Chapter One

Stars

The stars slid gently by, like large twinkling fairy lights that people used to put on the front of their houses for celebrations such as Christmas back on Earth. Their brilliant light seemed to draw something back from the intense blackness of deep space. So inviting, gleaming, delicate, yet somehow sinister. Starship 15-A2 glided past a sparkling phasing comet, creating the illusion of a giant sun shooting across the galaxy, or like some spectacular giant firework. The ships computers hummed, the signals beeped and the machines whirred, but all around the ship was a silence so deep and never ending. One by one, lights flicked on, in the tiny windows of the ship, making little circles illuminate, like some bizarre neon light display. Morning had just broken, even though the outside looked the same as ever, and through the ship, noises could be heard as each inhabitant awoke. Below the ship was a planet, where the morning was met with excitement, and a constant stream of buzzing. The green marshes blended with the swirling pink and orange water overlooking the green and blue foliage of the planet. Commander Up sat by the window of his quarters, his eyes fixed on the small black velvet box he held lightly between his fingers. He flipped the lid open, and stared down at the small ring lying within the silk lining. The diamonds on the ring sparkled, and the burnished gold shone in the artificial tin shaded light. He reached out with his left hand, and gently ran his finger over it, the metal cold to the touch. He sighed, flipped the lid shut again and slid the box back into his pocket. He looked up, and caught sight of his reflection in the window. Silver haired, broad shouldered, and a silver moustache in place above his top lip, he was beginning to see the old Up return more and more, as his muscle mass increased, and his fears reducing. He was slowly becoming the man he used to be. He looked away from the window, and his eyes gazed over the bed. Taz was curled up into a tiny ball, still fast asleep, looking as innocent as she ever could, her short hair sticking up, as was tradition in the morning. Up smiled, and made his way over, and sat beside her on the edge of the bed wanting more than anything to curl up next to her. His radio suddenly crackled into life, and he pushed himself up again, and made his way over. The radio crackled, and then a voice spoke from the other end of the line.

'Commander Up, sir?'

Up looked behind him. Taz was still asleep. He turned back to the radio.

'Up here.'

'The Admiral arrived ten minutes ago from the Bright Eye sir, and a meeting has been requested for 0800 hours.'

Up glanced at the clock. It was half past six. He pressed the return on his radio.

'Thank you Private Krayonder. Is that everything?'

'Yeah man, that's all sir.'

The radio crackled once more, and then the noise died. He heard a small groan behind him. Taz stirred, and Up went back over to sit beside her. Her eyes flickered a few times, and then they opened, bleary and bloodshot. She always looked like she'd been attacked when she woke up. She looked at him, and he smiled.

'Buenos Dias' whispered Up, after a pause gently pressing a light kiss to her forehead. She lifted her head a little further off the pillow.

'Buenos Dias' Taz slurred. 'It's morning already?'

'Afraid so mi quierida' said Up, still smiling. Dead god, you're beautiful he thought. He could still feel the small box restingagainst his left leg, knowing full well he had to ask sooner orlater, but something kept him frozen on the side of the bed . Come on man, dead god dammit. Keep calm!

'Whoever invented getting up in the morning is a gilipollas' she groaned, her head hitting the pillow again with a thump.

'Well.' said Up, returning back from his thoughts and barely concealing a laugh 'Maybe you should just sleep through today and try getting up tomorrow instead?'

'Suena bien para mí ' mumbled Taz. Up smiled, and lowered himself down beside her. In time, she shuffled over to him, and he put his arms around her, and held her close. They lay in silence for several minutes. He felt her warmth, the steady beat of her heart, her breath on his neck gave him goose bumps. Up looked down at her, the star studded sky reflected in her eyes. I love her he thought. And I want to be with her forever. But can I really do this? Up fully aware that

Taz was pressed against the box still lying against his leg, and he wondered if she could feel it, and whether she could hear his thoughts.

'Can we just lie here forever?' Taz said suddenly. Up looked at her, his smile too big to conceal. Do it now! Up moved one of his arms from around Taz, and slid his trembling fingers into his pocket. He took a deep breath, took Taz's closest free hand and began.

'Taz, I-'

There was a sudden rapping at the door, and Up stopped talking abruptly. Taz turned her big eyes onto his face, as he said with a shaking voice

'Enter'

Krayonder stuck his head around the door, and Up slowly withdrew his hand from his pocket.

'Sir, the Admiral sent me to tell you that your meeting has been moved to 0700 hours. Says it's urgent, man, I mean, sir.'

Taz withdrew her scathing eyes from Krayonder to look Up in surprise. Of course, he forgot to tell her about his meeting with the Admiral. He looked at the clock, it was ten to seven. He knew she wouldn't like it. He sighed and slid his eyes off Taz's face and on to the nervous looking Krayonder, his eyes still on Taz.

'Thank you Private.'

Krayonder saluted, and left the room. Up gulped, aware that Taz was still looking at him, and stood up realising he had to break the nasty silence that was solidifying between them like ice.

'So, um, Taz...' he cast around for something to say, while Taz simply glared at him. 'You, uh, you gonna get up?' He knew it was a feeble thing to say, but at least it was something. Despite his pathetic attempt to make conversation, something in her face seemed to soften a little.

'Tal vez' she said 'Maybe', and threw the covers back over herself. 'Come back tomorrow and I'll think about it.' Came her muffled voice. Up laughed a little, leant over her, and picked her up easily, ignoring her shout of surprise.

'Up, what are you doing you big idiota? Put me down!'

Up shrugged, and threw Taz unceremoniously back onto the bed. She looked at him in annoyance, but then she giggled suddenly, and Up was taken back to the day when they were on the hologram generated beach in the south of Mexico back on the 15-A2, nearly a year previously. The day she told him she loved him. The day he began living again. He looked at her, and he was sure she was thinking of that too. He gulped, his mind on the box in his pocket again, but his nerve had gone, and his arms refused to move. Up looked at Taz again, his heart beating a violent rhythm against his chest, and there was silence between them for a moment. Up gave Taz a sidelong glance, and started to pick his crumpled uniform from off the floor.

'We need to get going... whether you like it or not.' Up said, his left eyebrow raised. Taz pulled a pout face at him, and then she stood up on the bed, making herself at her tallest. 'Well.' said Taz finally. 'If we have to get up, I suppose I should get dressed. Where's my headband?'