CHAPTER SIX
"Sierra, where have you been?" Nicole raised her voice, which then echoed even louder down the long hallway.
"Nowhere," she answered innocently and wide-eyed, leaning on the scooter handlebars.
"I've been looking for you! I couldn't find you! I tried the galley and the game room. Where were you?" Nicole was frantic as her voice grew louder. "Young lady, you're not pestering Max again are you?"
Nicole gripped the little shoulders tightly, and Sierra's face fell. "I'm not pestering anyone, Momma. What did I do wrong?"
"What did you do wrong? You disappeared! I couldn't find you!" Nicole felt herself shiver and came to her senses, trying desperately to regain her composure. "Oh, Sierra, I'm sorry, it just frightened Mommy when I couldn't find you. I didn't mean to get so upset with you. Just… next time
please tell me where you're going, or who you're going to hang out with, okay?" She hugged her close to her, so mad at herself for blowing this whole thing totally out of proportion. Sierra had been nothing short of an angel and extremely well behaved for this entire exhausting trip, and Nicole was feeling worse than horrible for yelling at her the way she had. "Sierra, honey, I'm so sorry." Sierra hugged her back, and then pulled away. "Can I go meet Maria in the game room now? I'm late."
Nicole bit her lip, "Sure… just be careful." Sierra scooted on down the hall and around the corner toward the back entrance to the game room. Nicole rocked slightly and then crumpled against the wall. She closed her eyes to stop the tears from coming, but it didn't help. Her body began to shake, as she slid ever so slowly along the wall; her body racking in sobs.
Her emotions had reached their final breaking point. Her daughter had been kidnapped by a murderer and whether she was dead or alive at this very minute, she had no idea. And her husband... that bastard had deserted them… for the second time in the last year.
She moaned then sobbed again and again, all the time trying to gain control, but couldn't. Suddenly she felt two strong hands under her arms lifting her gently, turning her around to face a strong chest. The anger was still explosive inside of her, she began beating unmercifully at his chest with her fists, but he never flinched. Instead he pulled her head closer to his chest and then let her cry. Minutes passed as she remembered where she was. She looked around the hallway and then took several deep breaths trying to speak. "I'm…so... I'm sorry," her voice was barely audible.
"This has been too long in coming," Larek said calmly. "Let it go now. You need to let it all go," Larek's strong but low voice whispered into her hair. "It's okay."
She looked up and tried to pull away. She could barely see straight, "No…," she sniffled, suddenly realizing who had been holding her.
"Yes," he answered with determination. "Nicole. Hush," he pulled her back against him. "I'm here, and no one is going to hurt Sierra." His mouth half smiled down at her tear stained face, "…or anyone else on this ship, and that includes Sierra's mom."
She could no longer fight the need to respond to him. She gave in sliding her arms around his waist, resting her head on his strong chest. "I didn't mean to scream at her like that, she's just a little girl… a little girl who has been through so much," her voice began breaking up.
Larek carefully pushed the hair hanging down in her eyes back to its natural place. "Sierra understands all too well what
you are going through too, you know. She's a very strong little one. She misses her sister greatly and her Dad as well. But you are here, and she loves you very much."
"I need so much to be strong for her, but I can't always keep up that front. None of this has been easy," she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Listen to me...here I am complaining to you… you of all people."
"Me of all people? What do you mean?" his voice came softly.
"Well, it's just that you've been through so much back home, the sadness and misery that you've seen among your people... it must be tearing you apart. And here
I am having an emotional breakdown… in
your arms. How humiliating is that?" She trembled and tried hard not to look into the eyes that were looking so strongly into hers at that moment.
He had always tried hard before not to notice how green her eyes were; there was so much there, behind the sadness. "I cannot offhand think of a better place for you to fall apart, my lady." He touched her chin gently with his forefinger. "Come on, you need yourself a good rest. I'll get Serena to get something for you from med bay." He slowly but steadily walked her back in the direction of her quarters.
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Coby was wandering from computer to computer on the bridge. "Well, what do ya think?" Kal was asking him. "There has to be a way." Coby nodded silently. Kal continued, "If we bypass the smaller computer bank and directly wire into..." He was interrupted by John entering on deck. "…and just what are you two directly wiring into??" he asked wearily.
"It won't disrupt anything," Coby quickly assured him. "I swear it. This smaller computer here doesn't seem to be dedicated anywhere in particular. Kal thinks we can redirect the outside images." As Coby spoke he pushed five or six keys on the main data board and turned a few small dials. Instantly the computer buzzed loudly then became quiet again. The screen flickered and then an image appeared, the same image that was visible through the large front observation windows.
"For what?" John asked. "Why would you want an eighteen inch version instead of all this," he asked waving his hand panoramically at the glass walled three-sided observation window.
"Navigational purposes for one," Coby explained. "This way with additional information fed into the computer we'll now be able to capture images and also map out alternate routes ahead of time… in case they should be needed." John chewed on his lip, raising his eyebrow and nodding his head about the possibilities.
Coby was in his element. "John, before we left Kirtland, I got to talk to two of the project techs. This ship is equipped with what we now today know as a Dobsonian Telescope lens. Of course back in 1954, this was never heard of before."
"Dobsonian? As in, Hubble-like?" John asked and then with some surprise, he added, "Shit."
"If they think the Hubble shots are unique, wait ‘til they get a load of some of the ones we'll be taking way out here. Now that this box is hooked to the main terminal, we'll be able to see so much more by using the lens and redirecting it to this monitor. In fact we could even project it up onto that humongous screen in the dining room." Coby grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"It might come in handy when we get nearer to Eos and have to sweep past Adia. We can see here, what we won't see there," he pointed to the observation window, "a good twelve hours ahead of time," Kal further explained to John. "It's an incredibly powerful lens, and it appears to be built into the ship."
John's smile broadened too. "Tell you what Coby, when Serena doesn't need you down in the cargo hold, you can be in charge of the pictorial log of our trip home. But only when she doesn't need you with her. There is a lot of crated equipment down in the cargo hold, feel free to check it out. Just please, be careful down there."
"Thank you, John. You won't regret this." Coby was so excited as he quickly grabbed shaking at John's hand, until John was forced to stop him.
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Lunch had been over for a while, what there was of it. Appetites were waning after a general announcement had been made that the revised estimated time of arrival was now at seventy-two hours. Whether it be excitement or nauseous anticipation, not many touched their meals. There was something more evident about the days now being converted to just hours.
Max and Liz had been putting in eighteen-hour days for most of the last week and Kal and John had been discussing it at length. Kal caught Max in the hall just outside the galley at four that afternoon. "Yo, listen up. Where's Liz?" Max shrugged, "I guess she's with Serena, why?"
"John and I want you two to take some time. After your duties late this afternoon, grab some dinner and get lost for a while, you both deserve it. I know it's not the Bahamas, but try to think of it as sweet hours of no responsibilities. It's a big ship. I don't want to see your face or Liz's ‘til seven hundred hours, tomorrow morning," he gave a little wink as he turned and walked away. "No, no, don't bother throwing yourself at my feet to thank me," he said back over his shoulder. "Just try to forget about the future... and the past… for just a little while." Extreme pressure had been on both he and Liz for the last week and everyone on board was aware of it. They had great responsibilities, and the most difficult ones hadn't even started yet.
Max stood speechless in the corridor. He checked his watch. "Hey, what's up, Max?" Maria snuck up behind him. "Anything good to pick on in here," she motioned into the galley.
He shrugged. "The last of the fruit, oh and Nicole made that jello up early this morning. But don't tell her I told ya."
"Where's Liz? I haven't seen her all day. I even missed her at breakfast," she continued talking to him, as she reached up into the top closet. "Ah hah, cookies," she smiled, taking down a large container. "And they said astronauts had to eat out of little paper pouches. We could teach NASA a thing or two." She rolled her eyes at the insanity of it all.
Max smiled and helped himself to a handful of chocolate chips cookies. "Too many long hours," he answered her question. "She wasn't feeling very good earlier this morning, so she skipped breakfast. Any message for her? She's with Serena and Jessie, they're scrubbing down med bay."
"What happened?" Maria asked with a look of horror on her face.
"Raymond accidentally knocked something over in there...it must have been pretty wicked. Serena insisted they put on hazard suits to clean it all up," Max explained.
"Well… yeah. Wow," she noted. "What the hell was it?"
"We don't know. John checked it all out before he let anyone in there after it happened. It's safe, but just to be safer, Serena insisted on protecting themselves, and temporarily sealing off the bay. I was just on my way down there to check things out."
"Well, tell Lizzie that I'd love to meet her tomorrow around ten hundred hours for popcorn and a movie in
the lounge," she comically enunciated the words.
"Sure. What's playing, and can I come?" Max popped his last cookie into his mouth. She frowned deeply at him, "No, you can't come. This is girl time. Besides it's not Crouching Pussycat or Bravehardon." She replaced the hidden container on the top shelf of a different cabinet. "Don't tell anyone where those cookies are or I will have to kill you. The movie of choice is When Harry Met Sally."
Max made a loud gagging sound. He cleared his throat and responded, "I'll pass."
"I thought you would, Evans," she grinned and stuck her tongue out, as she passed by him in the doorway. She sauntered off towards the metal spiral staircase ascending to the bridge. Max silently crept back into the galley and began to root through the cabinets for anything intriguing he could find there.
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Liz and Serena stood in their HAZMAT gear. They were both dripping in sweat. "Lord, I'm glad that's over," Serena exclaimed. "I'm not sure what it was, but did you see the way it literally took the paint off parts of the floor?"
Liz shook her head. "I'm glad it didn't eat its way through the suits, or our gloves." Jessie stepped out of the totally glass hyperchamber, carrying her suit carefully in her outstretched hand. The hyperchamber was a small cubical containing a shower for just such an occurrence, apparently. "Why would anyone keep something so toxic and dangerous in the medical bay??"
"Yeah, I'm wondering about that myself. There are three gallon sized containers… well, two left now. Neither of them is marked in anyway. It's a clear odorless liquid, that could be mistaken for water… thank God no one got thirsty thinking it was." Liz stripped down and stepped into the chamber, throwing her suit beside her on the floor. Jessie turned around to finish getting dressed.
Suddenly the doorknob began to turn. "WOAH! Naked ladies in here," Serena yelled out.
A voice from behind the still closed door laughed. "And... that's supposed to keep me
out?" It was Michael's voice. The three inside chuckled, and Serena responded, "No, I guess that wasn't exactly the right thing for me to yell out, was it?"
"Is everybody alright?" Michael asked through the door.
"Yep, we appear to be just fine, Michael. Thanks for checking on us though," Jessie answered him.
"Liz, Max wants you to bring a jacket and meet him at your quarters in fifteen. Oh, one other thing… dinner will be delayed tonight," he added. "Nicole's a bit under the weather, and DeLuca's just been put in charge of things. Hopefully we'll all be eating before it's time for shuteye," he grinned to himself and walked away glad that he wasn't feeling hungry.
"A jacket? Where does he think you two are going anyway?" Jessie asked, looking strangely at Liz.
Liz couldn't help but smile. "With Max, you never know."
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Serena was about to wrap things up for the day, and yet she still sat on the floor of the cargo hull staring up at the granolith. "What is you secret?" she asked out loud. "Help us out here will ya."
They had done their best with running the DNA profiles through the computer and just when Coby thought things were going so well, they ran into a snag. A good portion of the code had been cracked, but something was missing and for the life of her she didn't know what it was. They had started the granolith up several times during this trip, although she had worried each time. It had caused a pretty intense vibration the last time, and Coby had finally closed it down after the small lights around the base had turned from a neon green to a bright dazzling amber.
There was only a very small portion of the code that was still eluding them both, and for a few seconds she wished that Pete were here to help. Another mind, another opinion. She wiped her face feeling totally exhausted. Well one thing was for sure, she thought to herself, they were taking it home again, back from where it had started out from a long time ago. At this moment the only hope running in her mind was that if they were unable to get the icon fully functional, then there was always that chance that Jared would not be able to do any better than they had.
She thought of John and everyone else on board this floating miracle in space. She looked around her at the spaciousness and cold alien metal. The past…, she thought. How were they able to send a ship forward in time? And that would mean that those long ago had their own granolith, or maybe... maybe it was this one that they had, she thought. There was no way of knowing how old the icon was. According to everything written at Adia, it had just always been. It was a fable still to some.
She thought of Evan Prost and the Gemini Project. Although she was relieved, she still couldn't quite understand why they asked no questions about what it was that had been in that crate at Stanford University. Did they know? In all their studies, wouldn't they have run across the same references in all the old manuscripts that she and the others had? References of the keys, both crystal and 'angelic'. They knew that Trinity had sent a team of twenty four back in time to begin this long sojourn. How did Gemini think these people got here? Weren't they curious? They had had the disc from this ship in their possession for close to fifty years, and yet claimed that no one could decipher the coded message. But then, of course, she reminded herself, John had been the one to decode it and only because of his knowledge of the ancient dialects of their star system. Gemini might have known about the Whirlwind galaxy, but they wouldn't have had access to the dialects there.
She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts. It was time for a few hours of sleep, then tomorrow they would both be here again...and again until they solved the puzzle. She didn't want to think about it, but a silent thought was ringing in her head. There was a distinct possibility that the icon would be returned to it's home with little more known about it than the day it had left.
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Serena arrived on the bridge to gather up John at the end of his shift. Once there, she found Coby hovering over one of the computer terminals. She swore she saw the excitement oozing out of his ears. "Serena! Look at this," he called out to her. She walked over to where he, John and Max were standing. "What's going on?" she asked as she stifled a yawn.
"Coby has presented us with our first shot of home," Max exclaimed, grabbing her arm and pulling her closer to the console.
"Oh my god," her mouth fell open. "Hurry," she said excitedly, now in full awake mode, "
Call everyone in here!"
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"Max what are you doing?" Liz watched as he grabbed his backpack and jacket. "Where are we going?" They both stood inside their quarters right before the dinner bell.
"We're gonna take a walk after dinner," he answered with a grin. "Grab your jacket, we're not coming back here after we eat. We're going exploring." He took her hand in his. "Just you and me, like old times."
"Max, we're flying through space at a mach speed never experienced by mankind before," she grabbed at his arm. "What exactly do you have in mind?" she asked staring up into his face.
"Well the Caps have given us some down time and pretty much have threatened me with what will happen should they see either of our faces anytime after dinner. Now we can leave right now, or eat something first. And I have to warn ya, Michael says that Maria's cooking tonight. Nicole's sick."
"Maria? Come on Max, if I didn't show up for a dinner that she cooked, she'd never forgive me," she pulled him toward the door, stopping to stuff her jacket into his backpack on the way out into the corridor. "And remember, whatever it turns out to be...it's delicious." Max winced, "Yes, Ma’am." Both then ran headlong into Marshall and Katain also on their way to the dining room.
"So... what's she cooking?" Marshall made a face and looked to Max for an answer. His only response was a roll of his eyes. "I guess it'll be a surprise."
"Stop," Katain demanded sternly. "You two
will give her a fair chance. Besides if you say the wrong thing, Marshall Duncan," she said turning to her brother, "everyone's dinner will be your creation tomorrow night." Liz smiled at her. "I know Maria, she'll do fine. She's been an eager student in there with Nicole for over almost a month now. I agree with Katain, let's not judge her too harshly before we give her half a chance. She may just surprise the hell out of all of us."
The two young men walked ahead, as Liz stopped to pick up My Little Pony who was lying abandoned in the hall. "Michael mentioned that Nicole wasn't feeling well. Hope she's not coming down with something, that's the last thing we all need," Katain said seriously. "We've got less than seventy two hours, I will be greatly pissed if I should get sick now."
"I hear ya, I wasn't doing to good this morning either. I was really worried. I hope we don't have a flu bug aboard," Liz agreed. "I haven't seen her today to talk to her, but I'm anxious to find out how she is. I know she's taking all the same vitamins that we're all on. I think its just nerves. My heart's been breaking… and Emily doesn't even belong to me. I can only imagine how devastated she is inside. And then I'm sure she's worried about what happens after we arrive."
"Well Lucas didn't help the situation," Katain added. "She doesn't know it yet, but him running off is the best thing that could have happened to her... and to the girls, too. I should have kicked his whiny ass when I had the opportunity," she whispered, as the four entered the dining quarters. "I'm thinking there's not a soul on board that doesn't feel that," Liz responded, looking up and seeing Maria standing proudly at the head of the fully set table before them.
"Everyone. Dinner is served," Maria announced rather formally. Three or four other conversations were taking place at once as everyone took their places around the table. Sierra came running in the door at the last minute jumping in the seat next to Max. He looked around for Larek, as Kal entered the room. "Won't be here," Kal murmured back to Max. "I told him not to worry that we'd save a plate for Nicole and one for him too." Katain and Liz standing not far away both overheard his remark.
"Is John coming?" Katain asked curiously, looking up to meet Kal's eyes, and searching for some deeper answers.
"No, JB's got the wheel tonight," Kal answered back to her while the truth of her question became clearer. Katain looked down to the table in front of her now realizing that Larek was not attending to the bridge. She tried hard to think positive thoughts. When that didn't work, she tried her very best to ignore them.
Liz felt an uncomfortable wave of emotions at the end of the table, as her own heart skipped a beat as well. "I'll help you serve Maria," Liz volunteered quickly, motioning her into the galley. As the two rounded the corner out of sight of the others, Liz asked, "Soooo, how did it go? This is so exciting, what did you make?"
"Roast pork with brown potatoes and Chelsea gravy, cheese rolls, green beans and a side Ceasar salad for the Duncans. Oh, and a fresh apple pie for desert. Made from scratch." She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. Liz stood with her mouth hanging open staring at the assortment of pipping hot food sitting on the counter for serving. The mixture of aromas in the small galley were nothing short of mouthwatering. "Maria! This is wonderful. You did all of this yourself?"
"Sierra helped me with the cheese rolls… but, yes, yes I did." Maria finally beamed. Liz laughed out loud and threw both her arms around her. "You did good, real good, DeLuca. Now lets go surprise the troops, shall we?"
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Liz pulled her jacket on, as Max lead the way deeper into level three on the port side of the ship. This side was relatively new ground for the two of them. Most things of interest or of need to them were stored on the starboard side. Liz herself had never ventured into this area of the Horizon. "Aren't you glad you brought your jacket?" he asked slowing down and throwing his arm around her shoulders. "Chilly in here."
"I strike the Chilly and raise you a COLD," she laughed pulling gloves out of her pocket.
"We have free roam of the ship, and I've even brought some munchies along for us." His voice began to echo in the massive hull. Liz's neck craned looking up into the blackness above her head. "This thing still amazes me," her eyes searched the darkness. "What all is in here anyway?"
"Food mostly… and water, lots of bottled water. All those steel drums are filled with water. This is where the supplies for the Fed armies are. Blankets, soap, alcohol, surgery equipment, assorted medical supplies, oxygen tanks," he walked to the right down one of the many aisles, pointing up to the four high stacks of crates and cardboard boxes. "Batteries, generators, tents, radios, communication equipment, oil lamps, clothing, and… all the comforts of home," he said rounding the corner. "Wait, close your eyes," he said stopping short.
"Close my eyes?" she replied surprised. He shook his head turning to face her again. "Okay, ...closed," she smiled closing her eyes tightly. "Max Evans, what are you up too?" He led her carefully around another corner six or seven steps to her far left. "Okay, open ‘em." She opened her eyes wide again adjusting for the lack of light, only to see candles... candles everywhere. There must have been thirty, she thought glancing around. "M-a-x," she stammered as her face softened. Looking closer there were two cots side-by-side, complete with pillows and blankets. A crate turned into a makeshift table held two wine glasses. A tall bottle sat in a helmet filled with ice. "I- I can't believe you've done this...Oh, Max, it's so romantic!" she squealed in a whisper, jumping into his waiting arms, and pulling them both down to the floor in one move. She giggled and it was the most precious sound Max had heard for a long time.
"Well... I don't know about romantic… but, I did try," he winked at her as the smell of her hair filled his senses. The two sat on the floor by the cots for the longest time in each other's arms, saying nothing, but feeling again everything they had left behind them.
"How did you manage all of this?" she still was in a state of disbelief, as he settled with his head in her lap. "I cannot lie, I had a little help," he confessed, shyly. "Michael and Larek both helped. I really didn't know where any of this stuff was."
"Max, this is the most wonderful surprise you could have given to me, most especially right now." Her eyes were caught in his and suddenly it really was just the two of them again.
He played with the zipper on her jacket as he spoke. "It's not all that special, but my options were a bit limited," he smiled. Then in a more serious tone he needed her to know. "We've both been so preoccupied most of the time here. It just hasn't been fair, nothings been fair. It seems since the day we were married, I've always been wanting to do so much more for you and couldn't for one reason or another. I just didn't want you to ever think that my mind isn't thinking this way all the time, because it is. I love you Liz, just as much if not more than I ever have, and I'm so grateful that you've stuck by me through all of this."
Liz placed her finger to his lips. "Ssh, there isn't anywhere else I could possibly be… but with you, Max. You don't have to do anything, but be with me and love me. That's all I need. I love you, heart and soul. I always have and always will."
He reached up, placing his hand at the back of her neck, pulling her face down to his. He kissed her sweetly and then was interrupted by a faint noise around them. Both were startled. "What is it?" she whispered. "Hear it?" The sounds surrounded them again. Sweet sounds, almost melodic. They seemed to fill the space above them. An eeriness settled, and then peaked again. They felt it throughout both of their bodies. A tingling feeling, a warm yet tingling feeling that filled them both, setting off that familiar electricity within them that neither could ever ignore.
"Yeah," he said softly as he listened again. Then finally whispered back close to her ear, "The ghosts of the ship are talking to us."
He held onto her tightly as his lips brushed hers softly. Staring back into his eyes, she saw her reflection there and their lips meet with a determined passion and intense need. He unzipped her jacket as she helped remove his shirt. A rhythm danced between the two until they both were naked in only the warmth of the flickering candlelight around them.
Liz no longer felt the cold anymore, as his hands caressed at her waist, pulling her body up against his. He tasted that soft skin in the curve of her neck, and his hands gently caressed her breasts. "M-ax," she whimpered.
"I love you, Liz," he breathlessly whispered over and over again. He watched hungrily, as his finger lightly traced the curves of her stomach and thighs. He closed his eyes then, and drank in every curve as his heart felt it would burst inside him.
She kneaded at the soft skin drawn over the muscles of his shoulders and then let her hands ever so slowly rub down his tensed arms, then farther down to his hips where they lingered. She felt his buttocks tighten as she guided him until he filled every space left between them.
Searching… Searching for everything they had left behind them and everything that would now lie ahead.
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