U.S.S. Humanity

by Nathanial Covell

  *****

  A bright light erupts from the station, as Dex tumbles through the blackness, yelling “Yyyyyyeeeeeeehawwww!” He squints with the force of the blast, but smiles through the pain. Secondary explosions consume the station in fire, rending it into pieces.

  *****

  The crew of the Humanity help the hostages get comfortable in the large common room, easy in the plush environment. Jen fixes wounds, while Xiao offers food. Beppe moves supplies into the room. Nadia sits, hair matted with sweat, drinking water. Alex enters and Nadia looks at him and nods, arching her eyebrows and not without a hint of mischief on her pursed lips. Dex finally enters, limping and wincing.

  “Everyone happy now?” he asks. Humanity’s crew stops what they’re doing as he approaches Alex. “Huh? We did the right thing. I’m all banged up. That should make you all happy.”

  Reluctantly at first, Xiao walks up and gives Dex a hug, “Oh shut up.”

  Dex closes his eyes, smells her hair. When he looks up, he sees Alex and inhales, “Loki.”

  “Diogenes.”

  Xiao looks up and moves aside. “I don’t understand. You two know each other?”

  “Yes, but only by our call signs. We’ve never met til now. I should have known. After DS2. You’re good. From the old days I owe you my life many times.” Alex returns his look, a bit defiantly. Dex looks at the others. “I’ve lost some of my faith. I couldn’t tell you why or when. You won’t deserve the way I treat you.” The others look on, uncertain. “Loki, I thought about what I’d do if I ever met you in the flesh.”

  Alex’s eyes are glassy upon recollection of past trials. “We’ve been in some tough spots. You … you were the best. An honor to work with,” Alex stutters. Dex’s lips tighten.

  Dex walks quickly up to Alex and hugs him tightly. Alex hugs him back. “You always got us out. You always got us out, you young pup.” The crew of Humanity looks on the two men, mouths agape, tears in their own eyes. “Don’t know what would have happened without you.” Dex looks around. “All of you: Damn fine job. I don’t know what trick of fate this is. I don’t deserve any of you.”

  Someone in the crew of Second Dawn yells, “You came when no one else would. Three cheers for the crew of Humanity.” All yell: “Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!”

  Humanity’s crew faces the cheering people and smile, flooded with relief and good will.

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nate Covell was employed by the White House Military Office, worked in cyber counterintelligence, was a Japanese interpreter and lived in Japan and Italy. He has a B.A. in Creative Writing and has done graduate work at Harvard. He likes to talk about himself in 3rd person, as evinced here. But enough about me! Hit my website and let me get to know you, too 

  Thank you for taking the time to read this episode. Please take a moment to leave a comment at the site from which you downloaded. Find out more at https://natecovell.com

  Current and Upcoming Episodes of U.S.S. Humanity:

  Episode 1 – The First Shot

  Briefly we are introduced to the crew and their mission: to travel into deep-space to claim an earth-like planet in the Chi Draconis system for Chaste Holdings. Via tower chatter, it is revealed that Dex is renowned for his days as a space fighter ace. However, their near-Earth orbit launch is jeopardized when an enemy corporation, led by Dex’s erudite nemesis, Pharris Turner, hurtles debris at light-speed into the U.S.S. Humanity’s trajectory. Although initially cavalier, Dex’s quick and decisive actions under pressure save the ship.

  Episode 2 – Hog Wild

  Dex struggles with thoughts of his estranged wife and defiant son and seeks distraction. Nadia engages in tactical exercises while Xiao analyzes Alex, albeit a bit unprofessionally. She tells Alex about Dex’s famed manoeuvres at the asteroid belt and how he could not save his wingman. Dex’s wingman will later be revealed as Xiao’s father and that she joined this mission for revenge or a reckoning. Dex finds Beppe brewing and they drink and ride his Harley, eventually joined by the others. The next day, they stop to aid a derelict ship and three space-sick marauders attempt to hijack Humanity. Led by Nadia, the crew members mutually impress each other capturing the jittery, paranoid band of ne’er-do-wells.

  Episode 3 – Food Fight

  Arriving at the solar systems out space station, the criminals are handed over to authorities and Nadia makes a booty call. Dex and Xiao further bond while swimming. Alex, at Dex’s request, hacks the station logs to see if Pharris Turner, Dex’s nemesis, has been there. Alex locates their ship and gains access planning revenge. Dex and Pharris run into each other in the cafeteria and clash violently, bringing all their hate and deadly skills to bear. Dex is saved when Alex remotely starts the hacked ship’s engines jarring the entire station and forcing Pharris to flee.

  Episode 4 – Death From Above

  After explaining to the authorities and healing the wounded, the crew learns of the lawlessness of space. Jen struggles to explain her science with an inquisitive little girl. Dex refuses to get involved with Space Navy jurisdiction, but a few days later the Humanity finds a ship in space with most crew dead or missing. With prejudice, Nadia and Dex, with Alex on hacking, infiltrate the pirate base: a derelict space station. Dex learns Alex is an ex-intel analyst which he distrusts, until during the operation they learn that they own the sole codenames they’d trusted for years.

  Episode 5 – No Vacationing from Yourself

  In the wake of the derelict station's destruction, the U.S. Space Navy Destroyer, captained by Dex's estranged son, boards Humanity. Nadia and Xiao find him attractive and the father-son rift explodes for all to see. Jen visits Beppe in the hydroponic bay. She envies his ability to grow things and she divulges that she created a virus that wiped out millions. Jen also mentions her father trained her in the biathlon (shooting and skiing) in Pyrenees Mountains in Spain. Her sniper skills pay off later.

  Episode 6 – Slingshot

  A slight by Alex about flying just about gets him beat senseless by Dex. Nadia hits on Alex, who is slow to catch on. Dex sits with Xiao trying to deal with issues with his son and flying. The Humanity unintentionally slingshots on the rim of the gravatic well of dark matter delivering them to the Chi Draconis system and cutting years off of their journey.

  Episode 7 – Dogfight

  The crew rescues a lone alien fighter after witnessing it defeat a dozen enemies in a dog fight. Ships tethered, Alex establishes comms between the ships via text translation. Dex finds himself drawn to late-night comms with the alien life form. Eventually, Dex confides in the alien that he has lost his moral compass, but, through broken translation, the alien assures him that his compulsions are clear: Protection and Defiance.

  Episode 8 – Protect and Defy

  When the Humanity is threatened by the enemy alien ships, Dex happens to be in the alien fighter attempting repairs, but cannot mentally overcome the fears of his past. The alien repeatedly types “Protect! Protect,” but Dex’s attitude doesn’t change until he types “Defy!” His crew is astonished how quickly he dispatches the bogies.

  Episode 9 – Phoenix

  The Italian engineer innovatively outfits the ships defenses. When dozens of enemy ships seek to destroy the Humanity, Dex must fight them alone. Xiao admits she is the daughter of Dex’s ex-wingman. The ingenuity of the crew helps to equalize the fight, but Dex and the alien fighter are believed by all to have been destroyed.

  Episode 10 – Terra Incognita

  The crew meets the other members of their alien ally’s race inhabiting the Earth-like planet.

  Episode 11 – Message in a Bottle

  When Pharris and the enemy corporation slingshot to Chi Draconis using the dark matter, Dex sends a cryptic message back to Earth for help. A message only his son, now a Captain in the Space Navy, can unravel. Humanity prepares to protect their ship and the alien
settlement from destruction. Dex hugs Beppe when he reveals that he has fabricated, in secret, a state-of-the-art fighter with impressive modifications.

  Episode 12 – Band of Unbreakables

  Beppe kisses Jen before leaving to protect the alien encampment. When Dex is knocked out and Beppe shot, Jen must use all her sniper and medical skills to stop the enemy and get her wounded comrades back to Humanity.

  Episode 13 – Protection and Defiance

  The Humanity and half a dozen alien fighters stand between an enemy corporate warships and the friendly alien colony’s destruction. But, against orders, Dex’s disowned son arrives with a small battle group to aid the defenders. Dex’s fighter takes never-before-seen amounts of damage, but Beppe’s augmentations save the day.

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