ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE

STAR BLAZERS---RETURN TO THE GREAT MAGELLENIC CLOUD

Being the seventh part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz

ACT THREE-- WE'VE GOTTA GET OUTTA THIS PLACE.

I. REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED COLD

The Edge of the Great Magellenic Cloud

The Pogi System

200 Lightyears from the Sanzar System

Wednesday February 10, 2202

The old blue Gamilon space battleship Domeraze III hovered in the orange sky of the dusty desert world of Pogi, which was where an old semi-abandoned Gamilon base was located. That base was now an area base of the partly cyborgized General Lysis, who had pronounced himself the Chancellor of the Gamilon Empire, assuming that Desslok was dead.

"Well, Volgarr?" growled Lysis. "Did you hear from Hervis yet?"

"I just heard from him a while ago, Lysis," snarled Volgarr.

"To what result?"

"He says that space has been silent. The Argo has not been sending out any communications. However, he reports that communications have been picked up from a fleet near the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. He thinks they might be heading towards us."

"Whose fleet?" asked Lysis.

"Unidentified. Do you wish the scout squadron to initiate a search?"

Lysis stood snarling. "The Argo was supposed to be on its way back to Iscandar, the last we heard a transmission from them. Chances are, they will take much the same course they did the first time...right towards us. I would love to waylay them before they arrive at Iscandar...or..."

"Yes?"

"Take them by surprise when they enter the Sanzar System," mused Lysis. "Slaughter the accursed Star Force within sight of their goal. Kill them, and wipe their rebuilt Earth battleship across the Cosmos!'

"Yes," smiled Volgarr.

"Now, let us begin planning the mission. Ask that scout squadron to find the Argo but order them to merely observe it until they cruise into our trap. We have time."

On that note, both men laughed.

II. CHA'RIF'S LATEST MEDITATION

The Edge of the Milky Way Galaxy

The Site of Telezart

Wednesday February 10, 2202

"This place," said Cha'rif as he stood on the bridge of the B'eoneraze "There's an odd air about it, Ter'garv."

Ter'garv nodded. "I agree with you. But, what is it?"

"A ghost, perhaps. Perhaps not. Hard for me to say," said Cha'rif.

"Where's the Argo?"

"Aliscea's presence is many thousands of lightyears out, Ter'garv. She is mocking me, mocking me...like a presence one feels when one shuts their eyes and feels the starlight burning on them in midday in the desert. So it is with her. I feel her, but know only the general direction."

"Which way should we go?"

Cha'rif walked over to his ship's stellar compass, which sat in a pillar near the Navigation station. "Have the Navigator continue to take us in this direction," he said, putting his hand on the outer globe of the compass. A light appeared in the compass near a star cluster. "There is a huge area of tangled, forming stars almost halfway between here and the Great Magellenic Cloud in this location. That is where Aliscea is. We can get a better bead on her from that area, and then, capture her, or finish off the Argo. I have about three hundred ships this time. As much as it disgusts me, I have my orders."

"Yes, Baron..."

III. OVER COFFEE ONE DAY

The Octopus Star Storm

Space Battleship Argo

First Bridge

Wednesday February 10, 2202

1121 Hours: Spacetime

Captain Derek Wildstar looked at his Command console and sighed. "Well, guys," he said. "We're still stuck. Sandor, what did Royster find out about the storm?"

"Just as bad as ever," said Sandor. "I'll send you the technical scan."

A moment later, a complex scan appeared at Derek's post on one of his screens. "The eye's moved," he observed.

"Yes, but the wind's picked up right in front of us," said Sandor. Sandor left his post and walked over to the Captain's station while Wildstar pulled up a data readout on stellar wind projections from the ship's computer.

Derek said, "We've observed a hundred stars like this one, and it seems we're sitting in front of one of the Universe's worst messes. I think when we get out of here and get back home, we should have Earth Defense mark this area as off-limits as a navigational hazard, even if another ship going out to Iscandar someday has to take a few more days to warp around this cluster."

"Good idea," said Sandor. "Not a bad set of projections, either, Captain. You're getting good at this."

"I've been boning up on physics again," said Derek. "Not that I have much else to do."

The hatch opened on the ship's starboard side, and Nova appeared, smiling and pushing a cart loaded with a coffeepot, cups, and supplies.

"Oh, thanks," said Derek with a smile. "I asked for that, Nova. Coffee break, everyone!"

"Oh, you're welcome, Derek," she replied with a cheery smile. "Nice to see you're not grumpy today. It's much nicer not to complain all the time, isn't it?"

"Right. You've taught me there's a bright side to everything."

"Wonderful," said Nova with a pleased smile. She poured a cup of coffee, adding some sugar, and merrily stirring it. "There you go, Captain."

"Thanks."

As she walked off with the cart, humming to herself, the Captain sipped at the coffee and looked very contented. "I needed a pick-me-up," he murmured happily.

"You like her stuff?" said Sandor in a whisper.

"She makes the best space java in the Fleet, Steve," smiled Derek. "You mean you don't like it?"

Uh oh, thought Sandor. How do we tell him most of the crew thinks it's too strong? He must like strong coffee.

"Who else wants some?" said Nova.

"I'll take it," said Holly. "Lots of creamer, please."

"Delicate palate, huh?" asked Nova.

"You know that, you nerd," said Holly with a smile.

"I am not a nerd, I am a biologist," sniffed Nova indignantly with a hint of a smile. "You try doing all my jobs, Parsons."

"All you do is have your nose in those books."

"Holly, please grow up." said Nova pleasantly.

"We're the same age," she said as she took her coffee.

"Nope, five months older," said Nova in a snappy response. "Grow up, kid."

"Where'd she learn to talk like that?" asked Dash.

Wildstar shrugged. "You know, I'm not really sure," he said with a grin. Nova stopped at Venture's post and said, "Lots of milk. You like it real light, right?"

"Uh-uh," he said. As Nova poured his coffee, he turned around in his chair "Hey, Derek! Remember that idea we were discussing the other day?"

"You mean the smoker, Mark?" said Captain Wildstar.

"No," said Lieutenant Wildstar firmly while she stirred the coffee.

"Yes," said Venture.

"No," said Nova in a more emphatic tone of voice as she sipped at her own cup on the far right of the wheeled trolley.

"Maybe," said Wildstar.

"Derek!" snapped Nova. "Still no." She sat down on the arm of Dash's chair for a moment to face Venture and sip at her coffee.

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Rosstowski.

"Having a smoker," said Venture.

"What's that?"

"A round o' shipboard fights," said Orion. "We talked about that once on the way to Iscandar, lad."

"Good," said Homer. "I know some people I wouldn't mind fighting in the ring."

"See why I'm opposed, Derek?" said Nova while Venture glared at Homer. "You mention the word 'fight' on this ship and half the crew has grudges they want to settle."

"That's why it's a good idea, Nova," said Venture. "We've all been on edge ever since we've been stuck here. How long have we been becalmed here again?"

"You should remember, Mark," said Nova. "Nineteen days as of today."

"Yeah...nineteen days worth of looking at all your faces with nothing to do," said Dash.

"Dash, do you want coffee?" said Nova.

"Yeah...but please get your butt out of my face?" he said. "You're still on the arm of my chair, Lieutenant."

"Dash, you need your glasses cleaned!" sang Nova. "My posterior was not near your face."

"That's why we need this smoker," said Rosstowski. "Dash and Nova can be the first round."

"No, no, no. You're silly, Paul!" said Nova. She poured Dash some coffee and began to add what she knew he'd need. "Derek, what about that party? Or the fashion show? The concert? The musical?"

"Musical?" said Homer.

"I thought we could do a shipboard operetta or something. We have people here who can sing, Derek...Mark!"

"Yeah. Let's do Aida or stage Hamlet and litter the stage with bodies in the last act," snorted Dash.

"Quiet, Dash," sang Nova as she honked his nose.

"Ouch! And you said you're into non-violence!" said Dash.

"Gently tweaking someone's nose is not violent. It's cute," giggled Nova.

"Your idea might be kinda cute, Nova," said Orion. "Irish Cream, please. You make it good, lass."

"Thank you, Orion!"

Sandor spoke up. "The smoker sounds like it might be a good idea, Captain."

"Then how do we do it?" mused Derek.

"If we do it, I might swim home," said Nova. "I detest fistfights and the damage they cause to people's faces."

"How's about if we put it up to a crew vote?" asked Venture. "Captain?"

"I'll send out an e-mail today," said Derek.

"Put me down as no, with a comment that you guys need to grow up," said Nova.

"Put me down as yes," said Holly. "Can I fight Nova, Captain?"

"Holly, you're giving me a bad hair day," sang Nova. "Paul, you want coffee?"

"Hmm...okay," said Rosstowski.

"How are you and Aliscea doing?" asked Nova in a low voice.

"She's hearing this argument through our link and she thinks we're all silly."

"If she wants silly, I'll look at the old tapes in the computer and give her a Silly Walk, Paul."

"You see?" said Derek. "Guys...we're going rammy out here. We need some entertainment."

"Homer's our entertainment," said Dash.

"I am not!" he whined.

"You want coffee?' said Nova.

"Not from you," snorted Homer. "It has cooties."

"Cooties?" said Nova with crossed eyes and a scowl.

"Everybody knows girls have cooties," giggled Homer.

"Chauvinist," huffed Nova. "I know where I'm not wanted!" She quickly walked away towards the port side hatch with her nose in the air.

"Hey, don't go yet," said Derek.

"Yes?"

"Second helping, please?" said Derek with gentle eyes.

"Sure," said Nova in a soft voice while stopping to pour Derek his coffee and give it to him. "I think you and Orion are the only ones up here who like my coffee today."

"I'm not unhappy," said Sandor. "I could use more, too."

"Thank you," said Nova. "Here's yours, Steve." While the rest of the bridge crew turned to teasing Holly and Homer (Dash was trying to get her to go on a date with him) Nova asked. "Guys...please reconsider that fight? We don't need people hurt."

"They've been fighting already," said Derek. "What's better...fighting in the passages, or regulated fighting in a ring for one night on Saturday?"

"Both of them are evils. I guess the second is the lesser of two evils, Derek. If the whole crew's against me, that is..."

"We'll have to see how that vote goes. Love you."

"You too," she said quickly with downcast eyes.

"What's the problem?"

"You could've spoken up for me a bit more, sir," said Nova with an unhappy look on her face. "See you later, Derek."

"Oh...I'm sorry...uh...Nova!"

She left quickly without turning around.

"Oh, great," said Wildstar. "Venture, you take the conn for a minute!" he yelled out.

"Hey, Derek...patch it up later," said Sandor. "She's not about to divorce you, and you know that."

"I've already given the conn to Venture," said Captain Wildstar as he got up. "If I can talk to Knox outside like I did that time on the way towards Brumus, I can sure talk to...one of my veteran officers."

He left.

"Nova!" called Derek in the foyer as he ran down the steps towards the elevator. "Wait!"

"Yes?" said Nova in a cool voice after hitting the button for the lift.

"Nova, are you angry with me?"

"Angry, no. I'm upset. I thought you'd stick up for me more! You know, with everyone being so childish!"

"Nova...I should have said more in your favor earlier. I'm sorry. I'll take Homer to task and ask him why he had to act so damn stupid."

"Will you do the same with Dash and Parsons?"

Derek nodded.

"Good. As long as you stick up for me, I won't be mad. You'd think Homer and Dash would show me some more respect after all these years, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Cooties," grumbled Nova. "I can't believe that Homer. He said I have lice! That's what cooties are, Derek. Lice! I do not have lice. He reminds me of someone from grammar school! Particularly with his attitudes. Particularly after I spent three hours counseling him the other day."

The lift came. "Are you coming?" said Nova as she held the door.

"No...I have to talk to some people," growled Derek. "People I am not gonna be happy with."

"Good. Meet me at lunch at thirteen hundred. You might like it."

"Why?"

"Let's just say...I have a surprise planned," said Nova with a slow smile. "See you later!"

She blew her husband a kiss and left.

"Parsons...Dash, Homer Glitchman..." said Captain Wildstar with an angry look on his face as he looked at the three of them lined up at attention before him on the first bridge as the others watched. "There are times when some of the things you three do turn me off."

"Sir, I'm sorry I teased the Lieutenant, and I'm ready to apologize to her later when I see her again," said Dash.

"Please do be," said Wildstar. "This isn't the first time you guys have locked horns on this voyage. It's getting old, Dash. Thank God she held her temper and acted like a professional officer this time."

"Again, I'm sorry...sir," said Dash.

"Good, hold that for a bit, Mister. Miss Parsons," said Wildstar. "You're about the least of our problems. I know you and Nova are friends and like to kid around, but please don't call your senior officers names? Like, you know, 'nerd'?"

"Sir, I'm very sorry. I won't do it again," said Holly.

"Okay," said Wildstar as he noticed how contrite Parsons looked. "You and Dash can both return to your posts. Let this be a lesson to both of you!"

"Yessir," they said. As they left, Derek faced Homer. "Homer...do you know what cooties are, Lieutenant?"

"Something that girls have," snickered Homer.

Wildstar clenched his fist to keep from slapping Homer. He stared into the man's eyes and saw that he was totally serious.

"Homer, where did you learn that girls...as you put it...have so-called 'cooties'?"

"In school, sir. I never learned anything different."

"Homer, have you gone out with a girl before?"

Homer looked at Wildstar and the crew in silence. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "No, sir," he said in a low voice while looking down at his shoes.

"I see we need to explain a great deal to you, Homer. This seems to be a problem you have. First, on the way to Telezart, you were ragging Venture when he wanted to use your console to speak with Trelaina."

"Sir, it's not proper to use ship's equipment to ...to...make time with some girl, sir."

Venture got up with a scowl on his face. "Commander, sit!" snapped Wildstar. "This is my job right now. Got it?"

"Derek, how would you feel if he had just disrespected Nova like that?" snapped Mark.

"That's what I'm working up to, Venture! Chill!"

"Aye, aye, sir..." said Mark with a tightly set mouth.

"Okay, Homer," said Wildstar. "Venture needed to speak to Trelaina to get a navigational fix on Telezart. That was a legitimate mission need, in case you've forgotten. Mark's falling in love with her was just...well...a byproduct of our mission. A very important one...a legitimate one...but he and Trelaina weren't our mission. He wasn't using your board as a dating service. Likewise, Lieutenant Wildstar is a legitimate officer aboard this ship. Something I learned from Captain Avatar is that officers treat each other with respect. It was a hard lesson, but one we had to learn. Venture and Orion learned that lesson well after they had a fight. I learned to get along with Venture and work with him. Likewise, you have to learn to get along with every person on this bridge. Saying that Lieutenant Wildstar is carrying lice, which is what cooties are, and saying that her coffee is unsanitary is very disrespectful to her. It shows little regard for her professionalism, her standards of personal care, or her gender. The fact that I am married to the woman is secondary. As far as I'm concerned as Captain, you were just being very sexist and inconsiderate to a member of my bridge crew. You will apologize to her today via e-mail. It is up to her whether or not she wishes to accept. Got it?"

"I'm...sss...sss...s...sorry, sir! I'll write that letter now!" And, at that, he broke ranks and began to run off the bridge wailing with his hands in his hair.

"Homer! I didn't dismiss you yet!" yelled Derek. "Glitchman! Get back here!"

But, Homer just tore off the bridge and ran out the port side hatch.

"Not again," sighed Orion. "I hope he doesn't try t' swim home like last time, Captain."

"No great loss," sniffed Venture.

Derek walked up to Mark and put a hand on his shoulder. "Mark, I know you have a chip on your shoulder against him, with good reason. Please get rid of that chip, Venture?"

"I'll...try," said Venture as he sat down with a huff.

Wildstar sat down at his post. He pushed up the microphone, and said, on the intership PA system, "Attention, all hands. Lieutenant Junior Grade Glitchman has just thrown some kind of fit. For his own safety, it is imperative that you find him and escort him to Sickbay when he is found so that he can be treated. Please report to me on your progress."

And, on that note, Derek turned back to his instruments. What he had on his mind was lunch.

Later on that day, Captain Wildstar sat down to lunch.

He turned around to face Dash, who was sitting behind him. "Hey, Dash, any sign of Homer?"

"Nope."

"Who's manning Communications?"

"I'm not sure. One of Homer's alternates."

"I think it was Michaelson, sir," said a woman before them with light brown hair who wore glasses and the colors of either Living or Communications.

"You are?"

"Tech Sergeant Katrina Banks, sir, Communications. I was just working with Ensign Michaelson a while ago. Is Lieutenant Glitchman still missing, sir?"

Wildstar nodded. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Lousy break," said a familiar figure who sat down next to Banks.

"Rosstowski! Want to join me?" asked Captain Wildstar.

"No, sir. I'm saving the seat across from me for Aliscea."

"Yeah. I'm waiting for Nova and Venture myself, Paul."

"I see."

IQ-9 came down the aisle between the tables with a tray. He stopped by the Captain's table and said, "Can I sit down here to eat, sir?"

"IQ-9, you don't need to eat!" said Wildstar, as, across from them, Bryan Hartcliffe and Shigeru Sakamoto guffawed loudly. Angie Hartcliffe stared ahead, murmuring "you juveniles," under her breath.

"Yes, I do need to eat," insisted IQ-9. "Look at my menu. It consists of lasagna, minus sauce, a huge bottle of spring water..."

"Sake," muttered Wildstar to correct him.

"Spring water...a silicone compound for my joints...a battery, assorted nuts and bolts."

"IQ-9, you don't need to ingest food!"

"Yes, I do. Captain. Observe!"

IQ-9 began to throw lasagna all over his dome. "See! It's yummy, Captain!"

Behind Wildstar, Sergeant Banks giggled. At her table, Angie Hartcliffe shook her head.

"IQ-9, I order you to pick that crud up off the deck!" snapped Derek. "Someone's going to slip on it."

"Yes, sir...I'll get right to...it...it..." began IQ-9, but then he stopped as every sensor in his dome went off. "I can't! My infrared senses an utter vision of beauty coming into the wardroom! Beauty! Beauty! I'm paralyzed...ohhh..."

A minute later, the hatch whizzed open, and in walked Lieutenant Nova Wildstar...wearing a dress.

Not just any dress. It was the exquisite white dress trimmed with pink that Derek had seen in her closet early on in the mission. It looked gorgeous on her as she walked, and her pink heels clicked lightly on the deck as she stopped and twirled in her dress, which flowed lightly along her bare legs with a whisper of silk.

"This is a spring creation, just perfect for Iscandar," said Nova. "It's a cross between 20th century French and East Indian national costume, perfect for a walk along the warm breezy hills outside of Mother Town. My necklace was given to me for Christmas by my wonderful husband; it's an Iscandarian diamond in blue. My sandals were bought in 1967 America on that strange trip we made earlier in the mission. Does everyone like my ensemble?"

Quite a few people whistled, and more cheered as Nova walked up to Derek's table and said, "Modeled just for you by Lieutenant Nova Wildstar. She walked her fingers towards Derek on the table and said, "Captain, do I make a nice model?"

Derek smiled. "Uhh...err...whoa...Nova...this is a surprise..."

She smiled at Derek and bent over the table to kiss him as the whole gathering applauded. Quite a few people said, "How cute!"

"Hey! Nova! Can I borrow that?" called out Banks. "I want to impress my boyfriend."

"Captain, can I have the model's autograph?" someone called out.

"Can I have a lock of her hair?" yelled out someone else.

"Hey, IQ!" yelled Hartcliffe as he got up and stood behind the robot. "What'cha gonna do?"

"No," said Derek.

"IQ, do yer thing, man!" yelled Hartcliffe. He slapped IQ's dome.

"No, please!" said Nova. To her relief, IQ-9 only stood there blinking at her. "Logic error...Logic error..." he muttered. "Major programming conflict. Nova...you are cute. But you are married to the Captain."

"By George, I think he's getting it, Derek," said Nova lightly. "IQ...what can't you do?" said Nova in a soft voice while holding Derek's hand.

"Bother you. I want to...touch you...flip your skirt...but...I can't. It...isn't...right. Not...right...you're too...beautiful. You're also the captain's beloved. He could bother you! He could do all of the above!"

"Uh...not here," said Nova with a deep blush as some of the crew laughed. "But since you were so good, I'll give you a kiss."

Nova bent over IQ-9 to smooch him on the dome. As she did so, Hartcliffe pushed him aside a little. "Okay, killjoy," he said with a leer and a wink to Angie that she didn't like. "If you won't do it..."

Nova pivoted angrily on her toes as Derek jumped up, guessing what would happen but not quite believing this pilot would have the sheer gall to...

"I'LL BLOODY DO IT!"

Bryan Hartcliffe's hand shot out and he grabbed for Nova's behind, trying to get a handful of her skirt so he could humiliate her. Fire flashed in Nova's eyes at once. She freed herself from his hand and slapped him across the face as the crowd laughed and cheered. Then, she shut her eyes in shame, pivoted, and ran for the door....

Derek jumped over the table to confront Hartcliffe, just as one of Nova's shoes caught a piece of ravioli that IQ-9 had thrown on the deck earlier. She slipped and landed hard on one knee with a sound between an enraged scream and a sob.

Utterly humiliated, she bowed her head and began to weep in a ball right there on the deck.

The laughter and clapping abruptly stopped. The general consensus in the room was that this was NOT funny. Not in the least. Despite the teasing, Nova was both a veteran and a particularly well-liked member of the Star Force. Her dedication, intelligence, kindness, and beauty had won her a lot of friends on that ship.

The eyes that turned on Hartcliffe weren't friendly. The reaction was as if close to a hundred men and women had just seen some bully make their beloved big sister cry, which basically was what had just happened.

So, there were cheers when Captain Derek Wildstar lashed out and just let Hartcliffe have a good one in the mouth. The stunned pilot fell to the deck, banging his head so hard against the deck that he was knocked out at once. Then, after laying out Hartcliffe, Derek ran over and threw his arms around Nova, comforting her with soft words that no one else could hear. She shivered tentatively as she wept, and then she threw her arms around her husband in utter joy as he let her sob into his chest.

"DON'T disturb them!" said IQ-9. "Sakamoto, don't you DARE touch Nova!" he said, holding out his metal arms as Sakamoto ran up.

"I wanna check out Hartcliffe," he said.

"Get away from me. You're his stupid friend! You probably think it's funny to see women hurt, don't you?" said Nova in a bitter voice that not too many members of the crew had heard before. Then, as the crew watched with concern, Derek helped Nova sit up...and pulled up her skirt just a little...to look at her right knee.

"Can you move it?"

"Yeah...just skinned...hurts, though."

"Move your leg..."

Nova did so.

"Can you get up?"

"Shaking," she sobbed. "Must be the adrenaline..."

Derek solved the problem in a hurry by sweeping Nova up in his arms. "I'll get you right to Sickbay, honey."

"Thanks," she said. "Some fashion show, huh?"

Wildstar looked at Dash. "Dash, Rosstowski, you're both in charge. Get Marines and medics up here ASAP. Get that miserable pilot to Sickbay. Under guard. The man's under arrest. I'll post you later on Nova's condition."

"Yessir."

As the wardroom buzzed, Derek carried Nova out of the room. The Lieutenant had her eyes shut as she snuggled herself close to her Captain and husband.

Angie Hartcliffe left out another door. She completely ignored her inert husband, thinking, You jackass. How dare you do that to my friend? What the hell were you thinking, Bryan? And if you're gonna grab at anyone's skirt, let it be mine. You scumbag! You're lucky I don't leave you for this!

 In Sickbay, Nova sat on an examining table with her leg up as Doctor Sane looked at her knee. She winced a little as he squeezed it, but the Doctor smiled.

"Nothing's broken or bruised," he said with a sigh. "Just a little nick to clean up," he said while dabbing the bare knee with some alcohol. Then, he used an antiseptic stick on it while Nova squeezed her husband's hand. "Pretty dress," he commented as he let her skirt back down. "You're a very lucky man, Captain," said Sane with a smile. "Now why do you want to give me more work like this by having that moronic smoker?"

"Hartcliffe doesn't seem to think I'm so lucky," said Derek angrily, ignoring Sane's dig about the smoker. "We have here a man who assaults officers, treats women like his own playthings, and deserved every bit of what we gave him."

"We?" said Sane. "Who?"

"That handprint on his face is from me, Doctor Sane," huffed Nova. "After he...touched me, I let him have it! Then Derek laid him out. Good for him! For once, just once, I approve of his temper," she said with love in her eyes as she gazed at Derek. "How is that Hartcliffe?"

"Well, he has a minor concussion, but he should be up in a day or so," said Sane.

"Good. If he is, I'll finish what he started in the fighting competition on Saturday night," said Derek. "Getting it in front of the whole crew will be his punishment."

"Fighting competition?" asked Sane. "You mean you approved that thing?"

"What Becky and I were talking about after I calmed down," said Nova. "So far, the poll we started seems to favor a fighting competition on Saturday night before we get out of this storm. Not bad."

"I thoroughly disapprove, Wildstar!" snapped Sane. "All you want to do is create more work for us! We have enough going on already without what we'd have from an organized fight! Even though, granted, I worked one summer as a boxing referee in medical school when I couldn't get work as a barber!"

"Nova, you approve, now?" said Derek with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I still don't approve. But now, I don't disapprove either, Derek."

A moment later, IQ-9 came in carrying a huge tray.

"Captain, Nova, you both need to eat. I brought both of you servings of ravioli, salad, gelatin, and tomato juice from Nova's wonderful tomatoes." The robot set down the tray and pulled off a cover. "Dig in." Then, he left.

"Nova?" said Derek as he rolled up his eyes.

"I'll dig in," she said. "Forgot I was hungry. After I did my runway turn, I was down below there to eat, Derek."

"Why'd you do that? Put on that dress?" asked Wildstar as they both ate their lunch.

"To cheer everyone up," said Nova in utter innocence. "Everyone's been arguing so much lately, that I thought a little summer sweetness would be appreciated. Seems not everyone thinks so," she said as her voice hitched again. "What that Hartcliffe did was worse than what IQ-9 ever did. IQ-9, for all of his annoying actions, is at least sweet and sort of cute. And he's a robot. He doesn't know any better! People do. People should know better than to act like that. You don't know how hot this makes me, Derek. If you weren't fighting that Hartcliffe on Saturday, than I think I'd do it!"

"Nova...I'm...I don't know what to say."

"I've had enough of just sitting around and crying when something bad happens. This whole mission has been driving me out of my mind. An implacable enemy like Ekogaru and those Rikashans whom you can't even reason with. The same goes for my aunt and her rotten cult that they use! An enemy that tortures and enslaves children, rapes women, and pillages and destroys cities where innocent people live and commits genocide is worse than cruel as far as I'm concerned. Desslok was right. Our enemy is evil personified! And all I'm seeing around me is evil. It's even here on this ship. I've had enough. I don't know what I'm gonna do, yet, but I've had enough!" cried Nova as she banged the examining table as hard as she could. "Enough!"

"You're sounding like me," quipped Derek.

"And why shouldn't I?" raged Nova. "I'm not all sweetness and light. Try hurting innocent people...try hurting those closest to me, try hurting you, the man I love...and try hurting me... and I can get mighty ticked off!"

"Nova, excuse me for sounding silly, but if I were Ekogaru...I wouldn't want to be in the same room with you right now! You go, girl!" said Derek with a pleased grin on his face.

"Thanks for understanding me!" said Nova with a big grin. Then, she looked at Hartcliffe. Still out cold, she thought. Good.

"When we have that fight, do you need a corner manager, Derek?"

"Uhhh...yeah!"

"Good, you've got one!" she said with a smile as she threw herself into her husband's lap and hugged him.

"Nova, you're crazy!" said Sane. "All right, I might be a referee, but only if I'm allowed to have some of my special Spring Water!"

"Who's gonna be my corner person?" said Wildstar, not getting it. He was having thoughts of calling the whole smoker off.

"Me, silly." At that, Nova kissed her husband right on the nose.

"Should I be looking at this?" said Sane with something between a smile and a leer.

Nova playfully threw a roll of gauze at Doctor Sane and said, "C'mon, Derek...let's go. I think we need a place where no one will make comments."

"Yeah. Agreed. Doc, if we have that smoker, you can drink as much as you want if you'll be the referee."

"Ha haaa...good! Bye now!" he screamed.

Nova practically pulled her husband off the examining table and ran out, holding hands with him as they merrily ran out.

In the background, an orderly looked on. "Are they nuts?"

"Naaah...just deeply in love," said Sane as he popped the cork on a bottle of his brew. "Bottoms up!"

And, and that, he began to enjoy his favorite beverage.

IV. YET ANOTHER DAY

The Octopus Star Storm

Space Battleship Argo

First Bridge

Thursday February 11, 2202

1422 Hours: Spacetime

The next day, the Argo's scuttlebutt express had a full load of gossip about the events of the previous day; namely, the results of the shipboard vote, which were heavily in favor of the fights on Saturday night. Mechanical, Living, and Medical Group were thus working together to pull the parts for the fighting ring out of storage in the gym's storeroom and set them up on the starboard side observation deck for the fight. Not having much else to do, Sandor and, ironically, Nova were in charge of this construction project as they supervised their enlisted men in the building. Both officers were even taking turns to turn wrenches and lay down the mat themselves.

"Hey, what's this I heah about Bryan Hartcliffe being grounded for a full week when we get out of the storm?" asked Hardy, who sat with a group on another part of the huge observation deck.

"Wildstar hasn't seen him yet, but he relayed the orders to me before," said Conroy. "He wants that man assigned to the lowest kind of punishment work for a whole week. Also, he told me that once we get back to Earth, he's off this ship and out of the Black Tigers. He's getting the creep transferred to another command."

"Whoa," said Hardy. "That's bad. Of course, considerin' what he did...don't blame the man for having had enough of the guy. You don't know how many times I've wanted to just kick his butt..."

"Hello," said Laurel Hartmann as she came up. "I take it the subject of discussion is Bryan Hartcliffe?"

"Yeah...pull up a chair and talk," said Conroy.

"He and Angie had a big fight last night after he came to," said Laurel as she sat down. "Angie told me about it. Also, you guys see that the grudge board is already up. Homer's name is already on it. When Nova found him in the hydroponic garden yesterday, he kissed her feet and then said he wanted to fight Venture."

"He kissed her feet?" said Hardy.

"Literally. And she still had that dress and open sandals on then," said Laurel. "Nova told me it was the goofiest thing she's seen him do yet!"

"How's that grudge board work?" said Conroy.

"Easy," said Hardy. "Anyone who wants to fight someone can put their own name up along with the name of someone they want to fight with."

"Good," said Laurel. "I've discussed it already with my...uh...opponent. I'm going to fight Lubyanska."

"Why?" snapped Conroy.

"It's not really a grudge match, just a friendly boxing workout," said Laurel. "It was Tatiana's idea. Since I'm so damn bored, I agreed."

"Lady boxers," said Hardy with a smile. "Sounds sorta kinky. Ah could just picture mah girlfriend Mio putting on gloves to fight with some people. Hope she's okay."

"Where is Miss Hoshiyama?" asked Laurel.

"Out on a survey ship at the outer rim of the solar system," said Hardy. "She's been working on the archeological survey of the remaining ruins at Brumus. You know...the ancient civilization that was once there."

"What fighting styles are they doing?" asked Conroy.

"Boxing, freestyle martial arts, and wresting," said Hartmann.

"When's Wildstar meeting with Hartcliffe?" asked Conroy.

"Right now," said Nova as she came up behind them.

"Hey, you all right?" asked Conroy.

Nova nodded. "Just got my knee skinned a little yesterday. It'll look perfect again by the time we get to Iscandar so I can wear that dress again. You can barely even see it. I'd show you guys, but it's a little hard to show my knee in my shipsuit," she said, patting her right knee. "Guess what? I've got to start training."

"Training? For what?" asked Hardy.

"A freestyle martial arts bout. Diane Henson just signed me up for three rounds with her on Saturday night."

"Yoah fighting somebody?" asked Hardy.

"Not her," said Laurel. "Nova, she's way bigger and stronger than you. I know you two don't like each other, but she can hurt you very seriously. Back out of it. No disrespect meant, ma'am, but you look like a ballerina...not a fighter."

"I know some tricks she doesn't," said Nova confidently. "I'm a Fourth Level belt in Aikido and Judo. She's only a Fifth. I can hold my own out there, and I've been challenged. My sense of honor won't allow me to back away from an open challenge like that. It's like Rainbow Galaxy when Derek said we'd have to fight Lysis now or later. For me, it's Henson, and it'll be now."

"What does...the Captain think?"

"It doesn't matter, I'm doing it. Besides, Derek's fighting Hartcliffe. Let's see the pot call the kettle black on this one, guys. See ya later."

Up in his cabin, Captain Wildstar, with his peacoat off in case Bryan Hartcliffe decided to start fighting early, stood confronting the pilot.

"Sir, ya can't throw me off the ship when we get home!" said Hartcliffe. "I'm a great pilot."

"Hartcliffe, don't you dare tell me how to run my command," said Wildstar in a low and dangerous voice. "I told you there'd be consequences the last time you got into trouble. Seems you didn't listen very well, did you? This is your second Captain's Mast in five weeks, Lieutenant! Wake up and smell the coffee! You have to change!"

"But groundin' me for a week...makin' me do punishment..."

"It's a good thing for you I don't have you in the brig for the rest of the mission for sexual harassment and gross insubordination to another officer, Mister. If you don't like the results of this Mast, you can appeal and ask for a Special Court-Martial. I could form a board in a minute, and I have enough witnesses of what you pulled yesterday. Like fifty of them, Hartcliffe. Think of that."

"Sir, please don't throw me out of the Star Force."

"Hartcliffe, we have a tight-knit disciplined outfit here on this ship. You just don't fit in. Sure, we josh with our female officers...we tease them...but we don't go around playing grabby games. And don't think she'll treat you in Sickbay, either. She'll detail her other nurses to do it. You're persona non grata now as far as a certain Lieutenant is concerned. And if you so much as raise a hand towards her again, or any other female on this ship, or anyone else, the bell will toll for you. The bell of a Special Court-Martial. I'm not brigging you now because, unfortunately, after you work like a Private for a week, we need you in that cockpit until we get back. We are short on pilots, you know. But, if you pull one other thing, buddy, than I have no qualms about putting you up on trial. And I'm only giving you this last chance to act like an officer because we need pilots ..we only have thirty-seven Black Tigers now, when we should have forty-eight. The losses have been distributed, but you know we've lost almost a full squadron in a bit over a month. Besides, we're at war. If we had a full complement of pilots, I would be court-martialing you, and I made that clear to that same certain Lieutenant before, so I gave her permission to deal with you in her own fashion. Got it?"

"Yessir! What about my wife? You reassigning her, too?"

"Why? Angie didn't do anything wrong, did she?"

"You mean...sir...you're splitting us up?"

"Afraid so. Unless she puts in for a transfer. And after you two had to take your little argument out of your quarters and in the corridor yesterday, Angie told me that she doesn't really care to be on another ship with you. Not for a long while, anyway. She even asked for a change of quarters. She told me she doesn't currently want to room with an officer who puts his hands on other women. I denied the transfer, though. It's up to you to deal with your personal lives and come to some accommodation over this. After all, as long as you're on this ship with your wife, you have to work with her."

Hartcliffe just sighed and looked at the deck. "Sir, had I know this woulda got me into this much hot water..."

"You should have thought of that even before you began to encourage IQ-9."

The door to the cabin opened, and Nova came in, whistling Besame Mucho under her breath. Her sympathetic look for Derek and her glare at Hartcliffe communicated a thousand words without a single word being said as she sat down at her desk space and began to type at a computer keyboard, still whistling softly to herself.

"Come outside, Mister," snapped Captain Wildstar. Mystified, Bryan followed Wildstar.

"Sir?"

Wildstar raised a fist as he spoke. "I'd prefer not to have you in that cabin when she's there. She sometimes kicks off her boots when she types, and knowing you, you'd probably make some lewd comment about her socks or pedicure, you jerk. Now, as for our little meeting on Saturday night..."

"You mean our mano e mano? The one I signed up for?" said Hartcliffe with a vicious grin. "Uh...sir," he said, wiping the smile off his face.

"Don't worry about it. In that ring, we won't be Captain and subordinate, Hartcliffe. We'll just be two guys with a grudge and boxing gloves. What's your beef, Mister?"

"Permission to speak freely?"

"Go ahead," said Wildstar.

"You're an idiot, sir. Laying me out like that in front of the whole crew! Anyone ever tell ya you use sucker punches?"

"You're pathetic," hissed Wildstar. "If you had an ounce of common sense, which you evidently didn't because you had just confronted my wife, you should've seen that punch coming. I was ready to go right there, you know."

"Yeah, right," said Hartcliffe as he pushed Wildstar.

Derek shoved him against a bulkhead with a bang. "Looks like you wanna go right now!" he snapped. "Save it for Saturday night, you jerk!" he yelled as he grabbed Hartcliffe by the shirt and then let him go.

"Why are you waitin' so bad?" said Hartcliffe.

"Because I'll have more room in the ring with you," yelled Derek as Nova flung the hatch to their quarters open. "Because I'll want to wipe up that ring with you after three rounds, and with good reason."

"Yeah."

"You touched my wife. That's why. We've discussed enough! Now get your lousy tail out of my sight, and that's an order! And start packing your bags, because when we make Earth, you're out of the Star Force, buddy! And I hope you like to mop."

"Yessir," said Hartcliffe with a sarcastic glare. "I read ya loud and clear." He snapped a salute and then turned on his heel and left while chuckling to himself.

Nova came up and grabbed Derek's arm. "He wanted to go right here and now." Derek said in a disbelieving voice. "I just promised the man with a full court-martial if he acts up again, and he wanted to fight me right here in the foyer. Maybe I should've had you call the Marines."

"No, you did just fine," said Nova. "And you answered my question."

"I can guess. What the hell was going on...right?"

"Not exactly in those words...but...yeah, that's more or less it." Nova tapped her booted foot on the deck and said, "On the lighter side, now that you and I have dealt with the business of Mister Hartcliffe, I have some news for you."

"Which is?"

"Henson challenged me to a fight, martial arts style. I accepted."

"What?" said Derek. "Nova...honey...she'll hurt you! You can't..."

"I can, and I intend to," said Nova with a little smile. She motioned Derek into their quarters and twirled up and did a Judo high-kick into the air. "I'm getting better. And I want to spar with you later on."

"uhh...I don't think much of it..."

"Don't worry, Derek. I'll pull my punches and kicks with you. And you can practice for Hartcliffe at the same time." She threw another kick and put her arms around him. "If you're not court-martialing him because we need pilots, what I do hope you'll do is teach him a lesson on Saturday night. The same lesson I intend to teach Henson."

"Which is?"

"Don't tread on us," said Nova with a smile as she played with Derek's hair. "When do you want to get together to spar?"

"After dinner?"

"Sounds good. I have work to do in Sickbay. See you later."

Nova kissed her husband and cheerfully flounced out of the cabin.

She was depressed last night, thought Derek. Thank God, she usually never stays that way for very long. Now, as for Hartcliffe and I...might be a good idea to spar. Scuttlebutt says that guy's a dirty fighter. He'd better not pull anything dirty in that ring on Saturday...so help me...

A tense Captain Wildstar later sat down to a game of Go with Venture on the observation deck. They were both being a little careful, because they both remembered how a quarrel over a previous game over two years ago had ended with a very nasty fistfight.

"I don't quite believe this, Derek, You're getting better," said Mark. Not far away, Holly Parsons stood watching the game and smiling at her new boyfriend.

"It's close to three minutes," said Holly while laying a hand lightly on Mark's shoulder. "You'd better move."

"Good," said Venture. He made a move and smiled. "There goes your piece, Derek. Now we're even."

Wildstar smiled and handed the defeated piece to Venture. "Let me see," said Derek as he whistled to himself. He knew Nova wasn't there, but even if she had been, he couldn't receive much help from her; she was a terrible Go player but pretty good at regular chess "What about this piece?"

"Whoa," said Venture as Derek made his move. "Holly, I think he's boxing me in. He has improved! But of course, I can respond with this..."

Mark made a move that Derek wasn't expecting. "I have you now," he said in a deep voice.

"Oh, yeah?" said Derek with an evil grin.

IQ-9 ran in a moment later waving his arms in the air. "Captain! Captain Wildstar! Conroy needs backup! Immediately! There's a fight in the lower flight bay!"

"What's the problem?" yelled Derek as he got up.

"Hey! Watch the board, skipper!" yelled Venture. He held it down with his hand.

"Bryan Hartcliffe started a fight with Conroy. You'd better hurry up!"

"Ohhhh..." said Wildstar with a disgusted shake of his head.

"Hey, he must like attending court-martials," said Venture.

"Like his own?" snapped Derek.

On the lower flight bay, Conroy just threw a punch that sent Hartcliffe's glasses flying. The British pilot responded with a snarl by throwing himself on top of the Black Tiger Group Leader and knocking him to the ground. As the two men grappled over the sound of a yelling group of Black Tigers and flight maintenance crew, they both connected with a vicious series of punches to each other's faces.

A bruised Conroy pulled Hartcliffe by his shirt and let fly with a punch that would leave his mouth swollen for a few days. Hartcliffe kneed Conroy in the groin and was going for his neck when Wildstar, Hemsford, and Rosstowski ran in, followed by Venture and IQ-9.

"Break it up!" yelled Wildstar. "Both of you! Break it up!"

Conroy fell into Wildstar's arms as Wildstar and Venture pulled him back. A snarling Hartcliffe was grabbed by Hemsford and Rosstowski with help from IQ-9.

"What happened?" asked Derek.

While Conroy tried to catch his breath, he said. "Hartcliffe wanted access to his plane; he said there was stuff he had to get out of it. I refused, enforcing the order you gave me earlier about how he wasn't to have anything to do with his work down below here, including getting near his bird. He's been in Hardy's squadron ever since that last reassignment you ordered after he got into trouble the first time a while back. I told him it was a direct order; he couldn't get near his fighter, and he began cursing me out and threw a punch. That's how it started. I'll take any punishment you choose to lay out, sir. I was trying to just defend myself. Sorry I broke regs about fighting down here on the main flight deck."

"You're not responsible," said Wildstar. "He's insubordinate. You all right?"

"I think I'd better see Doctor Sane and Nova. Make sure nothing's broken," said Conroy.

"Venture, get him to Sickbay on the double, so he can see Doctor Sane. Nova's on the first bridge if the Doc needs her." said Wildstar. Derek looked at Hartcliffe, who refused to look at him.

"Hartcliffe, did this happen the way he said it did?"

Bryan nodded.

"Not much I can do then. You remember my discussion with you during your Mast? I'll have a medic look at you later on in the brig. You'll be released on Saturday for our little bout, but then, you'll be held there until after we get out of this storm and I can court-martial you for this. Your games have gone far enough, Bryan Hartcliffe. I'll lead the Tigers myself again in my personal plane to fill your slot when we need the whole Group out. I could use some flying time anyway. Guys, get him the hell out of my sight."

Hartcliffe was dragged off. He wouldn't see the rest of the ship again until Saturday night.

"Worse and worse," said Venture.

"Yeah. We'd better get out of this storm soon."

The phone rang a moment later. Hardy got it.

"Wildstah, it's Sandor. He and Nova want to see you on the bridge ASAP."

"What is it?" asked Wildstar a few minutes later.

"We tracked the storm again and the eye just moved," said Sandor. "It's getting more chaotic."

"It may be a sign that it might break up soon, but I can't tell for sure yet," said Nova.

"It had better not be getting worse. We might never get out of here," huffed Derek.

"Don't say that," said Nova. "Please."

"Dash got on the horn with Rosstowski. He said there was another fight below. Is that true?" said Sandor.

"Yeah. I just broke it up. Hartcliffe again."

"Wastrel," huffed Nova while she went to her post.

"What's that?" asked Homer.

"It's an old term for a social reject," said Nova. "Most of the other terms in my mind for that officer right now are four-letter Anglo-Saxon adjectives. My mom would wash my mouth out with soap if she ever heard me saying them."

"You ever say them?" said Derek.

"No, but my Cousin Brittany Forrester did when she lived with us. Boy, she has a mouth on her."

"Think you can judge him fairly without reference to yesterday on his shipboard court-martial for his fight after we get out?" asked Derek. "If not, I can put Dash on the board in your place."

"Why's that?"

"Since I can't use Venture because he's the Deputy Captain and XO, and because I can't use Sane because he's wholly Staff rather than Line, I was going to put you on his court-martial board with Sandor and Orion since you're both Line and Staff, Nova. I could use my three senior-most officers on that board. If, that is... none of you mind."

"I'll serve," said Orion.

"Me, too" said Sandor.

Nova sat in thought for a moment. "I'll serve, too. I can put yesterday out of my mind while I'm behind that table. Who's prosecuting?"

"Todd Voorhees. He was a JAG officer once anyway."

"Who'll defend him?" asked Orion.

"He can request any Line officer he wants, or he can lead his own defense," said Wildstar.

"I never thought it'd come to this on this ship," said Orion. "We were always a team. We've never had a full court-martial for anyone before on this command."

"How are you choosing a President for the court-martial board?" asked Sandor.

"That's your business. Meet in private to decide that," said Wildstar. "I can't have anything more to do with Hartcliffe's court-martial from this point forward now that I've chosen a board. Undue command influence."

"I think I've got an idea," mused Orion. "I'll tell you guys later."

"What about Saturday?" said Wildstar.

"You said we start the fights at sixteen hundred," said Sandor.

Derek nodded.

A little later on that day, Sandor, Orion, Nova and IQ-9 met in private in the small Staff Briefing room a few decks below the first bridge in the Argo's bridge tower. It had once been an observation deck for enemy craft, but upon the ship's latest refit, the former bridge tower aft deck was replaced by more advanced radar and scanning equipment. Hence, Sandor had ordered his staff to refit the unused compartment into a smaller meeting room with a table and screen for the ship's bridge officers when they didn't wish to hold conferences on the bridge.

Nova held an EDF cap in her hand. In the cap were three pieces of paper folded up into little wads with their names on them. They had made up the paper, and Nova had shaken the cap. Now, IQ-9 made the draw. He pulled out a piece of paper and opened it.

"I'm sorry, Nova," said IQ-9. "You didn't make Presiding Judge. Orion is President Judge of this Court-Martial board."

"Good. You're the most senior man anyway," said Sandor.

"I've studied the regs," said Nova as she sat back down at the table behind some loose-leaf notebooks. "EDFR 5123.6, paragraph one stipulates that we can't consider any prior bad acts and especially any actions dismissed by way of a prior court-martial or Mast in our decision in this case, but we can consider prior bad acts after the trial when we meet to pass sentence."
"Yeah," said Orion. "We'd have to consider his whole record then."

"Therefore, when we pass sentence, I will abstain," said Nova. "I have that option."

"Not bad," said Sandor. "Sounds like he'll get a fair trial."

"What's the precise charge?" said Nova. "I've heard about it, but, since I wasn't there..."

"None of us were," said Orion. "I think that's another reason why Wildstar chose us."

"The charges are gross insubordination and assault and battery upon a senior officer," said IQ-9.

"Not good," said Sandor. "We'll have to see what the witnesses have to say about it."

"Wildstar canna be a witness. He's the Captain," said Orion. "I sat on a court-martial board years ago with Captain Avatar. Begging yer pardon, but I think I'm the only one out of you kids who knows what this is really like."

"I was never on a board before," said Sandor.

"I've never even seen a real full court-martial before," said Nova. "Weird that my first appearance at such an event is as a judge."

"Yeah. A lot o' things on this ship have been weird lately," said Orion.

"You're telling me," said Sandor.

V. SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALL RIGHT FOR FIGHTING...

The Octopus Star Storm

Space Battleship Argo

Saturday, February 13, 2202

1712 Hours: Spacetime

"All right!" yelled Doctor Sane into his microphone in the middle of the fighting ring as he held up Tatiana Lubyanska's boxing-glove clad hand. The sweaty Black Tiger pilot stood there in a tank top, shorts, and her sneakers. "The winner and champion of Lubyanska vs. Hartmann is Tatiana Lubyanska! Give her a hand!"

The crew cheered and whistled as the tired pilot stepped out of the ring. At the other corner of the ring, Laurel Hartmann sat with a cold rag against her bloody nose. "I think she bwoke it," she said in a very nasal voice. "Hurts! And this was supposed t' be a friendly fight!"

"No such thing once the gloves start flying," said Angie Hartcliffe, who was in a t-shirt, shorts, and bare feet to tend to Hartmann as a corner manager. Nova held the rag to Laurel's nose, dressed in similar attire herself, but with an ankle bracelet above one of her bare ankles.

"I told you this was a stupid idea," said Nova as she helped Hartmann up off the stool.

"And you're fighting two bouts from now?" said Hartmann.

"Had no choice, really. C'mon...let's get her out of here."

A cheer went up as Laurel was helped out of the ring by the two women.

"I gave a good show, didn' I?" said Laurel.

"You did," said Angie. Nova remained quiet.

Doctor Sane went back into the ring a moment later. "And now, for our next bout, we have a round of wrestling. Let me introduce our combatants. In the gold trunks, at two hundred and sixty pounds, we have Ensign Paul Hemsford of the Marine Group!"

The crowd yelled as Hemsford was helped into the ring by Rosstowski and Dash, who were in t-shirts and shorts. The huge Marine was bare-chested, in shorts and socks. Sweat gleamed off his glowering dark-skinned skull as the huge African-American stood awaiting his opponent with a look like "Kick my ass? Yeah, right?" written on his face.

"And we have his opponent, from Navigation Group. He says he can beat any man on the ship! Weighing in at an awesome three hundred pounds, Ensign Goro Raiden!"

Some of the crew cheered while others sat in silence as a huge Japanese officer from the second bridge who looked like a walking mountain stepped over the ropes. He wore green trunks and went barefoot like a Sumo wrestler. Raiden was helped into the ring by Venture, who already wore green and white boxing shorts for his fight, and by Parsons, who wore a t-shirt and shorts.

"Ready to rassle?" said Hemsford.

"Drop dead, idiot," said Raiden in his growling, deep voice.

The two men went into the center ring and glowered at each other. "Now, I want a good, clean fight!" yelled Sane, who had on his medical whites with a hachimachi headband knotted around his head. "No dirty moves, no throwing each other out of the ring, and no hits below the belt! Three rounds! First man immobilized loses! Go!"

Sane jumped back while IQ-9 rang a bell. The room erupted with yells of "Get him!" "I bet on Hemsford!" "Hell, no, Raiden!" and "Kick his butt!" as the two enemies circled each other with their hands out.

Hemsford made the first move; a leap for Raiden's legs that the bigger man dodged with a surprising nimbleness. Raiden snarled at Hemsford, who danced around him and grabbed him from behind by the neck.

The crowd went wild as Raiden threw the Marine over his head to the mat like a sack of rice. Before the cheers subsided, Hemsford grabbed Raiden by the ankles and knocked him down. Then, the two titans grappled snarling on the mat, neither of them gaining a clear advantage.

Raiden tried to slam Hemsford's head into the mat, but Hemsford responded by grabbing Raiden's wiry black hair and pulling hard. Raiden then kicked Hemsford off of him, but Hemsford leaped up, recovered, and grabbed Raiden in a tight neckhold. Raiden was trying to snap the hold when the bell rang, ending round one.

The two men broke their grip and trotted back to their corners. In his corner, Hemsford had his face swabbed with a wet sponge while Rosstowski said, "Don't let him trap ya like that again, buddy."

"I won't. I'll get him first. Mother of a dirty fighter," spat Hemsford.

"Remember, he was the wrestling champ two years running at the Academy," said Dash. "He was a tough dude even as a plebe."

In his corner, Venture wiped Raiden's brow and said, "Use the Kowalski hold. He won't expect that."

"Are you kiddin?" growled Raiden. "I'm usin' the Morimoto hold. He's never seen that one before. He won't know how to break it."

"Don't hurt the guy, now," said Parsons as sweat dripped onto one of her sneakers.

"Naaah. Even though I called him a mother, we'll be sharin' sake in two hours, I betcha. Him and me got to be buddies when we met on this ship."

"Yeah. I can see why," said Holly. "You two are the biggest guys on this ship."

"And the strongest. This'll be an epic battle for my clan," said Raiden. The bell rang, and then the two men collided again. More cheers came as Raiden threw Hemsford, and Hemsford kicked right back. They grappled and then punched like madmen. It looked like they were trying so hard to kill each other than no one would know the two strong men were friends as well as very intelligent men.

Finally, Hemsford was caught in the Morimoto hold, a particularly strong headlock. To the crowd's surprise, right as he was being forced to the ground, the Marine broke the hold, caught Raiden in a Morimoto hold of his own, and shoved the huge man down like a bundle of rags, with every muscle in the marine's body straining as he did so. Hemsford had lost his socks in this round, and the near-naked man looked like an art-deco nightmare as he forced the much bigger man to the ground and held him for then ten-count.

"The winner...Paul Hemsford!" yelled Doctor Sane.

"I don't believe this," said Captain Wildstar as he stood in boxing shorts and bare feet next to Nova. "Nova, I thought Raiden had this one in the bag!"

"Sometimes underdogs can win," said Nova. "That's nice to remember, now, isn't it?"

"We'd better get ready to help Venture. He's up next."

In the ring, over the cheers, Hemsford helped up Raiden and the two sweaty men shared a big hug. Then they ran off for the showers. Luckily, the gym wasn't too far away, which meant that there were both showers and a locker room nearby.

In the locker room, Derek helped Mark tie on one boxing glove while Nova helped tape his other hand.

"You look scared," said Derek.

"Man, I haven't been in a boxing ring ever since the Academy," said Venture. "People weren't watching our fights, Derek."

"I was," said Nova. "You guys are silly."

"This isn't silly...it's serious," said Venture. "I'll finally have a chance to take Homer with the whole crew watching. What does he know anyway? Stupid mental case."

"A few tricks," said Derek. "Nova and I watched him on the bag yesterday while we were practicing. He has a nasty left hook, Mark."

"It's almost time," said Venture. "Hey, Wildstar," said Mark with a friendly grin before he put in his mouth guard.

"Yeah."

"Should've been you and me tonight, buddy. It would've been a great fight."

"Some other time," said Derek with an evil smile. "I can take you anytime, Venture."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," smiled Derek.

"Guys, not now," said Nova. "We have to be out there in a minute."

"Kill Homer for us," said Derek.

"Please don't, Mark," rejoined Nova.

"I got him in the bag," smiled Mark as he finished tying his sneaker. "Let's go, guys."

Homer stood in his corner accompanied by Hardy and Royster. Hardy was helping because he thought this was kind of funny, while Royster was helping because he was trying to get Homer to like him. He had just checked on Laurel, who needed surgery to fix her nose. Nova and Sane would be busy in the next few days; Laurel was to be operated on after her swelling went down.

Venture and Homer slapped gloves angrily and then waited for Sane's signal without exchanging a single word.

The bell rang, and Venture waded right in. Homer danced around him, feinted, and, to everyone's surprise, connected with the first blow. Mark took the hit, and got Homer right in the midsection with a hard, mean left. Homer coughed, and then got Venture in the head with a hard bash of his own. Mark spat out his bloody mouth protector and smashed Homer in the right temple with a hard, mean hit that left him reeling. As Homer was about to fall, he regained his footing, snarled, and caught Venture in a grapple while he punched at his ribs.

"Foul! FOUL!" yelled Sane as he waded in. "Homer, let him go!"

Over boos, Homer released Venture, who responded (while breathing hard) with a feint to the head and then a blow to the midsection. Homer stood almost doubled-over before Venture connected with a hard punch to the cheek.

Homer went down like a tree. Sane counted the dazed man out and then held up Venture's arm with a loud bray of cheers from the crowd. Derek and Nova ran up to the winner, but he shoved them away with a smile. "I'm fine!"

"But your mouth is bleeding, Mark!" said Nova.

"Oh, I'm okay," said Venture through gasps of breath. "Never felt better in my life! I finally kicked his butt! Ha! HA!"

"Good job," said Derek with a smile.

"Hardy, is Homer all right?" asked Nova.

"I think he is."

"Good," said Nova. She was relieved when Royster and Hardy helped Glitchman up to his feet.

"He's not bad," muttered Homer.

"Gonna shake hands with him?" said Hardy.

"Heck no!" said Homer. "Venture, this doesn't settle anything!"

"Aaaa...grow up!" snapped Venture. He left with Derek and Nova.

In the locker room, Diane Henson stood behind a locker door tying her white and orange martial-arts gi. "Like the gi?" she said with a smile as Randy Parmon and Tatiana Lubyanska stood watching; they would be her corner managers.

"I like you better," leered Parmon. "I got a look. You still look good."

"You were supposed to have your back turned!" snapped Diane. Then, not able to resist a dig, she yelled across the locker room to her opponent. "Hey, Nova! Are they looking at you?"

"I'm not," said Venture as he stood with his back turned to the locker door behind which Nova was dressing with Derek's help.

"Ha! Nothing to see!"

"Not my opinion," shot back Derek while he helped his wife into the upper half of her gold and black gi. She wore a sports bra beneath it, but looked good.

"Why aren't you talking, Nova?" yelled back Diane. "Mimi got your tongue?"

"She's focusing her ki," said Venture. "Right now, she's meditating."

"The weird tricks you learned from Derek won't help you out there, honey!" yelled Diane.

Nova stepped out, barefoot but otherwise fully dressed in her martial-arts clothing. She regarded Diane with a guarded look and let Derek and Mark help her out to the ring.

"I can't believe it," said Henson. "She's in another world."

"More like some other galaxy...damn airheaded snob," said Parmon.

"I think there's more about this than meets the eye," said Lubyanska. "I've seen her throw a few punches. She's a much more dangerous opponent than she appears to be."

"So what! I have the body to kick her butt."

"But a lower belt. And she has something I'm not sure you have."

"Which is?"

"A subtle, devious mind," said Tatiana.

Henson came out first. A few people cheered her, but the room stayed quiet until Nova showed up. The room went wild, and there were a lot of good-natured cat calls "You look better in a robe than she does!" "Hey, Nova, kick her butt!" "Is your insurance paid up, Henson?" "A veteran can take a new crew member any day!"

For the first time, as she wriggled her toes against the mat, Henson was a bit nervous. The utter silence and serenity of her opponent was perhaps the most disturbing part of the whole fight. Diane had fought both women and men before, but she had never faced an opponent who wasn't talking trash.

Nova quietly took Derek's hand as the two of them bowed their heads. Only Mark knew that they were in silent prayer. Finally, they stopped.

"Nova, it's your show now. You know what I taught you. Go get her, love," whispered Derek.

Nova didn't speak. She only kissed Derek's hands with a ghost of a smile about her face before she stepped into the ring with glistening eyes.

Henson strutted in, jumping around on the balls of her feet. Nova came up in silence and stiffly bowed from the waist.

Henson damn near busted a gut laughing. "Look at this!" she sneered. "All style! No substance! Think you're gonna kill me by looking like a Shaolin temple movie, Nova?"

"Henson, bow back to your opponent," said Sane. "You know the etiquette! She's showing you respect!"

"Yeah, she'd better!" snapped Henson. She bowed back contemptuously and said, "You want your face diced or pureed, Wildstar? I'll knock you out in the first minute!"

Nova gazed at a point near the mat. She didn't even look up at Henson. She totally refused to let her eyes meet those of her opponent. I refuse to give you the satisfaction of a response to your taunts until we start this, Nova thought. You are an utter boor. You have no sense of elegance or intelligence or spirit about you whatsoever. You would be the perfect mate for Bryan Hartcliffe. You started this tonight. Now, I shall finish it. I am patient. Calm. Forgiving. But, when you crossed me, you crossed the wrong woman. I will make sure of that.

Nova shut her eyes and stood in silence as Sane introduced them and gave their weights. Henson outweighed her by eighteen pounds. Nova knew that already. She didn't care.

She had nothing on her mind except winning this fight and getting out of this ring. Finally, Sane stepped back. With a loud round of yells that Henson acknowledged by blowing the crowd a showy kiss, and which Nova refused to acknowledge at all, the fight started.

Henson dug her toes into the mat and punched out with a hard right. As quick as lightning, Nova caught her opponent's fist with her upraised right hand and threw the blow back. The crowd went silent as Henson staggered.

Nova quickly threw a foot between her opponent's ankles and kicked. Henson hit the mat. Sane began the count, but Diane bounced up at the number six and went for Nova with murder in her eyes. She feinted with a left, and threw a right in at Nova's stomach. Nova partly deflected the blow, but she took the blow with a gasp and slightly widened eyes.

Henson had her wrist grabbed a moment later as Nova hissed and shot her fist into Henson's stomach. The stunned woman tried to grab Nova's wrists to throw her, but the smaller woman danced back on the balls of her feet like a cat on a hot stove. Then, with a shockingly loud focused cry of "kiai!" Nova twirled around and met the side of Henson's head with a hard kick.

Diane staggered, but she somehow recovered and threw a kick into Nova's cheek. Nova staggered herself, but then she refocused herself by deflecting a kick from Diane. She simply caught her foot with her hands and threw back.

Henson ended up on her butt, but she sprang back up as the room spun around. As the bell rang, Nova wiped away a little blood from her mouth, spat out her tooth protector, and said "Diane...what was that you were saying? First minute?" Then, she just shook her head and walked back to her corner with a very straight back, ignoring the buzzing in her ears.

"Are you all right?" asked Derek in the ring as he dabbed at her mouth. The sight of his wife's blood was making him as mad as a bull.

"Just a nick inside my mouth. I'll live," said Nova before drinking a lot of water from her bottle.

"How's your stomach?" asked Venture.

"Bruised, I bet. I think I made my point. I'll finish this in two minutes."

"Nova, what do you mean?"

"What you taught me, Derek. Focus. Calm. I showed her. She didn't think I was going to make it this far. Wrong."

Nova stood up, patted Derek's hand and said, "Get your mind ready, Derek. You're up next."

"But you're..."

"Slightly hurt. I'll make it." She winked at Derek and walked back out into the ring.

The bell rang. This time, there were now bows, and this time, Henson was getting a bit more wary of the calm tigress that she knew she was stuck in this ring with. Henson lashed out first, but Nova just skipped back. Henson kicked again, but Nova simply caught the kick and threw her opponent back. She then got up, howled, and threw a punch into Nova's gut. It never connected. Nova just threw it back in silence, feinted, caught two more hits with her hands in rapid succession, and then, she grabbed Henson's wrists and executed a throw that Diane hadn't expected at all. As Diane hit the mat, she bounced up, but Nova lashed out with a kick to the neck that dropped Henson on her back like a tree. Tears of humiliation and sudden anger ran down Henson's face as Sane counted her out and threw up Nova's hand as the victor while the crew yelled and wolf-whistled.

Nova bowed with Sane to the spectators with a smile, and then ran in to assist Henson. "I didn't do that too hard, did I? I'm sorry." she said quietly.

"You creep," coughed Henson. "Don't condescend to me!"

"I told you earlier today. You started this. I came in here intending to finish it. Now, let's shake hands and put this behind us, Diane. You were good, too."

"I'd sooner shake hands with Satan," muttered Henson.

"Your call," said Nova. "But I have no grudge against you. Just want to let you know that. Please act like a mature woman?"

"Yeah, right," said Henson.

Nova walked to Derek and Mark and received a kiss from Derek and a hug from Mark. "Thanks for the support," she said. "Now can you give us some time alone in the showers? I have to get cleaned up and back in my shorts. We'll be out in a minute so you can get ready, Derek."

"Okay. Love ya."

Later on, a bitter Bryan Hartcliffe clapped gloves with Derek Wildstar in the middle of the ring. Nova watched her husband in the center of the ring. He stood bare-chested, long haired, gleaming with a sheen of sweat under the lights, clad in only his boxer shorts and gloves.

Nova thought her husband looked incredibly attractive and sexy like that...barely clad...ready for battle. She wanted to hold him and kiss him again and again before he fought. But, right now, she knew she couldn't.

Bryan Hartcliffe stood there in sneakers and shorts. Venture noticed what Nova already knew from being a nurse...Hartcliffe was thinner than Wildstar and his chest was nowhere near as broad and muscled. Mark guessed that this was a man who did the bare minimum of PT the EDF required...and no more.

All talk and no action, thought Venture with disgust. Well, the talk stops here, Hartcliffe.

Hartcliffe was being ministered to by only one man...Shigeru Sakamoto. The two most hated pilots on the ship, it seemed, had formed some sort of friendship. Angie was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't even watching the fights. She had taken the option of remaining in her cabin with a good book. Alone.

The bell rang, and the fighters advanced upon each other.

The first thing that happened was that Wildstar was hit below the belt.

"Ohh...CRUD!" he barked.

Hartcliffe wanted to capitalize upon the gain, but Sane stepped in and forced him back. "Flagrant foul! You do that again, Hartcliffe, and you'll forfeit this fight! You all right, Derek?"

"Fine," grunted Wildstar. Thank God for jockstrap cups, he thought. And thank God that Nova knows how to get it on me just right.

Wildstar fought back, throwing a pair of quick punches into Hartcliffe's midsection. The British pilot gritted his teeth, but he took the hits in silence.

Wildstar then blocked two punches, and then took a punch to his mouth that sent him reeling and sent his mouthguard flying with a gout of blood. In their corner, Venture went white and Nova screamed. She tensed and jumped to her feet.

"No," said Venture as he grabbed her wrist. "You can't!"

"But he might be..."

"We'll help at the end of the round...or when the fight ends. We can't help him now!"

"Yeah...right," said Nova as she sat on the little stool biting her nails.

In the ring, Derek got to his feet, and, breathing hard, he threw another punch at Hartcliffe. Bryan dodged, and then, smiling wickedly, he got Wildstar in the throat. Derek staggered back, almost fell, but then he got back to his feet just as the bell rang.

Sane ran up to Wildstar. "Captain, I'm stopping this fight. We need you healthy!"

"Hell no," said Derek. "That man is scum. I'm going to beat him."

"Well, get back to your corner. Let Nova and Mark take care of you!"

Derek staggered back to his corner and lay there panting on the stool as Nova dabbed at the inside of his mouth with a swab. "This'll sting, but it'll stop the bleeding. And you need a new mouthguard."

"What's with that guy?" huffed Derek.

"He's a street fighter," said Mark. "I've met guys like him in Brooklyn when I visited there before the bombings. He thinks he's some kind of gang member or something, I'll bet. You deal with dirt like him just one way, Derek. Give him what he gives you."

"But I don't fight that way."

"Derek, cut the bushido honor crap!" snapped Mark. "He's an enemy. Treat him like an enemy."

"He's our enemy, Derek," said Nova as she tenderly washed him with a wet sponge. The needed washing, and the heat of the ring and lights, meant that she was minimally dressed for a good reason. "Take me off his court-martial board later on. I can't fairly judge a man who hits you like that...or who humiliated me in front of the crew."

"Thanks for being honest."

"Good, Derek. Now, go out there and beat him. For us!"

Derek accepted Nova's kiss even though his mouth hurt. "Yeah. For us."

She let go of her husband with great reluctance as he jumped in again.

The second round went on. Both Hartcliffe and Wildstar were sweaty and wilting. Both men were bruised, battered, and had swollen spots on their faces. Both of them had succeeded in hurting each other.

Both of them were swaying on their feet as Derek dug his toes into the mat, hauled back, and feinted with a left. The right came thundering into Bryan Hartcliffe's gut a moment later. With the wind knocked out of him, it was now an easy matter for a gasping Wildstar to punch him in the mouth and knock him onto his back, again.

Then, Sane ran over and counted the struggling, dazed Bryan Hartcliffe out. Then, to wild cheers, he held up Captain Wildstar's fist.

"THE WINNER!" he cried. "Our Captain!"

The crew cheered, and three of the Tigers, namely, Hardy, Conroy and Lubyanska, ran into the ring and hugged Derek and clapped his back.

Wildstar staggered, and fell onto the mat. Nova was there to catch him. "Derek," she said in a half-sob. "You beat him! Oh, I'm so happy!"

"yeah...thanks," he said in an exhausted, punch drunk voice.

Venture looked at Nova, and Nova looked back at him and nodded.

"Wildstar, I'm taking command for the rest of the night," said Venture. "We're still not going anywhere, so it doesn't matter."

"Yeah...okay....but the party..."

"No party for you!" snapped Nova. "Clear the way, Doctor Sane. "I'm getting my man right into bed!"

Sane yelled "OKAY! Get out of the way! Clear the way for the Captain!" Nova helped her battered champion walk out of the ring and then she walked with him, half carrying the tired, shaking man back to his cabin.

They needed the privacy.

 VI. ENCOUNTERS

The Octopus Star Storm

Space Battleship Argo

Tuesday, February 16, 2202

1820 Hours: Spacetime

A few days passed.

Dash volunteered to take Nova's place on Hartcliffe's special court-martial board.

Derek and Nova recovered after caring for each other.

Bryan remained in the brig, languishing as he realized how he had just wrecked his own life in the past week.

The storm continued, although Sandor noticed it didn't seem to be quite as bad.

"Well," said Sandor on the first bridge as he watched Holly Parsons working the main radar. "Send those scans through again."

"Roger," she said.

"What is it?" said Derek from his post. He was drinking tea and had his peacoat and ascot on again.

"The storm," said Sandor. "The solar wind velocity has just dropped again. It's weaker. The gravitational pull has also dropped by point seventy two in the past hour."

"What does that mean?"

"Derek, get the ship ready to move. Sometime tomorrow...it should break up."

"Mind if I wait so we can tell if it's the real thing?"

"It's your call, Wildstar."

Derek looked out at the angry orange tendrils of wind. "When those are gone, we'll take down those canopies, and then we'll get ready to get out of here. Of course, I'll have to check that channel...to make sure we can still get out."

"Good idea."

About five hours had passed in Sickbay. It had been a long and delicate operation, but Doctor Sane, Doctor Bradford, Nova, and IQ-9 were finally done with the plastic surgery that had reconstructed Laurel Hartmann's nose.

"Look at her," said Bradford, who stood there in a Medical section minidress, clogs, and other operating-room gear. She was pulling off her bloody gloves with Nova's help. "Looks good now, but why'd she have to go and mess up her nose like that, Sakezo?"

"It's that fight they had," said Sane. "Actually, it wasn't half-bad," he said while yawning and wriggling his toes in his wooden geta sandals. He sat right down on the deck and got his handy bottle of "spring water", which was had something with more kick mixed in with it tonight. "It allowed the crew a chance to let out their aggressions and settle some scores before we get out of this storm. Right, Nova?"

Nova sighed and rolled up her eyes. "Doctor Sane, I still think that fight night was sort of stupid. Why should people hurt each other for no good reason?" she said, grunting a little as she spoke, balanced on one foot. She was in the middle of pulling a cloth shoe cover off her white sandals, which she was wearing instead of her standard boots tonight due to the length of the operation.

"Doctor Sane," said IQ-9. "I'll get her out of here," he said as he put his hands on the gurney that he had just lifted the sleeping Hartmann onto.

"Good," said Sane. "IQ, take her out."

"Yes, Doctor," said the robot. He left with the sleeping form while Nova began to clean up the operating field. She picked up the used linen and then put the surgical instruments in the sterilizer for cleaning and reuse.

"Nova, you did call Fisher, didn't you?"

"Yes, Doctor," said Nova. "She's got a bed ready for her outside. I'll get her chart out there when we're done cleaning up," she said as she tapped the pedal of a waste can; the sole of her shoe made a sharp slap as it hit the pedal. Nova then threw her used latex gloves into the can along with the paper mask that dangled around her neck. She took off her cap, flipped her head around to straighten out her hair a little, and threw the reusable operating-room cap onto a counter beside her shoe covers. "As you were saying, Doctor Bradford? I'm sorry, but I lost the thread of our conversation, ma'am." Nova said this while getting two plastic cups out of a cabinet.

"I said, you should talk, Nurse Wildstar" grunted Bradford. "No offense, Lieutenant, but you've always had your head up there in the clouds in ladeda land. I don't know. Maybe when you get that MD, med school will knock some of that idealism out of your little blond head. And didn't I see you fighting that night, too?"

"That's because I was challenged, Doctor Bradford," said Nova. "Henson challenged my honor, and I had to defend it."

"Funny," said Bradford. "You were born in Boulder, Colorado, and sometimes you talk like you grew up around the base of Fujiyama or something when you get these weird brain-pan sparks."

Nova stood there with her mouth open for a moment, but Sane retorted with, "Bradford, she spent a year of her childhood in the Japanese Archipelago on Kyushu right near Sasebo, and her father's part-Japanese."

"I never knew that," said Bradford as Nova sat down cross-legged on the deck near a counter beside Sane. In her stance and dress, she looked a little like a younger version of Sane to Bradford for an instant, although her legs and build were, of course, far shapelier than his, and Sane certainly didn't have an ankle charm bracelet on over his sandals. "Nova, tell me a bit about Kyushu before the bombings."

"My father had to work there before he opened his own law office," said Nova after she poured Sane some sake. "The firm he worked for then sent him all over the world, and he was also a reserve United Nations Space Defense Force JAG officer. We rented a house there, and I had fun. It was warm most of the year, I went to a Japanese school in a little sailor dress, learned a bit of the language, and went to the beach a lot. I also used to like to go with my dad to watch the ships come in at the docks at Sasebo. My mom never understood why I've always liked the sea. When I was little, I wanted to sail off to some romantic, exotic place and write poetry about it. Now, here we are, in space...more material for me to write poetry about in my journal in an odd moment...or material for songwriting...just me and my guitar. When we're underway, I see a lot of exotic places..."

"And we get shot at," snorted Bradford. She adjusted her glasses and said, "Nova, when you're fifteen years older, wearing glasses like me, and you begin losing your curvy figure, you might see what I'm getting at. You once said I was cynical."

"You are, ma'am," said Nova calmly as Sane gave her some something to drink. "How'd you ever get to be such a hard-nosed person?"

"Defenses," said Bradford. "One body's the same as another. One complaint's the same as the other. They're all cases, with prescribed treatments..."

"They're people," said Sane. "People without an ounce of common sense at times...but people. You have to keep that in mind, Bradford? Want to sit down and join us in a cup?"

"No, I don't want any," said Bradford. "I'm gonna turn in soon and give the duty to Doctor Ryrie, if  you don't mind, sir."

"Of course I don't mind," said Sane. "You go right ahead, huh?"

"Good. Good night. Doctor. Good night Nurse. Don't drink yourselves into oblivion now!"

"I won't," said Nova with a smile. "G'night, Doctor."

Bradford left. Nova took a sip of the "spring water" and said, "Yuk! This brand's sharper than your usual kind."

"I had to dig a little into my reserves, Nova. I do apologize."

"Thanks. This mission...we've all been so busy, we've barely had a chance to talk. Do you think we're going to make it through all right?"

"It's hard to tell," said Sane. "When we went to Telezart, and were fighting the White Comet, that was its own challenge. Now, we have a different challenge. We have a very unpredictable enemy this time. An enemy with very strange powers. An enemy we're going to have a hard time defeating. Aliscea tells me she thinks there's going to be some sort of confrontation around Iscandar."

"I know. She tells me the same thing, Doctor."

"I had a funny dream last night, Nova. Some of my dreams are occasionally caused by my...uhhmm...choice of refreshment," he said with a blush. As he spoke, Mimi the Cat came in, making her presence known by mewing and rubbing her head against Nova's toes and ankle.

Nova put up a finger for a moment and pulled Mimi onto her lap. "Are you hungry, girl?" she asked. Mimi made a content purr-meow and began to knead her front paws against Nova's bare leg. "Okay...you're not," said Nova. "Keep those claws in," she said as Sane looked at his cat with amusement. "You were saying, Doctor?" asked Nova.

"I said...had this funny dream. Trelaina of Telezart was in it."

"Trelaina?" said Nova with a start that disturbed Mimi. "What did she say?"

"She said...she was watching over us from...wherever she is. She said that it was hard to tell, but we might see her again before all this is over."

"We can't see her again...she's dead," said Nova. "Or...is she, really? We thought she was dead before, you know. I sure did."

"She did say she can't be with us...and she said she wanted to send her love to Mark...and to Holly. She told me to tell them...to enjoy the time they'll have together. I asked her how long they'd have together...and she said...it was hard to tell...the future...was hard to see or guess...even for her. She said we had to live on...to be the embodiment of good."

Nova started again at that tidbit. She had never told Doctor Sane what Trelaina's precise words had been when she had brought Mark back to them.

"Nova, what's wrong?" said Sane. "You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

"No...but maybe you've heard from one, Doctor? What Trelaina said in your dream...did you ever hear any of us telling you what we heard from Trelaina that last time? I mean...the exact words?"

"You and Wildstar told me the generalities...but you never gave me the exact words before."

"Earth can be the embodiment of good," quoted Nova. "But it must live on to fulfill its destiny. That was virtually the last thing Trelaina said to Derek and I...before she went to destroy Zordar. I'm sorry I never told you before, Doctor. There was so much going on in November and December that we never got to sit down and talk about it. So...she talked about the same thing in your dream...in language you had never heard before."

"That's right."

"And...I'm sorry...but you're sure Derek never told you the exact words, either? You know dreams are the dumping-ground of the subconscious."

"No. He never did. I asked Mark to tell me if he heard anything from her...and while he said something...he never said what the precise words were, either, except for a few phrases. You remember he was very confused then, and you also remember that he said he wasn't sure if he really experienced what he had experienced. He never said anything about 'the embodiment of good' or any of that. What do you think, Nova?"

"I think I've got to go tell Derek about your dream," she said. "Let me know if you have any more weird dreams, okay?"

"Sure. I usually dream about girls I knew in the past and about being a barber and about Mimi," said Sane. "I don't dream about mysterious women with strange powers...usually..."

"What about that weird one you said you once had when you said you saw me walking around in Queen Starsha's gown, Doctor?" asked Nova.

"Well, that's an exception," said Sane. "But we all know you don't have any strange powers of any kind."

"Yeah," said Nova. "The last time I tried to resurrect flowers in the ship's garden with my mind, it didn't work," she said with a chuckle. "I had to use a chemical fertilizer in the hydroponic suspension base like the mundane little old Earthling I am."

"Hey, that's my girl," said Sane with a big smile as he gave Nova an affectionate pat on the shoulder. "You know, you make a much better drinking buddy than Bradford?"

"Thanks," said Nova as Mimi ran off her lap. "I think Mimi's telling me that I'm wearing out my welcome," she said as she got up and stretched.

"Where are you going?"

"Aft observation deck. Derek wanted me to meet him there at oh-one hundred. I can't stand up my own husband now, can I?"

"Nope. Tell him I said hi. And you tell him I think you look adorable tonight. You should try geta, though. They're even more comfortable than those things!"

Nova blushed. "Thanks. But when I wore geta as a little girl in Kyushu, they kept on falling off when I rode my bike. I could never get them on the pedals just right. I wore plain sandals or flip-flops most of the time there."

"You'd better take Wildstar to the exact spot you were at in Kyushu some time!" yelled Sane. "He'd love to see you in a kimono at obon festival!"

"I need to get a new one," said Nova. "See ya later."

She left. Sane had another drink and said, "Best nurse I've got. And she's a nice kid, too. Want some, Mimi?"

Mimi lapped some sake up after Sane poured a little in the palm of his hand.

More time passed. After lunch, Nova and Derek came up to the First Bridge together holding hands. They had enjoyed a good night last night, and a pleasant morning. During their bridge watch, they had looked at the latest scans with hope, but had left at eleven hundred, thinking it was too good to be true. Still, having a strange feeling about this, Derek had left his peacoat and ascot in their cabin when they had popped in there for just a moment before arriving on the bridge.

The young lovers held hands as they walked together onto the First Bridge. They stopped in the middle of the doorway, not believing the sight.

A beaming Venture, Sandor, and Parsons greeted them.

"Guess what, Derek...Nova," Mark said. "As I think you can see, the storm has stopped. We can move again!"

"Derek!" said Nova with excitement. "We can continue the mission at last!"

"After we see if that channel's clear," said Captain Wildstar. "Parsons, did you scan it?"

"About halfway," said Parsons. "The radar doesn't go in all the way, of course..."

"Well, it looks like I'll have to check it out."

Nova nudged her husband in the ribs.

"Okay," he said with a smile. "Nova, are you ready for a little flight in my Super Starfighter with me?"

She gave her husband a thumbs-up.

"Sound the alert, Venture," said Derek. "I think we're gonna be on our way back to Iscandar today. We're gonna have to do a lot of warps to catch up."

"Roger," said Mark with a smile. A moment later, the alert klaxons went of.

After a long sleep, now, on February 17, 2202, the Argo was finally shaking herself awake.

They were on their way out.

 THERE ARE NOW 99 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM

To return to the Introduction to the Rikasha Incident please click here