AFTER THE GAME
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(Dedicated to the gang over at Barbara Bain: The Lady over on FACEBOOK)
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"Turn back?!" Paul Morrow was incredulous.
Koenig felt pain and exhaustion as he spoke, "If you're going to die it might as well be on Alpha." He snapped off his comlock, tossing it aside. It would no longer be needed. He then looked at Helena where she sat on the ground, looking miserable.
Despite her wretchedness, Helena felt a near admiration for her Commander. She could hear the female say, "He has conquered his fear." A lesson well learned - but too late.
She was dead now, Helena thought, both the cold alien woman and the male of her species. They were destroyed in a shockwave of destruction that should have also killed she and John. Yet, they still lived, beating the odds once more - but not for much longer.
Soon, the radiation from the atomic blasts that rocked the planet would overtake the couple, destroying their minds and bodies. But, even before that, they would probably starve. No matter how they looked at it, the outcome was not good.
Koenig fell once again on his knees before Helena. Desolation absolutely saturated his expression. How long had he wanted to tell her how he felt, the fanciful images he had in his mind of them raising a family on a perfect planet, with their people. It could have been here on this once beautiful world if only the inevitable had not happened.
"Why?' she asked, reaching to touch his upper arm.
"Because … we are unworthy." he said, dismally.
The alien had called them a disease that would not just destroy their perfect world but also the humans themselves. The premonition had proven true.
Koenig took her hand, helping Helena to stand as he too arose. "Come." he said. They would walk and survey the destruction - perhaps for eternity. He knew he was going to hell. It was his fault, his order, that caused chaos. Where could his soul be otherwise bound?
But was Helena doomed as well? That did not seem right. She was innocent. None of this was her fault. She had tried very patiently and passionately to reason with the aliens. They had seen something in her that he did not possess. They had taken her for that reason. Yet, when she brought him back, demanded his return and had demonstrated utter fear, Helena had sealed her own fate.
They stood outside now, only a few feet away from the open door. Everything was burnt beyond recognition.
He heard Helena sob and he held her in his arms, her face buried in the material of the orange spacesuit he still wore. He continued to look out and about. Good God, what had he done? Tears fell from his eyes now, rolling down is cheeks, and John Koenig took in a deep gasping breath.
He saw the moon, through the smoke, as it moved slowly away from the planet and from the two lone Earth people who would never lay eyes on it or another human being for as long as they lived. The Commander also saw the Eagles on their return flight back to the moon. He wondered how many of his people, those who remained, were cursing him.
Helena pushed gently away from John, straightening, and took a breath of her own. She got control of herself, realizing depression and panic would get them nowhere, and looked up at him, "John, we're going to need water." she said.
He nearly replied, "What's the point?" but held back. Helena was still a survivalist. He admired her spirit and, for her, he nodded and went through the motions.
Already the sky was on the darker side of twilight. If they were going to stay the night in this shell of a building they might as well be as comfortable as possible. As he watch Helena part from him and scavenge, Koenig pushed debris out of the way in his own search for bedding; anything padded would work.
The spacesuit became warm and unpleasant as he wandered. He took it off and was amazed that the uniform underneath was neat, clean and un-scorch, in complete contrast to what lay around them. Koenig found some soft batting and, while not altogether spotless, it was still better than the hard floor.
Helena approached, her long alien gown shimmering, with a large container filled with a blue tinged liquid. "It's safe." she said, "At least I think it's safe. Without testing equipment it's hard to be certain." Helena had already washed with the liquid, he realized, and she looked more refreshed, even lovely, although understandably somber and introspective.
Koenig nodded and took her word for it. They could do without food for awhile but if they had any chance of survival, they would need hydration. He took the water from her, drank deeply, then put the container on a table beside them. Tomorrow, when they awoke, they would walk around the structure, seeing what could be salvaged - if anything - and try to make sense out of the nightmare surrounding them. They would also search for uncontaminated food.
As an after-thought he splashed some of their precious water on his face, cleaning away the grime, and smiled mildly when Helena passed him a semi-clean cloth to dry with. She was watching him intently and he wondered why.
Tonight, they would rest.
He had positioned their bedding where they could still look out the door. Perhaps in the morning everything would look better. He doubted it but, for Helena's sake, he was going to try and be positive.
Later, Helena lay beside him and looked up at the ceiling, hoping it would not collapse. All was very quiet, their heads pillowed at ease against his rolled-up spacesuit. She looked over at John, his eyes closed but obviously restless. "John." she whispered.
"We will find a way, Helena." he answered, thinking he knew what she was going to ask.
"Kiss me." she said, abruptly.
Surprised, Koenig opened his eyes and looked at her. His expression asked a question but he did not voice it. He merely leaned over and gently place his lips on hers. He felt Helena's arms circle him, holding him close, and he was inclined to lift his hands and gently cup her face.
They needed to feel something more than sadness, horror and despair.
"Helena." His mouth moved from her lips, to her cheek, then to her neck.
"Love me." she whispered into his ear, earnest.
He was stunned by the emotion, the absolute simplicity in her tone, yet he understood her yearning as he felt her reach for the zipper at the neck of his uniform. His own hand felt the alien material covering her legs and pulled it upward, now touching the softness of her skin, the silkiness of her long legs.
Urges as old as time assailed them both and soon they were together, moving, inhaling, passionately kissing away the tears and terror. They clung together, fearful and raw, grateful yet acknowledging the act was less about the demonstration of affection than release.
Yet, they both wanted love and had counted on it. Without love they would be something less than human. And perhaps this was where the Earth people and the beings of this planet truly differed. Humans thrived on their feelings, on their physical and emotional love for one another, whereas the people on this planet found it offensive.
In the aftermath, they lay together quietly in the darkness, assuaged, resting and holding one another close. Her extensive gown now covered them both, shielding their bare bodies against the cool air that had developed now that the sun had completely disappeared.
Koenig felt a strange sense of gratification and sadness. He had wanted so much more for them but it was too late now. As fantastic as their coupling had been, it was really all they had. Everything else remained bleak. Koenig could only hope, as he continued to embrace her, that their eventual end would not be filled with pain and suffering.
He then very briefly wondered, gently stroking her hair, if he should help Helena on her way. It would be a kindness, a gift to his lover, to end her life before disease ravaged her body and ended her life so slowly and painfully. That hell was meant only for him, not Helena. Besides, his soul was already damned. What could one more death by his hand matter?
Yet, as he looked down at the beautiful, sleeping face on his shoulder, John Koenig knew he could not do it. He put on a brave front but, truthfully, he was deeply afraid and had been since the moon left Earth orbit. It was bad enough the others, possibly the last of the Earth people, would hate him for eternity. He could not face her contempt as well.
For now, they would take what solace they could from one another. He pulled the gown up a bit to cover them better.
Tomorrow would tell the tale.
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When he awoke she was gone. Her gown was still laying on him but Helena was nowhere to be seen.
"Helena?" Frightened, John Koenig sat up and reached for his clothes. He dressed quickly, his eyes searching the immediate area. Had something awful and alien dragged Helena from the shelter? How could he have not heard it happen? Koenig called her name again and again, searching.
He was then suddenly surprised when, looking outside, he saw the alien world reborn.
The strange buildings and greenery had returned, in all their magnificent splendor. When Koenig turned about he suddenly realized that the structure he and Helena had spent the night in was restored as well. Nothing was broken or blackened. A sudden feeling of contentment overcame the Commander and when he felt the touch to his arm he was not frightened.
He knew who it was. Helena.
She was now dressed in her Alpha uniform, the sunlight illuminating her perfect pale skin and brightening her blond hair. Helena smiled up at him and took his hands. She pulled him with her as they walked outside together. They heard birdsong and a cool breeze buffeted their faces with fresh, clean air.
No smoke, no burnt out buildings. Only beauty.
Koenig knew he should be questioning everything he was seeing but, instead, he let it wash over him. He was happy. For the first time in a long, long while he was absolutely content.
But it was short lived when the male and female alien appeared in front of he and Helena. "You must leave now, Commander." he said.
"Your place is on Alpha." she said.
He nodded. They were not yet worthy of peace or this ideal world. Yet, in some strange way, he did not feel terribly bad. Because here, on this perfect planet, there was something missing. He just did not know what it was yet. He could not remember ...
Koenig looked down at Helena. She smiled gently up at him, holding his hand, still connected in so many ways. Yes, it is okay, he thought. Not here but, some-day, some-how, and some-where - they would find their Garden of Eden.
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Once again on Moonbase Alpha, the Commander sat in his office chair, looking into Main Mission. It was as if nothing had ever happened. Even now the memory of that nightmare world and the destruction of Moonbase Alpha was becoming very blurry. He looked up at the Big Screen. Nothing but space was before them.
Perhaps they had not been worthy of the alien's that took it upon themselves to teach the Earth people a very serious lesson. But surely out there somewhere there was a place for them to call home … He could not and would not believe otherwise.
Koenig leaned back heavily in the chair, suddenly remembering something that had been pushed deep within his brain. "A world without fear." he whispered. But also, he sensed ... A world without love.
They would take their chances elsewhere and be happy doing it.
The Commander got to his feet and exited out the backdoor of his office.
He needed to find Helena.
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THE END
Originally written: March 1999,
Re-Edited: December 2012
(I pulled this story out of a folder last week that I had buried in a box in my garage. It was written but never posted anywhere. WAR GAMES had always been a favorite SPACE: 1999 episode of mine and although it was perfect the way it was on the small screen I always wondered, in this alternate universe, what Helena and John thought, felt, and did in the aftermath of what they had experienced. I suppose this was my way of exploring it. The story could have gone on much longer, delved even deeper, but the point of this piece was - I hope - clear. We may be fearful humans but despite what this alien race thinks that does not necessarily make us people without hope or a future. And I think that sentiment was deeply felt not just by Commander Koenig and Dr. Russell but every person on Moonbase Alpha ... and here on Earth! Hope you liked AFTER THE GAME and please review if you have a few minutes. Thanks, rje)