Chapter 9

All I want to do is get back to you...

While they ate dinner at the officer's club, Don's mother informed him of the 'nice invitation' from Mrs. Anderson. He had no idea if she knew the real reason for the invite and his father gave him no indication to believe that the invitation included anything more than a friendly meal. Don found it easy to play along. He sensed that he was being watched and was suspicious of an officer who had settled into a corner of the room, alone.

After his parents left, Don eased his way onto a bar stool as he waited for Tom and Red to meet him. He decided that he needed two or three good stiff drinks if he was going to get any sleep that night and ordered a bourbon on the rocks instead of the usual beer. It had been so long since he'd had hard liquor, he almost coughed as the liquid burned down his throat. A pair of legs in a slinky red dress slid onto the stool next to him. The woman was obviously not an officer. "Major West, I presume," she said. "I'm Rebecca Hunter of the Houston Herald."

"No comment," he automatically replied.

"I didn't even ask you a question."

"Don't bother."

"I heard you could be difficult."

Don ignored her comment and took another sip.

"You're more handsome in person than you are in pictures… and that's saying a lot."

"Look, lady, I'm not talking, so you can cut the flattery and just slink your way outta here," he said as he waved his hand towards the door.

"I'm just making conversation. You must be lonely without your… wife… beside you."

That comment hit its mark as he wrinkled his head in frustration. He brought the glass to his lips, downed what was left of the bourbon and signaled the bartender for another.

The woman put money on the bar as the bartender refilled Don's drink. She ordered, "Chardonnay, please."

Don took a sip from his newly poured drink and said, "You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"

"If you keep drinking at the rate you're going, I shouldn't. Look, you don't have to answer any questions, Major. You might find out that the press can be a valuable ally in your… determination… to get back to the Robinsons."

He gave that comment some thought. He didn't think General Bowers would agree, but she did have a point. "How did you get in here, anyway?" he asked her.

"Contacts… My step-father happens to be the head of security."

Don's eyes widened at that revelation and he thought he should run for the hills. The last thing he needed was for any information to get back to the security department. He glanced at the officer who had been in the corner… yup… still there.

Tom and Red strolled in at that moment and slowed as they saw Don talking with the beautiful brunette in the red dress. "How does he do it, Red? He's like a woman magnet," Tom commented.

"Just natural ability, I guess. Or maybe there are some women who just can't resist a challenge," Red replied.

When Tom made eye contact with the woman, he felt his heart skip a beat. He'd never been that taken with his first sight of a woman before. "Tom, Red, I'd like to introduce Rebecca Hunter, a reporter with the Houston Herald and step-daughter to our esteemed chief of security." Both Tom and Red nodded to her and Don continued, "Ms. Hunter, this is Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Bryce and Major James Miles."

"A reporter… I'm surprised security let you in, regardless of whom you're related to," Red commented as he signaled the bartender.

"I suppose it helps that they don't know I'm here," she replied.

"Wait a minute… how did you get in?" Tom asked.

"I used my mother's admittance card. I convinced her that an exclusive interview with Major Don West would be a significant boost for my career."

Tom raised his eyebrows at Don and said, "You have to give her points for being honest."

"Yeah, well, I'm not in the mood for talking tonight," Don stated.

"The announcement that you might be reassigned instead of being allowed to return to the Robinsons seemed to have come as a shock to you… especially after announcing that you had married Ms. Robinson," Rebecca said.

Don agreed with her. "Shock would be the correct word to describe it."

"What are you going to do if that happens?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and replied, "No comment."

She sighed. "You are stubborn, aren't you?"

He grinned. "No comment."

"… and charming too," she added. "Just for the record, I don't even talk to my step-father."

"Had a falling out?" Tom asked, hoping she'd notice him rather than Don.

"You can't have a falling out if you've never had a 'falling in,'" she replied. "He married my mother only last year, and I wasn't supportive of it, to say the least. I won't go into the reasons why." She finished her drink and handed Don her card. "I know I haven't said anything here for you to trust me, but, believe me. I'm on your side. Give me a call if you need a friend in the press." She finished her drink and winked at him before she left.

Tom followed her progress out the door. "Don, why do you have all the luck?"

"Luck? Here." He handed Tom her card. "She's all yours."

Tom accepted it and turned the card over. In pencil was written, 'Tomorrow - 7 pm - Andersons.' Tom passed the card back to Don. "I think you should keep it. You never know when it might come in handy, but, uh, call me if you need me. I'll take her off your hands anytime."

Don saw the note and wondered who else was involved in this meeting tomorrow. He put the card in his inside coat pocket and realized that, whatever the general and his father had in mind, it was going to have far reaching consequences. The thought of being court martialed crossed his mind. 'Judy, what have I gotten myself into? All I wanted to do was pick up some supplies and get back to you. Now it looks like we're going to overthrow the government.' Don finished his second drink and muttered, "Christ, I wish you were here." He signaled for a refill.

Tom and Red exchanged glances. "You wish who was here?"

Don realized that he should have nursed his drinks a bit longer… two in under one hour on top of what he had at dinner was probably one too many and he was beginning to feel the impact. "I'm just talkin' to myself…" He sipped his drink and said loud enough for the corner guy to hear him, "So Tom, are you really interested? I mean… a reporter… you can't trust 'em." He aimed his glass at the corner, hoping Tom and Red would get the message. They did.

"I wouldn't mind getting back into circulation. With the colonization program dead, there's no reason not to," Tom replied.

"Yeah… dead… So, what do I tell the Robinsons when I go back?" Don asked. The drink was flowing to his head a bit faster now.

"You tell them that it's time to come home, Don," Red offered.

"Home… I don't know where home is anymore…" He downed his drink. "I miss my Judy… Did I tell you we exchanged vows?"

"Yes, Don, you did," Red said. Funny, Don's eyes didn't look like he was smashed, but he was sure beginning to act like it.

"I mean, she has the most beautiful white skin… like silk… and these smooth, perky…"

"All right, Don. Time to go home. You might not be out of practice with the women, but you sure are with the bourbon. Come on, Tom and I will get you there."

"Nah… not yet… just one more… I don't want to go back to that empty bed… all by myself…"

Red nodded to Tom and each took an arm and led him out of the officer's club. Don noticed that the figure in the corner of the room got up to follow them, so he purposefully stumbled as he walked out the door.

"Man, I hope nobody sees him in this condition and reports it," Tom proclaimed.

"Yeah, I hate to see him like this. He'll conk out for hours," Red added. Neither Red nor Tom thought Don was dead drunk yet, but they played along with his ruse. It worked. The security detail veered off as Don seemed to be unable to hold himself up. As they got closer to his room, Don whispered, "You know about tomorrow?"

Red chuckled. "Whom do you think your father and the general talked to first?" he whispered back.

"And hold onto that card, Don. I have a feeling she's going to end up being one of the good guys," Tom murmured before they opened his door. They helped him off with his jacket and dropped him onto his bed.

"Thanks, guys," Don said. "Let yourselves out…" Despite not being as drunk as he pretended to be, his eyelids were overcome with a heaviness he couldn't fight. He let his mind drift back to the final few hours he'd had with Judy… and he lapsed into a dream-filled sleep…

He was exhausted from working all day and night to prepare the SS Space Raft for its voyage. Finally, John allowed him a few hours sleep. Don stood in the shower and wished he could let the water flow over him, but water was at a premium, so he took a 'navy' shower, using barely enough water to rinse himself off.

When he returned to his room, his heart almost stopped. He closed and locked the door. Judy was lying in his bed, the sheet tucked under her arms. He untied the towel that was draped around his hips and let it drop. He smiled at her innocent, yet admiring glance and then stepped over to the bed. He took hold of the sheet and slowly peeled it away from her body, his eyes following what it revealed.

She gathered him into her arms as he extended his body alongside hers. Her eyes shone like jeweled beacons and captured his gaze. He buried his head into her neck as she wrapped her arms and legs around him. 'How can I leave her now?' he asked himself…

The dreams were becoming more real each night… Judy would drift off to sleep thinking about her last time with Don before he lifted off…

Her father had sent him in for a few hours sleep before lifting off and she followed him into the Jupiter. As he showered, she stripped and lay in his bed, waiting for him. When he came into the room, she called his name and he closed and locked the door. He dropped the towel that was secured around his waist. She realized that this might be the only time she would see him in this condition and she took a moment to admire his body.

Judy blushed when he pulled the covers back. She reached her arms out to him and he lay beside her. Her eyes brimmed with tears, but she didn't want him to see her as a child. 'Big girls don't cry,' she told herself. She allowed his body to cover her own like a blanket and didn't let him go until their time had run out.

"No," she moaned as she sat up in bed. Nausea was welling up inside her, as it had almost every night for the last few weeks. The pleasures of her dream faded as she slid out of bed and ran to the lavatory. This time was worse than usual and she heaved beyond the point that there could have been anything left in her stomach. She stood. The room started to spin and she became lightheaded.

Maureen heard Judy and rose to give her assistance. As she knocked on the lavatory door, she heard Judy hit the floor. She entered and found her in a heap at the base of the toilet. She wet a washcloth and bathed her face with it. Judy started to come around and mumbled in her stupor, "Don? Where are you?"

"It's mom, Judy. Just breathe easily. Everything will be all right." Maureen's soothing voice helped to rouse her and she opened her eyes.

"Oh, Mom. I feel awful."

"I know, Judy. It won't be much longer. Just another week or so and you should be over the worst of it."

"It feels like it's never going to end…"

Maureen wondered if Judy was talking about her pregnancy or her separation from Don. She had lied to Judy about the morning sickness only lasting another week. It would probably be closer to a month, and Don's possible return was still months away. She hoped that, once Judy's stomach settled down and she felt the growing baby in her uterus, she would hurt less.

Don jerked awake. The room was spinning and his head was pounding. Nausea welled up in his stomach and he ran to the bathroom, barely making it in time as his stomach expelled its contents. He sat back and started to breathe more easily. He bathed his face in cool water and made his way back to his bed. He thought back to his dream and wished he could talk to his love, 'I don't know who the enemy is anymore, Judy. All I want to do is get back to you…'