HELIOS

Chapter 11

I open my eyes and I'm looking up from my bed at the ceiling of my quarters; I turn to the clock we've been underway for five hours. I look to my left and Mandy has her head on my shoulder, and her arm draped across my chest. God help us to make it through this, it's the only thing I can do at now, pray that the time we prepared will pull us through to a good end. But, if it's our fate to die then those are the fortunes of war. I lie there still, just listening to Mandy breathing; the words of the good Dr. ring through my head. I shake those thoughts from my mind, and focus on the next step running as many posible scenario we might encounter.

I know it might be a futile exercise, butI need to do it to keep my mind moving and flexible. That flexibility is important in combat; I probably can stay here for another two hours, however I need to get up and get on with the day. I gently move Mandy's arm and slowly pull myself out of bed, so she can continue to rest up while she can. I take a shower and get into uniform I take a glance back at Mandy who is still sleeping and I can't help but smile.

    I enter the bridge. "Captain on the bridge!"
Calls out Ensign Wu, a good young man and officer. If we survive he'll have a successful career in the military, of that I'm sure. Lieutenant Carter gets up from the command seat and stands at attention.

"As you were Lieutenant." I say.

He looks at the bridge clock. "Sir will you be taking command of the Helios?" He has a disappointed look on his face that makes me laugh inside.

"No Lieutenant." I see the relief on his face. "I simply came to see how things are moving along today. That's all." I nod as I speak and Carter nods along with me; this probably makes a bit of a comical scene. "Please resume your post." He turns and retakes the Captains chair, I move around the bridge stopping at the various stations and consulting with whom ever is manning it. I admire these men and women who have put their live on the line, to face an unknown enemy.

   I head to my office entering it I sit down and wonder how many, if any of us will survive this encounter. I need to know the extent of the danger, and unfortunately currently I have nothing to base it on. We will leave the Solar system, if all stays on track in two days; I check our current course and speed on my computer. The door chimes, which brings me back from my not so positive thoughts. "Come in." The door slides open an in enters Mr. Basha.

    He inclined his head in greetings and proceeds to sit on the chair across from me. "Captain, I have noticed that you seem to be on edge."

"We are at a point beyond what normal people would say is insane, so yes I guess being on edge is right." I realize that makes me look unprepared, but we are. "We're going to face the unknown without any real preparation."

     Basha nods. "Yes." He agrees. "This is most true, but I have seen the eagerness of your men. They believe in you Captain." I look at him unsure of what to say. "You must have faith in your self."

    "Yeah." I reply. "You're right of course, but it's... just tough to see a bright side in this; since we don't know what it is exactly we're going to run into."

He smiles slightly. "You will find the answer to your doubts, and lead the way." He says. You know, he's right. I can't over think this to much or I'll burn myself out before we even engage whoever it is we have to fight.

"Thank you Mr. Ahmadi. For your words of encouragement." I nod to him returning to my screen and he leaves the office and I know, that the crew is happy to have me as their Captain. I need to capitalize on that and keep their spirits up. Having high spirits is just as important as having your weapon ready. So no more looking like it's the end for us, that might just be what we need to keep the fighting edge in this mission.

I check the time my shift starts in five minutes; I check my last log; I add to it some of my personal thoughts, but most of all I let it be known that if we have to die we'll go down fighting!

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   We have already passed the edge of the solar system, and all has been quite. It's been almost a full day. Soon we will reach the Hyperion's last known position, according to the transmissions origin that is. I'm sitting in the Captains chair leaning forward watching the vastness of space slip by, through the main view screen. Trying to see a sign, anything that might indicate that a vessel is out there. I feel a the presence of someone standing close to me; Mandy puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder, and I nod patting her hand.

    "You know," I turn to look at her. "We are almost to the spot where the Hyperion signaled." I stand up and motion for Mandy to come to the side where we had our short argument. "Listen, I want you to prep a shuttle. Have it receive all the data the we get should we encounter anything." I pause for a second and I can see her eyes narrow. "If things go south I want you to board  that shuttle and run to Earth."

    "Oh hell no!" Mandy's face is stone. "I will not abandon ship when I could be of use to you!!" She hisses at me understandably upset.

    "It's  not about abandoning, but about prioritizing." She blinks. "You are the one person that they would truly listen to ; you are in good standing still, but I'm expendable."

    Mandy looks around at the bridge personnel. "Captain, why don't we go to your office for a moment?"

I shake my head. "You will get on shuttle 5 it's a long range vessel, that will get you near enough to Earth for them to launch a rescue." Her eyes are hard, but this is the best plan that I can come up with. "In any other time or circumstance I would never ask you to do this, but analyze the situation here."

     "Do you think I haven't?" Pride now fills her eyes. "I know the risk as well as anyone on this ship. I will not leave. You'll have to task someone else, with that job." A crew member walks by, and she waits for that person to be out of ear shot. "I still have overall command here Captain and don't you forget that." She turns sharply and briskly stepping out of the bridge; well, that went well. I shake my head and turn back to command chair; damn it Mandy! Why are so stubborn!

     I sit down on in the command chair feeling a bit upset with the way Mandy took the idea, though she is right; as the person in command of this whole mission she must be here. Emotions can't play a part in this, or distrust in my ability to lead would fill the crew. Alright, I won't push the issue and leave things as they are; I need to apologize to Mandy. I hope she's willing to listen; God knows how she gets when she is angry, especially at me.