Chapter Eight and Chapter Nine
CHAPTER 8
"She did what?!?" Josh yelled at their commander-in-chief, Andrea Jackson. He had stormed into her tiny office for information on the assignment Heather had taken to the moon. The Lunar Base was usually pretty empty late in the solar cycle and supplies were hard to come by. If she was leaving on a supply run, she would need to go to the neutral Earth base, or even Venus to get titanium alloy for machine repairs. Under her breath, Andrea mumbled something about overbearing male assholes, but Josh was ranting too loudly to even notice.
"She left this morning for the Earth Base. Her mission was to take out the Mars doll factory on Earth Base Three in Boston. It will even the odds slightly if they can not complete I.S.U.M.s at they rate they’re used to on Earth.” Andrea read off the paper that lay limply on her way-too-small-for-this-much-to-do desk, which was stacked high in forms and paper work. She had expected to be able to work alone for a few hours before his curiosity got the best of him and he came bombard her with stupid questions. The entire fleet was far too predictable for their own good and Andrea almost wished they would just have an orgy and expend all their energy so they would quit bugging her. Didn’t she get enough yelling from Bruken? Watching them after such a strange sexual encounter would be funny, even if they didn’t think so.
"I can't believe she didn't tell me! The Earth BASE? She SAID she was going to the LUNAR base. How long is she going to be gone? Did she take her P.I.F.S. or a neutral one? Does she have a rendezvous point with any other pilots or is she trying to handle this alone? She can’t go to the Earth Base!” he yelled out, upset that the Heather had lied to him and then left without even a backward glance. There were no missions that needed to be kept a secret that bad.
“Two weeks. She should be back in two weeks.” Ms. Jackson sighed. “What’s it matter anyway? It's not like you two are on the best terms right now. Yesterday you called her a frosty ice bitch and today you’re going into a heart attack because she’s doing her job and putting her life into her mission? She’s taken missions without your consent before. Heather is a big girl. Don’t worry.” Andrea looked up calmly and pursed her lips. He had to go away soon, didn’t he? There were at least three hours in paperwork and two hours of phone work that had to be done before she could take a break.
“She lied to me. . .to everyone!” Josh huffed.
“Let her go, Josh. She would have left whether she told you where she was going or not. She was saving your breath. Lord knows you use enough of it ranting about everything else. Okay?” Andrea replied, annoyed that she couldn’t get back to work. “Are you finished yet?”
“Two weeks, right? Just two? Are you sure?” Josh paced the small office. There was only enough room for him to take about four steps before he had to go back the other way.
“Yes, just two. Two weeks. Now get out of here. I have work to do, and if you stay in here, you will wear a hole in my rug and then I’ll have to bash you over the head with my bust of Hera.” Andrea said, in an exasperated tone, as she returned to computer monitor. With on last hurt look, Josh turned and went back to his bunker. Loneliness played tag with his shadow and he couldn’t seem to get rid of either. Who was going to fight with him while Heater was gone?
Heather didn’t come back in two weeks, and even though Josh tried not to worry, it didn’t help. Daily he returned to Andrea’s office, cursing himself for letting Heather go, and cursing her for leaving. Didn’t she know that there were dangers to being alone in space? She was a GIRL! Commanding officer or not, FECA pilots wouldn’t care. She was a rebel pilot and they would kill her, no questions asked. He just wished that she wouldn’t have left by herself and he kicked himself for the fight he had started with her the night before she left. He had to see her again, if only to yell at her for lying and to apologize for forcing her to go without telling him the truth. With the way he was acting thinking her mission was to the Lunar Base, he shuddered to think of his reaction to an Earth Base.
Chapter 9
“I don’t care how many years of experience you have flying, I don’t want you to take a mission by yourself.” Josh stated calmly as he watched Heather fold and pack her things into her black duffel bag. “Take Cordelia with you or. . . someone.” He slumped onto a small wooden stool and covered his eyes with his forearm.
“You’re all needed here.” Heather said slowly, turning back to her dresser. “I’ve flown missions like this before, Josh. It’s JUST a routine lunar trip.” She lied as she placed an extra neutral suit in her bag. That made three. She couldn’t change in fight, but if she stopped on the lunar surface on the way there and back she should be able to freshen up and change before proceeding. Not that she intended to see anyone. Secrecy was excruciatingly important for this mission. She wasn’t just there to blow the place up, but to find out about the flashes of the base that plagued her dreams. The Boston Base held the answer and she had to close the past before she started any type of future that didn’t involve emotionless war.
Josh sighed. “I simply forbid you to go alone.” He shrugged, his air of authority static- charged. He braced himself for her retaliation. This was overstepping the bounds of their relationship, but he had no choice. There was a bad feeling hanging over this trip and he didn’t want her to risk leaving alone.
“You can’t do that!” Heather turned around, her eyes flashing with anger. “I am YOUR commanding officer at this time. I will take this mission whether you want me to, or not. It is MY decision.”
“If you go, we are over.” Josh fumed at her call to his station in the base. His eyes burned into her back as she continued to go through the motions of packing. Her mission sheet was folded and tucked into the bag along with her brush and emergency supply kit. Heather retrieved the kit and opened it. Bandages, tape, infection shots, solar flares, security blanket, and emergency meal capsules, yes it was all there. Josh bit the inside of his mouth until he couldn’t stand the position of his lips. He didn’t see why she couldn’t just give the mission to someone else. “You hear me, Lieutenant Kou? Over!” ‘There is no way she will walk out now.’ Josh thought. She was courageous and took her missions seriously, but this one couldn’t possibly mean that much to her. No, she would say fine and be mad at him for about a week, but she wouldn’t go.
“Fine, over.” Heather said, tight-lipped as she lifted her bag off her bunk and marched out of the air-locked doors of her quarters. Ultimatums did not have a place in warfare unless you were on opposite sides. ‘Josh must be taught to understand that duty must always come before desire.’ She thought, raising her chin and steeling herself against the coldness she felt seep into her skin. His flames would have to simmer not conquer before she would consider him as a life partner. There was too much emotion in him to deal with while she was learning about her lost memories. Josh just stared wide-eyed as she left. As the door to the bunker slammed, Josh slammed the door to the part of him that said to follow her and explain his reasons. He was not a love sick puppy following her around like she would pet him.
Josh promised himself that he would not go after her. It was her decision to leave, and he would not chase her across space. She took a mission over him and that’s how she could die for all he cared: alone and in space. Her icy barriers would do well there and he didn’t need to gallant across the galaxy to prove anything to her. He didn’t promise someone else wouldn’t.
Cordelia readied herself to finish the Earth mission and search for Heather, patiently awaiting her direct orders. A month later, when Heather hadn’t returned, she received her mission: Complete the Lilith pilot’s mission and if she is alive, return her to base at all costs. Her knowledge must not be lost. Heather’s knowledge extended far beyond just piloting the machines, she designed and built the computers for them. If she was alive and could not be returned, Cordelia knew Heather would find anyway possible to make sure that no one would ever gain the knowledge to hurt the colonies, even if it meant drastic measures. Cordelia packed lightly and hid her mission plans from Josh. He would not know that the Lilith pilot might be forced to take her own life. The Lilith pilot, however, had other plans. On the day of Cordelia’s launch, she returned with a couple of surprises for the rest of the pilots. Three new pilots joined NOVA that day, but only two came announced.
Word Count This Chapter: 1,618 words
Word Count Total: 8,612 words
"She did what?!?" Josh yelled at their commander-in-chief, Andrea Jackson. He had stormed into her tiny office for information on the assignment Heather had taken to the moon. The Lunar Base was usually pretty empty late in the solar cycle and supplies were hard to come by. If she was leaving on a supply run, she would need to go to the neutral Earth base, or even Venus to get titanium alloy for machine repairs. Under her breath, Andrea mumbled something about overbearing male assholes, but Josh was ranting too loudly to even notice.
"She left this morning for the Earth Base. Her mission was to take out the Mars doll factory on Earth Base Three in Boston. It will even the odds slightly if they can not complete I.S.U.M.s at they rate they’re used to on Earth.” Andrea read off the paper that lay limply on her way-too-small-for-this-much-to-do desk, which was stacked high in forms and paper work. She had expected to be able to work alone for a few hours before his curiosity got the best of him and he came bombard her with stupid questions. The entire fleet was far too predictable for their own good and Andrea almost wished they would just have an orgy and expend all their energy so they would quit bugging her. Didn’t she get enough yelling from Bruken? Watching them after such a strange sexual encounter would be funny, even if they didn’t think so.
"I can't believe she didn't tell me! The Earth BASE? She SAID she was going to the LUNAR base. How long is she going to be gone? Did she take her P.I.F.S. or a neutral one? Does she have a rendezvous point with any other pilots or is she trying to handle this alone? She can’t go to the Earth Base!” he yelled out, upset that the Heather had lied to him and then left without even a backward glance. There were no missions that needed to be kept a secret that bad.
“Two weeks. She should be back in two weeks.” Ms. Jackson sighed. “What’s it matter anyway? It's not like you two are on the best terms right now. Yesterday you called her a frosty ice bitch and today you’re going into a heart attack because she’s doing her job and putting her life into her mission? She’s taken missions without your consent before. Heather is a big girl. Don’t worry.” Andrea looked up calmly and pursed her lips. He had to go away soon, didn’t he? There were at least three hours in paperwork and two hours of phone work that had to be done before she could take a break.
“She lied to me. . .to everyone!” Josh huffed.
“Let her go, Josh. She would have left whether she told you where she was going or not. She was saving your breath. Lord knows you use enough of it ranting about everything else. Okay?” Andrea replied, annoyed that she couldn’t get back to work. “Are you finished yet?”
“Two weeks, right? Just two? Are you sure?” Josh paced the small office. There was only enough room for him to take about four steps before he had to go back the other way.
“Yes, just two. Two weeks. Now get out of here. I have work to do, and if you stay in here, you will wear a hole in my rug and then I’ll have to bash you over the head with my bust of Hera.” Andrea said, in an exasperated tone, as she returned to computer monitor. With on last hurt look, Josh turned and went back to his bunker. Loneliness played tag with his shadow and he couldn’t seem to get rid of either. Who was going to fight with him while Heater was gone?
Heather didn’t come back in two weeks, and even though Josh tried not to worry, it didn’t help. Daily he returned to Andrea’s office, cursing himself for letting Heather go, and cursing her for leaving. Didn’t she know that there were dangers to being alone in space? She was a GIRL! Commanding officer or not, FECA pilots wouldn’t care. She was a rebel pilot and they would kill her, no questions asked. He just wished that she wouldn’t have left by herself and he kicked himself for the fight he had started with her the night before she left. He had to see her again, if only to yell at her for lying and to apologize for forcing her to go without telling him the truth. With the way he was acting thinking her mission was to the Lunar Base, he shuddered to think of his reaction to an Earth Base.
Chapter 9
“I don’t care how many years of experience you have flying, I don’t want you to take a mission by yourself.” Josh stated calmly as he watched Heather fold and pack her things into her black duffel bag. “Take Cordelia with you or. . . someone.” He slumped onto a small wooden stool and covered his eyes with his forearm.
“You’re all needed here.” Heather said slowly, turning back to her dresser. “I’ve flown missions like this before, Josh. It’s JUST a routine lunar trip.” She lied as she placed an extra neutral suit in her bag. That made three. She couldn’t change in fight, but if she stopped on the lunar surface on the way there and back she should be able to freshen up and change before proceeding. Not that she intended to see anyone. Secrecy was excruciatingly important for this mission. She wasn’t just there to blow the place up, but to find out about the flashes of the base that plagued her dreams. The Boston Base held the answer and she had to close the past before she started any type of future that didn’t involve emotionless war.
Josh sighed. “I simply forbid you to go alone.” He shrugged, his air of authority static- charged. He braced himself for her retaliation. This was overstepping the bounds of their relationship, but he had no choice. There was a bad feeling hanging over this trip and he didn’t want her to risk leaving alone.
“You can’t do that!” Heather turned around, her eyes flashing with anger. “I am YOUR commanding officer at this time. I will take this mission whether you want me to, or not. It is MY decision.”
“If you go, we are over.” Josh fumed at her call to his station in the base. His eyes burned into her back as she continued to go through the motions of packing. Her mission sheet was folded and tucked into the bag along with her brush and emergency supply kit. Heather retrieved the kit and opened it. Bandages, tape, infection shots, solar flares, security blanket, and emergency meal capsules, yes it was all there. Josh bit the inside of his mouth until he couldn’t stand the position of his lips. He didn’t see why she couldn’t just give the mission to someone else. “You hear me, Lieutenant Kou? Over!” ‘There is no way she will walk out now.’ Josh thought. She was courageous and took her missions seriously, but this one couldn’t possibly mean that much to her. No, she would say fine and be mad at him for about a week, but she wouldn’t go.
“Fine, over.” Heather said, tight-lipped as she lifted her bag off her bunk and marched out of the air-locked doors of her quarters. Ultimatums did not have a place in warfare unless you were on opposite sides. ‘Josh must be taught to understand that duty must always come before desire.’ She thought, raising her chin and steeling herself against the coldness she felt seep into her skin. His flames would have to simmer not conquer before she would consider him as a life partner. There was too much emotion in him to deal with while she was learning about her lost memories. Josh just stared wide-eyed as she left. As the door to the bunker slammed, Josh slammed the door to the part of him that said to follow her and explain his reasons. He was not a love sick puppy following her around like she would pet him.
Josh promised himself that he would not go after her. It was her decision to leave, and he would not chase her across space. She took a mission over him and that’s how she could die for all he cared: alone and in space. Her icy barriers would do well there and he didn’t need to gallant across the galaxy to prove anything to her. He didn’t promise someone else wouldn’t.
Cordelia readied herself to finish the Earth mission and search for Heather, patiently awaiting her direct orders. A month later, when Heather hadn’t returned, she received her mission: Complete the Lilith pilot’s mission and if she is alive, return her to base at all costs. Her knowledge must not be lost. Heather’s knowledge extended far beyond just piloting the machines, she designed and built the computers for them. If she was alive and could not be returned, Cordelia knew Heather would find anyway possible to make sure that no one would ever gain the knowledge to hurt the colonies, even if it meant drastic measures. Cordelia packed lightly and hid her mission plans from Josh. He would not know that the Lilith pilot might be forced to take her own life. The Lilith pilot, however, had other plans. On the day of Cordelia’s launch, she returned with a couple of surprises for the rest of the pilots. Three new pilots joined NOVA that day, but only two came announced.
Word Count This Chapter: 1,618 words
Word Count Total: 8,612 words
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