YEARS AGO

by Becky99

Another year passed. They had seen so much.

There were joys beyond measure, fears they could never quite understand but Moonbase Alpha journeyed on. They had met new alien races, some compassionate and other malevolent, some arrogant and others innocent.

How long had they been in space? Somewhere in the banks of Main Computer there was a year tally. These days they seldom paid attention because, in the course of time, it no longer seemed to matter.

They were never going to find a home world to live on. It was not meant to be for the people of Earth's moon. Not as a group at least. Some had left them to settle uncharted space. Maya, Tony, Sandra, Christopher, Kate, Bill and Annette …. All gone to various worlds in deep space.

They had been invited and accepted.

Sadly, not all were summoned.

How often had John Koenig asked if his people could live on a compatible world and were told they were not welcome? As with all their years in space, that too was a number he could not calculate.

"You're doing well, Commander." Doctor Griffi pulled back the monitor and helped him to sit up. He was a three armed Teegan and John remembered when he had joined them. He started in the medical unit as an orderly but quickly advanced. "You have the constitution of a man half your age." he said.

John Koenig smiled and allowed the young doctor to assist him off of the examination bed, "That is kind of you but I've seen better days." He could practically hear his body creak as his feet touched the cool tile floor. John then eased his feet into comfortable slippers. He no longer wore boots although he did wear his uniform, but now with two colorless sleeves.

His hair was white, his back slightly bowed and the years had gently cragged his face. And, he thought, time had drained the color from his once tanned skin. He supposed he could use a tanning bed. They had many. But there really was no point. He only wanted to impress one person and she, over the years, saw past superficial handsomeness and only cared what was inside of his heart and soul.

Still, the stunning blue of his eyes remained intact and they sparkled as he smiled and exited the medical unit.

John Koenig used a cane now and as he walked the halls of Moonbase Alpha, waving at greeters who called his name and wished him well. They all still called him "Commander" although he had given up his command years ago to a much younger and sharper individual.

He recalled when Commander Brookside took his place, nearly twenty years ago now, and how nervous everyone was. They had gotten through a lot of catastrophes under John Koenig's command. What if Brookside, faced with such monumental dilemmas, was not up to the task? As it turned out Commander Brookside was a very good, smart and fair Commander. Alpha needn't have worried.

He walked into his quarters and saw her relaxing on their sofa, a book resting on her chest, and her eyes were closed. He still loved looking at her, had since the first time they met in Medical Center, and he wondered where her dreams had taken her. Quietly, he walked over to the sofa, leaned his cane against a side table, and sat beside her. He watched as her mouth upturned into a gentle smile and her eyes blinked open.

She wore half glasses and removed them, tossing the specs on a coffee table in front of them. Helena then sat up a bit straighter and turned to him, "Wanna fool around?" she asked with a low, throaty chuckle.

He joined in. "Not now but maybe later if we're up for it."

Helena was still with him; one of the few people from the start of their journey who remained. There were about forty original Alphans left now. Some had died, others left to wander space in other ways, and what were left were the children of their friends and the aliens, children of life-forms they had met during their journey. He and Helena were like ancient relics to the youngsters who often ran about the halls between classes, play-dates, and meal breaks.

John looked into Helena's clear eyes.

But of course she would stay. As long as he was there Helena would remain on Alpha. She promised him this, even when many years ago the people from the tropical planet Ilba requested she live with them. They were fascinated by Helena and her skill, her style of healing, and they promised her if she stayed with them, a long life and a freedom from pain was hers.

Helena's arthritis in her hips and hands, something she had acquired in her late fifties, had been acting up at the time and their invitation was tempting.

However friendly the people of Ilba were they decided to allow no one else onto their world. They were making an exception for Dr. Russell, they said. Helena, of course, told them she could not leave her people and, although she did not say it, she could not leave John Koenig either.

It would have been understood if she had decided in their favor because, at the time, she and Koenig were not together. They had parted for a few years after a terrible time, when the death of their son caused enigmatic but wholly bitter feelings. Daniel just turned twenty one, had gone out in an Eagle with Carter to explore a meteor "web". One of the smaller asteroids veered off course and collided with the Eagle. Daniel was killed and Alan barely made it back to Alpha alive. As it was, the Australian pilot had to have his left leg amputated just below the knee.

John and Helena were devastated but instead of coming together the two of them, through grief, pulled a part. She moved out of his quarters and they barely spoke for months. When asked by friends why they did not try to mend their relationship neither one of them had a good answer. The one son they had never planned on having but loved deeply and dearly was gone and merely looking at one another became painful.

Then when the Ilbans asked her to stay, he remembered Helena looking directly at him. He did not know if there was something, perhaps a sorrow and longing in his expression, that made her decline – but he knew at that moment that he still loved her profoundly and one day they would return to the devotion they once shared.

And indeed they did.

It was gradual but eventually, through kind words, promises of ever-lasting love, and a vow of commitment they were sharing quarters again. And, John Koenig recalled, their love-making – the first time since Daniel died – was more passionate and memorable than even the first time they shared a bed.

Although both loved and remembered Daniel well they did not really talk about him much between themselves. There were ceremonies on Alpha to honor the dead, and both attended them, but that was the extent of mourning their departed. Anything else might bring up raw memories and neither were willing to go through that hell again.

Now, in their twilight years, far from the high positions they once held on Moonbase Alpha, the couple sat on their sofa and held hands.

"Alan and June have asked us to come over and play cards this evening." she said to him.

John nodded. Alan Carter had married June Avila and they had two children, a boy and girl. Grown, they were a botanist and a dietician, both were now part of the Alphan Command Council. "I was hoping to spend some time alone with you tonight." He said.

"Ever the romantic." she replied, pulling a shawl from the back of the sofa around her shoulders. "I can tell them we're busy."

John shook his head back and forth, "No, we better go. I've noticed Alan's health isn't what it once was and he really likes when we visit."

Helena nodded. As Alpha's one time head of the medical section she was privy to certain pieces of information and she well knew that Alan was not expected to live beyond the year. Cancer. It was a shame when they remembered back to those early years when he was such an athletic and robust young man. The Eagle tragedy truly took a lot out of him and he never forgave himself for Daniel's death, even though he could never have foresaw what was to happen.

John reached up and touched her hair. It was still blondish but streaked with grey. Her face had remained fair and clear. "I love you." He suddenly said.

Helena's eyes widened slightly, "And where did that come from?" she asked, reaching up to touch his hand with her slender fingers.

"Sometimes I don't think I say it enough." He whispered, looking slightly away from her. "We go about our lives here on Alpha and we forget how important saying such things …." He trailed off.

Helena removed her hand from his and gently stroked under his chin, softly positioning his head so she could look into his eyes. "I love you too, John. I always have. Even when things were bad I loved you. If I hadn't I'm not sure I could have survived …"

It was her turn to hesitate but he understood. Tenderness exchanged, a change of subject was needed.

"You know what I think we should do …?" he asked.

"What?"

"Before we go to Alan's let's stop off at the nursery."

"Why?"

"I want to look at the babies."

Helena could not help her smile. Somehow, after all this time, the man still surprised her. "Why not?" She stood slowly, mindful of her aches and pains, her hand still clasped with his own. She then helped John to stand. She watched as he reached over to grasp his cane.

Carefully, the couple walked from their quarters, mindful of a lovely, frightening and adventuresome past and hopeful for Alpha's future. They would never leave the moonbase but one day, they both hoped, the others would find their new world to live on and raise healthy children and grandchildren.

"Helena."

"Yes, John."

"Let's get a dog."

She gently slapped his arm as the door slid shut behind them.

THE END.
January 1, 2016