. . . . 2399. . .
. . . Starsearcher academy. . .
"And that, is how you get out of a no-win scenario." Peter finished his lecture as the screen dipped to black.
One member of the cadets raised their hand.
"Yes, you with the bird wings." Peter said.
The cadet lowered their hand.
"Why did you not use Omega 13?" Came a high pitched cadet.
"Because I already knew what had to be done," Peter said. "I am open for questions," A row of hands raised. "Other than giving up and surrendering," A majority of the hands lowered. "And my relationship with former Lieutenant Tawny Madison," A few hands lowered. "And my recent estrangement with Doctor Lazarus." Some hands lowered. "No, I am not going back there."
The few hands that lowered down left a somewhat packed lecture hall.
"Thank you for spending your time listening to my lecture on getting out of no win scenarios," Peter said. "This lecture is over."
Soon as Peter walked off the stage he saw several unusual humans with a bowl hair cut, gray suits with the NSEA emblem on their chest, and their hands packed into a fist and put it on their chest then bowed their heads. It had been some time, well, really, fourteen years since someone ever did that kind of charade for him. It brought back memories of his time commanding the Protector. . . Before he destroyed her.
Peter raised an eyebrow.
"Commander Taggart," Came the tall one. "We are in need of your help. I am Mathesar."
"I am not a Commander these days," Peter said. "I am retired. Go ask NSEA for help."
Peter walked past the man only to be stopped by the skinniest and most healthy looking of the group.
"We are in need ooof yoooour service, I am Teb," Tev said. "Yoooou are our onnlly hhhhooooppppee."
Peter looked over toward the crowd that was slowly getting up and heading up.
He did not need a scene to be made so he looked over toward Tev who let go of his shoulder. They spoke strangely, as though they had some vocal impediment, or more as though they were aliens. He lived among aliens for a majority of his live on Pegasus II where everyone rebelled against Governor Kudos for bringing in a entire group of limousines at the expense of credits to the planet. He also painted one of them red and the rest brown that resembled Santa Clause's sleigh pulled by reindeer.
"I do not like the joke you are playing with me," Peter said. "But I am not going along with it. I am going to be humiliated in front of everyone, again, not after the Protector." He furrowed his eyebrows at the two. "Go find someone else who will help you."
He started to walk past the group of four.
"No one wants to help us." Mathesar said.
"I will think about it." Peter said, continuing to the doors.
Peter heard what sounded like a strange gasp or . . . something close to a laugh. He looked over to see their faces had brightened up and they were quite ecstatic. He turned his head away resuming to the doors where the crowd had parted to reveal Tawny who was dismissing away any rumors. Peter stopped, dead center, in his tracks to see the woman who had a fling with for the first two years of the mission standing there. Tawny had a smile at one of the cadets. The one who broke his heart. That simple smile broke his damn heart. He went right past Tawny using his self control.
For the last two years of the mission, Peter had gotten over it.
Fourteen years later, they got together and then broke up: twice.
It all came to a end ten years ago when she asked, "Why did you not use Omega 13?"
Tawny turned around noticing that Peter had walked past her.
"Peter?" Tanwy said, her head turned in the direction of Peter. "Is that you?" She turned toward the interested cadets with a apologetic smile. "I am sorry, maybe another time."
The cadet's eyes turned into hearts as they watched the smokin' hot Lieutenant walk after the semi-retired Commander. It had been years since she had spoken with Peter, ten years since they broke up for the second time in a row, and years since she had seen him. Chen was involved with the latest 'Digital Conveyor' experimental project. Laredo was a pilot instructor. Lazarus? He was raising his fifteen year old sister he brought into the world months after the Protector had been destroyed. He chose family over duty. Tawny? She was part of some trials for a few people who went against the Galactic Peace Accord. She missed the ship, and she genuinely wanted answers like most of the command crew.
"Peter!" Tawny said.
Peter turned in the direction of Tawny, his mood sour.
"What do you want?" Peter asked.
Tawny frowned, folding her arms.
"It's been years since I last saw you," Tawny said. "Where have you been? In Navada? In Kansas?"
"No, I have been enjoying the last fourteen years happily without being grilled with questions," Peter said. "Those questions." She understood what he meant by that question. "I have been here in San Fransisco, moved here after you asked that question that I respectfully will not answer." Peter was different, in a light, not the brave womanizer who got his shirt torn off in half of the missions and his jacket shredded to pieces. After all, he had no control in his abs being shown mercilessly against his will. "So far I have been enjoying my retirement."
"You? Retired?" Tawny said. "Dream on, Commander, we both know you-"
"Things change, Tawny," Peter interrupted. "I haven't stepped onto a spaceship in fourteen years."
Tawny looked at Peter in shock and her mouth halfway open, there was a look of loss about her face.
Shock.
Dismay.
Confusion.
Mathesaur suddenly appeared along side Peter.
"Coooommander, have yooouuu decided yet?" Mathesar asked.
Peter looked over toward the man.
"Let me sleep it over." Peter said, then he went past Tawny.
Tawny looked over toward the figure of Peter disappearing in the hallway then she looked over toward the direction of Mathesar was grinning from ear to ear with his companions behind him. One of them was a woman who seemed to be about Tawny's height but maybe two feet taller. They had uniforms that were gray, completely, gray, they lacked a certain flavor to them.
"Who the hell are you?" Tawny asked.
"Mathesar," Mathesar said. "And you must be Lieutenant Tawny Madison," He gently took her hand then kissed it. The others behind him repeated her name. "It is an honor."
Tawny yanked her hand back raising both eyebrows.
"What the hell are you?" Tawny asked,wiping her hand off.
"Thermians, from the planet Thermia," Mathesaur said. "We will take ooour leave, Lieutenant. I am sooo sooorry fooor the disturbance. We will nooot leave our waste ooon yooou. Accidental. My athoousand apoooloogies."
No one had called Tawny 'Lieutenant' in years.
They put their hands on their chest then quickly left. They were creepy and unusual, but they looked so human. Definitely had to be some strange alien race. She looked down to see her hand was covered in slime. Tawny quickly made it to the restroom where she washed her hands, shuddering, at what was possibly the most disgusting thing she ever felt. Two hand washes afterwards she came out of the restroom. She had to call a old friend afterwards about Peter's strange behavior. It was so unlike Peter.
