After the recent battle the voltron force was relaxing down in the mess hall. Hutch and Marvin were playing cards with their usual antics. Lisa, Cinda, Ginger and Hardware were over by the bar making up some new sort of drink, the rest of the force were here and there chatting, reading and talking. The team captains were over in a booth in deep discussion about the recent battle. I guess I can relax for a minute Commander Hawkins thought to himself, the last battle had left them badly damaged, the retro jets were out as well as communications, hull damaged, radar was out and even voltron was out of commission until the ships are repaired and on top of that the crew are nearing exhaustion and need some R&R.
The Commander received some orders from galaxy garrison and that was to head to planet Noden to meet up with the supply convoy but he was unable to acknowledge the orders or even request some R&R for his crew or some extra men.
"Commander" said Jeff
Hawkins looked up unaware that Jeff made his way over to him "Yes Jeff"
"Sir we were wondering, what will happen to us if the drules are to attack again? I mean the explorer is damaged and voltron is on the repair list"
"Not sure Jeff, the best we can do is get everything repaired as quickly as possible"
"But sir everyone is tired and exhausted and working around the clock getting these repairs done is and if the drules attack we are going to be to tired to fight them"
"There's not much I can do about that other then get these repairs done so we can at least defend ourselves"
"But Commander we need….." Jeff started to say but stopped as the commander was looking at him with such intent that Jeff knew not to keep going. The Commander was a tough man and Jeff knew by the look on his face not to Challenge him as he could receive wrath of his anger as he has in many times in the past.
"Yes sir" and with that he walked away.
I know how you feel Jeff, we all need rest. Hawkins thought to himself as he watched him walk away.
The Commander finished his meal and headed back up to the bridge.
"Doesn't he understand that we need a rest" Shannon said slamming his fist down on the table after the commander walked out of the mess hall.
"I'm sure he does Shannon, we are undermanned at the moment and we have to all work together, there are simply not enough of us to have a break" Cliff said in his heavy Australian accent.
"True Cliff but we can't keep this pace up much longer either" Cric said
"I wish Captain Newly was still here, he would tell the commander to give us a rest" Shannon exclaimed
"But he's not Shannon" Jeff interrupted "and you also have to remember that the commander is doing his job as well as doing most of the captains work as well, so he is under more pressure then any of us could imagine"
"But if Captain Newly was here he….."
"ENOUGH" Jeff said angrily "Captain Newly is not here, even is he was that only one more person and we still have to work just as hard to get the explorer repaired as well as voltron"
"The wrath of Jeff" Cliff said jokingly "You sound just like the Commander then Jeff, remind me to stay in your good books"
Shannon and Cric both nodded in agreement.
Jeff thought maybe he is rubbing off me, I spend so much time with him since Captain Newly left then Cric or Cliff has and I have more responsibilities then they do.
"Speaking of the Commander" Cric said interrupting Jeff thoughts "You better get to the Bridge"
"Yeah I know, I better get up to the bridge before he gets angry with me" Jeff replied knowing that if he is late he will get a brushing down from the commander and with the mood he is in could spell disaster for Jeff, so he got up and headed for the bridge.
"Jeff" A voice called after him. A voice that can makes his heart race.
"Yes Lisa"
Lisa looked atJeff wanting more but knew they had to keep it a secret, the voltron force were the only ones that knew of there relationship and its something that can't go beyond that as protocol forbids there relationship and if the Commander ever found out heaven help them.
"I know Lisa, I promise we will be together soon" Jeff said and started to walk away, stopped and turn to Lisa "lets meet up after I finish my shift"
Lisa nodded in agreement and watched him walk away.
Jeff walked onto the bridge and saw that the Commander was not there and knew that he must be in his office completing reports.
Jeff sat in the Commanders' chair, the bridge staff was very edgy which meant that commander Hawkins was not in a good mood
He spent the rest of the day issuing orders on the repair work, his main concerns were like Commander Hawkins was to get voltron and the communications repaired at least they can defend themselves and contact galaxy garrison for help.
Towards the end of his shift Jeff sat down relieved that everything was going well for the time been, the bridge crew had relaxed a lot as commander Hawkins stayed in his office and only requested updates once in a while.
Jeff took time out to think about the commander. Like everyone else aboard the explorer they knew the commander was strict, compassionate, loyal, devoted, reliable, cool under pressure, and an abundant leader. But like everyone else that's all he new of him. He also knew that the commander feels the lose of his crew and even writes their family a personal letter informing them of their lose and helpless if anyone gets hurts.
But who is he? Jeff thought to himself. I mean does he have family, I know he gets mail and all but it is always official stuff, I wonder does he get anything personal, does he have anyone special in his life like I do. It's funny I been her a while and I don't know his name, his birthday or how old or why did he give up been a pilot. From what Jeff had herd Commander Hawkins was one galaxy garrison's best pilots but now his is the commander of the explorer in charge of finding a new world for the people of the over crowed planets.
Jeff also noticed that he was a high ranking officer and that he was young for his rank because every other officer he knows is considerably older then he was. Well they look like it anyway he thought and on that note he left the bridge.
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Commander Steele walks through the corridors of galaxy garrison on the way up to Space Marshall Graham's office.
He got there and stood staring at the door for the news he was about deliver to the Space Marshall will be devastating.
He knocks at the door. "Enter" Space Marshall Graham said.
"Commander" Space Marshall Graham's said in deep voice with authority in it.
"Sir the last report I got from the explorer has me deeply concerned" Said Commander Steele.
Space Marshall looked up with a little concern, the explorer was the command ship of the alliance, and the main exploration ship in hoping to find a new planet for the people to move to and she it was manned by a young crew in particularly the voltron force and Commander Hawkins who was young especially for the rank he holds.
"What is it?" he said with a little concern in his voice.
"Commander Hawkins has requested a lot of personnel, which means the crew is dangerously low and that the others are likely to be close exhaustion and might not be able to hold if they are attacked like the last one"
"hmmmmmmm"
"I have ordered a supply ship including personnel to meet them on planet Noden, I need your approval for this, I couldn't wait for the next meeting sir, and this is a matter of extreme emergency that had to be dealt with straight away"
"I understand, when does the supply ship get to Noden?"
"In two days sir, if all goes well"
"What about the explorer?"
Commander Steele dropped his head down at the question, he couldn't look at his superior in the eyes for the answer he was about to give is upsetting. "Sir, the explorer was badly damaged in the last attack, as was voltron and at this stage we are guessing about a week or so before she gets there"
"Then have the supply ship go to the explorer" with a touch of urgency in his voice
"That's the problem, we do not know where the explorer is, and we lost communication and radar contact"
"WHAT!!!" Marshall Graham said in utter disbelief, how could we lose contact with the explorer? "We got to find the explorer or other wise our mission is in serious jeopardy"
"Sir I have also sent word through to Noden, to update some of the explorer weaponry when it arrives also"
"Does Noden know about the explorer?"
"No Sir"
"Have the base on Noden see if they can track down the explorer and try to establish communications with them, since the explorer last known contact was in that part of space"
"Yes Sir right away" and with that order Commander Steele left.
Space Marshall Graham thought on the conversation that had just occurred, yes it is true that the voltron force is young but highly trained and they have proven themselves time and time again. As for Commander Hawkins, he was a young commander but he has never doubted the man ability to lead and if anyone can them through this, it will be him.