to many places. I programmed that one to lead to a lake of sulphuric acid that survived in a pocket underground deep beneath the palace. Right now, he is dissolving like a cockroach in a beaker. A rather merciful death, actually…”

 

Desslok smiled and said, “Talan, call forth Leftenant Gever.”

 

“Gever!” snapped Talan. “Front and center!”

 

“Yessir!” said a young Gamilon officer in a two-tone grey and blue uniform.

 

“Take up the search for Baron Von Delvitz, Leftenant,” said Desslok. “When you find him, tell him I want to see him. At once.”

 

“Yessir!” said Gever as Astrena tried to hold back her pregnant tears. Desslok was an honorable man, but she knew, at times, that the galactic dictator still had a very callous streak.

 


 

Finally, Deke went down to the flight deck to seek out Hardy.

 

Upon his arrival on the lower flight deck, the usually noisy hangar went dead quiet (save for the sound of money exchanging hands and whispered bets).

 

Word of the explosive potential of this meeting had grown to epic proportions over the past few days and especially in the past few hours as the Scuttlebutt Express circluated rumor of Deke’s confrontation with Dawn in Sickbay earlier that day.

 

Unbeknownst to Deke, Dawn was standing behind Hardy's Tiger.

 

“Hardy,” said Wakefield.

 

Hardy looked a bit sheepish (he was feeling a busted jaw coming on) as he turned to face Deke.

 

Deke stepped up, stood to attention and saluted as he reported in.

 

“Good evening, sir,” said Deke as he saluted. “Sir, we need to have a talk.”

 

Hardy returned the salute, still looking sorta white around the gills. “Yes, Mister Wakefield. We sure do.”

 

“About what, sir?” said Deke in a purposely non-commital voice.

 

“About why your plane is aboard the Argo right now, Trojan Leader. Especially since…well…we’ll be servin’ togetha. At long last, Wakefield.”

 

“Sir?”

 

“I will explain in a minute,” said Hardy. “Also, we need to talk about some…othuh things.”

 

“Other things?” said Deke.

 

“Yes,” said Hardy in a subdued fashion. “Things of a personal nature, Mistuh. Things that, maybe, should have gone otherwise. Especially this morning, in Sickbay.”

 

“I see,” said Deke.

 

“I wanted to try and clear the air a bit. Ah understand you and mah wife have some….history together. And I’d like to let you know that I think we can’t have this tension forever aboard ship. Shake on it?”

 

To everyone's surprise, Deke, with a resigned look on his face, extended his hand to Hardy in a friendly gesture.

 

“Okay, sir,” said Deke. “On my word of honor, we’ll shake on it.”

 

“And on my word as a gentleman, it is accepted,” said Hardy. Hardy took Deke’s hand and and they shook hands. Everyone in the peanut gallery groaned (cause you know, in spite the odds, at least one wiseass would've bet on that happening).

 

“Bloody darn it,” said Hartcliffe as he came up. “I thought I’d have to sit on one ‘er you to break up the bloody fight.”

 

“You’h out of ohduh, Hartcliffe,” snapped Hardy as he stepped forward. “And if you don’t shut your mouth, maybe we can have a discussion?”

 

“About what?” drawled Hartcliffe.

 

“About the way you’ve been treatin’ yoah wife, for one thing. Yoah pregnant wife, Mistuh.”

 

“We’ll ‘ave a talk about that another time, mate. I think I might need to talk with both of you. You and your surfer dude battle brother who wants to get into yer wife’s pants. Princess ain’t good enough for ya, Dekesticks?”

 

“You son-of-a…” snapped Deke as he stepped forward.

 

Hardy stepped in between them to stop it as he said. “You two know the rules! No fightin’ on the flight deck!”

 

“What were ya gonna do with Wakefield?” drawled Hartcliffe.

 

“Post out of heah, Hartcliffe,” snapped Hardy. “NOW.”

 

“Yes, sir,” said Hartcliffe. He acted like he was going to leave, but then he turned back to Deke as Hardy glared at him. “Oh, Wakefield?”

 

“Yeah?” snapped Deke as he fumed.

 

“We’ll talk later. About…”

 

“You mean me?” snapped a young, controlled voice as everyone’s heads turned as Sasha, back in her Midshipman’s blues, strode onto the flight deck.

 

Deke looked as he saw Sasha coming. He didn’t have a good feeling about this, especially since, out of the corner of his right eye, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Dawn, now in a regular white and red Medical uniform and boots. She was standing behind Hardy.

 

In spite of his love for Sasha, the sight of Dawn still caused a lump to rise up into his throat and his heart to tear in two. 

 

Maintaining his composure though, Deke let out a sigh and said to Hardy, “Congratulations, sir. The best man won.”

 

Still a little leery of this honesty as Dawn stared down Deke in a guarded, neutral fashion, Hardy asked, “Deke? No hard feelin's?”

 

Deke shook his head and said, “No, Jeff. Not now.”

 

Hardy asked, “Sure you're not gonna bust me in the chops?”

 

Deke grinned and said, “Well, the thought did cross my mind…”

 

“Maybe I will see a fight after all,” snapped Hartcliffe as he turned back to them.

 

“Hush!” snapped Hardy. “Or are ya deaf, Hartcliffe?”

 

“Hartcliffe,” growled Wakefield. “Shut up, or maybe Hardy and I may have to team up to kick your butt!”

 

Hardy nodded and gave Deke a quick thumbs-up as Dawn looked very concerned. What the hell am I doing here in this nest of macho pilots in this stinky flight bay? Dawn thought. I love Jeff, but throw Deke in the mix here, him and that damn smart-ass Anglian, and that Sasha, and things can get messy in a hurry…

 

“Hardy, sir, back to what I was saying. What’s the point for a fight here? I had Dawn, but you have Dawn now. And now, I’ve got Sasha…”

 

Sasha, who had slipped up behind him while he was saying this and slipped her arms under his, purred with a smile, “Yeah, Deekee…”

 

They kissed, as the peanut gallery began to clap and applaud. Dawn felt anger and embarrassment rising up in her as well, and she waked out of the gantry bay where Hardy’s Tiger was,  and after walking over to Hardy, she said with a sheepish look, “Deke…”

 

“Yes?” said Deke in a non-committal fashion.

 

“Jeff and I …h ad a talk about this, Deke. I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time below, today. I let my emotions run away with me. Sasha, I’m sorry, too.”

 

“I’m sorry?” said Sasha. “You actually said…I’m sorry?”

 

“Yes, I did,” snapped Dawn as fire ran through her eyes for a minute. “I may not want to have you over for dinner, yet, Sasha, but I’ve realized that if Deke is big enough to let bygones be bygones, so am I. Con…congratulations on your marriage to Mister Wakefield…Ensign Wakefield. May it be a long and happy one.”

 

“Thanks,” said Sasha as tears filled her eyes. To everyone’s shock, they could see tears filling Dawn’s eyes, too, as the two women suddenly ran towards each other and embraced.

 

The peanut gallery went “awww…” and some people applauded as Nova came up, saw Sasha and Dawn hugging, and she threw herself into the group hug, too.

 

“Good job, girls,” she whispered.

 

“We have to be together, ma’am,” said Dawn. “Why be enemies?”

 

“Yes…the enemy is out there in those Scorpions,” added Sasha.

 

“Great job,” said Nova.

 

Then, after the women broke their embrace, Dawn turned to Deke, shocked him as she gave him a friendly pat on the hand, and said, “Deke, considering the way you came aboard this ship, and considering the way I felt, I’m sorry Jeff and I didn't just go ahead and let you know together when you came aboard, but...”

 

Deke nodded at Dawn (finding it hard to believe they were having a guarded but civil conversation for the first time in years) and replied, “Well, actually, knowing me, I would've done the same thing…if I had been conscious down there in Sickbay…and in my right mind. No more French-kissing Nova for me…”

 

Everyone there, Nova herself included, had a good-natured laugh about that one as Nova grabbed his hands and said, “I’m your aunt-in-law,” said Nova. “I’ll kiss you like a cousin, Deke, but…well…”

 

“What’s like a cousin, mean?” snorted Hartcliffe.

 

“You were ordered to leave this flight deck five minutes ago,” snapped Hardy. “Get going!”

 

“Wait,” said Nova. “Bryan, kissing Deke like a cousin means kissing him like this…”

 

Nova reached in and said, “Sasha, with your pemission, may I demonstrate?”

 

Sasha smiled sheepishly and nodded as Nova gave Deke a quick and chaste peck on the cheek. “Like this, Bryan,” said Nova. “Are we clear?”

 

“Yeah…all too clear…you and yer beautiful balloon,” said Hartcliffe as he patted Nova’s pregnant stomach under her gold and black male-patterned uniform blouse and slacks and then ran off as fast as he could.

 

“That creep!!” yelled Nova.

 

“You’re telling me,” said Angie Hartcliffe as she came up with tears in her eyes. “He thinks I’m repulsive now because I’m expecting! And he told me that!”

 

Angie then began to cry as Nova held her and comforted her.

 

As Wakefield glared at Hartcliffe, Bryan finally mockingly waved at his wife and left.

 

Hardy then turned to Deke and said, “Again, Deke…I’m sorry…Dawn and I couldn’t figure out a good way to break this to yuh. I was hopin’ we could be a bit more civil, but…”

 

Deke said, “Well, Jeff, no offense, but to be quite honest, until a few hours ago, there wasn’t…”

 

Hardy grinned and said, “Well, timin’ is everything….”

 

Deke laughed and said, “Damn straight!”

 

“You still say that?” said Dawn.

 

Deke nodded. “Uh-huh…”

 

Dawn then cut loose one of her toothy “had to be registered as a deadly weapon” grins that she knew always got to Deke and she said, “Deke, you still want to bash Jeff’s skull in, now, don’t you?”

 

Deke smiled back but said nothing.

 

Sasha frowned at him. “Deke?”

 

Dawn said, joking, “Remember, I know you, Deke Wakefield…”

 

Deke grinned and nodded,

 

Dawn laughed, “I knew it!” she said.

 

Hardy’s grin disappeared. So did Sasha’s and Nova’s.

 

“DEKE!” cried Sasha, who looked very mad.

 

Deke looked at Sasha, sighed, and said, “Look…I know it’s stupid….as long as I’ve got her,” he said as he hugged Sasha hard. “I don’t need anyone else. But, my damn…all of this has happened so fast. Almost too fast for me.” He looked at Nova and said, “My head is spinning like it was when you picked me up off the grass at the landing strip yesterday…”

 

“Oh…is it that bad?” teased Nova. “Sasha, he’d better not confuse me with you again,” said Nova as she made a playful, mock fist.

 

Sasha breathed a sigh of relief.

 

Dawn stepped back. “Deke, if you’re…uh…still not…uh..in your right mind…”

 

Sasha chuckled. “Mrs. Hardy, give him a little bit of time to get used to this…that’s all…”

 

“Amen to what she said,” added Deke as he kissed Sasha again.

 

Hardy looked at Deke. “So you’re not gonna bust in mah skull, then?”

 

“Right,” said Deke.

 

“Good,” said Hardy. “That’s really good…considerin’ that youah gonna be bringin’ the Trojans on board the ship for good in a week or two. We have more planes arriving at the air base in a week when the spacecraft carrier Shiryu gets here, and the Gamilons are addin’ more forces, so Wildstah asked Priceman to reassign your Group to the Argo as a second Flight Group. Both you and me are gonna be Group Leaduhs on this ship, Little Brothah! That’s why Sasha was trained to serve with you….she’ll be wearin’ two hats…as your RSO and one of the radar officuhs on the First Bridge as our Missus, here, no disrespect meant,” said Hardy as he pointed at Nova, “gets…bigger and has to serve more time in Sickbay than on the bridge.” Hardy then said, “So, I hope you won’t be bustin’ my skull up, Wakefield?”

 

Deke laughed. “Hell no, Hardy. I’m in enough hot water as it is, thank you very much. Adding ‘smashing in the skull of a superior officer’ to my already bulging personnel jacket does not strike me as a wise career move…”

 

Dawn smiled at Deke. “You could declare diplomatic immunity, Prince Wakefield, and go hide with Sasha in Queen Starsha’s palace.”

 

Deke said, “Me…living with Queen Starsha? Forget already, Dawn?”

 

Dawn looked sheepish. “Ooopss…sorry…forgot about that bit…should have remembered how you feel about Starsha.”

 

Hardy looked puzzled as Dawn added, “I’ll explain later, Jeff. When we go to bed.”

 

Nova smiled and sighed. “It’s starting to get late. Well, now that this is over with, we can all get ready to get some sleep. Good night.”

 

At that, Nova left, signalling the end of the scene as Sasha smiled at Deke and took him away by one arm.

 

“C’mon, Deke,” she said. “We’re going off together…”

 

“Where?” asked Deke as Sasha walked him past several Black Tiger pilots.

 

“You’ll see. Nova allowed me to set up a little surprise, but we have to steal some contraband first.”

 

“Contraband?” said Deke with his eyebrows up.

 

“Nova doesn’t know about that bit…c’mon,” said Sasha as she dragged Deke out of there.

 


 

VII. SCENES AROUND TANIQUITEL’E…

 

Planet Iscandar

 

Another Part of the Southern Coast of the Great Continent

 

Saturday June 6, 2207: 2000 Hours Earth Space-Time

 


 

The environs of the sacred beach that Deke and Sasha had recently played on were larger than Deke knew. Over one of the bluffs towards the southwest, a small path cut into the bluffs made a gentle climb on a sandy path up the heights to a slightly higher level. Deke and Sasha had never explored it, since they had been too preoccupied with surfing and…other activities…while on the sacred beach.

 

Their beach was just part of a wider sacred district known as Taniquitel, best translated into Standard English as “Sanctuary Point”.

 

About two and four-tenths of a kilometer, or about a mile and a half away from the place where Deke and Sasha had played, the beach widened a little, and took a gradual drop towards a point in the topography of the Great Continent where a little cove formed. The surf became tamer there, and the little lagoon made a peaceful place for swimming or boating in the warm water for those of a quieter disposition or those with small children. Sasha had partially learned to swim in the lagoon there when very small.

 

A small villa semi-organically grown of crystal sat near a stand of trees and grass on that beach, known as Taniquitel’e, or “Sister of Taniquitel”. Four kilometers, or roughly two and a half miles to the northeast, over the sands of Taniquitel’e and Taniquitel itself sat another lagoon, with a beach there known as Taniquitel’ha or “Brother of Taniquitel”. The whole little beach district, isolated from the other beaches of the tip of the Great Continent by higher rocky bluffs to the north and south, was maybe eight kilometers or 4.97 miles long from the southern rocky bluff to the northern rocky bluff. Since all of the paths were sandy up to the cliffs, a barefoot walker in even moderate shape could walk the all of beaches in maybe two or three pleasant, sunny hours.

 

At the moment, the beach at Taniquitel’e and the villa there were occupied by another young couple who had arrived by jet-boat for a twenty-four hour liberty, practically at the orders of Doctor Sane, who had said, “Get some rest!”

 

The occupants of the little house were also its owners, by virtue of their honorary status on Iscandar, namely, Commodore Derek Wildstar and Lieutenant Commander Nova Wildstar. Queen Starsha had granted them the little home sometime in 2204 as a place for them to get away from it all when visiting Iscandar. The cove made the place hard to see, even from the air, although it was still actually less than twelve kilometers, mostly by water, away from New Fiji Island. Doctor Sane had sent Derek and Nova there because, as he had said to Derek, “You, Captain, are pushing yourself towards a heart attack by flying and fighting too much and yelling and worrying too much! And, you, young lady,” he said to Nova. “You are pushing yourself and those babies to a stroke or worse by working and worrying too much yourself! You both have high blood pressure! YOU NEED A LIBERTY CALL!”

 

Derek and Nova had then agreed with Doctor Sane’s logic, and, leaving the Argo (which needed some minor repairs anyhow after they battle they had just been in) to Sandor, the young parents-to-be packed a few things and requistioned one of the ubiquitous Iscandarian jet-boats for a trip up the strait to Taniquitel’e.

 

After arriving there, Nova’s first job had been to get herself and Derek into proper attire. In about twenty minutes, a slightly tired Commodore had been stripped of his uniform by Nova and instead dressed down into a bright red fundoshi she had made for him by hand.

 

A fundoshi was a relaxed traditional Japanese loincloth most often worn by men. It had been used as a traditional undergarment up until the middle of the 20th century, and it had still often been used as either festival wear (often with a happi coat) or swimwear. A fundoshi covered one’s delicate parts, and was wound around the hips and the between buttocks like a thong bikini. Young men usually wore them, but tomboyish young women were also known to wear similar loincloths, often with a proper top of some kind. Young men and women had even run around in such garments in cold weather to be silly, at places such as the Sapporo Ice Festival.  

 

A surfer dude like Wakefield would have thought that kind of swimwear to be ridiculous for him; but it looked perfectly good on a young man who fancied himself a samurai like Wildstar. Nova told him such so many times that he had found himself blushing.

 

Nova herself had slipped into a similar fundoshi bottom, in white. After having disappeared for a few minutes, Derek observed her slinking playfully up to his back while he was lying on the beach trying to calm his overactive mind. Then Nova came up with a sweet come-hither look wearing nothing but her fundoshi and what she called a “top” made out of several artificial leis worn over her bare breasts that she had hidden in a bureau during their last trip here before the New Cometine War had started.

 

“Derek?” she purred in his ear. “Like the outfit?”

 

“Where’s your sarong?” he teased.

 

“I can’t go swimming or splashing in a sarong, silly,” said Nova as she kissed the back of her husband’s head. She frowned at his topknot. “Derek, can you lose the chomage topknot?”

 

“I thought you liked it,” he said as he patted his samurai topknot.

 

“You have it tied so tight that I’m afraid you may cut off circulation to your brain, dear,” said Nova as she kissed the back of his head and gently undid his chomage. “There,” she said as she mussed his hair up. “That’s better…”

 

“Yes, Mom,” he said back as he shifted position onto his tush and gave Nova a kiss. Then, he ran his fingers over her swollen stomach. “How are they doing tonight?” said Derek with a smile.

 

Nova got up onto her knees in the sand as she giggled a little. “Kicking around slightly,” she said in a soft voice. “Alex is the one who kicks more in there. Just like his namesake, your brother. Ariel is the one who is quieter except when she wants to let you know she’s there,” added Nova. “Remember the last ultrasound? We could even see their faces better then. It looks like Alex has your nose, Derek.”

 

“And it looked like Ariel has your eyes, Nova, from what we could see of the shape of her little eyelids,” said Derek sweetly. “I think I saw she already has her Mommy’s pretty eyelashes…and when we saw her chest..”

 

“We saw a little nipple,” giggled Nova.

 

“Just like her mommy’s,” said Derek as he sweetly shifted Nova’s lei aside a little for a look at her left breast. Then, Nova’s eyes closed as Derek gently kissed her breast.

 

“mmmmm,” she said softly. “If you keep on doing that, you’re going to have to get me on that towel,” she said in a sweet voice.

 

“That’s the idea,” purred Derek as he locked lips with his pretty wife.

 

“And, I’m going to have to try being on my hands and knees,” said Nova as she got into a very relaxed semi push-up position. “We can’t exactly do the deed in the usual position; my little tummy bulge would be squished…but…expecting has made me…made me want you all the more. You touch me, it drives me mad for you.”

 

“Not hard on a nice soft towel,” said Derek as he got up and coaxed his wife towards the soft beach towel in pink. Then, he knelt, kissed her lips, and then kissed her neck.

 

Nova kissed him back, running one hand down his firm stomach, and making him chuckle as she found his navel. Then, as Derek began kissing her shoulder and armpit, Nova found his fundoshi, grabbed him by one of the wrapped thongs at his otherwise naked hip, and she then pulled the fundoshi down. Just a little.

 

She smiled when she saw his face turn just a little pink as she said, “Can’t wait, can you?”

 

“Looking at you like that is driving me crazy,” said Derek. “Can I drive you crazy right back?”

 

“How?” said Nova innocently.

 

Derek reached down a little lower as he shifted position. The force of gravity had effectively rendered Nova unashamedly topless as her leis hung down. A small shift, and one of Nova’s naked breasts was sweetly cupped in his hand. He then used his other hand to relieve her of her leis altogether, kissing his way down her flank and ribs to her pregnant tummy, and then over to her own almost-naked hip in her fundoshi.

 

Before Nova could react, Derek was at her bottom, kissing her almost bare bottom and caressing her in a sweet way as he tenderly pulled her fundoshi down to her knees, baring his wife’s most delicate parts to the sunset. He teased her and kissed her for a long while until she began to practically mew, and then he kissed his way down her thigh, to the back of her knee, and down her calf to her ankle and the bare sole of her foot as he stripped his young bride utterly nude. Nova gasped and giggled as Derek paused and then kissed her toes, running his way up her other leg on the other side, back over the back of her knee, up her thigh, and back to her bottom as she gasped, “Derek, did you take your fundoshi off yet?”

 

“You’ll find out,” he purred as his fingers found her most delicate spot again and sent her to heaven. Right when Nova was about to have a nuclear explosion, Derek gently but firmly took her just as Nova could tell by feel he had joined her in his birthday best as he playfully waved his fundoshi before her eyes for a minute.. She exploded around him, adding to their mutual love, joy, and pleasure as her body responded to his, and she gasped and called his name again and again as their dance went on with his hands tenderly cupped over her breasts.

 

Nova shut her eyes and shook her head as Derek brought her to heaven again, weeping with happiness as he brought sweet tears to her eyes and made her toes curl. Then, he cried out as Nature took its course for him and white light blasted through his mind. For a minute, the Argo, the war, Invidia, and their fears didn’t exist for Derek; all that existed for the Commodore was their love and the sight of his beautifully naked wife big with their children inside her.

 

That Hartcliffe is such an ass! Derek thought as he rode the waves of pleasure as Nova writhed sweetly under him. Making fun of Nova and his own wife. If he’d go to bed with his wife, he’d find that his own wife, swelling with life, is one of the most beautiful sights in the world.

 

When they were done, they fell down in a heap on the towel and kissed as they caught their breath.

 

“How do you feel now, Derek?” said Nova.

 

“Great. How about you?”

 

“I managed to forget the war for an eternity with you,” said Nova. Then, she surprised him as she said, sweetly but with conviction, “Bugger this war! We have our jobs, but so little time together,” she said with a sob.

 

“I’d rather bugger something else,” said Derek.

 

“What?” cooed Nova.

 

“You,” he whispered in her ear.

 

“I knew you’d say that,” Nova whispered back. At that, they cuddled and listened to the waves.

 


 

“When did you get changed?” Sasha said to Deke a few minutes later as Wakefield came back into Sickbay. He had a new uniform on; a new Star Force Flight Group uniform in black and gold. His uniforms from the Arizona were back on Earth, so Hardy had guessed that the Trojan Leader would need to get into the black and gold of the Star Force. A few minutes later, after talking with one of Nova’s Living Group Ensigns, Deke was finally dressed as a Tiger again.

 

On the Argo, as Deke kissed her, he said, “Hardy took care of it. He wanted to make things up to me.”

 

“For what?” said Sasha.

 

“For the Dawn thing…”

 

Sasha huffed. “And you didn’t notice I’m wearing your favorite jacket and skirt,” said Sasha as she twirled around on her toes like a ballerina in her boots.

 

Deke kissed her and said, “I should have noticed. Sorry.”

 

“Dawn off the brain, Deekee,” whispered Sasha. “Sasha on the brain.”

 

“With you dressed like that, who can resist you?” he said as he kissed her and then took her into his arms.

 

At that, an image of Iscandar and Earth joined ran through Sasha’s mind and spirit as she thought, Deke, I never want to leave you again. Never! I always want to be with you! Always!

 

Deke thought, If anyone tries to pry us apart, I swear, they are dead. Dead. Dead. DEAD! I belong to Sasha. She belongs to me.

 

Sasha smiled and shut her eyes, almost wanting to cry as Deke held her, smiling sweetly. How could I have doubted him? Sasha thought. He loves me too much. I can feel it. Thanks to Destiny that he didn’t permanently scramble his brains with that damned plane almost falling on top of him like that! Bad plane! Bad Diamond Girl! You almost took Deekee away from me!

 

They cuddled in Sickbay, doing a little dance near Deke’s abandoned bed and thinking of surfing together and other things that involved warm, kindly water until Sasha grabbed his hands. “Now, back to looking for that contra-band,” whispered Sasha. “Doctor Sane keeps it in a locked cabinet.”

 

Artwork: “Deke and Sasha” © 2007 by Tim Eldred. Used with Permission.

 

“What is it you want so badly?” said Deke.

 

“Mushrooms,” said Sasha in a sweet voice.

“Mushrooms?” retorted Deke, almost wanting to laugh. “Why are mushrooms contraband?”

 

“They are if they come from Titan,” whispered Sasha. “They are called Aminita Titania, to be exact, in Latin. Parts of them are poisonous.Other parts….are lovely….”

 

“I don’t know much about mushrooms except that you put them in your spaghetti or on top of a steak or salad,” said Deke. “And poisoned mushrooms are not my cup of tea…”

 

“These are special mushrooms, and you only eat certain parts” sang Sasha. “Nova and Doctor Sane keep them locked up except for when they’re doing yucky lab work with them in test tubes for this goofy medical journal article they’ve been writing ever since before I was born. Once upon a time, before you came into the picture, I was a bad girl. I used to spy on Auntie Nova and Uncle Derek when I was a young girl. I had a crush on Uncle Derek then. I was the rough equivalent of thirteen then. Maybe eight or nine real months old. Thirteen years old is a dangerous age for a little girl, Deekee. That is when a girl realizes she is becoming a woman. And I wanted Uncle to look at me and forget about old boring Auntie Nova. ”

 

“You told me about that. That’s weird,” said Deke. “Stop thinking of Uncle! Forget! Forget!”

 

“I followed Auntie Nova and Uncle Derek around trying to find a way to break them up so I could have Uncle to myself for a bit. It passed, but I was very bad…and my spying took me to funny places.” Sasha smiled as she said. “One night, in their villa here on Iscandar, when they thought I was asleep and I was staying over, I once watched Auntie Nova kissing Uncle. And more. Through a keyhole in their little villa south of the sacred beach once…”

 

“What?” whispered Deke. “This sounds weird. You’re scaring me, Sasha. What did you see Uncle Derek doing to Auntie Nova?”

 

“Trying to make her pregnant. They had no clothes on,” said Sasha in all innocence.

 

What?” said Deke.

 

“I watched them and kept real quiet” said Sasha. “Auntie Nova was feeding Uncle Derek funny little pieces of mushrooms. They made all sorts of funny noises and began to laugh like crazy. Then, after they were done being mushy, and they fell asleep, I snuck into the room and stole Auntie Nova’s diary and read it.”

 

“You little sneak,” said Deke.

“In her diary, Nova said they made her all funny. Her handwriting went goofy. She had all sorts of goofy words in the book, and she had lots of fun, she said. I then learned what an a-ph-ro-dai-si-ac is.”

 

“How did you know what that meant as a girl?” said Deke.

 

“I grew up very quickly and had a dictionary on my computer,” said Sasha. “I grew up quickly in all sorts of ways. I stole a teeny piece of the mushroom and ate it. I thought Uncle might wake up and finally realize I was cute and dump Auntie Nova. They didn’t wake up. But I did. Boy did I wake up,” said Sasha as she gave a cute, wide smile. “I went all funny. And I went to bed.”

 

“What did you do?” said Deke.

 

“Guess,” smiled Sasha.

 

“I don’t want to,” said Deke.

 

“I thought about this for years, Deke. I think it’d be more fun if we tried mushrooms once. ‘Funky Fungi’, I called them in my diary. I put Auntie Nova’s diary back, by the way. She never knew I was reading it. But I kept something in my diary.”

 

“What?”

 

“When I looked through that keyhole, I had a little digital camera, Deke. I took pictures. Of Uncle with Auntie. If I ever need to blackmail Auntie Nova, I have all the right pictures,” she said brightly.

 

“You’re horrible,” said Deke. “How are you opening what you said was a locked cabinet?”

 

Sasha then pulled a key out of an inner pocket. “When Auntie Nova got all mad before and threw her wet dress in the corner and called Dawn all sorts of bad names, I picked her dress up. This was in the pocket. She forgot all about it, poor dear,” said Sasha as she held up a little key. “Two mushrooms. That’s all we’ll need. Then, we’ll boogie out of here!”

 

“Sasha, this sounds like fun, but you get dangerous when you let your imagination run away with you…”

 

“And don’t you just love it?” whispered Sasha as she kissed Deke again. “Off we go…”

 


 

Twenty-five minutes later, mission accomplished, Deke and Sasha were in a jet-boat they had innocently requisitioned, and they were heading across the strait back to Taniquetil.

 

Sasha was playing some surf music on the sound system, while laughing with her now-bare feet up on the boat’s dashboard. She was otherwise still very decent in her outfit, although the wind was whipping her hair around something fierce.

 

Before long, in the dusk, the beach beckoned as Deke docked the boat at the same dock they had left from the other day; what was it…just less than a week ago? It was a week that seemed like an eternity, Deke thought. One whole week of “you can look at Sasha but no touch.” Hah! Bullcrap! Now, this man’s flying frustration tour is over! And now…

 

Sasha dragged Deke back onto the sacred beach, carrying a beach towel and the little jar of the Funky Fungi.

 

Sasha pulled off her jacket and scarf, leaving her in just her skirt and white blouse as Deke got rid of his boots and then began to kiss her.

 

Deke laughed as Sasha fed him a bit of mushroom, and then he did likewise to Sasha.

 

“Now, how does this stuff work?” asked Deke, relieved to discover he was not dying…

 

“The mushroom,” purred Sasha. “It…is very effective in releasing the desires of the subconscious and dealing with delusions. It does so by, paradoxically, causing the subject to deal with repressed fears and emotions, and moderating them. It has an inhibition-lowering, wish-fulfilling, and aphrodisiac effect.”

 

“You’re wicked,” laughed Deke, whose head was beginning to go…funny. Really funny.

 

A few minutes later, Deke was running his hands all over the nape of Sasha’s neck under her hair as she fiddled with his uniform shirt while they sat on their beach towel. Deke was finishing another small piece of the funky fungi just as Sasha got his shirt open.

 

He opened Sasha’s blouse a moment later. Deke was pleasantly surprised to see that Sasha had on no bra. The sight of her naked breasts drove him wild. A moment later, he began to undo her skirt.

 

He touched her hip, and found only a bare, soft hip where he should have found panties. “Deekee?” giggled Sasha as she felt funny and weird. “How do you like my undies?”

 

“Sasha, you ain’t wearin’ underwear,” said Deke. “Holy moley!”

 

She laughed and said, “Deke, help get me out of this skirt,” she said as she pulled down his pants a bit. “I’m getting hot..”

 

Deke kissed Sasha, and helped her to her feet as her skirt slid down her legs to her toes in a whisper of cloth. Sasha daintily stepped out of the skirt and jumped back into Deke’s arms, in nothing but her hair and her skin.

 

Deke began to make funny growling noises Sasha pulled off his black and gold Flight Group slacks. .

 

“Why are you growling?” asked the now-nude Sasha as she threw Deke back on the towel. She was trying to keep control of herself because one of Deke’s hands had gone right for her nipple while the other one had found her crotch and was busy teasing her exposed anatomy with a speed that both exhilarated and frightened her a little; and which added to her excitement.


“I’m a Trojan, Dawn,” he growled. “I’m a Trojan who wants to capture and ravage his Helen. A Tiger who wants to mate…”

 

“Well, you’ve gotta make me feel good first,” said Sasha as she got rid of Deke’s pants and boxers, leaving him naked from the waist down in just his open Flight Group blouse and undershirt. “I’ll do the same for you. And it sure looks like you, my Deekee, are ready,” she said as she toyed with his pride; a pride which was at attention as soon as Deke’s boxer shorts had come off.

 

“Okay, Sasha,” said Deke. “I’m gonna have you screaming when this is over…”

 

“Great,” panted Sasha. She began to moan as she caressed Deke’s side with her thigh while she teased his pride.

 

“I needed this, Sasha,” he moaned. “It feels like I haven’t been with you in years, baby…years…a week feels like years! Time is out there! Someplace! Time! Hahahahaha!

 

“I…needed…this…too, Deke,” gasped Sasha, whose passionate moans, fluttering eyelids, deep breathing, and curling toes were in no way feigned. She was enjoying this. Sasha was being driven quite insane by his attentions. And, judging by the look on Deke’s face, so was he…

 

More time passed. They trashed around on the towel some more in a timeless, sexy haze as Sasha finally succeeded in stripping Deke of everything. She had her first orgasm crying out on the towel a few minutes later as Deke attacked her with his mouth like a maniac. She made him explode a moment later (in a very messy fashion) and she was pleased when, as they cuddled, he began to respond to her ministrations again.

 

“Now, what do you want to do, Sasha?” he said with very glassy eyes.

 

“Let’s do the deed now,” said Sasha as she lay on her back in front of Deke. Deke kissed her like crazy, and then he flexed up her knees. Then, he half lifted her as he entered her body with a deep gentleness, and then, a forcefulness that made Sasha shut her eyes and bite her own fingertips with passion as a crazed Deke ran his hands up and over her stomach, her breasts, her navel, all of her.

 

Both of them enjoyed this very, very much….and, so it went on throughout the evening, and into the night…

 

 

Morning came sleepily to the sacred beach district.

 

In their villa, Derek, who had gotten a little better at making breakfast in close to six years of being married to Nova. Derek had learned some things when she had been peeved over his cooking…and had thrown things at him in the past. Now, the Commodore was up finishing some pancakes while Nova was singing in the shower. He had on only EDF boxer skivvies and a battered t-shirt.

 

I hope you like these, he thought as he got finished making what were actually some respectable (although rather oddly shaped) pancakes. He served them up with artificial soy sausage just as Nova came out drying her hair. She had on only a pink fundoshi with three or four white leis barely covering her breasts.

 

“Good, you made a lot,” purred Nova.

 

“Sit down and eat,” said Derek as he pulled Nova’s chair back for her while she smiled at him.

 

Nova smiled back and began to sample the pancakes after adding plenty of syrup and margarine. “These are good,” she said. She smiled as she ate her soy sausage. “Thank you, Derek! I’m eating for three now, and…well..this covers us. For quite a few hours.”

 

“You look a little pale this morning, Nova,” said Derek. “Is anything wrong?”

 

Nova’s happy face turned sad. She nodded slowly. “There is something wrong. But you didn’t cause it, Derek. Those dreams. Those damned dreams. They’re coming back again.”


“The ones…?”

 

“The ones where I lose the babies,” she said softly. “But there’s a new wrinkle. I think in this wrinkle, the babies are born dead or dying. But, in this nightmare…giving birth to them is killing me.”

 

“Nova, that’s not going to happen!” said Derek as he held her hands. “Is it?”

 

“There is a very slim, very small chance of that happening with any live birth, Derek,” Nova sighed. “Doctor Sane told me I have a somewhat narrow pelvis. Delivery could be a little difficult. He said the pelvic bones should shift in their ligaments more than enough to allow a normal birth…unless there is a problem and there is a breech birth.”

 

“That’s not lkely!” protested Derek.

 

“It is a very slight possibility,” sighed Nova. “In my nightmare, it was a breech birth…for Alex. He was sort of grey, not breathing well. I think he was dying. Then, he twisted inside me, and they had to use forceps, and then…”

 

“What?”

 

“I began to hemmorhage in the dream. It was a sea of blood. Worse, far worse, than the usual amount of blood you see in a birth. It was aterial blood, coming out of me with every beat of my heart in a spurt. They were trying to do what I can, but I was getting very weak. And I was naked, the way I think I’ll be when I give birth…and my skin was going very pale all over. I was beginning to go into shock…and, that’s when I woke up, pulled off the sheet, looked down at my nude body, and touched myself and realized I wasn’t having the babies after all. Yet.”

 

Nova then came to Derek, kenlt by his lap, and began to cry softly.

 

“Nova, before that happens, we’d give you a Caesarian birth. We have a good Sickbay on the Argo, and Doctor Sane would care for you, and…”

 

“I was having the baby in the grass here on Iscandar, by the cats, by the cemetery,” said Nova as she sobbed. “And they had a grave dug for me already. And HE was there. Ekogaru. The Dark Man with no face. I had no idea what he looked like. He was a shadow of a man with red eyes and a gleaming smile like a crocodile. He was, and is, alive…grinning like a maniac…and he had a twisted coat hanger, and he was saying…”

 

“What?”

 

“’I helped Yvona have my son, Nova…the one you and Sasha and she killed’,” he said. Nova shivered and said. “Then, he said, ‘It’s your turn next, Nova. And when you’re done, your body will be food for worms on Iscandar.’”

 

“Nova, that won’t happen! I think the war will be over by your due date in September,” said Derek. “You might be delivering them on Earth. I had a dream, too,” he said. “Like to hear it?”

 

Nova nodded.

 

“It was in a funny place; the roof of a hospital. Not Central Hospital in the Megalopolis, but a hospital in another city; the North American West Coast, with the way I see the sunset shining against the ocean. Maybe San Francisco, maybe Seattle, maybe San Diego. I am not sure where it was. In this dream, they are unloading you off a medical shuttle boat on the hospital landing pad. All went well. You had the babies in the shuttle; they wouldn’t wait…”

 

Nova smiled a little at that. “And then?”

 

“I’m there; Sasha is there, Dawn is there, Deke Wakefield is there, Bryan Hartcliffe and IQ-9 are there. You are in a stretcher capsule, holding two little bundles in your arms under blankets with your bare shoulders above them. It is drizzling just a little, and it is a very warm night. You hear cheers in the city below us, and fireworks are going off in the night, flashing in your eyes, and in the babies’ eyes.  I think a great celebration is going on. And there is a little new star in the sky, off where Pluto is. You ask us to open the capsule. We do. You smile while little Ariel coos against your bare breast under the blanket. Both of you have a little warm rain on your skin. It smells like the ocean. You’re a tired but very happy new mother. And you’re even talking about having more babies.”

 

“What does it all mean?” said Nova.

 

“A tradition on Earth, you know, is that we only have fireworks at night when we are celebrating a victory, or when there is a new victory. I think my dream is what might happen, Nova.” He grabbed her hands and smiled as tears ran down his cheeks. “I don’t think we have much to worry about. We have some rough months ahead, but I think we make it. I think…we’re going to win the war, Nova. And I think Earth will be a much better place when the war is over.”

 

“Thank you, Derek,” said Nova. At that, she kissed him.

 

They cuddled for a long time as the morning wore on; for them, it was a moment of reassurance…of hope..of peace.

 

The morning held a promise of new life. Nova hoped that that was the way it would go…

 


 

TO BE CONTINUED…

 

To Return to the Introduction to The New Comet, click here