by KJ Sheerin
‘I guess you’re right—then it’s settled,’ Colin said.
‘By the way Admiral, when is the next time we’re back above Verdi?’ Kyla asked. Colin pricked up his ears and felt for her hand under the table.
‘Verdi you say, in the Delphi System? We’re there all too often I fear—usually every two or three rotations. Is there any particular reason?’
‘No, not really—although I did enjoy myself while on leave in Ciri afterwards.’
‘That’s right, you went on a cruise if I remember rightly,’ the Colonel said. He leaned in closer and his keen eyes focused on the fine chain around her neck. ‘Let me see that,’ he said, and viewed the half coin. ‘You got that there, didn’t you?’
Kyla chose not to answer and laughed instead before raising her glass to take a sip of wine.
At the end of the night the two thanked their hosts and returned to the cabin, quite happy with the night’s events.
Kyla’s Wish
The crews started to drift back on the last day of leave, some still oblivious of the drama overhead. Pee Wee and his mates were amongst them, having been engaged in a party that raged non-stop for a week. They were escorted back on board by the Prathkos at Tiddles’ request and out of action for the rest of the day.
Another four new replacement crews arrived before lunch—a far cry from the eight of last time. Already the older fighters viewed them as outsiders. They were quickly absorbed into the wings and drilled on the rules of engagement after lunch before mixing freely in the mess that night. One of the talking points was the close call with the two Lizard ships, the hostesses filling in the blanks for the men, having been aboard the Carrier when it jumped and returned soon after.
It took another day for the crew to resemble their old formidable selves with another day’s grace before being posted again. This time it was Thule which they took successfully and held before going on to places like Zanetta, Norri, Maeve and Damaris—holding each until relieved and then taking leave at the nearest Recreational Complex afterwards. The bounty hunters had long ceased to harass them and the Alpha crew were able to blend in again while on leave.
Kyla consulted the Lexicon on each posting to check on its proximity to Almeta, but they only seemed to be chasing the Lizards further away.
Every rotation brought with it more mail and Kyla could see her mother’s disapproval of Colin evaporate more with each one. She knew it was just a matter of time—who could withstand such a four-pronged assault? It had started out with her and then Colin winning her father over, plus the constant news about them on the Legion’s Bulletin Board. It had swayed all of her friends and relations back on Zylon and left her mother alienated in her way of thinking until now at last, she addressed him like one of the family. Something Kyla was very happy about.
The end of their first hitch was rapidly approaching and at least one half of Kyla’s wish was being realized—that of visiting Earth. It wasn’t until their last posting was announced that her heart truly soared. For some reason known only to them, the Lizards had returned to the Delphi System and Verdi. Colin immediately picked up on Kyla’s changed state, but waited until they were alone later that night to ask her about it.
‘What’s up?’
‘Verdi,’ was all she could say.
He remembered their time on the planet together and laughed.
‘You’re a hopeless romantic.’
His answer failed to dent Kyla’s bubbling demeanour and she persisted, ‘yes, but what comes after it?’
Colin failed to see the connection, ‘Leave, Earth?’
She watched his face closely as she said the word, ‘Almeta.’
He went over their last leave there in his mind, searching for the significance—then remembered the cruise, the beach and jewellers at the end of the day.
His face broke into a big smile, ‘Will you marry me?’
They kissed and Kyla whispered in his ear.
During the ensuing battle they were all business. Kyla was doubly sure about safety and risks taken in an effort to protect her man and when down again thought of nothing else but the upcoming leave and nuptials.
She consulted with Colin, ‘Considering we have two weeks, which way do you think we should go?’
‘Perhaps get a room first and then book the trip as soon as possible afterwards. Hopefully the room will still be there when we come back and we can spend the remainder as a honeymoon. What do you think?’
‘Sounds good—it will give me time to take care of a few things beforehand.’
‘What about afterwards?’ Colin queried. ‘We can’t exactly shout it out that we’re married. Will that faze you at all?’
‘Not in the least,’ Kyla assured him, ‘we will continue to use our own names. This union will be about you and me and if anything happens to us—our children afterwards. Do you realise we haven’t given them any names yet?’
‘There’ll be plenty of time during the honeymoon,’ he assured her.
‘I might of course tell one or two of our close friends and my parents will have to know. Do you think I could meet your mother at all?’
‘I don’t know if she’ll even talk to me, but we can try.’
After their last battle and with only days to go before rotation and leave Kyla approached the Colonel with an unusual request. Before he granted it they went to Battle Command to consult the long-range navigational screen—it was clear, so the Colonel gave the go ahead and piped Pee Wee to report to him there. When he arrived the Colonel handed him an envelope addressed to Kyla and told him to deliver it to her personally in the hangar.
Pee Wee found Kyla waiting by her craft and gave her the envelope. She didn’t bother to open it and put it in her pocket instead.
‘Care for a spin?’ she asked.
Pee Wee’s face morphed into a grin that couldn’t be wiped off. He climbed into the fighter’s seat and watched on as Kyla pointed out the technology aboard. The VDU he already understood as well as the comms and most of the weaponry. It was really only the ARDs, the emergency oxygen and how to lock and pressurise the cabin that he didn’t understand. He waited excitedly as the craft swayed slightly and then braced as they went out into the ether.
Kyla made a point of coming up under his gun battery position, so he could see how it looked from the other side and then took him out and away as he watched Verdi through the breaks in the clouds below. They circled the Carrier a couple of times until it was time to return.
‘Thanks very much,’ was all Pee Wee could say on dismounting before racing away to tell his friends. Kyla smiled to herself, happy she could make good on the promise.
Two days later the Reliance replaced them, leaving them free to continue on to Almeta and their last leave before the Redemption took the fighters back home again. Already the pilots and fighters alike were planning what they would do on their return. Tiddles was hell-bent on throwing himself at Rhonda’s feet, but those around him listened and took it with a grain of salt. Eric made plans of course, but they were contingency ones, just in case. There were others in the mess like Barry and Jimmy whom it was taken for granted would re-up just for the available tail. They had it too good.
It was rowdier than usual in the mess at breakfast time as the crews pored over brochures of the differently themed resorts.
‘Which one are you going to this time?’ Eric asked Kyla.
‘We thought we’d give the Red Planet a go,’ she informed him, ‘although we might spend a few days away. Whereabouts will you be?’
‘The Subterranean, we’ll keep in touch.’
Colin joined them at their table.
‘Where are the boys going?’ she asked.
‘The Cosmopolitan I believe.’
‘We must give them a call in the second week.’
‘I don’t think so, not after their last few leaves. Evidently it’s pure debauchery.’
‘What a pity they don’t take the time to smell the flowers,’ she said, re
membering.
The mess began to empty, so Kyla and Colin got up to join the exodus. They fronted the paymaster first to withdraw credits before teleporting down to find that Ciri looked exactly the same as it did the last time—it probably hadn’t changed and never would. They caught a cab and then sat back and relaxed.
On arrival at the Red Planet they took the escalator up to reception. The décor in the foyer depicted a panoramic view of the Martian terrain—pitted with craters and devoid of vegetation.
The clerk scanned their hand-prints when they registered and then gave them directions.
Once in their room they found the technology was the same as in other resorts, the only difference being the change in theme. The fresco’s lower half depicted the red of Mars, while images of its two satellites featured above. The lighting came on and the far screen came alive to give them a guided tour of the room and services provided.
Kyla sat on the end of the bed and waited until it had finished before accessing the keyboard to enquire about the departure times of the cruise ship. One had just left, so she booked a cabin for them on the next one.
She went back online in the afternoon to talk to the cruise ship’s agents and when satisfied, went to the online clothing store. She took her time and chose smart casual outfits for them both before visiting a jeweller’s site to select wedding rings and an imaging device from another store.
Colin looked up from the game he had been playing.
‘Why the big spend up?’
‘Because a woman can’t get married in evening wear,’ she answered, ‘I’ve also ordered some rings to be delivered and a device to record the ceremony.’
The items she had chosen arrived a little later. For the rings though, the store had sent a range of the selected design to be tried on for size before the sale was completed.
‘That’s it, we’re ready,’ Kyla announced, happily.
‘Then let’s go dancing.’
They quickly showered and dressed before going down to the dance floor below. The first dance venue they tried emulated the conditions on Deimos, the smaller of Mars’ two moons. Because of its small size it had very little gravity and a springboard in the room launched the intrepid high into the air—definitely not one for party goers at the end of the night. The second venue was more to their taste, so they made a night of it and ate in one of the many restaurants before they retired.
The next afternoon the Alpha couple went below again to dine and dance the night away, but come the morning they both stood on the quay ready to join the cruise ship before it slipped its berth. Once aboard they approached the Captain and put their request to him—he had already been informed by the booking agent and was most obliging.
As soon as they were underway he arranged for witnesses and married Kyla and Colin in a private ceremony on the bridge while another passenger operated the imaging device to record the happy event. After the rings were exchanged the marriage was duly noted in the log book and would then be registered with the proper authority on their return to Ciri.
When the ship made its first stop, the newlyweds went ashore with the others to frolic on the beach. Kyla remembered the last time they were there and waited for Colin to enter the water before splashing him. He grabbed her and pulled her under, both laughing and kissing on finding their feet again, then after a short swim they went ashore to rest on their towels.
On their return to the ship the Captain dedicated the meal to the newlyweds.
‘This is their wedding breakfast,’ he said, and then toasted them with a glass of wine as the anchor was winched aboard and sails set.
In the evening the alpha couple enjoyed a small intimate meal in the same inn as before and then returned to their bunks onboard the ship, but it didn’t matter—both were incredibly happy. They stayed below for most of the trip back, but before she stepped ashore again Kyla thanked everyone for helping make her wish come true.
On reaching the Red Planet they found their room was still intact, so Colin lifted Kyla as she pressed the security pad on the door and carried her over the threshold.
‘Well how does it feel Mrs Jones?’
‘Mrs Jones. It has a ring to it, don’t you think? Now all we have to do is come up with some names for the children.’
Colin deposited her on the bed and went back for the luggage before joining her.
‘What do you think of Eric and Tiddles?’ he offered.
‘Yes, I was thinking the same—but what about some girl’s names, just in case?’
‘Queenie and Phoebe spring to mind,’ Colin said, teasing her.
‘I’ll think of something.’
She checked the communication screen for any messages.
‘There’s one from Eric,’ she said, and pressed reply.
The connection rang and Eric came into view, ‘What’s up?’
‘Just returning your call, how have you been?’
A partially dressed woman could be seen sitting on the bed behind Eric.
‘Fine, I think. I seem to have excessed a little the night before. I initially rang to see if you wanted to do dinner sometime.’
‘What about tomorrow night?’
‘That will be fine, I’ll tell the others.’
‘I’ll see you about seven in the main dining hall. Bring your friend along,’ Kyla said. Eric nodded and the screen went blank.
‘That gives us another twenty-four hours,’ Colin said.
‘Was that local time or Martian sol?’
‘What’s the difference?’
‘Point six two of an hour, I believe.’
‘We’ll see. Meanwhile this Earthman has got a mission on Mars with a beautiful Zylon and if I need extra time to complete it that’s fine,’ he said, pulling her down.
The next evening they made their way to the Subterranean and descended down to the dining room level. All lighting in the passageways was wall mounted with fluorescent signs and numbering along the way. Minerals and opals were embedded in the walls—they sparkled and shone to add to the theme. Fossils adorned other areas and ventilation shafts gave off pure sweet air at every junction. They found them at last, all with a female companion and waiting for them so they could eat.
‘Glad you could make it—are you hungry?’ Eric asked.
‘Famished,’ Kyla said.
‘Hmm, we’ve taken the liberty of ordering for you both, otherwise we would be here all night. So what have you two been up to?’ he asked, on seeing the smile on Kyla’s face.
‘The usual stuff,’ Colin said.
Eric introduced his friend to them. She was a local girl and her name was Isabel.
During the meal they exchanged the latest on what they’d been up to while on leave. Kyla took the opportunity of regaling them with details of the cruise and then after the meal Colin and Isabel hit the floor, while Eric danced with Kyla.
‘So what else have you been up to?’ Eric queried.
‘Why do you ask?’
‘Because you look far too happy, that’s why.’
‘Does it show that much?’ Kyla asked. She looked around before adding, ‘Can you keep a secret?’ and then whispered in his ear.
‘I was afraid you would do that,’ Eric said, ‘and now I have lost you forever.’
‘Nonsense, we are still friends—and you seem to be doing all right,’ she said, looking over to Isabel.
‘Yes, I suppose so. She has been everything to me that you weren’t. The trouble is we will be gone in a few days. Life can be so cruel.’
‘What about all of the hostesses onboard—that is what they’re there for, to take the loneliness and bitterness away. There are six of them to choose from—six!’
‘It’s not the same.’
‘It doesn’t matter. Who knows how long our tenure may be. And they offer so much.’
The dance ended and Kyla kissed his cheek before going to look for Colin. The Alpha couple stayed on a few more hours before bidding their gracious hosts goodbye,
then went back to their Zylon love nest—and didn’t emerge until leave was over.
Mother Earth
Once back onboard the Redemption the newlyweds parted as if nothing had ever happened—although Kyla was dying to tell Queenie all about it. The other crew members stumbled from the teleporter one by one, to be helped back to their mess by the Prathkos.
After all they had been through—Colin couldn’t believe it was coming to an end. In the afternoon he went up to the hangar to view Alpha One and Kyla accompanied him. He had to pinch himself to see if it was just a dream or was this sleek machine now part of his life, just like the beautiful Zylon girl by his side?
‘It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it!’ a voice boomed out from somewhere behind them.
They looked around and saw the Colonel as he walked towards them.
‘I come up here each time we’re due to return and ask myself if it’s real or not—especially when we go where we do.’
‘And where is that?’ Kyla asked.
‘Sideshow Alley, of course,’ the Colonel replied. ‘Nothing is real in that place.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘Everything is not as it seems. There is sleight of hand, trickery, deceit and outright lies—you name it, all designed to grab the dollar from an alley full of fools.’
Kyla looked uncertainly at Colin, ‘Can this be so?’
‘Maybe, but it’s only a once a year thing and a chance to let off a bit of steam,’ he assured her.
‘You think so? Then come and see me in the tent and I’ll show you.’
Kyla looked at Colin and he nodded.
‘Right then, that’s settled,’ the Colonel said, and walked away.
‘How long will we be there?’ Kyla asked.
‘About four days.’
That night as they slept the Redemption sped between the layers of space to a place above Earth, there to align and tether. After breakfast the next morning the Colonel strode through the doorway of the fighters’ mess and on up to the lectern. He turned the microphone on and addressed them all.