by Rick Bentsen
“Great,” K’Alan said with a rueful smile. “Just what I’ve always wanted. More time to sit around and worry.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much,” Thala chuckled. “This will just give us a chance to make sure everything is fully functional on board. Not like we haven’t already tested everything three times already.”
“Always a good thing,” K’Alan nodded, chuckling softly. “Is there anything else, Captain?”
“There’s one other thing that’s bothering me.” Thala pulled up a schematic of the White Knight and turned the computer screen around so that K’Alan could see what she was talking about. “That blank area near the back of the ship. I have no idea what it is.”
“Interesting,” K’Alan muttered. He quickly scrolled through the schematics. As he looked the schematics over, he noted exactly how much of the ship was taken up by this strange blank area. “Why not just go check it out? That’s a large part of the ship, almost half the total area!”
“I can’t go check it out,” Thala shrugged as she turned the computer screen back to face her. “Only two people are currently allowed access to that area: Admiral Bonetti and Ensign Hodge.”
“Very strange indeed,” K’Alan said, frowning. “What do you suppose is in there?”
Thala closed the computer screen and shrugged again. “I have no idea. I don’t much like secrets on my ship.”
“Well, I’m sure we’ll find out what that section is for sooner or later,” K’Alan shrugged, an almost perfect imitation of Thala’s.
Thala came around the desk and sat down on the edge of the desk closest to K’Alan. She looked deep into his eyes. “I want you to know that this will work out fine, K’Alan.” Her voice was soft and almost comforting.
K’Alan returned her gaze and held her gaze for several long seconds. ‘You still don’t like me very much from our time at the Academy, do you?”
“If you only knew, Commander,” Thala snapped as she jumped back to her feet. K’Alan could swear the temperature in the office dropped by thirty degrees. “Dismissed.”
“Yes, ma’am,” K’Alan barked. He wasted no time in leaving Thala’s office.
1.30.2136
1004
SLS White Knight
Colonel Mario Bonetti’s Quarters.
K’Alan couldn’t help himself. He just had to laugh when he entered Mario’s quarters. All of his belongings, except his weapons collection of course, were already in all their proper places. But it looked like someone had inadvertantly put the armory in the morale officer’s quarters by mistake. There were weapons everywhere, covering everything. That is, where there was room for them to cover everything. Mario’s quarters were the standard size for someone on the command staff, but it looked like he was trying to maximize every inch of space in the quarters. A series of shelves in the main living area housed his collection of twentieth century memorabilia, including his most prized twentieth century possessions, a portable CD player complete with headphones and a stack of Billy Joel CDs. There were weapons hangers all over the walls, but most of them were empty as Mario tried to decide which weapons went where.
As K’Alan was looking around the main living area, Mario came out from the bedroom carrying a wicked looking spear in one hand. Mario’s usually carefully combed hair was slightly disheveled, bordering on completely messy. His hazel eyes darted around the room, trying to decide what weapons should go where. The front of Mario’s uniform tunic was open, showing the white undershirt the Colonel was wearing underneath. He smiled at K’Alan when he saw his friend.
“You know, Kal,” Mario motioned for the Duterian to come further into the room. ‘There’s definitely one major problem with transfers.”
“What’s that, Mario?” K’Alan asked, an amused expression on his face.
Mario spread his arms indicating the mass of weapons everywhere. “My weapons collection is getting too damn big! I ask you. Where am I going to store all these weapons? There is a definite lack of wall space here!”
“I’m sure you’ll manage,” K’Alan laughed. He picked his way carefully across the room. “I don’t suppose you have that drink?”
“Nope. I haven’t gotten any drinks in here yet,” Mario shrugged. He put the spear into one of the weapons holders. “Is that straight?”
“Yeah,” K’Alan lied.
“So,” Mario asked as he turned back to K’Alan. He cleared off a chair and offered it to his friend. “What did the old battle ax want?”
“How would you like to be my wingman?” K’Alan said as he took the offered chair. He was barely able to keep a straight face.
“She’s putting you in a fighter?” Mario asked with a raised eyebrow. He picked up a pair of blasters and looked for a suitable place to put them.
“A Starhawk even,” K’Alan said. This time, he wasn’t able to keep the smile off his face.
“Sweet deal.” The blasters found themselves in weapons hangers on the wall across from the spear. “How did you manage that?”
“She made me strike leader,” K’Alan mumbled.
Mario stopped and looked at his friend. “I’m sorry, bud. I didn’t quite hear that. What did you say?”
“I said,” K’Alan said, much louder this time. “She made me strike leader.”
“Oh, that’s a good one,” Mario roared with laughter. When he’d composed himself, he started to pick up another weapon, then he turned back to the wall to find a place for it to go.
“Well,” K’Alan shrugged. He picked up a wicked looking dagger and turned it over in his hands. “At least she doesn’t hate me.”
“She say as much?” Mario asked. He put he weapon he was holding in another weapons holder and turned back to K’Alan.
“Yeah, but I just don’t know.” K’Alan tossed the dagger lightly to Mario.
Mario caught the dagger by the hilt and put it in a holder near the spear. He started searching through the piles of weapons for something specific. “Listen, Kal. I missed your last birthday, so I want to give you your birthday present now if that’s all right with you?”
“Sure,” K’Alan laughed as he watched his friend. “You know me. I never turn down a present.”
“Well, if I can find it, it’s yours,” Mario said. He continued digging through the piles of weapons. After a few moments of Mario’s frantic searching, a pile of weapons toppled over, revealing the specific item Mario was looking for. He picked it up and offered it to K’Alan hilt first. “Ah, here it is! Forged from the same meteor as Wildfire.”
K’Alan took the offered blade and examined it closely. It was a fine blade, crafted by one of the finest Spanish blacksmiths to what would have been K’Alan’s exact specifications if he’d had the blade made himself. It was a thirty inch long blade that was sharp enough to split a hair. The hilt was made of steel inlaid with gold. It was crafted to depict two dragons interlocked in battle; the wings of the dragons formed the hand guard. It was perfectly balanced and surprisingly light. And the hilt felt extremely comfortable in his hand.
“Nice,” K’Alan whistled as he looked the blade over. “Think the Ice Bitch will let me wear it?”
“The beauty of it is that she has no choice,” Mario grinned. “It’s in the regs.”
“Thanks, buddy,” K’Alan said as he stood up. He saluted Mario with the sword then attached the scabbard to his belt. “I have to go call Kit. I’ll see you at the briefing later on.”
“Sure thing,” Mario grinned as he grabbed another weapon to try to find a home for it. “Later, Kal.”
1.30.2136
1029
SLS White Knight
Captain Thala Ker'sal's office.
Jewel Kazin, Thala's long time friend and confidante, sat in the chair across the desk from Thala where K'Alan had sat facing down the captain not long before. Her dark green hair, dark almost to the point of being black, was pulled back into a ponytail. She sat with one leg dangling over the arm of the chair, rhythmically moving her foot to a bea
t only she could hear. Her deep blue eyes, an exceedingly rare eye color for a Jaradan, were locked with Thala's emerald eyes, and she decided that she didn't much like what she saw there.
"You're worried, aren't you, Thala." It was not a question so much as a statement of fact. She watched for a reaction in the other woman's face, and was not surprised to see none at all.
"You've known me a long time, Jewel," Thala sighed deeply. She closed her eyes and turned away from the other woman. "You know how I feel about a certain person under my command."
"I also know you cannot have him," Jewel reminded the captain. The rhythmic moving of her foot stopped to emphasize her point.
"If he weren't married…"
"If he weren't married, you still wouldn't be able to have him," Jewel interrupted testily. She turned her body and placed both feet on the floor. "You know that as well as I."
"Yes, I know. I suppose I'm just destined to love him without being loved back. How lonely," Thala grunted. She opened her eyes and looked at Jewel with a sad expression.
"That's not the only problem, is it, Thala?" Jewel asked after studying her friend for a few moments. Sometimes it amazed Thala how well Jewel knew her.
"I've been having the nightmares again," Thala frowned. She sighed again and shook her head. "Every night for the past two weeks."
"I thought they had stopped," Jewel frowned.
"No," Thala groaned. "They never really stopped. And I feel like I'm going to be seeing him again very soon."
"Who?" Jewel asked. She recrossed her legs and pulled her tunic down a little.
"The creature in my dreams," Thala sighed. She closed her eyes again and gently rubbed her temples.
"Are you sure?" Jewel cocked her head to the side and looked at her friend with a concerned look.
Thala's eyes snapped open. She slammed her hands against the desk and stood up. She began to slowly pace, each step punctuating her words. "That's just it, Jewel. I'm not so sure of anything anymore. Hell, I'm not even sure I'm the right person to be commanding this ship." She whirled around and locked her eyes with Jewel's. "And that doesn't leave this office, Lieutenant."
"I understand. Captain, I hate to do this to you. Especially so close to launch time," Jewel said. She stood up and returned Thala's steady gaze. "I want you to come by sickbay for a full physical and psychological workup. And you can't tell me no. This is official doctor's orders."
"It'll have to be right now then," Thala grumbled unhappily "We're due to launch soon and I still have quite a bit of work to do before we do."
Then I'd suggest you accompany me to the sickbay now, Captain," Jewel said. She motioned for Thala to head out of the office first.
1.30.2136
1147
SLS White Knight
The Bridge
K'Alan walked onto the bridge for the first time and stopped. He looked around at all the activity and whistled softly to himself. The bridge was fairly large, and it spanned two levels. He noticed he was on the upper level. The upper level was a ring of stations surrounding a vast opening. Around the wall of the upper level were engineering and tactical stations as well as the main communications station. The captain and executive officer stations were on opposite sides of the ring, jutting out into the open area just slightly and facing each other. There was a steel railing around the opening to prevent people from falling over into the lower level. Looking down to the lower level, K'Alan could see the helm and navigations station, as well as more engineering, tactical and operations stations. Everywhere he looked was a bustle of activity.
"Can I help you, Commander?" a slender woman asked from the nearby communications station. Her curly auburn hair bounced around as she moved.
"Lieutenant Commander Yeuid, is it?" he asked, still in awe of the bridge. He tore himself away from the bustle of activity to focus on the young woman. He extended his hand in a friendly greeting.
"Yes, sir," she grinned taking his hand in a surprisingly firm grip. "Katherine Yeuid. But you can call me Kath."
"K'Alan Bryce," K'Alan returned the grin. He took back his hand. "You can call me whatever you like, so long as you don't call me too late for dinner." He chuckled softly at his own little joke.
"That a line, sir?" Kath asked, raising a carefully manicured eyebrow in a slightly confused expression.
"I'm married, Kath," K'Alan laughed. He waggled the finger with his wedding ring for emphasis. "Seriously though, call me Kal. Everyone else does. Well, everyone except the captain that is."
"All right then. Kal, it is," Kath smiled broadly. "Now. What can I do for you?"
K'Alan headed over to his station and looked over the board, noting new controls he hadn't seen on a command board before. After a few moments, he turned back to Kath. "I need a comm channel open to Duterius Prime."
"I'm going to need a little something more specific than that, Kal," Kath laughed as she headed back to her station. "Duterius Prime's a big planet you know."
"I know," K'Alan laughed also. It was a good feeling to be able to just laugh with other members of the bridge crew. Especially since he knew there'd be no laughing with the Captain. "I grew up there. I need a channel opened up to the High Gentlewoman."
"Consider it done," Kath smiled as she set to work patching the call through.
"Patch it through to the conference room, please," K'Alan nodded. He took one last look around the bridge. He shook his head in disbelief and awe. Then he turned around and headed off the bridge.
1.30.2136
1152
SLS White Knight
Medbay
Jewel frowned deeply and shook her head as she draped her stethoscope around her neck. She made a quick entry into the computer, saved Thala’s file and then walked over to the bed where Thala was sitting. She chuckled slightly to herself when she saw Thala fidgeting with the hem of her hospital gown.
“Well, Captain,” Jewel began. She dropped Thala’s chart onto the bed and crossed her arms. “Here’s the scoop. I can’t find anything wrong with you physically or psychologically.”
“So I’m healthy and sane,” Thala mumbled. She crossed her arms, unconsciously mimicking Jewel’s posture, and grumped. “Good to know.”
“I do want to run periodic workups on you to make sure,” Jewel picked the chart back up and made a couple notes on it.
“Yes, Jewel,” Thala rolled her eyes.
“And I’d strongly suggest that you talk to a counselor about those nightmares,” Jewel ordered. Then she smiled, knowing what she was about to say would make Thala fairly happy. “Now go on and get out of here.”
“Right. Thanks, Jewel,” Thala grunted. She hopped off the bed and put her uniform back on. She nodded to Jewel then headed back up to her office.
1.30.2136
1132
SLS White Knight
Gymnasium 12
The two fencing foils clashed together again and again. Each time they touched, the metallic clang reverberated throughout the gym. After a few quick parries, the smaller of the two fencers parried the other foil aside and thrust his foil into the other fencer's now unprotected middle, scoring a touch.
"Nice steady start, Masha," Mario said as he removed his mask. "But as usual, you got off balance too easily, allowing me to score the easy touch. Try spreading your legs a little further apart. It'll give you a better base and a lower center of gravity."
They'd been fencing for over an hour. Masha Omega had always been one of Mario's favorite pupils over the years, but she'd never really been able to get the hang of fencing. She kept trying very hard, but it wasn't easy for her.
"That's easy for you to say, pretty boy," Masha smirked as she removed her own mask. The large Sandarian tossed the mask at Mario. "You've got those nice spindly legs. I got tree trunks remember? Besides. I got no use for little pointy swords. They just bounce off my body anyway. Now bombs. Those are fun!"
"Bombs are not a finesse weapon," Mario smiled as he picked up Masha's mask and
tossed it back to her. "Swords are. Now just try a little harder and I'm sure you'll get it."
"Mario," Masha chuckled as she caught the mask. "With all due respect, you've been trying to teach me to fight with swords off and on for ten years. I ain't learned yet. What makes you think I can learn now?"
"Because I have the patience of a saint," Mario grinned as he tossed off a salute to Masha with his sword. "Or because this is likely to be a fairly long assignment. Take your pick. Whichever reason you choose, I believe you can do it. Now try again."
"Forget it, but." Masha tossed the mask onto a nearby bench and put her foil on the rack. "I have to go back to my weapons inventory. I'll be really upset if we leave without a full compliment of weapons. And you know how I am when I'm upset."
"Yes, I do," Mario laughed. He put his own foil back on the rack and turned back to his pupil. He gave her a nice long glare. "Which reminds me. Why did you give me such a hard time with my weapons collection? It's saved your butt more times than I can count."
"Call it the fact that I like giving you hell, bud."
She patted him on the back, causing him to stumble. She smiled sweetly then strode off in the direction of the ship's armory.
1.30.2136
1155
SLS White Knight
Main Conference Lounge
K’Alan groaned loudly. Every time he called Kit he was invariably put on hold indefinitely. He knew it was first come first served, but sometimes he just hated the holding and waiting. One of these days he was going to have to find a way to let her know it was him calling.
“Your call is being processed to the High Gentlewoman in the order that it was received,” the male voice on the recording droned on for the twelfth time. Your call is very important to her and it will be answered as soon as possible. However, it may be some time before…”
“This is the High Gentlewoman of Duterius Prime,” Kit’s voice floated into the conference lounge. She hadn’t bothered to activate the video display, so K’Alan was still watching the Great Seal of Duterius Prime rotating slowly on the screen. She sounded completely bored. Well, he thought. She’s about to get some excitement! That’s for sure. “Please state your name and how I may be of service.”