Ghost Girl
by R.J. Eisenhuth
(This is fiction and in no way intends to infringe on the right of any holder of Space: 1999)
"We cannot understand you."
It was an alien language and it came from a space-web; a mass of asteroids that initially moved in on the moon and surround the Alphans. The light from a small sun made the rocks shine in various lovely colors and the sight might have been pleasant if there was not an imminent threat.
Maya, with her superior Psychon abilities, worked with Yasko to decipher communication. The women were both leaning over the console as Dr. Russell walked into Command Center, alerted by the Yellow Alert siren.
"Anything?" Commander Koenig asked, his expression grim when Maya stated she was beginning to make sense out of their verbal code but did not have the key just yet.
"John?" Helena gently touched his shoulder, questioning.
"The moon is being held by that entity out there." He said, indicating their big screen and the colorful diamond-like asteroids. "It doesn't seem to want to harm us but also doesn't understand why we are traveling through their space the way we are. We tried to explain that we are not in control of our trajectory but we're having communiqué problems." He then looked at her, "Anyone hurt?"
The moon stopping in space was sudden and violent but power was quickly reestablished and Alpha was no worse for wear. However, that would not last long if they did not start to move again in the next forty-eight hours.
"Draper in Transport broke his left ankle but other than that we are good." Helena advised.
"We've got it, Commander." Maya called. She pushed a few buttons, waited for the read-out, and told Yasko to send a reply. "The intelligence is very old but also a bit childlike. It said it is going to appear to us as someone from the past. It's reaching into the memory of one of our people and will talk with us as that memory."
"A memory?" Helena wondered, "I've stopped trying to figure out how an alien entity can do such things. There is so much we do not know. But what exactly does it mean when it says it will …?"
"We're about to find out." Tony Verdeschi warned as he and the others noticed a crackle on the big viewing screen.
"Hello …" It was a child's voice. "Is anyone there?" she asked.
Static filled the screen but seconds later it began to clear and soon the image of a beautiful little girl, appearing no more than seven or eight years old, was present. Her eyes were wide and blue, hair bright, curly and long, and her confused smile was inoffensively dazzling.
The Commander felt Helena stiffen next to him. He looked at her, at the stunned shock on her face, and at once knew who the little girl was.
"It's Karen." She gasped, her expression softening as she looked at the small smiling girl before them.
"It's not real, Helena." John whispered, his tone nearly urgent.
"Who?" Verdeschi asked, voicing the bafflement of everyone in Command Center.
They all looked to her and Helena, suddenly realizing the reality of the situation, was crestfallen. She glanced once at John, tears welling in her eyes, as he gazed at her with trepidation. "Oh my God …"
"Helena …" John started, attempting to reach out and touch her.
Overcome, unable to tolerate more, she turned around and quickly left Command Center. It was too much for Helena. Far too much.
"Where did she go?" the angelic little girl asked, appearing hurt. "Isn't she happy to see me?"
"Commander?" Maya asked, ignoring the image, still puzzled.
Koenig cleared his throat ever so slightly, uncomfortable. "Karen was Helena's daughter. She lost her the day after her seventh birthday."
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