HELIOS

Chapter 21

It's been three weeks since we arrived on Majah Prime, and finally we negotiated for our crew to come planet side. The crew is enjoying tours by Majah-tu volunteers who are showing them the palace grounds and the sights around the city near by; Mr Ahamadi is sitting next to me with Mandy on his other side at a conference table, as I expose to him my proposition that I feel is a good thing for UEA Gov. "Basha, I want to know is what you think about staying here as the Ambassador for Earth?" He looks at me surprised, but at the same time he considers it.

  "I am most honored for the trust you place in me." he stands up and walks to the window and looks out onto the palace grounds with is hands behind his back; he turns around and comes back to the table looking at each of us in turn. "I will accept this honored position and fulfill it as best as I can." I smile nodding and I look towards Mandy, but she avoids eye contact with me and I slightly narrow my eyes at her.

  "Very well Mr. Ahmadi I will bring this proposal treaty to the King, and hopefully he will like the Idea." I pick up my note book and check it and jot down some notes about the proposal, that I will present in writing to make it an official request. Mandy and Basha are speaking of nonessential things; just simple small talk. "Mandy, would please just go over this and see if it meets with your approval." She looks at me with daggers in her eyes and I sit there realizing what's going on, though she takes the note pad and starts to read through it. I think we're going to have a talk after the meeting is over.

  "Yes, I think this will work, but I'd change this part and make it sound less demanding and more of a request." I nod as she hands me back the pad. I make a note to make the change.

  "Well basha I think we're done for now and thank you for your acceptance of this position, and for the future Earth." I stand with him and shake his hand he then turns and leaves the room; Mandy also stands to leave. "Major, may I have a word with you Please." She closes the door and returns to the table sitting down. "Mandy..."

  "Stop right there Captain!" she says forcefully and I look at her. "it's Major Roberts, so we're clear here." She states with authority.

   I nod. "Well then Major, we have to work together on this to make sure that the embassy is established." She looks at me and turns away. "Major, you are the commanding officer of the mission so you are the ranking Earth official here." I take a breath, because she does out rank me right now. "We need to work as a team that is in command, and we can't let personal feelings get in the way."

  She looks at me."Why?" she asks me. "Why are you slipping away from me?" Her question hits me hard and I look down.

  "It's hard to explain" I know how weak that sounds after all we've been through. "This is something that I cannot stop." God almighty this is difficult to voice, but I owe her that much. "This is a place in this time that was seen before our arrival to this world and I am meant to be here now with her."

  Mandy stands up angrily knocking over the chair she was sitting on. "Do you think I'm stupid!" she shouts. "Don't think for a moment that I believe this 'I'm destined to be with her crap!'" She heads to the window and she leans her forehead on it. "You said that life will always show what you have to do, so you are doing just what you want and then go around telling me that it's written in the stars!" She turns and the tears are streaming down her cheeks. "You spend hours with her walking, taking, laughing and going on, but what about me!" She stands there crying. "You forgot me." She wipes the tears from her eyes and straightens her uniform looking at me with cold eyes. "We will finish this mission here and we will leave for Earth as soon as we're ready" She grabs her things walking out of the room leaving me sitting there feeling worse than I've felt in a long time, though I can't blame her for anything that has happened because it's not her fault. I get up after a while and head for my room stepping in closing the door behind me.